Abstract:
A method and a system for manufacturing two-dimensional and three-dimensional nanostructures and nanodevices are described, wherein the formation of the nanostructure (of the nanodevice) on a target substrate is made, at a millimetric or super-millimetric distance from the substrate, by the deposition of material emitted in the form of an atomic/molecular beam having a selected pattern corresponding, at an enlarged scale, to the desired pattern of the nanostructure (nanodevice). The projection of the patterned beam through a diaphragm, associated with the substrate at a micrometric or sub-micrometric distance and having at least one shaped aperture of nanometric size, brings about the formation of a nanostructure pattern which is a convolution of the patterned beam with the diaphragm aperture.
Abstract:
Disclosed herein is a method for generating a three-dimensional structure on a surface. The method comprises forming a layer comprising a plurality of nanoparticles on a surface; and exposing a portion of the layer to incident radiation having a defined pattern at a dosage effective to aggregate the nanoparticles in the exposed portion of the layer into a three-dimensional structure, wherein the three-dimensional structure has a shape defined by the pattern of the radiation and a height defined by the dosage of the incident radiation and a thickness of the nanoparticle layer. Alternatively, the method comprises forming a layer comprising a plurality of nanoparticles on a surface of a three-dimensional template; and exposing at least a portion of the layer to incident radiation at a dosage effective to aggregate the nanoparticles in the exposed portion of the layer into a three-dimensional structure that corresponds to the three-dimensional template.
Abstract:
A method of forming vias and pillars using printed masks is described. The printed masks are typically made from droplets that include suspended metal nanoparticles. The use of the same metal nanoparticle solution in both the mask formation and the subsequent formation of conducting structures simplifies the fabrication process.
Abstract:
The present invention provides a method for fabricating a shadow mask in a trench of a microelectronic or micromechanical structure, comprising the steps of: providing a trench in the microelectronic or micromechanical structure; providing a partial filling in the trench; providing a first liner mask layer on the partial filling; providing a sacrificial filling on the liner mask layer to completely fill the trench; shallow etching back of the sacrificial filling into the trench; forming a first mask on the top side of the sacrificial filling in the trench; removing a subregion of the sacrificial filling in the trench using the first mask; and optionally removing a subregion of the first liner mask layer below it on the partial filling, the remaining subregion of the sacrificial filling in the trench serving as a second mask.
Abstract:
A method for forming a micro- or nano-pattern of a material on a substrate is presented. The method utilizes a buffer layer assisted laser patterning (BLALP). A layered structure is formed on the substrate, this layered structure being in the form of spaced-apart regions of the substrate defined by the pattern to be formed, each region including a weakly physisorbed buffer layer and a layer of the material to be patterned on top of the buffer layer. A thermal process is then applied to the layered structure to remove the remaining buffer layer in said regions, and thus form a stable pattern of said material on the substrate resulting from the buffer layer assisted laser patterning. The method may utilize either positive or negative lithography. The patterning may be implemented using irradiation with a single uniform laser pulse via a standard mask used for optical lithography.
Abstract:
Systems and methods for three dimensional lithography, nano-indentation, and combinations thereof are disclosed. One exemplary three dimensional lithography method, among others, includes: providing a substrate having at least one optical element, wherein the optical element is selected from a refractive element and a diffractive element; disposing a polymer layer on the substrate and the at least one optical element, wherein the polymer layer includes a polymer material selected from a positive-tone polymer material and a negative-tone polymer material; positioning a mask adjacent the polymer layer, wherein the mask does not cover at least one directly exposed portion of the polymer material directly overlaying the at least one element; and exposing the at least one directly exposed portion of the polymer material to optical energy, wherein the optical energy passes through the at least one directly exposed portion of the polymer material and interacts with the element, and the element redirects the optical energy through the polymer material forming at least one area of indirectly exposed polymer material.
Abstract:
A method of forming complex three-dimensional microstructures wherein an external stimulus is applied to a first layer of a photosensitive material, thereby creating voids in the first layer, and any material present in those voids is removed. A sacrificial material is then provided within at least a portion of the voids. This sacrificial layer fills the voids, either in whole or in part, and enables a second layer of photosensitive material to be stacked upon the first, while still preserving the pattern formed in the first layer. Once the sacrificial layer has been applied, a second layer of photosensitive material may then be stacked onto the first. Successive layers of photosensitive material and sacrificial material may be added until a final, complex three-dimensional structure is created. The sacrificial material may then be removed with a solvent such as carbon dioxide.
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 method for forming a microstructure includes photolithographically forming a vertically extending post on a portion of a surface of a substrate to provide a first structure. A flowable, sacrificial material is deposited over a surface of the first structure. The flowable, sacrificial materially flows off the top surface and sidewall portions of the post onto adjacent portions of the surface of the substrate to provide a second structure. A non-sacrificial material is deposited over a surface of the second structure. The non-sacrificial material is deposited to conform to the surface of the second structure. The non-sacrificial is deposited over the sacrificial material, over the sidewall portions and over the top surface of the post. The deposited sacrificial material is selectively removed while the non-sacrificial material remains to form a third structure with a horizontal member provided by the non-sacrificial material. The horizontal member is supported a predetermined distance above the surface of the substrate by a lower portion of the post. The flowable material is a flowable oxide, for example, hydrogensilsesquioxane glass, and the post has a width less than 20 .mu.m. The resulting structure, formed with a single photolithographic step, is used for supporting a capacitor deposited over it. The capacitor is formed as a sequence of deposition steps; i.e., depositing a first conductive layer over a surface of the support structure; depositing a dielectric layer over the conductive layer; and depositing a second conductive layer over the dielectric layer.
Abstract:
A method for forming a biological microdevice includes applying a biocompatible coarse scale additive process with an additive device and a biocompatible material to form an object. The coarse scale is a dimension not less than about 100 μm. The method also includes applying a biocompatible fine scale subtractive process with a subtractive device to the object. The fine scale is a dimension not greater than about 1000 μm. The method also includes moving the object between the additive device and the subtractive device. A system is also provided for performing the above method and includes the additive device, the subtractive device, a means for transporting the object between the additive device and subtractive device and a processor with a memory including instructions to perform one or more of the above method steps.