Abstract: Electron beam positive resists which are sensitive to electron beam radiation and simultaneously thermally stable are prepared using polycarbonates.

Abstract: A photopolymerizable paste composition comprising film-forming solid inorganic particulate material, a polymer binder, unsaturated monomers, and an organic initiator dispersed in a hydrogenated terpene solvent provides a screen printable paste composition compatible with thick-film techniques used for fabricating electrically conductive and dielectric patterns and layers on substrates for electronic circuits.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for reducing the comsumption of etchants used in manufacturing semiconductor devices comprising the steps of supporting a semiconductor wafer, metering a predetermined volume of etchant onto the surface of said wafer to form a meniscus-contained body of etchant thereon, maintaining said wafer static during etching, sensing the completion of said etching, and spinning said wafer upon completion of the etching to remove the etchant from the wafer and terminate the etching operation.

Abstract: A method of depositing a metal on a surface of a substrate is disclosed. A surface of the substrate is sensitized with a photosensitive sensitizer comprising a photosensitive species of (1) an element selected from Ni, Mn, U, Mo and W, or (2) a combination of elements comprising Pd and an element selected from In and Ce. The sensitized surface is exposed to a suitable source of radiation, e.g., ultraviolet radiation, to delineate a surface pattern, corresponding to a desired metal pattern, containing a species of at least one selected element which is either (1) capable of reducing an activation metal ion to catalytic activating metal or (2) capable of being reduced to a catalytic activating metal such as catalytic palladium. The ultraviolet radiation-delineated surface pattern is then exposed or treated with a solution comprising an activating metal ion to reduce and deposit thereon an activating metal.

Abstract: A method of photographic transfer of an original pattern onto a substrate having a photo-sensitive coating comprises carrying out repeated partial exposures which together make up a complete exposure, with the pattern being renewed after each partial exposure. Such renewing includes either relative movement between pattern and substrate or exchange of pattern members having the same pattern.

Abstract: A method for preparing coatings, particularly imaged surfaces such as photoresists, printing plates, etc. which includes coating the surface of a substrate with a solid curable composition containing liquid polyene and solid styrene-allyl alcohol copolymer based polythiol components, curing the composition by exposing selected areas thereof to a free radical generating source, e.g. actinic radiation and removing, e.g., by dissolving, the uncured, unexposed areas of the curable composition to bare the underlying substrate. The solid polythiol is a reaction product of a copolymer of styrene-allyl alcohol and a mercaptocarboxylic acid, e.g. .beta.-mercaptopropionic acid.

Abstract: A method of forming a hydrophobic surface is disclosed. The method comprises coating a substrate surface with a stable aqueous colloidal solution, formed by a controlled hydrolysis and nucleation reaction, comprising insoluble hydrous oxide particles of an element selected from Be, In, Cr, Fe, Co, Ni, Tl, Cu, Zn, Sn and mixtures thereof. The coated surface is then exposed to a source of ultraviolet radiation having a wavelength ranging from 1800A to 3300A to render exposed surface regions hydrophobic.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a connecting circuit comprises essentially the stages of deposition of conductors upon a first metal which is etchable by chemical agent and, said semiconductors resisting said agent and the replacing of said first metal which have been removed by an insulating material in which said conductors are embedded, and hollowing out said material to form a cavity and to open into said cavity one of the ends of said conductors.

Abstract: The photographic method of producing a printed circuit involves preparing a film negative from a graphic replica of the printed circuit and, through the film negative, exposing a photosensitive coating on a copper laminate board which is then developed and etched. This method is improved using Herschel-effect film in two successive steps, first producing a film image of the graphic printed-circuit replica and then producing the required film negative from the first film image. One of the film images is a film positive and the other is a film negative.

Abstract: A method of chemical machining utilizing selective plating techniques to form a metal component from sheet metal sheets, in which each sheet is degreased, rinsed in deionized water, and thoroughly dried, then is coated with a positive photoresist. The photoresist is cured, and then the image of the component to be formed is photographically applied to either side of the sheet utilizing photomasks, the photographically exposed photoresist is removed from the sheet, and the sheet etched to provide the basic component configuration. Selective plating is effected by further photographically exposing the photoresist of the sheet that overlies the portions of the sheet to be plated, by utilizing photomasks delineating the areas to be plated, after which the freshly exposed photoresist is removed, the sheet baked to better condition the resist for plating, and then suitably electroplating the areas of the sheet metal thus exposed. After plating, the completed component is soaked in acetone to remove the resist.

