Abstract: A carboxyl group-containing photosensitive resin is obtained by reacting an ?,?-ethylenically unsaturated group-containing monocarboxylic acid (c) with a phenolic compound (a) containing the structure represented by the following general formula (I) and having at least two phenolic hydroxyl groups in its molecule, wherein part or the whole of the phenolic hydroxyl groups being modified into an oxyalkyl group, and further reacting a polybasic acid anhydride (d) with the resultant reaction product; wherein R1 represents either one of a hydrocarbon radical of 1 to 11 carbon atoms, a SO2 group, an oxygen atom and sulfur atom, R2 represents a hydrocarbon radical of 1 to 11 carbon atoms, “a” represents an integer of 0 to 3, “n” represents an integer of 1 to 2, and “m” represents an integer of 1 to 10.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for producing a photosensitive resin plate or relief printing plate having a recessed and projected pattern, which comprises the steps of: making a liquid containing an ink-repellent component (A) and a curing component (B) attach to the plate surface of the photosensitive resin plate or relief printing plate having a recessed and projected pattern prior to the post-treatment step or during the post-treatment step, wherein the ink-repellent component (A) comprises at least one compound selected from the group consisting of silicon-based compounds, fluorine-based compounds and paraffin-based compounds, and provides a treatment liquid which is suitable for the process for producing the photosensitive resin plate or the relief printing plate having the recessed and projected pattern.

Abstract: Disclosed is a resin composition for a protective layer of a color filter including an acrylate-based resin including a repeating unit represented by each of Chemical Formulae 1 to 3, a melamine-based resin represented by Chemical Formula 4, a thermal acid generator (TAG), and a solvent.

Abstract: Continuous, conducting metal patterns can be formed from metal nanoparticle containing films by exposure to radiation (FIG. 1). The metal patterns can be one, two, or three dimensional and have high resolution resulting in feature sizes in the order of micron down to nanometers Compositions containing the nanoparticles coated with a ligand and further including a dye, a metal salt, and either a matrix or an optional sacrificial donor are also disclosed.

Abstract: A process for the manufacture of organically developable, photopolymerizable flexographic elements on flexible metallic supports by coating a flexible metallic support with a tack-free adhesive coating composition which is insoluble and non-swelling in printing inks and organic developers, attaching an elastomeric, photopolymerizable layer to a protective film, and laminating the photopolymerizable layer to the metallic support coated with said adhesive coating composition. A photopolymerizable flexographic element comprising a photopolymerizable layer which is attached to a metallic support by means of a tack-free adhesive film that is non-swelling and insoluble in printing inks and organic developers.

Abstract: A catalyst precursor resin composition includes an organic polymer resin; a fluorinated-organic complex of silver ion; a monomer having multifunctional ethylene-unsaturated bonds; a photoinitiator; and an organic solvent. The metallic pattern is formed by forming catalyst pattern on a base using the catalyst precursor resin composition reducing the formed catalyst pattern, and electroless plating the reduced catalyst pattern. In the case of forming metallic pattern using the catalyst precursor resin composition, a compatibility of catalyst is good enough not to make precipitation, chemical resistance and adhesive force of the formed catalyst layer are good, catalyst loss is reduced during wet process such as development or plating process, depositing speed is improved, and thus a metallic pattern having good homogeneous and micro pattern property may be formed after electroless plating.

Abstract: A radiation curing composition suitable for building a three-dimensional object by a solid freeform method is disclosed. The composition includes one or more mono-functional monomers where a respective polymer has a Glass Transition Temperature higher than about 60° C., one or more di-functional oligomers where a respective polymer has a Glass Transition Temperature lower than about 40° C. and a phase separation inducing component. The phase separation may be induced during curing, resulting in a non-clear cured material having an improved impact strength and higher elongation, when compared to similar compositions without a phase separation including component.

