Registering and exposing sheet substrates using photosensitive liquid

Claim 2

A process of imagewise exposure to actinic radiation of a photosensitive layer applied to a sheet substrate with registration of a photomask to the substrate comprising the steps of: (1) advancing a planar sheet substrate to a position in a device to undertake in either order or concurrently (a) aligning the substrate and a flexible photomask in a predetermined hinged relationship to one another; (b) applying a photosensitive liquid between the substrate and the photomask with said liquid applied in excess compared to the amount necessary to form a layer in step (2); (2) contacting through the photosensitive liquid the substrate maintained in a planar configuration and the photomask by advancing line pressure whereby during said contacting substantially no movement of the photomask occurs relative to the substrate other than a more intimate contact due to displacement of the photosensitive liquid in a liquid layer whereby excess liquid is squeezed from an interface between the substrate and the photomask to form a photosensitive layer and whereby at least one of interfacial or viscous force aids in holding the substrate and photomask in a fixed position relative to one another without a gap present formed by a gas or vapor intermediate layer; (3) exposing the photosensitive liquid to actinic radiation through the photomask; (4) removing the photomask from the substrate whereby substantially no hardened material resulting from the photosensitive liquid remains on the photomask; (5) obtaining a substrate containing discrete portions of bonded hardened material resulting from the photosensitive liquid.

Claim 3

The process of claim 1 wherein the substrate surface is substantially smooth.

Claim 4

The process of claim 1 wherein the substrate surface contains raised portions and the surface of the photosensitive liquid layer facing the photomask is substantially smooth prior to exposure of the photosensitive liquid to actinic radiation.

Claim 5

The process of claim 1 whereby photosensitive liquid between the substrate and the photomask is displaced and the substrate and photomask are brought into more intimate contact by an advancing nip.

Claim 6

The process of claim 1 wherein the application of photosensitive liquid is to a substrate surface held in a substantially vertical plane.

Claim 7

The process of claim 1 wherein the application of photosensitive liquid is to a substrate surface held in a substantially horizontal plane.

Claim 8

The process of claim 1 wherein the photosensitive liquid is applied to a photomask surface which faces the substrate.

Claim 9

The process of claim 1 wherein the photosensitive liquid is applied to substrate surface which faces the photomask.

Claim 10

The process of claim 1 wherein photosensitive liquid is applied to both sides of the sheet substrate which is exposed to actinic radiation.

Claim 11

The process of claim 1 wherein the photosensitive liquid layer is negative working.

Claim 12

The process of claim 1 wherein the photosensitive liquid layer is positive working.

Claim 13

The process of claim 1 wherein the photosensitive liquid contains a photohardenable component.

Claim 14

The process of claim 1 wherein the photosensitive liquid contains a photohardenable addition polymerizable component.

Claim 15

The process of claim 1 wherein the substrate contains a photosensitive layer prior to and on the same side as application of the photosensitive liquid.

Claim 16

The process of claim 14 wherein the photosensitive layer and photosensitive liquid are exposed simultaneously to actinic radiation.

Claim 17

The process of claim 1 wherein a number of substrates are employed to obtain substantially identical imaged substrates.

Claim 18

The process of claim 1 wherein prior to application of the photosensitive liquid a lower viscosity fluid is first applied to the substrate.

Claim 19

The process of claim 1 wherein developer is applied to bonded hardened material immediately after step 5.

Claim 20

The process of claim 18 wherein the developer is applied while the substrate is in a substantially vertical plane and during or immediately after removal of a photomask from the substrate.

Claim 21

The process of claim 1 wherein a pressure foller is employed to apply the advancing line pressure.

Claim 22

A process of application and imagewise exposure to actinic radiation of photosensitive layers on a sheet substrate on opposite sides of a sheet substrate, comprising the steps of: (1) advancing a planar sheet substrate in an upright position to undertake in either order or concurrently (a) aligning the substrate with a photomask comprising two flexible sheet portions wherein each of the sheet portions faces an opposite surface of the substrate with the substrate and photomask in a predetermined hinged relationship to one another; (b) applying photosensitive liquid between each substrate surface and flexible sheet portions of the photomask with said liquid applied in excess compared to the amount necessary to form each layer in step (2); (2) contacting through the photosensitive liquid the substrate maintained in a planar configuration and the photomask by advancing lin pressure whereby during said contacting substantially no movement of the photomask occurs relative to the substrate other than a more intimate contact due to displacement of photosensitive liquid in two liquid layers whereby excess liquid is squeezed from an interface between the substrate and each flexible sheet portion to form two photosensitive layers and whereby at least one of interfacial or viscous force aids in holding the substrate and photomask in a fixed relationship without a gap present formed by a gas or vapor intermediate layer; (3) either sequentially or simultaneously exposing through the sheet portions of the photomasks each of the two photosensitive liquid layers to actinic radiation; (4) removing sequentially or simultaneously each of the sheet portions of the photomask after exposure of the two liquid interfaces to actinic radiation; (5) removing the substrate containing discrete portions of bonded hardened material obtained from the photosensitive liquid whereby substantially no hardened material resulting from the photosensitive liquid remains on the photomask, whereby steps 1 to 5 can be repeated.

