A method is provided for subtractively processing a layer of etchable material formed over an electrically conductive surface region of a workpiece. The workpiece is immersed in a liquid solution, generally but not exclusively a conductive solution, that comprises an etchant for the etchable material, so that etching of the etchable material is initiated. An electric circuit is connected to include a control electrode, a reference electrode, and the electrically conductive surface region of the workpiece. The electric circuit is used to monitor the development process dynamically at each of a plurality of intervals during the etching. The etching is terminated when the electrochemical signal satisfies a criterion indicating that the etching is complete.

A positive-type photosensitive resin composition comprises a (a) polybenzoxazole precursor, a (b) crosslinking agent, a (c) photosensitive agent, and a (d) solvent, wherein the (a) component comprises a structural unit represented by Formula (1) below, and the (b) component is a compound represented by Formula (2) below. In Formula (1), U is a bivalent organic group, a single bond, —O—, or —SO.sub.2—, V is a group comprising an aliphatic structure, and the carbon number in the aliphatic structure is 1 to 30. In Formula (2), R.sub.1 is independently a hydrogen atom or a group represented by —CH.sub.2—O—R.sub.2. At least one of the plurality of R.sub.1s is a group represented by —CH.sub.2—O—R.sub.2. R.sub.2 is independently a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms. ##STR00001##

A positive-type photosensitive resin composition comprises a (a) polybenzoxazole precursor, a (b) crosslinking agent, a (c) photosensitive agent, and a (d) solvent, wherein the (a) polybenzoxazole precursor comprises a structure represented by Formula (1) below, and the (c) photosensitive agent is a compound comprising a structure represented by Formula (2) below. In Formula (1), U is a bivalent organic group, a single bond, —O—, or —SO.sub.2—, V is a group comprising an aliphatic structure, and the carbon number in the aliphatic structure is 1 to 30. ##STR00001##

A positive-type photosensitive resin composition comprises a (a) polybenzoxazole precursor, a (b) crosslinking agent, a (c) photosensitive agent, and a (d) solvent, wherein the (a) polybenzoxazole precursor comprises a structure represented by Formula (1) below, and the (c) photosensitive agent is a compound comprising a structure represented by Formula (2) below. In Formula (1), U is a bivalent organic group, a single bond, —O—, or —SO.sub.2—, V is a group comprising an aliphatic structure, and the carbon number in the aliphatic structure is 1 to 30. ##STR00001##

The present invention provides a silicone skeleton-containing polymer including a silicone skeleton shown by the following formula (1) and having a weight average molecular weight of 3,000 to 500,000.

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This can provide a silicone skeleton-containing polymer that can easily form a fine pattern with a large film thickness, and can form a cured material layer (cured film) that is excellent in various film properties such as crack resistance and adhesion properties to a substrate, electronic parts, and a semiconductor device, particularly a base material used for a circuit board, and has high reliability as a film to protect electric and electronic parts and a film for bonding substrates; and a photo-curable resin composition that contains the polymer, a photo-curable dry film thereof, a laminate using these materials, and a patterning process.

The present invention provides a silicone skeleton-containing polymer including a silicone skeleton shown by the following formula (1) and having a weight average molecular weight of 3,000 to 500,000.

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This can provide a silicone skeleton-containing polymer that can easily form a fine pattern with a large film thickness, and can form a cured material layer (cured film) that is excellent in various film properties such as crack resistance and adhesion properties to a substrate, electronic parts, and a semiconductor device, particularly a base material used for a circuit board, and has high reliability as a film to protect electric and electronic parts and a film for bonding substrates; and a photo-curable resin composition that contains the polymer, a photo-curable dry film thereof, a laminate using these materials, and a patterning process.

A method for processing a photosensitive flexographic printing plate having an aqueous-processable photopolymer. A main processing unit is used to develop a relief image by removing unexposed photopolymer using an aqueous processing solution including a first dispersing agent while the photosensitive flexographic printing plate is being subjected to mechanical cleaning. Used aqueous processing solution containing the removed photopolymer is returned back into a processing solution tank. A secondary processing unit is used to wash the developed relief image with secondary aqueous processing solution including a second dispersing agent to remove debris from the developed relief image. Used secondary aqueous processing solution containing the removed photopolymer is directed into the processing solution tank. A portion of the aqueous processing solution from the processing solution tank is removed to keep a volume of aqueous processing solution in the processing solution tank below a predefined maximum volume.

A resin having a small linear thermal expansion coefficient and a low absorbance is provided. The resin is characterized by including at least one structure selected from structures represented by the following general formulae (1) and (2):

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A resin having a small linear thermal expansion coefficient and a low absorbance is provided. The resin is characterized by including at least one structure selected from structures represented by the following general formulae (1) and (2):

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Organometallic precursors are described for the formation of high resolution lithography patterning coatings based on metal oxide hydroxide chemistry. The precursor compositions generally comprise ligands readily hydrolysable by water vapor or other OH source composition under modest conditions. The organometallic precursors generally comprise a radiation sensitive organo ligand to tin that can result in a coating that can be effective for high resolution patterning at relatively low radiation doses and is particularly useful for EUV patterning. The precursors compositions are readily processable under commercially suitable conditions. Solution phase processing with in situ hydrolysis or vapor based deposition can be used to form the coatings.