Process for forming a patterned thin film conductive structure on a substrate
First Claim
1. A process for forming a patterned conductive thin film structure on a substrate, comprising:
- printing on the substrate a pattern comprised of a printable strippable material, the printed strippable material defining an area on the substrate where the conductive thin film structure is to be formed by comprising a negative image thereof such that the printed strippable material is present in areas on the substrate where the conductive thin film structure is not to be formed and the printed strippable material is substantially not present in the area on the substrate where the conductive thin film structure is to be formed;
depositing a thin film of conductive material on the patterned substrate; and
stripping the strippable material from the substrate;
whereby the strippable material and any conductive material formed thereon are removed by said stripping leaving behind the conductive thin film structure.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A process for forming a patterned conductive structure on a substrate is disclosed. A pattern is printed with a material, such as a masking coating or an ink, on the substrate, the pattern being such that, in one embodiment, the desired conductive structures will be formed in the areas where the printed material is not present, i.e., a negative image of conductive structure to be formed is printed. In another embodiment, the pattern is printed with a material that is difficult to strip from the substrate, and the desired conductive structures will be formed in the areas where the printed material is present, i.e., a positive image of the conductive structure is printed. The conductive material is deposited on the patterned substrate, and the undesired area is stripped, leaving behind the patterned electrode structures.
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Citations
64 Claims
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1. A process for forming a patterned conductive thin film structure on a substrate, comprising:
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printing on the substrate a pattern comprised of a printable strippable material, the printed strippable material defining an area on the substrate where the conductive thin film structure is to be formed by comprising a negative image thereof such that the printed strippable material is present in areas on the substrate where the conductive thin film structure is not to be formed and the printed strippable material is substantially not present in the area on the substrate where the conductive thin film structure is to be formed;
depositing a thin film of conductive material on the patterned substrate; and
stripping the strippable material from the substrate;
whereby the strippable material and any conductive material formed thereon are removed by said stripping leaving behind the conductive thin film structure. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 63, 64)
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44. A process for forming a patterned conductive thin film structure on a substrate, comprising:
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printing with a printable material on the top surface of the substrate a pattern that defines the area where the conductive thin film structure is to be formed by comprising a positive image thereof such that the printable material is printed in the area where the conductive thin film structure is to be formed;
depositing a conductive thin film layer on the patterned top surface of the substrate, wherein the conductive thin film, the printable material, and the substrate are chosen so that the conductive thin film adheres more strongly to the printable material than to the substrate; and
stripping from the substrate the portions of the conductive thin film formed directly on the substrate using a stripping process that does not strip the conductive thin film from the printable material such that the conductive thin film structure remains formed on the printable material used to define the area in which the conductive thin film structure was to be formed. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46, 47, 48, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62)
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49. A process for forming a patterned conductive thin film structure on a substrate, comprising:
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printing with a printable first material on the top surface of the substrate a pattern that defines the area where the conductive thin film structure is to be formed by comprising a positive image thereof such that the printable first material is printed in the area where the conductive thin film structure is to be formed, the printable first material being water repelling and strippable using a solvent other than water;
overcoating the printed top surface of the substrate with a water based second material, such that the second material is repelled by the first material and fills in the areas of the substrate between the areas where the first material has been printed without coating the areas where the first material is present;
stripping the first material away using a process that strips away the first material without stripping away the second material, such that the second material remains coated on the portions of the substrate where the first material was not present, thereby defining the boundaries of the conductive thin film structure by comprising a negative image thereof such that the second material is not present in and the first material has been stripped from the area where the conductive thin film structure is to be formed;
depositing a conductive thin film layer on the patterned top surface of the substrate; and
stripping the second material to form the conductive thin film structure.
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50. A process for forming a patterned conductive thin film structure on a substrate, comprising:
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printing on a first surface of the substrate a first pattern comprised of strippable material, the first pattern of strippable material defining an area on the first surface of the substrate where a first conductive thin film structure is to be formed;
depositing a thin film of conductive material on the patterned first surface of the substrate;
stripping the first pattern of strippable material from the substrate;
printing on a second surface of the substrate a second pattern comprised of strippable material, the second pattern of strippable material defining an area on the second surface of the substrate where a second conductive thin film structure is to be formed;
depositing a thin film of conductive material on the patterned second surface of the substrate; and
stripping the second pattern of strippable material from the substrate;
whereby the first pattern of strippable material, the second pattern of strippable material, and any conductive material formed on either the first or the second pattern of strippable material are removed leaving behind the first conductive thin film structure on the first surface of the substrate and the second conductive thin film structure on the second surface of the substrate.
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51. A process for forming a patterned conductive thin film structure on a substrate, comprising:
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printing on a first surface of the substrate a first pattern comprised of strippable material, the first pattern of strippable material defining an area on the first surface of the substrate where a first conductive thin film structure is to be formed;
printing on a second surface of the substrate a second pattern comprised of strippable material, the second pattern of strippable material defining an area on the second surface of the substrate where a second conductive thin film structure is to be formed;
depositing a thin film of conductive material on the patterned first surface and on the patterned second surface of the substrate; and
stripping the first pattern and second pattern of strippable material from the substrate;
whereby the first pattern of strippable material, the second pattern of strippable material, and any conductive material formed on either the first or the second pattern of strippable material are removed leaving behind the first conductive thin film structure on the first surface of the substrate and the second conductive thin film structure on the second surface of the substrate.
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Specification