Programmable electrostatic focusing array, device and method of patterned deposition
By using a programmable electrostatic focusing array and deposition device, and by forming a controllable electric field using independent electrode units, the problem of low efficiency and poor precision in directional deposition of nanoparticle sources is solved, achieving high-precision patterned deposition and efficient utilization of materials.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- HUAZHONG UNIV OF SCI & TECH
- Filing Date
- 2026-03-13
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-19
AI Technical Summary
Existing nanoparticle-based directional deposition techniques suffer from low spatial selectivity and poor precision, making it difficult to fabricate patterned micro- and nano-functional materials.
By employing a programmable electrostatic focusing array and deposition device, a controllable spatial electric field is formed through independent electrode units, which precisely controls the deposition of charged particles and droplets, achieving high-resolution and selective deposition.
It achieves high-precision, programmable patterning deposition, simplifies the process, improves material utilization, and is suitable for multi-precision pattern printing.
Smart Images
Figure CN122235649A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This invention belongs to the field of advanced manufacturing technology, and in particular relates to a programmable electrostatic focusing array, device and patterned deposition method. Background Technology
[0002] Directed deposition technology is a key technology for the patterned fabrication of micro and nano functional materials, and it has broad application prospects in fields such as printed electronics, biosensors, and light-emitting displays. Currently, based on nanoparticle source technologies such as ion beams, aerosol jetting, and electrospraying, various functional materials can be transported and deposited onto the substrate surface in the form of charged particles or droplets. This type of technology has advantages such as a wide range of material applicability and non-contact processing.
[0003] However, the aforementioned existing nanoparticle-based directional deposition technologies generally suffer from common technical bottlenecks such as low spatial selectivity deposition efficiency and poor precision. The core problem lies in the difficulty of precisely constraining and guiding the trajectory of charged particles generated by the nanoparticle source as they fly towards the substrate. The main factors contributing to this problem are twofold: first, the particles carrying the same charge generate Coulomb repulsion, easily causing spatial divergence of the particle beam or droplets during transport; second, environmental airflow disturbances are difficult to completely eliminate, causing random deviations in the particle flight path. The combined effect of these two factors results in a diffuse distribution of material deposited on the substrate, leading to larger feature sizes and poor edge sharpness in the formed patterns, severely limiting the application of this technology in the fabrication of high-precision devices at the micro- and nano-scale.
[0004] To address the aforementioned issues, existing deposition techniques typically require complex pretreatment of the substrate or precise control of substrate movement to achieve patterned deposition. These methods suffer from drawbacks such as complex processes, low deposition efficiency, and poor control flexibility. Therefore, there is an urgent need in this field to develop a novel patterned deposition method and apparatus that can achieve high-resolution, highly selective, and highly efficient directional deposition of micro / nano functional materials without requiring pre-patterning of the substrate. Summary of the Invention
[0005] To address the shortcomings and improvement needs of existing technologies, this invention provides a programmable electrostatic focusing array, a programmable electrostatic focusing array deposition apparatus, and a patterned deposition method. The purpose of this invention is to enable selective deposition of different resolutions in different preset pattern areas on the same substrate, making it suitable for printing multi-precision patterns. Furthermore, the programmable electrostatic focusing array is reusable, saving resources.
[0006] To achieve the above objectives, according to one aspect of the present invention, a programmable electrostatic focusing array is provided, comprising: Multiple independent electrode units form a controllable spatial electric field through electrode arrangement of the electrode units. The spatial electric field is used to guide the deposition of charged particles and / or droplets. Each electrode unit has through holes distributed on it, which allow charged particles and / or droplets to pass through the electrode array and be deposited on the substrate. The electrode arrangement of the electrode units includes applying a voltage signal to the electrode units.
[0007] Furthermore, the present invention also discloses a programmable electrostatic focusing array deposition apparatus, comprising: Charged particle source, used to generate charged particles and / or droplets; An insulating substrate having a front side for receiving deposits; A programmable electrostatic focusing array, positioned directly above an insulating substrate, is used to guide the deposition of charged particles and / or droplets; A voltage driving unit, connected to a programmable electrostatic focusing array, is used to provide independent voltage signals to the electrode units in the programmable electrostatic focusing array. The voltage signals are either pulse signals or DC signals. The control unit, connected to the voltage drive unit, is used to programmatically control the output of the voltage drive unit according to the target pattern, so that the programmable electrostatic focusing array forms a spatial electric field corresponding to the target pattern on the front side of the insulating substrate.
