Abstract: Provided is an inspection method for simply measuring an ultra-small foreign substance in a composition selected from the group consisting of an actinic ray-sensitive or radiation-sensitive composition and a thermosetting composition. In addition, provided are a method for producing a composition and a method for verifying a composition, using the inspection method. The inspection method is an inspection method for a composition selected from the group consisting of an actinic ray-sensitive or radiation-sensitive composition and a thermosetting composition, the inspection method including a step X1 for applying the composition to a substrate X to form a coating film, a step X2 for removing the coating film from the substrate X using a removal solvent including an organic solvent, and a step X3 for measuring the number of defects on the substrate X after the removal of the coating film using a defect inspection device.

Abstract: A terminal cover includes a cover body equipped with a curved portion and a base portion. The curved portion has formed therein a pair of claws diametrically opposed to each other. The claws are arranged at an interval away from each other. The interval is selected to be smaller than the width of the terminal and increased by elastic deformation of the cover body arising from installation of a terminal in the terminal cover, so that the claws retain the terminal. This structure enables the terminal cover to be simple and small-sized and facilitates installation of the terminal in the terminal cover without being scraped by the terminal when inserted into the terminal cover.

Abstract: A terminal cover includes a lid and a cover body. The lid is rotatable around a hinge to open or close the cover body. An assembly of the cover body and the lid closed has a first side wall and a second side wall. A shoulder side wall that is at least one of the first and second side walls has a shoulder. The shoulder side wall is equipped with a first snap-fit and a second snap-fit. The first snap-fit is located closer to the hinge than the shoulder is, while the second snap-fit is located farther away from the hinge than the shoulder is. If the second snap-fit is undesirably unlocked, the shoulder serves to block transmission of resultant deflection of a portion of the shoulder side wall to the first snap-fit, thereby eliminating a risk that the first snap-fit may be accidently undone by the undesirable unlocking of the second snap-fit.

Abstract: An actinic ray-sensitive or radiation-sensitive resin composition contains a resin (A) having a glass transition temperature of 155° C. or higher, a compound (B) having a glass transition temperature of 150° C. or lower, and a solvent (C). A solid content in the actinic ray-sensitive or radiation-sensitive resin composition is 20% by mass or more. A softening point of the resist pattern formed using the actinic ray-sensitive or radiation-sensitive resin composition is from 130° C. to 170° C.

Abstract: A terminal cover includes a cover body equipped with a curved portion and a base portion. The curved portion has formed therein a pair of claws diametrically opposed to each other. The claws are arranged at an interval away from each other. The interval is selected to be smaller than the width of the terminal and increased by elastic deformation of the cover body arising from installation of a terminal in the terminal cover, so that the claws retain the terminal. This structure enables the terminal cover to be simple and small-sized and facilitates installation of the terminal in the terminal cover without being scraped by the terminal when inserted into the terminal cover.

Abstract: A terminal cover includes a lid and a cover body. The lid is rotatable around a hinge to open or close the cover body. An assembly of the cover body and the lid closed has a first side wall and a second side wall. A shoulder side wall that is at least one of the first and second side walls has a shoulder. The shoulder side wall is equipped with a first snap-fit and a second snap-fit. The first snap-fit is located closer to the hinge than the shoulder is, while the second snap-fit is located farther away from the hinge than the shoulder is. If the second snap-fit is undesirably unlocked, the shoulder serves to block transmission of resultant deflection of a portion of the shoulder side wall to the first snap-fit, thereby eliminating a risk that the first snap-fit may be accidently undone by the undesirable unlocking of the second snap-fit.

Abstract: The pattern forming method of the invention includes (i) a step of forming a first film on a substrate using an actinic ray-sensitive or radiation-sensitive resin composition including a resin (A) capable of increasing the polarity by the action of an acid to decrease the solubility in a developer including an organic solvent; (ii) a step of exposing the first film; (iii) a step of developing the exposed first film using a developer including an organic solvent to form a negative tone pattern; and (iv) a step of forming a second film on the second substrate so as to cover the periphery of the negative tone pattern.

Abstract: An actinic ray-sensitive or radiation-sensitive resin composition contains a resin (A) having a glass transition temperature of 155° C. or higher, a compound (B) having a glass transition temperature of 150° C. or lower, and a solvent (C). A solid content in the actinic ray-sensitive or radiation-sensitive resin composition is 20% by mass or more. A softening point of the resist pattern formed using the actinic ray-sensitive or radiation-sensitive resin composition is from 130° C. to 170° C.

