Photosensitive composition containing a transition metal coordination complex cation and a borate anion and photosensitive materials employing the same

A photoresist material comprising a free radical addition polymerizable or crosslinkable compound and a photoinitiator including a cationic transition metal coordination complex and a borate anion wherein said borate anion is represented by the following formula:

• ##STR4## wherein R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3 and R.sub.4 are the same or different and are selected from the group consisting of alkyl, aryl, aralkyl, alkaryl, alkenyl, alkynyl, alicyclic, heterocyclic, and allyl groups, and wherein said photoinitiator is capable of absorbing actinic radiation and producing free radicals which can initiate free radical polymerization of said polymerizable or crosslinkable compound.

A photosensitive material comprising a support having a layer of a photohardenable composition on the surface thereof, said composition comprising a free radical addition polymerizable or crosslinkable compound and a photoinitiator including a cationic transition metal coordination complex and a borate anion wherein said borate anion is represented by the following formula:

• ##STR5## where R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3 and R.sub.4 are the same or different and are selected from the group consisting of alkyl, aryl, aralkyl, alkaryl, alkenyl, alkynyl, alicyclic, heterocyclic, and allyl groups, and wherein said photoinitiator is capable of absorbing actinic radiation and producing free radicals which can initiate free radical polymerization of said polymerizable or crosslinkable compound.

The material according to claim 25 wherein said cationic transition metal coordination complex is a complex of a transition metal atom having a d.sup.6 orbital configuration and one or more ligands covalently bonded to said transition metal atom so that said complex is capable of undergoing metal to ligand charge transfer upon photoexcitation.