[0008] Furthermore, the present invention also discloses a patterned deposition method based on a programmable electrostatic focusing array deposition apparatus, comprising: S1: The control unit sets a voltage signal that meets the requirements of the target pattern in the corresponding electrode unit according to the target pattern driving voltage driving unit. S2: The voltage signal causes the programmable electrostatic focusing array to generate a specific voltage distribution, thereby forming a spatially modulated spatial electric field above the front side of the insulating substrate. S3: Charged particle source generates charged particles and / or droplets; S4: Charged particles and / or droplets are selectively deposited on a predetermined area on the front side of an insulating substrate under the influence of a spatial electric field to form a patterned thin film.
[0009] Furthermore, the present invention also discloses a method for fabricating a programmable electrostatic focusing array, comprising: S11: SOI with a silicon-silicon oxide-silicon three-layer structure is selected as the substrate; S12: Deposit an insulating layer. A layer of SiO2 is deposited on the surface of the SOI substrate as an insulating layer, with the thickness controlled between 200 and 600 nm. S13: Form the first electrode layer by sequentially performing metal deposition, photoresist spin coating, and photolithography using a mask on the insulating layer, and forming a patterned first electrode layer through etching process; S14: Etch via. Using the first electrode layer as a mask, or perform another photolithography process, use dry etching to etch downwards through the insulating layer and the top silicon layer of the SOI substrate below; perform photolithography and dry etching on the back side of the substrate to form a back cavity; finally, remove the exposed buried oxide layer by wet etching to form a via that penetrates the device structure. S15: Forming the second electrode layer. A gold electrode is formed on the back side of the SOI substrate by sputtering as the second electrode layer, with a thickness of approximately 100~300 nm.
[0010] In summary, the above-described technical solutions conceived in this invention can achieve the following beneficial effects: (1) High precision and programmable patterned deposition capability: This invention constructs a spatially modulated spatial electric field through a programmable electrostatic focusing array, which can accurately control the opening and closing of the flight trajectory of charged particles or droplets and precisely regulate the focusing degree, and has excellent patterned deposition precision and programmability.
[0011] (2) Flexible and programmable multi-resolution integrated printing: By relying on the control unit to independently and programmably control the voltage of each unit of the electrode array, the present invention can simultaneously realize the patterned deposition of multiple feature sizes (multi-resolution) in different areas of the same substrate, with outstanding integrated molding capability.
[0012] (3) Simplify the process flow and improve material utilization: The present invention does not require complex patterning pretreatment of the substrate, which greatly simplifies the deposition process flow; at the same time, by using the electric field to precisely target and guide the particles, the functional materials are precisely deposited in the preset area, which effectively reduces material loss and significantly improves material utilization.
[0013] (4) Flexible structural design and wide range of applications: The programmable electrostatic focusing array can adopt a single-layer or multi-layer structure design, and the configuration and layout of the electrode units can be flexibly customized and optimized. The high adaptability of this structure makes the deposition device and method of the present invention compatible with a variety of charged particle sources and functional materials, and has broad application prospects in many fields such as printed electronics and sensor fabrication. Attached Figure Description
[0014] Figure 1 The image shown is a top view of a programmable electrostatic focusing array provided according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 The diagram shown is a schematic representation of a programmable electrostatic focusing array deposition apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 The diagram shown is a top view of the fabrication process of a programmable electrostatic focusing array according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4 The image shown is a cross-sectional view of the fabrication of a programmable electrostatic focusing array according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 The diagram shown is a schematic diagram of a programmable electrostatic focusing array operating in a first operating mode according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 6 The diagram shown is a schematic of a programmable electrostatic focusing array operating in a second working mode according to an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation
[0015] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative and not intended to limit the invention. Furthermore, the technical features involved in the various embodiments of this invention described below can be combined with each other as long as they do not conflict with each other.
[0016] In this invention, the terms "first," "second," etc. (if present) in the invention and the accompanying drawings are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence.
[0017] This invention discloses a programmable electrostatic focusing array, such as Figure 1 As shown, it includes: Multiple independent electrode units form a controllable spatial electric field through electrode configuration of the electrode units. The spatial electric field is used to guide the deposition of charged particles and / or droplets. Each electrode unit has through holes distributed on it, which allow charged particles and / or droplets to pass through the electrode array and be deposited on the substrate. The electrode configuration of the electrode units includes applying a voltage signal to the electrode units. The number of through holes on each electrode unit is not limited and can be one or more.
