Abstract: The present invention provides a process for using an amine contamination-protecting top-coating composition. Preferably, the amine contamination-protecting top-coating composition of the present invention comprises an amine contamination-protecting compound. Useful amine contamination-protecting compounds include amine derivatives; amino acid derivatives; amide derivatives; urethane derivatives; urea derivatives; salts thereof; and mixtures thereof. The amine contamination-protecting top-coating composition of the present invention reduces or eliminates problems such as T-topping due to a post exposure delay effect and/or difficulties in forming a fine pattern below 100 nm due to acid diffusion associated with conventional lithography processes involving a photoresist polymer containing an alicyclic main chain using a light source, such as KrF (248 nm), ArF (193 nm), F2 (157 nm), E-beam, ion beam and extremely ultraviolet (EUV).

Abstract: The present invention relates to an improved compressible flexographic printing plate that uses a compressible layer comprising a polyurethane (meth)acrylate resin and microspheres. The process of the invention produces a chemically fused printing plate that eliminates the need for an adhesive to secure the compressible layer to the back of the printing plate.

Abstract: A protective film-forming composition for immersion exposure comprises a water-insoluble and alkali-soluble resin comprising a repeating unit derived from a monomer having an acid dissociation constant pKa of 8 or more.

Abstract: A composition for a bottom-layer resist, having superior anti-refractivity and dry-etch resistance for use in a bi-layer resist process employing a light source at a wavelength of 193 nm or below, is disclosed. The composition for the bottom-layer resist contains a polymer represented by formula 1: In formula 1, R is hydrogen or a methyl group, m/(m+n) is about 0.5 to about 1.0 and n/(m+n) is 0 to about 0.5.

Abstract: A silver halide photographic emulsion comprising silver halide grains, wherein a variation coefficient of equivalent-circle diameters of all the silver halide grains is 30% or less, and 70% or more of the total projected area of the silver halide grains are occupied by silver halide grains each meeting requirements (i), (ii), and (iii) below: (i) silver bromochloroiodide grain having (111) faces as main planes, (ii) having an epitaxial portion junctioned to at least one apex portion thereof, and (iii) having at least one dislocation line in an epitaxial portion thereof.

Abstract: A resist pattern having a film thickness of 1 to 100 ?m and an aspect ratio (ratio of the line width to the film thickness of the resist pattern) of 3.5 or higher is provided in accordance with the present invention, the resist pattern being useful for increasing the density of a semiconductor package substrate circuit, and use of the resist pattern enabling a low conductor resistance to be maintained in fine wiring. This resist pattern can be produced using, for example, a photosensitive resin composition that includes (A) a binder polymer, (B1) a photopolymerizable compound having three ethylenically unsaturated bonds per molecule, (C) a photopolymerization initiator, and (D) either or both of a compound represented by general formula (I): (in the formula, m is an integer of 2 to 6) or a compound represented by general formula (II).

Abstract: The present invention provides an aluminum alloy plate for use as a lithographic printing plate having an improved uniformity of a surface roughened by electrolytic etching and wherein streaking does not occur, and a method for producing the same. The present invention is characterized in comprising, in wt %, Fe: 0.1 to 0.6%; Si: 0.02 to 0.2%; Cu: 0.001 to 0.02%; Zn: 0.01 to 0.1%; Mg: 0.005 to 0.1%; Ti: 0.001 to 0.05%, and the remainder Al and inevitable impurities, and an average value of the crystal particle size is 60 ?m or less in a direction perpendicular to the rolling direction.

Abstract: 3-D structures which are fabricated by gray-tone exposure of a class of thick negative photo-sensitized epoxy resists from the substrate side of a transparent substrate, using development methods that rely upon a physical distinction between polymerized (solid) and unpolymerized (liquid) photoresist at elevated temperatures Such structures may exhibit smoothly-varying topographic features with thicknesses as great as 2 mm.

Abstract: A composition utilized in and a method for forming an electrode used in field emission type of display devices said composition is a photosensitive copper conductive composition comprising: a mixture of (a) copper powder at least 70 wt % out of 100 wt % copper powders having a particle size in the range of 0.2-3 ?m and (b) an inorganic binder with a softening point in the range of 380-580° C. in an amount of 140 wt % based on 100 wt % copper powders, said mixture being dispersed in an organic vehicle comprising (c) an organic polymer binder, (d) a phototoinitiator, (e) a photohardenable monomer, and an organic solvent; and the photosensitive copper conductive composition being fireable at a temperature in the range of 450-600° C. in a reductive atmosphere.

Abstract: The present invention provides polymers that are useful in negative resist compositions. Polymers of the present invention comprise (1) a first monomer having a polar functional group; (2) a second monomer; and optionally, (3) a third monomer that imparts at least one characteristic selected from crosslinkable functionality, etch resistance, and solubility modulation. The first monomer provides an acid catalyzed polarity switch upon elimination of the polar functional group, whereas, the second monomer provides aqueous dissolution. The polymers of the present invention may be incorporated into negative resist compositions, which may also include photoacid generators, crosslinking agents, basic compounds, solvents, dissolution accelerators, photobase generators, latent basic compounds, surfactants, adhesion promoters, and anti-foaming agents.

