DIFFRACTION UNLIMITED PHOTOLITHOGRAPHY

• US 20120092632A1
• Filed: 04/01/2011
• Published: 04/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Board of Regents of the University of Colorado (University of Colorado System)
• Original Assignee: The Board of Regents of the University of Colorado (University of Colorado System)
• Inventors: McLeod, Robert R., Bowman, Christopher N., Scott, Timothy F., Sullivan, Amy C.
• Granted Patent: US 8,697,346 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 355/53
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 5/0025 Crosslinking or vulcanising agents; including accelerators
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 5/18 with aromatically bound amino groups
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/32 Holograms used as optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/00 Photomechanical, e.g. photolithographic, production of textured or patterned surfaces, e.g. printing surfaces; Materials therefor, e.g. comprising photoresists; Apparatus specially adapted therefor using photoresist structures for special production processes, see the relevant places, e.g. B44C, H01L, e.g. H01L21/00, H05K
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/0037 Production of three-dimensional images
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/027 Non-macromolecular photopolymerisable compounds having carbon-to-carbon double bonds, e.g. ethylenic compounds G03F7/075 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/0275 with dithiol or polysulfide compounds
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/031 Organic compounds not covered by group G03F7/029
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/095 having more than one photosensitive layer G03F7/075 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/203 comprising an imagewise exposure to electromagnetic radiation or corpuscular radiation
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/2051 Exposure without an original mask, e.g. using a programmed deflection of a point source, by scanning, by drawing with a light beam, using an addressed light or corpuscular source G03F7/70 takes precedence

Abstract

Methods, devices, systems, and materials are disclosed for diffraction unlimited photofabrication. A method is provided where a photoresponsive material is illuminated with a first optical pattern at a first wavelength of light. The first wavelength of light alters a solubility of the photoresponsive organic material. The photoresponsive material is also illuminated with a second optical pattern at a second wavelength of light. The second wavelength of light hinders the ability of the first wavelength of light to alter the solubility of the photoresponsive organic material where the second optical pattern overlaps the first optical pattern. The photoresponsive organic material is then developed.

Claims

1. A method of photofabrication, comprising:

illuminating a photoresponsive material with a first optical pattern at a first wavelength of light, wherein the first wavelength of light alters a solubility of the photoresponsive material through the interaction of the first wavelength of light with a photoinitiator of the photoresponsive material;

illuminating the photoresponsive material with a second optical pattern at a second wavelength of light, wherein;

the second optical pattern overlaps the first optical pattern; and

the second wavelength of light hinders the ability of the first wavelength of light to alter the solubility of the photoresponsive material through the interaction of the second wavelength of light with a photoinhibitor of the photoresponsive material; and

developing the photoresponsive material.

2. The method of photofabrication as in claim 1, wherein the photoinitiator produces free radicals when illuminated with the first wavelength of light.

3. The method of photofabrication of claim 2, wherein the photoinhibitor hinders the ability of the free radicals to initiate polymerization when the photoinhibitor is illuminated with the second wavelength of light.

4. The method of photofabrication of claim 3, wherein the photoinitiator comprises a combination of camphorquinone and ethyl 4-(dimethylamino)benzoate.

6. The method of photofabrication of claim 4, wherein the photoinhibitor comprises bis(dialkylamino)disulfide.

7. The method of photofabrication as in claim 1, wherein the second optical pattern comprises a Gauss-Laguerre pattern.

8. The method of photofabrication as in claim 1, wherein the second optical pattern comprises a Hermite-Gauss pattern.

9. The method of photofabrication as in claim 1 further comprising illuminating the photoresponsive material with a third optical pattern at the second wavelength of light, wherein the third optical pattern overlaps the first optical pattern.

10. The method of photofabrication as in claim 1, wherein illuminating the photoresponsive material utilizes a direct-write illumination system.

11. The method of photofabrication as in claim 1, wherein illuminating the photoresponsive material utilizes a mask-based illumination system.

5. The method of photofabrication of 4, wherein the photoinhibitor comprises tetraethylthiuram disulfide.

12. A photoresponsive organic material, comprising:

a carbon-containing component;

a photoinitiator, wherein the photoinitiator alters a solubility of the carbon-containing component when the photoinitiator is exposed to a first wavelength of light; and

a photoinhibitor, wherein the photoinhibitor hinders the ability of the photoinitiator to alter the solubility of the carbon-containing component when the photoinhibitor is exposed to a second wavelength of light.

13. The photoresponsive organic material of claim 12, wherein the carbon-containing molecule comprises a monomer.

14. The photoresponsive organic material of claim 13, wherein the carbon-containing component comprises a silicon-based monomer.

15. The photoresponsive organic material of claim 13, wherein the carbon-containing component comprises a carbon-based monomer.

16. The photoresponsive organic material of claim 12, wherein the photoinitiator alters the solubility of the carbon-containing component through production of free radicals when the photoinitiator is exposed to the first wavelength of light.

17. The photoresponsive organic material of claim 12, wherein the photoinhibitor hinders the ability of the photoinitiator to alter the solubility of the carbon-containing component through the absorption of free radicals when the photoinhibitor is exposed to the second wavelength of light.

18. The photoresponsive organic material of claim 13, wherein the monomer comprises triethylene glycol dimethacrylate.

19. The photoresponsive organic material of claim 12, wherein the photoinitiator comprises a combination of camphorquinone and ethyl 4-(dimethylamino)benzoate.

21. The photoresponsive organic material of claim 12, wherein the photoinhibitor comprises a bis(dialkylamino)disulfide.

20. The photoresponsive organic material of 12, wherein the photoinhibitor comprises tetraethylthiuram disulfide.

22. An system for photofabrication comprising:

a first source of light at a first wavelength;

a second source of light at a second wavelength;

one or more first projecting components that are configured to project the first wavelength of light onto a photoresponsive organic material in a first pattern, wherein the photoresponsive material comprises a photointitiator and a photoinhibitor; and

one or more second projecting components that are configured to project the second wavelength of light onto the photoresponsive organic material as a second pattern, wherein the second pattern overlaps the first pattern.

23. The system for photofabrication of claim 22, wherein the first projecting components and the second projecting components are configured as a direct-write illumination configuration.

24. The system for photofabrication of claim 22, wherein the first projecting components and the second projecting components are configured as a mask-based illumination configuration.

25. The system for photofabrication of claim of 22, wherein the second projecting components include a hologram that transforms light from the second source of light into a Gauss-Laguerre pattern.

26. The system for photofabrication of claim of 22, wherein the second projecting components include a hologram that transforms light from the second source of light into a Hermite-Gauss pattern.