Engineered Pattern Release of Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) through Induced Surface Adhesion
- Detailed Technology Description
- This technology is a new non-photolithographic method for preparing polymer resists that can be used in microfabrication as polymer resist molding methods.
- Countries
- United States
- Application No.
- 6805809
- *Abstract
-
This technology is a new non-photolithographic method for preparing polymer resists that can be used in microfabrication as polymer resist molding methods. The Adhesion Technique is an improvement on a previously known sealing method. The use of adhesion technique and the engineered release of the thin film form a support material using this novel design.
DESCRIPTION/DETAILS
The invention is a soft lithographic technique that uses a polymer rather than molecular ink to achieve greater versatility in pattern formulation. Pre-cured polymer decals are attached to the substrate via point-of-contract transfer rather than continuous-flow field needed for other soft lithographic patterning techniques (e.g., molding). In photonics applications, the decal can be stripped away using reactive ion etching (RIE). Included in the intellectual property as well as the adhesion to and release from the supporting structure (including cleaning steps).
Because polymers make much better resists than molecular inks, the invention enables the user to form patterns that are open or closed and continuous or discontinuous. An open pattern would resemble a normal resist layout. A closed pattern uses very thin membranes to seal the closed forms while polymer bridges span the interstices between each part of the pattern (i.e., a channel system). Discontinuous patterns can be fabricated without the need for continuous flow fields or the squeezing out of liquid. The invention can handle a host of design types that other methods cannot, although doing so makes registration (i.e., aligning all elements) more difficult, as demonstrated in experiments on electronic structures.
Most significantly, this improved process enables the rapid, large-area construction of complex microfluidic networks with heretofore unprecedented design rules, and molded polymer resistance for applications in microfabrication that can have any arbitrary contrast, both open and closed form.
APPLICATIONS
This technology has applications in numerous areas:
- Electronics (low- and mid-end electronics fabrication)
- Bioanalysis
- Liquid crystal displays (LCD) and other flat-panel displays
- Microfluidics
- Sensors
- Photonics (may be used to fabricate thin-film waveguides)
BENEFITS
- Versatile: By using polymers for printing instead of ink, the invention allows printed forms to be open or closed and continuous or discontinuous.
- Simple: The invention is basically the transfer of a decal and liftoff of the transfer pad, as opposed to more complex methods (e.g. those involving filling of molds).
- Suitable for difficult applications: The invention works well in applications that prove troublesome for other techniques, like those with large or curved substrates.
For more information about this technology, please contact the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Office of Technology Management at otm@illinois.edu.
- *IP Issue Date
- None
- *IP Type
- Utility
- Country/Region
- USA
