| abstract |
A process for increasing the etch resistance of the upper surface of photoresists by a surface-intensive dose of electron beam radiation. Such imparts increased surface etch resistance to the photoresist without causing as much shrinkage in the bulk of the film. A photographic image is produced by imagewise exposing a photographic composition layer on a substrate to activating energy to produce a latent pattern on the layer. This is followed by developing the photographic layer to thereby remove the nonimage areas thereof and leaving the image areas thereof in the form of a pattern on the substrate. The imaged layer is then overall irradiated to electron beam radiation for the full depth of the layer and then overall irradiated to electron beam radiation one or more additional times at a depth which is less than the full depth of the layer. |