Photolithographic patterning of polymeric materials

A method for photo-patterning a UV-curable polymer supported on a plastic substrate, comprising the steps of:

• depositing a UV-curable polymer onto a plastic substrate;
• imagewise exposing to UV radiation through a patterning mask, at least a portion of said UV-curable polymer to provide at least one cured polymer region and at least one unexposed UV-curable polymer region;
• allowing the plastic substrate to be shielded from the radiation by adding to the substrate an additive selected to absorb UV to prevent gap filling between cured polymer regions or undesirable roughness at the boundary of said cured polymer regions;
• and
• applying a solvent to remove unexposed UV-curable polymer from said unexposed UV-curable polymer region;
• wherein said plastic substrate is chosen from a group consisting of:
• polyethylene terephthalate and a polycarbonate, wherein said UV-curable polymer is a siloxane polymer.

A method for photo-patterning a UV-curable polymer supported on a plastic substrate, comprising the steps of:

• depositing a UV curable polymer onto a plastic substrate;
• imagewise exposing to UV radiation through a patterning mask, at least a portion of said UV-curable polymer to provide at least one cured polymer region and at least one unexposed UV-curable polymer region;
• allowing the plastic substrate to be shielded from the radiation by a barrier layer opaque to said UV to prevent gap filling between cured polymer regions or undesirable roughness at the boundary of said cured polymer regions;
• and
• applying a solvent to remove unexposed UV-curable polymer from said unexposed UV-curable polymer region;
• wherein said barrier layer is between said UV-curable polymer and said substrate, wherein said plastic substrate is chosen from a group consisting of:
• polyethylene terephthalate and a polycarbonate, wherein said UV-curable polymer is a siloxane polymer.