Developing Patents (Class 430/434)
  • Patent number: 8415092
    Abstract: According to the present invention, an anti-reflective film formed under a resist film is removed in a photolithography process of a wafer without affecting the resist film. According to the present invention, in a photolithography process of a substrate, an anti-reflective film having solubility in the developing solution is formed and thereafter a resist film is formed. In development treatment after exposure processing, a developing solution is supplied to the substrate to develop the resist film. At an instant when the development of the resist film is finished, a second developing solution lower in concentration than the developing solution is supplied to the substrate. Only the anti-reflective film is dissolved and removed by the supply of the second developing solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Momoko Shizukuishi, Hidetami Yaegashi
  • Publication number: 20130057618
    Abstract: Provided is a method of manufacturing a liquid ejection head, including: forming a covering resin layer including a photocationic polymerization initiator and a cationically polymerizable resin on a substrate having provided thereon an energy generating element for generating energy for ejecting liquid and a solid layer which is formed of a positive resist and serves as a pattern for a liquid flow path which communicates with a liquid ejection orifice for ejecting the liquid; exposing the covering resin layer to development to form the liquid ejection orifice; and removing the solid layer to form the liquid flow path, in which the covering resin layer includes, as a cationic polymerization inhibitor, an amine compound having a perfluoroalkyl group. Also provided is a liquid ejection head obtained by the method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2012
    Publication date: March 7, 2013
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kazunari Ishizuka
  • Publication number: 20130059241
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a monitor pattern is previously exposed together with a device pattern on a resist film, the monitor pattern is developed in a first development condition and a fault occurrence risk is quantified based on a check image. At this time, the range of a second development condition in which the number of faults becomes less than or equal to a permissible value with respect to the quantified fault occurrence risk is determined based on the relationship between fault occurrence risk information and the number of faults. Then, a third development condition in which the pattern dimension becomes a desired value in the second development condition is determined and the device pattern is developed in the thus determined third development condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2012
    Publication date: March 7, 2013
    Inventors: Hideaki SAKURAI, Masatoshi Terayama
  • Patent number: 8361701
    Abstract: Method for producing an imaged lithographic printing plate comprising the step of developing an imagewise exposed negative working precursor with a developer comprising an alkylene oxide derivative of formula (A), wherein R1 is a linear or branched C1 to C6 alkyl group or H, (n+m) is an integer from 2 to 30, and R2 R3 R4 and R5 are each independently selected from H, methyl and ethyl, with the proviso that at least one of R2 and R3 is not H, and with the further proviso that at least one of R4 and R5 is not H.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Oliver Piestert, Harald Baumann, Ulrich Fiebag, Bernd Strehmel, Uwe Tondock, Philip Watkiss
  • Publication number: 20120322011
    Abstract: The present invention provides methods and an apparatus controlling and minimizing process defects in a development process, and modifying line width roughness (LWR) of a photoresist layer after the development process, and maintaining good profile control during subsequent etching processes. In one embodiment, a method for forming features on a substrate includes developing and removing exposed areas in the photosensitive layer disposed on the substrate in the electron processing chamber by predominantly using electrons, removing contaminants from the substrate by predominantly using electrons, and etching the non-photosensitive polymer layer exposed by the developed photosensitive layer in the electron processing chamber by predominantly using electrons.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2012
    Publication date: December 20, 2012
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Banqiu Wu, Ajay Kumar, Kartik Ramaswamy, Omkaram Nalamasu
  • Patent number: 8282862
    Abstract: A triphenylmethane-based complex dye, a photosensitive resin composition, and a color filter, the triphenylmethane-based complex dye being represented by the following Chemical Formula 1:
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Cheil Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Nam-Gwang Kim, Jianhua Li, Sina Maghsoodi, Shahrokh Motallebi, Jae-Hyun Kim, Gyu-Seok Han
  • Publication number: 20120223047
