Process for production of pattern-forming body

• US 20030059686A1
• Filed: 09/12/2001
• Published: 03/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dai Nippon Printing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Dai Nippon Printing Company Limited
• Inventors: Okabe, Masato, Kobayashi, Hironori, Yamamoto, Manabu
• Granted Patent: US 6,846,616 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 430/5
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/0007 Filters, e.g. additive colour filters; Components for display devices
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/0042 with inorganic or organometallic light-sensitive compounds not otherwise provided for, e.g. inorganic resists G03F7/075 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/0043 Chalcogenides; Silicon, germanium, arsenic or derivatives thereof; Metals, oxides or alloys thereof G03F7/0044 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/09 characterised by structural details, e.g. supports, auxiliary layers supports for printing plates in general B41N

Abstract

A primary object of the present invention is to provide a process for the production of a pattern-forming body, the process enabling the formation of a highly precise pattern, requiring no post-exposure treatment and being free from a fear as to the deterioration of the pattern-forming body itself because no photocatalyst is contained in the produced pattern-forming body. In the present invention, the above problem can be solved by providing a process for the production of a pattern-forming body, the process comprising disposing a catalyst-containing layer-side substrate containing at least a photo catalyst-containing layer and a pattern-forming body substrate containing a characteristic-changeable layer which is changed in characteristics by the action of the photocatalyst in at least said photocatalyst-containing layer such that the photocatalyst-containing layer is in contact with the characteristic-changeable layer, followed by performing exposure to thereby change the characteristics of the exposed portion of the characteristic-changeable layer and thereafter dismounting the photocatalyst-containing layer-side substrate, thereby obtaining a pattern-forming body having a pattern which has been changed in characteristics on the characteristic-changeable layer.

Claims

1. A process for the production of a pattern-forming body, the process comprising disposing a photocatalyst-containing layer-side substrate containing at least a photocatalyst-containing layer and a pattern-forming body substrate containing a characteristic-changeable layer which is changed in characteristics by the action of the photocatalyst contained in at least said photocatalyst-containing layer such that said photocatalyst-containing layer is in contact with said characteristic-changeable layer, followed by performing exposure to thereby change the characteristics of the exposed portion of the characteristic-changeable layer and thereafter dismounting the photocatalyst-containing layer-side substrate, thereby obtaining a pattern-forming body having a pattern which is changed in characteristics on the characteristic-changeable layer.

2. A process for the production of a pattern-forming body according to claim 1, wherein said photocatalyst-containing layer-side substrate comprises at least a transparent substrate and the photocatalyst-containing layer and is formed separately from the pattern-forming body substrate.

3. A process for the production of a pattern-forming body according to claim 2, wherein said photocatalyst-containing layer-side substrate is formed such that it is integrated with a photomask.

4. A process for the production of a pattern-forming body according to claim 2, wherein said photocatalyst-containing layer-side substrate has a photocatalyst-containing layer formed pattern-wise on said transparent substrate.

5. A process for the production of a pattern-forming body according to claim 1, wherein said photocatalyst-containing layer-side substrate is formed by coating the characteristic-changeable layer of said pattern-forming body substrate with the photocatalyst-containing layer.

6. A process for the production of a pattern-forming body according to claim 1, wherein the photocatalyst contained in said photocatalyst-containing layer is preferably one or two or more types selected from titanium dioxide (TiO₂), zinc oxide (ZnO), tin oxide (SnO₂), strontium titanate (SrTiO₃), tungsten oxide (WO₃), bismuth oxide (Bi₂O₃) and iron oxide (Fe₂O₃).

7. A process for the production of a pattern-forming body according to claim 6, wherein said photocatalyst is titanium dioxide (TiO₂).

8. A process for the production of a pattern-forming body according to claim 1, wherein said pattern-forming body substrate is formed from at least a substrate and said characteristic-changeable layer formed on the substrate.

9. A process for the production of a pattern-forming body according to claim 1, wherein said pattern-forming body substrate is formed of one characteristic-changeable layer.

10. A process for the production of a pattern-forming body according to claim 1, wherein said characteristic-changeable layer is a wettability-changeable layer which is changed in the wettability of the surface by the action of a photocatalyst contained in said photocatalyst-containing layer.

11. A process for the production of a pattern-forming body according to claim 10, wherein said wettability-changeable layer is a wettability-changeable layer changed in wettability such that the contact angle with water is lowered by the action of a photocatalyst contained in the photocatalyst-containing layer and excited by exposure.

12. A process for the production of a pattern-forming body according to claim 11, wherein the contact angle of said wettability-changeable layer with water is 90 degrees or more in the unexposed portion and 30 degrees or less in the exposed portion.

