| HS Code | 650890 |
| Product Name | PCB Dry Film Photoresist Hitachi Chemical PhotoImage 700 |
| Material Type | Negative-acting dry film photoresist |
| Color | Blue |
| Film Thickness | 25 microns (1 mil) |
| Resolution | Capable of fine line resolution down to 25 microns (1 mil) or better |
| Sensitivity | High photosensitivity with broad exposure energy range |
| Developer | Aqueous-processable, typically developed in dilute sodium carbonate solution |
| Exposure Energy | Approximately 40 to 80 mJ/cm² depending on lamination and equipment |
| Lamination Temperature | 110°C to 130°C (roller temperature) |
| Stripping | Easily stripped in aqueous alkaline stripper solutions |
| Adhesion | Excellent adhesion to copper surfaces including fine-pitch circuit patterns |
| Shelf Life | 12 months when stored at cool, dark, dry conditions |
| Storage Temperature | Below 20°C, protected from light and humidity |
As an accredited PCB Dry Film Photoresist Hitachi Chemical PhotoImage 700 factory, we enforce strict quality protocols—every batch undergoes rigorous testing to ensure consistent efficacy and safety standards.
| Packing | Packaged in sealed, light-proof vacuum bags as rolls for PCB imaging; quantity: one roll per container, preventing contamination and UV exposure. |
| Container Loading (20′ FCL) | 20′ FCL shipping of Hitachi PhotoImage 700 dry film photoresist; ensure pallets are secure, kept dry, and protected from direct sunlight. |
| Shipping | Shipping requires careful handling to prevent damage and contamination. Rolls should be sealed in light-proof, moisture-barrier packaging, stored cool, and shipped upright. Avoid extreme temperatures and humidity. Standard ground transport is acceptable; no hazardous classification. Include tamper-evident labels and ensure traceability documentation accompanies shipment. |
| Storage | Store PCB Dry Film Photoresist Hitachi Chemical PhotoImage 700 in a cool, dry, dark environment, ideally below 25°C with moderate humidity. Keep rolls sealed in original light-proof packaging to prevent UV exposure and moisture uptake. Store flat or upright without pressure, away from chemicals. Follow label shelf-life limits; condition to room temperature before use. |
| Shelf Life | Shelf life is typically 6 months when stored below 25°C in original packaging, protected from light, heat, and humidity. |
Alkaline-developable negative-tone dry film photoresist, including Hitachi Chemical PhotoImage 700, is applied to innerlayer copper foils of 0.5 ounce to 1 ounce thickness for high-density multilayer rigid PCB fabrication. Compliance for this segment is anchored to IPC-6012E Class 3, IPC-A-600J, IPC-TM-650 method 2.4.1 tape adhesion, ASTM D3359-17 cross-cut adhesion, IEC 61249-2-21 base-material requirements, RoHS 2011/65/EU Annex II, and REACH 1907/2006 Article 33 communication duties. The processing chemistry addition ratio is set at 0.85–1.1 wt% sodium carbonate monohydrate in the spray developer, with a buffer capacity sufficient to hold pH between 10.5 and 11.5, and a stripper solution of 3–5 wt% sodium hydroxide at 45–55°C for resist removal after etch. The downstream production sequence begins with hot-roll lamination at 105±5°C, roll pressure 0.35–0.50 MPa, and speed 1.2–2.0 m/min; the laminated panel enters a vacuum exposure frame with draw vacuum of 600–680 mmHg and is exposed through a collimated UV source at 365 nm to a dose of 60–100 mJ/cm². Development is carried out in a conveyorized spray chamber with 0.15–0.20 mm nozzle diameters and 2.0–2.5 bar spray pressure, where breakpoint is held between 40% and 55% to minimize resist foot formation. The exposed and developed resist acts as an etch mask during cupric chloride etching of innerlayer traces, after which automated optical inspection verifies open/short defects before lamination into multilayer books. Terminal finished product types include multilayer rigid PCBs for automotive under-hood controllers, industrial servo drives, and server backplanes where Class 3 outer/innerlayer registration tolerance is required.
