Apparatus for precise molding and alignment of structures on a substrate using a stretchable mold

• Main Authors: DILLON KENNETH R, KING VINCENT WEN-SHIUAN, CHIU RAYMOND C, HUMPAL PAUL EDWARD, HOOPMAN TIMOTHY LEE
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 04.12.2001
• Edition: 7
• Subjects: AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING; BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS; ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS; ELECTRIC SOLID STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; ELECTRICITY; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDEDFOR; SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; TRANSPORTING; WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE, IN GENERAL

An apparatus for molding and aligning microstructures on a patterned substrate using a microstructured mold. A slurry containing a mixture of a ceramic powder and a curable fugitive binder is placed between the microstructure of a stretchable mold and a patterned substrate. The mold can be stretched to align the microstructure of the mold with a predetermined portion of the patterned substrate. The slurry is hardened between the mold and the substrate. The mold is then removed to leave microstructures adhered to the substrate and aligned with the pattern of the substrate. The microstructures can be thermally heated to remove the binder and optimally fired to sinter the ceramic powder.