Pattern Transfer Printing by Kinetic Control of Adhesion to an Elastomeric Stamp

• US 20090199960A1
• Filed: 06/09/2006
• Published: 08/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Board of Trustees of The University of Illinois
• Original Assignee: Board of Trustees of The University of Illinois
• Inventors: Lee, Keon Jae, Nuzzo, Ralph G., Menard, Etienne, Zhu, Zhengtao, Sun, Yugang, Khang, Dahl-Young, Meitl, Matthew, Rogers, John A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,943,491 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 156/230
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 10/00 Nanotechnology for information processing, storage or transmission, e.g. quantum computing or single electron logic
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 20/00 Nanooptics, e.g. quantum optics or photonic crystals
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/0665 the shape of the body defining a nanostructure nanotechnology per se B82B
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/0673 oriented parallel to a substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/1606 Graphene
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/78603 characterised by the insulating substrate or support H01L29/78657 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/12041 LED
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/13091 Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor [MOSFET]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/035281 Shape of the body
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/0392 including thin films deposited on metallic or insulating substrates ; characterised by specific substrate materials or substrate features or by the presence of intermediate layers, e.g. barrier layers, on the substrate textured substrates H01L31/02366
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/03925 including AIIBVI compound materials, e.g. CdTe, CdS
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/072 the potential barriers being only of the PN heterojunction type
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/109 the potential barrier being of the PN heterojunction type
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/18 Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment of these devices or of parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/1804 comprising only elements of Group IV of the Periodic Table
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/1892 methods involving the use of temporary, removable substrates
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/547 Monocrystalline silicon PV cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Abstract

The present invention provides methods, systems and system components for transferring, assembling and integrating features and arrays of features having selected nanosized and/or microsized physical dimensions, shapes and spatial orientations. Methods of the present invention utilize principles of ‘soft adhesion’ to guide the transfer, assembly and/or integration of features, such as printable semiconductor elements or other components of electronic devices. Methods of the present invention are useful for transferring features from a donor substrate to the transfer surface of an elastomeric transfer device and, optionally, from the transfer surface of an elastomeric transfer device to the receiving surface of a receiving substrate. The present methods and systems provide highly efficient, registered transfer of features and arrays of features, such as printable semiconductor element, in a concerted manner that maintains the relative spatial orientations of transferred features.

Claims

1. A method of transferring a feature from a donor substrate surface to a receiving surface of a receiving substrate, said method comprising:

providing an elastomeric transfer device having a transfer surface;

providing a donor substrate having a donor surface, said donor surface having at least one feature;

contacting at least a portion of said transfer surface with at least a portion of said feature;

separating said transfer surface from said donor surface at a first separation rate such that at least a portion of said feature is transferred from said donor surface to said transfer surface, thereby forming said transfer surface having said feature disposed thereon;

contacting at least a portion of said feature disposed on said transfer surface with said receiving surface of said receiving substrate; and

separating said transfer surface from said feature at a second separation rate, wherein said first separation rate is larger than said second separation rate, thereby transferring said feature to said receiving surface.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said elastomeric transfer device comprises at least one elastomer layer having a Young'"'"'s Modulus selected over the range of about 1 MPa to about 20 MPa.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said elastomeric transfer device comprises at least one elastomer layer having a thickness selected over the range of about 1 micron to about 100 microns.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said elastomeric transfer device comprises an elastomeric stamp, elastomeric mold or elastomeric mask.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said elastomeric transfer device comprises polydimethylsiloxane.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein conformal contact is established between the transfer surface of said elastomeric transfer device and an external surface of said feature.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein conformal contact is established between the transfer surface having said feature disposed thereon and said receiving surface of said receiving substrate.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein said first separation rate is at least 10 times larger than said second separation rate.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein said first separation rate is greater than or equal to about 1 cm second⁻

.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein said second separation rate is less than or equal to about 1 mm second⁻

1.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein said feature has a length selected over the range of about 100 nanometers to about 1000 microns, a width selected over the range of about 100 nanometers to about 1000 microns and a thickness selected over the range of about 1 nanometer to about 1000 microns, wherein said first separation rate is selected over the range of about 100 cm second⁻