| Resist thickness (µm) | Minimum line/space (µm) | Exposure energy at 365 nm (mJ/cm²) | Developer breakpoint (%) | Etching undercut per side (µm) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | 20/20 | 60–70 | 40–55 | 8–12 |
| 25 | 25/25 | 70–85 | 45–60 | 10–15 |
| 40 | 50/50 | 85–100 | 50–65 | 15–20 |
The above values represent a typical process window observed for aqueous alkaline dry film photoresists of comparable chemistry; published product-specific data for PhotoImage 700 under this exact innerlayer configuration is limited. A critical threshold risk arises when developer breakpoint falls below 35% because incomplete dissolution of unexposed resist leaves a carboxylic acid-rich boundary layer that later lifts during cupric chloride etching; conversely, breakpoint above 65% leads to linewidth reduction and undercut enlargement. On production-scale conveyorized etchers with 1.0–1.2 mm nozzle diameters and oscillation frequency of 30–60 cycles/min, batch-to-batch developer pH drift of ±0.2 units is commonly observed and must be corrected by sodium carbonate addition or pH-controlled dosing before the breakpoint exits the process window. The resist must also withstand the etch chamber redox potential held at 520–560 mV versus Ag/AgCl and free hydrochloric acid concentration between 2.0 M and 3.0 M; prolonged immersion beyond 180 s at 50°C initiates edge lift at fine-line structures below 25 µm.
In pattern plating sequences for high-density interconnect (HDI) boards, Hitachi Chemical PhotoImage 700 dry film resist is used as a selective plating mask rather than an etch mask, which means the resist must withstand acidic copper electroplating chemistry while maintaining sidewall verticality for fine-pitch copper traces. Compliance for this scenario is referenced to IPC-6012E Class 2 and Class 3, IPC-TM-650 method 2.4.1 adhesion tape testing, UL 94 V-0 flame retardancy of the finished board, ANSI/ESD S20.20-2021 for electrostatic discharge control, RoHS 2011/65/EU Annex II, and REACH 1907/2006 candidate-list communication. The processing chemistry addition ratio for the plating bath is set at 60–90 g/L copper sulfate pentahydrate, 180–230 g/L sulfuric acid, 40–70 ppm chloride ion, and 1–3 mL/L organic brightener carrier; the developer solution uses 0.9–1.1 wt% sodium carbonate at 30±2°C, while resist stripping after pattern plate uses 4–5 wt% sodium hydroxide at 50°C. Downstream production flow includes lamination of 40 µm dry film over copper foil, collimated UV exposure with a phototool that aligns to laser-drilled microvias, spray development to clear unexposed resist from via pads and trace channels, acid copper pattern plating to a target thickness of 15–25 µm, tin flash as an etch resist, alkaline dry film stripping, and final copper etching with cupric chloride. On vertical continuous plating lines equipped with insoluble mixed-metal oxide anodes and air sparging, the dry film resist must remain free of lifting at current densities up to 2.5 A/dm² and bath temperatures of 25–28°C; localized resist lifting near microvia rims is a known failure mode when lamination pressure drops below 0.30 MPa. Terminal finished product types include HDI rigid-flex and rigid boards for smartphones, wearable devices, compact camera modules, and RF front-end modules, where the patterned copper traces serve as high-density signal routing and pad interconnection.
