Abstract: An aspect of the present invention provides a method for manufacturing an original plate of a planographic printing plate, comprising: a process of forming a photosensitive layer on a substrate; a process of coating an overcoat layer over the photosensitive layer; a first drying process of supplying hot air toward the overcoat layer; and a second drying process of supplying hot air and superheated vapor toward the overcoat layer after the first drying process, wherein the original plate of a planographic printing plate is photopolymerizable.

Abstract: The present invention provides a light sensitive planographic printing plate material which is adapted to exposure employing a laser emitting light with an emission wavelength of from 350 to 450 nm, and which exhibits high sensitivity and excellent safelight property, and a light sensitive planographic printing plate material comprising a support and provided thereon, a light sensitive layer and a protective layer (E), the light sensitive layer containing a photopolymerization initiator (A), a polymerizable ethylenically unsaturated compound (B), a dye (C) having absorption maximum in the wavelength regions of from 350 to 450 nm and a polymeric binder (D), and the light sensitive planographic printing plate material being characterized in that the protective layer contains a dye precursor (F) capable of changing to a dye absorbing light with a wavelength of from 350 to 450 nm by heating.

Abstract: A positive-working lithographic printing plate precursor is disclosed comprising on a grained and anodized aluminum support having a hydrophilic surface or which is provided with hydrophilic layer, a coating comprising: (i) an infrared absorbing agent and at least one colorant; (ii) a first layer comprising a heat-sensitive oleophilic resin; and (iii) a second layer between said first layer and said hydrophilic support wherein said second layer comprises a polymer comprising at least one monomeric unit that comprises at least one sulfonamide group; wherein the surface of said grained and anodized aluminum support has a mean pit depth equal or smaller than 2.2 ?m.

Abstract: A thermal lithographic printing plate overcoat composition comprising (a) a water-soluble polymeric dye having an absorption band between about 300 and about 600 nm; and (b) micro-particles or nano-particles is provided. A negative-working thermal lithographic printing plate comprising (a) a hydrophilic substrate; (b) a near infrared imaging layer disposed on the hydrophilic substrate; and (c) an overcoat layer disposed on the imaging layer, said overcoat layer comprising a water-soluble polymeric dye having an absorption band between about 300 and about 600 nm; and micro-particles or nano-particles is also provided. Finally, a water-soluble polymeric dye having an absorption band between about 300 and about 600 nm is provided.

Abstract: There is disclosed a resist lower layer film material for a multilayer-resist film used in lithography which contains, at least, a polymer having a repeating unit represented by the following general formula (1). Thereby, there can be provided a resist lower layer film material for a multilayer-resist process, especially for a two-layer resist process, which functions as an excellent antireflection film especially for exposure with a short wavelength, namely has higher transparency, and has the optimal n value and k value, and is excellent in an etching resistance in substrate processing, and a method for forming a pattern on a substrate by lithography using it.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for imaging deep ultraviolet (uv) photoresists with a topcoat using deep uv immersion lithography. The invention further relates to a topcoat composition comprising a polymer with at least one ionizable group having a pKa ranging from about ?9 to about 11. The invention also relates to a process for imaging a photoresist with a top barrier coat to prevent contamination of the photoresist from environmental contaminants.

Abstract: A photopolymer printing plate precursor includes a photosensitive coating on a support, wherein the photosensitive coating includes a composition that is photopolymerizable upon absorption of light, and the composition includes at least one binder, a polymerizable compound, a sensitizer, and a photoinitiator. The binder is a copolymer that has a Tg of less than 70° C., and wherein 1 mol-% to 50 mol-% of the monomeric units of the copolymer are substituted by at least one acidic group, has a very high sensitivity and resistance of the exposed image portions against alkaline developers, when exposed with a laser, even if no pre-heat step is performed.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a top anti-reflective coating polymer represented by Formula 1, below: wherein R1 and R2 are independently hydrogen, fluoro, methyl or fluoromethyl; R3 is a C1-10 hydrocarbon or a C1-10 hydrocarbon in which the hydrogen atoms are partly replaced by fluorine atoms; and a, b and c, representing the mole fraction of each monomer, are in the range between 0.05 and 0.9. Because a top anti-reflective coating formed using the anti-reflective coating polymer of Formula 1 is not soluble in water, it can be applied to immersion lithography using water as a medium for a light source. In addition, because the top anti-reflective coating can reduce the reflectance from an underlying layer, the uniformity of CD is improved, thus enabling the formation of an ultra fine pattern.

