Abstract: A method of growing patterned films on a substrate in a deposition chamber without masking, the method consisting of the following steps: pressurizing the chamber with a fluid medium to form a thin absorption layer on the substrate; evacuating the chamber to remove excess fluid medium; prenucleating portions of the substrate with a focused energy beam; repressurizing the chamber with a fluid medium; and inducing deposition of material from the fluid medium and thereby growing a patterned film with deposition occurring primarily on the prenucleated portions of the substrate.

Abstract: A track recording support for recording devices is suggested with a support (10) made of paper or plastic on which a metallic coating (12) is mounted by means of evaporation and being able to be burned off by means of recording electrodes, in particular an aluminum coating. A lubricant in a finely dispersed form is added to contrast coating (11) for reducing of scratching and grinding traces on the surface of metal coating (12) which reaches metal coating (12) and the freely exposed surface thereof by means of diffusion. Preferably, the lubricant is fed to the contrast substance in a powdery form before the processing of the same. On the one hand, it acts in a physical point of view by a reduction of the slide friction on the surface and, on the other hand, in a chemical point of view in that it substantially prevents the build up of combustion residues from the contrast layer on the recording electrodes.

Abstract: An image-receiving element for use in a diffusion transfer process comprising a transparent support carrying an image-receiving layer and a hydrogel comprising a hydrophilic polymer layer cross-linked by ionizing radiation, said polymer layer containing aqueous alkaline photographic processing composition.

Abstract: A method for applying an emulsion onto a screen printing plate, in which two squeegees are arranged on either side of the screen, one squeegee of which is directed to the applying operation and the other squeegee is directed to the scraping and recovering operation. The method results in an emulsion film of uniform thickness being applied to the screen, with the thickness of the film being greater on the printing side of the screen.

Abstract: A metal image forming material in which the thin metal layer can be etched in short period to provide a sharp image without a strong etchant is disclosed. Said metal image forming material comprises a support, at least one metal layer and an overlying light sensitive layer. Said metal layer is formed by vapor-depositing a metal on the support at an angle with respect to the surface of the support.

Abstract: The invention described avoids all the problems of the above described prior art techniques and is characterized by holding the workpiece in an inverted position, contacting the inverted face of the workpiece with a precisely metered amount of a flowable material and rotating the workpiece in its inverted position after it has contacted the polymer to coat the workpiece with a thin, uniform layer of the flowable material. The present invention is also directed to an apparatus for coating a substrate comprising, a spindle holding the workpiece in an inverted manner so that the face of the workpiece to be coated faces downwardly towards a liquid deposit of the coating material which is supported on a nozzle beneath the spindle, which spindle may be moved to permit the inverted slice to contact the liquid deposit and means for spinning the spindle in the inverted position to spread the coating material uniformly across the face of the spinning workpiece.

Abstract: An improved compressible printing plate in which a liquid photocurable material is bonded directly to a compressible material during exposure to ultraviolet radiation. The compressible printing plate is free of any dimensionally stable material between the liquid photocurable material and the compressible material.

Abstract: Photographic and Photolithographic systems are provided which utilize diacetylenic materials as components thereof. Such materials, which include at least two acetylenic bonds in conjugation with one another, provide a combination of both high sensitivity and high resolving power, thus resulting in superior photographic and photolithographic properties.In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, a substrate is coated with at least one layer of a polymerizable composition comprising a diacetylenic species, said layer being organized into a plurality of domains having a substantially regular array of the diacetylenic species. In other embodiments, covalent bonding of the diacetylenic layer to the substrate is accomplished through the use of suitably constituted silane species, thus to provide a highly beneficial adhesion of substrate and photo- or photolithographic layer.

Abstract: An optical disc including a medium having both a continuous phase and a non-continuous phase yields excellent contrast and stability for optical recording purposes. Exemplary of materials that form the desired multi-phase system are those produced by sputtering metals such as indium in an oxygen environment.

Abstract: A process for the multiple coating of webs which are continuously moving past a coating point, using coating apparatus according to the bead coating process is carried out such that any number of comparatively high viscosity layers is arranged above an accelerating layer which lies below the layers and has a viscosity range of from 1 to 20 mPas and a layer thickness of from 2 to 30 .mu.m. A very small gap width of from 100 to 400 .mu.m is selected between the sliding surface coating head and the web to be coated and only a low reduced pressure is applied under the coating head. By this process, coating rates of 400 m/min and more may be achieved with a good coating quality.

