# US 10,372,031 B2 · Method for making microstructures > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,372,031 B2 - Document ID: US10372031B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/680,334 - Filed: 2017-08-18 - Published: 2018-06-07 - Granted: 2019-08-06 - Earliest claimed: 2016-12-01 - Assignees: Tsinghua University; Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Tsinghua University; Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Mo Chen; Qun-Qing Li; Li-Hui Zhang; Yuan-Hao Jin; Dong An; Shou-Shan Fan - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10372031B2 ## CPC - G03F 1/54: Absorbers, e.g. of opaque materials - G03F 1/00: Originals for photomechanical production of textured or patterned surfaces, e.g., masks, photo-masks, reticles; Mask blanks or pellicles therefor; Containers specially adapted therefor; Preparation thereof - G03F 1/48: Protective coatings - G03F 1/50: Mask blanks not covered by G03F1/20 - G03F1/34; Preparation thereof - G03F 7/20: Exposure; Apparatus therefor (photographic printing apparatus for making copies G03B27/00) - G03F 7/2014: {Contact or film exposure of light sensitive plates such as lithographic plates or circuit boards, e.g. in a vacuum frame} - G03F 7/30: Imagewise removal using liquid means - G03F: PHOTOMECHANICAL PRODUCTION OF TEXTURED OR PATTERNED SURFACES, e.g. FOR PRINTING, FOR PROCESSING OF SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; MATERIALS THEREFOR; ORIGINALS THEREFOR; APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED THEREFOR; (phototypographic composing devices B41B; photosensitive materials or processes for photographic purposes G03C; electrophotography, sensitive layers or processes therefor G03G) ## Abstract A method of making microstructures, the method including: providing a first substrate, setting a photoresist layer on a surface of the first substrate; covering a surface of the photoresist layer with a photolithography mask plate, wherein the photolithography mask plate comprises a second substrate and a carbon nanotube composite layer located on a surface of the second substrate; exposing the photoresist layer to form an exposed photoresist layer by irradiating the photoresist layer through the photolithography mask plate with ultraviolet light; developing the exposed photoresist layer to obtain a patterned photoresist microstructures. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of making microstructures, comprising: providing a first substrate having a surface, setting a photoresist layer on the surface of the first substrate; covering a surface of the photoresist layer with a photolithography mask plate, wherein the photolithography mask plate comprises a second substrate and a carbon nanotube composite layer located on a surface of the second substrate, the carbon nanotube composite layer comprises a carbon nanotube layer and a cover layer, the carbon nanotube layer comprises a plurality of carbon nanotubes and defines a plurality of holes between adjacent carbon nanotubes, the photolithography mask plate comprises a light transmitting region and a light absorption region, the light transmitting region corresponds to the plurality of holes, and the light absorption region corresponds to the plurality of carbon nanotubes; exposing the photoresist layer to form an exposed photoresist layer by irradiating the photoresist layer through the photolithography mask plate with ultraviolet light, wherein a surface of the photoresist layer corresponding to the light transmitting region is exposed to the ultraviolet light, and a surface of the photoresist layer corresponding to the light absorption region is not exposed to the ultraviolet light; and developing the exposed photoresist layer to obtain a patterned photoresist microstructures, wherein a pattern of the patterned photoresist microstructures is consistent with a pattern of the carbon nanotube layer. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the carbon nanotube composite layer is located between the second substrate and the photoresist layer. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the second substrate is located between the carbon nanotube composite layer and the photoresist layer. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein a transmittance of the second substrate to ultraviolet light is more than 60%. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the photolithography mask plate comprises at least two second substrates and at least two carbon nanotube composite layers, and each composite layer is located on one of the two second substrates to form a photolithography mask plate unit. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the carbon nanotube layer is in direct contact with the surface of the second substrate, and the cover layer covers the carbon nanotube layer. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the carbon nanotube layer is a free-standing structure and comprises a plurality of carbon nanotubes joined end to end by van der Waals attractive force along an extending direction. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the carbon nanotube layer comprises a carbon nanotube film, and the carbon nanotube film comprises a plurality of successive and oriented carbon nanotubes joined end-to-end by van der Waals attractive force. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the developing the exposed photoresist layer comprises removing the photolithography mask plate from the photoresist layer. ### Claim 10 A method of making microstructures, comprising: providing a first substrate having a surface, setting a photoresist layer on the surface of the first substrate; covering a surface of the photoresist layer with a photolithography mask plate, wherein the photolithography mask plate comprises a second substrate and a carbon nanotube layer located on a surface of the second substrate, the carbon nanotube layer consists of a plurality of carbon nanotubes and defines a plurality of holes between adjacent carbon nanotubes, the photolithography mask plate comprises a light transmitting region and a light absorption region, the light transmitting region corresponds to the plurality of holes, and the light absorption region corresponds to the plurality of carbon nanotubes; exposing the photoresist layer to form an exposed photoresist layer by irradiating the photoresist layer through the photolithography mask plate with ultraviolet light, wherein a surface of the photoresist layer corresponding to the light transmitting region is exposed to the ultraviolet light, and a surface of the photoresist layer corresponding to the light absorption region is not exposed to the ultraviolet light; and developing the exposed photoresist layer to obtain a patterned photoresist microstructures, wherein a pattern of the patterned photoresist microstructures is consistent with a pattern of the carbon nanotube layer. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the photolithography mask plate further comprises a third substrate, and the third substrate is located on the surface of the carbon nanotube layer so that the carbon nanotube layer is sandwiched between the second substrate and the third substrate.