Heat actuated and projected lithography systems and methods

Abstract

In accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure, a tip array can include an elastomeric tip substrate layer comprising a first surface and an oppositely disposed second surface, the tip substrate layer being formed from an elastomeric material; a plurality of tips fixed to the first surface, the tips each comprising a tip end disposed opposite the first surface, the tips having a radius of curvature of less than about 1 micron; and an array of heaters disposed on the second surface of the tip substrate layer and configured such that when the tip substrate layer is heated by a heater, a tip disposed in a location of a heated portion of tip substrate layer is lowered relative to a tip disposed in a location of an unheated portion of the tip substrate layer.

1 .- 25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . A method of aligning a tip array and pattern of radiation projected from a projector, comprising:
 positioning a projector comprising a digital micromirror device and a macro lens a distance from a tip array, the distance being substantially equal to the focal length of the macro lens;   aligning the digital micromirror device, the macro lens and a beam splitter using an optical breadboard;   displaying a first test pattern of radiation from the projector and projecting the first test pattern onto the tip array, wherein the first test pattern has first ratio of L/N, wherein L is the number of mirrors disposed on an edge of an illuminated portion of the test pattern and N is the number of tips disposed on an edge of an illuminated portion of the test pattern;   observing the projected test pattern projected on a back surface of the tip array;   adjusting the position of the digital micromirror device to center the first test pattern on the tips disposed in the irradiate portion of the first test pattern;   adjusting the position of the beam splitter until the test pattern is in rough focus on the tip array;   adjusting the focal length of the macro lens until the test pattern is in sharp focus;   projecting a second test pattern of radiation onto the tip array, wherein the second test pattern has a second ratio of L/N that is smaller than the first ratio of L/N;   adjusting the size, orientation, and position of the second test pattern such that the projected second test pattern substantially matches the tips in the array until one tip of the tip array is in the center of each irradiated portion of the second test pattern.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the first test pattern is in the form of a checkerboard and sized such that at least a 5×5 array of tips is disposed in a single irradiated square of the checkerboard. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 26 , comprising observing the projected test pattern using a camera focused on the back surface of the tip array. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the second test pattern is in the form of a checkerboard. 
     
     
         30 . A tip array, comprising:
 an elastomeric tip substrate layer comprising a first surface and an oppositely disposed second surface, the tip substrate layer being formed from an elastomeric material;   a plurality of tips fixed to the first surface, the tips each comprising a tip end disposed opposite the first surface, the tips having a radius of curvature of less than about 1 micron; and   an array of heaters disposed on the second surface of the tip substrate layer and configured such that when the tip substrate layer is heated by a heater, a tip disposed in a location of a heated portion of tip substrate layer is lowered relative to a tip disposed in a location of an unheated portion of the tip substrate layer.   
     
     
         31 . The tip array of  claim 30 , wherein the tips are formed of an at least translucent material, the tip array further comprising a blocking layer coated on the tips and the first surface; and a plurality of apertures defined in the blocking layer exposing the tip ends of the plurality of tips. 
     
     
         32 . The tip array of  claim 30 , wherein the tips are comprise an elastomer. 
     
     
         33 . The tip array of  claim 30 , wherein the elastomer of the one or more tips and/or the elastomeric tip substrate layer comprises a polymer, a cross-linked polymer, or a polymer gel. 
     
     
         34 . The tip array of  claim 30 , wherein the elastomer of the one or more tips and/or the elastomeric tip substrate layer comprises polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). 
     
     
         35 . The tip array of  claim 30 , wherein the tips comprise a metal, a metalloid (optionally silicon), a semi-conducting material, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         36 . The tip array of  claim 30 , further comprising a rigid support to which the tip substrate layer is attached, the heaters being disposed between the rigid support and the tip substrate layer. 
     
     
         37 . The tip array of  claim 36 , wherein the rigid support is a glass slide. 
     
     
         38 . The tip array of  claim 30 , wherein one or more of the tip substrate layer, the rigid support, and the tips are translucent. 
     
     
         39 . The tip array of  claim 30 , wherein the heaters are electrically activated heaters. 
     
     
         40 . The tip array of  claim 39 , wherein the heaters are formed of indium tin oxide, graphene, poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT), gold, copper, platinum, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         41 . The tip array of  claim 30 , wherein the heaters are photoconductive heaters. 
     
     
         42 . The tip array of  claim 41 , wherein the photoconductive heaters comprise amorphous hydrogenated silicon, zinc oxide, cadmium selenide, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         43 . The tip array of  claim 41 , further comprising at least one spatial light modulator disposed on at least one of the photoconductive heaters. 
     
     
         44 . The tip array of  claim 43 , wherein the at least one spatial light modulator is dynamically controllable. 
     
     
         45 . The tip array of  claim 41 , further comprising an array of spatial light modulators disposed on the photoconductive heaters. 
     
     
         46 . The tip array of  claim 30 , wherein the tip array comprises electrically activated heaters and photoconductive heaters. 
     
     
         47 . The tip array of  claim 30 , wherein the heaters are at least translucent. 
     