Abstract: Photoresists are developed and the supporting substrate is etched simultaneously therewith by bringing the resist (after exposure) into physical contact with a fluid containing a developer for the resist and an etchant for the supporting substrate.

Abstract: A method for forming micropatterns comprising, superposing a transparent raised image formed on a transparent substrate on a photosensitive layer of a photographic material or forming a transparent raised image on the photosensitive layer of the photographic material, uniformly exposing the photosensitive layer through the transparent raised image to light to which the photosensitive layer is sensitive so that the light intensity at edges of the transparent image is non-uniform, and developing the photosensitive layer to form a micropattern corresponding to the outlines of the transparent raised image.

Abstract: In selectively etching a solid oxide thin film which has chemisorbed water (surface hydroxyl groups) in its surface, the thin film is surface-treated with an organic compound which has within its molecule a functional group to react with the surface hydroxyl groups. Thereafter, photo-etching is performed by the conventional method by applying a thin film of a photosensitive organic polymer onto the treated thin film. Through selection of the sort of the organic compound, the degree of side-etch arising in the process of the selective etch can be controlled.

Abstract: The instant invention comprises providing copper or a copper alloy which has on its surface a uniform glassy like and substantially pore free coating of copper phosphate, rinsing the coated material for at least two seconds in water at a pH of from 4.9 to 6.3, at a temperature of 90.degree.C to the boiling point and drying.

Abstract: The instant invention comprises providing copper or a copper alloy which has on its surface a uniform glassy like and substantially pore free coating of copper phosphate, rinsing the coated material for at least two seconds in water at a pH of at least 8.0, at a temperature of 90.degree.C to the boiling point and drying.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for preparing masks for photo etch purposes. Preselected circuit combinations are scribed in an opaque film supported by a translucent film. Beginning with the most simple circuit combination, the scribed opaque film is peeled away and the resultant circuit is photographed. The next most simple circuit combination of scribed film is peeled away and the new circuit is photographed. This stripping and photographing process is continued until all circuit combinations are photographed from a single art work.

Abstract: A method for preparing coatings, particularly imaged surfaces such as photoresists, printing plates, etc. which includes coating the surface of a substrate with a solid curable composition containing styrene-allyl alcohol copolymer based polyene and polythiol components, curing the composition by exposing selected areas thereof to a free radical generating source, e.g. actinic radiation and removing e.g. by dissolving the uncured, unexposed areas of the curable composition to bare the underlying substrate. The solid polyene component is a reaction product of a copolymer of styrene-allyl alcohol and an unsaturated isocyanate e.g. allyl isocyanate or an unsaturated acid e.g. acrylic acid. The solid polythiol is a reaction product of a copolymer of styrene-allyl alcohol and a mercapto carboxylic acid, e.g. .beta.-mercaptopropionic acid.

Abstract: In contact type photolithographic masking processes for fabricating planar structures, a photoresist is applied to a wafer and a mask is placed over the photoresist. Illumination through the mask, which has a pattern of opaque areas, produces a photochemical reaction in the photoresist which upon developing creates a duplicate of the mask pattern. However, the photoresist is conventionally applied by a spinning process and the rotation produces a build-up of the photoresist around the edges of the wafer. This build-up prevents the pattern portion of the mask from making good physical contact with the photoresist with a resultant decrease in reproducibility and accuracy of the fabricated pattern. A modified mask is formed with a channel corresponding to the peripheral build-up. The channel accepts the build-up so that good contact may be maintained between the photoresist and the patterned portion of the mask.