Abstract: The present invention provides a pattern forming method which can be suitably applied to grayscale exposure since a deviation of the thickness among production lots is hardly generated, and an actinic ray-sensitive or radiation-sensitive resin composition. The pattern forming method of the present invention is a pattern forming method having a step A of forming a film having a thickness T on a substrate, using an actinic ray-sensitive or radiation-sensitive resin composition including a resin whose solubility in a developer changes by the action of an acid and an acid generator, a step B of exposing the film, and a step C of developing the exposed film using a developer to form a pattern, in which the film formed in the step A satisfies at least one of the following condition 1 or 2. Condition 1: In a case where the thickness T of the film is 800 nm or more, the value of ? is less than 10,000. Condition 2: In a case where the thickness T of the film is less than 800 nm, the value of ? is less than 5,000.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, there is provided an actinic ray- or radiation-sensitive resin composition including (A) a compound represented by a general formula (1) below that generates an acid when exposed to actinic rays or radiation, and (B) a resin.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming device configured to form, in a first position, a toner image on a sheet using toner containing a parting material; a fixing device configured to fix the toner image formed on the sheet by the image forming device in a second position, by heat and pressure; a fan configured to flow air along an air flow path between the image forming device and the fixing device; and a partition configured and positioned to substantially separate between the air flow path and a sheet feeding path from the first position to the second position.

Abstract: There is provided a pattern forming method which includes (I) a step of forming a first film by applying an active light-sensitive or radiation-sensitive resin composition which contains (A) a resin having a repeating unit having a group that is decomposed by the action of an acid and generates a polar group and (B) a compound that generates an acid by irradiation with active light or radiation to a substrate, (II) a step of exposing the first film, (III) a step of forming a line-and-space pattern by developing the exposed first film, and (IV) a step of coating the line-and-space pattern with a second film, in which the top width of the line pattern of the line-and-space pattern formed in Step (III) is larger than the bottom width thereof.

Abstract: There is provided a pattern forming method including: (1) filtering, by using a filter, a resin solution containing (A) a resin capable of increasing its polarity by an action of an acid to decrease solubility in a developer including an organic solvent, and (C1) a solvent; (2) preparing an actinic ray-sensitive or radiation-sensitive resin composition containing the resin (A) obtained from the filtrating (1) and a solvent (C2) different from the solvent (C1); (3) filtering the actinic ray-sensitive or radiation-sensitive resin composition by using a filter; (4) forming a film by using a filtrate obtained by the filtering (3); (5) exposing the film; and (6) performing development using a developer containing an organic solvent to form a negative pattern, wherein an absolute value of the difference between solubility parameter (SPC1) of the solvent (C1) and solubility parameter (SPDEV) of the developer (C1), |SPC1?SPDEV|, is 1.00 (cal/cm3)1/2 or less.

Abstract: The pattern forming method of the invention includes (i) a step of forming a first film on a substrate using an actinic ray-sensitive or radiation-sensitive resin composition including a resin (A) capable of increasing the polarity by the action of an acid to decrease the solubility in a developer including an organic solvent; (ii) a step of exposing the first film; (iii) a step of developing the exposed first film using a developer including an organic solvent to form a negative tone pattern; and (iv) a step of forming a second film on the second substrate so as to cover the periphery of the negative tone pattern.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, there is provided an actinic ray- or radiation-sensitive resin composition including (A) a compound represented by a general formula (1) below that generates an acid when exposed to actinic rays or radiation, and (B) a resin.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, there is provided an actinic ray- or radiation-sensitive resin composition containing (A) a resin containing a repeating unit represented by general formula (1) below and a repeating unit that is decomposed by an action of an acid to generate an alkali-soluble group, and (B) a compound that generates the acid when exposed to actinic rays or radiation, where L represents a bivalent connecting group, R1 represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group, and Z represents a cyclic acid anhydride structure.

Abstract: Provided is an actinic-ray- or radiation-sensitive resin composition, including any of compounds of general formula (1) below that when exposed to actinic rays or radiation, is decomposed to thereby generate an acid and a resin that when acted on by an acid, is decomposed to thereby increase its solubility in an alkali developer.

Abstract: A resist composition and a pattern forming method using the composition are provided, the resist composition including: (A) a resin that decomposes by an action of an acid to increase a solubility of the resin (A) in an alkali developer; (B) a compound capable of generating an acid upon irradiation with actinic rays or radiation; (C) a compound represented by formula (C1); and (D) a solvent: wherein n represents an integer of 1 to 6; w represents an integer of 1 to 6; p represents an integer of 1 to 6; m represents an integer of 1 to 6; Ra, Rb, Rc and Rd each independently represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, a cycloalkyl group, an aryl group or an aralkyl group, provided that Ra and Rb may combine together to form a ring, and Rc and Rd may combine together to form a ring.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming device configured to form, in a first position, a toner image on a sheet using toner containing a parting material; a fixing device configured to fix the toner image formed on the sheet by the image forming device in a second position, by heat and pressure; a fan configured to flow air along an air flow path between the image forming device and the fixing device; and a partition configured and positioned to substantially separate between the air flow path and a sheet feeding path from the first position to the second position.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an actinic-ray- or radiation-sensitive resin composition comprises a hydrophobic resin (HR) containing a fluorine atom, wherein the hydrophobic resin (HR) comprises any of repeating units (a) of general formula (I) or (II) below: