Method and equipment for using photo- or thermally imagable, negatively working patterning compositions

摘要

A method for imaging patterning compositions comprising the steps of:;(1) providing at least one patterning composition layer on a substrate; said patterning composition comprising:;(a) at least one acid generator;;(b) at least one cross linking resin or compound;;(c) at least one binder resin comprising a polymer containing reactive pendant group selected from group consisting of hydroxyl, carboxylic acid, sulfonamide, active imide, alkoxymethylamides and mixtures thereof; and;(d) at least one infrared absorber;;(2) imagewise exposing the patterning composition layer to actinic radiation;;(3) treating the imaged patterning composition layer with heat energy to treat the imaged portions of the composition layer;;(4) flood exposing the heat-treated, imaged patterning composition layer with UV light for a predetermined time, said time being sufficient to promote the effective clear-out of non-imaged portions during the developing step without causing substantial deterioration of the imaged portions; and;(5) developing the flood exposed, heat-treated imaged patterning composition with an aqueous alkaline developer to remove the non-imaged areas of the patterning composition layer and leaving the imaged areas substantially unaffected.