Method and apparatus for the controlled fabrication of micro and nanoscale structures by thermocapillary lithography
AssigneeCalifornia Institute of Technology
InventorSandra M. Troian
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Abstract
An apparatus and method of controllably stimulating the growth and evolution of 2D and 3D structures from a thin film mass transfer process such that complex devices can be designed and fabricated having engineered features of different heights and separation distances in a single or few process steps are provided. More specifically, the apparatus and method allows for the construction of engineered temperature gradient fields capable of controlling for, and taking into account, proximity effects during the growth and evolution of adjacent structures, which in turn allows for the production of technologically significant micro and nanoscale devices in a number of fields.
Claims28
A method of producing at least one patterned film to yield 2D or 3D structures comprising the steps of:
- providing a substrate having a substrate surface for supporting the at least one film to be patterned;
- depositing at least one liquefiable film onto the film supporting surface;
- providing a three-dimensional plan of a desired device;
- designing a temperature gradient field configured to generate thermocapillary forces in the film, said thermocapillary forces being designed to cause a mass transfer in the film such that a three-dimensional pattern is formed in the film corresponding to the three-dimensional plan, wherein the modeling uses an interface evolution calculation that is configured to at least model the thermocapillary forces, said thermocapillary forces comprising at least the tangential shear stresses created by the temperature gradient field which promote the growth of the three-dimensional pattern, and the capillary forces inherent to the film which repress formation of the three-dimensional pattern;
- and
- exposing said at least one film to the temperature gradient field to produce the three-dimensional pattern in the film.
An apparatus for producing at least one patterned film, the apparatus comprising:
- a substrate having a substrate surface for supporting the at least one film to be patterned;
- a temperature gradient field in thermal communication with the film such that the temperature gradient field generates controlled thermocapillary forces which cause an engineered mass transfer in the film such that a pre-selected three-dimensional pattern is formed in the film, wherein the temperature gradient field is configured in accordance with an interface evolution calculation designed to at least model the thermocapillary forces, said thermocapillary forces comprising at least the tangential shear stresses created by the temperature gradient field which promote the growth of the three-dimensional pattern, and the capillary forces inherent to the film which repress formation of the three-dimensional pattern;
- and
- at least a first temperature controller adapted to generate at least one temperature gradient in the film.
A method of designing an engineered temperature gradient field configured to controllably direct a mass transfer in a film such that a pre-selected three-dimensional pattern is formed, comprising:
- modeling the thermocapillary forces generated in the film by the temperature gradient field using an interface evolution calculation that at least determines the tangential shear stresses created by the temperature gradient field which promote the growth of the three-dimensional pattern, and the capillary forces inherent to the film which repress formation of the three-dimensional pattern.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.