Method of preparing a circuit utilizing a liquid crystal artwork master

Claim 3

The method as defined in claim 1 wherein said heating in step (a) is by means of a laser beam.

Claim 4

The method as defined in claim 1 wherein said crystal comprises a smectic crystal.

Claim 5

The method as defined in claim 3 wherein said smectic crystal comprises N-(p-cyanobenzylidene)-p-n octylaniline.

Claim 6

In an improved method of forming a printed circuit which comprises the steps of: a. providing a laminate comprising a dielectric base having a metal layer on at least one surface thereof; b. coating the metal layer with a radiation-sensitive material to form a radiation-sensitive layer thereon; c. selectively exposing the radiation-sensitive layer to the radiation to form a radiation-exposed pattern thereon; d. treating the selectively radiation-exposed layer to remove unwanted portions thereof to form a pattern comprising uncoated portions of the metal layer; e. treating the uncoated metal portions to remove them from the dielectric base; and f. removing the remaining portions of the radiation-sensitive layer wherein the improvement comprises: in step (c), the selectively exposing comprising, a 1 . heating a selected portion of a cell comprising a liquid crystal above the transition temperature of said crystal to form an artwork master having a pattern formed therein capable of transmitting the radiation therethrough in an imagewise manner; and b 1 . exposing said master to the radiation to transmit the radiation through said pattern to form the radiation-exposed pattern on the radiation-sensitive layer.

Claim 7

In an improved method of forming a printed circuit which comprises the steps of: a. providing a laminate comprising a dielectric base having a metal layer on at least one surface thereof; b. coating the metal layer with a radiation-sensitive material to form a radiation-sensitive layer thereon; c. selectively exposing the radiation-sensitive layer to the radiation to form a radiation-exposed pattern thereon; d. treating the selectively radiation-exposed layer to remove unwanted portions thereof to form a pattern comprising uncoated portions of the metal layer; e. treating the uncoated metal portions to remove them from the dielectric base; and f. removing the remaining portions of the radiation-sensitive layer wherein the improvement comprises: in step (c), the selectively exposing comprising, a 1 . heating a selected portion of a cell comprising a liquid crystal above the transition temperature of said crystal to form an artwork master having a pattern formed therein capable of transmitting the radiation therethrough in an imagewise manner; and b 1 . exposing said master to the radiation to transmit the radiation through said pattern to form the radiation-exposed pattern on the radiation-sensitive layer.

Claim 8

The method as defined in claim 5 wherein said heating in step (a 1 ) is by means of a laser beam.

Claim 9

The method as defined in claim 5 wherein said crystal comprises a smectic crystal.

Claim 10

The method as defined in claim 7 wherein said smectic crystal comprises N-(p-cyanobenzylidene)-p-n octylaniline.

Claim 11

In an improved method of treating a semiconductive wafer, comprising the steps of: a. depositing a masking layer on a surface of the semiconductive wafer; b. forming a layer sensitive to a desired radiation on the masking layer; c. selectively exposing the radiation-sensitive layer to the desired radiation to form a radiation-exposed pattern thereon; d. treating the radiation-sensitive layer to remove a portion thereof to expose an underlying surface area of the masking layer; and e. removing the underlying surface area to expose the underlying semiconductive surface area of the wafer, wherein the improvement comprises: in step (c), the selectively exposing comprising a 1 . heating a selected portion of a cell comprising a liquid crystal above the transition temperature of said crystal to form an artwork master having a pattern formed therein capable of transmitting the radiation therethrough in an imagewise manner; and b 1 . exposing said master to the radiation to transmit the radiation through said pattern to form the radiation-exposed pattern on the radiation-sensitive layer.

Claim 12

In an improved method of treating a semiconductive wafer, comprising the steps of: a. depositing a masking layer on a surface of the semiconductive wafer; b. forming a layer sensitive to a desired radiation on the masking layer; c. selectively exposing the radiation-sensitive layer to the desired radiation to form a radiation-exposed pattern thereon; d. treating the radiation-sensitive layer to remove a portion thereof to expose an underlying surface area of the masking layer; and e. removing the underlying surface area to expose the underlying semiconductive surface area of the wafer, wherein the improvement comprises: in step (c), the selectively exposing comprising a 1 . heating a selected portion of a cell comprising a liquid crystal above the transition temperature of said crystal to form an artwork master having a pattern formed therein capable of transmitting the radiation therethrough in an imagewise manner; and b 1 . exposing said master to the radiation to transmit the radiation through said pattern to form the radiation-exposed pattern on the radiation-sensitive layer.

Claim 13

The method as defined in claim 9 wherein said heating in step (a 1 ) is by means of a laser beam.

Claim 14

The method as defined in claim 9 wherein said crystal comprises a smectic crystal.

Claim 15

The method as defined in claim 11 wherein said crystal comprises N-(p-cyanobenzylidene)-p-n-octylaniline.