JP2004095882A - Object to be transferred and method for manufacturing thick film pattern - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method for manufacturing a pattern capable of forming a micro-pattern equal to a lithographic forming method with the same easiness as that of a print forming method. <P>SOLUTION: The method for manufacturing a thick film pattern has a sticky layer forming process of forming a sticky layer 3 for pasting a pattern forming material on the surface of a substrate 2; a material sticking process of sticking the pattern forming material to the apex of a relief printing plate of a shape of a thick film pattern 4; an overlapping process of overlapping and pressing the relief printing plate on the sticky layer 3; a pattern sticking process of separating the relief printing plate from the sticky layer 3, sticking the pattern forming material to the sticky layer 3, and forming the thick film pattern 4. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a method for forming a fine thick film pattern using letterpress printing.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, an additive method and a bottom-up method have been used as a pattern forming method.
The additive method is a print-like pattern forming method in which a pattern forming material is selectively attached to a place where the pattern forming material is required.
In addition, the bottom-up method is a lithographic pattern forming method in which a pattern forming material is applied to a wide area in advance, leaving only a necessary portion of the pattern forming material, and removing the pattern forming material in other portions to form a pattern. Is the law. In the formation of a fine pattern, a lithographic forming method is generally often used because the pattern shape to be formed is highly uniform.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, the lithographic forming method applies the pattern forming material to the entire surface of the base material, removes the pattern forming material other than the pattern to be formed, and discards the removed pattern forming material. It has many disadvantages.
Also, lithographic forming methods have the disadvantage that not all pattern forming materials are compatible with the lithographic process.
[0004]
In the lithographic forming method, for example, the line width that can be processed in pattern formation can correspond to a submicron order as used in a semiconductor process.
This lithographic forming method is roughly classified into two methods, one of which forms a pattern made of a photosensitive resin on the surface of a pattern forming material applied on the entire surface of a substrate, and uses this as a mask to etch an unnecessary pattern forming material. Then, the photosensitive resin is removed to form a required pattern.
[0005]
The other is a method of imparting photosensitivity to the pattern forming material itself, applying the photosensitizer to the entire surface of the substrate, and exposing and developing to remove unnecessary pattern forming material.
However, in the latter case, if the pattern forming material is, for example, an electrode material, most of the conductive materials are opaque, so that even if photosensitivity is imparted, the transmittance is low and the workable film thickness cannot be increased. .
In addition, the lithographic forming method also has a problem that the unit price of a product to be formed increases because an exposure apparatus such as a stepper used for forming a resist pattern is expensive.
[0006]
On the other hand, the printing method has problems such as insufficient leveling (smoothing) of the pattern forming material, and it is difficult to form a fine pattern.
For example, a screen printing is a well-known method of patterning an electrode material by printing, but the pattern spreads due to the leveling of the electrode material, that is, ink.
Therefore, when a fine pattern of 100 μm or less is to be formed, it is necessary to increase the viscosity of the ink to suppress leveling.
However, as a result, the pattern is apt to be blurred, which causes disconnection of the pattern wiring.
Therefore, in screen printing, the line width of a pattern that can be formed is limited to 50 to 100 μm or more.
[0007]
In screen printing, the resolution of the line width of the pattern to be formed can be improved by making the mesh finer (by increasing the number of screen lines), that is, by reducing the wire diameter of the yarn constituting the mesh. , Is possible in principle.
However, since the thread diameter is reduced, the durability of the screen is reduced, and the thickness of the formed pattern is also small. As a result, the thickness of the obtained pattern is very small, for example, several μm or less.
Therefore, in the screen printing, even if a fine pattern can be formed by improving the resolution, as described above, since the film thickness is thin, the cross-sectional area is not limited as the pattern of the electric wiring, and high conductivity is obtained. I can't.
[0008]
As described above, in the lithographic forming method, when the pattern forming material is a conductive material having low light transmittance, the processed film thickness is reduced. In addition, a printing method represented by screen printing uses the above-described leveling method. In some cases, the generation and the film thickness become insufficient, which limits the formation of a practical fine pattern.
The present invention has been made under such a background, and provides a pattern manufacturing method capable of forming a fine pattern comparable to a lithographic forming method using the above-described conventional printing forming method.
