Polymer Optimization of Pigmented Photoresists for Color Filter Production

Abstract

The lithographic performance of pigmented photoresists for color filter production is affected by the structure of the employed polymer. Four polymers with acrylate backbones and pendant reactive acrylate/methacrylate groups were prepared, and the effects of their molecular weights and acid values on the pixel pattern quality, development time, sensitivity and development mode were elucidated. ECHIPTM, a statistical experimental design program was used for optimization studies revealing that the red resist performs best, when polymers with relatively low acid values (<40 mg KOH/g polymer) and high molecular weights >50,000 are used. The green and the blue resists yielded optimal patterns at molecular weights in the range of 20,000–30,000 with acid values of about 50–60 mg KOH/g polymer. The sensitivity of resists containing polymers with pendant acryloyl groups is in general higher than that of the corresponding methacryloyl derivatives. Polymers having butyl acrylate-methacrylic acid backbone units showed the highest sensitivity among the polymers investigated. When developed with an optimized tetramethyl ammonium hydroxide (TMAH) based developer, resists using polymers with methyl methacrylate units showed peeling type development, while butyl acrylate copolymers effected homogeneous dissolution yielding higher resolution.

Effect of Compositions and Surface Treatment on the Jetting Stability and Color Uniformity of Ink-Jet Printed Color Filter

“…[1][2][3] The color resist is spin coated onto a substrate, exposed to UV light, and then developed to prepare the colored pixels. The color resist includes curable resins and dispersed color pigments.…”

Photocure Reactions of Photoreactive Prepolymers with Cinnamate Groups

“…The most significant challenges have been in the area of improving the thermal resistance, transparency, and cost effectiveness of CF resists for color patterning, because the pigment dispersion method, which is the widely used CF manufacturing process, requires these properties. [2][3][4] In previous reports, 5,6 new methacrylate-type pre-polymers including a cyclohexane moiety and biphenyl group, and new cinnamate-type photoreactive pre-polymers with a cyclopentadiene moiety and various aromatic groups were synthesized in order to improve the heat resistance and transparency of photopolymer systems.…”

Photocure properties of high‐heat‐resistant photoreactive polymers with cinnamate groups

“…In particular, the most significant challenges have been in the area of improving the thermal resistance, transparency, and cost effectiveness of CF resists for color patterning. [3][4][5] In previous studies, [6][7][8] new methacrylate-type prepolymers that included a cyclohexane moiety and biphenyl group were synthesized and characterized to improve the heat resistance and transparency of the binder resin systems for CF resists.…”