Abstract: A process for the multiple coating of objects or webs which are continuously moving past a coating point, using coating apparatus according to the curtain coating process. This process is carried out such that any number of comparatively high viscosity layers is embedded between an accelerating layer which is positioned below the layers and has a viscosity range of from 1 to 20 mPas and a layer thickness of from 2 to 30 .mu.m, and a spreading layer which is positioned above the comparatively high viscosity layers and has a viscosity range of from 1 to 10 mPas and a layer thickness of from 5 to 20 .mu.m. By the curtain coating process, coating rates of 400 m/min and more may be achieved with a good coating quality.

Abstract: Gravure printing plates comprising a plastic printing layer applied on a printing plate base are produced by a method wherein a solid photosensitive layer (L) firmly bonded on the printing plate base is exposed imagewise to actinic light, and the exposed layer is washed out with a developer and then subjected to thermal hardening to form the plastic printing layer. In this process, the photosensitive layer (L) employed contains, as the photosensitive component, a compound possessing two or more aromatic and/or heteroaromatic o-nitrocarbinol ester groups, and a compound which effects crosslinking and possesses two or more reactive groups which are capable of reacting with --COOH groups under the action of heat to form a covalent chemical bond.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for the application of a photosensitive liquid between the substrate and the photomask during contact printing. The substrate and photomask are aligned in a hinged relationship.

Abstract: Uniform protective coatings, particularly solder resist masks, on printed circuit boards can be produced with coating compositions having a viscosity of 200 to 700 m Pas at 25.degree. C. and comprising a solution of a photosensitive, thermally curable, lacquer-forming substance, wherein there is additionally uniformly dispersed 5 to 50% by weight of a finely divided filler.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of photolithographically treating a substrate, in which a surface of the substrate is treated at least at the area at which it consists of an inorganic material with an organosilicon compound.In order to improve the adhesion of a photolacquer layer to be applied, the organosilicon compound used is a 3-aminopropyl-trialkoxysilane in the form of an aqueous solution.

Abstract: Improved heat developable silver films are produced upon coating and drying a binder composition containing (a) a substantially light-insensitive silver sulfinate, (b) a silver halide photocatalyst, and (c) a developer. A preferred film contains (a) silver hexadecylsulfinate, (b) a separately sensitized silver halide emulsion and (c) a Phenidone or Dimezone moiety in a coalesced latex binder.

Abstract: Actinic radiation exposes photohardenable material in two steps whereby photohardenable material not present as a solid is exposed through a photomask prior to application to a substrate and in a second step is reexposed through the photomask after application of the material to the substrate.

Abstract: A method of simultaneously applying multiple layers of coating liquids to a moving web with a slide hopper type coating apparatus in which the fluidity of a coating liquid for forming the lowermost of multiple layers is improved to thereby eliminate inter-layer mixing and waving. The first coating liquid which forms the lowermost of the multiple layers is prepared so that it, when run at a low shear rate, has a viscosity equal to or different by no more than .+-.10 cp from a viscosity of a second coating liquid for forming a layer next to the lowermost layer when the second coating liquid flows at a low shear rate and that the first coating liquid, when run at a high shear rate, has a viscosity lower than the viscosity of the second coating liquid when the second coating liquid flows at a high shear rate. The first and second liquids are then applied to a moving web with the slide hopper type coating apparatus.

Abstract: Desensitization defects due to nonferrous metal contamination of a silver halide film sensitized by a cysteine-thiazolidine moiety are decreased by incorporating a chelating agent such as quinaldic or picolinic acid into one or more layers of the film.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of pretreating a semiconductor wafer so that a solution coating of a positive resist of poly(methacrylic anhydride) can be directly applied to the treated surface. A typical semiconductor wafer of silicon is first precoated with a thin layer of poly(t-butyl methacrylate) and then heated to convert the poly(t-butyl methacrylate) to the anhydride. The thickness of this anhydride-precursor layer is less than about 1,000 Angstroms. Next, there is applied to the surface of the precursor layer a solution of the poly(methacrylic anhydride) dissolved in, for example, dimethylacetamide, dimethylformamide, or N-methylprrolidione. Such solvents, which are not capable of adequately wetting the silicon surface directly, are capable of wetting the precursor layer comprising poly(methacrylic anhydride), thus ensuring a uniform deposit of poly(methacrylic anhydride) upon the treated surface of the wafer.

