The present invention aims to provide a photosensitive CTP flexographic printing original plate wherein no wrinkle is generated during handling of the CTP printing original plate against environmental changes throughout the year and barrier property is also excellent. A water-developable photosensitive CTP flexographic printing original plate which is characterized in that it comprises at least a support, a photosensitive resin layer, a barrier layer and a heat-sensitive mask layer which are sequentially layered, that the barrier layer contains a polyamide resin (A) containing a basic nitrogen atom in a molecule and a polyamide resin (B) containing 40 to 70% by mass of an alkylene glycol structural unit in a molecule, and that a content of the polyamide resin (B) to a total content of the polyamide resin (A) and the polyamide resin (B) is 25 to 52% by mass.

Provided is a material composition and method that includes forming a patterned resist layer on a substrate. The patterned resist layer has a first pattern width, and the patterned resist layer has a first pattern profile having a first proportion of active sites. In some examples, the patterned resist layer is coated with a treatment material. In some embodiments, the treatment material bonds to surfaces of the patterned resist layer to provide a treated patterned resist layer having a second pattern profile with a second proportion of active sites greater than the first proportion of active sites. By way of example, and as part of the coating the patterned resist layer with the treatment material, a first pattern shrinkage process may be performed, where the treated patterned resist layer has a second pattern width less than a first pattern width.

A digitally imageable, photopolymerizable relief precursor at least comprising, arranged one above another in the order stated, (A) a dimensionally stable carrier; (AH) optionally, an adhesion-promoting layer; (B) a relief-forming layer, at least comprising a crosslinkable elastomeric binder, a first ethylenically unsaturated monomer, and a photoinitiator; (C) at least one interlayer, at least comprising a first, non-radically crosslinkable elastic polymer; (D) a laser-ablatable mask layer, at least comprising a second, non-radically crosslinkable elastic polymer, a UVA light-absorbing material, and an IR light-absorbing material; and optionally (E) a removable cover layer; characterized in that the layer (C) and optionally the layer (D) comprise at least one second ethylenically unsaturated monomer.

A relief image is prepared by: A) imaging an imageable material to form a mask element; B) exposing a relief-forming precursor through the mask element; C) removing the mask element; and D) developing the imaged relief-forming precursor. The imageable material has, in order: (a) a transparent polymeric carrier sheet; (b) a non-ablatable light-to-heat converting having an average dry thickness of 1-5 m and comprising: (i) an infrared radiation absorbing material at 0.1-5 weight %; (ii) a thermally crosslinked organic polymeric binder material; and (iii) non-thermally ablatable particles having an average particle size of 0.1-20 m in an amount of 0.2-10 weight %; and (c) a non-silver halide thermally-ablatable imaging layer (IL) disposed on the LTHC layer, the IL comprising a second infrared radiation absorbing material and a UV-light absorbing material dispersed within one or more thermally-ablatable polymeric binder materials. The imageable material can be included in a relief image-forming assembly.

A method of co-optimizing lithographic and etching processes for semiconductor fabrication. The method includes determining a first set of locations for a first complementary laser annealing to be performed on. The first complementary laser annealing is performed at the first set of locations on at least a first semiconductor wafer of a plurality of semiconductor wafers. The first complementary laser annealing is performed before or after a first post-exposure baking process for the at least first semiconductor wafer. After an etching process has been performed on at least the first semiconductor wafer, a second set of locations is determined for a second complementary laser annealing to be performed on. The second complementary laser annealing is performed at the second set of locations on at least a second semiconductor wafer of the plurality of semiconductor wafers. The second complementary laser annealing is performed before or after a second post-exposure baking process.

The invention pertains to a photosensitive element, particularly a photopolymerizable printing form precursor; a method of preparing the photosensitive element to form a printing form for use in relief printing; and, a process of making the photosensitive element. The printing form precursor includes a layer of a photosensitive composition, a digital layer that is adjacent to a side of the photosensitive layer, and a cell pattern layer that is disposed between the photosensitive layer and the digital layer. The cell pattern layer includes a plurality of features in which each feature an area between 5 to 750 square microns and is composed of an ink that is opaque to actinic radiation and transparent to infrared radiation. Since the cell pattern layer is integral with the printing form precursor, digital imaging can occur rapidly with relatively low resolution optics to form a mask without needing to also form a microcell pattern of the digital layer. The printing form precursor having the integrated cell pattern layer facilitates the preparation of relief printing forms to have a print surface suitable for printing solids with uniform, dense coverage of ink.

A method of creating an image film negative capable of masking non-image areas of one or more layers of liquid photopolymer during a step of imagewise exposing the one or more layers of liquid photopolymer to actinic radiation. The method includes the steps of (a) providing an image film negative comprising a negative of an image on the image film negative, wherein the negative of the image comprises a pattern of opaque areas; and (b) inkjet printing a filtering layer on portions of the image film negative not covered by the pattern of opaque areas, wherein the portions of the image film negative comprise portions where it is desirable to modulate intensity of actinic radiation in a subsequent exposure step.

Methods of preparing poly(cyanocinnamate)s are provided, with those involving mild conditions and resulting in a soluble polymer that is stable at room temperature and can be coated onto microelectronic substrates. The polymer includes at least one bis(cyanoacetate) monomer and at least one aromatic dialdehyde monomer. The polymer exhibits good thermal and structural properties and high absorbance in the UV range.

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 device for producing flexographic printing plates starting from digitally imagable flexographic printing elements, with which at least the method steps of reverse exposure, main exposure, development using washout media, drying, and aftertreatment can be carried out in automated form, the device comprising at least two different transport devices with which the flexographic printing elements or plates, respectively, are transported through the device. A method for producing flexographic printing plates using said device.