Systems and methods for fabrication of coating libraries

Abstract

Systems and methods for high throughput fabrication and analysis of an array of coated materials. The systems include a movable substrate having a plurality of predefined regions, where a plurality of materials are provided for coating the substrate. A delivery mechanism associated with the plurality of materials delivers a continuously varying mixture of the plurality of materials onto the surface of the substrate. The methods include delivering a continuously varying mixture of a plurality of materials onto the surface of a movable substrate having a plurality of predefined regions to form a predefined coating on each of the regions.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A system for making an array of coated materials, comprising: 
 a substrate having a surface with a plurality of predefined regions, the substrate movable within the system;    a plurality of materials for coating the substrate; and    a delivery mechanism associated with the plurality of materials, wherein the delivery mechanism is operable to deliver a continuously varying mixture of the plurality of materials onto the surface of the substrate.    
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate is movable at a substantially constant rate.  
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a mixer, fluidly connected to each of the plurality of materials, to produce the continuously varying mixture of the plurality of materials.  
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a controller to control the composition of the continuously varying mixture of the plurality of materials.  
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a curing system operative to apply a selected one of a plurality of curing environments to each of a plurality of predefined regions of a coated substrate.  
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the curing system applies a substantially different amount of the selected curing environment to each of the plurality of predefined regions of the coated substrate, along the width of the coated substrate.  
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the selected one of the plurality of curing environments includes a curing source selected from the group consisting of ultraviolet radiation, thermal radiation, infrared radiation, microwave radiation, laser light, and humidity.  
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a mask having a plurality of patterns, the mask positioned adjacent to the surface of the substrate, wherein each of the plurality of patterns is positionable over the substrate, and wherein each of the plurality of patterns is unique to permit delivery of the continuously varying mixture of the plurality of materials to different combinations of the plurality of predefined regions of the substrate.  
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the delivery mechanism further comprises a sprayer, having a supply inlet and a sprayer head, the supply inlet fluidly connected to the continuously varying mixture of the plurality of materials, and the sprayer head positioned adjacent to the surface of the substrate to dispense the continuously varying mixture of the plurality of materials onto the substrate.  
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the continuously varying mixture of the plurality of materials is dispensed onto the substrate in a vaporized/atomized state.  
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the delivery mechanism further comprises a coating applicator, the coating applicator having a supply inlet and a coating head, the supply inlet fluidly connected to the continuously varying mixture of the plurality of materials, the coating head defining an elongate distribution channel having a length corresponding to a width of the substrate, and the coating head positioned adjacent to the surface of the substrate to dispense a uniform thickness of the continuously varying mixture of the plurality of materials onto the substrate.  
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the continuously varying mixture of the plurality of materials is dispensed onto the substrate in a liquid state.  
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a movable holding device having a securing mechanism operative to hold and support the substrate during coating and curing.  
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the holding device is movable at a substantially constant rate.  
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of materials comprises a material selected from the group consisting of polymeric materials, oligomeric materials, small molecules, thermoplastic polymers, and thermosetting polymers.  
     
     
         16 . A system for making an array of coated materials, comprising: 
 a substrate having a surface with a plurality of predefined regions, the substrate movable within the system;    a plurality of materials for coating the substrate;    a mixer, fluidly connected to each of the plurality of materials, to produce a continuously varying liquid mixture of the plurality of materials;    a controller to control the composition of the continuously varying mixture of the plurality of materials; and    a delivery mechanism associated with the continuously varying mixture of the plurality of materials, wherein the delivery mechanism is operable to deliver the continuously varying mixture of the plurality of materials onto the surface of the substrate.    
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the substrate is movable at a substantially constant rate.  
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 16 , further comprising a curing system operative to apply a selected one of a plurality of curing environments to each of a plurality of predefined regions of a coated substrate.  
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the curing system applies a substantially different amount of the selected curing environment to each of the plurality of predefined regions of the coated substrate, along the width of the coated substrate.  
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the selected one of the plurality of curing environments includes a curing source selected from the group consisting of ultraviolet radiation, thermal radiation, infrared radiation, microwave radiation, laser light, and humidity.  
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 16 , further comprising a mask having a plurality of patterns, the mask positioned adjacent to the surface of the substrate, wherein each of the plurality of patterns is positionable over the substrate, and wherein each of the plurality of patterns is unique to permit delivery of the continuously varying mixture of the plurality of materials to different combinations of the plurality of predefined regions of the substrate.  
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the delivery mechanism further comprises a sprayer, having a supply inlet and a sprayer head, the supply inlet fluidly connected to the continuously varying mixture of the plurality of materials, and the sprayer head positioned adjacent to the surface of the substrate to dispense the continuously varying mixture of the plurality of materials onto the substrate.  
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the continuously varying mixture of the plurality of materials is dispensed onto the substrate in a vaporized/atomized state.  
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the delivery mechanism further comprises a coating applicator, the coating applicator having a supply inlet and a coating head, the supply inlet fluidly connected to the continuously varying mixture of the plurality of materials, the coating head defining an elongate distribution channel having a length corresponding to a width of the substrate, and the coating head positioned adjacent to the surface of the substrate to dispense a uniform thickness of the continuously varying mixture of the plurality of materials onto the substrate.  
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the continuously varying mixture of the plurality of materials is dispensed onto the substrate in a liquid state.  
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 16 , further comprising a movable holding device having a securing mechanism operative to hold and support the substrate during coating and curing.  
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein the holding device is movable at a substantially constant rate.  
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein each of the plurality of materials comprises a material selected from the group consisting of polymeric materials, oligomeric materials, small molecules, thermoplastic polymers, and thermosetting polymers.  
     
