Heat actuated and projected lithography systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9766551-B2
Application number	US-201314439252-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 15, 2013
Priority date	Oct 29, 2012
Publication date	Sep 19, 2017
Grant date	Sep 19, 2017

Abstract

In accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure, a method of patterning can include dividing an image into a set of frame sections; determining a tip pattern for a respective portion of an image to be patterned by each tip of the tip array in each frame section of the set of frame sections; disposing the tip array in a patterning position in a first location of the substrate corresponding to a location of the substrate in which the first frame section in the set of frame sections is to be patterned; projecting a first pattern of radiation onto the tip array to selectively irradiate one or more tips of the tip array and pattern the substrate, wherein the first pattern of radiation corresponds to a tip pattern for the first frame section; disposing the tip array in a patterning position in a second location of the substrate corresponding to a location of the substrate in which the second frame section in the set of frame sections is to be patterned; projecting a second pattern of radiation onto the tip array to selectively irradiate tips of the tip array and pattern the substrate, wherein the second pattern of radiation corresponds to a tip pattern for the second frame section; and repeating the disposing and projecting for each frame section in the set of frame sections to pattern the image.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of patterning, comprising:
dividing an image into a set of frame sections;
determining a tip pattern for a respective portion of an image to be patterned by each tip of a tip array in each frame section of the set of frame sections;
disposing the tip array in a patterning position in a first location of the substrate corresponding to a location of the substrate in which a first frame section in the set of frame sections is to be patterned;
projecting a first pattern of radiation onto the tip array to selectively irradiate one or more tips of the tip array and pattern the substrate, wherein the first pattern of radiation corresponds to a tip pattern for the first frame section;
disposing the tip array in a patterning position in a second location of the substrate corresponding to a location of the substrate in which a second frame section in the set of frame sections is to be patterned;
projecting a second pattern of radiation onto the tip array to selectively irradiate tips of the tip array and pattern the substrate, wherein the second pattern of radiation corresponds to a tip pattern for the second frame section; and
repeating the disposing and projecting for each frame section in the set of frame sections to pattern the image, wherein:
each frame section corresponds to a portion of the image to be patterned on a substrate by each tip of the tip array in a patterning location;

determining a tip pattern for a respective portion of an image to be patterned by each tip comprises:
receiving a set of data inputs, the set of data inputs comprising a spatial size of the image, a center location of the image, rotational offset of the image, a delay time, an exposure time, and a safety time;
outputting an instruction data set based on the set of data inputs;
receiving with a control system for the tip array the instruction data set for directing movement of the tip array to a patterning location; and
the method further comprising:
(a) detecting a Z-piezo voltage, wherein a threshold voltage corresponds to the tip array being in a patterning position, wherein the first pattern of radiation is projected on the tip array after detecting the threshold voltage;
(b) maintaining projection of the first pattern of radiation for an exposure time;
(c) maintaining the tips in the patterning position for a hold time equal to the exposure time, the delay time, and the safety time to pattern the first portion of the image on the substrate;
(d) stopping projection of the first pattern of radiation after the exposure time has lapsed;
(e) removing the tips from the patterning position in the first location after the hold time has lapsed;
wherein disposing the tip array in patterning position in the second location comprises moving the tips to the patterning position in the second location once the tips are removed from the patterning position in the first location, the spatial location of the patterning position in the second location being provided by the instruction data set; and,
(m) repeating steps (a)-(e) at the patterning position in the second location to pattern the substrate in the second location.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the frame section has a shape corresponding to a size and shape of an arrangement of the tips on the tip array.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the tip array is a beam tip array and projecting the irradiation pattern selectively irradiates one or more tips of the tip array to selectively expose the substrate.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the substrate comprises a photosensitive layer, and selectively exposing the substrate comprises exposing the photosensitive layer of the substrate.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising developing the exposed photosensitive layer to remove either the exposed portion of the photosensitive layer or the non-exposed portion of the photosensitive layer.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising applying a patterning material to the portion of the photosensitive layer in which the photosensitive layer was removed and removing the remaining portion of the photosensitive layer to thereby form a patterned indicium.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the tips further comprise a graphene coating disposed on the tips.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein disposing the tip array in a patterning location comprises moving the tip array and holding the substrate surface stationary, or holding the tip array stationary and moving the substrate, or moving both the tip array and the substrate.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and/or second pattern of radiation comprises a radiation having a wavelength in a range of 10 nm to 500 nm.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and second patterns of irradiation comprise radiation having the same wavelength.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and second patterns of irradiation comprise radiation having different wavelengths.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein projecting the first and second patterns of irradiation comprises selectively reflecting the irradiation off of mirrors of a digital micromirror device.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising cycling one or more of the selective mirrors of the digital micromirror device during projection of the irradiation pattern to pattern in grayscale.

14. A method of patterning, comprising:
dividing an image into a set of frame sections;
determining a tip pattern for a respective portion of an image to be patterned by each tip of a tip array in each frame section of the set of frame sections;
disposing the tip array in a patterning position in a first location of the substrate corresponding to a location of the substrate in which a first frame section in the set of frame sections is to be patterned;
projecting a first pattern of radiation onto the tip array to selectively irradiate one or more tips of the tip array and pattern the substrate, wherein the first pattern of radiation corresponds to a tip pattern for the first frame section;
disposing the tip array in a patterning position in a second location of the substrate corresponding to a location of the substrate in which a second frame section in the set of frame sections is to be patterned;
projecting a second pattern of radiation onto the tip array to selectively irradiate tips of the tip array and pattern the substrate, wherein the second pattern of radiation corresponds to a tip pattern for the second frame section; and
repeating the disposing and projecting for each frame section in the set of frame sections to pattern the image, wherein:
the tip array comprises:
an elastomeric tip substrate layer having a first side and an opposed second side;
a plurality of tips disposed on the first side of the tip substrate layer;
a plurality of heaters disposed on the second side of the tip substrate layer; and

projecting the first and second irradiation patterns selectively exposes the heaters to selectively activate the exposed heaters to locally heat a heating zone of the tip substrate layer and lower one or more tips disposed in the heating zone into contact or closer contact with the substrate.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising applying a patterning composition to the tips before disposing the tip array in the patterning position in the first patterning location.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the tips comprise an elastomer.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the elastomer of the tips and/or the elastomeric tip substrate layer is polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS).

Assignees

• Univ Northwestern

Inventors

• Mirkin Chad A
• Liao Xing
• Brown Keith A
• Liu Guoliang
• Schmucker Abrin L
• He Shu
• Shim Wooyoung
• Eichelsdoerfer Daniel J
• Rasin Boris

Classifications

• G03F7/20

  Exposure; Apparatus therefor (photographic printing apparatus for making copies G03B27/00) · CPC title

• G03F7/7035 Primary

  Proximity or contact printers · CPC title

• G03F7/70325

  Resolution enhancement techniques not otherwise provided for, e.g. darkfield imaging, interfering beams, spatial frequency multiplication, nearfield lenses or solid immersion lenses · CPC title

• B82Y40/00

  Manufacture or treatment of nanostructures · CPC title

• G02B13/143

  for use with ultraviolet radiation · CPC title