Methods and apparatus for forming multi-layer structures using adhered masks
First Claim
1. A process for forming a multilayer three-dimensional structure, comprising:
- (a) forming and adhering a layer of material to a substrate or previously formed layer; and
(b) repeating the forming and adhering operation of (a) a plurality of times to build up a three-dimensional structure from a plurality of adhered layers, where successive layers are adhered to previously formed layers;
wherein the formation of at least one layer comprises;
(i) forming and adhering a desired pattern of masking material on the substrate or previously formed layer, wherein the patterning of the masking material results in at least one void in the material that exposes a portion of the substrate or of a previously formed layer;
(ii) depositing a conductive material into the at least one void in the masking material; and
wherein the masking material comprises a dry film photoresist.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Numerous electrochemical fabrication methods and apparatus are provided for producing multi-layer structures (e.g. having meso-scale or micro-scale features) from a plurality of layers of deposited materials using adhered masks (e.g. formed from liquid photoresist or dry film), where two or more materials may be provided per layer where at least one of the materials is a structural material and one or more of any other materials may be a sacrificial material which will be removed after formation of the structure. Materials may comprise conductive materials that are electrodeposited or deposited in an electroless manner. In some embodiments special care is undertaken to ensure alignment between patterns formed on successive layers.
205 Citations
107 Claims
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1. A process for forming a multilayer three-dimensional structure, comprising:
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(a) forming and adhering a layer of material to a substrate or previously formed layer; and
(b) repeating the forming and adhering operation of (a) a plurality of times to build up a three-dimensional structure from a plurality of adhered layers, where successive layers are adhered to previously formed layers;
wherein the formation of at least one layer comprises;
(i) forming and adhering a desired pattern of masking material on the substrate or previously formed layer, wherein the patterning of the masking material results in at least one void in the material that exposes a portion of the substrate or of a previously formed layer;
(ii) depositing a conductive material into the at least one void in the masking material; and
wherein the masking material comprises a dry film photoresist.
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2. A process for forming a multilayer three-dimensional structure, comprising:
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(a) forming and adhering a layer of material to a substrate or previously formed layer; and
(b) repeating the forming and adhering operation of (a) a plurality of times to build up a three-dimensional structure from a plurality of adhered layers, where successive layers are adhered to previously formed layers;
wherein the formation of at least one layer comprises;
(i) forming and adhering a desired pattern of masking material on the substrate or previously formed layer, wherein the patterning of the masking material results in at least one void in the material that exposes a portion of the substrate or of a previously formed layer;
(ii) depositing a conductive material into the at least one void in the masking material; and
wherein the formation of the at least one layer additionally comprises removing the masking material, depositing a second material, and planarizing the deposited first and second materials to a desired height.
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3. A process for forming a multilayer three-dimensional structure, comprising:
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(a) forming and adhering a layer of material to a substrate or previously formed layer; and
(b) repeating the forming and adhering operation of (a) a plurality of times to build up a three-dimensional structure from a plurality of adhered layers, where successive layers are adhered to previously formed layers;
wherein the formation of at least one layer comprises;
(i) forming and adhering a desired pattern of masking material on the substrate or previously formed layer, wherein the patterning of the masking material results in at least one void in the material that exposes a portion of the substrate or of a previously formed layer;
(ii) depositing a conductive material into the at least one void in the masking material; and
wherein the formation of the at least one layer additionally comprises removing the masking material and depositing a dielectric material, and wherein the formation of a subsequent layer comprises depositing a seed layer on at least a portion of the at least one layer.
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4. A process for forming a multilayer three-dimensional structure, comprising:
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(a) forming and adhering a layer of material to a substrate or previously formed layer; and
(b) repeating the forming and adhering operation of (a) a plurality of times to build up a three-dimensional structure from a plurality of adhered layers, where successive layers are adhered to previously formed layers;
wherein the formation of at least one layer comprises;
(i) forming and adhering a desired pattern of masking material on the substrate or previously formed layer, wherein the patterning of the masking material results in at least one void in the material that exposes a portion of the substrate or of a previously formed layer;
(ii) depositing a conductive material into the at least one void in the masking material; and
wherein the formation of the at least one layer additionally comprises depositing a seed layer on the substrate, or previously formed layer, which comprises only conductive material, prior to forming and adhering the mask material.
