A novel photobase generator derived from acetoacetic acid has been designed and synthesized. Three organic superbases are selected, and used for preparation of the photobase generator-salts. They are decomposed in the methanol solution by irradiation of 10－1000 mJ/cm² at a wavelength of 254 nm. Phenol red is used for confirming that the corresponding basic species are generated after UV irradiation and subsequent postbaking. These photobase generators (10 mol%) are then added with tetrafunctional thiol and epoxy mixed resins for anionic UV curing. It is found that curing proceeds under mild conditions below 100℃, to fabricate UV-cured films with practical pencil-hardness values. Using a phosphazene as photogenerated superbasic species, UV-cured samples are obtained even at room temperature within 10 min.

Various arylmethylpyridinium tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)borates were synthesized and their properties as cationic thermally-latent curing agents for epoxy resins were studied. Arylmethylpyridinium chlorides were prepared by reaction of arylmethylchlorides with cyanopyridines. The desired arylmethylpridinium borates were obtained by the successive ionexchange of these salts with sodium tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)borate. Catalytic activity of the pyridinium borates toward bisphenol A diglycidyl ether (BAGE) and difunctional alicyclic epoxy resin (Celoxide) were examined by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Storage stability of the epoxy resins/salt mixture at room temperature for one month was examined by ¹H-NMR measurements. We found that p-methoxybenzyl-3-cyanopyridimium tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl) borate (pMB3CPB) has high curing activity with good storage stability toward epoxy resins. We also found that the cured BAGE possessed higher glass transition temperatures and higher adhesion strength to stainless steel than the resin cured with a conventional sulfonium antimonate.

Cresol formaldehyde novolac resins (Cre/Form) having hard properties cannot be applied minutely the positivetype photoresist material onto dry films. Therefore, a new development was needed, so we carried out the synthesis and application of novolac resins having flexibility such as cresols glutaraldehyde novolac resin (Cre/Glu). In this study, the reaction with bisphenol A (BisA) and formaldehyde (Form) were carried to obtain BisA/Form novolac resins. Because of we attempt to obtain photo-resist material having the higher flexibility by introducing of bulky the isopropylidene group into molecular chain. When BisA/Form novolac resins were obtained, 3 kinds of synthesis conditions, those were reflux [R], dehydration [D] and the combination of reflux and dehydration [R]－[D], were considered because of attempt a increase of M_w and a decrease of dissolving rate for alkaline aq. (DR) with ratio of lower decomposition of BisA units. The feature of the molecule structures by the difference synthesis protocols was confirmed with ¹³C-NMR measurement. The obtained resins having DR value below 1000 Å/sec were chosen. The 5μm thick cast films of the obtained resin were applied onto polyimide films in order to evaluate the flexibility properties of the obtained resins by observation of their bent parts. The flexibility of the BisA/Form novolac resin little exceeded Cre/Glu novolac resin. The lithography performance of the obtained resin coated 1.5μm in thickness onto the silicon wafers was examined. The BisA/Form novolac resins showed almost same lithography performance with Cre/Form novolac resin. Especially, BisA/Form novolac resin obtained from combination reaction, 95℃[R]－110℃[D], could be decompose of BisA unit lower than the resin obtained from 120℃[D], and showed higher drawing performance (The residual membrane thickness: 98%, the resist pattern: below 2.5μm).

We investigated a high molecular weight cresol-novolac-resin with toughness. With a conventional synthetic method of the cresol-novolac-resin, we found that it was able to prepare the high molecular weight resin more than 100000, by examining the various combinations of formaldehyde, cross-linker and catalyst. This resin showed the good solubility ins an organic solvent, and the high tensile strength as a tough film property. Furthermore, the cured material with the epoxy resin showed a high coefficient of elasticity and proof stress.

Epoxy resins are widely used in the industry. The characteristic of epoxy resin is high adhesion, heat resistance, high electrical insulation etc. Among them, the TEPIC derivative has excellent properties. We report on superior features such as high transparency, weather resistance and electric characteristics of TEPIC derivatives.