Laser resist transfer for microfabrication of electronic devices

A method of making microelectronic devices comprising:

• a) placing a donor element comprising a layer of thermoresist material proximate a substrate;
• b) maintaining a gap such that a surface of the layer of thermoresist material is spaced apart from the surface of the substrate by a plurality of spacing elements;
• c) directing a thermal energy toward the donor element according to a resist pattern, whereby a portion of thermoresist material is transferred from the donor element across the gap by ablative transfer and is deposited onto the substrate, forming the resist pattern;
• d) removing the donor element;
• e) etching the substrate to remove material not covered by the resist pattern;
• and
• f) removing the resist pattern.

A method of making microelectronic devices comprising:

• a) placing a donor element comprising a layer of thermoresist material proximate a substrate;
• b) maintaining a gap such that a surface of the layer of thermoresist material is spaced apart from the surface of the substrate by a plurality of spacing elements;
• c) directing a thermal energy toward the donor element according to a resist pattern, whereby a portion of thermoresist material is transferred from the donor element across the gap by ablative transfer and is deposited onto the substrate, forming the resist pattern;
• d) directing light energy toward the donor element for at least one additional time, according to the resist pattern;
• e) removing the donor element;
• f) etching the substrate to remove material not covered by the resist pattern;
• and
• g) removing the resist pattern.

A method of making microelectronic devices comprising:

• a) placing a donor element comprising a layer of thermoresist material proximate a substrate;
• b) maintaining a gap such that a surface of the layer of thermoresist material is spaced apart from the surface of the substrate by a plurality of spacing elements;
• c) directing a thermal energy toward the donor element according to a resist pattern, whereby a portion of thermoresist material is transferred from the donor element across the gap by ablative transfer and is deposited onto the substrate, forming the resist pattern;
• d) directing light energy toward the donor element for at least one additional time, according to the resist pattern;
• e) removing the donor element;
• f) depositing an overlying layer of material;
• and
• g) removing the resist pattern and material overlying the resist pattern.

A method of making microelectronic devices comprising:

• a) placing a first donor element comprising a layer of a first thermoresist material proximate a substrate;
• b) maintaining a gap such that a surface of the layer of the first thermoresist material is spaced apart from the surface of the substrate by a plurality of spacing elements;
• c) directing a thermal energy toward the donor element according to a resist pattern, whereby a portion of the first thermoresist material is transferred from the first donor element across the gap by ablative transfer and is deposited onto the substrate, forming the resist pattern;
• and
• d) replacing the first donor element with a second donor element comprising a layer of a second thermoresist material and repeating steps b) and c) to transfer the second thermoresist material from the second donor element onto the substrate, forming a resist pattern thereby.