A coating and developing method includes: a step that applies a resist containing a metal to a front surface of a substrate to form a resist film, and exposes the resist film; a developing step that supplies a developer to the front surface of the substrate to develop the resist film; and a step that forms, before the developing step, a first protective film on a peripheral part of the substrate on which the resist film is not formed, so as to prevent the developer from coming into contact with the peripheral part of the substrate, wherein the first protective film is formed at least on a peripheral end surface and a peripheral portion of a rear surface of the substrate in the peripheral part of the substrate.

A photoresist layer is coated over a wafer. The photoresist layer includes a metal-containing material. An extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography process is performed to the photoresist layer to form a patterned photoresist. The wafer is cleaned with a cleaning fluid to remove the metal-containing material. The cleaning fluid includes a solvent having Hansen solubility parameters of delta D in a range between 13 and 25, delta P in a range between 3 and 25, and delta H in a range between 4 and 30. The solvent contains an acid with an acid dissociation constant less than 4 or a base with an acid dissociation constant greater than 9.

The present disclosure provides a developing device and a developing method. The method may be used in the developing device. The developing device includes a spraying assembly and a concentration regulating assembly. The method includes: spraying developing agents by a spraying assembly onto respective developing regions on a substrate to be developed; and spraying a regulating liquid by a concentration regulating assembly onto a target developing region on the substrate to be developed to change concentration of the developing agents.

A photoresist layer is coated over a wafer. The photoresist layer includes a metal-containing material. An extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography process is performed to the photoresist layer to form a patterned photoresist. The wafer is cleaned with a cleaning fluid to remove the metal-containing material. The cleaning fluid includes a solvent having Hansen solubility parameters of delta D in a range between 13 and 25, delta P in a range between 3 and 25, and delta H in a range between 4 and 30. The solvent contains an acid with an acid dissociation constant less than 4 or a base with an acid dissociation constant greater than 9.

Provided is a stripper composition and a method for forming a pattern using the same. The stripper composition includes, in set content ranges, an amine compound, a glycol compound, an aprotic polar solvent excluding N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone and N-methylformamide, and a first corrosion inhibitor represented by Formula 1. The stripper composition according to an embodiment may be used in a process of removing a photoresist pattern formed on a lower film, and may supply characteristics of an excellent stripping power for photoresist and prevention or reduction of damage of the lower film.

A processing system for processing a flexographic printing plate can include a processing path for processing the flexographic printing plate. A hollow tube can be positioned to be extended across the processing path. A pressurized processing liquid supply system is provided. A plurality of pressure-compensating emitters are coupled to the hollow tube Each pressure-compensating emitter can include a casing having a fluidic flow path that is fluidly coupled with the hollow tube and having an outlet. Also, each emitter can include a resilient planar member in the casing and positioned to form at least one resilient surface of the fluidic flow path. Each pressure-compensating emitter is configured to control flow rate of the pressurized processing liquid to produce processing liquid drips from the outlet. The resilient planar member can be positioned to provide a variable outlet cross-sectional profile to the outlet in response to pressure inside the casing.

A photoresist layer is coated over a wafer. The photoresist layer includes a metal-containing material. An extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography process is performed to the photoresist layer to form a patterned photoresist. The wafer is cleaned with a cleaning fluid to remove the metal-containing material. The cleaning fluid includes a solvent having Hansen solubility parameters of delta D in a range between 13 and 25, delta P in a range between 3 and 25, and delta H in a range between 4 and 30. The solvent contains an acid with an acid dissociation constant less than 4 or a base with an acid dissociation constant greater than 9.

An apparatus for treating a relief precursor such as a printing plate precursor, with a liquid includes a treatment compartment with treatment means configured to treat a relief plate precursor with a liquid and to remove pieces from the relief precursor, and a liquid collection system configured to receive liquid and removed pieces from the treatment means. The liquid collection system is configured to separate pieces having dimensions larger than predefined minimum dimensions from the liquid and to allow at least some of said pieces to be dissolved at least partially in the liquid at least when the liquid is in a static state after or before a treatment of the relief precursor with the treatment means.

An aqueous developer for a flexographic printing plate capable of maintaining good developability and suppressing aggregation of a dispersion in the developer diluted with water after repeated use is provided, as is a manufacturing method of a flexographic printing plate using the same. The aqueous developer for a flexographic printing plate contains a nonionic surfactant represented by Formula (1), and water, where Formula (1) is R.sup.1O-(AO).sub.nH. In Formula (1), R.sup.1 represents a linear aliphatic hydrocarbon group having 9 to 30 carbon atoms, A represents an alkylene group having 2 to 4 carbon atoms, and n represents an integer of 7 or more, provided that a plurality of A's may be the same or different from each other.

A plate processing line and methods for producing a flexographic printing plate. An imaging station applies image information to a first plate. A first exposure station cures the first plate. One or more of water, a solvent, and/or a thermal process is further applied to the first plate. A drying station or an after-exposure station is configured to expose the plate to further radiation. A feeding station is configured to feed the first plate cured by the exposure station and a second plate cured by a second exposure station to the processing station. A transportation cart may transport the plate between the first or second exposure stations and the processing station.