IP Library Granted Patent US 6,936,194
Granted Patent B2
US 6,936,194 · App. 10/235,314 · Granted Aug 30, 2005

Functional patterning material for imprint lithography processes

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 6,936,194
App. No.
10/235,314
Granted
Aug 30, 2005
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present invention provides a method for forming an optical coupling device on a substrate by disposing a material onto the substrate that is polymerizable in response to actinic radiation. A stack of the material is formed by contacting the material with a template having a stepped-recess formed therein. The material is then solidified into an optically transparent body with a surface having a plurality of steps by subjecting the stack to actinic radiation. To that end, the material may comprise an acrylate component selected from a set of acrylates consisting essentially of ethylene dio diacrylate, t-butyl acrylate, bisphenol A diacrylate, acrylate terminated polysiloxane, polydifluoromethylene diacrylate, perfluoropolyether diacrylates and chlorofluorodiacrylates. Alternatively, the material may include a silylated component selected from a group consisting essentially of (3-acryloxypropyltristrimethylsiloxy) silane.

Claims (31)

1. A method of forming an optical coupling device on a substrate, said method including:

forming a stress relief layer on said substrate

producing, on said stress relief layer, an optically transparent body with a surface having a plurality of steps by disposing a material onto said stress relief layer, contacting said material with a template having a stepped recess formed therein and solidifying said material by exposing said material to actinic radiation.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein producing further includes disposing said material with an acrylate component selected from a set of acrylates consisting essentially of ethylene diol diacrylate, t-butyl acrylate, bisphenol A diacrylate, acrylate terminated polysiloxane, polydifluoromethylene diacrylate, perfluoropolyether diacrylates and chlorofluorodiacrylates.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein producing further includes disposing said material with a silylated component selected from a group consisting essentially of (3-acryloxypropyltristrimethylsiloxy) silane.

4. The method as recited in claim 1 further including fabricating said substrate from optically transparent material.

5. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein forming further includes fabricating said stress relief layer from rubbers of a set of rubbers consisting essentially of polysiloxane rubber and fluorosilocane rubber.

6. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein producing further includes disposing, on said stress relief layer, said material consisting essentially of ethylene diol diacrylate and an initiator.

7. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein producing further includes disposing, on said stress relief layer, said material consisting essentially of 1,3-bis(3-methacryloxypropyl)tetramethyldisiloxane and an initiator.

8. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein producing further includes disposing, on said stress relief layer, said material consisting essentially of (3-acryloxypropyl)tris(tri-methoxysiloxy)-silane, ethylene dio diacrylate, t-butyl acrylate, and an initiator.

9. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein producing further includes disposing, on said stress relief layer, said material consisting essentially of acrylate terminated poly siloxane, t-butyl acrylate, and an initiator.

10. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein producing further includes disposing, on said stress relief layer, said material consisting essentially of bisphenol A diacrylate, and an initiator.

11. A method of forming an optical coupling device on a substrate, said method including:

forming said substrate with a stress relief layer;

disposing a material onto said stress relief layer that is polymerizable in response to actinic radiation;

forming a plurality of spaced-apart stacks of said material by contacting said material with a template have a stepped-recess formed therein; and

solidifying said plurality of spaced-apart stacks of said material into an optically transparent body with a surface having a plurality of steps by subjecting said stacks to actinic radiation.

12. The method as recited in claim 11 wherein disposing said material on said stress relief layer further includes disposing said material on said stress relief layer, being formed from rubbers of a set of rubbers consisting essentially of polysiloxane rubber and fluorosilocane rubber.

13. The method as recited in claim 12 further including fabricating said substrate from optically transparent material.

14. The method as recited in claim 13 wherein disposing further includes disposing said material with an acrylate component selected from a set of acrylates consisting essentially of ethylene dio diacrylate, t-butyl acrylate, bisphenol A diacrylate, acrylate terminated polysiloxane, polydifluoromethylene diacrylate, perfluoropolyether diacrylates and chlorofluorodiacrylates.

15. The method as recited in claim 13 wherein disposing further includes disposing said material with a silylated component selected from a group consisting essentially of (3-acryloxypropyltristrimethylsiloxy) silane.

16. A method of forming an optical coupling device on a substrate, said method including:

forming, on said substrate, a stress relief layer formed from rubbers of a set of rubbers consisting essentially of polysiloxane rubber and fluorosilocane rubber;

disposing a material, onto said stress relief layer, that is polymerizable in response to actinic radiation;

forming a plurality of spaced-apart stacks of said material by contacting said material with a template having a stepped-recess formed therein; and

solidifying said plurality of spaced-apart stacks of material into an optically transparent body with a surface having a plurality of steps by subjecting said stacks to actinic radiation.

17. The method as recited in claim 16 wherein disposing further includes depositing said material from a set of materials consisting essentially of ethylene dio diacrylate and an initiator.

18. The method as recited in claim 16 wherein disposing further includes depositing said material from a set of materials consisting essentially of 1,3-bis(3-methacryloxypropyl)tetramethyldisiloxane and an initiator.

19. The method as recited in claim 16 wherein disposing further includes depositing said material from a set of materials consisting essentially of (3-acryloxypropyl)tris(tri-methoxysiloxy)-silane, ethylene dio diacrylate, t-butyl acrylate, and an initiator.

20. The method as recited in claim 16 wherein disposing further includes depositing said material from a set of materials consisting essentially of acrylate terminated poly siloxane, t-butyl acrylate, and an initiator.

21. The method as recited in claim 16 wherein disposing further includes depositing said material from a set of materials consisting essentially of bisphenol A diacrylate, and an initiator.

Assignments (9)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE ASSIGNOR AND ASSIGNEE PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 033161 FRAME 0705. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Jun 25, 2014
From: CANON INC.
To: MOLECULAR IMPRINTS, INC.
Reel/Frame 033227/0398 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 13, 2014
From: MOLECULAR IMPRINTS, INC.
To: CANON INC.
Reel/Frame 033161/0705 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE NATURE OF CONVEYANCE FROM AN "ASSIGNMENT" TO "SECURITY AGREEMENT" PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 026842 FRAME 0929. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE THE ORIGINAL DOCUMENT SUBMITTED WAS A "SECURITY AGREEMENT". Recorded Aug 13, 2013
From: MOLECULAR IMPRINTS, INC.
To: CANON INC.
Reel/Frame 031003/0031 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 1, 2011
From: MOLECULAR IMPRINTS, INC.
To: CANON INC.
Reel/Frame 026842/0929 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 29, 2011
From: VENTURE LENDING & LEASING III, INC.
To: MOLECULAR IMPRINTS, INC.
Reel/Frame 026821/0159 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 27, 2007
From: VENTURE LENDING & LEASING IV, INC.
To: MOLECULAR IMPRINTS, INC.
Reel/Frame 019072/0882 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 11, 2005
From: MOLECULAR IMPRINTS, INC.
To: VENTURE LENDING & LEASING IV, INC.
Reel/Frame 016133/0369 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 19, 2003
From: MOLECULAR IMPRINTS, INC.
To: VENTURE LENDING & LEASING III, INC.
Reel/Frame 013760/0150 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 5, 2002
From: WATTS
To: MOLECULAR IMPRINTS, INC.
Reel/Frame 013268/0601 →