[0009]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The transfer object (substrate 2 and adhesive layer 3) of the present invention includes a substrate on which a pattern is formed from a pattern forming material transferred from a relief plate, and an adhesive applied to the surface of the substrate and affixing the pattern forming material. And a layer.
[0010]
The transfer object of the present invention is characterized in that the adhesive layer has higher flexibility than the pattern forming material.
The transfer object of the present invention is characterized in that the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer is formed to a thickness substantially equal to the thickness of the substrate.
[0011]
The method for producing a thick film pattern according to the present invention includes the step of forming an adhesive layer for applying a pattern forming material on a predetermined base material, and the step of forming an adhesive layer on a predetermined base material. A material adhering step of adhering to the top portion, a superimposing step of superimposing the relief on the adhesive layer and pressing, separating the relief from the adhesive layer, attaching a pattern forming material to the adhesive layer, And a pattern adhering step of forming a pattern.
[0012]
The method for producing a thick film pattern according to the present invention is characterized in that a thermosetting pattern forming material is used for the adhesive layer, and the superimposing step includes a thermosetting step of thermosetting the pattern forming material. I do.
The method for producing a thick film pattern according to the present invention is characterized in that an ultraviolet-curable pattern forming material is used for the adhesive layer, and the superposing step includes an ultraviolet-curing step of curing the pattern forming material with ultraviolet light. I do.
[0013]
The thick film pattern forming substrate of the present invention, a substrate on which a thick film pattern is formed, an adhesive layer applied to the surface of the substrate, and a relief of a pattern shape, a pattern forming material is adhered to the adhesive layer. And a pattern forming material having a pattern shape in which the adhesive layer is solidified and fixed.
The thick film pattern forming substrate of the present invention is characterized in that the turn forming material is a conductive material.
[0014]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a configuration of a thick film pattern forming substrate (a substrate on which a thick film pattern is formed) 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention.
In the present invention, as shown in FIG. 1, an adhesive material is applied to the surface of the substrate 2 to form an adhesive layer 3, and a pattern forming material attached to the top of the relief plate is attached to the adhesive layer 3. And a thick film pattern 4 is formed.
That is, the substrate 2 is a base material on which a thick film pattern is formed, and the adhesive layer 3 is fixed as a thick film pattern 4 by sticking a pattern forming material.
Here, as the adhesive, a rubber-based, acrylic-based, vinyl ether-based, silicone-based, or the like can be used depending on the use of the thick film pattern to be formed.
[0015]
Hereinafter, a method for manufacturing the thick film pattern forming substrate 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 are cross-sectional views of a thick film pattern forming substrate for explaining formation of a thick film pattern.
It is formed by applying an adhesive layer 3 on the surface of the substrate 2.
Here, the adhesive layer 3 uses a highly flexible (soft) adhesive material with respect to the pattern forming material used to form the thick film pattern, and has a thickness at least as large as the thickness of the thick film pattern. Apply to.
Then, a pattern forming material 15 is attached to the tops of the projections 12 of the relief plate 10 corresponding to the shape of the thick film pattern to be created.
[0016]
Next, as shown in FIG. 3, after positioning, the relief printing plate 10 is overlaid on the adhesive layer 3 and pressed by a predetermined pressure.
Thereby, the pattern forming material 15 is partially or entirely embedded in the adhesive layer 3.
Then, by separating the letterpress 10 from the adhesive layer 3, the pattern forming material 15 remains attached to the adhesive layer 3 with a part or the entirety embedded.
At this time, when the relief printing plate 20 is separated from the adhesive layer 3, if the pattern forming material 15 is embedded sufficiently deep in the adhesive layer 3, the pattern forming material 15 is completely removed by the adhesive action of the adhesive layer 3. It can be transferred to the substrate 2 side.
[0017]
As a result, as shown in FIG. 1, the thick film pattern 4 made of the pattern forming material 15 is formed on the adhesive layer 3.
Further, by this embedding process, the occurrence of the spread of the pattern accompanying the relief printing is suppressed, and the pattern forming material 15 is fixed to the adhesive layer 3 as the uniform thick film pattern 4.
Here, when the pattern forming material 15 is adhered to the relief printing plate 20, the pattern spreads as shown in FIG.
In conventional printing, this is pressed against a predetermined substrate to transfer the pattern forming material. In the process, however, the pattern forming material is spread out. It will be wider than the width and not all will be transferred.
