IP Library Granted Patent US 8,383,023
Granted Patent B2
US 8,383,023 · App. 12/633,596 · Granted Feb 26, 2013

Molding method

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,383,023
App. No.
12/633,596
Granted
Feb 26, 2013
Kind
B2
Abstract

A molding method may include forming a pattern on a surface of a substrate, the pattern and the surface of the substrate having an opposite polarity to each other, providing the substrate on which the pattern is formed with a liquid to form a liquid mold on either the surface of the substrate or the pattern, the liquid having a polarity identical to the polarity of the surface of the substrate or the polarity of the pattern and cooling the liquid mold at a temperature below a freezing point of the liquid to form a solid mold.

Claims (47)

1. A molding method comprising:

forming a pattern on a surface of a substrate, the pattern and the surface of the substrate having an opposite polarity to each other;

providing the substrate on which the pattern is formed with a liquid to form a liquid mold on either a surface of the substrate or a surface of the pattern, the liquid having a polarity identical to the polarity of the surface of the substrate or the polarity of the pattern;

cooling the liquid mold at a temperature below a freezing point of the liquid to form a solid mold;

providing a molding material on the solid mold; and

heating the molding material and/or the substrate at a temperature greater than a boiling point of the liquid.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein providing a molding material on the solid mold includes providing the molding material having a temperature less than the freezing point of the liquid.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

heating the molding material and the solid mold to cure the molding material and to melt the solid mold into the liquid.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

discharging the liquid melted from the solid mold through an opening formed in the cured molding material and/or in the substrate.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

removing the substrate and/or the pattern.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein a shape of the liquid mold is controlled by adjusting at least one of a viscosity of the liquid, a dipole moment of the liquid, a dipole moment of the surface of the substrate and a dipole moment of the pattern.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the surface of the substrate has either a hydrophilic property or a hydrophobic property and the pattern has an opposite property to the property of the surface of the substrate.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the liquid is hydrophilic.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the hydrophilic liquid is water.

10. The method of claim 2 , wherein the molding material is supplied by spin coating to form a thin film on the solid mold.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the pattern is made of a photoresist patterned by photolithography.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the liquid is provided by spraying the liquid on the surface of the substrate and on the pattern.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the liquid is provided by immersing the substrate in the liquid.

14. A molding method comprising:

forming a hydrophobic pattern on a hydrophilic surface of a substrate;

providing hydrophilic liquid on the hydrophilic surface of the substrate and on the pattern to form a liquid mold on the hydrophilic surface of the substrate;

cooling the liquid mold at a temperature below a freezing point of the hydrophilic liquid to form a solid mold;

providing, on the solid mold and the pattern, a molding material; and

curing the molding material by heating the molding material at a temperature greater than a boiling point of the hydrophilic liquid.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:

providing, on the solid mold and the pattern, the molding material having a temperature less than the freezing point of the hydrophilic liquid.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the substrate is made of silicon and the surface of the substrate is processed by thermal oxidation.

17. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:

discharging the hydrophilic liquid melted from the solid mold through an opening formed in the cured molding material and/or in the substrate.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein the molding material is supplied by spin coating to form a thin film on the solid mold.

19. A molding method comprising:

forming a pattern on a surface of a substrate, the pattern and the surface of the substrate having an opposite polarity to each other;

providing the substrate on which the pattern is formed with a liquid to form a liquid mold on either a surface of the substrate or a surface of the pattern, the liquid having a polarity identical to the polarity of the surface of the substrate or the polarity of the pattern;

cooling the liquid mold at a temperature below a freezing point of the liquid to form a solid mold;

providing a molding material on the solid mold; and

heating the substrate and/or the molding material effective to at least partially vaporize the liquid to control a shape of the molding material.

20. The molding method of claim 19 , further comprising forming at least one opening in the substrate and/or the molding material, the at least one opening effective to discharge the liquid.

21. A molding method comprising:

forming a pattern on a surface of a substrate, the pattern and the surface of the substrate having an opposite polarity to each other;

providing the substrate on which the pattern is formed with a liquid to form a liquid mold on either a surface of the substrate or a surface of the pattern, the liquid having a polarity identical to the polarity of the surface of the substrate or the polarity of the pattern;

cooling the liquid mold at a temperature below a freezing point of the liquid to form a solid mold;

providing a molding material on the solid mold; and

cooling the substrate and/or the molding material effective to condense the liquid to control the shape of the molding material.

22. The molding method of claim 21 , further comprising forming at least one opening in the substrate and/or the molding material, the at least one opening effective to discharge the liquid.

Assignments (2)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 31, 2019
From: CRESTLINE DIRECT FINANCE, L.P.
To: EMPIRE TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT LLC
Reel/Frame 049924/0794 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 29, 2019
From: EMPIRE TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT LLC
To: CRESTLINE DIRECT FINANCE, L.P.
Reel/Frame 048373/0217 →