3-COMPONENT PHOTOPOLYMERS BASED ON THERMAL CROSS-LINKING AND ACIDOLYTIC DE-CROSS-LINKING OF VINYL ETHER GROUPS - EFFECTS OF BINDER POLYMERSON PHOTOPOLYMER CHARACTERISTICS

A series of terpolymers with carboxyl and aliphatic alcohol groups in the side chain were synthesized and used for the three-component photo polymers, consisting of the terpolymer as a binder, the vinyl ether mo nomer, and a photoacid generator. These photopolymers act as a positiv e working photoresist with the process of prebaking, exposure to light , and postexposure baking. The effect of the physical properties of th e polymers, such as acid value, molecular weight, acid component, and glass transition temperature on the characteristics of the photopolyme r, including the thermal cross-linking reactivity and the sensitivity due to acidolytic de-cross-linking, was investigated. An increase in t he acid value and molecular weight and decrease of glass transition te mperature in the binder polymer increase the insolubilization rate bas ed on the thermal cross-linking reaction. An increase in the acid valu e and glass transition temperature and a decrease in the molecular wei ght enhance the sensitivity of the positive resist based on the chemic ally amplified de-cross-linking reaction. A positive working photoresi st with a sensitivity of 0.7 mJ/cm(2) and a high gamma value was obtai ned by optimizing the structure of the terpolymer.