Abstract: An image forming method composed of: (a) providing a reimageable medium composed of a substrate and a photochromic material, wherein the medium is capable of exhibiting a color contrast and an absence of the color contrast; (b) exposing the medium to an imaging light corresponding to a predetermined image to result in an exposed region and a non-exposed region, wherein the color contrast is present between the exposed region and the non-exposed region to allow a temporary image corresponding to the predetermined image to be visible for a visible time; (c) subjecting the temporary image to an indoor ambient condition for an image erasing time to change the color contrast to the absence of the color contrast to erase the temporary image without using an image erasure device; and (d) optionally repeating procedures (b) and (c) a number of times to result in the medium undergoing a number of additional cycles of temporary image formation and temporary image erasure.

Abstract: A heat sensitive lithographic printing plate precursor is disclosed comprising on a support having a hydrophilic surface or which is provided with a hydrophilic layer, a coating comprising an infrared light absorbing agent and a copolymer which comprises a plurality of recurring units X having a hydrophilic polymeric pendant group and a plurality of recurring units Y having a hydrophobic polymeric pendant group. Said coating is capable of switching from a hydrophilic state into a hydrophobic state after exposure to heat and/or infrared light.

Abstract: Thermally imageable multilayer imageable elements useful as lithographic printing plate precursors that have good solvent resistance are disclosed. The underlayer of the imageable element comprises an acidic copolymer that comprises, in polymerized form, about 10 mol % to about 75 mol % of one or more monomers of the formula: CH2?CH(R1)-Z-X—NH—CO—NH—C6H3—(R2)(CO2H); in which: R1 is H or CH3; R2 is H or OH; Z is —C6H4— or —C(O) —Y—; Y is —O— or —NH—; and X is selected from —C(CH3)2—, —CH(CH3)— and —(CH2)n—, in which n is an integer from 1 to 12.

Abstract: A lithographic printing process which comprises the steps of: imagewise exposing to infrared light a presensitized lithographic plate which comprises a hydrophilic support and a removable image-forming layer containing an infrared absorbing agent having the absorption maximum within an infrared region and a dye precursor having substantially no absorption within a visible region to change the dye precursor to a visible dye having an absorption within a visible region within the exposed area, and to make the image-forming layer irremovable within the exposed area; removing the image-forming layer within the unexposed area of the lithographic plate mounted on a cylinder of a printing press; and then printing an image with the lithographic plate mounted on the cylinder of the printing press. The other processes are also disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention provides microparticles that create permanent tissue markings, such as tattoos, designed in advance for change and/or removal on demand, as well as methods for implanting the microparticles in tissue and changing and/or removing the resulting markings. Colored microparticles are constructed with specific electromagnetic absorption and/or structural properties that facilitate changing and/or removing tissue markings made using the microparticles by applying specific energy (such as electromagnetic radiation from a laser or flash-lamp) to the tissue marking site.

Abstract: The present invention relates to photoresist compositions for EUV and methods for forming photoresist patterns. More specifically, fine photoresist patterns: of less than 50 nm without collapse are formed with EUV (Extreme Ultraviolet) as an exposure light source by using a negative photoresist composition comprising a melamine derivative and polyvinylphenol.

Abstract: There are described novel complexes formed between hydrogen bond acceptors and phenolic dye compounds and imaging members and imaging methods, including thermal imaging members and methods utilizing the complexes.

Abstract: There are described novel fluorescein dye compounds and imaging members and imaging methods utilizing the compounds. The fluorescein dye compounds exhibit a first color when in the crystalline form and a second color, different from the first color, when in the liquid, amorphous form.

Abstract: A composition utilized in and a method for forming an electrode used in field emission type of display devices said composition is a photosensitive copper conductive composition comprising: a mixture of (a) copper powder at least 70 wt % out of 100 wt % copper powders having a particle size in the range of 0.2-3 ?m and (b) an inorganic binder with a softening point in the range of 380-580° C. in an amount of 1-40 wt % based on 100 wt % copper powders, said mixture being dispersed in an organic vehicle comprising (c) an organic polymer binder, (d) a phototoinitiator, (e) a photohardenable monomer, and an organic solvent; and the photosensitive copper conductive composition being fireable at a temperature in the range of 450-600° C. in a reductive atmosphere.

Abstract: A positive resist composition for immersion exposure which comprises (A) a resin which enhances its solubility in an alkaline developer by the action of an acid and (B) at least one compound which generates an acid upon irradiation with an actinic ray or a radiation, the compound being selected from the following (Ba) to (Bc): (Ba) a sulfonium salt compound having a specific alkyl or cycloalkyl residue in the cation part, (Bb) a sulfonium salt compound having a specific alkyl or cycloalkyl residue in the cation part, and (Bc) a sulfonium salt compound having a specific alkyl or cycloalkyl residue in the anion part; and a method of pattern formation with the composition.