Claim 23

A process of application and imagewise exposure to actinic radiation of photosensitive layers on a sheet substrate on opposite sides of a sheet substrate, comprising the steps of: (1) advancing a planar sheet substrate in an upright position to undertake in either order or concurrently (a) aligning the substrate with a photomask comprising two flexible sheet portions wherein each of the sheet portions faces an opposite surface of the substrate with the substrate and photomask in a predetermined hinged relationship to one another; (b) applying photosensitive liquid between each substrate surface and flexible sheet portions of the photomask with said liquid applied in excess compared to the amount necessary to form each layer in step (2); (2) contacting through the photosensitive liquid the substrate maintained in a planar configuration and the photomask by advancing lin pressure whereby during said contacting substantially no movement of the photomask occurs relative to the substrate other than a more intimate contact due to displacement of photosensitive liquid in two liquid layers whereby excess liquid is squeezed from an interface between the substrate and each flexible sheet portion to form two photosensitive layers and whereby at least one of interfacial or viscous force aids in holding the substrate and photomask in a fixed relationship without a gap present formed by a gas or vapor intermediate layer; (3) either sequentially or simultaneously exposing through the sheet portions of the photomasks each of the two photosensitive liquid layers to actinic radiation; (4) removing sequentially or simultaneously each of the sheet portions of the photomask after exposure of the two liquid interfaces to actinic radiation; (5) removing the substrate containing discrete portions of bonded hardened material obtained from the photosensitive liquid whereby substantially no hardened material resulting from the photosensitive liquid remains on the photomask, whereby steps 1 to 5 can be repeated.

Claim 24

The process of claim 21 whereby steps 1 to 5 are repeated for similar sheet substrates to obtain substantially identical imaged substrates.

Claim 25

The process of claim 21 wherein a pressure roller is employed to apply the advancing line pressure.

Claim 26

A process of imagewise exposure to actinic radiation of a photosensitive layer on a planar sheet substrate with registration of a photomask to the substrate comprising the steps of (1) forming a first photosensitive liquid layer between the planar substrate and a flexible photomask with liquid present in excess compared to the amount necessary to form a second layer in step (2); (2) registering the photomask to the substrate maintained in a planar configuration in a hinged relationship to one another whereby substantially no movement of the photomask occurs on the photosensitive liquid layer relative to the substrate other than a more intimate contact due to displacement of liquid between the photomask and substrate whereby excess liquid is squeezed by advancing line pressure from an interface between the substrate and photomask to form a second photosensitive layer and whereby at least one of interfacial or viscous force aids in holding the substrate and photomask relative to one another without a gap present formed by a gas or vapor intermediate layer; (3) exposing the photosensitive liquid to actinic radiation through the photomask; (4) removing the photomask from the substrate; (5) obtaining a substrate containing discrete portions of bonded hardened material obtained from the photosensitive liquid.

Claim 27

A process of imagewise exposure to actinic radiation of a photosensitive layer on a planar sheet substrate with registration of a photomask to the substrate comprising the steps of (1) forming a first photosensitive liquid layer between the planar substrate and a flexible photomask with liquid present in excess compared to the amount necessary to form a second layer in step (2); (2) registering the photomask to the substrate maintained in a planar configuration in a hinged relationship to one another whereby substantially no movement of the photomask occurs on the photosensitive liquid layer relative to the substrate other than a more intimate contact due to displacement of liquid between the photomask and substrate whereby excess liquid is squeezed by advancing line pressure from an interface between the substrate and photomask to form a second photosensitive layer and whereby at least one of interfacial or viscous force aids in holding the substrate and photomask relative to one another without a gap present formed by a gas or vapor intermediate layer; (3) exposing the photosensitive liquid to actinic radiation through the photomask; (4) removing the photomask from the substrate; (5) obtaining a substrate containing discrete portions of bonded hardened material obtained from the photosensitive liquid.

Claim 28

The process of claim 24 wherein a pressure roller is employed to apply the photosensitive layer between the substrates and photomask.