Abstract: In an immersion lithography process, a pattern is formed by forming a photoresist layer on a wafer, forming a protective coating on the photoresist layer from a resist overcoat material, exposing the layer structure to light in water, and developing. A water-insoluble, alkali-soluble material is used as the resist overcoat material.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a composition suitable for use as a top antireflective coating and barrier layer for 193 nm lithography. The inventive composition is soluble in aqueous base solutions and has low refractive index at 193 nm. The inventive composition comprises an aqueous base-soluble polymer having a backbone and a fluorinated half ester moiety. The fluorinated half ester moiety is pendant from the backbone. The present invention also discloses a method of forming a patterned layer on a substrate by using the inventive composition in lithography.

Abstract: Provided is an image recording material capable of being directly recorded by various kinds of lasers, excellent in alkali-developability by alkaline developer and capable of forming an image which is good in curability by exposure. The image recording material is characterized by including on a support: an image recording layer containing a binder polymer (A); a compound (B) having a polymerizable unsaturated group, and a polymerization initiator (C); and a layer containing an organic ionic polymer (a) formed of a non-metallic element and an inorganic layered compound (b) that are layered in this order. It is preferable that the image recording layer further contains a dye (D) having an absorption maximum in a region of 300 to 1,200 nm, and it is preferable that the binder polymer (A) is a polymer having an alkali-soluble group.

Abstract: The present invention provides a planographic printing plate precursor having a support, a photosensitive layer and a protective layer. The photosensitive layer contains at least an infrared absorbing agent, a polymerization initiating agent, a polymerizable compound and a binder polymer having repeating units represented by the following Formula (i). Further, the protective layer contains at least an inorganic lamellar compound. In Formula (i), R1 represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group; R2 represents a connecting group having two or more types of atom selected from the group consisting of a carbon atom, a hydrogen atom, an oxygen atom, a nitrogen atom, and a sulfur atom and having 2 to 82 atoms in total; A represents an oxygen atom or —NR3—, and R3 represents a hydrogen atom or a monovalent hydrocarbon group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms; and n is an integer of 1 to 5.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a composition suitable for use as a top antireflective coating and barrier layer for 193 nm lithography. The inventive composition is soluble in aqueous base solutions and has low refractive index at 193 nm. The inventive composition comprises an aqueous base-soluble polymer having a backbone and a fluorinated half ester moiety. The fluorinated half ester moiety is pendant from the backbone. The present invention also discloses a method of forming a patterned layer on a substrate by using the inventive composition in lithography.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an image forming material in which at least an alkali-soluble thermoplastic resin layer and a photosensitive resin layer are formed on a support in this order. At least the thermoplastic resin layer of the image forming material includes a copolymer comprising monomers represented by the following general formula (a) and the following general formula (b), a content ratio by mass of the monomers represented by general formula (a) to the monomers represented by general formula (b) is in a specific range.

Abstract: A reimageable medium including a transparent substrate having a first side and any opposing side, a protective layer and an imaging layer. The protective layer can be located on the first side of the transparent substrate and the imaging layer can be located on the opposing side of the transparent substrate.

Abstract: A method of on-press developing a laser sensitive lithographic printing plate with ink and/or fountain solution is described. The printing member comprises on a substrate a photosensitive layer soluble or dispersible in ink and/or fountain solution and capable of hardening upon exposure to a laser. The plate is exposed with a laser and on-press developed with ink and/or fountain solution. The exposure and development are performed with the plate under lightings that contain no or substantially no radiation below a wavelength selected from 400 to 650 nm, or in the dark or substantially dark.