Via tenting imposes a dual mechanical demand on dry film photoresist: the resist must cover plated through-hole openings as a continuous membrane during etching, and it must retain adhesion to copper lands around the hole rim during alkaline spray development. Compliance for this application is anchored to IPC-6012E Class 2, IPC-A-600J, IPC-TM-650 method 2.6.8 thermal stress solder float, UL 94 V-0 flammability, RoHS 2011/65/EU, and REACH 1907/2006. The processing chemistry addition ratio includes a developer solution of 0.9–1.1 wt% sodium carbonate monohydrate at 28–32°C and a stripper solution of 4–5 wt% sodium hydroxide at 50–55°C; dry film thickness is selected at 40 µm or 50 µm depending on hole diameter. The downstream production process begins with lamination onto drilled and copper-plated double-sided boards at 110–125°C, roll pressure 0.35–0.55 MPa, and speed 0.8–1.5 m/min; the photo tool exposes the via area along with the conductor pattern, leaving the resist membrane over the hole after development. Holes of 0.30 mm diameter and smaller are typically tented with 40 µm film, while holes between 0.30 mm and 0.45 mm require 50 µm film and vacuum lamination to remove air pockets; holes above 0.45 mm generally exceed the reliable tenting window and are instead processed with plugging or via fill. On production-scale horizontal hot-roll laminators, air entrapment at the leading edge of holes larger than 0.40 mm creates crescent-shaped developer breakthrough, which becomes visible as a ring-shaped etch attack after cupric chloride etching. Terminal finished product types include double-sided rigid PCBs for power conversion modules, LED driver boards, smart metering nodes, and low-cost industrial control panels, where the tented via remains sealed during etching and is reopened only after resist stripping.
Edge connector fabrication on rigid boards subjects the photoresist to a more aggressive wet chemistry environment than standard alkaline etching because the resist must withstand nickel and gold electroplating baths while preventing lateral underplate on contact fingers. Compliance for this segment is referenced to ASTM B488-18 for electrodeposited gold thickness and grade, IPC-6012E Class 2 and Class 3, IPC-A-600J, RoHS 2011/65/EU Annex II, and REACH 1907/2006. The processing chemistry addition ratio uses a nickel sulfamate plating bath composed of 300–600 g/L nickel sulfamate tetrahydrate, 30–40 g/L boric acid, and 0.2–0.5 g/L wetting agent, held at pH 3.5–4.5 and 50–60°C; the gold bath contains 2–8 g/L gold as potassium gold cyanide at pH 5.5–6.5 and 60–70°C. Developer chemistry for the dry film resist is set at 1.0–1.2 wt% sodium carbonate, and resist stripping after plating uses 5 wt% sodium hydroxide at 50°C. The downstream production sequence applies 50 µm dry film over copper foil, exposes and develops the resist to define contact finger geometries, electroplates nickel to a thickness of 3–5 µm followed by hard gold to 0.75–1.5 µm, strips the dry film resist, and then flash-etches the exposed base copper to isolate the connector fingers. On rack plating lines with anode shielding and solution agitation, resist edge lifting is a known failure mode when the nickel sulfamate bath temperature exceeds 60°C or when an alkaline gold strike at pH above 9.0 is allowed to exceed 60 s immersion time. Terminal finished product types include PCIe adapter cards, backplane connectors, test interface boards, and contacts for modular industrial electronics where repeated insertion cycles demand hard gold thickness above 0.75 µm.
When ferric chloride-based etching is used for thick copper foils of 70–105 µm, the dry film resist must tolerate low pH and high chloride activity for significantly longer immersion times than in standard innerlayer etching. Compliance for this thick-copper etching segment is anchored to IPC-6012E Class 3 for heavy copper, IPC-A-600J for etch back and undercut acceptance, IPC-4562 for copper foil grades, RoHS 2011/65/EU Annex II, and REACH 1907/2006. The processing chemistry addition ratio is set at ferric chloride 38–42°Bé with free hydrochloric acid 0.1–0.3 N, developer solution 1.0 wt% sodium carbonate monohydrate at 30°C, and stripper solution 4–5 wt% sodium hydroxide at 50–55°C. The downstream production process includes vacuum lamination of 50–75 µm dry film onto heavier copper, collimated UV exposure using a photo tool with corrected undersize to compensate for lateral etching, spray development, and conveyorized ferric chloride spray etching at 40–55°C with redox potential controlled at 520–560 mV versus Ag/AgCl. On conveyorized spray etchers with 0.8–1.2 mm nozzle diameters and 2.5–3.5 bar spray pressure, the etch rate reaches 18–25 µm/min for copper at 50°C; the resulting etch factor falls to 2.0–2.5 on 105 µm copper, producing undercut of 25–35 µm per side. Published product-specific data for Hitachi Chemical PhotoImage 700 under this exact low-pH ferric chloride configuration is limited; the process envelope above is derived from comparable aqueous alkaline dry film photoresist chemistry. Terminal finished product types include high-current busbars, power distribution boards, copper heat spreaders, and thick-copper substrate layers for IGBT modules where the copper thickness exceeds 70 µm.
