Abstract: The battery holder disposes plates between parallel oriented batteries, and holds batteries in specified positions. The battery holder is provided with L-shaped holders each having the form of a first plate and second plate connected at a right angle corner and having an L-shaped lateral cross-section, and flat-plate holders that connect with the L-shaped holders and have an overall planar form. An L-shaped holder has connecting holes on the outside of the corner between the first plate and second plate. Further, the outer edge of the first plate opposite the corner is provided with first connecting tabs that can connect with connecting holes of another L-shaped holder. A flat-plate holder is provided with second connecting tabs on at least one side edge that connect with connecting holes of an L-shaped holder.

Abstract: An adhesive composition which is reduced in gas generation upon heating (has low hygroscopicity), has high alkali resistance, has heat resistance of 200° C. or higher, and can be easily removed with a stripping liquid; and an adhesive film made with the adhesive composition. The adhesive composition is prepared using, at least as a major ingredient, an acrylic polymer produced from (a) styrene, (b) a (meth)acrylic ester monomer containing a cyclic skeleton, and (c) an alkyl (meth)acrylate monomer. The adhesive film has an adhesive composition layer formed from this adhesive composition.

Abstract: The present invention provides a chemical amplification type positive photoresist composition which is excellent in storage stability as a resist solution in a bottle. A novolak resin or a hydroxystyrenic resin is reacted with a crosslinking agent to give a slightly alkali-soluble or alkali-insoluble resin having such a property that solubility in an aqueous alkali solution is enhanced in the presence of an acid, which is then dissolved in an organic solvent, together with (B) a compound generating an acid under irradiation with radiation to obtain a chemical amplification type positive photoresist composition wherein the content of an acid component is 10 ppm or less.

Abstract: A method for attaching a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer in which cracking or chipping can be prevented when the substrate is thinned involves applying adhesive liquid onto a circuit (element)-formed surface of a semiconductor wafer. The adhesive liquid undergoes preliminary drying, so that its flowability is reduced and it can keep its shape as an adhesive layer. For the preliminary drying, heating is conducted for 5 minutes at a temperature of 80° C. by using an oven. The thickness of the adhesive layer is determined based on the irregularities of the circuit which has been formed on the surface of the semiconductor wafer. Next, a supporting plate is attached to the semiconductor wafer on which the adhesive layer of a desired thickness has been formed.

Abstract: The present invention provides a chemical amplification type positive photoresist composition which is excellent in storage stability as a resist solution in a bottle A novolak resin or a hydroxystyrenic resin is reacted with a crosslinking agent to give a slightly alkali-soluble or alkali-insoluble resin having such a property that solubility in an aqueous alkali solution is enhanced in the presence of an acid, which is then dissolved in an organic solvent, together with (B) a compound generating an acid under irradiation with radiation to obtain a chemical amplification type positive photoresist composition wherein the content of an acid component is 10 ppm or less.

Abstract: The present invention provides a chemical amplification type positive photoresist composition which is excellent in storage stability as a resist solution in a bottle. A novolak resin or a hydroxystyrenic resin is reacted with a crosslinking agent to give a slightly alkali-soluble or alkali-insoluble resin having such a property that solubility in an aqueous alkali solution is enhanced in the presence of an acid, which is then dissolved in an organic solvent, together with (B) a compound generating an acid under irradiation with radiation to obtain a chemical amplification type positive photoresist composition wherein the content of an acid component is 10 ppm or less.

Abstract: A phenol novolak resin has a peak intensity ratio of ortho-ortho bond (o-o)/ortho-para bond (o-p)/para-para bond (p-p) in a resin structure not substantially varying in each molecular weight fraction and has a weight average molecular weight (Mw) of 3000 to 20000 in terms of polystyrene, which peak intensity ratio is detected by 13C-NMR analysis. The phenol novolak resin can form both dense pattern and isolation pattern with good shapes in the formation of a fine resist pattern of not more than 0.35 ?m and has satisfactory sensitivity, definition, and focal depth range properties, and has a resin composition being uniform in each molecular weight fraction. A process for producing the phenol novolak resin, and a positive photoresist composition using the resin are also provided.

Abstract: A method for attaching a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer in which cracking or chipping can be prevented when the substrate is thinned involves applying adhesive liquid onto a circuit (element)-formed surface of a semiconductor wafer. The adhesive liquid undergoes preliminary drying, so that its flowability is reduced and it can keep its shape as an adhesive layer. For the preliminary drying, heating is conducted for 5 minutes at a temperature of 80° C. by using an oven. The thickness of the adhesive layer is determined based on the irregularities of the circuit which has been formed on the surface of the semiconductor wafer. Next, a supporting plate is attached to the semiconductor wafer on which the adhesive layer of a desired thickness has been formed.

Abstract: A phenol novolak resin has a peak intensity ratio of ortho-ortho bond (o-o)/ortho-para bond (o-p)/para-para bond (p-p) in a resin structure not substantially varying in each molecular weight fraction and has a weight average molecular weight (Mw) of 3000 to 20000 in terms of polystyrene, which peak intensity ratio is detected by 13C-NMR analysis. The phenol novolak resin can form both dense pattern and isolation pattern with good shapes in the formation of a fine resist pattern of not more than 0.35 &mgr;m and has satisfactory sensitivity, definition, and focal depth range properties, and has a resin composition being uniform in each molecular weight fraction. A process for producing the phenol novolak resin, and a positive photoresist composition using the resin are also provided.