    Abstract: Methods of forming embedded, multilayer capacitors in printed circuit boards wherein copper or other electrically conductive channels are formed on a dielectric substrate. The channels may be preformed using etching or deposition techniques. A photoimageable dielectric is an upper surface of the laminate. Exposing and etching the photoimageable dielectric exposes the space between the copper traces. These spaces are then filled with a capacitor material. Finally, copper is either laminated or deposited atop the structure. This upper copper layer is then etched to provide electrical interconnections to the capacitor elements. Traces may be formed to a height to meet a plane defining the upper surface of the dielectric substrate or thin traces may be formed on the remaining dielectric surface and a secondary copper plating process is utilized to raise the height of the traces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2010
    Publication date: September 6, 2012
    Applicant: Endicott Interconnect Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Rabindra N. Das, Frank D. Egitto, How T. Lin, John M. Lauffer, Voya R. Markovich
  • Patent number: 8257913
    Abstract: A processing method of a lithographic printing plate precursor includes: exposing imagewise a lithographic printing plate precursor comprising a support on a surface of which at least one of: a hydrophilizing treatment; and an undercoat layer has been provided and an image-recording layer, to cure an exposed area of the image-recording layer; and undergoing developing processing with an aqueous solution having pH of from 2 to 10, wherein the aqueous solution comprises an amphoteric surfactant and an anionic surfactant selected from an anionic surfactant having an aliphatic chain and a total number of carbon atoms included in the aliphatic chain of 6 or more and an anionic surfactant having an aromatic ring and a total number of carbon atoms of 12 or more, and a content of the anionic surfactant is from 0.1 to 3.3% by weight of the aqueous solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Keiichi Adachi, Shigekatsu Fujii, Yoshinori Taguchi, Takashi Sato
  • Patent number: 8247163
    Abstract: Lithographic printing plates can be prepared with enhanced contrast between the image and background by coloring the imaged or exposed regions using a coloring fluid containing a water-insoluble colorant (dye or pigment) and an organic solvent that swells the imaged regions sufficiently for the colorant to be embedded or diffused therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Livia T. Memetea, Jianbing Huang, Heidi M. Munnelly, Scott Wertz
  • Patent number: 8227181
    Abstract: A method of preparing a patterned film on a substrate includes applying a silicone composition onto a substrate to form a film of the silicone composition. A portion of the film is exposed to radiation to produce a partially exposed film having an exposed region and a non-exposed region. The partially exposed film is heated for a sufficient amount of time and at a sufficient temperature to substantially insolubilize the exposed region in a developing solvent that includes a siloxane component. The non-exposed region of the partially exposed film is removed with the developing solvent to reveal a film-free region on the substrate and to form the patterned film including the exposed region that remains on the substrate. The film-free regions is substantially free of residual silicone due to the presence of the siloxane component in the developing solvent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Dow Corning Corporation
    Inventors: Herman C. G. D. C. Meynen, Brian Harkness
  • Patent number: 8227183
    Abstract: A pattern forming method, including: (A) coating a substrate with a positive resist composition of which solubility in a positive developer increases and solubility in a negative developer decreases upon irradiation with actinic rays or radiation, so as to form a resist film; (B) exposing the resist film; and (D) developing the resist film with a negative developer; a positive resist composition for multiple development used in the method; a developer for use in the method; and a rinsing solution for negative development used in the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Hideaki Tsubaki, Shinichi Kanna
  • Publication number: 20120183909
    Abstract: A developing treatment method includes: a treatment solution supplying step of supplying a treatment solution made by diluting a hydrophobizing agent hydrophobizing a resist pattern with hydrofluoroether onto a substrate on which a rinse solution has been supplied after development of the resist pattern; a hydrophobic treatment stabilizing step of stabilizing a hydrophobic treatment of the resist pattern with the supply of the treatment solution stopped and rotation of the substrate almost stopped; and a treatment solution removing step of removing the treatment solution from a top of the substrate on which the treatment solution has been supplied. The hydrophobizing agent is trimethylsilyldimethyl-amine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2010
    Publication date: July 19, 2012
    Applicant: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Yuichiro Inatomi, Mitsuaki Iwashita
  • Publication number: 20120141941
    Abstract: Imaged lithographic printing plates are processed using a developer that is replenished with only water, but replenishment is at a rate to allow developer volume to slowly decrease from a developer reservoir. This allows for a longer processing cycle especially when the developer is supplied from a container having a defined amount and applied using spray devices where water evaporation from the developer can be significant. Water lost by evaporation is replenished while water carried out by lithographic printing plates is not replenished.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2010
