Back to results
US 7,434,512 B2Granted
Printing in a medium
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsAlexander Bietsch, Emmanuel Delamarche, Bruno Michel, Heinz Schmid, Heiko Wolf
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for transferring a pattern from an elastic stamp to a substrate in the presence of a third medium is described. A proximity contact is achieved between the stamp and the substrate. A layer of the third medium between the stamp and the substrate is controlled to a predetermined thickness. Stamps for carrying out this method are also described.
Claims1
A method comprising transferring a pattern from an elastic stamp to a substrate in the presence of a third medium, the step of transferring comprising:
- bringing the stamp into contact with the substrate while controlling a layer of the third medium between the stamp and the substrate to a predetermined thickness, and guiding excess third medium away from the surface of the stamp,
- wherein the substrate is rigid,
- wherein the substrate is impermeable,
- wherein the third medium comprises one or more of gas, water, solvent, polymer, emulsion, and sol-gel precursor,
- wherein the step of controlling comprises avoiding trapping of the third medium via the stamp matrix being permeable to the third medium,
- wherein the step of controlling comprises allowing a nanometer sized gap in the stamp to get filled with the excess third medium,
- wherein the step of controlling comprises providing a patterned stamp surface having channels to drain the excess third medium,
- wherein the step of controlling comprises filling vias and recesses formed in the stamp with a component having an affinity for the third medium,
- wherein the component is hydrophilic,
- wherein the component comprises a gel,
- wherein the gel is swellable by the third medium,
- wherein the step of controlling comprises swelling the gel with the third medium to form protrusions in the stamp,
- wherein the step of controlling comprises providing an array of protrusions and recessed zones in the stamp,
- wherein the excess third medium is guided away from the surface of the stamp via the recessed zones,
- wherein the array comprises a micrometer-sized pattern subdivided into smaller structures,
- wherein the smaller structures are separated by smaller drainage channels,
- wherein the smaller drainage channels are connected to a network of larger drainage channels,
- wherein the excess third medium is trapped in a shallow lense-like pocket between the stamp and the surface of the substrate, and
- wherein the channels define molecular sized gaps between the stamp and the substrate.
16 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.