Modified processing of positive photoresists

Claim 2

A photoresist process comprising the steps of: a. providing on a substrate a layer of a light sensitive resist material consisting essentially of an alkali soluble phenolformaldehyde resin and a naphthoquinone-(1,2)-diazide sulfonic acid ester sensitizer; b. exposing said layer imagewise to radiation with sufficient energy to convert a majority of said diazo ketone to a alkali soluble form in the exposed portion of said layer; c. treating said layer, following said exposure, with a mildly acidic aqueous solution; d. exposing the entire layer with actinic radiation; and then e. developing a negative relief image of resist on said substrate by removing the initially unexposed portions of said layer with an alkaline developer solution.

Claim 3

The process of claim 1 wherein said sensitizer is selected from the compounds having the following general formulae ##STR6## in which R 1 is a naphthoquinone-(1,2)-diazide radical, R 2 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and hydroxyl, and R 3 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, aryl, alkoxy, aryloxy, amino, and heterocyclic groups; ##STR7## in which X and X 1 and N 2 or O, those attached to the same ring being different, and Y is an organic linkage containing at least one arylene, substituted arylene or heterocyclic radical; ##STR8## in which X and X 1 are selected from the group consisting of N 2 and O and are different: Y is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and halogen and R is a substituted or unsubstituted aryl: ##STR9## wherein D stands for a naphthoquinone-(1,2)-diazide radical, X stands for a member selected from the group consisting of H and OH: R stands for a member selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, OR 1 , NR 2 R 3 , alkyl-, aryl- and heterocyclic radicals, R 1 stands for a member of the group consisting of alkyl and aryl, R 2 and R 3 stand for a member of the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl and aryl, R 2 equalling R 3 or being different from R 3 .

Claim 4

The process of claim 2 wherein said diazo ketone is a 2,3,4-trihydroxybenzophenone ester of 1-oxo-2-diazo-naphthalene-5-sulfonic acid.

Claim 5

The process of claim 1 wherein said acid is an aqueous mineral acid.

Claim 6

The process of claim 1 wherein said acid treatment includes immersing said layer in a hot aqueous mineral acid solution so that the exposed diazo ketone molecules are decarboxylated.

Claim 7

In the method of making a positive resist image by providing on a substrate a layer of photosensitive material including an alkali soluble phenolformaldehyde resin and a naphthoquinone-(1,2)-diazide sulfonic acid ester sensitizer and exposing said layer imagewise to radiation which changes the solubility characteristics of the exposed portions such that a positive relief image can be developed in said layer by treating said layer with an alkali developer; the improvement which comprises treating said layer, following said exposure, with a mildly acidic, aqueous solution, so as to cause decarboxylation of a portion of the exposed sensitizer and reduce its alkali solubility, and subsequent to treating said layer with said solution, removing the exposed portion of said layer with said alkaline developer to produce an undercut resist profile.

Claim 8

In the method of making a positive resist image by providing on a substrate a layer of photosensitive material including an alkali soluble phenolformaldehyde resin and a naphthoquinone-(1,2)-diazide sulfonic acid ester sensitizer and exposing said layer imagewise to radiation which changes the solubility characteristics of the exposed portions such that a positive relief image can be developed in said layer by treating said layer with an alkali developer; the improvement which comprises treating said layer, following said exposure, with a mildly acidic, aqueous solution, so as to cause decarboxylation of a portion of the exposed sensitizer and reduce its alkali solubility, and subsequent to treating said layer with said solution, removing the exposed portion of said layer with said alkaline developer to produce an undercut resist profile.

Claim 9

The method of claim 6 in which said resin is a phenolformaldehyde resin.

Claim 10

The method of claim 6 in which the sensitizer is a compound selected from compounds having the following general formulae; ##STR10## in which R 1 is a naphthoquinone-(1,2)-diazide radical, R 2 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and hydroxyl, and R 3 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, aryl, alkoxy, aryloxy, amino, and heterocyclic groups; ##STR11## in which X and X 1 are N 2 or O, those attached to the same ring being different, and Y is an organic linkage containing at least one arylene, substituted arylene or heterocyclic radical; ##STR12## in which X and X 1 are selected from the group consisting of N 2 and O and are different; Y is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and halogen and R is a substituted or unsubstituted aryl: ##STR13## wherein D stands for a naphthoquinone-(1,2)-diazide radical, X stands for a member selected from the group consisting of H and OH: R stands for a member selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, OR 1 , NR 2 R 3 , alkyl-, aryl- and heterocyclic radicals, R 1 stands for a member of the group consisting of alkyl and aryl, R 2 and R 3 stand for a member of the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl and aryl, R 2 equalling R 3 or being different from R 3 .

Claim 11

The method of claim 6 wherein said sensitizer is a 2,3,4-trihydroxybenzophenone ester of 1-oxo-2-diazonaphthalene-5-sulfonic acid.

Claim 12

The method of claim 6 wherein said acid is an aqueous mineral acid.

Claim 13

The method of claim 6 wherein said treatment with acid includes immersing said layer in a hot aqueous mineral acid solution.

Claim 14

The method of claim 6 including the steps of forming a layer of material over the resist image and the substrate and then removing the resist image and the overlying portions of said material to leave the substrate with a patterned layer of said material in contact with said substrate.

Claim 15

The method of claim 15 wherein said material is a metal.

Claim 16

The process of claim 1 including the steps of forming a layer of material over the relief image and substrate and then removing the resist image and overlying portions of material to leave the substrate with a patterned layer of material in contact with said substrate.

Claim 17

The process of claim 14 wherein said material is a metal.