Merck Patent Gesellschaft MIT Beschrankter Haftung

Raimund Sindlinger

Kurt Marquard

Hans J Merrem

Hans-Joachim Merrem

Klaus-Peter Thiel

Winfried Baron

Klaus P Thiel

A process for the production of photoresist relief structures possessing an overhang character comprising coating a substrate with a positive-working photoresist composition based on phenol/formaldehyde condensates of the novolak resin type and photosensitive o-quinonediazide compounds, imagewise overexposure of the photoresist layer at an energy exceeding that required to produce relief structures with a 90.degree. angle between the photoresist compound and the substrate, and treatment of the overexposed layer and substrate with a buffered, aqueous, alkaline developer containing 1-100 ppm of an oxyethylated alkylphenol as a non-ionic surfactant.

Process for the production of photoresist relief structures having an

A developer suitable for use with positive photoresists is based on a buffered aqueous-alkaline solution containing non-ionic surfactants and contains in the solution 1-100 ppm of the surfactants, preferably of the ethoxylated-alkylphenol type. The resultant photoresist shows outstanding properties with respect to the resolution and edge sharpness obtainable in the developed resist image and with respect to its developing activity, developing capacity and stability.

Developer for positive photoresists

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Ober-Ramstadt, Germany

Raimund Sindlinger