    Publication date: June 7, 2012
    Inventors: Mathias Jarek, Domenico Balbinot, Harald Baumann
  • Publication number: 20120135358
    Abstract: A substrate is first rotated at a first rotation speed, and a resist solution is applied. Rotation of the substrate is decelerated to a second rotation speed lower than the first rotation speed so that the substrate is rotated at the low speed to smooth the resist solution on the substrate. Rotation of the substrate is then accelerated to a third rotation speed higher than the second rotation speed, and a solvent for the coating solution and/or a dry gas are/is supplied to the resist solution on the substrate. The solvent gas is supplied to a portion of the resist solution on the substrate thicker than a set thickness, and the dry gas is supplied to a portion of the coating solution on the substrate thinner than the set thickness. This thins the thicker portion of the resist solution and thickens the thinner portion to uniform the resist solution.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2011
    Publication date: May 31, 2012
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventor: Takashi TANAKA
  • Publication number: 20120115090
    Abstract: The present disclosure is a substrate treatment method of supplying a surface treatment liquid onto a surface of a substrate having a film with high water repellency formed thereon, the method including: a liquid puddle forming step of forming a liquid puddle of the surface treatment liquid by supplying the surface treatment liquid from a nozzle to one location of a peripheral portion of the substrate; and a liquid puddle moving step of then moving the liquid puddle formed at the peripheral portion of the substrate to a central portion of the substrate by moving the nozzle from a position above the peripheral portion of the substrate to a position above the central portion of the substrate while continuing the supply of the surface treatment liquid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2011
    Publication date: May 10, 2012
    Inventors: Hirofumi TAKEGUCHI, Yuichi YOSHIDA
  • Patent number: 8153357
    Abstract: A photosensitive composition remover used for removal of an uncured photosensitive composition, which remover comprises 1 to 80 percent by mass of at least one type of aromatic hydrocarbon having 9 carbon atoms or more within the molecule. The photosensitive composition remover further comprises an aprotic polar solvent and/or another solvent other than aprotic polar solvents. The photosensitive composition remover is effective for removal of an uncured photosensitive composition film deposited at the periphery, edges, or back of a substrate or removal of an uncured photosensitive composition deposited at the surface of system members or equipment in a process for forming a photosensitive composition film on a glass substrate, a semiconductor wafer, or the like. It is preferably used for removal of a photosensitive composition containing a pigment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Showa Denko K.K.
    Inventors: Masato Kaneda, Yasuhiro Mikawa, Koji Shimizu, Kouichi Terao
  • Patent number: 8137896
    Abstract: A negative-working lithographic printing plate precursor can be imaged with infrared radiation and processed in a single step using a single processing solution having a pH of from about 3 to 11. The precursor has a primary polymeric binder that comprises recurring units derived from one or more N-alkoxymethyl(meth)acrylamides, provided that such recurring units are present in the primary polymeric binder in an amount of at least 10% based on the total dry primary polymeric binder weight. In addition, the primary polymeric binder is present in an amount of from about 12 to about 70% based on total imageable layer dry weight. The imaged precursor can be processed off-press or on-press.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Jayanti Patel, Paul R. West, Shashikant Saraiya, Nicki R. Miller, Frederic E. Mikell
  • Patent number: 8105738
    Abstract: Disclosed is a developing method that performs a developing for forming a second resist pattern after forming and exposing a resist film on a surface of a substrate on which a first resist pattern is formed. The method includes a first process for developing the substrate for a first time period t1 in the state where the substrate stops, and a second process for developing the substrate for a second time period while rotating the substrate. The time ratio of first time period and second time period is adjusted so that a critical dimension of the first resist pattern is equal to a first predetermined value, and a total time of first time period and second time period is adjusted so that a critical dimension of the second resist pattern is equal to a second predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventor: Kousuke Yoshihara
  • Patent number: 8105755
    Abstract: Method is described for producing an imaged lithographic printing plate from a precursor comprising a free-radical polymerizable coating and an oxygen-impermeable overcoat, characterized in that removing the overcoat, developing and gumming is carried out in one single step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Harald Baumann, Christopher D. Simpson, Ulrich Fiebag, Bernd Strehmel