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5. A process for forming a multilayer three-dimensional structure, comprising:
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(a) forming and adhering a layer of material to a substrate or previously formed layer; and
(b) repeating the forming and adhering operation of (a) a plurality of times to build up a three-dimensional structure from a plurality of adhered layers, where successive layers are adhered to previously formed layers;
wherein the formation of at least one layer comprises;
(i) forming and adhering a desired pattern of masking material on the substrate or previously formed layer, wherein the patterning of the masking material results in at least one void in the material that exposes a portion of the substrate or of a previously formed layer;
(ii) depositing a conductive material into the at least one void in the masking material; and
wherein the at least one layer, after it is completed, comprises at least three different materials located in different lateral positions on the layer.
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6. A process for forming a multilayer three-dimensional structure, comprising:
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(a) forming and adhering a layer of material to a substrate or previously formed layer; and
(b) repeating the forming and adhering operation of (a) a plurality of times to build up a three-dimensional structure from a plurality of adhered layers, where successive layers are adhered to previously formed layers;
wherein the formation of at least one layer comprises;
(i) forming and adhering a desired pattern of masking material on the substrate or previously formed layer, wherein the patterning of the masking material results in at least one void in the material that exposes a portion of the substrate or of a previously formed layer;
(ii) depositing a conductive material into the at least one void in the masking material; and
wherein the formation of the at least one layer additionally comprises optically aligning a position of the patterning of the dielectric material by using a focused image of an alignment mark that is located at on least one of (1) the substrate, (2) a carrier on which the substrate sits, or (3) previously deposited material that is located on the substrate.
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7. A system for electrodepositing layers of material on a substrate, the system comprising:
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an electrodeposition tank having electrodeposition bath therein;
a carrier acting as a first electrode having a first polarity, the carrier having a carrier body to which the substrate is electrically connected, the substrate being immersed in the electrodeposition tank;
a second electrode having a second polarity opposite from the first polarity, the second electrode being immersed in the electrodeposition tank; and
a power source electrically connected to the carrier and the second electrode such that material from the second electrode is electrodeposited onto the substrate through the electrodeposition bath. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A system for controlling thickness of layers formed on a substrate, comprising:
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a carrier for holding the substrate during formation of one or more layers of material on the substrate, the carrier comprising a carrier body having a surface that provides a reference for measuring a thickness of the one or more layers of material formed on the substrate; and
a planarization fixture for supporting the carrier body during planarization of the one or more layers of material, the planarization fixture having at least one surface adapted to mate with the reference surface of the carrier body such that surfaces of the one or more layers of material formed on the substrate are parallel to the reference surface after planarization. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. A method for aligning targets, comprising:
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providing a first imaging device for focusing on a first target to produce a first image;
providing a second imaging device for focusing on a second target to produce a second image; and
comparing the first and second images to determine a degree of misalignment between the first and second targets. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42)
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43. A method for determining a priority for forming a sacrificial material and a structural material on a substrate, comprising:
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(a) analyzing features to be formed on the substrate;
(b) determining whether a feature to be formed on the substrate has a predefined characteristic;
(c) determining whether a feature determined in (b) to have the predefined characteristic is a positive feature or a negative feature;
(d) forming the structural material first if it is determined in (c) that the feature is a negative feature; and
(e) forming the sacrificial material first if it is determined in (c) that the feature is a positive feature. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45)
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46. A method for forming both small positive and negative features in the same layer of a substrate, comprising:
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(a) depositing a first patternable mold material on the layer;
(b) patterning the first patternable mold material to form a first pattern;
(c) depositing a first material in the first pattern formed in (b);
(d) removing the first patternable mold material to expose areas of the layer not having the first material deposited thereon;
(e) depositing a second patternable mold material over the layer;
(f) patterning the second patternable mold material to form a second pattern;
(g) depositing a second material in the second pattern formed in (f);
(h) removing the second patternable mold material to expose areas of the layer not having the first or second materials deposited thereon;
(i) blanket depositing the first material over the second material and the exposed areas of the layer; and
(j) planarizing the layer. - View Dependent Claims (47, 48, 49)
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50. A method for forming more than two materials on the same layer, comprising:
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(a) depositing a first patternable mold material on the layer;
(b) patterning the first patternable mold material to form a first pattern;
(c) depositing a first material in the first pattern formed in (b);
(d) removing the first patternable mold material to expose areas of the layer not having the first material deposited thereon;
(e) depositing a second patternable mold material over the layer;
(f) patterning the second patternable mold material to form a second pattern;
(g) depositing a second material in the second pattern formed in (f);
(h) removing the second patternable mold material to expose areas of the layer not having the first or second materials deposited thereon;
(i) blanket depositing a third material over the second material and the exposed areas of the layer; and
(j) planarizing the layer. - View Dependent Claims (51, 52, 53)
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54. A method for preparing a layer having formed thereon a feature consisting of a first material for deposition of a second material adjacent to the first material, comprising:
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(a) depositing a patternable mold material over the first material; and
(b) patterning the patternable mold material to form an aperture adjacent to the first material, the aperture exposing a side portion and a top portion of the first material.