1 to 0.1 mm second<sup>−

1</sup>.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein said feature has a length selected over the range of about 100 nanometers to about 1000 microns, a width selected over the range of about 100 nanometers to about 1000 microns and a thickness selected over the range of about 1 nanometer to about 1000 microns, wherein said second separation rate is selected over the range of about 0.1 mm second⁻

1 to 100 cm second<sup>−

1</sup>.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein said first separation rate is selected so as to generate a separation energy between said feature and said transfer surface of said elastomeric transfer device per unit area equal to or greater than 1 J/meter².

14. The method of claim 1 wherein said first separation rate, said second separation rate or both is substantially constant as a function of separation time.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein said first separation rate, said second separation rate or both varies selectively as a function of time.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein said feature is connected to said donor surface, and wherein said first separation rate is large enough so as to cause release of said feature from said donor surface.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein said feature is connected to said donor surface via at least one bridge element, wherein said first separation rate is large enough to cause fracture of said bridge element, thereby resulting in release of said feature from said donor surface.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein said feature is a free standing structure supported by said donor surface, wherein said first separation rate is large enough to release said structure from said donor surface.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein said feature is a micro-sized structure or a nano-sized structure.

20. The method of claim 1 wherein said feature is a printable semiconductor element.

21. The method of claim 1 wherein said feature is selected from the group consisting of:

an electronic device, a component of an electronic device, a diode, a transistor, a photovoltaic device, a sensor, a light emitting diode, a microelectromechanical device, a nanoelectromechanical device, a photodiode, a wire, a small container, a pill, a laser, and a P-N junction.

22. The method of claim 1 wherein said feature comprises a pattern of microstructures, nanostructures or both, said method further comprising transferring said pattern of microstructures, nanostructures or both from said donor surface to said receiving surface.

23. The method of claim 1 wherein said receiving substrate is a material selected from the group consisting of:

a polymer, a semiconductor wafer, a ceramic material, a glass, a metal, paper, a dielectric material, and any combination of these.

24. The method of claim 1 wherein said receiving surface is planar or contoured.

25. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of providing an adhesive layer on said receiving surface, wherein said feature disposed on said transfer surface contacts said adhesive layer.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein the adhesive layer provides separation-rate dependent adhesive capabilities.

27. The method of claim 1 wherein said steps of:

contacting at least a portion of said transfer surface with at least a portion of said feature;

separating said transfer surface from said donor surface at said first separation rate;

contacting at least a portion of said feature disposed on said transfer surface with said receiving surface of said receiving substrate;

separating said transfer surface from said feature at a second separation rate or any combination of these steps is carried out via an actuator operationally connected to said transfer device.

28. The method of claim 1 comprising a method of registered transfer of said feature from said donor surface to said receiving surface.

29. The method of claim 1 wherein said feature comprises a pattern of structures wherein substantially all the structures in contact with said transfer surface are transferred to said receiving surface.

30. The method of claim 1 further comprising repeating at least a portion of said steps so as to generate multi-layered features on said receiving surface.

31. A method of assembling a printable semiconductor element on a receiving surface of a receiving substrate, said method comprising:

providing an elastomeric transfer device having a transfer surface;

providing a donor substrate having a donor surface, said donor surface having at least one printable semiconductor element, wherein said printable semiconductor element is connected to said donor substrate via at least one bridge element;

contacting at least a portion of said transfer surface with at least a portion of said printable semiconductor element;

separating said transfer surface from said donor surface at a first separation rate such that said bridge element is fractured and said printable semiconductor element is transferred from said donor surface to said transfer surface, thereby forming said transfer surface having said printable semiconductor element disposed thereon;

contacting at least a portion of said printable semiconductor element disposed on said transfer surface with said receiving surface of said receiving substrate; and

separating said transfer surface from said feature at a second separation rate, wherein said first separation rate is larger than said second separation rate, thereby transferring said printable semiconductor element to said receiving surface.

