The present invention provides; a
polymer suitable as a base resin for a positive
resist composition, in particular a chemically amplified positive
resist composition, having a higher resolution, a larger
exposure allowance, a smaller sparse-dense
size difference, a better process applicability, a better pattern configuration after
exposure, and in addition, a further excellent
etching resistance, than a conventional positive
resist; a positive resist composition using the same; a patterning process; and a novel polymerizable compound to obtain a
polymer like this.The present invention was accomplished by a
polymer whose
hydrogen atom of at least a carboxyl group is substituted by an
acid labile group represented by the following general formula (2), a positive resist composition using the same, a patterning process, and a novel polymerizable compound to obtain a polymer like this.