A method for producing flexographic printing plates, using a photopolymerizable flexographic printing element having, arranged one atop another, a dimensionally stable support, a photopolymerizable, relief-forming layer, an elastomeric binder, an ethylenically unsaturated compound, and a photoinitiator, and optionally a rough, UV-transparent layer, a particulate substance, and digitally imagable layer. The method includes: (a) producing a mask by imaging the digitally imagable layer, (b) exposing the photopolymerizable, relief-forming layer through the mask with actinic light, and photopolymerizing the image regions of the layer, and (c) developing the photpolymerized layer by washing out the unphotopolymerized regions of the relief-forming layer with an organic solvent, or by thermal development. Step (b) includes (1) exposure with actinic light with an intensity of 100 mW/cm2 from a plurality of UV-LEDs and (2) exposure with actinic light with an intensity of <100 mW/cm2 from a UV radiation source other than UV-LEDs.

A method for producing flexographic printing plates, using a photopolymerizable flexographic printing element having, arranged one atop another, a dimensionally stable support, a photopolymerizable, relief-forming layer, an elastomeric binder, an ethylenically unsaturated compound, and a photoinitiator, and optionally a rough, UV-transparent layer, a particulate substance, and digitally imagable layer. The method includes: (a) producing a mask by imaging the digitally imagable layer, (b) exposing the photopolymerizable, relief-forming layer through the mask with actinic light, and photopolymerizing the image regions of the layer, and (c) developing the photpolymerized layer by washing out the unphotopolymerized regions of the relief-forming layer with an organic solvent, or by thermal development. Step (b) includes (1) exposure with actinic light with an intensity of 100 mW/cm2 from a plurality of UV-LEDs and (2) exposure with actinic light with an intensity of <100 mW/cm2 from a UV radiation source other than UV-LEDs.

A composition for forming an underlayer film in an imprinting method, which includes a high-molecular-weight compound having a polymerizable functional group and a monomer having a plurality of crosslinking functional groups capable of being bonded to the polymerizable functional group, and in which a Hansen solubility parameter distance, which is a difference between a Hansen solubility parameter of the high-molecular-weight compound and a Hansen solubility parameter of the monomer, is 5.0 or less, and regarding the two crosslinking functional groups among the plurality of crosslinking functional groups, the number of atoms, which constitute a shortest atom chain mutually linking crosslinking points in the respective crosslinking functional groups, is 7 or more; a laminate including a layer formed of the composition for forming an underlayer film; and a method for manufacturing a semiconductor element, in which a semiconductor element is manufactured using a pattern obtained by a pattern producing method.

A method of forming a metallic pattern on a substrate is provided. The method includes applying onto a metallic surface, a chemically surface- activating solution having an activating agent that chemically activates the metallic surface; non-impact printing an etch-resist ink on the activated surface to produce an etch resist mask according to a predetermined pattern, wherein at least one ink component within the etch-resist ink undergoes a chemical reaction with the activated metallic surface to immobilize droplets of the etch-resist ink when hitting the activated surface; performing an etching process to remove unmasked metallic portions that are not covered with the etch resist mask; and removing the etch resist mask.

Provided is a method of manufacturing a mask including preparing a support plate, forming a light blocking layer on the support plate, curing a predetermined region of the light blocking layer, and removing other region of the light blocking layer, excluding the predetermined region.

Method for producing flexographic printing plates, using as starting material a photopolymerizable flexographic printing plate which at least comprises, arranged one above another, a dimensionally stable support, at least one photopolymerizable, relief-forming layer, at least comprising an elastomeric binder, an ethylenically unsaturated compound and a photoinitiator, a digitally imagable layer,
comprising at least the following steps: (a) producing a mask by imaging the digitally imagable layer, (b) exposing the flexographic printing plate through the mask with actinic light, and photopolymerizing the image regions of the layer, the exposing taking place with a plurality of UV-LEDs which are arranged on at least one UV-LED strip which is moved relative to the surface of the flexographic printing plate, and (c) developing the photopolymerized layer by washing out and drying or by thermal development,
characterized in that in the UV-LED strip or in a separate strip, at least one ultrasonic sensor is arranged, at least the thickness of the flexographic printing plate for exposure is determined with the at least one ultrasonic sensor, depending on the measured thickness of the flexographic printing plate, the exposing of the flexographic printing plate is controlled in respect of at least one of the following parameters: (i) number of exposure steps, (ii) exposure intensity, (iii) energy input per exposure step, (iv) duration of the individual exposure steps, (v) overall duration of exposure.

Described is a method for producing flexographic printing plates, using as starting material a photopolymerizable flexographic printing plate which contains a dimensionally stable support, a photopolymerizable, relief-forming layer, and a digitally imagable layer. A mask is produced by imaging the digitally imagable layer. The printing plate is exposed with actinic light through the mask. The image regions of the layer are photopolymerized. A plurality of UV-LEDs are arranged on at least one UV-LED strip which is moved relative to the surface of the flexographic printing plate for exposure. The photopolymerized layer is developed by washing out and drying or by thermal development. An ultrasonic sensor determines the thickness of the flexographic printing plate for exposure. The exposure is controlled as to number of exposure steps, exposure intensity, energy input per exposure step, duration of individual exposure steps, and/or overall duration of exposure.

Precision screen printing is described that is capable of sub-micron uniformity of the metallization materials that are printed on green sheet ceramic. In some examples, puck is formed with electrical traces by screen printing a paste that contains metal on a ceramic green sheet in a pattern of electrical traces and processing the printed green sheet to form a puck of a workpiece carrier. In some example, the printing includes applying a squeegee of a screen printer to the printed green sheet in a squeegeeing direction while the green sheet is on a printer bed of the screen printer. The method further includes mapping the printer bed at multiple locations along the squeegeeing direction, identifying non-uniformities in the printer bed mapping, and modifying a printer controller of the screen printer to compensate for mapped non-uniformities in the printer bed.

An image processing apparatus is provided for generating data used to form on a recording medium an uneven layer on which a plurality of unit areas each having a projection are arranged, including: a first obtaining unit that obtains first brightness information regarding a brightness of a predetermined area of an object observed in a first viewing direction and a brightness of the predetermined area of the object observed in a second viewing direction having an elevation angle different from that of the first viewing direction; and a first generation unit that generates first recording amount data that indicates a recording amount of recording material used to form the uneven layer on the recording medium, the uneven layer being formed such that at least one of a width of each of the unit areas and a height of the projection changes, on a basis of the first brightness information.

At least one embodiment of an image processing apparatus is provided for generating data used to form on a recording medium an uneven layer having a plurality of projections, including: a first obtaining unit that obtains first brightness information regarding a brightness of a predetermined area of an object observed in a first viewing direction and regarding a brightness of the predetermined area of the object observed in a second viewing direction, the second viewing direction having an azimuth angle different from an azimuth angle of the first viewing direction; and a first generation unit that generates first recording amount data that indicates a recording amount of recording material used to form the uneven layer on the recording medium, the uneven layer having the projections each having a base in a shape that changes, on a basis of the first brightness information.