13. A process for the production of a pattern-forming body according to claim 11, wherein said wettability-changeable layer is a layer containing an organopolysiloxane.

14. A process for the production of a pattern-forming body according to claim 13, wherein said organopolysiloxane is a hydrolyzed condensate or hydrolyzed co-condensate of one or two or more silicon compounds represented by the formula:

Y_nSiX_(4-n) (wherein Y represents an alkyl group, a fluoroalkyl group, a vinyl group, an amino group, a phenyl group or an epoxy group, X represents an alkoxyl group or a halogen and n denotes an integer of 0 to

     3).

15. A process for the production of a pattern-forming body according to claim 13, wherein said organopolysiloxane is a polysiloxane having a fluoroalkyl group.

16. A process for the production of a pattern-forming body according to claim 1, wherein said characteristic-changeable layer is a decomposition-removable layer which is decomposed and removed by the action of a photocatalyst contained in the photocatalyst-containing layer.

17. A process for the production of a pattern-forming body according to claim 16, wherein said decomposition-removable layer is different in contact angle with water from an exposed member which is exposed when the decomposition-removable layer is decomposed and removed.

18. A process for the production of a pattern-forming body according to claim 17, wherein the contact angle of said decomposition-removable layer with water is 60 degrees or more and the contact angle of the exposed member which is exposed when the decomposition-removable layer is decomposed and removed is 30 degrees or less.

19. A process for the production of a pattern-forming body according to claim 17, wherein said decomposition-removable layer comprises a hydrocarbon type, fluorine type or silicone type nonionic surfactant.

20. A process for the production of a pattern-forming body according to claim 1, wherein said exposure is exposure through a photomask.

21. A process for the production of a pattern-forming body according to claim 1, wherein said exposure is carried out by light-drawing irradiation.

22. A process for the production of a pattern-forming body according to claim 1, wherein said exposure is carried out while heating the photocatalyst-containing layer.

23. A photocatalyst-containing layer-side substrate for the production of a pattern-forming body, the substrate comprising at least a transparent substrate and a photocatalyst-containing layer, wherein a characteristic-changeable layer of a pattern-forming substrate having the characteristic-changeable layer which is changed in characteristics by the action of the photocatalyst on the surface thereof and said photocatalyst-containing layer are exposed while the both layers are being in contact with each other to form a pattern-forming body.

24. A photocatalyst-containing layer-side substrate for the production of a pattern-forming body according to claim 23, wherein the photocatalyst contained in said photocatalyst-containing layer is titanium dioxide.

25. A photocatalyst-containing layer-side substrate for the production of a pattern-forming body according to claim 23, wherein said photocatalyst-containing layer-side substrate is formed such that it is integrated with a photomask.

26. A photocatalyst-containing layer-side substrate for the production of a pattern-forming body according to claim 23, wherein said photocatalyst-containing layer-side substrate has a photocatalyst-containing layer formed pattern-wise on said transparent substrate.

27. A pattern-forming body comprising at least a characteristic-changeable layer having a pattern which has been changed in characteristics by the action of a photocatalyst and excluding a photocatalyst-containing layer.

28. A pattern-forming body according to claim 27, the pattern-forming body comprising at least a substrate and the characteristic-changeable layer formed on the substrate.

29. A pattern-forming body according to claim 27, the pattern-forming body being formed of one characteristic-changeable layer.

30. A pattern-forming body according to claim 27, wherein said wettability-changeable layer is a wettability-changeable layer changed in wettability such that the contact angle with water is lowered by the action of a photocatalyst excited by exposure.

31. A pattern-forming body according to claim 30, wherein said wettability-changeable layer is a layer containing an organopolysiloxane.

32. A pattern-forming body according to claim 31, wherein said organopolysiloxane is a polysiloxane containing a fluoroalkyl group.

33. A pattern-forming body according to claim 27, wherein said characteristic-changeable layer is a decomposition-removable layer which is decomposed and removed by the action of a photocatalyst and said decomposition-removable layer is different in contact angle with water from an exposed member which is exposed when the decomposition-removable layer is decomposed and removed.

34. A functional element comprising a functional portion disposed on a section corresponding to a pattern formed on the pattern-forming body as claimed in claim 27.

35. A functional element according to claim 34, wherein said functional portion is a metal.

36. A functional element according to claim 34, wherein said pattern is formed of a section differing in contact angle with water and the functional portion is formed on a part having a smaller contact angle with water in this pattern.

37. A color filter comprising a pixel portion, wherein the pixel portion is the functional portion of the functional element as claimed in claim 36.

38. A microlens comprising a lens, wherein the lens is the functional portion of the functional element as claimed in claim 36.