Abstract:
Functional nanoparticles may be formed using at least one nanoimprint lithography step. In one embodiment, sacrificial material may be patterned on a multilayer substrate including one or more functional layers between removable layers using an imprint lithography process. At least one of the functional layers includes a functional material such as a pharmaceutical composition or imaging agent. The pattern may be further etched into the multilayer substrate. At least a portion of the functional material may then be removed to provide a crown surface exposing pillars. Removing the removable layers releases the pillars from the patterned structure to form functional nanoparticles such as drug or imaging agent carriers.
Abstract:
A nanoimprint lithography method for forming nanoparticles includes patterning sacrificial material on a multilayer substrate. In some cases, the pattern is transferred to or into a removable layer of the multilayer substrate, and functional material is disposed on the removable layer of the multilayer substrate and solidified. At least a portion of the functional material is then removed to expose protrusions of the removable layer, and pillars of the functional material are released from the removable layer to yield nanoparticles. In other cases, the multilayer substrate includes the functional material, and the pattern is transferred to or into a removable layer of the multilayer substrate. The sacrificial layer is removed, and pillars of the functional material are released from the removable layer to yield nanoparticles.
Abstract:
Polymerized material on a substrate may be removed by exposure to vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) radiation from an energy source within a gaseous atmosphere of a controlled composition. Following such removal, additional etching techniques are also described for nano-imprinting.
Abstract:
A micro-conformal nanoimprint lithography template includes a backing layer and a nanopatterned layer adhered to the backing layer. The elastic modulus of the backing layer exceeds the elastic modulus of the nanopatterned layer. The micro-conformal nanoimprint lithography template can be used to form a patterned layer from an imprint resist on a substrate, the substrate having a micron-scale defect, such that an excluded distance from an exterior surface of the micron-scale defect to the patterned layer formed by the nanoimprint lithography template is less than a height of the defect. The nanoimprint lithography template can be used to form multiple imprints with no reduction in feature fidelity.
Abstract:
Methods of making nano-scale structures with geometric cross-sections, including convex or non-convex cross-sections, are described. The approach may be used to directly pattern substrates and/or create imprint lithography templates or molds that may be subsequently used to directly replicate nano-shaped patterns into other substrates, such as into a functional or sacrificial resist to form functional nanoparticles.
Abstract:
Inorganic solar cells having a nano-patterned p-n or p-i-n junction to reduce electron and hole travel distance to the separation interface to be less than the magnitude of the drift length or diffusion length, and meanwhile to maintain adequate active material to absorb photons. Formation of the inorganic solar cells may include one or more nano-lithography steps.
Abstract:
Systems and methods for fabrication of nanostructured solar cells having arrays of nanostructures are described, including nanostructured solar cells having a repeating pattern of pyramid nanostructures, providing for low cost thin-film solar cells with improved PCE.
Abstract:
Separation of an imprint lithography template and a patterned layer in an imprint lithography process may result in stress to features of the template and/or features of the patterned layer. Such stress may be reduced by minimizing open areas on the template, including dummy features within the open areas, and/or selective positioning of features on the template.
Abstract:
Patterned active layers formed by nano-imprint lithography for use in devices such as photovoltaic cells and hybrid solar cells. One such photovoltaic cell (400) includes a first electrode (406, 408) and a first electrically conductive layer (402, 404) electrically coupled to the first electrode. The first conductive layer (402, 404) has a multiplicity of protrusions (412, 414) and recesses (416, 422) formed by a nano-imprint lithography process. A second electrically conductive layer (402, 404) substantially fills the recesses (416, 422) and covers the protrusions (412, 414) of the first conductive layer (402, 404), and a second electrode (406, 408) is electrically coupled to the second conductive layer (402, 404). A circuit (410) electrically connects the first electrode (406, 408) and the second electrode (406, 408).