On the other hand, in the present invention, the adhesive layer 3 having a higher degree of softness (softer) than the pattern forming material 15 and at least as thick as the pattern forming material 15 is formed on the surface of the substrate 2, and the pattern forming material 15 is pressed against the adhesive layer 3. Accordingly, the pattern forming material 15 is partially or entirely embedded in the adhesive layer 3. Therefore, in the present invention, since the pattern forming material 15 is embedded in the adhesive layer 3 as described above, it is possible to prevent the above-described disadvantage of the conventional pattern width expansion.
That is, when the relief printing plate 20 is separated from the adhesive layer 3, if the pattern forming material is sufficiently embedded, the pattern forming material 15 can be almost completely brought into contact with the substrate 2 (that is, the adhesive layer 3) by the adhesive action of the adhesive layer 3. Can be transferred to
As a result, according to the present invention, the pattern to be formed reproduces the width of the plate of the convex portion 12 of the relief printing plate 20 better than that formed by the conventional relief printing method, and has a thicker film pattern. Can be formed.
[0018]
When the pattern forming material 15 is more stably formed as a thick film pattern, by curing the adhesive layer 3 before separating the relief plate 10 from the adhesive layer 3, the pattern forming material 15 can be effectively formed. The thick film pattern 4 having a uniform thickness and a uniform pattern width can be fixed to the adhesive layer 3.
That is, the thick film pattern 4 formed on the substrate 2 reproduces the width of the convex portion 12 (or the width of the plate) better than the thick film pattern formed by the normal relief printing method, and has a thick film. It can be formed as thick.
[0019]
Further, in intaglio printing, lithographic printing, and screen printing of other printing methods, the plate or blanket comes into contact with the adhesive layer 3 and the pattern forming material 15 cannot be sufficiently embedded in the adhesive layer 3. It is difficult to form a pattern using the adhesive layer 3 in the above.
That is, in the relief printing according to the present invention, the printing plate (the entire surface of the relief printing plate 10 including the projections 12 of the relief printing plate 10 and the concave portions between the projections 12) does not contact the substrate 2 (is non-contact). The pattern forming material 15 having only the portion 12 attached to the top can be embedded in the adhesive layer 3.
[0020]
Furthermore, as a non-contact pattern forming method for printing a plate in a non-contact state, there is an ink jet method in which ink is ejected from a nozzle to form a pattern on a substrate, but an ink layer having a very thin thickness is not transferred. Since it is formed on the object surface, it is a method corresponding to printing of images and the like, and is not suitable for forming a thick film pattern.
[0021]
Next, an application example of the embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1, 2, and 3. FIG.
<Application Example 1>
A method for forming a conductive pattern according to the present invention will be described. For example, in FIG. 2, a rubber-based adhesive layer 3 is formed on the surface of the substrate 2.
Here, the adhesive layer 3 is made of a semi-cured acrylic or thermosetting and ultraviolet curable adhesive as well as a rubber-based adhesive (the softness corresponds to the softness of the pattern forming material 15). May be adjusted).
Therefore, urea-based adhesives, melamine-based adhesives, phenolic-based adhesives, epoxy-based adhesives, polyurethane-based adhesives, vinyl acetate resin-based adhesives, acrylic resin-based adhesives, etc. should be used as the adhesive. Can be.
In this application example, a material mainly composed of chloroprene rubber (for example, SP7533 manufactured by Sumitomo 3M; hereinafter, an adhesive) is used as the adhesive.
Then, this adhesive is applied to the surface of the substrate (glass substrate) 2 with a thickness of 20 μm using an applicator, and dried to have a predetermined softness.
[0022]
Then, in order to form a conductive pattern, a conductive paste (for example, LS-411AW manufactured by Asahi Chemical Laboratory, hereinafter, a pattern forming material) is applied to the surface of another glass substrate to a thickness of 15 μm using an applicator. It is applied, the letterpress 10 is pressed against it, pressure-bonded with a predetermined pressure, and then separated.
As a result, as shown in FIG. 2, a conductive pattern forming material 15 is adhered to the tops of the projections 12 having a width of 20 μm, and is superposed on the substrate 2 on which the adhesive layer 3 is formed, and is pressed (predetermined). Pressure and crimp).
