The invention pertains to a method of removing a layer of a lift-off fluoropolymer layer from a substrate using a particular stripping solvent, and to a lithographic process using said combination of lift-off fluoropolymer and stripping solvent, in particular for the manufacture of OLED devices.

An actinic ray-sensitive or radiation-sensitive resin composition includes a resin whose solubility in an aqueous alkali solution increases by the action of an acid, a compound that generates an acid upon irradiation with actinic rays or radiation, an ester compound, and a fluorine-containing polymer, in which the ester compound has alkali decomposability and has a molecular weight of 50 or more and less than 1,500.

Disclosed are a photoresist composition, a pixel definition structure and a manufacturing method thereof, and a display panel. The photoresist composition includes an organic film-forming resin, a superhydrophobic polymerizable monomer, a polyfunctional crosslinkable polymerizable monomer, a photoinitiator, an additive and a solvent.

A positive resist composition is provided comprising two onium salts, a base polymer comprising acid labile group-containing recurring units, and an organic solvent. The positive resist composition forms a pattern having PED stability and improved properties including DOF, LWR, and controlled footing profile.

A salt represented by formula (I): ##STR00001##
wherein Q.sup.1 and Q.sup.2 each independently represent a fluorine atom or a C.sub.1 to C.sub.6 perfluoroalkyl group, R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, a fluorine atom or a C.sub.1 to C.sub.6 perfluoroalkyl group, z represents an integer of 0 to 6, X.sup.1 represents *—O—, *—CO—O— or *—O—CO—, * represents a binding site to CR.sup.1R.sup.2 or CQ.sup.1Q.sup.2, L.sup.1 represents a C.sub.1 to C.sub.6 alkanediyl group, R.sup.3 represents a C.sub.5 to C.sub.18 alicyclic hydrocarbon group in which a hydrogen atom may be replaced by a hydroxy group, and in which a methylene group may be replaced by an oxygen atom or a carbonyl group, and which alicyclic hydrocarbon group may have a cyclic ketal structure optionally having a fluorine atom; and Z.sup.+ represents an organic cation.

A method of manufacturing a patterned stamp (100) for patterning a contoured surface (10) is disclosed. The method comprises applying a layer (115) of a pliable material precursor over a master (50) carrying an inverse pattern (52) to form a desired pattern (112) in said layer; curing the pliable material precursor to form a pliable stamp layer (120) comprising said desired pattern; providing an intermediate stamp structure by adhering a porous pliable support layer (130) to the pliable stamp layer; releasing the intermediate stamp structure from the master; forcing the intermediate stamp structure onto the contoured surface with said pattern of features facing the contoured surface; forming the patterned stamp by filling the porous pliable support layer with a filler material to reduce the pliability of the support layer; and removing the patterned stamp from the contoured surface. A corresponding patterned stamp, imprinting method and imprinted article are also disclosed.

Compounds of the formula (I) and (IA) wherein X is —O(CO)—; R.sub.1 is C.sub.1-C.sub.12haloalkyl or C.sub.6-C.sub.10haloaryl; R.sub.2 is located in position 7 of the coumarinyl ring and is OR.sub.8; R.sub.2a, R.sub.2b and R.sub.2C independently of each other are hydrogen; R.sub.3 is C.sub.1-C.sub.8haloalkyl or C.sub.1-C.sub.8haloalkyl; R.sub.4 is hydrogen; and R.sub.8 is C.sub.1-C.sub.6alkyI; are suitable as photosensitive acid donors in the preparation of photoresist compositions such as used for example in the preparation of spacers, insulating layers, interlayer dielectric films, insulation layers, planarization layers, protecting layers, overcoat layers, banks for electroluminescence displays and liquid crystal displays (LCD).

##STR00001##

A resist composition comprising a base polymer and an acid generator containing a sulfonium salt having the formula (1) or an iodonium salt having the formula (2). ##STR00001##

A sulfonic acid derivative, wherein the sulfonic acid derivative is represented by the following general formula (1):

R.sup.1COOCH.sub.2CH.sub.2CFHCF.sub.2SO.sub.3.sup.−M.sup.+  (1)

where: R.sup.1 represents a monovalent organic group having carbon number of 1 to 200, having at least one hydroxyl group and optionally having a substituent other than the hydroxyl group; and M.sup.+ represents a counter cation.

A pattern forming method includes: applying an actinic ray-sensitive or radiation- sensitive resin composition onto a substrate to form a resist film; forming an upper layer film on the resist film, using a composition for forming an upper layer film; exposing the resist film having the upper layer film formed thereon; and developing the exposed resist film using a developer including an organic solvent to form a pattern. The composition for forming an upper layer film contains a resin having a repeating unit (a) with a ClogP value of 2.85 or more and a compound (b) with a ClogP of 1.30 or less, and the receding contact angle of the upper layer film with water is 70 degrees or more, a resist pattern formed by the pattern forming method, and a method for manufacturing an electronic device, including the pattern forming method.