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Contact pattern sensitivity and precision machine control in roll-to-roll microcontact printing

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 February 2013

Joseph E. Petrzelka,
Melinda R. Hale and
David E. Hardt
Joseph E. Petrzelka
Affiliation:
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA 02139, U.S.A.
Melinda R. Hale
Affiliation:
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA 02139, U.S.A.
David E. Hardt
Affiliation:
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA 02139, U.S.A.
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Abstract

Scaling contact lithography (microcontact printing, microflexography, and nanoimprint lithography) to large roll-to-roll platforms will enable high speed, low cost lithographic patterning of surfaces. However, many details of robust implementations at the roll-to-roll scale remain an engineering challenge, including precise regulation of printing pressures and the stamp-substrate interaction. This paper introduces a method for precise control of contact pressure that can accommodate large dimensional variations, i.e. varying stamp and substrate thicknesses. This control algorithm is implemented on a simply supported roll positioning stage. Experimental results for microcontact printing and microflexography are shown both with in situ contact measurements on a pseudo substrate and with 5 um silver nanoparticle prints. Ultimately, this approach enables robust printing despite sensitive stamp patterns and large dimensional variations (> 10 μm) in substrates, stamps, and roll equipment.

Keywords

lithography (deposition)nanoscaletransparent conductor

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References

REFERENCES

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