Roll-to-roll processing of flexible copper-clad laminates for single-sided and double-sided flexible printed circuits requires a dry film photoresist that can withstand repeated bending during lamination without cracking, while still delivering fine-line etch definition. Compliance for this segment is referenced to IPC-6013E Class 2, IPC-A-600J, IPC-TM-650 method 2.4.1 adhesion tape testing, RoHS 2011/65/EU Annex II, and REACH 1907/2006. The processing chemistry addition ratio uses a developer solution of 0.8–1.0 wt% sodium carbonate monohydrate at 28–32°C and a stripper solution of 3–5 wt% sodium hydroxide at 45–50°C; dry film thickness is selected between 25 µm and 40 µm depending on copper foil thickness and minimum trace width. The downstream production flow includes roll-to-roll lamination of Hitachi Chemical PhotoImage 700 over rolled copper foil with web tension controlled at 5–15 N per 250 mm width and lamination roller temperature 100–115°C, followed by UV exposure through a glass master in a continuous exposure unit, spray development, cupric chloride etching, and resist stripping in an in-line horizontal line. On roll-to-roll laminators, web tension above 15 N per 250 mm width induces longitudinal wrinkling of the dry film, and tension below 5 N per 250 mm width causes telescoping or lateral drift during exposure; both failure modes lead to trace width deviation exceeding ±10% from the phototool nominal. Terminal finished product types include flexible printed circuit boards for smartphone hinge flexures, wearable biometric sensors, medical catheter interconnects, and battery management system flex circuits.
Competitive PCB Dry Film Photoresist Hitachi Chemical PhotoImage 700 prices that fit your budget—flexible terms and customized quotes for every order.
For samples, pricing, or more information, please contact us at +8615365186327 or mail to admin@ascent-chem.com.
We will respond to you as soon as possible.
Tel: +8615365186327
Email: admin@ascent-chem.com
Flexible payment, competitive price, premium service - Inquire now!
Hitachi Chemical PhotoImage 700, now supplied under the Resonac Corporation identity following the integration of Hitachi Chemical and Showa Denko, is an aqueous-processable negative-acting dry film photoresist intended for printed wiring board imaging. The product is supplied as a three-layer laminate comprising a polyethylene protective cover sheet, a photosensitive acrylic-based resist layer, and a polyester carrier film. After ultraviolet exposure through phototool artwork, the unexposed resist is removed in dilute sodium carbonate developer, leaving a crosslinked resist mask for subsequent copper pattern plating or etching. Published numerical values for this specific grade in independent literature remain limited; therefore, the process windows stated below are derived from general aqueous acrylic dry film behaviour and require confirmation against the current Resonac technical data sheet.
The PhotoImage 700 designation identifies the resist chemistry and imaging type; it does not encode film thickness, roll width, or cut-sheet geometry. Those variables are specified by order suffix and should be selected to match the printed wiring board base copper weight and design rule. For aqueous dry film systems of this class, common film thicknesses are 20 µm, 25 µm, 30 µm, 33 µm, 40 µm, and 50 µm, with the polyester carrier typically between 19 µm and 25 µm and the polyethylene cover sheet near 30 µm. Thickness selection is governed by etch or plating depth: a 50 µm dry film may be required for pattern plating of 35–50 µm copper thickness, while 20–25 µm layers are commonly used for innerlayer etch-only work. The supplier construction drawing should be consulted for exact layer dimensions, since published data for this specific configuration is limited.
Mechanical surface preparation prior to lamination commonly uses pumice or aluminum oxide scrub to produce copper roughness of 0.25–0.45 µm Ra as measured by contact profilometry according to ISO 4287:1997. This roughness range supports dry film adhesion without creating micro-etch distortion. Microetch with 3–5% sulfuric acid and subsequent rinse resistivity above 2 MΩ·cm is a frequent pre-lamination requirement. The resist is laminated onto double-sided panels in a single pass using heated rolls; first-side lamination temperature may be held 5–10 °C higher than the second side to compensate for panel heat loss.