Abstract: A printable metal nanoparticle having a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) composed of a compound containing a thiol (—SH), isocyanide (—CN), amino (—NH2), carboxylate (—COO) or phosphate group, as a linker, formed on the surface thereof, and a method for formation of a conductive pattern using the same are provided. The metal nanoparticles of an exemplary embodiment can be easily formed into a conductive film or pattern by a printing method, and the resulting film or pattern exhibits excellent conductivity which optimally may be adjusted if desired. Therefore, the resulting metal nanoparticles of can be used to advantage in the fields such as antistatic washable sticky mats, antistatic shoes, conductive polyurethane printer rollers, electromagnetic interference shielding materials, etc.

Abstract: The present invention provides an interconnect structure in which a patternable low-k material is employed as an interconnect dielectric material. Specifically, this invention relates to single-damascene and dual-damascene low-k interconnect structures with at least one patternable low-k dielectric. In general terms, the interconnect structure includes at least one patterned and cured low-k dielectric material located on a surface of a substrate. The at least one cured and patterned low-k material has conductively filled regions embedded therein and typically, but not always, includes Si atoms bonded to cyclic rings via oxygen atoms. The present invention also provides a method of forming such interconnect structures in which no separate photoresist is employed in patterning the patterned low-k material.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a photosensitive resin composition which comprises (A) a compound having a molecule with at least one thiirane ring and a total number of a thiirane ring and/or an epoxy ring of at least 2 in the molecule, and (B) a photo acid generator, said composition having a refractive index of at least 1.6, and a method of obtaining a high refractive index periodical structure which comprises subjecting the photosensitive resin composition to photolithography.

Abstract: The present invention provides a low viscosity photocurable composition including (i) a cationically curable component comprising a polyglycidyl epoxy compound (ii) a free radically active component (iii) a cationic photoinitiator (v) a free radical photoinitiator and optionally (iv) one or more optional components. The photocurable composition can be cured using rapid prototyping techniques to form clear, colorless three-dimensional articles having excellent mechanical properties.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a polymer resin compound including a new polycyclic compound, and a photosensitive resin composition including the polymer resin compound as an effective binder matrix. In particular, the photosensitive resin composition according to the present invention uses a polymer resin compound, which includes a compound having double cyclic structure in one molecule as a monomer, as a binder matrix. Accordingly, the photosensitive resin composition has an excellent photosensitivity and an excellent developing property, and has a low distortion property during plastic processing. For this reason, the photosensitive resin composition has an advantage of curing various transparent photosensitive materials used to manufacture a color filter of a liquid crystal display, for example, a column spacer, an overcoat, a passivation material, and the like.

Abstract: Exemplary embodiments provide materials and methods for a pen that can include a writing end for writing an image on an erasable medium and an erasing end for locally erasing an image from the erasable medium.

Abstract: There is provided a photo-curable composition that shows the suppression of a residual film formation and a high adhesion thereof to a substrate in a process for forming a three-dimensional pattern by a photo-imprinting method. A photo-curable composition for forming a three-dimensional pattern by a photo-imprinting method, comprises a monomer having a photopolymerizable group; an inorganic fine particle to which a dispersant is added; and a photopolymerization initiator. It is preferred that the inorganic fine particle (e.g., silica) has an average particle diameter of 1 to 1,000 nm, and the dispersant is a silane coupling agent, particularly a silane coupling agent containing an organic group having a carbon-carbon unsaturated bond or an organic group having an epoxy group.

Abstract: To provide a resist composition capable of prevention of the formation of abnormal resist pattern shapes for efficient, high-precision formation of fine, high-resolution resist patterns, a resist pattern forming process capable of efficient, high-precision formation of finer, high-resolution resist patterns by using the resist composition, and a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device. The resist composition of the present invention includes a base resin, a photoacid generator, a first additive, and a second additive, wherein the pKa of the second additive is higher than the pKa of the first additive, and at a resist formation temperature, the vapor pressure of the second additive is lower than the vapor pressure of the first additive.

Abstract: A lithographic printing plate support in which surface unevenness due to surface treatment has been suppressed and a presensitized plate of excellent sensitivity are produced from an aluminum alloy plate containing iron, silicon, titanium and boron by specifying the state in which TiB2 particles are present in the surface layer and the width of the crystal grains, and by having specific indicators relating to the respective concentrations of iron and silicon in the surface layer following graining treatment fall within specific ranges. In a method of manufacturing the lithographic printing plate support, an aluminum alloy melt having specified alloying ingredients is subjected to a specified casting process to have the amount of the alloying ingredients in solid solution following cold rolling fall within specified ranges.