  • Patent number: 8067145
    Abstract: A developing solution includes at least one of a compound represented by formula (I) and a compound represented by formula (II) and being at pH 2 to 10: wherein, in the formula (I) and (II), R1 to R10 each independently represent one of a hydrogen atom an alkyl group; “l” represents an integer of 1 to 3; and X1 and X2 each independently represent one of a sulfonate salt, a sulfate monoester salt, a carboxylate salt and a phosphate salt, provided that the total sum of the carbon atoms in R1 to R5 and the total sum of the carbon atoms in R6 to R10, respectively is 3 or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation
    Inventor: Keiichi Adachi
  • Patent number: 8034542
    Abstract: An electromagnetic shielding film for plasma display which is excellent in electromagnetic shielding characteristics for effectively shielding electromagnetic waves, near infrared rays, stray light, external light, and the like and even when stored under a wet heat condition, is small in change of color tint and good in adhesion, with a blackening layer hardly peeled away, is provided by a transparent electromagnetic shielding film including a transparent support having thereon a conductive metal layer in a pattern-like state having an electromagnetic shielding ability and having a surface covered by a blackening layer, with the blackening layer made of an alloy of nickel and zinc in a nickel/zinc mass ratio of from 0.5 to 50.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Hirotomo Sasaki, Jun Matsumoto, Takayasu Yamazaki, Akimitsu Haijima, Yoshihiro Fujita
  • Patent number: 8026048
    Abstract: A developer nozzle is moved from a periphery of a wafer toward the central portion while an exposed substrate held at a spin chuck is being rotated about a vertical axis and while a developing solution is being discharged from the developer nozzle, and this way the developing solution is supplied to the surface of the wafer, the developer nozzle having a slit-like ejection port whose longitudinal direction is oriented to the direction perpendicular to the radial direction of the wafer. The movement speed of the nozzle is higher than a case where a nozzle with a small-diameter circular nozzle is used, and this enables a development time to be reduced. Further, the thickness of a developing solution on a substrate can be reduced, so that the developing solution can be saved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2011
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Atsushi Ookouchi, Taro Yamamoto, Hirofumi Takeguchi, Hideharu Kyouda, Kousuke Yoshihara
  • Patent number: 8003299
    Abstract: Provided are an original printing plate for relief printing that solves both the problems of the prior-art negative film or its alternatives, and problems of mask pattern formation directly on the surface of the photosensitive resin layer by an ink composition, as well as a method for forming an relief printing plate using the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Toshiya Takagi, Takashi Fujimoto, Tadahiko Tabe
  • Publication number: 20110200953
    Abstract: There is provided a developing apparatus capable of achieving high throughput. The developing apparatus includes an airtightly sealed processing vessel that forms a processing atmosphere therein; an atmosphere gas supply unit that supplies an atmosphere gas containing mist of a developing solution into the processing vessel in order to form a liquid film of the developing solution on a surface of a substrate loaded into the processing vessel; and a drying unit that dries the substrate in order to stop a developing process by the liquid film. A reaction between a resist and the developing solution can be stopped. Therefore, a developing process can be performed in parallel with a cleaning process performed by a cleaning module and high throughput is achieved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2011
    Publication date: August 18, 2011
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Hiroshi ARIMA, Kousuke YOSHIHARA, Yuichi YOSHIDA, Yasushi TAKIGUCHI, Taro YAMAMOTO
  • Publication number: 20110200952
    Abstract: There is provided a developing apparatus and a developing method capable of rapidly forming a liquid film of a developing solution on an entire surface of a substrate while reducing a usage amount of the developing solution. The developing apparatus includes an airtightly sealed processing vessel that forms a processing atmosphere therein; a temperature control plate that is provided within the processing vessel and mounts the substrate thereon; an atmosphere gas supply unit that supplies an atmosphere gas including mist and vapor of a developing solution onto a surface of the substrate within the processing vessel; and a first temperature control unit that controls the temperature control plate to a temperature allowing the atmosphere gas to be condensed on the substrate. Here, an inner wall of the processing vessel is maintained at a temperature at which the atmosphere gas is hardly condensed on the inner wall.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2011
    Publication date: August 18, 2011
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Yasushi Takiguchi, Taro Yamamoto, Hiroshi Arima, Kousuke Yoshihara, Yuichi Yoshida
  • Patent number: 7977039