Abstract: A planographic printing plate precursor, including: a substrate; a photosensitive layer containing an IR absorber, a polymerization initiator, a polymerizable compound and a binder polymer; and a protective layer containing a UV absorber, disposed in this order. The photosensitive layer exhibits reduction in solubility in an alkaline developing solution upon being exposed to light having a wavelength of 750 nm to 1400 nm.

Abstract: The invention pertains to an apparatus and a process for forming a printing form from a photosensitive element having a cylindrical support, and in particular, to an apparatus and a process for thermally treating the photosensitive element to form a relief pattern and particularly to form a cylindrically-shaped flexographic printing form. The apparatus and process includes supporting the cylindrical support to accommodate thermal treating of photosensitive elements with various sizes of the cylindrical support.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a top anti-reflective coating composition comprising a bissulfone compound, as a photoacid generator, represented by Formula 1 below: wherein R1 and R2 are independently, a straight, branched or cyclic alkyl, aryl, alkenyl, oxoalkyl or oxoaryl group of 1 to 20 carbon atoms; or a halogen-substituted straight, branched or cyclic alkyl, aryl, alkenyl, oxoalkyl or oxoaryl group of 1 to 20 carbon atoms. Since the top anti-reflective coating composition dissolves a portion of a photoacid generator present at the top of an underlying photosensitizer, particularly, upon formation of a top anti-reflective coating, it can prevent the top from being formed into a thick section. Therefore, the use of the anti-reflective coating composition enables the formation of a vertical pattern of a semiconductor device.

Abstract: Disclosed are a light sensitive planographic printing plate precursor and its processing method, the precursor comprising a hydrophilic support and provided thereon, a photopolymerizable light sensitive layer containing a compound represented by the following formula (1) or (2) and a compound represented by the following formula (3) or (4):

Abstract: A lithographic mask having a mask substrate (3) and a patterned mask layer (4) which includes mask structures (5) and can be transferred by lithography to a further substrate is disclosed. With masks of this type, it is customary for a protective layer to be provided in the form of a membrane positioned at a distance from the mask layer (4), in order to keep impurity particles or other impurities away from the focal plane of the mask layer (4). According to the invention, the protective layer (6) is applied in liquid form directly to the mask structures (5) and fills up spaces between the mask structures (4). Then, the protective layer (6), while it is still in the liquid state, is covered with a plane-parallel plate. The continuously dense protective layer (6) which is formed in accordance with the invention is even more reliable in preventing impurity particles or impurities (20) from penetrating into spacers between the structures (5) of the mask layer (4).

Abstract: A composition that includes functionalized polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes derivatives of the formulas TmR3 where m is equal to 8, 10 or 12 and QnMnR1,R2,R3 where n is equal to 8, 10 or 12 are provided. The functional groups include aqueous base soluble moieties. Mixtures of the functionalized polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes derivatives are highly suitable as a topcoat for photoresist in photolithography and immersion photolithography applications.

Abstract: Photoresist compositions including amino acid polymers as photoimageable species are disclosed. Methods of using the compositions in photolithography are also disclosed.

Abstract: A photoresist coating composition that includes a compound represented by Formula 1 and an aqueous solvent, and a method for forming a fine pattern by coating the composition on a photoresist pattern to effectively reduce a size of a photoresist contact hole and a space, which can be applied to all of the semiconductor processes.

