Unzippable polymer mask for screening operations
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsFuad E. Doany, Gary W. Grube, Ravi Saraf
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention relates to a dry process for forming patterns on a substrate. More particularly, the process contemplates coating an unzippable polymer film with a small amount of desirable UV if required on a substrate; laser ablating said film into a desired pattern or mask; screening a conductive or resistive paste onto the substrate through the ablated features of said mask; heating said substrate and mask to the unzipping temperature of said mask; and, vaporizing said mask and UV absorbing dye if present leaving behind the solid of said conductive or resistive past adhered to the substrate in the desired pattern.
Claims18
A process for forming a pattern on a substrate comprising:
- (a) laser ablating a polymer film coated on a substrate, said film comprising at least one thermally unzippable polymer, to form the desired pattern or mask;
- (b) screening a conductive or resistive paste through the ablated features of the mask and onto the substrate;
- (c) heating the substrate/polymer mask to a temperature effective to substantially eliminate the adhesion between said mask and said substrate;
- and
- (d) removing said polymer mask leaving behind the conductive or resistive solid of said paste adhered to the substrate in the desired pattern.
A process for forming a desired pattern on a substrate comprising:
- (a) admixing a UV absorbing dye with at least one unzippable polymer, said polymer(s) being transparent to UV radiation, to form an unzippable ablatable complex;
- (b) coating said ablatable complex on a substrate to form an unzippable, ablatable film;
- (c) laser ablating said film to form the desired pattern or mask;
- (d) screening a conductive or resistive paste through the ablated features of the mask onto the substrate;
- (e) heating the substrate to a temperature effective to depolymerize the unzippable polymer and vaporize the UV absorbing dye leaving behind the conductive or resistive solid of said paste adhered to the substrate in the desired pattern.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.