Benzyl ester was found to be a functional group suitable for inducing position-selective scission of polymer skeletons by ionizing radiation. A molecule with benzyl ester on the skeleton captures a free electron generated by ionizing radiation, which then dissociates into a stable carboxylate anion and the benzyl radical, as R1COOCH(C6H5)R-2 + e(-) --> R1COO- + CH(C6H5)R-2 The dissociation is induced by the excess electron in the antibonding orbital of the R1COO-CH(C6H5)R-2 bond. A polymer with benzyl ester in the middle of the skeleton can be used as an electron beam and X-ray resist with high sensitivity and spatial resolution. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.