Abstract: Top coating compositions capable of being used in immersion lithography, and methods of forming photoresist patterns using the same, are provided. The top coating composition includes: a polymer, a base; and a solvent, wherein the polymer may be represented by Formula I: wherein R1 and R2 are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, fluoro, methyl, and trifluoromethyl; X is a carboxylic acid group or a sulfonic acid group; Y is a carboxylic acid group or a sulfonic acid group, wherein the carboxylic acid group or sulfonic acid group is protected; Z is a monomer selected from the group consisting of a vinyl monomer, an alkyleneglycol, a maleic anhydride, an ethyleneimine, an oxazoline-containing monomer, acrylonitrile, an allylamide, a 3,4-dihydropyran, a 2,3-dihydrofuran, tetrafluoroethylene, or a combination thereof; and m, n, and q are integers wherein 0.03?m/(m+n+q)?0.97, 0.03?n/(m+n+q)?0.97, 0?q/(m+n+q)?0.5; and wherein the solvent includes deionized water.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a top anti-reflective coating polymer and its composition comprising the same represented by Formula 1 below: wherein R1 and R2 are independently, hydrogen, methyl or fluoromethyl; R3 and R4 are independently, a C1-10hydrocarbon or a C1-10 hydrocarbon in which the hydrogen atoms are wholly or partly replaced by fluorine atoms; and a, b, c, d and e represent the mole fraction of each monomer and are in the range between about 0.05 and about 0.9, such that the sum of a, b, c, d, and e equals one.

Abstract: The invention provides photoresist resin compositions and in particular, a photoresist resin compositions comprising a) an acrylate monomer having two urethane bonds, b) a crosslinkable urethane monomer having at least two ethylene double bonds, c) an alkali-soluble compound, d) a photopolymerization initiator and e) a solvent, and a photoresist dry film resists using the photoresist resins. The photoresist resin compositions and the photoresist dry film resists using the same in accordance with the invention have excellent adhesion to a substrate and sandblast resistance and at the same time, they have high sensitivity as well as high resolution, thereby enabling fine pattern formation on substrates.

Abstract: This invention relates to novel processes comprising a protective polymer layer in the fabrication of electronic devices using thick film pastes. The protective polymer layer is fabricated from materials which are insoluble after irradiation in the ester-type solvents contained in the thick film paste. By appropriate selection of protective film polymers, the protective film can be compatible with the thick film paste.

Abstract: A lithographic printing plate precursor capable of forming an image upon irradiation with an infrared laser comprising a support, a first layer containing as the main component an alkali-soluble resin and a second layer containing as the main component an alkali-soluble resin that is different from the alkali-soluble resin contained as the main component in the first layer in this order, and at least one of the first layer and the second layer contains a mixture comprising at least two kinds of infrared absorbing agents.

Abstract: Provided are a material for forming a resist protecting film which is for use in a liquid immersion lithography process and which is formed on a resist film, wherein the material has the following properties of: being transparent with respect to exposure light; having substantially no compatibility with a liquid for liquid immersion lithography; and causing no mixing with the resist film, a composite film comprising a protective film formed from the material and a resist film, and a method for forming a resist pattern using them. These can prevent both the resist film and the liquid used from changing in properties during the liquid immersion lithography, so that a resist pattern with high resolution can be formed using the liquid immersion lithography.

Abstract: A polymer for forming an organic anti-reflective coating layer between an etching layer and a photoresist layer to absorb an exposure light in a photolithography process and a composition comprising the same are disclosed. The polymer for forming an organic anti-reflective coating layer has a repeating unit represented by wherein, R1 is hydrogen or methyl group, and R2 is a substituted or non-substituted alky group of C1 to C5. The composition for forming the organic anti-reflective coating layer includes the polymer having the repeating unit represented by above Formulas; a light absorber; and a solvent.

Abstract: Wet-recess (develop) gap-fill and bottom anti-reflective coatings based on a polyamic acid or polyester platform are provided. The polyamic acid platform allows imidization to form a polyimide when supplied with thermal energy. The gap-fill and bottom anti-reflective coatings are soluble in standard aqueous developers, and are useful for patterning via holes and trenches on semiconductor substrates in a dual damascene patterning scheme. In one embodiment, compositions composed of polyamic acids can be used as gap-filling (via-filling) materials having no anti-reflective function in a copper dual damascene process to improve iso-dense fill bias across different via arrays. In another embodiment, the same composition can be used for anti-reflective purposes, wherein the photoresist can be directly coated over the recessed surface, while it also acts as a fill material to planarize via holes on the substrate.