Here, the type of the pattern forming material 15 is not particularly limited. However, if a conductive paste such as a silver paste or a carbon paste, or a metal colloid dispersion such as a gold colloid or a silver colloid is used, the conductive thickness of the substrate 2 is increased. The film pattern 4 can be formed, and fine circuit wiring can be formed.
[0023]
Thereby, as shown in FIG. 3, the pattern forming material 15 is embedded in the adhesive layer 3, and the relief printing plate 10 is separated from the adhesive layer 3.
As a result, the pattern forming material 15 is attached and transferred while being embedded in the cured adhesive layer 3 at a predetermined depth, and a thick film pattern 4 as shown in FIG. 1 is formed on the surface of the substrate 2, Fine circuit wiring can be obtained.
[0024]
<Application Example 2>
Another method of forming a conductive pattern according to the present invention will be described. In this application example, an epoxy adhesive or an acrylic adhesive, which is a thermosetting material, is used as the adhesive, for example, a thermosetting epoxy adhesive (SW2214 manufactured by Sumitomo 3M Limited, hereinafter referred to as an adhesive). I do.
Then, the pressure-sensitive adhesive is applied to the surface of the substrate (glass substrate) 2 with a thickness of 20 μm using an applicator, and heated at 120 ° C. for 10 minutes to be semi-cured (adjusted to have a predetermined softness). Then, as shown in FIG. 2, an adhesive layer 3 is formed on the surface of the substrate 2. Then, in the same manner as in Application Example 1, a conductive pattern forming material 15 (the same material as in Application Example 1) is attached to the top of the protrusion 12 having a width of 20 μm, and is superposed on the substrate 2 on which the adhesive layer 3 is formed. And do the press.
[0025]
Next, as shown in FIG. 3, the substrate 2 (that is, the adhesive layer 3) is heated at 120 ° C. for 30 minutes in a state where the pattern forming material 15 is embedded in the adhesive layer 3 and the relief printing plate 10 is pressed on the adhesive layer 3. Then, a curing treatment of the adhesive layer 3 is performed.
Then, after the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer 3 is cured by the heat treatment (thermal curing process), the relief plate 10 is separated from the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer 3.
[0026]
As a result, the pattern forming material 15 is buried at a predetermined depth in the adhesive layer 3 and is transferred while being stuck and rarely attached, and a thick film pattern 4 as shown in FIG. Circuit wiring can be obtained.
As described above, by curing the adhesive layer 3 before separating the relief printing plate 10 from the adhesive layer 3, the pattern forming material 15 is formed into a thick film pattern 4 having uniform thickness and pattern width. It can be fixed while being attached to the layer 3.
[0027]
<Application Example 3>
In this application example, a method of forming a waveguide using the pattern forming method of the present invention will be described. Here, in forming the adhesive layer 3, an acrylic adhesive which is a material having ultraviolet curability (curs when irradiated with ultraviolet light) is used as an adhesive, for example, an acrylic adhesive (OPTCAST AC- manufactured by EMI). 3723M, refractive index 1.48, hereinafter, adhesive).
Then, the above-mentioned adhesive is applied to the surface of the substrate (glass substrate) 2 to a thickness of 20 μm using an applicator, and a predetermined energy, for example, ultraviolet light is applied at an energy of 400 mj / cm ² using an ultra-high pressure mercury lamp. Then, the adhesive layer 3 is adjusted to have a predetermined softness, and an adhesive layer 3 is formed on the surface of the substrate 2 as shown in FIG.
That is, the softness of the adhesive layer 3 is adjusted in accordance with the softness of the pattern forming material 15, that is, the softness of the adhesive layer 3 is adjusted so that the pattern forming material 15 can be embedded without changing its shape. I do.
[0028]
Then, in order to form a waveguide pattern, an ultraviolet-curing acrylic resin (for example, OPTCAST 3506 manufactured by EMI, a refractive index of 1.52; hereinafter, a pattern forming material) is applied to the surface of another glass substrate by using an applicator to a thickness of 15 μm. , And the letterpress 10 is pressed against it, pressed under a predetermined pressure, and then separated.
Thereby, after the pattern forming material 15 having a higher refractive index than the semi-cured adhesive layer 3 and having the ultraviolet curability is attached to the top of the convex portion 12 of the relief plate 10, the substrate on which the adhesive layer 3 is formed is formed. 2, and pressed in the same manner as in Application Example 1.
