Patent US6719915B2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6719915B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Step and flash imprint lithography
Assignee: The University of Texas System
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Filing: 2001-07-19
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Granted: 2004-04-13
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Expires: 2021-07-19
Abstract
Abstract A method of forming a relief image in a structure comprising a substrate and a transfer layer formed thereon comprises covering the transfer layer with a polymerizable fluid composition, and then contacting the polymerizable fluid composition with a mold having a relief structure formed therein such that the polymerizable fluid composition fills the relief structure in the mold. The polymerizable fluid composition is subjected to conditions to polymerize polymerizable fluid composition and form a solidified polymeric material therefrom on the transfer layer. The mold is then separated from the solid polymeric material such that a replica of the relief structure in the mold is formed in the solidified polymeric material; and the transfer layer and the solidified polymeric material are subjected to an environment to selectively etch the transfer layer relative to the solidified polymeric material such that a relief image is formed in the transfer layer.
Inventors
- 👤 Carlton Grant Willson
- 👤 Matthew Earl Colburn
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 07:47
CPC Classifications
B; B29; B29C; B29C43/00; B29C43/003; B29C43/02; B29C43/021; B82; B82Y; B82Y10/00; B82Y40/00; G; G03; G03F; G03F7/00; G03F7/0002; B29C2043/023; B29C2043/025; H; H05; H05K; H05K3/00; H05K3/02; H05K3/06; H05K3/061; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S977/00; Y10S977/84; Y10S977/887; Y10S977/895; Y10S977/896; Y10S977/897
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
150 words
A method of forming a relief image in a structure comprising a substrate and a polymeric transfer layer formed thereon, said method comprising: covering the polymeric transfer layer with a polymerizable fluid composition; contacting the polymerizable fluid composition with a mold having a relief structure formed therein such that the polymerizable fluid composition substantially fills the relief structure in the mold; subjecting the polymerizable fluid composition to conditions to polymerize polymerizable fluid composition and form a solidified polymeric material therefrom on the polymeric transfer layer; separating the mold from the solid polymeric material such that a replica of the relief structure in the mold is formed in the solidified polymeric material; and subjecting the polymeric transfer layer and the solidified polymeric material to an environment to selectively etch the polymeric transfer layer relative to the solidified polymeric material such that a relief image is formed in the polymeric transfer layer.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
150 words
A method of forming a relief image in a structure comprising a substrate and a polymeric transfer layer formed thereon, said method comprising: covering the polymeric transfer layer with a polymerizable fluid composition; contacting the polymerizable fluid composition with a mold having a relief structure formed therein such that the polymerizable fluid composition substantially fills the relief structure in the mold; subjecting the polymerizable fluid composition to conditions to polymerize polymerizable fluid composition and form a solidified polymeric material therefrom on the polymeric transfer layer; separating the mold from the solid polymeric material such that a replica of the relief structure in the mold is formed in the solidified polymeric material; and subjecting the polymeric transfer layer and the solidified polymeric material to an environment to selectively etch the polymeric transfer layer relative to the solidified polymeric material such that a relief image is formed in the polymeric transfer layer.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
48 words
A method according to claim 1 , further comprising the step of fabricating a device from the structure, the device selected from the group consisting of a microelectronic device, an information storage device, a printed wiring board, a flat panel display, a micromachine, and a charge couple device.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method according to claim 1 , wherein the polymerizable fluid composition comprises a silicon-containing material.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method according to claim 1 , wherein the polymerizable fluid composition comprises an organosilane.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method according to claim 4 , wherein the organosilane contains elemental silicon in an amount greater than about 8 weight percent based on the weight of the polymerizable fluid composition.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
39 words
A method according to claim 1 , wherein the polymerizable fluid composition includes a reactive pendant group selected from the group consisting of an epoxy group, a ketene acetyl group, an acrylate group, a methacrylate group, and combinations thereof.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
40 words
A method according to claim 1 , wherein the transfer layer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of an organic thermoset polymer, a thermoplastic polymer, a polyepoxy, a polyamide, a polyurethane, a polycarbonate, a polyester, and combinations thereof.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
35 words
A method according to claim 1 , wherein the mold comprises a material selected from the group consisting of metal, silicon, an organic polymer, a siloxane polymer, borosilicate glass, a fluorocarbon polymer, and combinations thereof.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
12 words
A method according to claim 1 , wherein the mold comprises quartz.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method according to claim 1 , further comprising the step of treating the mold with a surface modifying agent.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
42 words
A method according to claim 10 , wherein said step of treating the mold is carried out by employing a technique selected from the group consisting of a plasma technique, a chemical vapor deposition technique, a solution treatment technique, and mixtures thereof.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method according to claim 10 , wherein the surface modifying agent is a fluorocarbon silylating agent.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
43 words
A method according to claim 1 , wherein the mold is transparent and wherein said step of subjecting the polymerizable fluid composition comprises subjecting the polymerizable fluid composition to radiation sufficient to polymerize the fluid composition and to form the solidified polymeric material.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
59 words
A method according to claim 1 , wherein said step of subjecting the transfer layer and the solidified polymeric material to an environment comprises subjecting the transfer layer and the solid polymeric material to an environment comprising an argon ion stream, an oxygen-containing plasma, a reactive ion etch gas, a halogenated-containing gas, a sulfur dioxide-containing gas, and combinations thereof.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
74 words
A method according to claim 1 , wherein residual material selected from the group consisting of a portion of the polymerizable fluid composition, a portion of the solid polymeric material, and combinations thereof is present subsequent to said step of subjecting the polymerizable fluid composition to conditions to form a solid polymeric material, and said method further comprising the step of subjecting the residual material to conditions such that the residual material is removed.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
45 words
A method according to claim 15 , wherein said step of subjecting the residual material occurs prior to said step of subjecting the transfer layer and the solid polymeric material to an environment to selectively etch the transfer layer relative to the solid polymeric material.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
53 words
A method according to claim 15 , wherein said step of subjecting the residual material to conditions such that the residual material is removed comprises subjecting the residual material to an environment selected from the group consisting of an argon ion stream, a fluorine-containing plasma, a reactive ion etch gas, and mixtures thereof.
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