US6180239B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Microcontact printing on surfaces and derivative articles
Assignee: Harvard University
•
Filing: 1996-07-08
•
Granted: 2001-01-30
•
Expires: 2016-07-08
Abstract
Abstract Improved method of forming a patterned self-assembled monolayer on a surface and derivative articles are provided. According to one method, an elastomeric stamp is deformed during and/or prior to using the stamp to print a self-assembled molecular monolayer on a surface. According to another method, during monolayer printing the surface is contacted with a liquid that is immiscible with the molecular monolayer-forming species to effect controlled reactive spreading of the monolayer on the surface. Methods of printing self-assembled molecular monolayers on nonplanar surfaces and derivative articles are provided, as are methods of etching surfaces patterned with self-assembled monolayers, including methods of etching silicon. Optical elements including flexible diffraction gratings, mirrors, and lenses are provided, as are methods for forming optical devices and other articles using lithographic molding. A method for controlling the shape of a liquid on the surface of an article is provided, involving applying the liquid to a self-assembled monolayer on the surface, and controlling the electrical potential of the surface.
Inventors
- 👤 George M. Whitesides
- 👤 Younan Xia
- 👤 James L. Wilbur
- 👤 Rebecca J. Jackman
- 👤 Enoch Kim
- 👤 Mara G. Prentiss
- 👤 Milan Mrksich
- 👤 Amit Kumar
- 👤 Christopher B. Gorman
- 👤 Hans Biebuyck
- 👤 Karl K. Berggren
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 05:38
CPC Classifications
B; B05; B05D; B05D1/00; B05D1/28; B05D1/283; B01; B01L; B01L3/00; B01L3/50; B01L3/508; B01L3/5085; B01L3/5088; B82; B82Y; B82Y10/00; B82Y30/00; B82Y40/00; G; G02; G02B; G02B5/00; G02B5/18; G02B5/1847; G02B5/1857; G02B6/00; G02B6/10; G02B6/12; G02B6/122; G02B6/124; G02B6/13; G02B6/136; G03; G03F; G03F7/00; G03F7/0002; G03F7/16; G03F7/165; H; H10; H10W; H10W20/00; H10W20/01; H10W70/00; H10W70/01; H10W70/05; H10W70/098; H10W72/00; H10W72/01; H10W72/0198; B01J; B01J2219/00; B01J2219/00274; B01J2219/00277; B01J2219/00351; B01J2219/00382; B01J2219/00583; B01J2219/00603; B01J2219/00605; B01J2219/00612; B01J2219/00632; B01J2219/00637; B01J2219/00659; B01L2300/00; B01L2300/06; B01L2300/0627; B01L2300/0654; B01L2300/08; B01L2300/0809; B01L2300/0819; B01L2300/0848; B01L2300/0851; C; C40; C40B; C40B60/00; C40B60/14; G02B2006/12083; G02B2006/12102; G02B2006/12104; G02B2006/12107; H10W72/071; H10W72/073; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T428/00; Y10T428/24; Y10T428/24802; Y10T428/31504
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 44
Claim 1
Independent Claim
37 words
A device comprising: an article defining a nonplanar surface; and an isolated region of a self-assembled monolayer of a molecular species on the nonplanar surface, the isolated region including a lateral dimension of less than 10 microns.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
37 words
A device comprising: an article defining a nonplanar surface; and an isolated region of a self-assembled monolayer of a molecular species on the nonplanar surface, the isolated region including a lateral dimension of less than 10 microns.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
20 words
A device as in claim 1 , wherein the isolated region includes a lateral dimension of less than 5 microns.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
A device as in claim 1 , wherein the isolated region includes a lateral dimension of less than 2 microns.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
20 words
A device as in claim 1 , wherein the isolated region includes a lateral dimension of less than 0.5 micron.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
28 words
A device as in claim 4 , further comprising a stamp having a stamping surface, in contact with the nonplanar surface, able to direct formation of the pattern.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
15 words
A device as in claim 5 , wherein the stamp includes an elastomeric stamping surface.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
22 words
A device as in claim 5 , wherein the stamping surface defines protrusions of a contoured surface including protrusions and intervening indentations.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
15 words
A device as in claim 7 , wherein the stamp includes an elastomeric stamping surface.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
30 words
A device as in claim 4 , further comprising a stamp having a stamping surface, in contact with the surface of the article, able to direct formation of the pattern.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
21 words
A device as in claim 1 , wherein the isolated region pattern includes a lateral dimension of less than 0.1 micron.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
28 words
A device as in claim 10 , further comprising a stamp having a stamping surface, in contact with the nonplanar surface, able to direct formation of the pattern.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
15 words
A device as in claim 11 , wherein the stamp includes an elastomeric stamping surface.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
22 words
A device as in claim 11 , wherein the stamping surface defines protrusions of a contoured surface including protrusions and intervening indentations.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
15 words
A device as in claim 13 , wherein the stamp includes an elastomeric stamping surface.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
32 words
A device as in claim 1 , included in a combination further comprising a stamp having a stamping surface, in contact with the nonplanar surface, able to direct formation of the pattern.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
15 words
A device as in claim 15 , wherein the stamp includes an elastomeric stamping surface.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
22 words
A device as in claim 15 , wherein the stamping surface defines protrusions of a contoured surface including protrusions and intervening indentations.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
15 words
A device as in claim 17 , wherein the stamp includes an elastomeric stamping surface.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
