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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Method for lithograghic patterning of sensitive materials

Patent ·
OSTI ID:1632641

Methods for patterning highly sensitive materials, such as organic materials, organic semiconductors, biomolecular materials, and the like, with photolithographic resolution are disclosed. In some embodiments, a germanium mask (304) is formed on the surface of the sensitive material (302), thereby protecting it from subsequent processes that employ harsh chemicals that would otherwise destroy the sensitive material (302). A microlithography mask (306) is patterned on the germanium mask layer (304), after which the germanium exposed by the microlithography mask (306) is removed by dissolving it in water. After transferring the pattern of the germanium mask (304) into the sensitive material (302), the germanium and microlithography masks (304, 306) are completely removed by immersing the substrate in water, which dissolves the remaining germanium and lifts off the microlithography mask material. As a result, the only chemical to which the sensitive material (302) is exposed during the patterning process is water, thereby mitigating or avoiding damage to the material (302).

Research Organization:
SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory (SLAC), Menlo Park, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
DOE Contract Number:
AC02-76SF00515
Assignee:
The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University (Stanford, CA)
Patent Number(s):
10,581,003
Application Number:
16/329,947
OSTI ID:
1632641
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

References (2)

Creating Biological Membranes on the Micron Scale: Forming Patterned Lipid Bilayers Using a Polymer Lift-Off Technique journal November 2003
Direct Growth of Graphene Film on Germanium Substrate journal August 2013