    Abstract: In the present invention, in a rinse treatment method of cleaning a substrate after an exposed pattern thereon has been subjected to developing treatment, the following steps are performed such as supplying pure water onto the substrate to clean the substrate with the pure water; supplying a first rinse solution composed of a surfactant with a predetermined concentration onto the substrate to clean the substrate with the first rinse solution; and supplying a second rinse solution composed of a surfactant with a concentration lower than that of the first rinse solution onto the substrate to clean the substrate with the second rinse solution. According to the present invention, in the rinse treatment of the substrate after developing treatment, it is possible to dry the substrate without causing pattern collapse to restrain variation in pattern line width, and to reduce the remaining precipitation-based defects to increase the productivity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Takeshi Shimoaoki, Junichi Kitano
  • Patent number: 7968278
    Abstract: A rinsing method for performing a rinsing process on a substrate, after a developing process is performed on a light-exposed pattern disposed thereon, includes a step (STEP 5) of throwing off a developing solution from the substrate after development; a step (STEP 6) of supplying a water-based cleaning liquid onto the substrate; a step (STEP 7) of supplying a surfactant-containing rinsing liquid onto the substrate to replace liquid remaining on the substrate with the surfactant-containing rinsing liquid; and a step (STEP 8) of rotating the substrate to expand and throw off the surfactant-containing rinsing liquid on the substrate. STEP 8 is arranged to supply the surfactant-containing rinsing liquid for a supply time of 5 seconds or less. STEP 9 is arranged to include a first period with a lower rotation number and a second period with a higher rotation number, and to set the rotation number of the substrate in the first period to be more than 300 rpm and less than 1,000 rpm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Takaki, Osamu Miyahara, Keiichi Tanaka, Shinya Wakamizu, Takashi Terada
  • Patent number: 7964335
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to an ink receptive film and methods of using the ink receptive film. The ink receptive film is generally suitable for etching patterns into substrates, and typically includes a photosensitive laminate structure containing at least an ink receptive, radiation transmissive layer; and at least one photosensitive resist layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2011
    Assignee: Ikonics Corporation
    Inventors: Toshifumi Komatsu, Kyle Johnson, William Charles Ulland
  • Publication number: 20110143290
    Abstract: An extreme ultra violet (EUV) resist film is formed on a wafer W, and then a EUV light is radiated onto the EUV resist film formed on the wafer W so that a predetermined pattern is selectively exposed on the EUV resist film. Thereafter, a developing solution with a concentration of less than 2.38% by weight, whose temperature is adjusted to be 5° C. or higher and less than 23° C. in a supplying equipment group 138, is dispensed from a developing solution supply nozzle 133 to the EUV resist film formed on the wafer W so that the EUV resist film is subject to development. In such a case, a time period during which the developing treatment is performed using the developing solution may be set to fall within the range of 10 seconds or higher to less than 30 seconds. And then, pure water is supplied from a pure water supply nozzle 140 onto the wafer W to clean the wafer. The time period during which the pure water is supplied is set to fall within the range of 30 seconds or below.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2010
    Publication date: June 16, 2011
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Keiichi TANAKA, Yoshiaki YAMADA, Hitoshi KOSUGI
  • Publication number: 20110088576
    Abstract: An imaged plate with an oleophilic resin coating non-ionically adhered on a hydrophilic substrate can be directly processed on-press by the application of disruptive mechanical tension forces to remove the unimaged areas as undissolved particles, using the tack of the ink on-press.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2010
    Publication date: April 21, 2011
    Inventor: Howard A. Fromson
  • Publication number: 20110045414
    Abstract: The present invention provides a rinsing method capable of satisfactorily rinsing the surface of a resist film regardless of the condition of the surface of the resist film so that development defects caused by residuals produced by development may be reduced. A rinsing method of rinsing a substrate processed by a developing process for developing an exposed pattern comprises the steps of discharging a rinsing liquid onto a central part of the substrate processed by the developing process and coated with a developer puddle while the substrate is stopped or rotated (step 5), stopping discharging the rinsing liquid in a state where the developer puddle remains at least in a peripheral part of the substrate (step 6), and rotating the substrate at a high rotating speed to shake the developer remaining on the substrate off the substrate together with the rinsing liquid (step 7).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2010