[0018] In one optional embodiment, the programmable electrostatic focusing array is a multi-layer structure, including a first electrode array and a second electrode array, with the first electrode array positioned directly above the second electrode array. The vias in the first electrode array are aligned with the centers of the vias in the second electrode array, and the via sizes are identical. Whether the first and second electrode arrays have the same structure or are designed differently is applicable to this invention. Furthermore, the electrode array structure can be designed according to the target deposition pattern and is not limited to a specific structure; for example, a single-layer or multi-layer electrode array can be designed, and a multi-layer electrode array is not limited to two layers.
[0019] Preferably, the through holes of the electrode unit are designed as needed, and their shapes include one or more of the following: circular, triangular, and square, but are not limited thereto.
[0020] Example 2: This invention discloses a programmable electrostatic focusing array deposition apparatus, such as... Figure 2As shown, the electrode array in this deposition apparatus is the programmable electrostatic focusing array disclosed in Example 1, and the deposition apparatus includes: Charged particle source, used to generate charged particles and / or droplets; An insulating substrate having a front side for receiving deposits; A programmable electrostatic focusing array, positioned directly above an insulating substrate, is used to guide the deposition of charged particles and / or droplets; A voltage driving unit, connected to a programmable electrostatic focusing array, is used to provide an independent voltage signal to the electrode unit. The voltage signal can be a pulse signal or a DC signal. The control unit, connected to the voltage drive unit, is used to program and control the output of the voltage drive unit according to the target pattern, so that the electrode array forms a spatial electric field corresponding to the target pattern on the front side of the insulating substrate.
[0021] The programmable electrostatic focusing array structure in this invention can be designed according to the target deposition pattern and is not limited to a specific structure, such as designing a single-layer or multi-layer electrode array. The multi-layer electrode array is not limited to two layers. When the programmable electrostatic focusing array is a multi-layer structure, it includes a first electrode array and a second electrode array. The voltage difference between the first electrode array and the second electrode array is used to modulate the spatial electric field between the first electrode array and the second electrode array.
[0022] Specifically, in the programmable electrostatic focusing array deposition apparatus, the electrode units in the programmable electrostatic focusing array apply independently adjustable voltage signals to the electrodes through the control unit driving the voltage driving unit. By designing the voltage polarity and amplitude of each electrode, a patterned controllable electric field is formed in the spatial region between the charged particle source and the insulating substrate. By changing the voltage parameters applied to one or more electrodes in real time, the spatial distribution and local field strength of the electric field are dynamically adjusted.
[0023] Furthermore, by utilizing dynamically adjusted electric fields, the trajectory of charged particles and / or droplets emitted from the charged particle source can be actively guided and controlled. The core control principle of the programmable electrostatic focusing array deposition device lies in the following: above the preset pattern area where deposition needs to be initiated, an electric field distribution with a particle convergence effect is formed through voltage configuration, thereby focusing the particles onto that area and controlling the characteristic size (i.e., resolution) of the deposition points; above the area where deposition needs to be suppressed or turned off, an electric field distribution with a particle deflection or divergence effect is formed, causing the particles to deviate from that area, thus achieving the "shutdown" of deposition. Through spatial programming of the electric field, independent and selective control of the deposition behavior in different areas on the same insulating substrate can be achieved.
[0024] Example 3: This invention discloses a patterned deposition method based on the programmable electrostatic focusing array deposition apparatus in Embodiment 2, comprising the following steps: S1: The control unit sets a voltage signal that meets the requirements of the target pattern in the corresponding electrode unit according to the target pattern driving voltage driving unit. S2: The voltage signal causes the programmable electrostatic focusing array to generate a specific voltage distribution, thereby forming a spatially modulated spatial electric field above the front side of the insulating substrate. S3: Charged particle source generates charged particles and / or droplets; S4: Charged particles and / or droplets are selectively focused and deposited on a predetermined area on the front side of an insulating substrate under the action of a spatial electric field, forming a patterned thin film.
[0025] Preferably, step S4 further includes: forming an electric field distribution with a particle aggregation effect above a predetermined area to control the feature size of the pattern, wherein the feature size of the pattern includes the resolution of the printed pattern; selective deposition includes depositing particles or suppressing deposition, wherein when suppressing deposition, deposition in the area to be suppressed is turned off by forming an electric field distribution with a particle deflection or divergence effect above the area.
