Apparatuses and methods for maskless mesoscale material deposition

US7987813B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Optomec, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Michael J. Renn · New Richmond, US
• Bruce H. King · Albuquerque, US
• Marcelino Essien · Edgewood, US
• Gregory J. Marquez · Albuquerque, US
• Manampathy G. Giridharan · Evendale, US
• Jyh-Cherng Sheu · Hsinchu, TW

Key dates

• Filing date: Jan 6, 2009
• Grant date: Aug 2, 2011
• Expiry date: Jul 17, 2029

Classification

• Technology area (CPC B): Performing Operations; Transporting
• CPC primary: B05D5/00
• WIPO field: Surface technology, coating
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

Apparatuses and processes for maskless deposition of electronic and biological materials. The process is capable of direct deposition of features with linewidths varying from the micron range up to a fraction of a millimeter, and may be used to deposit features on substrates with damage thresholds near 100° C. Deposition and subsequent processing may be carried out under ambient conditions, eliminating the need for a vacuum atmosphere. The process may also be performed in an inert gas environment. Deposition of and subsequent laser post processing produces linewidths as low as 1 micron, with sub-micron edge definition. The apparatus nozzle has a large working distance—the orifice to substrate distance may be several millimeters—and direct write onto non-planar surfaces is possible.