    Publication date: February 24, 2011
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Hirofumi TAKEGUCHI, Junji NAKAMURA, Kousuke YOSHIHARA
  • Patent number: 7883840
    Abstract: In a developing method, a developer is supplied onto a resist film provided on a substrate, made of a resist and having an upper surface on which design patterns having different mask opening ratios are exposed and a development reaction is caused to proceed on the resist film with the supplied developer. After the development, the substrate is rotated so that the developer and the resist dissolved in the developer are removed. Then, a rinsing solution is supplied onto the resist film subjected to development and the substrate is rotated, thereby washing out the developer and the resist dissolved in the developer. The rotation speed of the substrate in removing the developer is a half or less of the rotation speed of the substrate in the rinsing step of washing out the resist.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Hidekazu Kitahara, Kenji Noda, Kenichi Asahi, Naohiko Ujimaru, Hirofumi Fukumoto
  • Patent number: 7883833
    Abstract: A method for providing a lithographic printing plate includes developing an exposed imageable element with an alkali silicate-containing developer composition having a pH of at least 12.0. The developer composition is regenerated by adding to it an alkali silicate-containing regenerator composition having a pH of at least 12.0. Conductivity of both the developer and regenerator compositions is suppressed from the presence of one or more conductivity reducing agents (such as glycerin). This conductivity suppression in the developer composition is greater than the suppression of the conductivity of the regenerator composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Gary R. Miller, Melanie Roth, Eric E. Clark
  • Publication number: 20110027727
    Abstract: According to the present invention, an anti-reflective film formed under a resist film is removed in a photolithography process of a wafer without affecting the resist film. According to the present invention, in a photolithography process of a substrate, an anti-reflective film having solubility in the developing solution is formed and thereafter a resist film is formed. In development treatment after exposure processing, a developing solution is supplied to the substrate to develop the resist film. At an instant when the development of the resist film is finished, a second developing solution lower in concentration than the developing solution is supplied to the substrate. Only the anti-reflective film is dissolved and removed by the supply of the second developing solution.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2010
    Publication date: February 3, 2011
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Momoko Shizukuishi, Hidetami Yaegashi
  • Patent number: 7858291
    Abstract: A lithographic printing plate precursor comprising: a support; an image-recording layer; and a protective layer containing an inorganic stratiform compound, provided in this order, wherein the inorganic stratiform compound contains an organic cation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation
    Inventors: Tomoyoshi Mitsumoto, Akihiro Endo
  • Publication number: 20100323307
    Abstract: A developing apparatus for developing a substrate whose surface is coated with a coating solution and then exposed includes a substrate supporting unit for horizontally supporting the substrate, a rotation driving mechanism for rotating the substrate supporting unit forwardly or backwardly with respect to a vertical axis, a developer nozzle, disposed to face a surface of the substrate supported by the substrate supporting unit, having a strip-shaped injection opening extended along a direction extending from a periphery of the substrate toward a central portion thereof, a moving unit for moving the developer nozzle from an outer portion of the substrate toward the central portion thereof, and a controller for controlling operations such that while the substrate is rotated forwardly by the rotation driving mechanism, a developer is supplied through the injection opening to the surface of the substrate by moving the developer nozzle and, then, the substrate is rotated backwardly by the rotation driving mechanis
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2010
    Publication date: December 23, 2010
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Taro Yamamoto, Atsushi Ookouchi, Hirofumi Takeguchi, Kousuke Yoshihara
  • Patent number: 7841787
    Abstract: The present invention provides a rinsing method capable of satisfactorily rinsing the surface of a resist film regardless of the condition of the surface of the resist film so that development defects caused by residuals produced by development may be reduced. A rinsing method of rinsing a substrate processed by a developing process for developing an exposed pattern comprises the steps of discharging a rinsing liquid onto a central part of the substrate processed by the developing process and coated with a developer puddle while the substrate is stopped or rotated (step 5), stopping discharging the rinsing liquid in a state where the developer puddle remains at least in a peripheral part of the substrate (step 6), and rotating the substrate at a high rotating speed to shake the developer remaining on the substrate off the substrate together with the rinsing liquid (step 7).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Hirofumi Takeguchi, Junji Nakamura, Kousuke Yoshihara