     
         29 . A method for making an array of coated materials, comprising: 
 providing a movable substrate having a surface with a plurality of predefined regions;    providing a plurality of materials for coating the substrate; and    delivering a continuously varying mixture of the plurality of materials onto the surface of the substrate to form a predefined coating on each of the plurality of predefined regions of the substrate.    
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the predefined coating comprises a thin film coating.  
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 29 , further comprising providing a continuously varying mixture of the plurality of materials for coating the substrate.  
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 29 , further comprising controlling the composition of the continuously varying mixture of the plurality of materials.  
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 29 , further comprising positioning a mask between the surface of the substrate and the continuously varying mixture of the plurality of materials.  
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein positioning the mask further comprises selectively positioning one of a plurality of mask patterns between the surface of the substrate and the continuously varying mixture of the plurality of materials.  
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein delivering the continuously varying mixture of the plurality of materials further comprises vaporizing or atomizing the continuously varying mixture of the plurality of materials.  
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 29 , further comprising curing each of a plurality of predefined regions of a coated substrate using a selected one of a plurality of curing environments.  
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 29 , further comprising curing each of a plurality of predefined regions of a coated substrate using a substantially different amount of a selected one of a plurality of curing environments for each of the plurality of predefined regions of the coated substrate.  
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 37 , further comprising curing each of a plurality of predefined regions of the coated substrate using a substantially different amount of the selected one of the plurality of curing environments for each of the plurality of predefined regions of the coated substrate, along the width of the coated substrate.  
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the selected one of the plurality of curing environments includes a curing source selected from the group consisting of ultraviolet radiation, thermal radiation, infrared radiation, microwave radiation, laser light, and humidity.  
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the selected one of the plurality of curing environments includes a curing source selected from the group consisting of ultraviolet radiation, thermal radiation, infrared radiation, microwave radiation, laser light, and humidity.  
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 29 , further comprising moving the substrate during the delivery of the continuously varying mixture of the plurality of materials onto the substrate.  
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the substrate is moved during the delivery of the continuously varying mixture of the plurality of materials onto the substrate at a substantially constant rate.  
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein each of the plurality of materials comprises a material selected from the group consisting of polymeric materials, oligomeric materials, small molecules, thermoplastic polymers, and thermosetting polymers.  
     
     
         44 . A method for making an array of coated materials, comprising: 
 providing a movable substrate having a surface with a plurality of predefined regions;    providing a plurality of materials for coating the substrate;    providing a continuously varying mixture of the plurality of materials for coating the substrate;    controlling the composition of the continuously varying mixture of the plurality of materials; and    delivering the continuously varying mixture of the plurality of materials onto the surface of the substrate to form a predefined coating on each of the plurality of predefined regions of the substrate.    
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein the predefined coating comprises a thin film coating.  
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 44 , further comprising positioning a mask between the surface of the substrate and the continuously varying mixture of the plurality of materials.  
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein positioning the mask further comprises selectively positioning one of a plurality of mask patterns between the surface of the substrate and the continuously varying mixture of the plurality of materials.  
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein delivering the continuously varying mixture of the plurality of materials further comprises vaporizing or atomizing the continuously varying mixture of the plurality of materials.  
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 44 , further comprising curing each of a plurality of predefined regions of a coated substrate using a selected one of a plurality of curing environments.  
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 44 , further comprising curing each of a plurality of predefined regions of a coated substrate using a substantially different amount of a selected one of a plurality of curing environments for each of the plurality of predefined regions of the coated substrate.  
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 50 , further comprising curing each of a plurality of predefined regions of a coated substrate using a substantially different amount of a selected one of a plurality of curing environments for each of the plurality of redefined regions of the coated substrate, along the width of the coated substrate.  
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein the selected one of the plurality of curing environments includes a curing source selected from the group consisting of ultraviolet radiation, thermal radiation, infrared radiation, microwave radiation, laser light, and humidity.  
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 50 , wherein the selected one of the plurality of curing environments includes a curing source selected from the group consisting of ultraviolet radiation, thermal radiation, infrared radiation, microwave radiation, laser light, and humidity.  
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 44 , further comprising moving the substrate during the delivery of the continuously varying mixture of the plurality of materials onto the substrate.  
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 54 , wherein the substrate is moved during the delivery of the continuously varying mixture of the plurality of materials onto the substrate at a substantially constant rate.  
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein each of the plurality of materials comprises a material selected from the group consisting of polymeric materials, oligomeric materials, small molecules, thermoplastic polymers, and thermosetting polymers.