US 7,851,344 B2 · Method of producing a substrate having areas of different hydrophilicity and/or oleophilicity on the same surface

Abstract

The present invention relates to flexible substrates having on their surface a wetting contrast. The wetting contrast comprises adjacent areas of different hydrophilicity and/or oleophilicity. The present invention further relates to methods of production of such substrates and to methods of producing microelectronic components wherein electronically functional material is deposited onto said substrates. According to a first aspect of the present invention, a method of producing a flexible substrate having a wetting contrast is provided. The method includes the step of forming a first area comprising an inorganic material on a flexible substrate precursor to form a substrate wherein the inorganic material is at least partially exposed at the substrate surface and the first area constitutes a pattern on the precursor surface.

Claims17

Dependent claims

The method of producing a microelectronic component, comprising:

(i) producing a flexible substrate or modified substrate having adjacent areas of different hydrophilicity and/or oleophilicity on the same surface by a method comprising:
(a) forming a layer comprising an inorganic material on a flexible substrate precursor so that substantially no inorganic material is present at the surface, and
(b) patternwise treating the precursor comprising the layer to reveal inorganic material at the surface where the precursor has been treated;
and
(ii) depositing a first solution onto the substrate or modified substrate to form an area comprising a first electronically functional material,
wherein the microelectronic component is at least one of a light emitting diode and a thin-film transistor.

3 more elements

A method of making a microelectronic component including a flexible substrate having adjacent areas of different hydrophilicity and/or oleophilicity, the method comprising:

(i) producing a substrate by a method comprising:
coating a flexible substrate precursor with a polymer layer including a polymer matrix and inorganic particles;
micro-embossing the polymer layer to form a pattern at a temperature above a glass transition temperature of the polymer matrix, the polymer layer having a patterned area and a non-patterned area;
oxidizing an entire surface of the polymer layer to render the entire surface hydrophilic;
and
providing a fluoroalkylsilane to the non-patterned area to render a surface of the non-patterned area hydrophobic and oleophobic;
and
(ii) depositing a first solution onto the substrate to form an area comprising a first electronically functional material, wherein the microelectronic component is at least one of a light emitting and a thin-film transistor.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method of producing a substrate having areas of different hydrophilicity and/or oleophilicity on the same surface

Life of this patent

Method of producing a substrate having areas of different hydrophilicity and/or oleophilicity on the same surface

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims17