The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 02, 1991
Filed:
Dec. 12, 1989
Nickolas P Vlannes, Troy, NY (US);
Environmental Research Institute of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (US);
Abstract
A method of manufacturing surface relief patterns of variable depth in solid materials is disclosed, which patterns, when seen in cross-section, are of variable geometry. After determining the properties of the desired surface relief pattern and of the material to be etched, the steps used in the method include: depositing a layer of measured thickness of photoresist material on the surface of the material to be etched; applying a selected amount of radiation to specific areas on the photoresist, thereby sensitizing the photoresist, so that the amount of radiation on the photoresist is a function of the depth of the desired surface relief pattern in the solid material at that point; chemically developing the photoresist material to remove the sensitized material in proportion to the exposure which it has received; and finally, etching the combined photoresist and substrate through reactive ion etching until portions of the photoresist material have been removed, thereby leaving the desired pattern etched in the substrate. As an additional step, the etched substrate may be coated with a metallic film with protective and optically desirable properties.