The Penn State Research Foundation

A Kaan Kalkan

Stephen J Fonash

Daniel Hayes

Sanghoon Bae

Wook Jun Nam

Youngchul Lee

Kyuhwan Chang

This invention uses large surface to volume ratio materials for separation, release layer, and sacrificial material applications. The invention outlines the material concept, application designs, and fabrication methodologies. The invention is demonstrated using deposited column/void network materials as examples of large surface to volume ratio materials. In a number of the specific applications discussed, it is shown that it is advantageous to create structures on a laminate on a mother substrate and then, using the separation layer material approach, to separate this laminate from the mother substrate using the present separation scheme. It is also shown that the present materials have excellent release layer utility. In a number of applications it is also shown how the approach can be used to uniquely form cavities, channels, air-gaps, and related structures in or on various substrates. Further, it is demonstrated that it also can be possible and advantageous to combine the schemes for cavity formation with the scheme for laminate separation.

Deposited thin films and their use in separation and sacrificial layer applications

The method of the invention produces protruding features on a glass layer. Initially, a conductive layer is applied to the glass layer and is coupled to a source of reference potential. This conductive layer prevents a build-up of electrons in the glass layer when it is exposed to an electron beam. Thereafter, an electron beam is directed at combined layers in areas where protruding features are to be produced. The energy, current density and duration of application of the electron beam are controlled so as to create a melt/softened region within the glass layer. Such softening and differences in expansion rates between the softened glass and the surrounding glass causes a protruding feature to appear on the surface of the glass layer.

Micro-protrusion arrays fabricated by e-beam exposure

The present invention is generally related to controllably modifying or tailoring the structure of crystalline films to adjust and enhance the material properties of the film, such as optical, mechanical and electrical properties. Crystalline films generally refer to microcrystalline (.mu.c) film, nanocrystalline (nc) film, polycrystalline (poly-c) film, and other crystallized films. The present invention provides a method for controllably obtaining desired grain sizes (or crystal sizes) in crystalline films and for controllably providing a predominance of grains sizes in a predetermined range to adjust and enhance the optical absorption properties of the crystalline film. The present invention also provide a method for controlling the mechanical properties, e.g., stress formation levels, during crystallization of at least a portion of the precursor film. Through control of the stress formation levels, it is possible to controllably adjust and enhance the electrical properties (e.g., doping efficiencies, carrier mobility, Fermi level and minority carrier lifetimes) of the crystallized portion.

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State College, PA, United States of America

A Kaan Kalkan