US4889795A — Process for forming photoresist pattern using con…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 253 words

A process for forming a photoresist pattern which consisting essentially of the steps of coating an underlying layer with a photoresist to form a photoresist layer on said underlying layer, coating the upper surface of the resulting photoresist layer with a contrast enhancement film formed from a solution of the material thereof in a nonpolar solvent to form a contrast enhancement layer, exposing a portion of the resulting structure pattern wise through a photomask to a light to which both of said photoresist and said contrast enhancement layer are light-sensitive, and developing said photoresist layer to form a photoresist pattern by an aqueous alkaline solution to remove the exposed portions of the photoresist, while simultaneously dissolving and removing said contrast layer, thereby leaving the unexposed portions of the photoresist on the underlying layer; and wherein the material of said contrast enhancement layer comprising effective amounts of a photobleachable dye selected from the group consisting of a diazonium salt, a diazocarbonyl compound and a nitrone compound, and compounds of more than two materials selected from the group consisting of nitrone, diazonium salt and diazocarbonyl, effective amounts of a binder selected from the group consisting of abietic acid and a rosin which contains abietic acid as the main component, which binder is soluble in both an aqueous alkaline solution and a nonpolar organic solvent and which binder is present in sufficient amounts to bind the photobleachable dye, said photobleachable dye being present in a sufficient quantity amount to improve the contrast in the photoresist layer.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 253 words

A process for forming a photoresist pattern which consisting essentially of the steps of coating an underlying layer with a photoresist to form a photoresist layer on said underlying layer, coating the upper surface of the resulting photoresist layer with a contrast enhancement film formed from a solution of the material thereof in a nonpolar solvent to form a contrast enhancement layer, exposing a portion of the resulting structure pattern wise through a photomask to a light to which both of said photoresist and said contrast enhancement layer are light-sensitive, and developing said photoresist layer to form a photoresist pattern by an aqueous alkaline solution to remove the exposed portions of the photoresist, while simultaneously dissolving and removing said contrast layer, thereby leaving the unexposed portions of the photoresist on the underlying layer; and wherein the material of said contrast enhancement layer comprising effective amounts of a photobleachable dye selected from the group consisting of a diazonium salt, a diazocarbonyl compound and a nitrone compound, and compounds of more than two materials selected from the group consisting of nitrone, diazonium salt and diazocarbonyl, effective amounts of a binder selected from the group consisting of abietic acid and a rosin which contains abietic acid as the main component, which binder is soluble in both an aqueous alkaline solution and a nonpolar organic solvent and which binder is present in sufficient amounts to bind the photobleachable dye, said photobleachable dye being present in a sufficient quantity amount to improve the contrast in the photoresist layer.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 38 words

A process for forming a photoresist pattern as claimed in claim 1, wherein Chinese rosin is used as the derivative of said abietic acid or the derivative of the said rosin containing abietic acid as the main component.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 38 words

A process for forming a photoresist pattern as claimed in claim 1, wherein hydrogenated rosin is used as the derivative of said abietic acid or the derivative of the said rosin containing abietic acid as the main component.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 38 words

A process for forming a photoresist pattern as claimed in claim 1, wherein maleic acid-modified rosin is used as the derivative of said abietic acid or the derivative of said rosin containing abietic acid as the main component.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 31 words

A process for forming a photoresist pattern as claimed in claim 1, wherein 7, 8, 13, 14-tetrahydroabietic acid is used as said abietic acid and wherein said photobleachable agent is α-4-(diethylaminophenyl)-N-phenylnitrone.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 46 words

A process for forming a photoresist pattern as claimed in claim 1, wherein a hydrogenated rosin containing 50% or more of 7, 8, 13, 14-tetrahydroabietic acid as the main component is used as said rosin, and wherein said rosin, and wherein said photobleachable agent is α-4-(diethylaminophenyl)-N-phenylnitrone.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 33 words

A process for forming a photoresist pattern as claimed in claim 1, wherein 7, 8, 13, 14-tertrahydroabietic acid is used as said abietic acid, and wherein said photobleachable agent is α-(4-diethylaminophenyl)-N- (3', 4'-dichlorophenyl)nitrone.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 24 words

A process for forming a photoresist pattern as claimed in claim 1, wherein Chinese rosin is used, and wherein said photobleachable agent is α-(4-diethylaminophenyl)-N-phenylnitrone.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 24 words

A process for forming a photoresist pattern as claimed in claim 1, wherein Chinese rosin is used, and wherein said photobleachable agent is α-(4-diethylaminophenyl)-N-3',4'-dichlorophenyl)nitrone.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 25 words

A process for forming a photoresist pattern as claimed in claim 1, wherein Chinese rosin is used, and wherein said photobleachable agent is 5-diazomeldrum's acid.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 54 words

A process for forming a photoresist pattern as claimed in claim 1, wherein said photobleachable agent is a diazonium salt soluble in an aromatic hydrocarbon solvent and represented by a general formula: ##STR3## wherein C n H 2n+1 is an alkyl group having 4 or more carbon atoms, and R is an alkyl group.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 25 words

A process for forming a photoresist pattern as claimed in claim 11, wherein Chinese rosin is used, and wherein said photobleachable agent is 2,5-diethoxy-p-octyloxyphenylmercaptobenzenediazonium hexafluorophosphate.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 25 words

A process for forming a photoresist pattern as claimed in claim 11, wherein Chinese rosin is used, and wherein said photobleachable agent is 2,5-dibutoxy-p-octyloxyphenylmercaptobenzenediazonium hexafluorophosphate.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 26 words

A process for forming a photoresist pattern as claimed in claim 11, wherein hydrogenated Chinese rosin is used, and wherein said photobleachable agent is 2,5-dibutoxy-p-octyloxyphenylmercaptobenzenediazonium hexafluorophosphate.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 63 words

A process for forming a photoresist pattern as claimed in claim 1, wherein said photoresist layer is coated with a coating solution obtained by dissolving said photobleachable agent and said material selected from the group of said abietic acid, said derivative thereof, said rosin containing abietic acid as the main component, and said derivative thereof in monochlorobenzene to form said contrast enhancement layer.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 63 words

A process for forming a photoresist pattern as claimed in claim 1, wherein said photoresist layer is coated with a coating solution obtained by dissolving said photobleachable agent and said material selected from the group of said abietic acid, said derivative thereof, said rosin containing abietic acid as the main component, and said derivative thereof in xylene to form said contrast enhancement layer.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1992-12-25	1993-06-26	1993-12-26	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1996-12-25	1997-06-26	1997-12-26	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2000-12-25	2001-06-26	2001-12-26	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Process for forming photoresist pattern using contrast enhancement layer with abietic acid

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