KR100837339B1 - Roll Contact Type Micro Contact Printing Device Using Elastomer Stamp - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a roll-print type microcontact printing apparatus, and more particularly, to roll-print type microcontact printing using an elastomeric stamp capable of forming a pattern of a specific shape on a substrate using an elastomeric stamp. Relates to a device. In particular, according to the present invention, an elastomeric stamp is formed into an embossed portion and an intaglio portion corresponding to a pattern shape to be formed on a substrate, thereby eliminating the need to additionally perform an exposure process and a developing process after patterning a fine pattern on the substrate. have. In addition, the present invention can easily form fine patterns of 10 μm or less or nano size on a large-area substrate using an elastomeric stamp.

Description

Micro contact printing device of roll-print type using polymer stamp

1 is a perspective view showing a roll-printing micro-contact printing apparatus having an elastomeric stamp according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional configuration diagram of a micro-contact printing apparatus of a roll-print method cut along the traveling direction of the elastomeric stamp shown in FIG. 1.

3 is a perspective view of a roll-printed rotating body as the first embodiment of the elastomeric stamp shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

4 is a cross-sectional view of the roll-printed rotating body with a straight elastomeric stamp cut along the line I-I shown in FIG.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a roll-printed rotating body in which a patterning print composition is applied to the straight elastomeric stamp shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view schematically illustrating a manufacturing process of the roll-printed rotating body illustrated in FIG. 3.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view illustrating a substrate patterned using the straight elastomeric stamp shown in FIG. 5.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a roll-printed rotary body having a lattice-like elastomer stamp in place of the straight elastomeric stamp as a second embodiment of the elastomeric stamp shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of a roll-printed rotating body having a lattice-like elastomeric stamp cut along the line II-II shown in FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a roll-printed rotating body in which a patterning print composition is applied to the lattice elastomer stamp shown in FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view schematically illustrating a manufacturing process of the roll-printed rotating body illustrated in FIG. 8.

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a substrate patterned using the lattice elastomeric stamp shown in FIG. 10.

<Description of the symbols for the main parts of the drawings>

10: frame 20, 30: drum member

25 drive member 40 flat plate table

70: printing composition supply unit 100: fine contact printing apparatus

200, 300: roll-printed rotating body 220, 320: metal thin film

230, 330: elastomeric stamp 240, 340: printed composition

The present invention relates to a roll-print type microcontact printing apparatus, and more particularly, to form a pattern of a specific shape on a substrate by using an elastomeric stamp having a patterned surface of an intaglio and an intaglio, such as a straight or lattice The present invention relates to a roll-printing microcontact printing apparatus using an elastomeric stamp.

In general, miniaturization and high integration of printing patterns in semiconductor processes are an important factor for reducing time, cost and sample size, and improving new functions.

However, the use of semiconductor process methods to obtain a resolution of 10 μm or less is not only costly in terms of initial capital and maintenance costs, but also is not environmentally friendly because the source can cause radiation leakage. New methods are being sought due to the limitations of soft materials that are impossible with its manufacturing techniques and the difficulty of patterning on uneven surfaces, unusual surfaces or large areas.

For this purpose, a representative method developed as an alternative to lithography or replication technology is a microcontact printing method. The microcontact printing method forms a micro pattern with an elastomeric stamp, which is a flexible organic material, rather than a rigid inorganic material, and transfers it to a substrate. Means the way.

In addition to simplicity and convenience, such microcontact printing has the advantage of replicating a large number of patterns, and mating contact between the elastomeric stamp and the substrate surface is a key technology of pattern transfer. Moreover, microcontact printing is best suited to creating two-dimensional shapes, but may also be used to create three-dimensional shapes when combined with other processes such as metal thin film plating.

Specifically, the microcontact printing method duplicates a pattern from a processed master to an elastomeric stamp, applies conductive ink, gold or silver paste to the pattern forming surface of the elastomeric stamp, and then substrates from the elastomeric stamp. Transition fine pattern on the surface of the. The printed fine pattern is fixed by curing an electrode patterned by ultraviolet (UV) radiation or heat.

However, as described above, the microcontact printing using the elastomeric stamp is a pressure-sensitive printing method of the elastomeric stamp and the substrate as a method of transferring the micropattern from the elastomeric stamp to the substrate as the printing method of the flat plate to the flat plate. There was a phenomenon in which the pattern form of the elastomeric stamp was deformed or destroyed by nonuniformity such as speed. In addition, there was a difficulty in producing flat structures or uniform and defect-free microstructures in large-area printing, uniform contact and alignment errors, uniform transition of self-assembled monolayer (SAM), and There was also a problem in that the pattern was deformed by the occurrence of a diffusion phenomenon. In addition, the pressure-to-plate printing method as described above also has a problem that the size of the device becomes large.

