Method for making, inking, and mounting stamps for micro-contact printing
A method of preparing a patterned micro-contact printing stamp for micro contact printing including the making of a submaster of e.g. epoxy, against which a micro-contact printing stamp from polydimethylsiloxane or other stamp forming material can be formed. The micro-contact printing stamp can then be exposed to an inking material while the micro-contact printing stamp is still against the submaster, resulting in a micro-contact printing stamp capable of making numerous impressions before the inking material is exhausted.
1. A method of preparing a patterned micro-contact printing stamp for micro contact printing, comprising:
providing a master of the desired pattern;
applying stamp forming material to the master;
hardening the stamp forming material to form a micro-contact printing stamp; and
placing a quantity of an inking material on the micro-contact printing stamp and exposing the micro-contact printing stamp to the inking material while the micro-contact printing stamp is still in contact with the master, wherein the inking material comprises chemical species that form self-assembled monolayers.
2. A method of preparing a patterned micro-contact printing stamp for micro contact printing, comprising:
providing a master of the desired pattern;
applying negative-making material to the master to obtain a negative of the desired pattern;
preparing a submaster from the negative;
applying stamp forming material to the submaster;
hardening the stamp forming material to form a micro-contact printing stamp; and
placing a quantity of an inking material on the micro-contact printing stamp and exposing the micro-contact printing stamp to the inking material while the stamp is still against the submaster, wherein the inking material comprises chemical species that form self-assembled monolayers.
3. A method according to claim 1 wherein the master is a photoresist on glass.
4. A method according to claim 1 wherein the master comprises a metal.
5. A method according to claim 2 wherein the submaster comprises epoxy.
6. A method according to claim 1 wherein the inking material is a thiol solution.
7. The method according to claim 1 wherein the inking material is placed on the backside of the micro-contact printing stamp opposite the side in contact with the master.
8. The method according to claim 2 wherein the inking material is placed on the backside of the micro-contact printing stamp opposite the side in contact with the submaster.
9. A method according to claim 8 wherein the micro-contact printing stamp is saturated with inking material for approximately three hours.
10. A method according to claim 8 wherein the inking material comprises neat thiol.
11. A method according to claim 8 wherein the inking material comprises thiol with a solvent.
12. A method according to claim 1 wherein the stamp forming material is selected from the group consisting of silicone polymers, epoxy polymers, and acrylate polymers.
13. A method according to claim 2 wherein the applying stamp forming material to the submaster comprises:
placing a plurality of spacers on the submaster;
depositing a quantity of stamp forming material on the submaster,
placing a leveler on the spacers; and wherein
the hardening the stamp forming material to form a micro-contact printing stamp comprises:
curing the stamp forming material against the submaster; and
removing the leveler.
14. A method according to claim 13 wherein the leveler comprises a sheet of glass and a liner placed thereon, and wherein removing the leveler comprises:
sliding the sheet of glass away in a direction substantially parallel to the plane defined by the tops of the spacers, and
peeling the liner away from the micro-contact printing stamp.
15. A method according to claim 14 further comprising adhering an attachment layer to the micro-contact printing stamp.
16. A method according to claim 15 wherein the attachment layer is selected from the group consisting of a layer of transfer adhesive, a double-sided film tape, and a double-sided foam tape.
17. A method according to claim 2 further comprising transferring the micro-contact printing stamp directly from the submaster to a printing roll.
18. A method according to claim 17 wherein the printing roll has an attachment layer adhered thereon, and wherein the attachment layer is selected from the group consisting of a layer of transfer adhesive, a double-sided film tape, and a double-sided foam tape.
19. A method according to claim 17 wherein the transferring comprises placing the inked micro-contact printing stamp in contact with the printing roll and placing both the submaster and the printing roll into motion, adhering the inked micro-contact printing stamp onto the printing roll and peeling the inked micro-contact printing stamp from the submaster.
20. A method according to claim 19 wherein the submaster is moved at the same linear velocity as the surface velocity of the printing roll.
21. A method according to claim 7 wherein the micro-contact printing stamp has a thickness between about 0.5 to 10 mm.
22. A method according to claim 21 wherein the micro-contact printing stamp has a thickness between about 2 to 4 mm.