Methods of fabricating a microstructure array
AssigneeCanon Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorsTakayuki Teshima, Takayuki Yagi, Yasuhiro Shimada, Takashi Ushijima
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Abstract
In a method of fabricating an array of microstructures, a substrate with an electrically-conductive portion is provided, an insulating mask layer is formed on the electrically-conductive portion of the substrate, a plurality of openings are formed in the insulating mask layer to expose the electrically-conductive portion, and a first plated or electrodeposited layer is deposited in the openings and on the insulating mask layer by electroplating or electrodeposition. A second plated layer is further formed on the first plated or electrodeposited layer and on the electrically-conductive portion by electroless plating to reduce a size distribution of microstructures over the array.
Claims25
A method of fabricating an array of microstructures comprising the steps of:
- preparing a substrate with an electrically-conductive portion;
- forming an insulating mask layer on the electrically-conductive portion;
- forming a plurality of openings in the insulating mask layer to expose the electrically-conductive portion;
- electroplating a first plated layer or electrodepositing an electrodeposited layer in the plurality of openings and extending isotropically onto an adjacent portion of the insulating mask layer to form a semispherical or semicylindrical layer;
- and
- forming a second plated layer on the first plated layer or electrodeposited layer and on the electrically-conductive portion by electroless plating to thereby form a microstructure array comprising semispherical or semicylindrical microstructures.
A method of fabricating an array of microstructures comprising the steps of:
- preparing a substrate with an electrically-conductive portion;
- forming an insulating mask layer on the electrically-conductive portion;
- forming a plurality of openings in the insulating mask layer;
- electroplating a first plated layer or electrodepositing an electrodeposited layer in the plurality of openings and extending onto an adjacent portion of the insulating mask layer to form a semispherical or semicylindrical layer
- forming a second plated layer on the first plated layer or electrodeposited layer and on the electrically-conductive portion by electroless plating to thereby form a microstructure array comprising semispherical or semicylindrical microstructures;
- optionally forming a third plated layer on the second plated layer by electroless plating;
- and
- forming the first plated layer or electrodeposited layer such that a ratio of a diameter or width of the first plated layer or electrodeposited layer to a bottom diameter or width of a semispherical or semicylindrical microstructure is less than about 0.5.
A method for fabricating an array of microstructures comprising the steps of:
- preparing a substrate having an electrically-conductive portion;
- forming an insulating mask layer on the electrically-conductive portion and a plurality of openings in the insulating mask layer to expose the electrically-conductive portion;
- electroplating a first plated layer or electrodepositing an electrodeposited layer in the plurality of openings and extending isotropically onto an adjacent portion of the insulating mask layer to form a semispherical or semicylindrical layer;
- and
- forming a second plated layer on the first plated layer or electrodeposited layer and on the electrically-conductive portion by electroless plating to thereby form a microstructure array comprising semispherical or semicylindrical microstructures.
A method for fabricating a microlens array comprising the steps of:
- preparing a substrate having an electrically-conductive portion;
- forming an insulating mask layer on the electrically-conductive portion;
- forming a plurality of openings in the insulating mask layer to expose the electrically-conductive portion;
- electroplating a first plated layer or electrodepositing an electrodeposited layer in the plurality of openings and extending isotropically onto an adjacent portion of the insulating mask layer to form a semispherical or semicylindrical layer;
- and
- forming a second plated layer on the first plated layer or electrodeposited layer and on the electrically-conductive portion by electroless plating;
- forming a mold on the substrate having the first plated or electrodeposited layer and the second plated layer;
- separating the mold from the substrate;
- coating a resin over the mold;
- hardening the resin;
- and
- separating the resin from the mold to thereby form a convex microlens array.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.