Sony Corporation

Toshiro Tsumori

Kenji Ogisu

Eiji Tanaka

Shin-Ichi Tokumoto

Tatsuo Kikuchi

Hideo Shimizu

An exposure mask having phase shifting films of a predetermined thickness composed of a material transparent to the wavelength of exposure light and formed on a substrate transparent to such wavelength for causing a desired phase shift, wherein the phase shifting films are so patterned as to principally have arrangement of repeated patterns. Relative to the rule width L of the repeated patterns projected onto a work member to be exposed, a pattern having a rule width of 2 L/m is formed, in which m (.ltoreq.1) is a size reduction magnification in the use of a reduced-size projection exposer. The exposure mask is adapted for use in producing a diffraction grating as well. The mask is easily manufacturable without the necessity of any intricate process such as a positioned exposure, hence minimizing the number of required steps in manufacture while achieving a further fine work with an enhanced resolution higher than the known value.

Exposure mask

A method of forming a microlens made of a thermoplastic resin on a solid-state imaging device, including the steps of forming a resist pattern having an opening as a microlens forming portion on the solid-state imaging device; filling the opening with the thermoplastic resin; removing the resist pattern; and thermally deforming the thermoplastic resin on the opening. Accordingly, a microlens having a desired shape can be formed with a fine lens pattern of 0.5 .mu.m or less uniformly and highly accurately.

Microlens forming method

A photosensitive resin composition, which is a mixture of a base resin, an acid cross-linking agent and a photoreactive acid catalyst generator, is disclosed. The photoreactive acid catalyst generator contains tetrakis-1,2,4,5-(polyhalomethyl)benzene or tris(polyhalomethyl)benzene. The composition is a so-called three-component chemically amplified photoresist. When irradiated with an excimer laser light, the photoreactive acid generator is decomposed to yield a Lewis acid catalyst, while also yielding radicals, the photoreactive acid generator acting itself as an acid-linking auxiliary to improve the sensitivity of the photosensitive resin composition significantly. It becomes possible in this manner to form a fine resist pattern with superior resolution in the excimer laser lithography. On the other hand, the sensitivity dependency of the base resin or light transmittance may be lowered to increase the degree of freedom in material selection and designing.

Photosensitive resin composition

An electroposition process wherein solid metallic particles are produced in a fused salt electrolytic bath and dispersed therein to electrodeposit a metal or alloy thereof on a cathode so that the surface of the deposit is maintained smooth and flat. In order to produce particles of a desired metal or alloy, an auxiliary electrolytic means may be provided within an electrolytic cell so that such particles are generated in situ within the fused bath of such cell.

Electrodeposition process

A high valency salt, such as TiCl.sub.4 is reduced to a lower valency salt, such as TiCl.sub.2 and/or TiCl.sub.3 within a fused salt electrolytic bath via electrolysis so that an improved electrodeposition of a desired metal or alloy, such as Ti, occurs, from such adjusted bath. The process generally comprises adding a higher valency salt of a desired metal or alloy to a fused salt electrolytic bath, reducing the higher valency salt on a cathode electrode to a lower valency salt, removing the so-produced lower valency salt from the electrode surface and maintaining a predetermined amount of the lower valency salt within the electrolytic bath. Electrodeposition of a desired metal or alloy may then take place from such electrolytic bath containing a so-adjusted amount of the lower valency salt.

Method of adjusting a fused salt electrolytic bath

In the electrodeposition of titanium metal from an electrolyte containing one or more dissolved or fused titanium chlorides and other dissolved or fused chloride salts, such as, MgCl.sub.2,CaCl.sub.2,NaCl, and the like; the hardness of the electrodeposited titanium is adjusted by adding to the electrolyte one or more oxides, such as titanium oxide and oxides of alkaline and alkaline-earth metals, and/or one or more fluorides of alkaline and alkaline-earth metals.

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Kanagawa, Japan

Toshiro Tsumori