A modified novolak phenolic resin is obtained by reacting a novolak phenolic resin containing at least 50 wt % of p-cresol with a crosslinker. This method increases the molecular weight of the existing novolak phenolic resin containing at least 50 wt % of p-cresol to such a level that the resulting modified novolak phenolic resin has heat resistance enough for the photoresist application.

A modified novolak phenolic resin is obtained by reacting a novolak phenolic resin containing at least 50 wt % of p-cresol with a crosslinker. This method increases the molecular weight of the existing novolak phenolic resin containing at least 50 wt % of p-cresol to such a level that the resulting modified novolak phenolic resin has heat resistance enough for the photoresist application.

A positive photosensitive resin composition according to the present invention contains at least (A) a polysiloxane compound having at least a structural unit of the general formula (1), (B) a photoacid generator or quinone diazide compound and (C) a solvent
[(R.sup.X).sub.bR.sup.1.sub.mSiO.sub.n/2]  (1)
where R.sup.X represents the following group; R.sup.1 each represents a hydrogen atom, C.sub.1-C.sub.3 alkyl group, phenyl group, hydroxy group, C.sub.1-C.sub.3 alkoxy group or C.sub.1-C.sub.3 fluoroalkyl group; b represents an integer of 1 to 3; m represents an integer of 0 to 2; n represents an integer of 1 to 3; and b, m and n satisfy b+m+n=4, ##STR00001##
where X each represents a hydrogen atom or acid labile group; and a represents an integer of 1 to 5. It is possible by the use of this positive photosensitive resin composition to provide a film with high resistance and heat-resistant transparency and provide an electronic component with such a film.

The present invention employs a compound represented by the following formula (1) and/or a resin comprising the compound as a constituent: ##STR00001## wherein R.sup.1 is a 2n-valent group of 1 to 60 carbon atoms or a single bond; R.sup.2 to R.sup.5 are each independently a linear, branched, or cyclic alkyl group of 1 to 10 carbon atoms, an aryl group of 6 to 10 carbon atoms, an alkenyl group of 2 to 10 carbon atoms, an alkoxy group of 1 to 30 carbon atoms, a halogen atom, a thiol group, a hydroxy group, or a group in which a hydrogen atom of a hydroxy group is replaced with an acid dissociation group, provided that at least one selected from R.sup.2 to R.sup.5 is a group in which a hydrogen atom of a hydroxy group is replaced with an acid dissociation group; m.sup.2 and m.sup.3 are each independently an integer of 0 to 8; m.sup.4 and m.sup.5 are each independently an integer of 0 to 9, provided that m.sup.2, m.sup.3, m.sup.4, and m.sup.5 are not 0 at the same time; n is an integer of 1 to 4; and p.sup.2 to p.sup.5 are each independently an integer of 0 to 2.

The present invention provides a photosensitive composition having excellent heat resistance, low absorbance at the exposure light at wavelengths of g-line, h-line, and i-line, and satisfactory sensitivity even when the thickness of a resist film is increased, and also provides a resist material, a coating film thereof, a novolac phenol resin suitable for these applications, and a method for producing the phenol resin. Specifically, there is provided a novolac phenol resin produced by reacting a phenolic trinuclear compound (A) with formaldehyde under an acid catalyst, the phenolic trinuclear compound (A) including a phenolic trinuclear compound (A1) produced by condensation reaction of dialkyl-substituted phenol with a hydroxyl group-containing aromatic aldehyde and a phenol trinuclear compound (A2) produced by condensation reaction of dialkyl-substituted phenol having alkyl groups at the 2- and 3-positions, 2- and 5-position, the 3- and 4-positions, or 3- and 5-positions with an aromatic aldehyde not having a hydroxyl group, wherein the molar ratio of the phenolic trinuclear compound (A1) to the phenolic trinuclear compound (A2) is 20:80 to 90:10.

The present invention provides a resin composition having a high sensitivity and serving to produce a cured film with a low water absorption rate. The resin composition includes: (a) an alkali-soluble resin and (b1) an amido-phenol compound containing a phenolic hydroxyl group in which a monovalent group as represented by the undermentioned general formula (1) is located at the ortho position and/or (b2) an aromatic amido acid compound containing a carboxy group in which a monovalent group as represented by the undermentioned general formula (2) is located at the ortho position: ##STR00001##
wherein in general formula (1), X is a monovalent organic group having an alkyl group that contains 2 to 20 carbon atoms and bonds directly to the carbonyl carbon in general formula (1) or a monovalent organic group that has —(YO).sub.n—; and in general formula (2), U is a monovalent organic group that has an alkyl group containing 2 to 20 carbon atoms and bonding directly to the amide nitrogen in general formula (2) or a monovalent organic group that has —(YO).sub.n—; wherein Y is an alkylene group containing 1 to 10 carbon atoms and n is an integer of 1 to 20.