  • Publication number: 20100239986
    Abstract: The transporting process from cleaning and drying processing of a substrate in a cleaning/drying processing unit in a cleaning/drying processing group to post-exposure bake (PEB) of the substrate in a thermal processing group for post-exposure bake in a cleaning/drying processing block is described below. First, after the substrate after exposure processing is subjected to the cleaning and drying processing in the cleaning/drying processing group, a sixth central robot takes out the substrate from the cleaning/drying processing group and carries that substrate into the thermal processing group for post-exposure bake in the cleaning/drying processing block.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2010
    Publication date: September 23, 2010
    Applicant: Sokudo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koji Kaneyama, Masashi Kanaoka, Tadashi Miyagi, Kazuhito Shigemori, Shuichi Yasuda
  • Publication number: 20100216078
    Abstract: Disclosed is a developing method that develops a substrate, which has a surface coated with a resist having been exposed, while the substrate is held horizontally and is rotating about a vertical axis. The method includes supplying a developing liquid from a discharge port of a developer nozzle onto the surface of the substrate, while moving the developer nozzle, disposed above the substrate, from a central portion of the substrate toward a peripheral portion of the substrate, and supplying a first rinse liquid from a discharge port of a first rinse nozzle onto the surface of the substrate, while moving the first rinse nozzle, disposed above the substrate, from the central portion of the substrate toward the peripheral portion of the substrate. The supplying of the developing liquid and the supplying the first rinse liquid are performed concurrently, while the first rinse nozzle is maintained nearer to a center of the substrate than the developer nozzle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2010
    Publication date: August 26, 2010
    Applicant: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Taro YAMAMOTO, Kousuke Yoshihara, Yuichi Yoshida
  • Patent number: 7775729
    Abstract: A developing apparatus, a developing processing method, a developing processing program, and a computer readable recording medium recording the program, which can reduce the consumption amount of the developing solution and the developing processing time irrespective of the type of resist materials or the shape of resist patterns, are provided. A step of horizontally holding a substrate and rotating the substrate around a vertical axis at a prescribed rotation rate, and a step of intermittently supplying a developing solution to a center of the substrate from a discharge port of a developing solution nozzle arranged opposing to the surface of the substrate are executed. In the step of intermittently supplying the developing solution to the center of the substrate, an intermittence time and a substrate rotation rate in the intermittence time are set to prevent the developing solution supplied to the substrate from drying.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventor: Kousuke Yoshihara
  • Patent number: 7732118
    Abstract: A radiation-sensitive composition includes a radically polymerizable component, initiator composition, a radiation absorbing compound, and a polymeric binder having recurring units that are derived from various ethylenically unsaturated polymerizable monomers provided that at least 40 mol % of the recurring units have a tertiary carbon atom in the backbone and the rest of the recurring units have a secondary or quaternary carbon atom in the backbone. This composition can be used to provide negative-working imageable elements that can be imaged and developed to provide lithographic printing plates that have desired imaging speed and excellent run length without the need for a post-exposure backing step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2010
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Ting Tao, Shashikant Saraiya, Eric Clark, Frederic E. Mikell
  • Publication number: 20100129098
    Abstract: A developing method includes the steps of setting a resist substrate on a turntable, the resist substrate including a substrate, an inorganic resist layer formed on the substrate, and a latent image formed by exposure to light; discharging developer to a developer application position on an upper surface of the inorganic resist layer while rotating the turntable, the developer application position being away from the center of the resist substrate; irradiating a monitor position on the upper surface of the inorganic resist layer with laser light, the monitor position being different from the developer application position; and continuously discharging the developer, while detecting the amounts of zeroth order light and first order light reflected by the upper surface of the inorganic resist layer and monitoring the light amount ratio of the first order light to the zeroth order light, until the light amount ratio becomes a predetermined value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2009
    Publication date: May 27, 2010
    Applicant: SONY DISC & DIGITAL SOULTIONS INC.
