Patent ID: 8148055

Claim:
A method for developing a photoresist applied as a layer over a substrate, the method comprising: applying a first developer to the photoresist over a first duration to remove non-cross-linked parts of the photoresist in non-cross-linked lateral areas of the photoresist down to at least a midpoint of a thickness of the photoresist; and applying a second developer to the photoresist over a second duration that is shorter than the first duration to remove remaining non-cross-linked parts of the photoresist in the non-cross-linked lateral areas of the photoresist and also laterally remove photoresist at a lateral circumference of the non-cross-linked lateral areas of the photoresist, wherein the first developer and the second developer differ in their compositions such that the second developer is stronger than the first developer, the application of the second developer being performed such that, after the application of the second developer, the substrate is exposed in the non-cross-linked lateral areas of the photoresist and edges of the photoresist circumscribing the non-cross-linked lateral areas form overhanging tear-off edges.