A superstrate for forming a planarization layer on a substrate can include a body having a first surface, a second surface opposite the first surface, and a chamfered edge between the first surface and the second surface. An opaque layer can coat the chamfered edge. In another embodiment, an opaque layer can coat the chamfered edge and a portion of the second surface. The superstrate can be used for more planarization or other processing sequences without causing extrusion defects.

A resist composition contains (A) a resin being insoluble or poorly soluble in alkali aqueous solution, but becoming soluble in an alkali aqueous solution by the action of an acid, (B) an acid generator represented by the formula (II), and (D) a compound represented by the formula (I), ##STR00001##
wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2, m and n, R.sup.3 and R.sup.4, X.sup.1, R.sup.5 and Z1.sup.+ are defined in the specification.

Digitally imagable flexographic printing elements for producing flexographic printing plates, which comprise an organically soluble relief-forming layer, a water-soluble barrier layer for oxygen, and a water-soluble laser-ablatable mask layer. A method for producing flexographic printing plates using such flexographic printing elements, which comprises a two-stage washout procedure using aqueous and organic washout media.

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.

A radiation-sensitive composition includes particles including a metal oxide as a principal component, and an organic solvent. A metal atom constituting the metal oxide includes a first metal atom that is a zinc atom, a boron atom, an aluminum atom, a gallium atom, a thallium atom, a germanium atom, an antimony atom, a bismuth atom, a tellurium atom, or a combination thereof. A percentage content of the first metal atom with respect to total metal atoms in the radiation-sensitive composition is no less than 50 atomic %. A pattern-forming method includes applying the radiation-sensitive composition to form a film on a substrate, exposing the film, and developing the film exposed.

A method of making a semiconductor device is provided for depositing, patterning, and developing photoresist (1703, 1704) on an underlying layer located on a backside of a wafer having a frontside on which an integrated circuit die are formed over a shared wafer semiconductor substrate and arranged in a grid, thereby forming a patterned photoresist mask with a unique set of one or more openings which are used to selectively etch the underlying layer to form, on each integrated circuit die, a unique die mark identifier pattern of etched openings in the underlying layer corresponding to the unique set of one or more openings in the patterned photoresist mask (1705), where the patterned photoresist mask is removed (1706) from the backside of the wafer before singulating the wafer to form a plurality of integrated circuit devices (1708) which each include a unique die marking.

A laminated structure for use as a thy film photoresist, which includes a supporting layer, a photosensitive resin layer and a protective layer. The protective layer is a polyester film that has a maximum surface roughness between 1,500 nm and 2,500 nm, and a sheet resistance between 1×10.sup.8Ω/□ and 1×10.sup.12Ω/□. The laminated structure is particularly applicable to the manufacture of a photosensitive device and a circuit of a printed circuit board or a lead frame.

Provided are a lithographic printing plate precursor for furnishing a lithographic printing plate in which adhesion to interleaving paper is prevented, contamination inside a device is prevented, and edge stain does not occur; a method of producing the same; and a printing method using the same. The lithographic printing plate precursor includes: a support; and an image recording layer on the support, in which a region of a surface of the lithographic printing plate precursor at a side of the image recording layer, which is from an end portion of the lithographic printing plate precursor to a portion inside the end portion by 5 mm, contains at least one polymer selected from polyamide, polyurethane, polyurea, polyester and polycarbonate, and has a content of the polymer per unit area which is greater than a content of the polymer per unit area in a region other than the above-described region by an amount of 10 mg/m.sup.2 or greater.

A flexographic printing raw plate comprising at least a support, a photosensitive resin composition layer, an intermediate layer, and an infrared ablation layer sequentially stacked, wherein the intermediate layer comprises a hydrophilic resin (A) and a layered inorganic compound (B), and the intermediate layer has a film thickness of 2 μm or more and 30 μm or less.

A combined radiation and functional layer application system includes one or more radiation sources and a commonly located functional layer application unit configured to dispose a functional layer over the surface of a fixed target ahead of the radiation sources during relative motion between the target and the radiation sources/application unit. System and method embodiments include those in which the target is stationary or moving, and embodiments in which the functional layer is applied as a liquid or as a solid laminate. Embodiments relate to application of an oxygen-blocking layer of a printing plate prior to exposure to actinic radiation. Certain solid laminate embodiments include a two-roll system for positioning the laminate for cutting adjacent a trailing edge of the plate.