     
         48 . The tip array of  claim 47 , wherein the heaters are transparent. 
     
     
         49 . The tip array of  claim 30 , wherein each heater of the array of heaters is aligned with one tip of the tip array. 
     
     
         50 . The tip array of  claim 30 , wherein each the heater is disposed in a region of the tip substrate layer corresponding to a heating zone comprising one or more tips, wherein upon activation of the heater the one or more tips in the heating zone are lowered relative to a tip disposed outside the heating zone. 
     
     
         51 . The tip array of  claim 30 , further comprising a graphene film coated on at least the tips of the tip array. 
     
     
         52 . A method for selectively actuating one or more tips of the tip array of  claim 30 , comprising selectively activating one or more heaters to heat a portion of the elastomeric tip substrate layer to selectively lower one or more tips disposed in the location of the heated portion of the tip substrate layer relative to a tip disposed in an unheated portion of the tip substrate layer. 
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 52 , further comprising contacting the substrate with the tip array before selectively activating the one or more heaters, wherein selecting activating the one or more heaters selectively heats a portion of the tip substrate layer to selectively lowers one or more tips into closer contact to print larger feature sizes as compared to feature sizes printed by tips disposed in an unheated portion of the tip substrate layer. 
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 52  or  53 , wherein each heater is disposed in a heating zone comprising one or more tips and selectively activating the heater in the heating zone selectively lowers the one or more tips in the heating zone relative to a tip disposed outside the heating zone. 
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 52 , wherein each heater is aligned with a single tip and selectively activating the heater selectively lowers only the tip which aligned with the activated heater. 
     
     
         56 . A method of selectively applying a patterning composition to one or more tips of the tips array of  claim 30 , comprising:
 disposing the tip array adjacent to, but not in contact with one or more patterning composition sources; and   selectively activating one or more heaters to heating a portion of the elastomeric tip substrate layer to selectively lower one or more tips disposed in the location of the heated portion of the elastomeric tip substrate layer into contact with the one or more patterning composition sources.   
     
     
         57 . A method of selectively applying a patterning composition to one or more tips of the tips array of  claim 30 , comprising:
 selectively activating one or more heaters to heating a portion of the elastomeric tip substrate layer to selectively lower one or more tips disposed in the location of the heated portion of the elastomeric tip substrate layer;   disposing the tip array adjacent to one or more patterning composition sources such that the selectively lowered one or more tips are placed into contact with the one or more patterning composition sources.   
     
     
         58 . A method of selectively applying two different patterning compositions to the tips of the tip array of  30 , comprising:
 disposing the tip array adjacent to, but not in contact with a first patterning composition source;   selectively heating a portion of the elastomeric tip substrate layer to selectively lower a first subset of one or more tips disposed in the location of the heated portion of the elastomeric tip substrate layer into contact with the first patterning composition source to apply the first patterning composition to the first subset of one or more tips;   disposing the tip array adjacent to, but not in contact with a second patterning composition source comprising a second patterning composition;   selectively heating a portion of the elastomeric tip substrate layer to selectively lower a second subset of one or more tips disposed in the location of the heated portion of the elastomeric tip substrate layer into contact with the second patterning composition source to apply the second patterning composition to the second subset of one or more tips.   
     
     
         59 . The method of  claim 52 , wherein the heaters are photoconductive heaters and selectively heating a portion of the elastomeric tip substrate layer comprises selectively irradiating one or more of the photoconductive heaters. 
     
     
         60 . The method of  claim 59 , comprising activating the one or more heaters by irradiating the heaters with a pattern of radiation, the pattern of radiation corresponding to the one or more heaters to be activated. 
     
     
         61 . The method of  claim 52 , wherein the heaters are photoconductive heaters, the tip array comprises an array of spatial light modulators disposed on the photoconductive heaters, and selectively heating a portion of the elastomeric tip substrate layer comprises irradiating the tip substrate layer and selectively actuating the spatial light modulators to expose one or more of the photoconductive heaters to the irradiation. 
     
     
         62 . The method of  claim 52 , wherein the heaters comprise a first subset of photoconductive heaters adapted to activate in response to a first radiation, and a second subset of photoconductive heaters adapted to activate in response to a second radiation, the first and second radiations having different wavelengths, and selectively activating one or more of the first subset of photoconductive heaters comprises irradiating one or more of the heaters with the first radiation and selectively activating one or more of the second subset of photoconductive heaters comprises irradiating one or more of the heaters with the second radiation. 
     
     
         63 . The method of  claim 62 , wherein selectively actuating one or more heaters comprises irradiating all the heaters with the first radiation, wherein only the first subset of photoconductive heaters are activated to selectively lower one or more tips of the tip array. 
     
     
         64 . The method of  claim 62 , wherein selectively actuating one or more heaters comprises irradiating all the heaters with the second radiation, wherein only the second subset of photoconductive heaters are activated to selectively lower one or more tips of the tip array. 
     
     
         65 . The method of  claim 52 , wherein the heaters are electric heaters and selectively activating one or more heaters comprises supplying a voltage to the one or more heaters. 
     
     
         66 .- 77 . (canceled)