The lamination step relies on heat and pressure to displace air and establish resist-copper contact. Representative production-scale hot-roll laminators apply nip pressure of 0.3–0.6 MPa at roll temperatures from 100 °C to 120 °C and transport speeds of 1.0–3.0 m/min. On lines with 1.2 m working width, preheat plate temperatures are typically held at 105–115 °C to minimise entrapped air at the copper surface. Because PhotoImage 700 is an aqueous acrylic system, lamination temperatures above 120 °C may initiate thermal crosslinking and narrow the development window. Production records for similar aqueous dry films show that failure to maintain roll temperature within 5 °C across the working width can produce intermittent adhesion voids at panel edges.
After lamination and before development, the polyester carrier remains in place during UV exposure and is peeled immediately prior to the spray developer. Typical UV exposure for aqueous acrylic dry films of this class is 40–80 mJ/cm² at the 365 nm i-line, with collimated UV units operating from 350–410 nm spectral output. A Stouffer 41-step wedge is used to evaluate photo speed; clear step retention of 7–9 after development is a common production target for similar aqueous dry films. Vacuum contact pressure at the exposure frame should be maintained below 0.08 MPa gauge to avoid phototool distortion while still reducing air gaps. Insufficient vacuum can create a gap of 10–20 µm that broadens imaged linewidths by 5–10 µm depending on collimation angle.
Development is carried out in conveyorized spray equipment with 0.8–1.2 wt% sodium carbonate at 28–32 °C and spray pressure of 0.15–0.25 MPa. Breakpoint is typically maintained between 35% and 55% of the chamber length. Exceeding 60% breakpoint can result in residue or sludging, while breakpoints below 30% may indicate overdevelopment and reduced adhesion. These values are not PhotoImage 700-specific; the current datasheet may define a narrower operating window. On production-scale conveyorized spray development of similar aqueous dry films, breakpoint drift of 5–10% is observed when developer temperature varies by 4 °C, making heat-exchanger control critical for line yield.
| Parameter | Typical operating range | Measurement condition or equipment |
|---|---|---|
| Lamination roll temperature | 100–120 °C | hot-roll laminator, roll surface thermocouple |
| Lamination speed | 1.0–3.0 m/min | production floor laminator |
| Nip pressure | 0.3–0.6 MPa | hydraulic or pneumatic nip |
| UV exposure dose | 40–80 mJ/cm² | 365 nm i-line radiometer |
| Developer concentration | 0.8–1.2 wt% Na₂CO₃ | titrated carbonate content |
| Developer temperature | 28–32 °C | spray chamber thermocouple |
| Spray pressure | 0.15–0.25 MPa | conveyorized spray module |
| Stouffer 41 clear steps | 7–9 | after development |
Actual printed wiring board usage of PhotoImage 700 follows the sequence of surface preparation, lamination, exposure, development, electrolytic copper or tin-lead plating, etching, and stripping. In pattern plating, the developed resist mask covers non-circuit areas while acid copper is plated into the exposed circuit pattern; the resist is then stripped in 2–5% sodium hydroxide at 40–50 °C. For innerlayer etching, the resist remains on the circuit traces while ammoniacal or cupric chloride etchants remove exposed copper; etch factor values of 2.5:1 to 4.0:1 are commonly observed on conveyorized etch lines with 35 µm copper. The dry film mask must withstand the chemical and thermal environment of the plating bath; process engineers should conduct adhesion and chemical resistance checks according to IPC-TM-650 2.4.8 and the relevant etch or plating compatibility tests required by IPC-6012.