Abstract: The present invention provides a low viscosity photocurable composition including (i) a cationically curable component (ii) a free radically active component (iii) an antimony-free cationic photoinitiator (v) a free radical photoinitiator, and (vi) a toughening agent. The photocurable composition can be cured using rapid prototyping techniques to form three-dimensional articles which can be used in various aerospace and investment casting applications.

Abstract: The invention relates to holographic media containing specific photopolymers, a process for the production thereof, and unsaturated glycidyl ether acrylate urethanes as writing monomers which are suitable for the preparation of photopolymers.

Abstract: An optical information recording medium includes a recording layer that absorbs recording light in accordance with its wavelength, the recording light being condensed for information recording, and increases the temperature in the vicinity of a focus so as to form a recording mark and that has properties of increasing a light absorption amount with respect to the wavelength of the recording light by heating performed at a temperature of 120° C. or more.

Abstract: Provided is a resin composition for stereolithography that absorbs little water and moisture over time in uncured state, maintains a low moisture absorption rate even under high humidity, and has high curing sensitivity, from which a stereolithography product excellent in the properties, such as dimensional accuracy, mechanical properties, and dimensional stability can be smoothly produced for reduced light irradiation time. The resin composition for stereolithography comprising an oxetane compound expressed by the general formula (I) below: wherein R1 denotes an alkyl group having 1 to 5 carbon atoms, and R2 denotes an alkylene group having 2 to 10 carbon atoms that may contain an ether bond, in the proportion of from 3 to 60 mass % based on the total mass of the resin composition for stereolithography.

Abstract: A laser-writable molding material containing A) at least one polymer material or at least one precursor compound which can be polymerised to give a polymer material, and B) a particulate salt-like compound or a mixture of particulate salt-like compounds, which under the influence of laser light changes its color or leads to a color change in the component A). In order to enlarge the range of matrix materials hitherto available for laser writing and to overcome the disadvantages of the previously used writing procedures for such matrix materials, the laser-writable molding material according to the invention is characterised in that the at least one polymer material of the component A) is selected from polymer compounds having siloxane crosslinking units.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for producing a surface-modified layer system comprising a substrate (2) and a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) (1) anchored to its surface. The SAM (1) is comprised by aryl or rigid alicyclic moiety species. The process comprises providing a polymorphic SAM (1) anchored to the substrate (2), and thermally treating (4) the SAM to change from a first to a second structural form thereof. The invention also provides a thermolithographic form of process in which the thermal treatment (4) is used to transfer a pattern (3) to the SAM (1), which is then developed.

Abstract: The present invention provides a clear, low viscosity photocurable composition including (i) a cationically curable compound (ii) an acrylate-containing compound (iii) a polyol-containing mixture (iv) a cationic photoinitiator and (v) a free radical photoinitiator. The photocurable composition can be cured using rapid prototyping techniques to form opaque-white three-dimensional articles having ABS-like properties.

Abstract: A polymer for use in photoresist compositions is synthesized by effecting polymerization reaction to form a polymerization product mixture and subjecting the mixture to molecular weight fractionation by a liquid phase separation technique using a good solvent and a poor solvent. The fractionation step is iterated at least twice, and one iteration of fractionation includes adding a good solvent which is different from the good solvent added in the other iteration of fractionation.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a cured first ultraviolet-curing resin material layer having a first three-dimensional pattern is formed on a first principal surface of a magnetic recording medium having a central hole. A cured second ultraviolet-curing resin material layer having a second three-dimensional pattern is formed on a second principal surface opposite to the first principal surface of the magnetic recording.

Abstract: A method for surface micropatterning includes forming on a surface containing a first polymer a first coating containing a second polymer having first functionalities capable of being converted to second functionalities by exposure to an acid. A second coating containing a photoacid generator is formed on the first coating. The second coating containing the photoacid generator is selectively irradiated in one or more regions thereof with radiation having a spatially varying internsity pattern to generate an acid in each irradiated region of the second coating. The acid converts the first functionalities of each region of the second polymer underlying a respective irradiated region of the second coating to second functionalities. A first molecular patterned surface having one or more regions of the first functionalities and one or more regions of the second functionalities is formed.

