Method for selectively exposing an uneven substrate surface
AssigneeMinnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
InventorsFrancis J. McFadden, Michael F. Weber
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for selectively exposing an uneven substrate surface. The method can be used to remove a coating from the upper portions of the substrate surface by applying photoresist over the coating, placing a prism on the coated substrate, projecting light rays through the prism toward the substrate surface, removing either the exposed or unexposed photoresist, and removing the exposed coating.
Claims28
A method for selectively removing a coating from portions of a substrate surface having upper and lower portions, including the steps of
- a. applying a layer of photosensitive material over a substrate surface covered with a coating, wherein said substrate surface has upper and lower portions;
- b. placing a prismatic element on top of the photosensitive-covered, substrate surface;
- c. projecting light rays through said prismatic element toward said substrate surface so that the portions of said photosensitive material proximate said prismatic element are exposed to said light rays, while the portions of said photosensitive material not proximate said prismatic element are left unexposed;
- d. removing those portions of said photosensitive material which are soluble in developer;
- and
- e. removing those portions of said coating which are no longer covered by said photosensitive material.
The method according to claim I further including, prior to step c, placing a light absorbing layer on the side of said substrate opposite said substrate surface.
A method for selectively exposing portions of a substrate surface having upper and lower portions, including:
- placing a prismatic element on top of a substrate surface having upper and lower portions;
- and
- projecting light rays from a light source through said prismatic element toward said substrate surface so that the portions of said substrate surface proximate said prismatic element are exposed to said light rays, while the portions of said substrate surface not proximate said prismatic element are left unexposed.
An apparatus for selectively exposing portions of a substrate surface having upper and lower portions, including, in combination:
- a. a prismatic element;
- b. means for accepting and holding a substrate in a given plane;
- c. means for moving said prismatic element and said substrate holding means toward one another so that said prismatic element can be brought in contact with said substrate;
- and
- d. a light source directed toward said prismatic element so that light rays from said light source travel through said prismatic element and illuminate those portions of said substrate surface which are proximate said prismatic element, but do not illuminate those portions of said substrate which are not proximate said prismatic element.
An apparatus for continuously exposing selected portions of a flexible substrate surface having Upper and lower portions, including, in combination:
- a. a transparent film having two sides, having a plurality of tiny, adjacent prismatic elements on one of said sides;
- b. a first rotatable roll and a plurality of other rotatable rolls, wherein said film is wound about said first roll and said plurality of other rolls, and wherein said first roll is configured to receive a flexible substrate between said first roll and said film;
- c. a light source directed toward said plurality of tiny, adjacent prismatic elements on said film so that light rays from said light source travel through said film and illuminate those portions of said substrate which are proximate said film, but do not illuminate those portions of said substrate which are not proximate said film;
- and
- d. means for rotating said first roll to move different a real portions of said substrate past said light source.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.