Patterned stamp manufacturing method, patterned stamp imprinting method and imprinted article

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11453232-B2
Application number	US-201815874068-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 18, 2018
Priority date	Jul 22, 2013
Publication date	Sep 27, 2022
Grant date	Sep 27, 2022

Abstract

A method of manufacturing a patterned stamp for patterning a contoured surface is disclosed. The method comprises providing a pliable stamp layer carrying a pattern of features, forcing the pliable stamp layer onto the contoured surface with said pattern of features facing the contoured surface; applying a fluid support layer over the pliable stamp layer on the contoured surface; solidifying the support layer to form the patterned stamp; and removing the patterned stamp from the contoured surface. A corresponding patterned stamp, imprinting method and imprinted article are also disclosed.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A patterned stamp for use in imprint lithography, the patterned stamp comprising:
a stamp body,
wherein the stamp body comprises a contoured stamp surface carrying a pattern of relief features,
wherein the contoured stamp surface corresponds to a non-planar contour of a receiving surface,
wherein the stamp body includes a support layer and a first layer supported by the support layer,
wherein the support layer varies in thickness to conform to the non-planar contour,
wherein the first layer comprises the contoured stamp surface carrying the pattern of relief features,
wherein the support layer comprises a different material than the first layer,
wherein the first layer comprises a rubber-like layer having a first Young's modulus,
wherein the support layer comprises a rubber-like layer having a second Young's modulus, and
wherein the first Young's modulus is equal to or larger than the second Young's modulus.

2. The patterned stamp of claim 1 , wherein the first layer and the second layer comprise respective polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) layers.

3. An imprint lithography method of forming a patterned contoured surface on a non-planar receiving surface, the method comprising:
providing a pattern precursor layer over the receiving surface;
imprinting the pattern precursor layer with a patterned stamp,
wherein the patterned stamp comprises a support layer and a first layer supported by the support layer,
wherein the first layer comprises a contoured stamp surface carrying a pattern of relief features,
wherein the contoured stamp surface corresponds to a contour of the non-planar receiving surface,
wherein the support layer varies in thickness to conform to the non-planar contour,
wherein the support layer comprises a different material than the first layer,
wherein the first layer comprises a rubber-like layer having a first Young's modulus,
wherein the support layer comprises a rubber-like layer having a second Young's modulus, and
wherein the first Young's modulus is equal to or larger than the second Young's modulus;

developing the pattern precursor layer into a pattern layer on the non-planar receiving surface; and
removing the patterned stamp from the developed pattern layer.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the first layer and the support layer comprise respective polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) layers.

5. A method comprising:
providing a pliable stamp layer comprising a pattern of relief structures;
forming the stamp layer over a non-planar receiving surface;
wherein the stamp layer is formed to have a contour corresponding to a contour of the non-planar receiving surface;

depositing a fluid precursor material upon the stamp layer;
solidifying the precursor material to form a support layer on the stamp layer;
adhering the support layer to the stamp layer to form a patterned stamp; and
removing the patterned stamp from the receiving surface to enable use of the patterned stamp for imprinting a complementary pattern of relief surfaces on a corresponding non-planar object.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the forming of the stamp layer over the non-planar receiving surface is performed under reduced pressure to facilitate having the stamp layer assume the overall shape of the receiving surface.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the depositing of the fluid precursor material is performed under reduced pressure.

8. The method of claim 5 , wherein the solidifying of the precursor material causes a grafting of the support layer onto the stamp layer to adhere the support layer to the stamp layer.

9. The method of claim 5 , comprising applying a pattern precursor layer to the receiving surface before forming the stamp layer over the receiving surface.

10. The method of claim 5 , wherein the stamp layer has a Young's modulus that is equal to or larger than a Young's modulus of the support layer.

11. The method of claim 5 , comprising adhering a rigid carrier to the support layer.

12. The method of claim 5 ,
wherein the complementary pattern of relief surfaces is an intended pattern of relief surfaces;
wherein the method comprises forming the pattern of relief structures on the flexible stamp layer that differs from the intended pattern; and
wherein the forming of the stamp layer over the non-planar receiving surface deforms the pattern of relief structures into a complement of the intended pattern.

13. The method of claim 5 , wherein the support layer comprises a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) layer.

14. A method comprising:
providing a patterned stamp;
wherein the patterned stamp includes a contoured stamp surface upon a support layer;
wherein the contoured stamp surface corresponds to a contour of a non-planar receiving surface of an object,
wherein the support layer varies in thickness to conform to the non-planar contour,
wherein the contoured stamp surface comprises a pattern of relief surfaces;

providing a precursor material upon the receiving surface of the object;
applying the patterned stamp to the precursor material to imprint the precursor material with a complement of the pattern of relief surfaces on the non-planar stamp surface.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the stamp layer has a Young's modulus that is equal to or higher than a Young's modulus of the support layer.

16. The method of claim 14 , comprising:
developing the precursor material to solidify the imprinted complement of the pattern of relief surfaces on the non-planar stamp surface; and
removing the patterned stamp from the solidified precursor material.

Assignees

• Koninklijke Philips Nv

Inventors

• Van Brakel Remco
• Verschuuren Marcus Antonius

Classifications

• B29C2059/023

  Microembossing · CPC title

• B29C59/021

  of profiled articles, e.g. hollow or tubular articles, beams · CPC title

• B41N1/14 Primary

  Lithographic printing foils {(B41N1/003, B41N3/03 take precedence; compositions of the image-forming layer B41C1/10)} · CPC title

• B41C3/04

  to produce rubber printing blocks · CPC title

• B41K1/26

  with stamping surfaces adapted for application to non-flat surfaces · CPC title