To provide a
resist composition with superior lithographic performance such as sensitivity and LWR, and also provide a
sulfonium salt applicable as an acid generator in the
resist composition, and an acid generator comprising the
sulfonium salt.SOLUTION: The present invention provides a
sulfonium salt represented by the general formula (1) where R1 is a
hydrogen atom, a hydroxyl group, a carboxyl group, an
electron-withdrawing group, an amino group, an optionally substituted C1-30 linear, branched-chain or cyclic
alkyl group, a C2-30 linear, branched-chain or cyclic alkenyl group or the like; Ar is a C6-14
aryl group or a C3-20 heteroaryl group; the sulfonium salt in the formula has at least one
iodine atom in the sulfonium cation structure; and X- is a monovalent anion.SELECTED DRAWING: None