    Inventor: Tadahisa AOKI
  • Patent number: 7709184
    Abstract: A method of on-press developing a thermosensitive lithographic printing plate with ink and/or fountain solution is described. The lithographic plate comprises on a substrate a thermosensitive layer soluble or dispersible in ink and/or fountain solution and capable of hardening upon exposure to an infrared radiation. The printing plate can be a pre-coated plate in the form of sheet or web, or can be prepared on press by coating a thermosensitive layer onto a substrate that is a sheet material or a seamless sleeve mounted on a plate cylinder or is the surface of a plate cylinder of the lithographic press.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Inventor: Gary Ganghui Teng
  • Patent number: 7704679
    Abstract: A method of making a lithographic printing plate includes the steps of: a) providing a lithographic printing plate precursor including (i) a support having a hydrophilic surface or which is provided with a hydrophilic layer, (ii) a coating on the support, including a photopolymerizable layer and, optionally, an intermediate layer between the photopolymerizable layer and the support, wherein the photopolymerizable layer includes a polymerizable compound, a polymerization initiator and a binder, b) image-wise exposing the coating in a plate setter, c) optionally, heating the precursor in a pre-heating unit, d) treating the precursor in a gumming station, including a first and at least a second gumming unit, wherein the precursor is consecutively developed in the first and the second gumming unit with a gum solution, thereby removing non-exposed areas of the photopolymerizable layer from the support and gumming the plate in a single step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2010
    Assignee: Agfa Graphics NV
    Inventor: Marc Van Damme
  • Publication number: 20100089268
    Abstract: A solvent-soluble, radiation-polymerizable, oleophilic resin coating non-ionically adhered on a hydrophilic substrate can be imagewise exposed to polymerizing radiation and then directly processed by the application of disruptive mechanical forces such as compression or tension to remove the unimaged areas as undissolved particles, using pressurized water and brushing pre-press, or the tack of the ink on-press.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2009
    Publication date: April 15, 2010
    Inventor: Howard A. Fromson
  • Publication number: 20100068664
    Abstract: A developing roller has a mandrel, an elastic layer and a cover layer as a surface layer. The cover layer includes a silicon oxide film containing a carbon atom chemically bonded to a silicon atom. In the silicon oxide film, the proportion of the total number of the elements of silicon, oxygen, carbon and hydrogen to the number of all detected elements, as detected with a high-frequency glow discharge light-emission surface analysis method, is 90% or more. The silicon oxide film has an abundance ratio of an oxygen atom chemically bonded to a silicon atom to silicon atoms, (O/Si), of 0.65 or more but 1.95 or less and an abundance ratio of a carbon atom chemically bonded to a silicon atom to silicon atoms, (C/Si), of 0.05 or more but 1.65 or less, and has a ratio of the maximum value to the minimum value of the (C/Si) in a thickness direction of the cover layer, of 1.50 to 33.00.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2009
    Publication date: March 18, 2010
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yosuke Ata, Genya Anan
  • Publication number: 20100047725
    Abstract: In a developing method for performing developing treatment of a substrate by supplying a developing solution onto a resist film formed on a surface of the substrate, the present invention controls a zeta potential of the surface of the substrate at a predetermined potential in the same polarity as that of a zeta potential of insoluble substances floating in the developing solution, thereby preventing or reducing the adhesion of the insoluble substances to the resist film and the substrate. This remedies the occurrence of development defects. The adhesion of the insoluble substances to the resist film and the substrate can also be prevented or inhibited by supplying an acid liquid to a liquid on the substrate, or controlling a pH value of the liquid on the substrate to control an absolute value of the zeta potential of the insoluble substances.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2009
    Publication date: February 25, 2010
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Yuko ONO, Junichi Kitano
  • Publication number: 20090297992
    Abstract: Silver halide color photographic elements having multiple color imaging layers contain a permanent, pre-formed yellow colorant that is present in an amount to provide a status M blue density greater than 0.003 per mg/m2. This colorant provides minimum density at lower cost and can be incorporated with minimal or no organic solvents and thus enable a reduced organic load that may lead to improved film physical properties.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2008
    Publication date: December 3, 2009
    Inventors: Paul L. Zengerle, Drake M. Michno, James H. Reynolds, Steven P. Szatynski, John W. Harder
  • Patent number: 7582407
    Abstract: Single- and multi-layer positive-working imageable elements include an ink receptive outer layer includes a primary polymeric binder that is a poly(vinyl phenol) or a phenolic polymer having certain acidic groups. The use of this type of polymeric binder makes the imaged elements developable in low pH (11 or less) alkaline developers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2009
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Celin Savariar-Hauck, Alan S. Monk, Gerhard Hauck
  • Publication number: 20090130614
    Abstract: A developer nozzle is moved from a periphery of a wafer toward the central portion while an exposed substrate held at a spin chuck is being rotated about a vertical axis and while a developing solution is being discharged from the developer nozzle, and this way the developing solution is supplied to the surface of the wafer, the developer nozzle having a slit-like ejection port whose longitudinal direction is oriented to the direction perpendicular to the radial direction of the wafer. The movement speed of the nozzle is higher than a case where a nozzle with a small-diameter circular nozzle is used, and this enables a development time to be reduced. Further, the thickness of a developing solution on a substrate can be reduced, so that the developing solution can be saved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 24, 2004
    Publication date: May 21, 2009
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Atsushi Ookouchi, Taro Yamamoto, Hirofumi Takeguchi, Hideharu Kyouda, Kousuke Yoshihara