Non-photographic method for patterning organic polymer films

Claim 2

A non-photographic method for making patterns in organic polymer films comprising the sequential steps: a. Applying to a substrate an unpatterned first layer comprising a solid organic polymer which is dispersible in a predetermined eluant; b. Applying to the unpatterned first layer a patterned second layer comprising an agent which is capable of changing the dispersibility of the solid organic polymer in the predetermined eluant; c. Effecting patterned diffusion of the dispersibility-changing agent into the underlying solid organic polymer layer; and d. Removing the areas of the underlying first layer which are dispersible in the eluant, by washing them with the predetermined eluant.

Claim 3

A negative-acting non-photographic method for making patterns in organic polymer films comprising the sequential steps: a. Applying to a substrate an unpatterned first solid organic polymer layer comprising a solid organic polymer; b. Applying to the unpatterned first organic solid polymer layer a patterned second layer comprising a viscous dispersion of solid organic polymer, dispersibility-changing agents optionally a solvent, the dispersibility-changing agents (1) being a dispersant for the polymer of the first organic polymer layer and (2) having a higher atmospheric boiling point than the solvent; c. Drying the patterned second layer to remove the solvent therefrom and to effect patterned diffusion of the solubilizing agent into the underlying first organic polymer layer; and d. Removing the patterned second layer and the diffusion patterned areas of the underlying first layer by washing them in a an eluant in which the second layer and diffusion-patterned areas of the first layer are dispersible.

Claim 4

A negative-acting non-photographic method for making patterns in organic polymer films comprising the sequential steps: a. Applying to a substrate an unpatterned first solid organic polymer layer comprising a solid organic polymer; b. Applying to the unpatterned first organic solid polymer layer a patterned second layer comprising a viscous dispersion of solid organic polymer, dispersibility-changing agents optionally a solvent, the dispersibility-changing agents (1) being a dispersant for the polymer of the first organic polymer layer and (2) having a higher atmospheric boiling point than the solvent; c. Drying the patterned second layer to remove the solvent therefrom and to effect patterned diffusion of the solubilizing agent into the underlying first organic polymer layer; and d. Removing the patterned second layer and the diffusion patterned areas of the underlying first layer by washing them in a an eluant in which the second layer and diffusion-patterned areas of the first layer are dispersible.

Claim 5

A positive-acting non-photographic method for making patterns in organic polymer films comprising the sequential steps: a. Applying to a substrate an unpatterned first layer comprising a solid organic polymer which is dispersible in a predetermined solvent; b. Applying to the unpatterned first layer a patterned second layer comprising a desolubilizing agent which is capable of decreasing the solubility of the organic polymer in the solvent; c. Heating the patterned second layer to effect patterned diffusion of the desolubilizing agent into the underlying first organic polymer layer and to render the diffusion patterned areas of the polymer in the first layer insoluble in the solvent; and d. Removing the non-patterned areas of the underlying first layer by washing them in the predetermined solvent.

Claim 6

A positive-acting non-photographic method for making patterns in organic polymer films comprising the sequential steps: a. Applying to a substrate an unpatterned first layer comprising a solid organic polymer which is dispersible in a predetermined solvent; b. Applying to the unpatterned first layer a patterned second layer comprising a desolubilizing agent which is capable of decreasing the solubility of the organic polymer in the solvent; c. Heating the patterned second layer to effect patterned diffusion of the desolubilizing agent into the underlying first organic polymer layer and to render the diffusion patterned areas of the polymer in the first layer insoluble in the solvent; and d. Removing the non-patterned areas of the underlying first layer by washing them in the predetermined solvent.

Claim 7

The method of claim 1 in which the dispersibility-changing agent is a catalyst for decomposition of the first layer polymer.

Claim 8

The method of claim 1 in which the dispersibility-changing agent is a plasticizer for the first layer polymer.

Claim 9

The method of claim 1 in which the dispersibility-changing agent is a detergent capable of dispersing the first layer polymer.

Claim 10

A non-photographic method for making patterns in organic polymer films comprising the sequential steps: a. Applying to a substrate an unpatterned first layer comprising a solid organic polymer which is soluble in a predetermined solvent; b. Applying to the unpatterned first layer a patterned second layer comprising an agent which is capable of changing the solubility of the solid organic polymer in the predetermined solvent; c. Effecting patterned diffusion of the solubility-changing agent into the underlying solid organic polymer layer; and d. Removing the areas of the underlying first layer which are soluble in the solvent, by washing them with the predetermined solvent.

Claim 11

A non-photographic method for making patterns in organic polymer films comprising the sequential steps: a. Applying to a substrate an unpatterned first layer comprising a solid organic polymer which is soluble in a predetermined solvent; b. Applying to the unpatterned first layer a patterned second layer comprising an agent which is capable of changing the solubility of the solid organic polymer in the predetermined solvent; c. Effecting patterned diffusion of the solubility-changing agent into the underlying solid organic polymer layer; and d. Removing the areas of the underlying first layer which are soluble in the solvent, by washing them with the predetermined solvent.