Differences from other photoresist formats are defined by development chemistry and film application method. Solvent-processable dry films require chlorinated or glycol ether developers with solvent recovery and air emission controls; aqueous-processable PhotoImage 700 instead uses sodium carbonate solution, reducing VOC handling and simplifying waste neutralisation. Compared to liquid photoresists, dry film provides a dry, uniform layer without spin-coating edge beads or slot-die thickness variation. A 25 µm dry film typically displays thickness uniformity of ±2–5% across a 500 mm panel, whereas dip-coated liquid resists can show edge-thickness deviations above 10%; this permits tighter line and space control after exposure. However, dry film may form air entrapment at high-aspect-ratio through-hole rims if lamination speed and roll temperature are not matched to hole size.
Compared to other aqueous dry films, PhotoImage 700 may show different exposure latitude and development breakpoint position; peer-reviewed comparative data for this specific grade are limited. The product should therefore be evaluated against the fabricator’s incumbent dry film using the same exposure unit, developer charge, and panel metallisation rather than relying on generic resolution rankings.
| Property | Aqueous-processable dry film | Solvent-processable dry film | Liquid photoresist |
|---|---|---|---|
| Development medium | 0.8–1.2 wt% Na₂CO₃ | chlorinated solvent or glycol ether blend | aqueous alkaline or organic solvent |
| Nominal thickness range | 15–50 µm | 15–50 µm | <1–25 µm depending on coating method |
| Dry film thickness uniformity | ±2–5% of nominal | ±2–5% of nominal | ±5–15% edge bead possible |
| Through-hole tenting | conformal overlay possible | conformal overlay possible | limited at high aspect ratio |
| Solvent loading | low VOC | high VOC | variable |
| Typical resolution at 25 µm thickness | 50 µm line/space under optimized collimation | 50–75 µm line/space | 25–50 µm line/space depending on coating |
PhotoImage 700 is typically considered for printed wiring boards where design rule line/space dimensions approach 75 µm or 50 µm and where process control must remain stable across panel areas. In such applications, aqueous development avoids the solvent-induced swelling that can occur with some solvent-processable dry films, but imposes tighter control of breakpoint and rinse pH. Aqueous dry films of this class can resolve 50 µm lines and spaces at 25 µm thickness when a collimated UV source and low-surface-roughness copper are used; this is a generic capability and should be confirmed for PhotoImage 700 by photoresist qualification.
Copper etch factor becomes a limiting parameter for fine-line circuits. For cupric chloride etching of 35 µm copper, an etch factor of 2.5:1 to 4.0:1 produces undercut that can reduce trace width by 10–20 µm per side; the dry film must therefore be dimensionally stable enough to serve as an etch resist under heated etchant impingement. In ammoniacal etching, undercut values are typically lower, but the resist must survive pH above 8.5 and temperatures of 45–50 °C. For pattern plating, the dry film must suppress lateral growth and maintain vertical sidewalls in electrolytic copper baths operating at 1.5–2.5 A/dm². Thickness selection above 30 µm may be required for panel plating of 25–35 µm copper, but increased thickness lowers resolution because UV scattering in the resist layer broadens the sidewall profile. This trade-off between plating depth and image resolution is a documented design boundary for dry film photoresist processing.
PhotoImage 700 must be stored cold to retard thermal dark reaction of the acrylic photopolymer. A storage temperature of 5–10 °C is typical for aqueous dry films; the product should be allowed 4–8 h at room temperature before lamination to prevent condensation and lamination voids. Do not store at relative humidity above 70% for extended periods, and avoid exposure to UV or intense visible light before use. The resist is incompatible with amines and strongly alkaline solutions before exposure; such contact can initiate crosslinking or impair photospeed. Waste developer and rinse water streams contain dissolved acrylate residues and should be neutralised and discharged in accordance with local regulations.
Compliance statements under RoHS Directive 2011/65/EU and REACH Regulation EC 1907/2006 must be verified against the current Resonac product declaration; these regulations apply to the final printed circuit board product rather than to the processing chemical alone. Manufacturing-quality documentation for printed wiring board fabricators is normally maintained under ISO 9001:2015 or IATF 16949:2016; supplier certificates should be requested for each lot. Shelf-life limits are typically quoted by the manufacturer under specified cold-storage conditions and should not be extended without qualification because photo speed and development breakpoint are known to shift with aging.
