Method for manufacturing an optical filter

Claim 1

A method for making a color filter having a plurality of colored filter elements, which method comprises the steps of (a) forming, onto a support, a solvent-coating of a dye-containing positive photoresist composition and drying said solvent coating to an adherent layer, said composition comprising a photoresist resin and a dye; said dye being soluble in the solvent of said photoresist composition and constituting in excess of 10% up to about 50% of said composition, on a dry weight basis; said dye having substantially the same polarity as said resin, thereby interacting sufficiently with said resin and being sufficiently compatible therewith as not to form a separate phase from said coated photoresist composition; said dye providing the desired dye density and the predetermined absorption and transmission properties characteristic of the predetermined color desired in filter elements to be prepared from said photoresist composition; said dye being sufficiently transmission of radiation used for exposure of said photoresist composition as to permit desired control of the solubility of said photoresist composition in areas of exposure and the formation on development, of a pattern of said filter elements having said predetermined absorption and transmission properties; (b) exposing predetermined portions of said layer to radiation adapted to increase the solubility of said layer in the exposed areas; (c) developing said exposed areas to form said pattern of filter elements; and (d) repeating steps (a) to (c) with a different color dye in said composition.

Claim 2

A method for making a color filter having a plurality of colored filter elements, which method comprises the steps of (a) forming, onto a support, a solvent-coating of a dye-containing positive photoresist composition and drying said solvent coating to an adherent layer, said composition comprising a photoresist resin and a dye; said dye being soluble in the solvent of said photoresist composition and constituting in excess of 10% up to about 50% of said composition, on a dry weight basis; said dye having substantially the same polarity as said resin, thereby interacting sufficiently with said resin and being sufficiently compatible therewith as not to form a separate phase from said coated photoresist composition; said dye providing the desired dye density and the predetermined absorption and transmission properties characteristic of the predetermined color desired in filter elements to be prepared from said photoresist composition; said dye being sufficiently transmission of radiation used for exposure of said photoresist composition as to permit desired control of the solubility of said photoresist composition in areas of exposure and the formation on development, of a pattern of said filter elements having said predetermined absorption and transmission properties; (b) exposing predetermined portions of said layer to radiation adapted to increase the solubility of said layer in the exposed areas; (c) developing said exposed areas to form said pattern of filter elements; and (d) repeating steps (a) to (c) with a different color dye in said composition.

Claim 19

A method for making a color filter having a plurality of colored filter elements, which method comprises the steps of (a) forming, onto a support, a solvent coating of a dye-containing positive photoresist composition and drying said solvent coating to an adherent layer, said composition comprising 40-75% by weight, dry basis, of a novolak resin, 10-18% by weight, dry basis, photoactive dissolution rate inhibitor and a first dye in excess of 10% to 50% by weight, dry basis; said first dye being soluble in the solvent of said photoresist composition; said first dye having substantially the same polarity as said novolak resin, thereby interacting sufficiently with said resin and being sufficiently compatible therewith as not to form a separate phase from said coated photoresist composition; said dye providing the dseired dye density and the predetermined absorption and transmission properties characteristic of the predetermined color desired in filter elements to be prepared from said photoresist composition; said dye being sufficiently transmissive of radiation used for exposure of said layer as to permit desired control of the solubility of said photoexposed photoresist composition in exposed areas, and the formation on development, of a pattern of said filter elements having said predetermined absorption and transmission properties; (b) exposing predetermined portions of said layer to radiation adapted to increase the solubility of said layer in the exposed areas; (c) developing said exposed areas to form said pattern of filter elements; (d) forming a second layer on said support with a composition comprising a negative photoresist and a second dye; said second dye being soluble in the solvent of the photoresist; (e) exposing predetermined portions of said second layer to radiation adapted to cross-link the photoresist in the exposed areas; and (f) developing said second layer to provide a second set of filter elements.

Claim 20

A method for making a color filter having a plurality of colored filter elements, which method comprises the steps of (a) forming, onto a support, a solvent coating of a dye-containing positive photoresist composition and drying said solvent coating to an adherent layer, said composition comprising 40-75% by weight, dry basis, of a novolak resin, 10-18% by weight, dry basis, photoactive dissolution rate inhibitor and a first dye in excess of 10% to 50% by weight, dry basis; said first dye being soluble in the solvent of said photoresist composition; said first dye having substantially the same polarity as said novolak resin, thereby interacting sufficiently with said resin and being sufficiently compatible therewith as not to form a separate phase from said coated photoresist composition; said dye providing the dseired dye density and the predetermined absorption and transmission properties characteristic of the predetermined color desired in filter elements to be prepared from said photoresist composition; said dye being sufficiently transmissive of radiation used for exposure of said layer as to permit desired control of the solubility of said photoexposed photoresist composition in exposed areas, and the formation on development, of a pattern of said filter elements having said predetermined absorption and transmission properties; (b) exposing predetermined portions of said layer to radiation adapted to increase the solubility of said layer in the exposed areas; (c) developing said exposed areas to form said pattern of filter elements; (d) forming a second layer on said support with a composition comprising a negative photoresist and a second dye; said second dye being soluble in the solvent of the photoresist; (e) exposing predetermined portions of said second layer to radiation adapted to cross-link the photoresist in the exposed areas; and (f) developing said second layer to provide a second set of filter elements.

