Abstract:
The invention provides a system and process of patterning structures on a surface comprising exposing part of the surface to an ion flux, such that material properties of the exposed surface are modified to provide a mask effect on the surface. A further step of etching unexposed parts of the surface forms the structures on the surface. The inventors have discovered that by controlling the ion exposure, alteration of the surface structure at the top surface provides a mask pattern, without substantially removing any material from the exposed surface. The mask allows for subsequent ion etching of unexposed areas of the surface leaving the exposed areas raised relative to the unexposed areas thus manufacturing patterns onto the surface. For example, a Ga+ focussed ion beam exposes a pattern onto a diamond surface which produces such a pattern after its exposure to an oxygen plasma etch. The invention is particularly suitable for patterning of clear well-defined structures down to nano-scale dimensions.
Abstract:
An object of the present invention is to provide a graft pattern-forming method giving a graft pattern allowing formation of a high-resolution pattern that has an oil- and water-repellent region in a commonly-used exposure machine, a lithography method of using the oil- and water-repellent graft pattern formed by the method as an etching stopper, and a conductive pattern-forming method, a color filter forming method, and a microlens production process by using the graft pattern formed by the graft pattern-forming method. The graft pattern-forming method comprises forming a graft polymer-generated region and a non-generated region thereon by bonding a compound having a photopolymerization-initiating site that initiates radical polymerization by photocleavage radical polymerization and a base material-bonding site onto a base material surface in a patterned form, and additionally, by bringing the radically polymerizable compound having an oil- and water-repellent functional group into contact therewith and exposing the entire surface to light, or alternatively, bonding the compound having a polymerization-initiating site that initiates radical polymerization by photocleavage and a base material-bonding site to the base material, bringing a radically polymerizable compound having an oil- and water-repellent functional group into contact therewith, and exposing the region in a patterned form.
Abstract:
Three-dimensional structures of arbitrary shape are fabricated on the surface of a substrate (10) through a series of processing steps wherein a monolithic structure is fabricated in successive layers. A first layer (14) of photoresist material is spun onto a substrate (10) surface (18) and is exposed (26) in a desired pattern corresponding to the shape of a final structure, at a corresponding cross-sectional level in the structure. The layer is not developed after exposure; instead, a second layer (30) of photoresist material is deposited and is also exposed (32) in a desired pattern. Subsequent layers (40,52,64) spun onto the top surface of prior layers (14,30) and exposed (44,54,66), and upon completion of the succession of layers each defining corresponding levels of the desired structure, the layers are all developed at the same time leaving the three-dimensional structure (22).
Abstract:
Provided is a method for producing a multi-layered microchannel device by using a photosensitive resin laminate, which is highly-defined and excellent in dimension accuracy and enables channels to be partially hydrophilized or hydrophobilized, wherein the method comprises step (i) of sequentially carrying out (i-a) forming a first photosensitive resin layer on a substrate, (i-b) light-exposing the first photosensitive resin layer, and (i-c) developing the light-exposed photosensitive layer and forming a channel pattern layer, to form a first channel pattern layer; and step (ii) of sequentially carrying out (ii-a) laminating a second photosensitive resin laminate on the first channel pattern layer formed in the step (i), (ii-b) light-exposing a photosensitive layer of the second photosensitive resin laminate, and (ii-c) developing the light-exposed photosensitive layer and forming a channel pattern layer, to form a second channel pattern layer.
Abstract:
A method of making a portion of a microfluidic channel includes lithographically patterning a first pattern into a first layer of photoresist disposed on a substrate, the first pattern representative of morphology of a reservoir rock; etching the first pattern into the substrate to form a patterned substrate; disposing a second layer of photoresist onto the patterned substrate; lithographically patterning a second pattern into the second layer of photoresist to reveal portions of the patterned substrate; and depositing calcite onto the exposed portions of the patterned substrate.
Abstract:
A method of forming microneedles where through a series of coating and etching processes microneedles are formed from a surface as an array. The microneedles have a bevelled end and bore which are formed as part of the process with no need to use a post manufacturing process to finish the microneedle.
Abstract:
A method of manufacturing a plurality of through-holes in a layer of first material, for example for the manufacturing of a probe comprising a tip containing a channel. To manufacture the through-holes in a batch process, a layer of first material is deposited on a wafer comprising a plurality of pits a second layer is provided on the layer of first material, and the second layer is provided with a plurality of holes at central locations of the pits; using the second layer as a shadow mask when depositing a third layer at an angle, covering a part of the first material with said third material at the central locations, and etching the exposed parts of the first layer using the third layer as a protective layer.
Abstract:
The present invention relates to a device for interfacing nanofluidic and microfluidic components suitable for use in performing high throughput macromolecular analysis. Diffraction gradient lithography (DGL) is used to form a gradient interface between a microfluidic area and a nanofluidic area. The gradient interface area reduces the local entropic barrier to nanochannels formed in the nanofluidic area. In one embodiment, the gradient interface area is formed of lateral spatial gradient structures for narrowing the cross section of a value from the micron to the nanometer length scale. In another embodiment, the gradient interface area is formed of a vertical sloped gradient structure. Additionally, the gradient structure can provide both a lateral and vertical gradient.
Abstract:
A MEMS device, a method of making a MEMS device and a system of a MEMS device are shown. In one embodiment, a MEMS device includes a first polymer layer, a MEMS substrate disposed on the first polymer layer and a MEMS structure supported by the MEMS substrate. The MEMS device further includes a first opening disposed in the MEMS substrate and a second opening disposed in the first polymer layer.