Vapor phase surface modification of composite substrates to form a molecularly thin release layer
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsTricia L. Breen, Laura L. Kosbar, Michael P. Mastro, Ronald W. Nunes
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Abstract
A method of exposing a composite organic/inorganic master to alkylchlorosilanes in the vapor phase. Chlorosilanes participate in facile reactions with hydroxyl groups existing on the surface of inorganic oxides (such as glass or the native oxides on silicon, aluminum, tin, etc.); or those in organics-containing phenolic or alcoholic groups, such as photoresists. The alkyl group on the silane can be chosen from a large selection of aliphatic or aromatic organic groups that have substituents with varying polarity and reactivity.
Claims15
A method for creating a low surface energy, hydrophobic, chemically bonded and molecularly thin release layer on masters using vapor phase silanes that aid in the fabrication of a shaped article of commerce from the master comprising:
- a substrate composed of an organic composition containing hydroxyl functionality, or a composite of organic and inorganic materials having hydroxyl groups on the surface thereof;
- an organic photoresist layer spun thereon, said photoresist layer having a first and second surface;
- exposing and developing said photoresist layer to produce images that are the inverse of those desired in the final shaped article of commerce, said substrate and imaged photoresist forming a master;
- placing said master into a chamber and evacuating said chamber and master;
- heating said chamber to a temperature in the range between room temperature and approximately 10° C. and 20° C. below the Tg of said organic composition or photoresist;
- introducing silanes selected from the group consisting of aliphatic, aromatic chlorosilanes, and alkyl silane in the vapor phase into said chamber, so as to contact said photoresist and said substrate surfaces which are exposed by patterning said photoresist of said master, to form as a reaction product a self-assembled mono-layer release layer on said exposed substrate and photoresist surfaces;
- evacuating said silane from said chamber;
- introducing a composition selected from the group consisting of a curable thermosetting or a thermoplastic polymer onto said master to conform to the shape of said resist features on said master and placing said polymer in intimate contact with said reaction product monolayer release layer coating said surfaces of said master so as to form said shaped article of commerce;
- removing said shaped article of commerce from said master.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.