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55. A method for forming an alignment target on a substrate, comprising:
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forming a first patternable mold material on the substrate;
patterning the first patternable mold material to form a first aperture;
forming a first material in the first aperture to form an alignment target within the first aperture;
removing the first patternable mold material;
forming a second patternable mold material on the substrate so as to cover the alignment target; and
forming the second patternable mold material to form a second aperture wider than and fully enclosing the alignment target. - View Dependent Claims (56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64)
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65. A method for electroplating a layer of material on a substrate, comprising:
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forming a conductive layer over a non-conductive surface of the substrate;
forming a target in the conductive layer such that the target is electrically isolated from the remainder of the conductive layer by the non-conductive surface of the substrate; and
electroplating the layer of material over the conductive layer such that the conductive layer is plated and the target is un-plated.
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66. A method for patterning odd and even layers of patternable material formed sequentially on a substrate, comprising:
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patterning the odd layers using first photomasks having a first layout of alignment shapes and new target shapes, the first layout having a first orientation relative to the substrate; and
patterning the even layers using second photomasks having a second layout of alignment shapes and new target shapes, the second layout having a second orientation relative to the substrate different from the first orientation. - View Dependent Claims (67)
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68. A method for forming layers on a substrate, comprising:
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providing a first patternable mold material of a first type to be used in forming a first layer on the substrate; and
providing a second patternable mold material of a second type used in forming a second layer on the substrate. - View Dependent Claims (69, 70)
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71. A method for forming layers on a substrate, comprising:
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forming a first layer of a patternable mold material on the substrate;
forming at least one additional layer of the patternable mold material on the first layer; and
patterning the first layer and the at least one additional layer.
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72. A method for forming on a surface a layer of material having an object incorporated therein, the method comprising:
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forming a first layer of patternable mold material on a first surface;
forming a first aperture in the first layer of patternable mold material for receiving an object;
placing the object in the first aperture; and
forming a first material in the first aperture such that the first material encases the object. - View Dependent Claims (73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87)
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- 88. A structure formed on a substrate, comprising a plurality of layers of structural material formed one over another, at least one of the plurality of layers having an object incorporated therein.
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90. A method for forming a structure on a surface, comprising:
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building a plurality of layers on the surface, the plurality of layers including both a structural material and a sacrificial material; and
after building the plurality of layers, removing the sacrificial material from the plurality of layers;
wherein the sacrificial material is a patternable mold material.
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91. A method for forming a structure on a surface, comprising:
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forming a first layer of patternable mold material;
patterning first apertures in the first layer of patternable mold material;
depositing a first structural material into the first apertures;
forming a second layer of patternable mold material over the first layer of patternable mold material and the first structural material;
patterning second apertures into the second layer of patternable mold material; and
depositing a second structural material into the second apertures. - View Dependent Claims (92, 93, 94, 95, 96)
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97. A method for forming structures and dicing lanes on a substrate, comprising:
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forming a first layer of patternable mold material on a surface;
patterning first apertures in the first layer of patternable mold material;
forming a first material in the first apertures; and
removing the first layer of patternable mold material to expose portions of the surface, a plurality of the exposed portions of the surface functioning as dicing lanes. - View Dependent Claims (98, 99)
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100. A method for forming an array of structures, comprising:
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forming a first layer of patternable mold material on a surface;
exposing the first layer of patternable mold material using a first photomask to form a first pattern of soluble and insoluble portions of the first layer of patternable mold material, the first pattern for forming an array of structures having a first number of structures; and
exposing the first pattern using a second photomask different from the first photomask to form a second pattern of soluble and insoluble portions of the first layer of patternable mold material from the first pattern, the second pattern for forming an array of structures having a second number of structures different from the first number of structures. - View Dependent Claims (101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107)
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Specification