32. The method of claim 31 comprising a method of registered transfer of said printable semiconductor from said donor surface to said receiving surface.

33. The method of claim 31 further comprising the steps of:

providing a plurality of printable semiconductor elements wherein each of said printable semiconductor element is connected to said donor substrate via at least one bridge element;

said method further comprising the steps of;

contacting at least a portion of said transfer surface with at least a portion of said pattern of printable semiconductor element;

separating said transfer surface from said donor surface at a first separation rate such that at least a portion of said bridge elements are fractured and at least a portion of said pattern of printable semiconductor elements is transferred from said donor surface to said transfer surface, thereby forming said transfer surface having said printable semiconductor elements disposed thereon;

contacting at least a portion of said printable semiconductor elements disposed on said transfer surface with said receiving surface of said receiving substrate; and

separating said transfer surface from said feature at a second separation rate, wherein said first separation rate is larger than said second separation rate, thereby transferring at least a portion of said pattern of printable semiconductor elements to said receiving surface.

34. The method of claim 33 wherein said portion of said pattern of printable semiconductor elements is transferred with good fidelity.

35. The method of claim 33 wherein said portion of said pattern of printable semiconductor elements is transferred to a selected region of said receiving surface with a placement accuracy greater than or equal to about 25 microns over a receiving surface area equal to about 5 cm².

36. The method of claim 33 comprising a method of making an electronic device, array of electronic devices or component of an electronic device selected from the group consisting of:

a p-n junction;

a photodiode, a transistor, a light emitting diode, a laser, a photovoltaic device, a memory device, a microelectromechanical device;

a nanoelectromechanical device; and

a complementary logic circuit.

37. A method of transferring a printable semiconductor element from a donor substrate surface to a transfer surface of an elastomeric transfer device, said method comprising:

providing an elastomeric transfer device having said transfer surface;

providing a donor substrate having a donor surface, said donor surface having said printable semiconductor element;

contacting at least a portion of said transfer surface with at least a portion of said printable semiconductor element;

separating said transfer surface from said donor surface at a rate greater than or equal to about 1 cm second<sup>−

1</sup> such that at least a portion of said printable semiconductor element is transferred from said donor surface to said transfer surface.

38. The method of claim 37 wherein said printable semiconductor element is connected to said donor substrate via one or more bridge elements, wherein said separation rate is large enough to cause fracture of said bridge element, thereby resulting in release of said printable semiconductor element from said donor surface.

39. A method of transferring an array of printable semiconductor elements from a donor substrate surface to a transfer surface of an elastomeric transfer device, said method comprising:

providing an elastomeric transfer device having said transfer surface;

providing a donor substrate having a donor surface, said donor surface having said array of printable semiconductor elements;

contacting at least a portion of said transfer surface with at least a portion of said array printable semiconductor elements;

separating said transfer surface from said donor surface at a rate greater than or equal to about 1 cm second<sup>−

1</sup> such that at least a portion of said array of printable semiconductor elements is transferred from said donor surface to said transfer surface.

40. A method of temporarily transferring a feature from a donor substrate surface to a receiving surface of a receiving substrate for processing, said method comprising:

providing an elastomeric transfer device having a transfer surface;

providing a donor substrate having a donor surface, said donor surface having at least one feature;

contacting at least a portion of said transfer surface with at least a portion of said feature;

separating said transfer surface from said donor surface at a first separation rate such that at least a portion of said feature is transferred from said donor surface to said transfer surface, thereby forming said transfer surface having said feature disposed thereon;

contacting at least a portion of said feature disposed on said transfer surface with said receiving surface of said receiving substrate;

separating said transfer surface from said feature at a second separation rate, wherein said first separation rate is larger than said second separation rate, thereby transferring said feature to said receiving surface;

processing said feature on said receiving surface to generate a processed feature;

contacting at least a portion of said transfer surface with at least a portion of said processed feature; and

separating said transfer surface from said receiving surface at a third separation rate such that at least a portion of said processed feature is transferred to said transfer surface.