Abstract: Novel heat-developable (photothermographic) films incorporate a silver alkyl sulfonate as a physical developer, and an organic base to neutralize acidity from the silver sulfonate. Preferably a heat-developable film is produced by coalescing a coating composition comprising a silver alkyl sulfonate, a silver halide emulsion as photocatalyst, a reducing agent, and an aqueous latex dispersion.

Abstract: A radiation imageable composition in which an image can be produced upon exposure to intense radiation is disclosed which comprises (a) hollow, ceramic microspheres, and (b) a binder material which will not be destroyed during exposure of the composition to intense radiation and will not mask the image produced upon exposure to intense radiation, wherein the binder material has an index of refraction greater than the index of refraction of the microspheres in the absence of any other dye or pigment.

Abstract: Images are prepared by a process in which a layer, supported on a substrate, of a liquid composition comprising(a) an anaerobically polymerizable material and(b) a photopolymerizable material is maintained in a substantially oxygen-free environment such that the composition solidifies. It is then exposed imagewise to actinic radiation and treated with a developer to remove parts of the layer which have not been struck by the radiation.The anaerobically polymerizable and photopolymerizable materials may be a mixture of two or more materials having these different functions, such as an acrylate ester with an azido compound, or the two functions may be combined in a single molecule. The products are suitable for use in producing printing plates and printed circuits.

Abstract: A limitation in the use of ceramic substrates for electronic packaging is that photolithographic processes applied to such substrate surfaces do not give the highest resolution that the process is capable of because of inherent surface topographical variations on the ceramic substrate. A smoothing layer of a dry film glazed photosensitive material, such as RISTON solder mask, is laminated over the substrate surface, exposed with UV and cured. Metal conductor lines are then bonded onto the surface of the solder mask layer.

Abstract: A silver halide photographic light-sensitive material comprising a support having thereon at least one silver halide emulsion layer wherein the photographic light-sensitive material contains a compound represented by the following general formula (I): ##STR1## wherein Rf represents a saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon group having from 3 to 20 carbon atoms wherein all or a part of the hydrogen atoms are substituted with fluorine atoms; A and B each represents a divalent linking group; R.sub.1 represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group; R.sub.2, R.sub.3 and R.sub.4 each represents an alkyl group and at least one of R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3 and R.sub.4 represents an alkyl group substituted with a monovalent group, and X represents an anion.

Abstract: A polymer composition comprising a urethane having terminal unsaturation and a terminal carboxyl group and which is capable of further free radical polymerization has been synthesized. This polymer can be a liquid or a solid depending on the molecular weight and backbone of the polymer. This polymer as a liquid has been found to be very useful in producing printed circuit boards by photo resist processes.

Abstract: Photographic and Photolithographic systems are provided which utilize diacetylenic materials as components thereof. Such materials, which include at least two acetylenic bonds in conjugation with one another, provide a combination of both high sensitivity and high resolving power, thus resulting in superior photographic and photolithographic properties.In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, a substrate is coated with at least one layer of a polymerizable composition comprising a diacetylenic species, said layer being organized into a plurality of domains having a substantially regular array of the diacetylenic species. In other embodiments, covalent bonding of the diacetylenic layer to the substrate is accomplished through the use of suitably constituted silane species, thus to provide a highly beneficial adhesion of substrate and photo- or photolithographic layer.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus and to a method for removing thickenings in layers which are produced transversely to the direction of travel of the web after the coating of continuously moving webs with liquids whereby the coated web is deflected by a web guide element and two air jets pointing towards each other are directed to a small angle .alpha. towards the layer of the web from below the deflecting point as air blades which are actuated when thickenings appear in the layer and which scrape off the particles of the thickening and blow them into a vacuum tank which is sprinkled all over with water and the water and particles are supplied to a vacuum generating device which, in turn, is evacuated by a jet suction device without interrupting the vacuum.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for simulating a process carried out on a moving web in which the web is held stationary while movement through a sequence of processing zones is simulated by means for rapidly changing the process conditions to which the web is exposed, and methods and apparatus for rapidly changing the operative parameters in a processing zone.

