Elastomeric mask and use in fabrication of devices

Abstract

An elastomeric mask is provided that allows deposition of a variety of materials through mask openings. The mask seals effectively against substrate surfaces, allowing simple deposition from fluid phase, gas phase, and the like or removal of material using gaseous or liquid etchants. The mask then can be simply peeled from the surface of the substrate leaving the patterned material behind. Multi-layered mask techniques are described in which openings in an upper mask allow selected openings of a lower mask to remain un-shielded, while other openings of the lower mask are shielded. A first deposition step, following by re-orientation of the upper mask to expose a different set of lower mask openings, allows selective deposition of different materials in different openings of the lower mask. Pixelated organic electroluminescent devices are provided via the described technique.

1 . An elastomeric article comprising a first surface, an opposing second surface, and a plurality of channels passing through the article and connecting the first surface with the second surface, at least one of the plurality of channels having a cross-sectional dimension of less than 1 millimeter.  
     
     
         2 . An article as in  claim 1 , wherein the first surface is elastomeric.  
     
     
         3 . An article as in  claim 1 , wherein the article is elastomeric.  
     
     
         4 . An article as in  claim 3 , comprising at least about 100 channels.  
     
     
         5 . An article as in  claim 4 , wherein at least about 50% of the channels have a cross-sectional dimension of less than about 200 microns.  
     
     
         6 . An article as in  claim 5 , wherein at least about 98% of the channels have a cross-sectional dimension of less than about 200 microns.  
     
     
         7 . An article as in  claim 6 , wherein the mask includes at least about 500, essentially straight, circular cross-sectional channels, each channel of cross-section of less than about 200 microns, and each channel spaced from an adjacent channel by no more than about 400 microns.  
     
     
         8 . An article as in  claim 7 , wherein the channels have a length-to-diameter ratio of no more than about 5 to 1.  
     
     
         9 . An article as in  claim 7 , wherein the channels have a length-to-diameter ratio of no more than about 2 to 1.  
     
     
         10 . An article as in  claim 9 , the mask including at least about 1,000 channels, each of cross-section of less than about 100 microns and each channel spaced from an adjacent channel by no more than about 200 microns.  
     
     
         11 . An article as in  claim 10 , wherein each of the channels has a cross-sectional dimension of no more than about 50 microns and each channel is spaced from an adjacent channel by no more than about 100 microns.  
     
     
         12 . An article as in  claim 10 , wherein each of the channels has a cross-sectional dimension of no more than about 25 microns and each channel is spaced from an adjacent channel by no more than about 50 microns.  
     
     
         13 . An article as in  claim 10 , wherein each channel has a cross-sectional dimension of no more than about 10 microns.  
     
     
         14 . An article as in  claim 10 , wherein each channel has a cross-sectional dimension of no more than about 5 microns.  
     
     
         15 . An article as in  claim 10 , wherein each channel has a cross-sectional dimension of no more than about 3 microns.  
     
     
         16 . An article as in  claim 10 , wherein each channel has a cross-sectional dimension of no more than about 1.5 microns.