The present invention has been proposed to solve the problems of the prior art as described above, by applying a roll-print method using an elastomeric stamp having a patterned surface of the intaglio and embossed portions, such as straight or lattice, Minimized pattern deformation of the elastomeric stamp due to the uniform pressure distribution and the constant velocity, as well as a roll using the elastomeric stamp that can easily form fine patterns of 10 μm or less or nano size on a large-area substrate It is an object of the present invention to provide a micropattern printing apparatus of a printing method.

The present invention provides a frame, a drum member rotatably installed on the frame, a flat plate installed on the frame while supporting a substrate, and a first surface and a first surface transferring a pattern while closely contacting the substrate. An elastomeric stamp having a second surface corresponding to an opposite surface and having a second surface disposed on an outer circumferential surface of the drum member, and a printing composition supply unit installed on the frame to supply a patterned print composition to the first surface. In addition, a plurality of the elastomeric stamps are spaced at a predetermined interval corresponding to a pattern shape to be formed on the substrate. A second region which is convexly protruded by the elastomeric stamp on the outer circumference of the drum member and is formed between the first region to which the pattern printing composition is applied, and the second region to be concave and positioned between the first region adjacent to the first region. Is provided.

Located between the elastomeric stamp and the drum member, the second surface of the elastomeric stamp is attached, and further comprises a metal thin film adhered to the outer peripheral surface of the drum member.

The first region and the second region are formed in a straight line along the outer circumference of the drum member in the metal thin film, and are formed along the direction crossing at right angles to the axis of the drum member.

The first region is set to be spaced apart from each other while a plurality of the metal thin film is distributed, and the second region is connected to each other between the first regions to form a lattice shape.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings so that those skilled in the art may easily implement the present invention. As those skilled in the art would realize, the described embodiments may be modified in various different ways, all without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention.

1 is a perspective view showing a roll-printing microcontact printing apparatus having an elastomeric stamp according to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 2 is cut along the advancing direction of the elastomeric stamp shown in FIG. It is a cross-sectional block diagram of the micro-contact printing apparatus of the roll-print system shown.

1 and 2, the microcontact printing apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment is a roll-print method using an elastomeric stamp, the surface of a large-area LCD glass substrate or a plastic substrate. It is made as a structure capable of printing fine patterns of 10 μm or less or nano size.

Here, the roll-printing method is a pattern formed on the surface of a predetermined rotating body, and after applying a printing composition such as SAM (self-assembled monolayer film) solution, conductive ink or gold and silver paste on the surface of the rotating body And a method of transferring a fine pattern such as an electrode to the surface of the substrate while rotating the rotating body.

The micro-contact printing apparatus 100 is configured as various components to be described below, these components may be installed in one frame 10, and may be coupled to each of the divided frames 10 It may be.

The frame 10 is configured to support the microcontact printing apparatus 100 with respect to the ground, and includes various motors for driving the microcontact printing apparatus 100, a sensor, an air system, a hydraulic system, a vacuum system, A power plant, an electronically controlled measurement system, etc. are provided.

The components of the micro-contact printing apparatus 100 described below are all installed on the frame 10, and various brackets, blocks, plates, housings, covers, and colors are installed on the frame 10, respectively. Since it is an accessory element to do so, in general, the frame 10 is called, except in exceptional cases.

Specifically, the microcontact printing apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment includes a roll-printed rotating body 200 installed on the frame 10, a flat table 40 supporting the substrate 1, and a rolled print composition. And a blade member 80 for squeezing the printed composition supplied to the roll-printed rotary body 200 and the print composition supplying unit 70 for supplying the printed rotating body 200.

Here, the frame 10 is composed of a base frame 11 supporting the flat table 40 and a pair of vertical frames 12 mounted upright on both opposite edge portions of the base frame 11. do. The pair of vertical frames 12 support the drum member 20, the print composition supply unit 70, and the blade member 80, and both edge portions corresponding to the X-axis direction of the base frame 11 in the drawing. Are installed on each.

The drum member 20 is formed as a cylinder of glass or metal material, and is rotatably supported by a pair of vertical frames 12. The drum member 20 is disposed long in the Y-axis direction with respect to the base frame 11, as shown in the figure, is spaced apart from the upper surface of the flat table 40 by a predetermined interval. In addition, the drum member 20 may be rotated by a driving member 25, preferably a motor, installed to be connected to one end thereof.