Abstract: The method of making highly sensitive positive electron beam resists comprised of copolymers of methacrylic acid (MAA) and methacrylonitrile (MCN) is disclosed utilizing a prebaking step in which the copolymer resist in film form on the substrate is prebaked at a temperature below the decomposition temperature to improve the sensitivity of the resist. The positive electron resists produced in accordance with the present invention exhibit a high sensitivity, and high plasma etch resistance which makes them desirable for dry etching techniques in addition to other masking techniques which enable submicron resolution.

Abstract: This invention relates to thin (g-Ge.sub.x -Se.sub.1--x) positive ionresists and thin (g-Ge.sub.x -Se.sub.1--x) with absorbed or chemically bonded silver as a negative ionresist, which when exposed to H.sup.+ ion beams and subsequently developed, for example by alkaline solutions, have a useful differential dissolution rate, when comparing exposed and unexposed areas, with excellent resolution. The ionresist materials and processes of the invention are useful, for example, in forming solid-state electronic articles.

Abstract: An elongated filmstrip is provided having two superposed sheets of photographic material helically wound in a cartridge. Typically, one of the sheets is a photosensitive image receiver and the other is a coated processing web. The lateral edges of the filmstrip are sealed to inhibit leakage of processing composition which is spread between the sheets during image development. The sheet which is on the outside of each roll convolution will have a longer path length than the inner sheet, and has sufficient elasticity to accommodate the path length difference. The elastic sheet is provided with a strippable, relatively non-elastic support before being transported through the coating machinery. The sheet, together with its coating and non-elastic support is then adhered to the other sheet of the filmstrip and the support then removed.

Abstract: A method of making a dual layer record element for photographically and magnetically recording information respectively on opposite faces thereof and product.

Abstract: In the forming of microcellular arrays, such as those useful in photography, a closure is positioned to overlie a plurality of microcells forming a planar array. The closure is selectively removed from one set of micro- cells forming an interlaid pattern with a second set of microcells so that the contents of the first set of micro- cells can be changed without concurrently changing the contents of the second set of microcells.

Abstract: A waterproof paper support having a photographic emulsion which is coated on both sides with a waterproof synthetic resin. The coating which carries the photographic emulsion preferably is a prepolymer of an unsaturated polyester resin which can be polymerized by electron bombardment. This coating contains at least 20% by weight of a white light-reflecting pigment having a particle size in excess of 0.1 micron.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus and process for simultaneously coating several layers to moving objects, particularly webs, whereby at least two liquid coating materials issue over the width of V-shaped sliding surfaces or above following sliding surfaces are delivered to the two sliding surfaces which are arranged in the form of a V and which form a discharge edge above the objects or web to be coated, flow down the underside of the V-shaped sliding surfaces, combine at the end of the sliding surfaces to form a multiple layer film of liquid which is deposited in the form of a free falling curtain onto the objects or the web of layer support material.

Abstract: A method of coating a photographic support with photographic material includes moving the support past a coating zone at a substantially constant velocity and generating a stream of equally sized and spaced drops of photographic coating liquid toward the coating zone so that the liquid is deposited at discrete, uniformly sized and spaced, sites of predetermined pitch.

Abstract: This invention is directed to processes for using a light sensitive photoresist material in the manufacture of an article having a surface permanently modified in an image pattern. The process comprises applying the photoresist to a substrate through a screen, preferably as a continuous, incompletely imaged layer and thereafter, imaging and developing to provide a relief image in the photoresist layer and treating the substrate to provide a permanent image in the finished article. The process is particularly useful in the manufacture of printed circuits. The process is believed to be a departure from conventional processes in the step of screening a light sensitive photoresist material over a substrate.

Abstract: A method for forming a photosensitive element comprising a plurality of single effective silver halide grains in a predetermined spaced array which comprises coalescing a fine-grain silver halide emulsion in a plurality of predetermined spaced depressions in a surface, wherein said coalescence is carried out by contacting said fine-grain emulsion with a silver halide solvent in the vapor phase.

Abstract: A fine-grain emulsion in a plurality of predetermined spaced depressions is coalesced to form, in situ, a plurality of single effective silver halide grains in a predetermined spaced array by the action of a solution of a silver halide solvent containing a dissolved silver salt.

