Device and method for laser structuring functional polymers and the use thereof

• US 20050106507A1
• Filed: 03/12/2003
• Published: 05/19/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: PolyIC GmbH & Co. KG (Leonhard KURZ Stiftung & Company KG)
• Original Assignee: PolyIC GmbH & Co. KG (Leonhard KURZ Stiftung & Company KG)
• Inventors: Stohn, Ralf-Ingo, Bernds, Adolf, Clemens, Wolfgang, Roth, Hans-Klaus, Schrodner, Mario
• Application Number:
  US10/508,737
• Publication Number:
  US 20050106507A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 430/322
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2101/40 Semiconductor devices
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2103/42 Plastics B23K2103/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2103/50 Inorganic material, e.g. metals, not provided for in B23K2103/02 – B23K2103/26
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/066 by using masks
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/40 taking account of the properties of the material involved
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/0026 by laser ablation
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 71/18 using non-liquid printing techniques, e.g. thermal transfer printing from a donor sheet
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 71/231 by etching of existing layers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 71/60 Forming conductive regions or layers, e.g. electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/549 Organic PV cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Abstract

The invention relates to a device and process for laser structuring and applications thereof in the production of semiconductors.

Claims

1. A device for structuring a functional polymer, comprising at least one continuously moving web carrying a coated substrate, the coating forming a layer on the substrate, at least one laser for generating a beam and a mask, the laser, mask and substrate being disposed such that said coated substrate is bombarded by said laser beam through said mask such that the layer on said substrate is removed locally therefrom in conformity with the configuration of said mask.

2. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein said laser emits the beam in the ultraviolet spectral region.

3. A device as defined in any one of the previous claims, wherein said laser is an excimer laser.

4. A device as defined in any one of claims 1 and 2, including a suction device for removing debris from said substrate.

9. A method of using a device as defined in any one of claims 1 or 2 and/or of using a process as defined in any one of claims 5 or 6 for laser structuring electrodes, for structuring semiconductor and/or insulator layers, for making through-connections (via holes) of organic transistors and/or for the production of conducting paths, contact pads, resistors, electrodes, semi-conducting layers, insulator layers for electronic and/or electrical components, for condensers, organic diode structures, or organic photovoltaic structures.

5. A process for structuring functional polymers by at least one laser ablation step, wherein, in a continuous working process, the image of a mask is projected by at least one laser pulse onto a continuous substrate coated with at least one functional polymer such that said functional polymer is locally removed in conformity with the configuration of said mask.

6. A process as defined in claim 5, wherein said continuous working process is a roller-to-roller process.

7. a process as defined in claim 5 or claim 6, wherein said laser ablation is effected by a single laser pulse.

8. A process as defined in any one of claims 5 or 6, wherein the projected image of said mask is reduced by a factor of 5.