Abstract: A novel process for using a hard mask or protective layer in conjunction with an extremely thin photoresist is provided. In this process, a thin film of the protective layer is coated on the surface of a substrate that is to be selectively modified by reactive ion etch (RIE). The protective layer is photosensitive and anti-reflective. An extremely thin photoresist layer is coated on top of the protective layer. The stack of the films is selectively exposed to actinic radiation at a wavelength determined by the sensitivities of the protective layer and photoresist layer. The latent images on the photoresist and protective layers resulting from the exposure are developed with a common alkaline developer. The three dimensional patterns of photoresist and underlying protective layer are formed simultaneously by the single exposure and single development. When the underlying substrate is etched by RIE, the protective layer is the masking layer, not the photoresist.

Abstract: Photoresist polymers and photoresist compositions containing the same. Photoresist patterns of less than 50 nm are achieved with EUV (Extreme Ultraviolet) as an exposure light source with photoresist compositions comprising (i) a photoresist polymer comprising a polymerization repeating unit of Formula 2 or (ii) a photoresist polymer comprising a polymerization repeating unit of Formula 3 with polyvinylphenol. As a result, excellent etching resistance can be secured although the photoresist patterns have a very small thickness. wherein R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7, R8, R9, R10, R11, R12, a, b, c, d, e, f and g are as defined in the specification.

Abstract: A topcoat composition that includes a fluorine-containing polymer and a casting solvent selected from the group consisting of ?,?,?-trifluorotoluene, 2,2,3,3,4,4,5,5-octafluoropentyl-1,1,2,2-tetrafluoroethyl ether (OFP-TFEE), and a mixture consisting of a hydrophobic alkane and an alcohol is provided.

Abstract: Printing members that include a plasma polymer layer exhibit enhanced tolerance for high imaging-power densities. The plasma polymer layer may contain or be adjacent to an oleophilic metal such as copper.

Abstract: A method of forming a top coat layer and a topcoat material for use in immersion lithography. A topcoat layer is formed on a photoresist layer from an aqueous solution that is immiscible with the photoresist layer. The topcoat layer is then rendered insoluble in neutral water but remains soluble in aqueous-base developer solutions so the photoresist may be exposed in a immersion lithographic system using water as the immersion fluid, but is removed during photoresist development. The topcoat materials are suitable for use with positive, negative, dual tone and chemically amplified (CA) photoresist.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a lithographic printing plate precursor requiring no dampening water including: a support, a light-to heat conversion layer; and a silicone rubber layer in this order. The method includes: subjecting a surface of the support to a corona discharge treatment in a discharge amount of 0.01 to 0.12 kW/m2/minute; or subjecting a surface of the support to a corona discharge treatment so that the surface has an element ratio of oxygen to carbon of 0.41 or more, which is measured by an X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic; and providing the light-to-heat conversion layer directly on the surface of the support.

Abstract: A lithographic printing plate precursor comprising: a support; an image recording layer comprising (A) an actinic ray absorber, (B) a polymerization initiator, and (C) a polymerizable compound, wherein the image recording layer is capable of being removed with at least one of a printing ink and a fountain solution; and an overcoat layer comprising an inorganic laminar compound. And a lithographic printing method comprising: mounting a lithographic printing plate precursor on a printing press; imagewise exposing the lithographic printing plate precursor with laser beams; and feeding at least one of a printing ink and a fountain solution to the lithographic printing plate precursor to remove a laser beams non-exposed area in an image recording layer; and performing printing.

Abstract: There is provided a novel polyester compound having in its main polymer chain an aliphatic cyclic structure with carboxylic acids or carboxylic acid ester groups as represented by the chemical formula (1), a resist material containing the polyester compound and a patterning method using the resist material.

