JPH0262856B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] The present invention relates to a photographic light-sensitive material (hereinafter referred to as "sensitive material").
The present invention relates to a device for photographically processing a photosensitive material, and more particularly to a device for processing a photosensitive material, which prevents uneven development and adhesion of foreign substances on the surface of a photosensitive material after photoprocessing, and is particularly suitable for photoprocessing non-silver salt photosensitive materials. .

Conventionally, when processing photosensitive materials such as photographic film, photographic paper, or PS plates, the inside of the photosensitive material immersion processing device is divided into a photosensitive material immersion section and a processing liquid stirring section, and the For example, the stirring part is equipped with a means for spray treatment, as disclosed in Utility Model Application No. 50-162404.
It is publicly known in the publication No. In other words, this processing device accelerates the processing by spraying the photoresist film from a spraying means to elute the photoresist film when the photoresist film of the photosensitive material is immersed in the processing solution and has been processed to a certain extent and has sufficiently softened. This is how it was done.

When such a processing device is used, the processing speed of the photosensitive material in the solution is accelerated, and the processing efficiency is further improved. However, in some cases, there were problems in terms of quality, such as uneven processing.

The present invention has been developed in view of the above circumstances, and includes three processes: a photosensitive material immersion section, a processing solution stirring section, and a photosensitive material cleaning section in one processing liquid tank, so that the processed photosensitive material surface can be washed in the same process. The present invention provides a processing device that is cleaned with a processing liquid.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a photosensitive material processing apparatus particularly suitable for processing non-silver salt photosensitive materials such as mask films and PS plates.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a light-sensitive material processing apparatus that is easy to maintain.

Hereinafter, the content of the present invention will be explained in detail based on examples.

FIG. 1 shows a front sectional view of an apparatus for developing a photolithographic material, which is a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

In the figure, 1 is the processing liquid tank, 2 is the processing liquid, and 3
are photosensitive mask films, 4, 4', 5, 5',...
...9,9' pair of drive rollers, 10,11...1
4 is a guide plate, 15 is a submerged spray pipe, 16
17 and 18 are liquid feeding pumps, 19 is a heat exchanger, and 20 and 21 are liquid feeding pipes.

Here, the photosensitive mask film is a non-silver salt photographic film used in photolithography, for example, as proposed in Japanese Patent Application No. 54-109417, an alcohol-soluble polyamide resin is disposed on a support as an essential component. The photoresist composition has a second layer, and further has a third layer made of a photosensitive photoresist composition thereon.

In addition, as a processing solution for processing such a photosensitive mask film (hereinafter referred to as "film"), for example, an alkali metal salt of naphthalenesulfonic acid, benzimidazole sulfone, etc., as proposed in Japanese Patent Application No. 1983-47453, can be used. At least one compound selected from the group consisting of alkali metal salts of acids, alkali metal salts of alkyl-substituted benzenesulfonic acids having 3 to 13 carbon atoms, etc. in their skeletons, respectively.
A treatment solution containing 3 to 40% by weight of seeds is used.

The inside of the processing liquid tank 1 is divided into three processing steps. That is, the first step is the part located on the inlet side of the processing liquid tank 1 between the drive rollers 5, 5' and 6, 6' shown in (A), and the second step is (B).
The third step is approximately the center of the processing liquid tank 1 between the drive rollers 6, 6' and 7, 7', as indicated by . This is the part located on the exit side of 1.

Here, the first step is a step in which the film 3 is immersed to swell the photosensitive film surface, and the second step is a step in which the processing liquid 2 is stirred to accelerate the development process on the swollen film surface. The third step is a step of cleaning and finishing the developed film surface.

A spray pipe 15 is provided in the liquid of the second step (b). The spray pipe 15 has one end closed and the other end connected to the liquid supply pipe 20, and has a nozzle bored in the length direction with a diameter of 2 mm and a pitch of 20 mm, for example. A nozzle is installed facing the photoresist film surface of the film 3. Note that the liquid feeding pipe 20 is connected to the inside of the processing liquid tank 1 via a liquid feeding pump 18 and a heat exchanger 19.

A spray pipe 16 having a structure similar to that described above is provided outside the liquid in the third step (c) with its nozzle directed toward the photoresist film surface of the film 3. One end of the spray nozzle 16 is connected to a liquid feeding pipe 21 and a liquid feeding pump 17.
It is connected to the inside of the processing liquid tank 1 via. Here, from the submerged spray pipe 15, a processing liquid 2 is kept at a constant temperature by a heat exchanger 19.
is constantly injected into the liquid via the liquid feed pump 18, whereas the liquid is sprayed from the extra-liquid spray pipe 16 only when a detector (not shown) detects that the film 3 is passing through the processing tank 1. Processing liquid 2
is injected via the liquid feed pump 17.

