Roll to roll nanoimprint lithography
AssigneeThe Regents of the University of Michigan
InventorsLingjie Jay Guo, Se Hyun Ahn
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Apparatus and methods for a nano-patterning process to fabricate nanostructures. A roller type mold is used to continuously imprint nanostructures onto a flexible web or a rigid substrate. The process includes a coating and an imprinting module, which rotate the web synchronously. Liquid resist materials are used for imprinting and the patterns are set by thermal or UV curing. The process is used to produce bilayer metal wire-grid polarizers, organic solar cells, and organic light emitting diodes.
Claims21
A method for patterning at least one microscale feature, the method comprising:
- applying a solvent-less first material comprising at least one curable polymer precursor to a major surface of a substrate, wherein said solvent-less first material is a liquid resist having a viscosity of less than or equal to about 10 Pa·s;
- contacting a surface of a roller with said major surface having said first material applied thereon, wherein said roller surface defines a pattern that forms at least one microscale feature in said first material;
- and
- curing said at least one curable polymer precursor to form a cured polymeric material defining said at least one microscale feature.
A method for patterning at least one microscale feature, the method comprising:
- applying a solvent-less first material to a major surface of a substrate, wherein said solvent-less first material is a liquid resist having a viscosity of less than or equal to about 10 Pa·s;
- contacting a low-surface energy roller surface with said major surface having said first material applied thereon under pressure, wherein said low-surface energy roller surface defines an imprinted pattern that forms the at least one microscale feature in said first material;
- and
- applying a metal material over said first material, thereby forming the at least one microscale feature.
A method for patterning at least one microscale feature, the method comprising:
- continuously imprinting a solvent-less first material on a major surface of a substrate by applying pressure to said substrate and/or to a roller contacting said first material disposed between a surface of said roller and said major surface, wherein said roller surface defines a pattern that forms at least one microscale feature comprising the first material on said major surface and said solvent-less first material is a liquid resist having a viscosity of less than or equal to about 10 Pa·s.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.