Method for patterning a surface using selective adhesion

摘要

The invention relates to a method of patterning a layer formed from a fixable material such as photopolymer on a surface in a desired pattern. The method involves coating selected areas of the substrate with an adhesion promoter and subsequently coating the fixable material. The fixable material is then fixed, for instance by curing by exposure to UV radiation. The adhesion promoter is adapted to have a surface energy which is designed to adhere to the substrate or selected areas thereof and also to the fixed material such that fixed material may be easily removed from areas of the substrate not coated with adhesion promoter but retained in areas where the adhesion promoter has bonded to the substrate.

主权项

1. A method of providing a patterned layer on a substrate comprising the steps of:
a) applying an adhesion modifier to the substrate; b) introducing a fixable material between said substrate and a first surface, the first surface is configured to cause the fixable material to adopt a desired configuration and said fixable material comprising a photopolymer; and c) fixing said fixable material to form a layer of fixed material by exposing said fixable material with radiation; wherein said applying step includes applying the adhesion modifier to the substrate so as to provide at least one first region having an adhesion between the fixed material and the substrate which is greater than the adhesion between the fixed material and the substrate in at least one second region; and wherein the adhesion modifier, first surface and fixable material are configured such that, when the first surface is subsequently removed, any fixed material will be removed from said at least one second region and no fixed material will be removed from said at least one first region; and wherein the fixing step causes the adhesion modifier to react and to chemically bond to the photopolymer.