Abstract: A top coat material for applying on top of a photoresist material is disclosed. The top coat material includes a polymer, which includes at least one fluorosulfonamide monomer unit having one of the following two structures: wherein: M is a polymerizable backbone moiety; Z is a linking moiety selected from the group consisting of —C(O)O—, —C(O)—, —OC(O)—, and —O—C(O)—C(O)—O—; R1 is selected from the group consisting of an alkylene, an arylene, a semi- or perfluorinated alkylene, and a semi- or perfluorinated arylene; p and q are 0 or 1; R2 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, fluorine, an alkyl group of 1 to 6 carbons, and a semi- or perfluorinated alkyl group of 1 to 6 carbons; n is an integer from 1 to 6; and R3 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, an alkyl, an aryl, a semi- or perfluorinated alkyl, and a semi- or perfluorinated aryl. The top coat material may be used in lithography processes, wherein the top coat material is applied on a photoresist layer.

Abstract: A method of forming an underlayer of a bi-layer resist including forming a blended material by blending a polymer having an aromatic group and a methacrylate polymer, and coating a substrate with the blended material. The blended material coated on the substrate is irradiated to form an underlayer. The polymer having the aromatic group may be a novolac polymer or a naphthalene polymer.

Abstract: A method for forming a patterned amorphous carbon layer in a semiconductor stack, including forming an amorphous carbon layer on a substrate and forming a silicon containing photoresist layer on top of the amorphous carbon layer. Thereafter, the method includes developing a pattern transferred into the resist layer with a photolithographic process and etching through the amorphous carbon layer in at least one region defined by the pattern in the resist layer, wherein a resist layer hard mask is formed in an outer portion of the photoresist layer during etching.

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: Disclosed herein are top anti-reflective coating polymers used in a photolithography process, methods for preparing the anti-reflective coating polymer, and anti-reflective coating compositions comprising the disclosed anti-reflective coating polymers. The top anti-reflective coating polymers are used in immersion lithography for the fabrication of a sub-50 nm semiconductor device. The top anti-reflective coating polymer is represented by Formula 1 below: wherein R1, R2 and R3 are independently hydrogen or a methyl group; and a, b and c represent the mole fraction of each monomer, and are independently in the range between about 0.05 and about 0.9. Because the disclosed top anti-reflective coatings are not soluble in water, they can be used in immersion lithography using water as a medium for the light source. In addition, since the top anti-reflective coatings can reduce the reflectance from an underlayer, the uniformity of CD is improved, thus enabling the formation of ultrafine patterns.

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: Methods of forming a patterned semiconducting-dielectric material on a substrate by thermal processes are disclosed, comprising heating a thermally imageable donor element comprising a substrate and a transfer layer of semiconductive material in conjunction with a dielectric. The donor is exposed with the positive image of the desired pattern to be formed on the receiver, such that the exposed portions of the layer of semiconductive and dielectric material are simultaneously transferred, forming the desired pattern of semiconductive and dielectric material on the receiver. The semiconducting material can be patterned to form a thin film transistor. The method can also be used to pattern a light-emitting polymer or small molecule in conjunction with the charge injection layer to form the light-emitting display for light-sensitive organic electronic devices. Donor elements for use in the process are also disclosed.

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 polymer for forming an organic anti-reflective coating layer between an etching layer and a photoresist layer to absorb an exposure light in a photolithography process and a composition comprising the same are disclosed. The polymer for forming an organic anti-reflective coating layer has repeating units represented by wherein, R is a substituted or non-substituted alky group of C1 to C5.

Abstract: A light-sensitive sheet comprises a support, a first light-sensitive layer and a second light-sensitive layer in this order. Each of the first and second light sensitive layers independently contains a binder, a polymerizable compound and a photo-polymerization initiator. The second light-sensitive layer is more sensitive to light than the first light-sensitive layer. A light-sensitive laminate comprises a substrate, the second light-sensitive layer and the first light-sensitive layer in this order.