The present invention provides a resin composition having a high sensitivity and serving to produce a cured film with a low water absorption rate. The resin composition includes: (a) an alkali-soluble resin and (b1) an amido-phenol compound containing a phenolic hydroxyl group in which a monovalent group as represented by the undermentioned general formula (1) is located at the ortho position and/or (b2) an aromatic amido acid compound containing a carboxy group in which a monovalent group as represented by the undermentioned general formula (2) is located at the ortho position: ##STR00001##
wherein in general formula (1), X is a monovalent organic group having an alkyl group that contains 2 to 20 carbon atoms and bonds directly to the carbonyl carbon in general formula (1) or a monovalent organic group that has —(YO).sub.n—; and in general formula (2), U is a monovalent organic group that has an alkyl group containing 2 to 20 carbon atoms and bonding directly to the amide nitrogen in general formula (2) or a monovalent organic group that has —(YO).sub.n—; wherein Y is an alkylene group containing 1 to 10 carbon atoms and n is an integer of 1 to 20.

The present invention relates to resist compositions comprising a polymer component, a photoacid generator component (PAG), a photoactive diazonaphthoquinone component (PAC), a base component, a solvent component, and optionally, a heterocyclic thiol component. The polymer component is a Novolak derivative, comprising Novolak repeat units with free phenolic hydroxy moieties, and Novolak repeat units comprising phenolic hydroxy moieties protected with an acid cleavable acetal moiety. The acetal moiety is elected from a mono functional alkyl acetal moiety protecting a repeat unit comprising a Novolak phenolic hydroxy moiety, an acetal, comprising a moiety functionalized with a PAC moiety, protecting a repeat unit comprising a Novolak phenolic hydroxy moiety; a di-functional acetal comprising moiety, linking and protecting two repeat units comprising Novolak phenolic hydroxy moieties, forming a linking point in said polymer component between two different polymer chains in said polymer component, and a mixture of any of these three types of acid cleavable acetal moieties. The PAC component is selected from said acetal, comprising a moiety functionalized with a PAC moiety, protecting a repeat unit comprising a Novolak phenolic hydroxy moiety, a free PAC component, and a mixture of these two types of PAC components. The present invention also relates to the methods of using the present compositions in either in thick or thin film photoresist device manufacturing methodologies.

The present invention relates to resist compositions comprising a polymer component, a photoacid generator component (PAG), a photoactive diazonaphthoquinone component (PAC), a base component, a solvent component, and optionally, a heterocyclic thiol component. The polymer component is a Novolak derivative, comprising Novolak repeat units with free phenolic hydroxy moieties, and Novolak repeat units comprising phenolic hydroxy moieties protected with an acid cleavable acetal moiety. The acetal moiety is elected from a mono functional alkyl acetal moiety protecting a repeat unit comprising a Novolak phenolic hydroxy moiety, an acetal, comprising a moiety functionalized with a PAC moiety, protecting a repeat unit comprising a Novolak phenolic hydroxy moiety; a di-functional acetal comprising moiety, linking and protecting two repeat units comprising Novolak phenolic hydroxy moieties, forming a linking point in said polymer component between two different polymer chains in said polymer component, and a mixture of any of these three types of acid cleavable acetal moieties. The PAC component is selected from said acetal, comprising a moiety functionalized with a PAC moiety, protecting a repeat unit comprising a Novolak phenolic hydroxy moiety, a free PAC component, and a mixture of these two types of PAC components. The present invention also relates to the methods of using the present compositions in either in thick or thin film photoresist device manufacturing methodologies.

The present embodiment provides a transparent electrode, a transparent electrode production process and a photoelectric conversion device. The transparent electrode comprises a patterned electrode layer formed on a transparent substrate. The electrode layer has an electroconductive film containing metal nanowires and also has a film of N-graphene. In the graphene carbon skeleton of the N-graphene, carbon atoms are partly substituted with nitrogen atoms. The transparent electrode can be produced by: forming an electroconductive layer by coating with a dispersion containing metal nanowires; then forming an N-graphene film thereon; and subsequently patterning them.