Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
110 words
A positive photoresist composition comprising a mixture of (a) about 65-99 weight percent of a copolymer prepared from ##STR44## wherein the maleimide moiety is present in an amount of at least 10 mol percent based on the mol amount of co-monomers in the copolymer so as to render the copolymer soluble in an aqueous alkaline developer solution, wherein R 1 and R 4 are independently H or (C 1 -C 5 ) alkyl; and (b) about 1-35 weight percent of a photoactive compound, which, upon exposure to actinic radiation, is transformed into compounds containing acidic groups that are more soluble in aqueous alkaline developers than the photoactive compound before exposure.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
110 words
A positive photoresist composition comprising a mixture of (a) about 65-99 weight percent of a copolymer prepared from ##STR44## wherein the maleimide moiety is present in an amount of at least 10 mol percent based on the mol amount of co-monomers in the copolymer so as to render the copolymer soluble in an aqueous alkaline developer solution, wherein R 1 and R 4 are independently H or (C 1 -C 5 ) alkyl; and (b) about 1-35 weight percent of a photoactive compound, which, upon exposure to actinic radiation, is transformed into compounds containing acidic groups that are more soluble in aqueous alkaline developers than the photoactive compound before exposure.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
44 words
The composition of claim 1 in which the copolymer is a terpolymer that includes from about 10 to about 50 mol percent based on the mol amount of co-monomers in the copolymer of ##STR45## wherein R 5 is (C 1 -C 5 ) alkyl.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
The positive photoresist composition of claim 1 wherein said styrene and said maleimide are in the molar ratio of about 1:1.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
The positive photoresist composition of claim 1 wherein the photoactive compound upon exposure to actinic radiation is converted into a compound containing carboxylic acid moieties.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
19 words
The positive photoresist composition of claim 1 wherein the photoactive compound is an ester of naphthoquinone diazide sulfonic acid.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
18 words
The positive photoresist composition of claim 5 wherein said ester is selected from compounds having the formulae: ##STR46##
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
27 words
The positive photoresist composition of claim 1, wherein the mixture comprises about 75-92 weight percent of the copolymer and about 8-25 weight percent of the photoactive compound.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
35 words
The positive photoresist composition of claim 1 wherein the copolymer comprises about 40 mole % of maleimide and about 10 mole % of N-(C 1 -C 5 alkyl)maleimide and the balance being a styrene unit.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
143 words
An alkali-insoluble positive photoresist composition comprising a mixture of (a) about 1-35 weight percent of a photoactive transformed into compounds containing acidic groups that are more soluble in aqueous alkaline developers than the photoactive compound before exposure; and (b) about 65-99 weight percent of a polymer comprising a copolymer formed from polymerization of a film-forming monomer selected from styrene, a-methylstyrene, 4-(C 1 -C 5 alkyl) styrene, 2-(C 1 -C 5 alkyl) styrene, 2,4-di(C 1 -C 5 alkyl) styrene or a monomer having the formula H 2 C═CR a M and at least about 10 mol percent maleimide based on the mol about of co-monomers in the copolymer to render the copolymer soluble in an aqueous alkaline developer solution, wherein M is CN or CO 2 R b , wherein R b is methyl or allyl and wherein R a is H or methyl.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
143 words
An alkali-insoluble positive photoresist composition comprising a mixture of (a) about 1-35 weight percent of a photoactive transformed into compounds containing acidic groups that are more soluble in aqueous alkaline developers than the photoactive compound before exposure; and (b) about 65-99 weight percent of a polymer comprising a copolymer formed from polymerization of a film-forming monomer selected from styrene, a-methylstyrene, 4-(C 1 -C 5 alkyl) styrene, 2-(C 1 -C 5 alkyl) styrene, 2,4-di(C 1 -C 5 alkyl) styrene or a monomer having the formula H 2 C═CR a M and at least about 10 mol percent maleimide based on the mol about of co-monomers in the copolymer to render the copolymer soluble in an aqueous alkaline developer solution, wherein M is CN or CO 2 R b , wherein R b is methyl or allyl and wherein R a is H or methyl.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
43 words
The composition of claim 9 in which the copolymer is a terpolymer that includes from about 10 to about 50 mol percent based on the mol about of co-monomers in the copolymer ##STR47## wherein R 5 is (C 1 -C 5 ) alkyl.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
21 words
The positive photoresist composition suitable for application onto a substrate, comprising the composition of claim 9 and a suitable organic solvent.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
117 words
A photosensitive element comprising a substrate bearing a layer of a photoresist composition comprising a mixture of (a) about 65-99 percent of a copolymer prepared from ##STR48## wherein the maleimide moiety is present in an amount of at least 10 mol percent based on the mol amount of co-monomers in the copolymer so as to render the copolymer soluble in an aqueous alkaline developer solution wherein R 1 to R 4 are independently H or (C 1 -C 5 ) alkyl, and (b) about 1-35 weight percent of photoactive compound, which, upon exposure to actinic radiation, is transformed into compounds containing acidic groups that are more soluble in aqueous alkaline developers than the photoactive compound before exposure.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
117 words
A photosensitive element comprising a substrate bearing a layer of a photoresist composition comprising a mixture of (a) about 65-99 percent of a copolymer prepared from ##STR48## wherein the maleimide moiety is present in an amount of at least 10 mol percent based on the mol amount of co-monomers in the copolymer so as to render the copolymer soluble in an aqueous alkaline developer solution wherein R 1 to R 4 are independently H or (C 1 -C 5 ) alkyl, and (b) about 1-35 weight percent of photoactive compound, which, upon exposure to actinic radiation, is transformed into compounds containing acidic groups that are more soluble in aqueous alkaline developers than the photoactive compound before exposure.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
44 words
The element of claim 12 in which the copolymer is a terpolymer that includes from about 10 to about 50 mol percent based on the mol amount of co-monomers in the copolymer of ##STR49## wherein R 5 is (C 1 -C 5 ) alkyl.