Claim 12

A negative-acting non-photographic method for making patterns in organic polymer films comprising the sequential steps: a. Applying to a substrate an unpatterned first solid organic polymer layer comprising a solid organic polymer; b. Applying to the unpatterned first organic solid polymer layer a patterned second layer comprising a viscous solution of solid organic polymer, solubilizing agent and solvent, the solubilizing agent (1) being soluble in the polymer of the first organic polymer layer and (2) having a higher atmospheric boiling point than the solvent; c. Drying the patterned second layer to remove the solvent therefrom and to effect patterned diffusion of the solubilizing agent into the underlying first organic polymer layer; and d. Removing the patterned second layer and the diffusion patterned areas of the underlying first layer by washing them in a second solvent in which the second layer and diffusion-patterned areas of the first layer are soluble.

Claim 13

A negative-acting non-photographic method for making patterns in organic polymer films comprising the sequential steps: a. Applying to a substrate an unpatterned first solid organic polymer layer comprising a solid organic polymer; b. Applying to the unpatterned first organic solid polymer layer a patterned second layer comprising a viscous solution of solid organic polymer, solubilizing agent and solvent, the solubilizing agent (1) being soluble in the polymer of the first organic polymer layer and (2) having a higher atmospheric boiling point than the solvent; c. Drying the patterned second layer to remove the solvent therefrom and to effect patterned diffusion of the solubilizing agent into the underlying first organic polymer layer; and d. Removing the patterned second layer and the diffusion patterned areas of the underlying first layer by washing them in a second solvent in which the second layer and diffusion-patterned areas of the first layer are soluble.

Claim 14

A positive-acting non-photographic method for making patterns in organic polymer films comprising the sequential steps: a. Applying to a substrate an unpatterned first layer comprising a solid organic polymer which is soluble in a predetermined solvent; b. Applying to the unpatterned first layer a patterned second layer comprising a desolubilizing agent which is capable of decreasing the solubility of the organic polymer in the solvent; c. Heating the patterned second layer to effect patterned diffusion of the desolubilizing agent into the underlying first organic polymer layer and to render the diffusion patterned areas of the polymer in the first layer insoluble in the solvent; and d. Removing the non-patterned areas of the underlying first layer by washing them in the predetermined solvent.

Claim 15

A positive-acting non-photographic method for making patterns in organic polymer films comprising the sequential steps: a. Applying to a substrate an unpatterned first layer comprising a solid organic polymer which is soluble in a predetermined solvent; b. Applying to the unpatterned first layer a patterned second layer comprising a desolubilizing agent which is capable of decreasing the solubility of the organic polymer in the solvent; c. Heating the patterned second layer to effect patterned diffusion of the desolubilizing agent into the underlying first organic polymer layer and to render the diffusion patterned areas of the polymer in the first layer insoluble in the solvent; and d. Removing the non-patterned areas of the underlying first layer by washing them in the predetermined solvent.

Claim 16

A non-photographic method for making patterns in thick film layers comprising the sequential steps of: a. Applying to a substrate an unpatterned thick film layer comprising finely divided particles of electrically functional solids dispersed in an organic medium comprising a first solid polymer dissolved in a volatile solvent; b. Removing the solvent from the thick film layer by evaporation; c. Applying to the solvent-free unpatterned thick film layer a patterned second layer comprising a viscous dispersion of non-crystalline polymer, plasticizer for the first polymer and a second solvent, the plasticizer being soluble in the first layer polymer and having a higher boiling point than the second solvent; d. Heating the patterned second layer simultaneously to remove the second solvent therefrom by evaporation and to effect patterned diffusion of the plasticizer from the second layer into the underlying areas of the first layer; e. Washing the layers with a solvent in which both the plasticized first polymer and the second layer polymer are soluble to effect simultaneously removal of the patterned second layer and the underlying diffusion patterned areas of the first layer.

Claim 17

A non-photographic method for making patterns in thick film layers comprising the sequential steps of: a. Applying to a substrate an unpatterned thick film layer comprising finely divided particles of electrically functional solids dispersed in an organic medium comprising a first solid polymer dissolved in a volatile solvent; b. Removing the solvent from the thick film layer by evaporation; c. Applying to the solvent-free unpatterned thick film layer a patterned second layer comprising a viscous dispersion of non-crystalline polymer, plasticizer for the first polymer and a second solvent, the plasticizer being soluble in the first layer polymer and having a higher boiling point than the second solvent; d. Heating the patterned second layer simultaneously to remove the second solvent therefrom by evaporation and to effect patterned diffusion of the plasticizer from the second layer into the underlying areas of the first layer; e. Washing the layers with a solvent in which both the plasticized first polymer and the second layer polymer are soluble to effect simultaneously removal of the patterned second layer and the underlying diffusion patterned areas of the first layer.

Claim 18

The method of claim 10 in which the first layer polymer and the patterned layer polymers are of the same composition.

Claim 19

The method of claim 10 in which the first layer polymer is poly (methacrylate), the plasticizer is an alkyl phthalate and the volatile solvent in the patterned layer is terpineol.