# US 11,307,498 B2 · Film patterning method, array substrate, and manufacturing method thereof > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,307,498 B2 - Document ID: US11307498B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/094,421 - Filed: 2018-03-26 - Published: 2021-07-22 - Granted: 2022-04-19 - Earliest claimed: 2017-07-18 - Assignees: Boe Technology Group Co., Ltd.; Hefei Xinsheng Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd. - Applicants: BOE Technology Group Co., Ltd.; Hefei Xinsheng Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Jun Wang; Guangcai Yuan; Dongfang Wang; Chong Fang; Guangyao Li - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11307498B2 ## CPC - G03F 7/0392: {the macromolecular compound being present in a chemically amplified positive photoresist composition} - G03F 7/0236: {Condensation products of carbonyl compounds and phenolic compounds, e.g. novolak resins} - G03F 7/039: Macromolecular compounds which are photodegradable, e.g. positive electron resists (G03F7/075 takes precedence; macromolecular quinonediazides G03F7/023) - G03F 7/40: Treatment after imagewise removal, e.g. baking - H10D 86/0231: {using masks, e.g. half-tone masks} - H10D 86/40: characterised by multiple TFTs - H10D 86/60: wherein the TFTs are in active matrices - H10P 76/2041: {Photolithographic processes} - G03F: PHOTOMECHANICAL PRODUCTION OF TEXTURED OR PATTERNED SURFACES, e.g. FOR PRINTING, FOR PROCESSING OF SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; MATERIALS THEREFOR; ORIGINALS THEREFOR; APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED THEREFOR; (phototypographic composing devices B41B; photosensitive materials or processes for photographic purposes G03C; electrophotography, sensitive layers or processes therefor G03G) - H10D: INORGANIC ELECTRIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES - H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 ## Abstract A film patterning method, an array substrate, and a manufacturing method of an array substrate are disclosed. The film patterning method includes: applying photoresist on a film to be patterned; performing exposure and development on the photoresist, a region corresponding to a completely removed portion of the photoresist after the exposure and the development being a first region; post-baking the photoresist, so that the photoresist is melted and collapsed to change the region corresponding to the completely removed portion into a second region, the photoresist after post-baking forms into a mask pattern; and patterning the film by using the mask pattern as a mask. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A film patterning method, comprising: applying photoresist on a film to be patterned; performing exposure and development on the photoresist, a region corresponding to a completely removed portion of the photoresist after the exposure and the development being a first region; post-baking the photoresist, so that the photoresist is melted and collapsed to change the region corresponding to the completely removed portion into a second region, the second region exposing the film, wherein the photoresist, after the post-baking, forms into a mask pattern; and patterning the film by using the mask pattern as a mask, wherein a size of the first region in a direction parallel to a plane where the film is located is a first size, a size of the second region in the direction parallel to the plane where the film is located is a second size, the second size is smaller than the first size, and a planar shape of the first region and the second region comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of a circle and a line. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The film patterning method according to claim 1, wherein the photoresist is positive photoresist. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The film patterning method according to claim 1, wherein, during the post-baking, the post-baking has a temperature of 150° C.-300° C. to cause the photoresist to melt and collapse. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The film patterning method according to claim 3, wherein, during the post-baking, a time for the post-baking is 10 s-500 s. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The film patterning method according to claim 4, wherein, during the post-baking, the time for the post-baking is 10 s-50 s. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The film patterning method according to claim 1, wherein, upon the planar shape of the second region being the circle, the second size is a pore size of the circle, and the second size is 1 μm-2.9 μm; upon the planar shape of the second region being the line, the second size is a size of a short edge of the line, and the second size is 1 μm-2.9 μm. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The film patterning method according to claim 6, wherein, upon the planar shape of the first region being the circle, the first size is a pore size of the circle, and the first size is not less than 3 μm; upon the planar shape of the first region being the line, the first size is a size of a short edge of the line, and the first size is not less than 3 μm. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The film patterning method according to claim 1, wherein the photoresist has a thickness of 0.5 μm-10 μm in a direction perpendicular to the film. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The film patterning method according to claim 8, wherein the thickness of the photoresist is 1.5 μm-2.2 μm in the direction perpendicular to the film. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The film patterning method according to claim 1, wherein a light intensity used in the exposure is 10 J/cm3-500 J/cm3. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) A manufacturing method of an array substrate, comprising: providing a base substrate; forming a film to be patterned on the base substrate; and patterning the film by using the film patterning method according to claim 1. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) An array substrate, manufactured by the manufacturing method of the array substrate according to claim 11. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The array substrate according to claim 12, wherein a surface of the film included in the array substrate has a film pattern having a same planar shape as the second region.