Method of making a microelectronic and/or optoelectronic circuitry sheet

• US 20060063351A1
• Filed: 09/09/2005
• Published: 03/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Versatilis, LLC
• Original Assignee: Versatilis, LLC
• Inventors: Jain, Ajaykumar R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,259,106 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 438/455
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133305 Flexible substrates, e.g. plastics, organic film
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13613 the semiconductor element being formed on a first substrate and thereafter transferred to the final cell substrate
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1362 Active matrix addressed cells G02F1/134336, G02F1/134363 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/136231 for reducing the number of lithographic steps
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1368 in which the switching element is a three-electrode device G02F1/136277 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/6835 using temporarily an auxiliary support
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2221/6835 used as a support during build up manufacturing of active devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/19041 being a capacitor
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/30105 Capacitance
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/3025 Electromagnetic shielding

Abstract

A circuitry sheet (322) comprising an electronic device layer stack (304) containing electronic devices, e.g., thin-film transistors, or portions thereof, formed by removing material from both sides of the device layer stack. The circuitry sheet may be made by an electronic/optoelectronic device manufacturing method (200) that includes the steps of forming the device layer stack on a temporary substrate (300), removing material from both sides of the device layer stack, and then attaching a permanent substrate (348) to the device layer stack. The method uses one or more resist layers (600) that may be activated simultaneously and independently to impart distinct circuit pattern images (603, 608, 612) into each of a plurality of image levels (612, 616, 620) within each resist layer, thereby obviating repetitive sequential exposure, registration and alignment steps.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing an electronic or optoelectronic circuitry sheet, comprising:

a) forming a stack having a plurality of unpatterned device layers, said stack having a first surficial side and a second surficial side opposite said first surficial side;

b) removing material from said stack on said first surficial side in a first predetermined pattern so as to at least partially form a plurality of devices; and

c) removing material from said stack on said second surficial side in a second predetermined pattern so as to at least partially form said plurality of devices.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said first predetermined pattern is different from said second predetermined pattern.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein step a) includes forming said stack on a temporary substrate and the method further comprises a step of removing said temporary substrate.

4. A method according to claim 3, further comprising the step of providing at least one release layer between said temporary substrate and said stack, said at least one release layer aiding the removal of said temporary substrate.

5. A method according to claim 1, further comprising a step of securing a permanent substrate to one of said first and second surficial sides after material has been removed from said one of said first and second surficial sides.

6. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of selecting a temporary substrate and securing a stiffener to said substrate prior to step a), step a) including forming said stack on said substrate.

7. A method according to claim 6, further comprising, following step b), a step of removing from said stack at least said stiffener.

8. A method according to claim 1, further comprising, prior to step b), steps of forming a resist layer confronting said first surficial side of said stack and imparting into said resist layer on a plurality of imaging layers a corresponding respective plurality of images distinct from each other.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein the step of imparting said plurality of images comprises activating said plurality of images using energy selected from the group consisting of electromagnetic, thermal, electric field, magnetic field, e-beam and sonic.

10. A method according to claim 8, wherein the step of forming said resist layer consists of depositing a single resist coating.

11. A method according to claim 8, wherein the step of forming said resist layer comprises depositing a plurality of resist coatings.

12. A method of manufacturing an electronic or optoelectronic circuitry sheet, comprising:

a) providing a first substrate;

b) forming on said first substrate a stack comprising a plurality of unpatterned electronic device layers, said stack having a first surficial side facing said substrate;

c) removing said first substrate; and

d) removing material from said stack on said first surficial side in a predetermined pattern so as to at least partially form a plurality of electronic devices.

13. A method according to claim 12, further comprising, prior to step d), steps of forming a resist layer confronting said first surficial side of said stack and imparting in said resist layer on a plurality of imaging layers a corresponding respective plurality of images distinct from each other.

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein the step of imparting said plurality of images comprises activating said plurality of images using energy selected from the group consisting of electromagnetic, thermal, electric field, magnetic field, e-beam and sonic.

15. A method according to claim 13, wherein the step of forming said resist layer consists of depositing a single resist coating.

16. A method according to claim 13, wherein the step of forming said resist layer comprises depositing a plurality of resist coatings.

17. A method according to claim 12, further comprising the step of securing a second substrate to said stack so as to confront said first surficial side.

18. A method according to claim 12, further comprising the step of securing a second substrate to said stack so as to confront said second surficial side.

19. A method of manufacturing an electronic or optoelectronic circuitry sheet, comprising:

a) forming a device layer stack having a plurality of unpatterned device layers;

b) locating a resist layer in working relation with said device layer stack; and

c) activating said resist layer so as to impart a plurality of images distinct from one another at different imaging levels within said resist layer.

20. A method according to claim 19, wherein said resist layer is a single coating layer.

21. A method according to claim 19., wherein said resist layer comprises a plurality of resist coating layers activated by differing stimuli, and step c) includes activating said resist layer with energy comprising said differing stimuli so as to activate each of said plurality of resist coating layers substantially independently from each other.

22. A method according to claim 19, wherein step c) comprises stimulating said resist layer with a plurality of stimuli corresponding respectively to said plurality of images, said plurality of stimuli selected from the group consisting of electromagnetic energy, thermal energy, electric field energy, magnetic field energy, e-beam energy and sonic energy.

23. A method according to claim 19, wherein said plurality of images are imparted substantially simultaneously.

24. A method according to claim 19, wherein said plurality of images are imparted at differing times.