Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
119 words
Photoresist composition comprised of an admixture of a phenol-formaldehyde type resin, and an organic base, wherein the organic base comprises at least one nitrogen moiety present within a ring structure, and wherein said ring structure is selected from the group consisting of ring structures in which the entire ring containing said at least one nitrogen moiety exhibits alternating double bonds, and ring structures in which the ring containing said at least one nitrogen moiety does not exhibit alternating double bonds exclusively, but is adjacent to ring structures which do exhibit said double bonds exclusively and wherein said at least one nitrogen moiety is connected to said adjacent ring structure in a manner which continues the alternating double bond configuration.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
119 words
Photoresist composition comprised of an admixture of a phenol-formaldehyde type resin, and an organic base, wherein the organic base comprises at least one nitrogen moiety present within a ring structure, and wherein said ring structure is selected from the group consisting of ring structures in which the entire ring containing said at least one nitrogen moiety exhibits alternating double bonds, and ring structures in which the ring containing said at least one nitrogen moiety does not exhibit alternating double bonds exclusively, but is adjacent to ring structures which do exhibit said double bonds exclusively and wherein said at least one nitrogen moiety is connected to said adjacent ring structure in a manner which continues the alternating double bond configuration.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
87 words
Photoresist composition according to claim 1, wherein said resin is contained in sufficient quantity amount when combined with a diazoquinone sensitizer to be developable to form a positive image, wherein said diazoquinone sensitizer is contained in sufficient amount to function as the photoactive component in an electron beam, X-ray, or optical exposure process, and wherein said organic base is contained in sufficient amount to react with the carboxylic acid functional groups formed during the exposure process so that the exposed photoresist becomes insoluble in standard alkaline developers.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
23 words
Photoresist composition according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the pK a of said organic base ranges from about 5.0 to about 6.5.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
21 words
Photoresist composition according to any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein said at least one nitrogen moiety is sterically protected.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
32 words
Photoresist composition according to any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein said organic base is selected from the group consisting of benzimidazole, 2-methyl- benzimidazole, 2,6-di-t-butylpyridine, pyridine, quinoline, 2,6-lutadine, 3,5-lutadine, and acridine.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
34 words
Photoresist composition according to any one of claims 1 to 5 including a suitable solvent for placing the ingredients of said admixture into a casting/coating solution of the type used in the lithographic industry.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
57 words
Photoresist composition according to any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein the composition contains about 30 % by weight of said resin, about 5 % by weight of said sensitizer, about 63 % of the solvent, preferably a mixture of ethyl cellosolve acetate and n-butylacetate (weight ratio 90:10) and about 1 mole-% of said organic base.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
53 words
Photoresist composition comprised of an admixture of a phenol-formaldehyde type resin, a diazoquinone sensitizer and an organic base wherein the organic base comprises at least one nitrogen moiety present within a ring structure, and wherein the at least one nitrogen moiety is part of a conjugated system having at least three double bonds.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
53 words
Photoresist composition comprised of an admixture of a phenol-formaldehyde type resin, a diazoquinone sensitizer and an organic base wherein the organic base comprises at least one nitrogen moiety present within a ring structure, and wherein the at least one nitrogen moiety is part of a conjugated system having at least three double bonds.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
98 words
A method of creating a negative tone photoresist pattern on a substrate, wherein a photoresist composition according to any one of claims 1 to 8 is applied to a substrate; a latent image is created within said applied photoresist composition by imagewise exposing said resist to actinic radiation; the imaged photoresist composition is heated to a sufficient temperature for a sufficient time period to render the exposed areas insoluble in alkaline developer; said imaged photoresist composition is subsequently blanket exposed to actinic radiation, after which the singly exposed areas of the photoresist are removed with an alkaline developer.