Claim 21

A method for making a color filter having a plurality of colored filter elements, which method comprises the steps of (a) forming, on a solid state imager, a solvent coating of a dye-containing positive photoresist composition, said composition comprising a novolak resin at a level of about 40-75% by weight, dry basis, a photoactive dissolution rate inhibitor at a level of about 10-18% by weight, dry basis, and a dye of a first color, at a level in excess of 10% to 50% by weight dry basis; said dye being soluble in the solvent to said photoresist composition; said first color dye having substantially the same polarity as said novolak resin, thereby interacting sufficiently with said novolak resin and being sufficiently compatible therewith as not to form a separate phase from said coated photoresist composition; said first color dye providing the desired dye density and the predetermined absorption and transmission properties of filter elements to be prepared from said layer; said dye being sufficiently transmissive of radiation used for exposure of said photoresist composition as to permit the desired control of the solubility of said photoresist composition in areas of exposure, and the formation on development, of a pattern of filter elements of said first color; (b) drying said solvent coating to an adherent layer; (c) exposing predetermined portions of said layer to radiation adapted to increase the solubility of said layer in the exposed areas; (d) developing said exposed areas to form said pattern of filter elements; (e) thermally stabilizing said pattern of filter elements; (f) forming a solvent coating of a second dye-containing positive photoresist composition, said second composition being defined as in step a), except comprising a dye of a second color, said second color dye being soluble in the solvent of said second photoresist composition; said second color dye interacting sufficiently with the novolak resin of said second composition and being sufficiently compatible therewith as not to form a separate phase from said coated photoresist composition; said second color dye providing the desired dye density and the predetermined absorption and transmission properties of filter elements to be prepared from said photoresist composition; said dye being sufficiently transmissive of radiation used for exposure of said photoresist composition as to permit desired control of the solubility of said photoresist composition in areas of exposure, and the formation on development, of a pattern of filter elements of said second color; (g) drying the solvent coating of said second composition to an adherent layer; (h) exposing predetermined portions of said layer of said second composition to radiation adapted to increase the solubility of said layer in the exposed areas; (i) developing said exposed areas to form a second pattern of filter elements; (j) thermally stabilizing said second pattern of filter elements; (k) forming a solvent coating of a third dye-containing positive photoresist composition, said third composition being defined as in step (a), except comprising a dye of a third color, said third color dye being soluble in the solvent of said third photoresist composition; said third color dye interacting sufficiently with the novolak resin of said third composition and being sufficiently compatible therewith as not to form a separate phase from said coated photoresist composition; said third color dye providing the desired dye density and the predetermined absorption and transmission properties of filter elements to be prepared from said photoresist composition; said dye being sufficiently transmissive of radiation used for exposure of said photoresist composition as to permit desired control of the solubility of said photoresist composition in areas of exposure, and the formation on development, of a pattern of filter elements of said third color; (l) drying the solvent coating of said third composition to an adherent layer; (m) exposing predetermined portions of said layer of said third composition to radiation adapted to increase the solubility of said layer in the exposed areas; and (n) developing said exposed areas to form a third pattern of filter elements.

Claim 22

A method for making a color filter having a plurality of colored filter elements, which method comprises the steps of (a) forming, on a solid state imager, a solvent coating of a dye-containing positive photoresist composition, said composition comprising a novolak resin at a level of about 40-75% by weight, dry basis, a photoactive dissolution rate inhibitor at a level of about 10-18% by weight, dry basis, and a dye of a first color, at a level in excess of 10% to 50% by weight dry basis; said dye being soluble in the solvent to said photoresist composition; said first color dye having substantially the same polarity as said novolak resin, thereby interacting sufficiently with said novolak resin and being sufficiently compatible therewith as not to form a separate phase from said coated photoresist composition; said first color dye providing the desired dye density and the predetermined absorption and transmission properties of filter elements to be prepared from said layer; said dye being sufficiently transmissive of radiation used for exposure of said photoresist composition as to permit the desired control of the solubility of said photoresist composition in areas of exposure, and the formation on development, of a pattern of filter elements of said first color; (b) drying said solvent coating to an adherent layer; (c) exposing predetermined portions of said layer to radiation adapted to increase the solubility of said layer in the exposed areas; (d) developing said exposed areas to form said pattern of filter elements; (e) thermally stabilizing said pattern of filter elements; (f) forming a solvent coating of a second dye-containing positive photoresist composition, said second composition being defined as in step a), except comprising a dye of a second color, said second color dye being soluble in the solvent of said second photoresist composition; said second color dye interacting sufficiently with the novolak resin of said second composition and being sufficiently compatible therewith as not to form a separate phase from said coated photoresist composition; said second color dye providing the desired dye density and the predetermined absorption and transmission properties of filter elements to be prepared from said photoresist composition; said dye being sufficiently transmissive of radiation used for exposure of said photoresist composition as to permit desired control of the solubility of said photoresist composition in areas of exposure, and the formation on development, of a pattern of filter elements of said second color; (g) drying the solvent coating of said second composition to an adherent layer; (h) exposing predetermined portions of said layer of said second composition to radiation adapted to increase the solubility of said layer in the exposed areas; (i) developing said exposed areas to form a second pattern of filter elements; (j) thermally stabilizing said second pattern of filter elements; (k) forming a solvent coating of a third dye-containing positive photoresist composition, said third composition being defined as in step (a), except comprising a dye of a third color, said third color dye being soluble in the solvent of said third photoresist composition; said third color dye interacting sufficiently with the novolak resin of said third composition and being sufficiently compatible therewith as not to form a separate phase from said coated photoresist composition; said third color dye providing the desired dye density and the predetermined absorption and transmission properties of filter elements to be prepared from said photoresist composition; said dye being sufficiently transmissive of radiation used for exposure of said photoresist composition as to permit desired control of the solubility of said photoresist composition in areas of exposure, and the formation on development, of a pattern of filter elements of said third color; (l) drying the solvent coating of said third composition to an adherent layer; (m) exposing predetermined portions of said layer of said third composition to radiation adapted to increase the solubility of said layer in the exposed areas; and (n) developing said exposed areas to form a third pattern of filter elements.