To enhance a film endurance rate and a resist profile against deep ultraviolet rays, especially, ArF excimer laser beams and to eliminate image defects by using a specified resin, a polyfunctional enol ether compound, a low molecular-weight compound, a low molecular-weight carboxylic acid, an N-containing basic compound, and a surfactant.

This positive resist composition to be used comprises (A) a compound to be allowed to emit an acid by irradiation with activated rays or radiation, (B) a polycycloolefin resin having alicyclic groups and carboxylic groups on the main chain, (C) a compound having ≥2 groups represented by the formula, (D) a cyclic aliphatic carboxylic acid having a molecular weight of ≤1,000 or an organic carboxylic acid having a naphthalene ring, (E) an N-containing basic compound, and (F) a fluorine-containing and/or silicone type surfactant. In the formula, each of R1-R3 is an H atom or an optionally substituted alkyl or cycloalkyl groupe and the 2 groups of them may combine with each other to form a cyclic structure having 3-8 C or a hetero atom; and Z is a -O-, -S-, -SO2- or -NH-.