Patent ID: 9005878
Filing Date: 2015-04-14
Classification: G03F

Abstract:
1. A method of forming a pattern in a polymeric composition, the method comprising: providing a polymeric layer comprising a non-crosslinked thiosulfate polymer and an electron-accepting photosensitizer component (PS), photochemically reacting the non-crosslinked thiosulfate polymer to provide a crosslinked polymer having disulfide groups in a predetermined pattern in the polymeric layer, leaving non-crosslinked thiosulfate polymer in area(s) of the polymeric layer outside of the predetermined pattern, optionally washing the polymeric layer to remove the non-crosslinked thiosulfate polymer while leaving the crosslinked polymer in the predetermined pattern, and either: (i) treating the crosslinked polymer with a disulfide-reactive material, or (ii) when the polymeric layer further comprises a redox active metal ion, treating the predetermined pattern with a metal ion that is capable of reacting with the redox active metal ion, wherein the excitation energy, E in which E R ox represents the oxidation potential of reactant thiosulfate moiety (R) in the non-crosslinked thiosulfate polymer and E PS red represents the reduction potential of the electron-accepting photosensitizer component (PS).