Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
140 words
A process for creating a layer of patterned photoresist on a surface, said process comprising the steps of: forming on said surface a first layer of polymeric photoresist material; converting selected pattern regions adjacent to the surface of said first layer to monomeric form by selectively exposing such pattern regions to depolymerizing wavelength energy; conditioning said first layer to render a relatively thin surface layer of the polymeric photoresist material substantially opaque to depolymerizing wavelength energy without materially changing the developing characteristics of the pattern regions of monomeric form; further exposing first layer polymeric photoresist material to depolymerizing wavelength energy to extend the monomer form region pattern through the full thickness of said first layer using the relatively thin and opaque surface layer as a mask to depolymerizing wavelength energy; and developing out the monomeric pattern regions of the photoresist.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
140 words
A process for creating a layer of patterned photoresist on a surface, said process comprising the steps of: forming on said surface a first layer of polymeric photoresist material; converting selected pattern regions adjacent to the surface of said first layer to monomeric form by selectively exposing such pattern regions to depolymerizing wavelength energy; conditioning said first layer to render a relatively thin surface layer of the polymeric photoresist material substantially opaque to depolymerizing wavelength energy without materially changing the developing characteristics of the pattern regions of monomeric form; further exposing first layer polymeric photoresist material to depolymerizing wavelength energy to extend the monomer form region pattern through the full thickness of said first layer using the relatively thin and opaque surface layer as a mask to depolymerizing wavelength energy; and developing out the monomeric pattern regions of the photoresist.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
31 words
The process recited in claim 1, wherein said step of further exposing said selected regions of said first layer material is performed with a blanket exposure of the first layer material.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
133 words
A process for creating a layer of patterned photoresist on a surface, said process comprising the steps of: forming on said surface a first layer of polymeric photoresist material; converting selected regions of said first layer to monomeric form by selectively exposing such regions to depolymerizing wave length energy; conditioning said first layer to render a surface layer of the polymeric photoresist material substantially opaque to depolymerizing wavelength energy without materially affecting the regions of monomeric form; forming on said surface a second layer of polymeric photoresist material; exposing selective regions of said second layer material to depolymerizing wavelength energy until the regions of monomeric form in said second layer material reach the surface of selected monomeric regions in said first layer of material; and developing out the monomeric regions of the photoresist.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
133 words
A process for creating a layer of patterned photoresist on a surface, said process comprising the steps of: forming on said surface a first layer of polymeric photoresist material; converting selected regions of said first layer to monomeric form by selectively exposing such regions to depolymerizing wave length energy; conditioning said first layer to render a surface layer of the polymeric photoresist material substantially opaque to depolymerizing wavelength energy without materially affecting the regions of monomeric form; forming on said surface a second layer of polymeric photoresist material; exposing selective regions of said second layer material to depolymerizing wavelength energy until the regions of monomeric form in said second layer material reach the surface of selected monomeric regions in said first layer of material; and developing out the monomeric regions of the photoresist.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
32 words
The process recited in claim 3, wherein said step of exposing selected regions of said second layer material extends such regions laterally beyond the exposed selected regions of said first layer material.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
47 words
The process recited in claim 3 or 4, wherein the polymeric photoresist material in said first layer is soluble in a carrier solvent in said second layer material, and said conditioned surface layer of said first polymeric photoresist material is an insoluble barrier to said carrier solvent.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
25 words
The process recited in claim 3 or 4, wherein the thickness of said first layer is materially less than the thickness of said second layer.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
23 words
The process recited in claim 6, wherein the thickness of said second layer is at least twice the thickness of said first layer.