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:
Mar. 01, 2005
Filed:
Mar. 18, 2003
J. David Benson, Burke, VA (US);
John H. Dinan, Alexandria, VA (US);
Michael Martinka, Springfield, VA (US);
Leo Anthony Almeida, Alexandria, VA (US);
Phillip R. Boyd, St. Leonard, MD (US);
Andrew J. Stoltz, Jr., Stafford, VA (US);
Andrew W. Kaleczyc, Alexandria, VA (US);
J. David Benson, Burke, VA (US);
John H. Dinan, Alexandria, VA (US);
Michael Martinka, Springfield, VA (US);
Leo Anthony Almeida, Alexandria, VA (US);
Phillip R. Boyd, St. Leonard, MD (US);
Andrew J. Stoltz, Jr., Stafford, VA (US);
Andrew W. Kaleczyc, Alexandria, VA (US);
The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army, Washington, DC (US);
Abstract
A lithographic imaging method of the present invention includes the initial step of providing a substrate made from Mercury, Cadmium and Telluride materials (HgCdTe). The HgCdTe substrate is coated with a diazonaphthoquinone (DNQ) Novolak photoresist material to establish an imaging medium. The imaging medium is exposed to an image pattern and then developed in a tetra-methyl ammonium hydroxide (TMAH) solution. The TMAH solution includes a fullerene (C) material dissolved therein to retard the subsequent etching of the imaging medium. The incorporation of fullerene into the photoresist material indirectly via the developing solution avoids the solubility and ultraviolet (UV) absorbance disadvantages inherent in adding fullerenes directly to the photoresist prior to placement on the substrate. After development, the imaging medium is etched to transfer the recorded image pattern to the substrate. The fullerene cooperates with the photoresist material to slow the etching process, which allows for a highly reticulated HgCdTe detectors and IR images having greatly enhanced resolution.