The flat table 40 is a flat plate that stably supports the glass or plastic substrate 1. The flat table 40 is disposed between the pair of vertical frames 12 while being supported by the base frame 11. It is installed spaced apart from the outer circumference.

The flat table 40 is installed to be capable of traveling with respect to the base frame 11 between a pair of vertical frames 12, and the linear frame (LM) guide 41 of the base frame 11 It is installed to reciprocate along the X-axis direction.

Here, the L guide 41 is a guide groove (not shown) formed on the lower surface of the flat table 40, and guide projections (not shown) formed on the upper surface of the base frame 11 and coupled with the guide groove. Guide protrusions formed on the bottom surface of the flat table 40 and guide grooves formed on the top surface of the base frame 11 to engage with the guide protrusions.

The print composition supply unit 70 is for applying the print composition to the pattern forming surface of the elastomeric stamp 230 and is fixedly installed on the pair of vertical frames 12.

The printing composition supply unit 70 has a tank (not shown) for accommodating the printing composition and a nozzle member for injecting the printing composition provided from the tank onto the pattern forming surface of the elastomeric stamp 230 ( 71).

The nozzle member 71 is disposed to be spaced apart from the pattern forming surface of the elastomeric stamp 230 at a predetermined interval while being supported by the pair of vertical frames 12 and arranged in parallel to the longitudinal direction of the drum member 20.

The blade member 80 is for squeezing to a thickness for setting a print composition sprayed onto the pattern forming surface of the elastomeric stamp 230 by the nozzle member 71, and is installed in the vertical frame 12. This blade member 80 is a flexible rubber or plastic material. The blade member 80 is disposed to be inclined approximately 45 degrees with respect to the reference line when the line facing the direction of gravity is set as an imaginary reference line, so that the influence of gravity when the squeezed print composition flows down the blade member 80 is maximized. Let me receive a lot.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a roll-printed rotating body as the first embodiment of the elastomeric stamp shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, and FIG. 4 has a straight elastomeric stamp cut along the line II shown in FIG. 3. 5 is a cross-sectional view of one roll-printed rotating body, and FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a rolled-printed rotating body in which a patterning print composition is applied to the straight elastomeric stamp shown in FIG.

3 to 5, the roll-printed rotating body 200 according to the present embodiment is rotatably installed to form a pattern on the substrate 1 by receiving a printing composition. The roll-printed rotating body 200 is attached to the drum member 20 described above, the metal thin film 220 adhered to the outer circumferential surface of the drum member 20, and the metal thin film 220 to form the outer circumferential surface of the drum member 20. Generic components, such as elastomeric stamp 230, are disposed to wrap.

The metal thin film 220 disposed between the drum member 20 and the elastomeric stamp 230 has one surface adhered to the outer circumferential surface of the drum member 20, and the elastomeric stamp 230 is adhered to the opposite surface. The elastomeric stamp 230 may be made of a flexible polymer-based material, which may be deformed beyond a predetermined dimension when closely contacted to the surface of the substrate 1 due to the inherent properties of the material. Thus, in the present embodiment, the metal thin film 220 is interposed between the drum member 20 and the elastomeric stamp 230 so that the elastomeric stamp 230 is firmly supported and does not deform beyond a predetermined dimension.

The elastomeric stamp 230 is supplied with the print composition 240 on the first surface 231 on which the pattern is formed, and the second surface 232 corresponding to the opposite surface of the first surface 231 is formed of the metal thin film 220. ) Is attached. At this time, the elastomeric stamp 230 is spaced apart at a plurality of predetermined intervals corresponding to the pattern shape to be formed on the substrate (1). Then, the present embodiment is an embossed portion (A ₁ ; hereinafter referred to as a first region) projecting convexly by the elastomeric stamp 230 on the outer circumference of the drum member 20, and the first region (A ₁ ) and An intaglio portion A ₂ (hereinafter referred to as a second region) is provided between the adjacent first first regions A ₁ to be concave.

That is, in the roll-printing method, unnecessary material loss may be caused by removing regions other than the pattern shape through the exposure process and the development process after patterning the entire substrate 1. However, the present embodiment includes a first region A ₁ for transferring a pattern to the substrate 1 and a second region A _{2 for} not forming a pattern, thereby simplifying the exposure process and developing process. The process can easily form a fine pattern of 10 μm or less or nano size on the large-area substrate 1.