Next, regarding the submerged spray pipe 15 (the same applies to the submerged spray pipe), as shown in FIG.
When b is inserted into the spring 15c and pulled in the direction of the arrow, and further turned counterclockwise when viewed from the liquid supply side, the pin 15d installed at the closed end of the pipe body 15a is attached to the bracket 22c on the inner wall of the rack side plate 22a. It is guided by the provided guide groove 22d and stops at the back. In this state, the liquid supply side end of the pipe body 15a separates from the supply port 1a provided on the inner wall of the processing liquid tank 1,
Together with the rack side plates 22a, 22b, the pipe can be taken out upwards.

When the pipe 15 is set, the pin 15d
is guided by the guide groove 22d of the bracket 22c,
The nozzle 15e, which is transparently provided in the pipe body 15a, is aligned with the position facing the photosensitive surface of the film 3 described above.

Next, the operation of the present processing apparatus configured as described above will be explained. Film 3 after prescribed exposure
is introduced into the processing liquid tank 1 by drive rollers 4, 4'. At this time, guides 10, 11...14
guides the leading end of the film 3 to a predetermined transport path. The shape of the film 3 varies depending on its intended use, and is usually rectangular, but there is no problem if it is in the form of a long strip.

While the film 3 passes through the first step (a), the photoresist surface of the film 3 is completely swollen, and the development process is accelerated in the second step (b).

This is because when the processing liquid 2 is injected from the submerged spray pipe 15, a flow is generated in the liquid and the processing liquid 2 is stirred.

When the film 3 comes to the third step (c), the developed photosensitive surface is cleaned by the processing liquid 2 sprayed from the extra-liquid spray pipe 16. Therefore, even if a peeled photoresist film or other foreign matter adheres to the photosensitive surface, these are completely removed, and processing with a good finish can be achieved.

The film 3 which has been developed as described above is transported to the next step by drive rollers 9, 9'.

Furthermore, according to this processing apparatus, fatigue of the processing liquid 2 itself is prevented by circulating the processing liquid 2 from the external spray pipe 16 only when it is detected that the film 3 is passing through, as described above. This has the advantage that foaming of the liquid is prevented.

Furthermore, since the spray pipes 15 and 16 can be attached and detached from one side of the processing liquid tank 1, maintenance of the apparatus is easy.

Although the content of the present invention has been described above based on one embodiment, it goes without saying that the present invention is not necessarily limited to the above embodiment.

The means for stirring the processing liquid in the second step is not limited to the above-mentioned spray device; for example, an impeller having a rotating shaft in the width direction of the film is provided, and by rotating the impeller, a liquid flow is generated in the liquid. It is also possible.

Furthermore, the sensitive material to be processed is not limited to the above-mentioned mask film, but can be applied to all the sensitive materials listed at the beginning of this specification, and the processing solution can be changed depending on the application, and the developing solution It is not limited to.

As detailed above, according to the present invention, it is possible to perform high-quality processing without unevenness or stains on the processed surface of a sensitive material, and the maintenance of the apparatus is facilitated, which brings about significant practical effects. .

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a front sectional view of an apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a partial sectional view showing the structure of a spray pipe, which is a main part of the apparatus. 1: Processing liquid tank, 2: Processing liquid, 3: Film, 4, 4'...9, 9': Drive roller, 10...1
4: Guide, 15: Submerged spray pipe, 16:
Liquid external spray pipe, 17, 18: Liquid feed pump,
19: Heat exchanger, 20, 21: Liquid sending pipe.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1 Three processes of a sensitive material immersion section, a processing solution stirring section, and a sensitive material cleaning section are provided in this order in one processing solution tank,
The photosensitive material is a non-silver salt photosensitive material, and the processing liquid stirring section and the photosensitive material cleaning section each include an in-liquid spray device and an out-of-liquid spray device disposed opposite to the photosensitive surface of the photosensitive material. The inside spray device and the outside spray device are pressed by a spring provided at one closed end, so that the other end is connected to the processing liquid supply port, and the inside spray device and the outside spray device are connected to the spring. A photosensitive material processing apparatus characterized in that it can be attached and detached from one side of the processing liquid tank by moving against the force and detaching from the processing liquid supply port.