Orthogonal, Inc.

Sandra Rubsam

Douglas Robert Robello

Terrence Robert O'Toole

Diane Carol Freeman

Frank Xavier Byrne

Charles Warren Wright

John Andrew DeFranco

Francis Michael Houlihan

Meng Zhao

Kenneth Nicholas Boblak

A fluorinated photopolymer composition is disclosed having a branched copolymer provided in a fluorinated solvent. The copolymer includes a branching unit, a first repeating unit having a fluorine-containing group, and a second repeating unit having a solubility-altering reactive group. The branched fluorinated photopolymer composition is particularly suited for the fabrication of organic electronic and bioelectronic devices, or other devices having sensitive active organic materials.

Patterning devices using branched fluorinated photopolymers

A method of patterning a device includes forming a fluorinated photopolymer layer over a device substrate. The photopolymer layer has a lower portion proximate the device substrate and an upper portion distal the device substrate. The fluorinated photopolymer layer includes a radiation-absorbing dye and a fluorinated photopolymer having a solubility-altering reactive group. The photopolymer layer is exposed to patterned radiation to form exposed and unexposed areas in accordance with the patterned radiation and a developed structure is formed by removing unexposed areas using a developing agent that includes a first fluorinated solvent. The lower portion of the exposed area of the photopolymer layer has a dissolution rate in the developing agent that is at least 5 times higher than a dissolution rate for the upper portion.

Photolithographic patterning of electronic devices

Branched fluorinated photopolymers

A photopolymer layer is formed on an organic device substrate and exposed to patterned radiation. The photopolymer layer includes a photopolymer comprising at least a first repeating unit having an acid-catalyzed, solubility-altering reactive group, wherein the total fluorine content of the photopolymer is less than 30% by weight. The pattern exposed photopolymer is contacted with a developing agent, such as a developing solution, to remove unexposed photopolymer, thereby forming a developed structure having a first pattern of exposed photopolymer covering the substrate and a complementary second pattern of uncovered substrate corresponding to the unexposed photopolymer. The developing agent comprises at least 50% by volume of a hydrofluoroether developing solvent.

Method of patterning a device

A fluorinated photopolymer is formed on a device substrate and exposed to patterned radiation. The photopolymer has a total fluorine content in a weight range of 15 to 60% and comprises at least three distinct repeating units, including a first repeating unit having a fluorine-containing group, a second repeating unit having an acid- or alcohol-forming precursor group, and a third repeating unit different from the first and second repeating units. The pattern-exposed photopolymer layer is contacted with a developing solution comprising at least a first fluorinated solvent that dissolves the unexposed photopolymer thereby forming a developed structure having a first pattern of photopolymer covering the substrate and a complementary second pattern of uncovered substrate. The developing solution is selected to provide a maximum photopolymer contrast in a range of 1.9 to 5.0.

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Webster, NY, United States of America

Sandra Rubsam