Abstract: A thermally processable imaging element and method are disclosed, wherein dimensional changes after thermal processing for about 5 seconds at a temperature of about 125.degree. C., do not exceed .+-.0.03%. The imaging element features an amine-generating and an amine-responsive composition. The method features preheating the element prior to exposure to dimensionally stabilize it.

Abstract: Process for the production of vesicular recording materials. The photographic characteristics such as speed and contrast of vesicular recording materials are improved by treating the light-sensitive vesicular recording layer with an aqueous medium at 5.degree. to 30.degree. C. for at least 45 minutes. The treatment may be effected by spraying with cold water and winding the wet material into a roll. Water marking in the wound roll can be avoided by coating the recording layer prior to water treatment with an antimarking composition such as a solution of nitrocellulose.

Abstract: Photosensitive silver halide emulsion layers are formed by mixing a solution of a water-soluble complex of silver ion with a polymeric thickening agent, applying the thus formed mixture to a permeable substrate and crystallizing photosensitive silver halide grains therein by decomplexation of said silver halide complex within the layer.

Abstract: This invention relates to an improvement in a process for making relief-type recordings, in which a layer transfer material comprising a solid photopolymerizable layer on a flexible temporary layer support, is applied to a permanent layer support in such a manner that the photopolymerizable layer is firmly bonded to the latter, the photopolymerizable layer adhering to the permanent layer support is then imagewise exposed, with the temporary layer support being removed before or after exposure, the unexposed layer areas are washed away with a developer, and the surface areas of the permanent support bared by washing are modified by etching or depositing a metal, if required, the improvement which comprises using a photopolymerizable layer which is composed of at least two photopolymerizable partial layers of different compositions.

Abstract: Presensitized lithographic plates having a diazo layer are prepared such that they exhibit a photospeed rendering them suitable for ultra high speed operations including use within laser platemaking systems. These ultra high speed plates have a diazo layer that is exceedingly thin while still being generally uniformly distributed throughout the plate area. The process includes extracting a significant quantity of diazonium compound or diazonium resin from a diazo layer on a presensitized plate substrate. Plates thus formed are useful in laser exposures for facsimile transmissions, as projection plates, as camera back plates, for step and repeat plate work, and where low intensity light sources are used in conjunction with very large plates.

Abstract: Multilayer printing plates having layers with differing moduli are made by exposing through a photographic negative a plurality of liquid layers of different photopolymerizable compositions.

Abstract: Improvements in coated film bases. Photobase comprising a film support, e.g. a polyethylene terephthalate film, having a copolymeric subbing layer comprising a copolymer of acrylic acid or an alkyl ester thereof/methacrylic acid or an alkyl ester thereof/itaconic acid or itaconic anhydride, e.g. an ethyl acrylate/methyl methacrylate/itaconic acid copolymer, and containing free itaconic acid, half ester or anhydride which is directly adherent to light-sensitive photographic emulsions.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for the production of thick and smooth layers of photoresist on the order of 2-15 microns thick. The substrate is flooded with resist as in the standard spin resist method, but instead of following the flooding step with spinning as usual, the second step is to provide a drying time for the flooded resist. Then at the end of the measured drying time, the resist is spun as usual. This can be used to produce fine line closely spaced circuitry in which the thickness of the lines in proportion to their width, or their aspect ratio, is large. Aspect ratios greater than 0.4 and as high as 1.5 are contemplated by the invention.

Abstract: A thermally processable imaging element and method are disclosed, wherein dimensional changes after thermal processing for about 5 seconds at a temperature of about 125.degree. C., do not exceed .+-.0.03%. The imaging element features an amine-generating and an amine-responsive composition. The method features preheating the element prior to exposure to dimensionally stabilize it.

Abstract: A process for producing a photographic light-sensitive material comprising providing a first light-sensitive photographic emulsion layer on one side of a support having a surface resistivity greater than 10.sup.14 .OMEGA. and a thickness of not more than 230.mu. and providing a light-sensitive photographic emulsion layer or a gelatin-containing back layer on the opposite side of the support wherein between the time the first emulsion layer is coated and the time the opposite surface of the support is coated, (i) the opposite surface of the support is prevented from coming into contact with anything except rolls having a diameter larger than about 50 mm, and (ii) the water/gelatin weight ratio in the photographic emulsion layer(s) coated on the first surface of the support prior to coating the second surface is not less than 1. The process is particularly applicable to production of X-ray films.