Abstract: A method of forming patterns on a semiconductor element is disclosed comprising the steps of (a) depositing a coating of silicon nitride, borosilicate glass, or phosphosilicate glass on the surface of a semiconductor substrate, (b) applying a photosensitive etching solution layer to the coating and drying it, (c) irradiating the substrate with ultraviolet radiation through a photomask having a required pattern to decompose the photosensitive solution and etch the coating, and (d) removing the photosensitive solution, the decomposed material, and the reaction product of the decomposed material and the coating with an organic solvent. The photosensitive etching solution consists of a compound which may be decomposed by light to a material which etches the coating, or a compound obtained from the reaction between the photodecomposed material and other material in the solution which etches said coating.

Abstract: In preparing an electron beam resist film of a copolymer of an olefin and SO.sub.2, the steps of removing insoluble particles, drying the films under high vacuum and storing them in a moisture-free atmosphere are required to prevent cracking of the films during development.

Abstract: Multilayer printed circuit board is fabricated by coating a suitable substrate, metal, plastic, paper, with a photosensitive coating, exposing the photosensitive coating to form a dielectric thereof, coating the dielectric layer with a coating of a photosensitive chemical solution, selectively imaging and developing the photosensitive coating to form a desired circuit pattern on the dielectric coating, forming a first layer of circuitry by coating the circuit pattern with a conducting material, coating the circuitry bearing layer with a second layer of photosensitive material, selectively exposing and developing the second layer of photosensitive material to form a dielectric with open windows to the first circuit layer, coating the second dielectric layer of the first circuitry with a coating of photosensitive chemical solution, selectively imaging and developing the coating of photosensitive chemical solution to form a circuit pattern and an interconnect pattern and forming a conductor layer of circuitry an

Abstract: Three developer solvents 2-methylcyclohexanone, 3-methylcyclohexanone, and a mixture of acetonyl acetate and acetone, improve the resolution of electron beam exposed films of poly(1-methyl-1-cyclopentene-SO.sub.2) copolymers.

Abstract: A high sensitivity resist layer structure for high energy radiation exposure is formed by coating plural layers of radiation degradable polymers on a substrate which layers are successively slower dissolving in the resist developer. Upon exposure and solvent development, a resist edge profile is obtained which is particularly useful for metal lift-off.

Abstract: Radiant energy imaged printed circuit boards are provided by treating an insulating base with a composition of a reducible metal salt and a radiant energy sensitive compound, exposing the treated base to radiant energy in selected areas to produce metallic nuclei in the form of a non-conducting real image of the desired circuit pattern, rinsing the exposed base to remove unexposed metal salts and exposing the real image to an electroless metal bath to build up conductor lines of electroless metal thereon. In an alternative procedure, conductor lines are built up by electroplating with the same or a different metal and, optionally, solder coating.

Abstract: A light-sensitive composition comprising novel arylglyoxyalkyl acrylates that exhibits useful light sensitivity. The basic structure of the new compositions, which may also themselves be polymerized are as follows: ##EQU1## wherein Ar represents an aromatic structure selected from the group consisting of benzene, naphthalene and substituted products of each, R.sub.1 represents an alkyl group having from one to ten carbon atoms, R.sub.2 represents a grouping selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, or a lower alkyl group having from one to five carbon atoms and R.sub.3 represents an alkenyl group having from one to 10 carbon atoms and singular unsaturation. The light-sensitive compositions may themselves be utilized in photochemistry as photopolymers, they may be combined with suitable solvents and additives or polymerized with suitable backbone polymers to provide substances which can be used as light-sensitive coatings.

Abstract: A resist mask, whose configuration is changed during processing, is formed by varying the exposure energy across a resist layer and then conducting successive development steps using developers having increasing solvent power to remove progressively more of the resist layer with each step.

Abstract: A light-sensitive material comprising a support carrying a coating of a phopolymerisable epoxy resin composition containing, as a photo-sensitive compound capable of catalyzing hardening of the epoxy resin, a diazonium salt soluble in organic solvents and whereof the cation is devoid of basic groups and the anion is selected from the following: difluorophosphate, phosphotungstate, phosphomolybdate, tungstogermanate, silicotungstate and molybdosilicate.

Abstract: Very sensitive electron beam positive resists have been obtained using films of polymeric methyl methacrylate containing acetate polymers.