Abstract: A high optical contrast pigment and colorful photosensitive composition employing the same are disclosed. The composition comprises a solvent, an alkali-soluble resin, reactive monomer, and a modified pigment which has low crystallization. The low crystallization degree means that the grain size variation R is not more 80%, wherein the grain size variation R is represented by a formula R=G1/G0×100%, G0 is the original grain size, and G1 is the grain size after modification.

Abstract: The present invention provides a resist pattern thickening material, which can utilize ArF excimer laser light; which, when applied over a resist pattern such as an ArF resist having a line pattern or the like, can thicken the resist pattern regardless of the size of the resist pattern; which has excellent etching resistance; and which is suited for forming a fine space pattern or the like, exceeding the exposure limits. The present invention also provides a process for forming a resist pattern and a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, wherein the resist pattern thickening material of the present invention is suitably utilized.

Abstract: A radiation curing composition suitable for building a three-dimensional object by a solid freeform method is disclosed. The composition includes one or more mono-functional monomers where a respective polymer has a Glass Transition Temperature higher than about 60° C., one or more di-functional oligomers where a respective polymer has a Glass Transition Temperature lower than about 40° C. and a filler that comprises particles having an average diameter of less than 100 nm. The functional groups of the components may include meth(acrylic) and the composition has a viscosity of about 50-500 cps at ambient temperature. Further, the concentration of the mono-functional monomer may be at least 30% by weight elative to the total weight of the composition and the concentration of the di-functional oligomer may be at least 20% by weight elative to the total weight of the composition.

Abstract: An optical moulding process is disclosed comprising the sequential steps of: (a)(y) forming a layer of a photocurable composition; and (bXz) irradiating selected areas of the composition in the layer with radiation from a radiation source, thereby curing the composition in said selected areas and repeating the steps a) and b) on top of an earlier cured layer to form a three dimensional structure, wherein the radiation source used in step b) is a non-coherent source of radiation and wherein the photocurable composition comprises at least two curable components: (i) 45%-95% (and preferably at least 50%, more preferably at least 60%, e.g.

Abstract: The appearance of a color print viewed under UV illumination is predicted using a target comprising color patches each printed using a known coverage of printer colorant(s). In one case, the target is illuminated using a UV light source and an electronic image of the target is captured using a digital camera or the like. In another case, a spectrophotometer is used both with and without a UV cutoff filter to measure the target. The captured image data or the spectrophotometric measurements are used to derive a UV printer characterization model that relates any arbitrary combination of printer colorants to a predicted UV color appearance value. Metameric colorant mixture pairs for visible light and UV light viewing can be determined using the UV model together with a conventional visible light printer characterization model. A visual matching task is used to determine a correction factor for the UV printer characterization model.

Abstract: Hydrofluoroalkanesulfonates of the general formula R—O—CXH—CX2—SO3M, where R is selected from the group consisting of alkyl groups, functionalized alkyl groups, and alkenyl groups; X is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and fluorine with the proviso that at least one X is fluorine; and M is a cation, are made by reacting fluorovinyl ether with aqueous sulfite solution. Organic onium hydrofluoroalkanesulfonates are useful as ionic liquids and photoacid generators.

Abstract: An anti-reflective coating material, a microelectronic structure that includes an anti-reflective coating layer formed from the anti-reflective coating material and a related method for exposing a resist layer located over a substrate while using the anti-reflective coating layer provide for attenuation of secondary reflected vertical alignment beam radiation when aligning the substrate including the resist layer located thereover. Such enhanced vertical alignment provides for improved dimensional integrity of a patterned resist layer formed from the resist layer, as well as additional target layers that may be fabricated while using the resist layer as a mask.