[0026] The patterned deposition method in this embodiment is implemented by the programmable electrostatic focusing array deposition apparatus in Embodiment 2. Therefore, the specific implementation of the patterned deposition method can be found in the embodiment section of the deposition apparatus based on the programmable electrostatic focusing array mentioned above. The specific implementation can be referred to the description of the corresponding embodiments, which will not be elaborated here.
[0027] Example 4: This invention discloses a method for fabricating a programmable electrostatic focusing array as described in Example 1, comprising the following steps: S11: Select a substrate, such as SOI with a silicon-silicon oxide-silicon three-layer structure as the device substrate; S12: Deposit an insulating layer. A layer of SiO2 is deposited on the surface of the SOI substrate as an insulating layer, with the thickness controlled between 200 and 600 nm. S13: Form the first electrode layer by sequentially performing metal deposition, photoresist spin coating, and photolithography using a mask on the insulating layer, and forming a patterned first electrode layer through etching process; S14: Etch via. Using the first electrode layer as a mask, or perform another photolithography process, use dry etching to etch downwards through the insulating layer and the top silicon layer of the SOI substrate below; perform photolithography and dry etching on the back side of the substrate to form a back cavity; finally, remove the exposed buried oxide layer by wet etching to form a via that penetrates the device structure. S15: Forming the second electrode layer. A gold electrode is formed on the back side of the SOI substrate using a sputtering process as the second electrode layer, with a thickness of approximately 100~300 nm. For example... Figure 3 The image shows a brief description of the preparation process described above. Figure 4 Figures (a), (b), (c), (d), and (e) in the diagrams correspond to the process diagrams of the preparation process after steps S11-S15 described above. In other words, Figure 4 (a) in the diagram corresponds to the substrate in S11, which is a schematic diagram of the SOI substrate with a three-layer structure of silicon-silicon oxide-silicon. Figure 4 (b) in the diagram corresponds to the schematic diagram after the S12 insulating layer is deposited, and so on.
[0028] The first and second electrode layers after etching through-holes are the first and second electrode arrays in a programmable electrostatic focusing array.
[0029] Experimental verification: To better verify the process of the apparatus and patterned deposition method disclosed in this invention, specific embodiments will be used as examples below.
[0030] This invention discloses a programmable electrostatic focusing array deposition apparatus, using a programmable electrostatic focusing array comprising a dual-layer electrode array as an example. This programmable electrostatic focusing array achieves high-resolution selective electrospray deposition through two typical operating modes: a first operating mode and a second operating mode, with corresponding deposition effects. Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown in the figure. In this experiment, it is assumed that the charged particle source is generated by a nanoparticle source.
[0031] In the first operating mode: selective control of deposition "on" and "off", such as... Figure 5 As shown, particles are deposited at intervals. Specifically, a base focusing voltage V1 (e.g., +500V) is applied to the second electrode array to pre-focus the passing charged droplets, making the diameter of the deposited spots smaller than the aperture of the through-hole.
[0032] Independent voltages V2 and V3 are applied to the two ends of the electrodes of the first electrode array. For the electrode corresponding to the region where high-resolution deposition needs to be "activated," voltage V2 (V2 ≤ V1, e.g., V2 = 450V) is applied. This voltage creates a stronger converging electric field locally within the via, further focusing charged particles and achieving higher-resolution deposition at that location. For the electrode corresponding to the region where deposition needs to be "activated," voltage V3 (V3 > V1, e.g., V3 = 600V) is applied. This voltage creates a deflection or diverging electric field locally within the via, causing droplets to deviate from that region, thereby suppressing or activating deposition at that location.
[0033] Second operating mode: Deposition selectivity control at different resolutions, such as Figure 6 As shown, the deposition resolution is different. A base focusing voltage V1 (e.g., +500V) is applied to the second electrode array to pre-focus the passing charged particles, making the diameter of the deposition spot smaller than the aperture of the via.
[0034] Different voltages of varying amplitudes are applied to different electrodes of the first electrode array. For example, a higher voltage (e.g., V3 = 500V) is applied to locations requiring higher resolution deposition, generating a strong focusing electric field. Conversely, a voltage V2 (e.g., V2 = 300V) is applied to locations requiring lower resolution deposition, generating a weaker focusing electric field. In this way, selective deposition with different resolutions can be achieved in different preset pattern areas on the same substrate, suitable for printing multi-precision patterns.
[0035] In summary, this invention discloses a programmable electrostatic focusing array, a programmable electrostatic focusing array deposition apparatus, and a patterned deposition method. By constructing a modulated spatial electric field using a programmable electrostatic focusing array, precise on / off control and focusing degree adjustment of the flight trajectory of charged particles and / or droplets can be achieved, exhibiting excellent patterned deposition accuracy and programmability. This improves the accuracy of pattern deposition; furthermore, the programmable electrostatic focusing array is reusable, saving costs.
