Photoresist composition, method of patterning thin film using the same, and method of manufacturing liquid crystal display panel using the same

A method of patterning a thin film, comprising:

• forming a thin film on a substrate;
• forming on the thin film a photoresist layer which includes an alkali-soluble phenol polymer in an amount of 10 to 70 parts by weight including at least one unit of Formula 1, a photo-acid generator in an amount of 0.5 to 10 parts by weight, a dissolution inhibitor in an amount of 5 to 50 parts by weight, including at least one unit of Formula 2, and a solvent in an amount of 10 to 90 parts by weight, wherein the amounts of the foregoing components is based on a total of 100 parts by weight of alkali-soluble phenol polymer, photo-acid generator, dissolution inhibitor, and solvent;
• forming a photoresist pattern by patterning the photoresist layer by exposure and developing processes;
• and
• etching the thin film by using the photoresist pattern as a mask;
• wherein R is a methyl group,
• wherein at least one of R1, R2 and R3 is a t-butyl vinyl ether protective group.

A method of manufacturing a liquid crystal display panel, comprising:

• forming a thin film transistor substrate, including a thin film transistor so formed as to be connected to a gate line and a data line on a lower substrate, a passivation layer for protecting the thin film transistor, and a pixel electrode connected to the thin film transistor on the passivation layer;
• and
• forming a color filter substrate, wherein the color filter substrate includes a black matrix for dividing a pixel region on an upper substrate which faces the lower substrate with liquid crystals disposed therebetween, a color filter formed in the pixel region, and a common electrode for forming an electric field with the pixel electrode;
• wherein at least one of the thin film transistor, the passivation layer, the pixel electrode, the black matrix, the color filter, and the common electrode is formed by a patterning process using a photoresist which includes an alkali-soluble phenol polymer in an amount of 10 to 70 parts by weight including at least one unit of Formula 1, a photo-acid generator in an amount of 0.5 to 10 parts by weight, a dissolution inhibitor in an amount of 5 to 50 parts by weight and including at least one unit of Formula 2, and a solvent in an amount of 10 to 90 parts by weight, wherein the amounts of the foregoing components is based on a total of 100 parts by weight of alkali-soluble phenol polymer, photo-acid generator, dissolution inhibitor, and solvent, wherein Formulas 1 and 2 have the following structures;
• wherein R is a methyl group,
• wherein at least one of R1, R2 and R3 is a t-butyl vinyl ether protective group.