Abstract: (i) As a primary reaction, m-cresol is allowed to react with propionaldehyde in the presence of an acid catalyst and thereby yields a polymer having a weight average molecular weight Mw of 200 to 500 and a molecular weight distribution Mw/Mn of 1.7 or less, and (ii) as a secondary reaction, the polymer is allowed to react with 3,4-xylenol and formaldehyde and thereby yields a novolak resin having an Mw of 1000 to 20000. By adding a specific photosensitizer, the novolak resin yields a positive photoresist composition.

Abstract: The present invention provides a positive photoresist composition including (A) an alkali-soluble resin and (B) a photosensitizer, and the ingredient (B) is a quinonediazide ester of, for example, 2,6-bis[4-hydroxy-3-(2-hydroxy-3,5-dimethylbenzyl)-2,5-dimethylbenzyl]-4-methylphenol, where the average degree of esterification of 20% to 80%.

Abstract: (i) As a primary reaction, m-cresol is allowed to react with propionaldehyde in the presence of an acid catalyst and thereby yields a polymer having a weight average molecular weight Mw of 200 to 500 and a molecular weight distribution Mw/Mn of 1.7 or less, and (ii) as a secondary reaction, the polymer is allowed to react with 3,4-xylenol and formaldehyde and thereby yields a novolak resin having an Mw of 1000 to 20000. By adding a specific photosensitizer, the novolak resin yields a positive photoresist composition.

Abstract: The present invention provides a positive photoresist composition including (A) an alkali-soluble resin and (B) a photosensitizer, and the ingredient (B) is a quinonediazide ester of, for example, 2,6-bis[4-hydroxy-3-(2-hydroxy-3,5-dimethylbenzyl)-2,5-dimethylbenzyl]-4-methylphenol, where the average degree of esterification of 20% to 80%.

Abstract: The present invention provides a positive photoresist composition including (A) an alkali-soluble resin and (B) a photosensitizer, and the ingredient (B) is a quinonediazide ester of, for example, 2,6-bis[4-hydroxy-3-(2-hydroxy-3,5-dimethylbenzyl)-2,5-dimethylbenzyl]-4-methylphenol, where the average degree of esterification of 20% to 80%.

Abstract: A positive photoresist composition includes (A) an alkali-soluble resin, in which part of phenolic hydroxyl groups is protected by an acid-decomposable group; (B) a quinonediazide ester; and (C) a compound which generates an acid upon irradiation of light with a wavelength of 365 nm. This positive photoresist composition can form a fine pattern of about 0.35 &mgr;m in the photolithographic process using i-ray (365 nm), is excellent in focal depth range properties in such an ultrafine region, and has a high sensitivity.

Abstract: A novolak resin precursor is composed of bonded phenolic moieties, one of the hydrogen atoms in the o- or p-positions relative to the hydroxy group of each phenolic moiety is substituted with an alkyl or alkenyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms, and the other two hydrogen atoms are bonded through methylene bonds. The content of ortho-ortho bonding is 30 to 70% relative to the number of total methylene bonds and the weight average molecular weight of the precursor is 300 to 10,000. A novolak resin is obtained from this precursor, and a positive photoresist composition comprises this novolak resin. The invention provides a positive photoresist composition that comprises less binuclear compounds, suppresses scum formation, is excellent in terms of definition and coating performance and provides a resist pattern having satisfactory heat resistance.

Abstract: A positive photoresist composition includes (A) an alkali-soluble resin, in which part of phenolic hydroxyl groups is protected by an acid-decomposable group; (B) a quinonediazide ester; and (C) a compound which generates an acid upon irradiation of light with a wavelength of 365 nm. This positive photoresist composition can form a fine pattern of about 0.35 &mgr;m in the photolithographic process using i-ray (365 nm), is excellent in focal depth range properties in such an ultrafine region, and has a high sensitivity.

Abstract: A phenol novolak resin has a peak intensity ratio of ortho-ortho bond (o-o)/ortho-para bond (o-p)/para-para bond (p-p) in a resin structure not substantially varying in each molecular weight fraction and has a weight average molecular weight (Mw) of 3000 to 20000 in terms of polystyrene, which peak intensity ratio is detected by 13C-NMR analysis. The phenol novolak resin can form both dense pattern and isolation pattern with good shapes in the formation of a fine resist pattern of not more than 0.35 &mgr;m and has satisfactory sensitivity, definition, and focal depth range properties, and has a resin composition being uniform in each molecular weight fraction. A process for producing the phenol novolak resin, and a positive photoresist composition using the resin are also provided.

Abstract: A novolak resin precursor is composed of bonded phenolic moieties, one of the hydrogen atoms in the o- or p-positions relative to the hydroxy group of each phenolic moiety is substituted with an alkyl or alkenyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms, and the other two hydrogen atoms are bonded through methylene bonds. The content of ortho—ortho bonding is 30 to 70% relative to the number of total methylene bonds and the weight average molecular weight of the precursor is 300 to 10,000. A novolak resin is obtained from this precursor, and a positive photoresist composition comprises this novolak resin. The invention provides a positive photoresist composition that comprises less binuclear compounds, suppresses scum formation, is excellent in terms of definition and coating performance and provides a resist pattern having satisfactory heat resistance.

Abstract: In a positive photoresist composition including (A) an alkali-soluble novolak resin and (B) a naphthoquinonediazide ester, the alkali-soluble novolak resin is obtained synthetically by condensation of phenol compounds and an aldehyde or ketone, and the phenol compounds include, for example, 1% to 20% by mole of hydroquinone, 30% to 95% by mole of m-cresol and 2% to 50% by mole of 2,5-xylenol. Thus, a high-definition positive photoresist composition can be obtained, which inhibits the formation of scum, and is satisfactory in sensitivity, sectional shape, focal depth range and other properties even in a process for the formation of an ultrafine resist pattern of 0.30 &mgr;m or below by lithography using i-ray.