In the elastomeric stamp 230 of the first embodiment, the first region A ₁ and the second region A ₂ are formed to be linear along the outer circumference of the drum member 20, and the center axis of the drum member 20 is linear. It is formed in the direction crossing at right angles to form a band shape.

In the roll-print type microcontact printing method configured as described above, a conductive ink or silver paste or photoresist is formed from the printing composition supply unit 70 to the first region A ₁ of the elastomeric stamp 230. Supply a print composition such as The next step is to adjust the coating thickness of the printed composition applied to the elastomeric stamp 230 using a squeegee or doctor blade. The next step is to rotate the roll-printed rotating body 200 to bring the elastomeric stamp 230 into close contact with the substrate 1. Then, in this embodiment, by transferring the pattern of the printed composition applied to the elastomeric stamp 230 to the substrate 1, it is possible to form a straight pattern as shown in FIG. The next step is to irradiate ultraviolet (UV) or heat to cure the patterned printed composition on the substrate (1). In the case where the substrate used in the present embodiment is a substrate for display (LCD, PDP), the substrate is manufactured by etching the electrode material or the partition material by using the printed composition as a mask.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a roll-printed rotating body having a lattice-like elastomer stamp in place of a straight elastomeric stamp as a second embodiment of the elastomeric stamp shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a roll-printed rotating body having a lattice-like elastomer stamp cut along the line II-II shown, and FIG. 10 is a roll coated with a patterning print composition on the lattice-like elastomer stamp shown in FIG. It is sectional drawing of the print rotating body.

8 and 10, the roll-printed rotating body 300 of the second embodiment is a metal thin film adhered to the drum member 30, the outer peripheral surface of the drum member 30 in the same manner as the first embodiment And a component such as an elastomeric stamp 330 attached to the metal thin film 320 to surround the outer circumferential surface of the drum member 30.

However, if the elastomeric stamp 230 of the first embodiment implements a straight pattern, the elastomeric stamp 330 of the second embodiment is formed to implement a lattice pattern. That is, a plurality of first regions A ₁ are set to be spaced apart from each other by being distributed in the metal thin film 320, and the second regions A ₂ are connected to each other between the first regions A ₁ to form a lattice form. Achieve. Then, the present embodiment transfers the pattern shape of the print composition 340 applied to the elastomeric stamp 330 to the substrate 1, thereby forming a lattice pattern as shown in FIG. 12 on the substrate 1. Can be.

That is, the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and various modifications and changes can be made within the scope of the claims, the detailed description of the invention, and the accompanying drawings. Naturally, it belongs to the range of.

As described in detail above, in the microcontact printing apparatus of the present invention, an elastomeric stamp is formed in each of an embossed portion and an intaglio portion corresponding to a pattern shape to be formed on a substrate, thereby further exposing and developing the micropattern on the substrate. There is an advantage that there is no need to perform additional processes.

In addition, the present invention has the advantage that can easily form a fine pattern of 10㎛ or less or nano-size on a large area substrate using an elastomeric stamp.

Claims (5)

frame; A drum member rotatably installed on the frame; A flat table mounted to the frame to support the substrate while driving; An elastomeric stamp having a first surface in close contact with the substrate and transferring a pattern, and a second surface corresponding to an opposite surface of the first surface and disposed on an outer circumferential surface of the drum member; A metal thin film positioned between the elastomeric stamp and the drum member, and having a second surface of the elastomeric stamp attached thereto and bonded to an outer circumferential surface of the drum member; And And a print composition supply unit installed on the frame to supply a pattern print composition to the first surface. The elastomeric stamp is spaced apart at a plurality of predetermined intervals corresponding to the pattern shape to be formed on the substrate, A second region which is convexly protruded by the elastomeric stamp on the outer circumference of the drum member and is formed between the first region to which the pattern printing composition is applied, and the second region to be concave and positioned between the first region adjacent to the first region. Is laid Roll-printing microcontact printing apparatus using an elastomer stamp. delete The method of claim 1, The first region and the second region is a roll-printing micro-contact printing apparatus using an elastomeric stamp formed in a straight line along the outer periphery of the drum member in the metal thin film. The method of claim 3, wherein The first contact region and the second region are roll-print type micro-contact printing apparatus using an elastomeric stamp is formed along a direction perpendicular to the axis of the drum member. The method of claim 1, The first region is set to be spaced apart from each other while a plurality of the metal thin film is distributed, the second region is interconnected between the first region and the micro-contact of the roll-print method using an elastomeric stamp of the lattice form Printing device.

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