TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to methods of patterned deposition employing pressurized fluids and thermal gradients. Particular embodiments of the invention provide methods of laterally patterned deposition of conductive polymers.

BACKGROUND

Thin films of materials such as electrically conductive materials and semiconductors are often employed in the electronics industry. Common methods of fabricating thin films of materials include chemical vapor deposition and vacuum deposition.

There is a general desire to precisely fabricate or deposit laterally patterned thin films of various materials.

The foregoing examples of the related art and limitations related thereto are intended to be illustrative and not exclusive. Other limitations of the related art will become apparent to those of skill in the art upon a reading of the specification and a study of the drawings.

SUMMARY

The following embodiments and aspects thereof are described and illustrated in conjunction with systems, tools and methods which are meant to be exemplary and illustrative, not limiting in scope. In various embodiments, one or more of the above-described problems have been reduced or eliminated, while other embodiments are directed to other improvements.

One aspect of the invention comprises a method of depositing a lateral pattern of a deposition material onto a substrate. The method includes fabricating a laterally patterned deposition surface on the substrate. Traversing the laterally patterned deposition surface in at least one locally tangential direction of the laterally patterned deposition surface comprises variation between one or more deposition regions and one or more non-deposition regions. The deposition regions and the non-deposition regions differ from one another to permit selective temperature variation as between deposition regions and non-deposition regions. The method includes depositing deposition material onto the deposition regions of the deposition surface to form a deposition structure having deposited regions where deposited material overlaps the deposition surface in directions locally normal to the deposition surface and non-deposited regions free of deposited material overlapping the deposition surface in directions locally normal to the deposition surface. Depositing deposition material onto the deposition regions of the deposition surface to form the deposition structure comprises: dissolving the deposition material in a solvent to form a solution; varying a temperature of the solution to be in a vicinity of, but less than, a solubility maximum temperature at which the solubility of the deposition material in the solvent is a maximum; and selectively heating the deposition regions to localized temperatures greater than the solubility maximum temperature, to thereby cause the deposition material to precipitate from the solution and deposit onto the deposition regions.

In some embodiments, the deposition regions and the non-deposition regions differ from one another in relation to one or more physical properties which permit the selective temperature variation as between the deposition regions and the non-deposition regions. In some embodiments, the deposition regions and the non-deposition regions differ from one another in relation to at least electrical conductivity to permit the selective temperature variation as between the deposition regions and the non-deposition regions. In some embodiments, the deposition regions and the non-deposition regions differ from one another in relation to at least thermal conductivity to permit the selective temperature variation as between the deposition regions and the non-deposition regions. In some embodiments, the deposition regions and the non-deposition regions differ from one another in relation to at least electromagnetic absorptivity to permit the selective temperature variation as between the deposition regions and the non-deposition regions.

In some embodiments, fabricating the laterally patterned deposition surface on the substrate comprises selectively depositing a pattern-forming material onto one or more portions of an initial substrate surface to provide the laterally patterned deposition surface.

In some embodiments, fabricating the laterally patterned deposition surface on the substrate comprises selectively doping one or more portions of an initial substrate surface with a pattern-forming material to provide the laterally patterned deposition surface.

In some embodiments, fabricating the laterally patterned deposition surface on the substrate comprises fabricating a laterally patterned opposing surface on an initial substrate surface of the substrate, the initial surface opposite the deposition surface, wherein traversing the laterally patterned opposing surface in at least one direction tangential to the laterally patterned opposing surface comprises variation between one or more heatable regions and one or more other regions which permit selective temperature variation as between the one or more heatable regions and the one or more other regions such that selectively heating the one or more heatable regions causes the selective temperature variation as between the deposition regions and the non-deposition regions. In some embodiments, selectively heating the one or more heatable regions to cause the selective temperature variation as between the deposition regions and the non-deposition regions comprises allowing heat to travel through the substrate from the heatable regions to the deposition regions.

In some embodiments, the heatable regions and the other regions differ from one another in relation to one or more physical properties which permit selective temperature variation as between the heatable regions and the other regions. In some embodiments, the heatable regions and the other regions differ from one another in relation to at least electrical conductivity to permit the selective temperature variation as between the deposition regions and the non-deposition regions. In some embodiments, the heatable regions and the other regions differ from one another in relation to at least thermal conductivity to permit the selective temperature variation as between the deposition regions and the non-deposition regions.

In some embodiments, fabricating a laterally patterned opposing surface on the substrate comprises selectively depositing a pattern-forming material onto one or more portions of a first surface of a support and layering the opposing surface of the substrate on the first surface of the support thereby interposing the pattern forming material between the first surface of the support and the opposing surface of the substrate to fabricate a laterally patterned opposing surface on the substrate.

Another aspect of the invention provides a method of depositing a lateral pattern of a deposition material onto a substrate. The method comprises fabricating a laterally patterned deposition surface on the substrate. Traversing the laterally patterned deposition surface in at least one locally tangential direction of the laterally patterned deposition surface comprises variation between one or more deposition regions and one or more non-deposition regions. The deposition regions and the non-deposition regions differing from one another to permit selective temperature variation as between deposition regions and non-deposition regions. Fabricating the laterally patterned deposition surface on the substrate may comprise fabricating a laterally patterned opposing surface on an initial substrate surface of the substrate, the initial surface opposite the deposition surface. Traversing the laterally patterned opposing surface in at least one direction tangential to the laterally patterned opposing surface comprises variation between one or more heatable regions and one or more other regions which permit selective temperature variation as between the one or more heatable regions and the one or more other regions such that selectively heating the one or more heatable regions causes the selective temperature variation as between the deposition regions and the non-deposition regions. Fabricating the laterally patterned deposition surface on the substrate also comprises selectively heating the one or more heatable regions of the laterally patterned opposing surface to thereby cause the selective temperature variation as between the deposition regions and the non-deposition regions of the deposition surface. The method comprises depositing deposition material onto the deposition regions of the deposition surface to form a deposition structure comprising deposited regions where deposited material overlaps the deposition surface in directions locally normal to the deposition surface and non-deposited regions free of deposited material overlapping the deposition surface in directions locally normal to the deposition surface. Depositing deposition material onto the deposition regions of the deposition surface to form the deposition structure comprises: dissolving the deposition material in a solvent to form a solution; varying a temperature of the solution to be in a vicinity of, but less than, a solubility maximum temperature at which the solubility of the deposition material in the solvent is a maximum; and selectively heating the deposition regions to localized temperatures greater than the solubility maximum temperature, to thereby cause the deposition material to precipitate from the solution and deposit onto the deposition regions.

In addition to the exemplary aspects and embodiments described above, further aspects and embodiments will become apparent by reference to the drawings and by study of the following detailed descriptions.