Abstract: A monomeric formulation for creating self-propagating polymer optical waveguides and a system and a method of using the same. The monomeric formulation includes a plurality of unsaturated molecules, a molecule having a structure of R—X—H (e.g., X?O, S, N), and a photoinitiator. The monomeric formulation can further include a free radical inhibitor. The system includes a light source, a reservoir having a monomeric formulation and a patterning apparatus configured to guide a light beam from the light source into the monomeric formulation to form at least one self-propagating polymer waveguide.

Abstract: A mask blank manufacturing department manufactures a mask blank by forming a thin film to be a mask pattern on a mask blank transparent substrate. When providing the mask blank to a mask manufacturing department, the mask blank manufacturing department provides optical characteristic information (transmittance variation) of the mask blank transparent substrate and optical characteristic information (transmittance variation and/or phase difference variation) of the mask blank to the mask manufacturing department. The optical characteristic information of the mask blank transparent substrate is provided to the mask blank manufacturing department from a materials processing department that manufactures mask blank transparent substrates.

Abstract: A method of making an imprint template includes providing a transfer layer on a substrate and providing a layer of imprintable medium on the transfer layer, using a master imprint template to imprint a pattern into the imprintable medium, polymerizing the imprintable medium by exposing it to actinic radiation, then etching the resulting polymer layer, the transfer layer and the substrate such that the imprinted pattern is transferred to the substrate, the substrate thereby becoming an imprint template bearing a pattern which is the inverse of a pattern provided on the master imprint template.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for forming metal-containing films by applying a photosensitive metal-containing composition on a substrate, drying the photosensitive metal-containing composition, exposing the photosensitive metal-containing composition to a source of actinic radiation and applying a post- treatment to the metal-containing composition. The process also includes exposing the photosensitive metal-containing composition to a source of actinic radiation through a mask or mold and developing the unexposed portion of the composition. Another embodiment of the invention is a metal-containing film, three-dimensional object or article formed by the process. The invention is useful in producing a directly patterned metal-containing film and a microdevice.

Abstract: In an immersion lithographic apparatus, bubble formation in immersion liquid is reduced or prevented by reducing a gap size or area on a substrate table and/or covering the gap.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a photoinitiator composition comprising two different cationic photoinitiators and a photocurable composition comprising said photoinitiator composition. Moreover, the present invention relates to the use of the photoinitiator composition and the photocurable composition. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a process for producing a three dimensional article.

Abstract: A laser induced thermal imaging apparatus for imaging an imaging layer of a donor film on an acceptor substrate. The laser induced thermal imaging apparatus includes: a substrate stage having an electromagnet, and adapted to receive an acceptor substrate having a pixel area of the organic light emitting device and a donor film including the organic light emitting layer to be imaged on the pixel area; a laser oscillator for irradiating a laser on the donor film; a contact frame adapted to be located between the substrate stage and the laser oscillator and including an opening portion of a pattern corresponding to a part to be imaged of the donor film and a permanent magnet for forming a magnetic force with the substrate stage; and a contact frame moving mechanism for moving the contact frame toward the substrate stage.

Abstract: Various embodiments disclose devices and methods for fabricating microporous particulate filters with regularly space pores wherein sheet membrane substrates are exposed to energetic particle radiation through a mask and the damaged regions removed in a suitable developer. The required depth of field is achieved by using energetic particles to minimize diffraction and an energetic particle source with suitably small diameter.

Abstract: Slip based on a polyreactive binder, polymerization initiator and filler, which contains (A) 5-65 wt.-% polymerizable binder, (B) 0.001-1.0 wt.-% photoinitiator and (C) 35-90 wt.-% surface-modified ceramic and/or glass ceramic particles relative to the overall mass of the slip, and process for the preparation of ceramic mouldings by rapid prototyping processes using the slip.

Abstract: The present invention provides a pattern forming method characterized in that energy is applied to a surface of a base material including a polyimide having a polymerization initiating moiety in a skeleton thereof to thereby generate an active site on the surface of the base material, and a polymer directly bonded to the base material surface and having at least a group selected from a group consisting of: a polar group; a functional group whose hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity changes, whose structure is changed into a structure that interacts with an electroless plating catalyst or a precursor thereof, or which ceases to interact with an electroless plating catalyst or a precursor thereof in response to heat, acid or radiation; and a polymerizable functional group, is generated in a pattern shape using the active site as a starting point so that a pattern is formed on the surface of the base material.