30 words
A device as in claim 1 , wherein the surface is of material selected from the group consisting of silicon, titanium, zirconium, germanium, aluminum, copper, oxides of these or glass.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
36 words
An article as in claim 1 , wherein the surface is of a material selected from the group consisting of gold, silver, nickel, cadmium, zinc, palladium, platinum, iron, chromium, alloys of these or alloys of copper.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
24 words
A device as in claim 1 , comprising a plurality of isolated regions of a self-assembled monolayer of a molecular species on the surface.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
19 words
A device as in claim 21 , wherein the plurality of isolated regions are essentially identical to each other.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
33 words
An article as in claim 22 , wherein the isolated regions of the self-assembled monolayer expose a first chemical functionality, and are surrounded by a self-assembled monolayer exposing a second different chemical functionality.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
21 words
A device as in claim 23 , wherein the first chemical functionality is hydrophilic and the second chemical functionality is hydrophobic.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
21 words
A device as in claim 24 , wherein the first chemical functionality is hydrophobic and the second chemical functionality is hydrophilic.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
18 words
A device as in claim 1 , wherein the isolated region covers a rectangular portion of the surface.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
34 words
A device as in claim 1 , comprising a plurality of isolated regions of the self-assembled monolayer on the surface, the plurality of regions defining an ordered array of rectangular regions of the surface.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
33 words
A device as claim 27 , comprising a plurality of isolated regions of the self-assembled monolayer on the surface, the plurality of regions defining an ordered array of square regions of the surface.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
30 words
A device as in claim 1 , wherein the isolated region, together with other self-assembled monolayer features on the surface, defines a gap of lateral dimension less than 10 microns.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
23 words
A device as in claim 1 , wherein the isolated region defines a pattern including a lateral dimension of less than 0.25 microns.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
66 words
An article defining a surface able to support a self-assembled monolayer of a molecular species on the surface, included in a combination further comprising a stamp having a surface, in contact with the surface of the article, able to direct formation of a pattern of the self-assembled monolayer of the molecular species on the surface, the pattern including a lateral dimension of less than 10 microns.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
66 words
An article defining a surface able to support a self-assembled monolayer of a molecular species on the surface, included in a combination further comprising a stamp having a surface, in contact with the surface of the article, able to direct formation of a pattern of the self-assembled monolayer of the molecular species on the surface, the pattern including a lateral dimension of less than 10 microns.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
22 words
An article as in claim 31 , the isolated region defining a pattern including a lateral dimension of less than 5 microns.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
22 words
An article as in claim 31 , the isolated region defining a pattern including a lateral dimension of less than 2 microns.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
22 words
An article as in claim 31 , the isolated region defining a pattern including a lateral dimension of less than 0.5 micron.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
22 words
An article as in claim 31 , the isolated region defining a pattern including a lateral dimension of less than 0.1 micron.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
15 words
An article as in claim 31 , wherein the stamp has an elastomeric stamping surface.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
22 words
An article as in claim 31 , wherein the stamping surface defines protrusions of a contoured surface including protrusions and intervening indentations.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
33 words
An article as in claim 31 , wherein the isolated regions of the self-assembled monolayer expose a first chemical functionality, and are surrounded by a self-assembled monolayer exposing a second, different chemical functionality.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
21 words
An article as in claim 38 , wherein the first chemical functionality is hydrophilic and the second chemical functionality is hydrophobic.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
21 words
An article as in claim 38 , wherein the first chemical functionality is hydrophobic and the second chemical functionality is hydrophilic.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
47 words
An article defining a surface; and a self-assembled monolayer of a molecular species on the surface defining a pattern, the pattern corresponding to a pattern of a stamping surface able to direct formation of the pattern of the self-assembled monolayer of the molecular species on the surface.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
47 words
An article defining a surface; and a self-assembled monolayer of a molecular species on the surface defining a pattern, the pattern corresponding to a pattern of a stamping surface able to direct formation of the pattern of the self-assembled monolayer of the molecular species on the surface.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2004-01-30 | 2004-07-31 | 2005-01-30 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2008-01-30 | 2008-07-31 | 2009-01-30 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2012-01-30 | 2012-07-31 | 2013-01-30 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |