Positive photoresist compositions having deep uv response, photosensitive elements and thermally stable photochemically imaged systems containing same

Abstract From the Canadian patent

Actinic (deep ultraviolet, ultraviolet and visible light) sensitive positive photoresist compositions containing a mixture of an alkali-insoluble photoactive compound capable of being transformed into an alkalisoluble species upon exposure to actinic radiation in, an amount sufficient to render the mixture relatively alkali insoluble and a polymer comprising an amount of ?CO-NH-CO? groups, such as maleimide and especially maleimide - substituted styrene copolymers sufficient, to render the mixture readily alkali soluble upon exposure to actinic radiation are disclosed. The preferred copolymers include maleimide/styrene or .alpha.-methylstyrene in a 1:1 molar ratio. The preferred photoactive …