Abstract: A periodic structure is to be successively formed over an extensive area with a uniaxial laser beam. Such method includes irradiating a uniaxial laser beam near an ablation threshold to a surface of a material; and executing an overlapped scanning on the irradiated region, so as to cause an ablation by interference between an incident beam and a surface scattered wave along the material surface; increasing the scattered wave; causing an interference at an interval equal to a wavelength of the laser beam, to thereby cause spontaneous formation of a periodic structure. The periodic structure can be made to have a different ripple spacing by changing an incident angle of the laser beam to the material surface. When the laser incident beam has an angle, the ripple spacing can be changed by changing a scanning direction.

Abstract: A laser induced thermal imaging apparatus for imaging an imaging layer of a donor film on an acceptor substrate. The laser induced thermal imaging apparatus includes: a substrate stage having an electromagnet, and adapted to receive an acceptor substrate having a pixel area of the organic light emitting device and a donor film including the organic light emitting layer to be imaged on the pixel area; a laser oscillator for irradiating a laser on the donor film; a contact frame adapted to be located between the substrate stage and the laser oscillator and including an opening portion of a pattern corresponding to a part to be imaged of the donor film and a permanent magnet for forming a magnetic force with the substrate stage; and a contact frame moving mechanism for moving the contact frame toward the substrate stage.

Abstract: An image forming medium includes a substrate; an imaging layer including an imaging material coated on said substrate, wherein the imaging material exhibits a reversible transition between a colorless state and a colored state; and a protective layer over the imaging layer, the protection layer including dipolar molecules that can be reversibly switch between a UV light transmission state and a UV light absorption state, wherein the dipolar molecules in their random orientation absorb in substantially the same spectral region as the imaging material in its un-imaged state, and wherein the imaging layer is imageable by ultraviolet light when the dipolar molecules are in the UV light transmission state, but the imaging layer is substantially not imageable by ultraviolet light when the dipolar molecules are in the UV light absorption state.

Abstract: A method for processing a workpiece (10) having a photoresist layer (12) using an exposure device (30) is disclosed. A transparent sheet (20) which allows transmission of light emitted from the exposure device (30) is disposed between an object lens (35a) of the exposure device (30) and the photoresist layer (12), and the photoresist layer (12) is exposed to the light through the transparent sheet (20).

Abstract: A radiation-sensitive composition includes a free-radically polymerizable component, an initiator composition capable of generating free radicals sufficient to initiate polymerization upon exposure to imaging radiation, an infrared radiation absorbing compound, and a polymeric binder. The initiator composition includes a unique polyonium borate comprising a polyvalent onium cation with multiple onium moieties and sufficient organic borate counterions to provide a net neutral charge. The radiation-sensitive composition can be used to prepare a negative-working imageable element that is sensitive to suitable imaging infrared radiation, can be imaged at relatively low energy, and can be developed either on-press or off-press.

Abstract: A radiation curing composition suitable for building a three-dimensional object by a solid freeform method is disclosed. The composition includes one or more mono-functional monomers where a respective polymer has a Glass Transition Temperature higher than about 60° C. and one or more di-functional oligomers where a respective polymer has a Glass Transition Temperature lower than about 40° C. The functional groups of the components may include meth(acrylic) and the composition has a viscosity of about 50-500 cps at ambient temperature. Further, the concentration of the mono-functional monomer may be at least 30% by weight and the concentration of the di-functional oligomer may be at least 20% by weight.

Abstract: According to the present invention, there is provided a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus having: a process flow information creating section which registers an exposure device as a device for performing the pattern writing processing and an electron beam direct writing device as an alternative to the exposure device, when creating process flow information by sequentially registering processing conditions of processings in a semiconductor manufacturing process; and a control section which searches for information on the pattern writing processing based on the process flow information before the pattern writing processing, determines whether or not a mask used by the exposure device for performing the pattern writing processing searched for is installed in the exposure device, and sets the exposure device to perform the pattern writing processing in the case where it has been determined that the mask is installed in the exposure device, or sets the electron beam direct writing device to perform the patt