A lithographic printing plate precursor including a hydrophilized aluminum support, and a water-soluble or water-dispersible negative type image recording layer provided on the aluminum support, in which an arithmetic average height Sa of a surface of an outermost layer on a side where the image recording layer is provided is in a range of 0.3 μm to 20 μm; a method of producing a lithographic printing plate precursor; a lithographic printing plate precursor laminate formed of the lithographic printing plate precursor; a plate-making method for a lithographic printing plate; and a lithographic printing method.

A lithographic printing plate precursor including a hydrophilized aluminum support, and a water-soluble or water-dispersible negative type image recording layer provided on the aluminum support, in which an arithmetic average height Sa of a surface of an outermost layer on a side where the image recording layer is provided is in a range of 0.3 μm to 20 μm; a method of producing a lithographic printing plate precursor; a lithographic printing plate precursor laminate formed of the lithographic printing plate precursor; a plate-making method for a lithographic printing plate; and a lithographic printing method.

An ablation layer for a photosensitive resin for a relief printing plate, the ablation layer containing at least an acid-modified polymer and an infrared-absorbing agent and having a layer acid value as defined below of 2 mg KOH/g or more and 400 mg KOH/g or less, and a neutralized salt ratio as defined below of 0.9 or less, wherein the Layer acid value=(Acid value of the acid-modified polymer)×(Mass ratio of the acid-modified polymer to an entire ablation layer); and wherein the Neutralized salt ratio=(Number of moles of polymer wherein acid in the acid-modified polymer exists in neutralized salt state)/(Total number of moles of the acid-modified polymer).

Disclosed is a resin including a structural unit represented by formula (I) and a structural unit represented by formula (a2-A), and a resist composition: ##STR00001## wherein R.sup.1 represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group; L.sup.1 and L.sup.2 each represent —O— or —S—; s1 represents an integer of 1 to 3; s2 represents an integer of 0 to 3; R.sup.a50 represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, or an alkyl group which may have a halogen atom; R.sup.a51 represents a halogen atom, a hydroxy group, an alkyl group, an alkoxy group, an alkylcarbonyl group or the like; A.sup.a50 represents a single bond or *—X.sup.a51-(A.sup.a52-X.sup.a52).sub.nb—; A.sup.a52 represents an alkanediyl group; X.sup.a51 and X.sup.a52 each represent —O—, —CO—O— or —O—CO—; nb represents 0 or 1; and mb represents an integer of 0 to 4.

A positive resist composition comprising a base polymer comprising recurring units having a nitrogen-containing tertiary ester structure exhibits a high sensitivity, high resolution, low edge roughness (LER, LWR) and small size variation, and forms a pattern of good profile after exposure and development.

The purification of monoalkyl tin trialkoxides and monoalkyl tin triamides are described using fractional distillation and/or ultrafiltration. The purified compositions are useful as radiation sensitive patterning compositions or precursors thereof. The fractional distillation process has been found to be effective for the removal of metal impurities down to very low levels. The ultrafiltration processes have been found to be effective at removal of fine particulates. Commercially practical processing techniques are described.

A metal circuit structure based on a flexible printed circuit (FPC) contains: a substrate, a first metal layer attached on the substrate, a second metal layer formed on the first metal layer, and an intermediate layer defined between the first metal layer and the second metal layer. A first surface of the intermediate layer is connected with the first metal layer, and a second surface of the intermediate layer is connected with the second metal layer. The intermediate layer is made of a first material, the second metal layer is made of a second material, and the first material of the intermediate layer does not act with the second material of the second metal layer.

The purification of monoalkyl tin trialkoxides and monoalkyl tin triamides are described using fractional distillation and/or ultrafiltration. The purified compositions are useful as radiation sensitive patterning compositions or precursors thereof. The fractional distillation process has been found to be effective for the removal of metal impurities down to very low levels. The ultrafiltration processes have been found to be effective at removal of fine particulates. Commercially practical processing techniques are described.

An epoxy compound of formula (1) is provided. A resist composition comprising the epoxy compound is capable of adequately controlling the diffusion length of acid generated from an acid generator without sacrificing sensitivity. ##STR00001##

A resist composition comprising a base polymer and a quencher in the form of an ammonium salt consisting of an ammonium cation having an iodized aromatic ring bonded to the nitrogen atom via a C.sub.1-C.sub.20 hydrocarbylene group which may contain an ester bond or ether bond and a carboxylate anion having an iodized or brominated hydrocarbyl group offers a high sensitivity and minimal LWR or improved CDU, independent of whether it is of positive or negative tone.