[0036] Those skilled in the art will readily understand that the above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.
Claims
1. A programmable electrostatic focusing array, characterized in that, include: Multiple independent electrode units form a controllable spatial electric field through electrode arrangement of the electrode units. The spatial electric field is used to guide the deposition of charged particles and / or droplets. Each electrode unit has through holes distributed on it, which allow charged particles and / or droplets to pass through the electrode array and be deposited on the substrate. The electrode arrangement of the electrode units includes applying a voltage signal to the electrode units.
2. The programmable electrostatic focusing array according to claim 1, characterized in that, The programmable electrostatic focusing array has a multi-layer structure, including a first electrode array and a second electrode array. The first electrode array is located directly above the second electrode array, wherein the through holes in the first electrode array are aligned with the center of the through holes in the second electrode array, and the through holes are of the same size.
3. The programmable electrostatic focusing array according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first electrode array and the second electrode array have the same structure.
4. The programmable electrostatic focusing array according to claim 2, characterized in that, The shape of the through hole includes one or more of the following: circle, triangle, and square.
5. A programmable electrostatic focusing array deposition apparatus, characterized in that, include: Charged particle source, used to generate charged particles and / or droplets; An insulating substrate having a front side for receiving deposits; The programmable electrostatic focusing array according to any one of claims 1-4 is disposed directly above an insulating substrate for guiding the deposition of charged particles and / or droplets; A voltage driving unit, connected to a programmable electrostatic focusing array, is used to provide independent voltage signals to the electrode units in the programmable electrostatic focusing array. The voltage signals include pulse signals or DC signals. The control unit, connected to the voltage drive unit, is used to programmatically control the output of the voltage drive unit according to the target pattern, so that the programmable electrostatic focusing array forms a spatial electric field corresponding to the target pattern on the front side of the insulating substrate.
6. The programmable electrostatic focusing array deposition apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that, The programmable electrostatic focusing array has a multi-layer structure, including a first electrode array and a second electrode array. The first electrode array is positioned directly above the second electrode array, and the voltage difference between the first electrode array and the second electrode array is used to modulate the spatial electric field between the first electrode array and the second electrode array.
7. A patterned deposition method based on the programmable electrostatic focusing array deposition apparatus of any one of claims 5-6, characterized in that, include: S1: The control unit sets a voltage signal that meets the requirements of the target pattern in the corresponding electrode unit according to the target pattern driving voltage driving unit. S2: The voltage signal causes the programmable electrostatic focusing array to generate a voltage distribution, thereby forming a modulated spatial electric field above the front side of the insulating substrate. S3: Charged particle source generates charged particles and / or droplets; S4: Charged particles and / or droplets are selectively deposited on a predetermined area on the front side of an insulating substrate under the influence of a spatial electric field to form a patterned thin film.
8. The patterned deposition method according to claim 7, characterized in that, S4 further includes: forming a spatial electric field distribution with a particle aggregation effect above a predetermined area to control the feature size of the pattern, the feature size of the pattern including the resolution of the printed pattern; selective deposition including depositing particles or suppressing deposition, wherein when suppressing deposition, deposition in the area to be suppressed is turned off by forming an electric field distribution with a particle deflection or divergence effect above the area.
9. A method for fabricating a programmable electrostatic focusing array, characterized in that, include: S11: SOI with a silicon-silicon oxide-silicon three-layer structure is selected as the substrate; S12: Deposit insulating layer. A layer of SiO2 is deposited on the surface of the SOI substrate as an insulating layer, with the thickness controlled between 200 and 600 nm. S13: Forming the first electrode layer: Metal deposition, photoresist spin coating, and photolithography using a mask are performed sequentially on the insulating layer, and a patterned first electrode layer is formed through an etching process. S14: Etch through holes, using the first electrode layer as a mask, or perform another photolithography process, using a dry etching process to etch downwards through the insulating layer and the top silicon layer of the SOI substrate below. Photolithography and dry etching of the bottom silicon layer are performed on the back side of the substrate to form a back cavity. Finally, the exposed buried oxide layer is removed by wet etching to form a through-hole that penetrates the device structure. S15: Forming the second electrode layer. A gold electrode is formed on the back side of the SOI substrate by sputtering as the second electrode layer, with a thickness of approximately 100~300 nm.