Next, as shown in FIG. 3, the adhesive layer 3 is irradiated with ultraviolet rays for a predetermined time while the pattern forming material 15 is embedded in the adhesive layer 3 and the relief printing plate 10 is pressed against the adhesive layer 3.
Then, after performing the curing treatment of the adhesive layer 3 by the above-described ultraviolet irradiation treatment (ultraviolet curing step), the relief printing plate 10 is separated (peeled off) from the adhesive layer 3.
[0029]
As a result, the pattern forming material 15 having a high refractive index is transferred to the cured adhesive layer 3 in a state where the pattern forming material 15 is embedded and adhered at a predetermined depth, and the thick film pattern 4 as shown in FIG. Are formed on the surface of the substrate 2 stably, whereby a fine optical waveguide can be obtained.
Then, as shown in FIG. 4, a UV-curable film forming material 5 (the same material as the adhesive layer 3) having a lower refractive index than the thick film pattern 4, similar to the adhesive layer 3, is used. It is applied to the entire surface using an applicator so as to cover the adhesive layer 3 and the thick film pattern 4.
Next, the film forming material 5 covering the entire upper surfaces of the adhesive layer 3 and the thick film pattern 4 is irradiated with ultraviolet rays for a predetermined time to be cured, whereby the film forming material 5 is cured to form a coating film. As shown in FIG. 4, the thick film pattern 4 formed by letterpress printing can be formed as a fine optical waveguide.
[0030]
Here, in each thick film (adhesive layer 3, thick film pattern 4, film forming material 5), a transparent resin having a different refractive index is used, and a low refractive index resin is used for the adhesive layer 3 and the film forming material 5. A high refractive index resin is used as the pattern forming material 15. Here, the adhesive layer 3 and the film forming material 5 have the same refractive index, and a material having a lower refractive index than the thick film pattern 4 is used.
As the low refractive index resin, resins such as polyolefin, polymethyl methacrylate, polycarbonate, norbornene, polyacrylate, polydimethylsiloxane, polyphenyl ether, and fluorinated products thereof can be selected and used.
In addition, in the case of using the above optical waveguide, particularly, in order to prevent bubbles from being generated and to prevent the waveguide from being distorted, a UV curable material (a low refractive index resin and a high refractive index resin) having no solvent is used. It is desirable to use a refractive index resin.
[0031]
As described above, one embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, the specific configuration is not limited to this embodiment, and there are design changes and the like within a range not departing from the gist of the present invention. Are also included in the present invention.
[0032]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, the pattern forming material adhered to the top of the letterpress is pressed and transferred to the substrate on which the adhesive layer is formed in advance, so that the pattern forming material is applied to the adhesive layer in a predetermined manner. By embedding in the depth, a thick film pattern having a uniform film thickness and pattern width can be formed, and a fine thick film pattern can be formed without wasting material in forming the pattern.
That is, according to the present invention, it is possible to form a fine pattern (thick film pattern) comparable to the lithographic forming method by using the conventional print forming method.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a configuration of a thick film pattern forming substrate (a substrate on which a thick film pattern is formed) 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view including a relief plate 10 for explaining a manufacturing process of a thick film pattern forming substrate according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view including a relief plate 10 for explaining a manufacturing process of a thick film pattern forming substrate according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing the structure of the optical waveguide of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Thick film pattern formation substrate 2 Substrate 3 Adhesive layer 4 Thick film pattern 10 Relief plate 12 Convex part 15 Pattern forming material

Claims (8)

A base material on which a pattern is formed from a pattern forming material transferred from a letterpress,
An object to be transferred, comprising: a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer that is applied to a surface of a substrate and adheres the pattern forming material. 2. The transfer object according to claim 1, wherein the adhesive layer has higher flexibility than the pattern forming material. The transferred material according to claim 1, wherein the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer is formed to have a thickness substantially equal to a thickness of the base material. An adhesive layer for applying a pattern forming material, an adhesive layer forming process of forming on a predetermined base material,
A material attaching process of attaching a pattern forming material to the top of a relief having a predetermined thick film pattern shape,
An overlapping process of overlapping and pressing the relief printing plate on the adhesive layer,
Separating the relief printing plate from the adhesive layer, attaching a pattern forming material to the adhesive layer, and applying the pattern to form the thick film pattern. 5. The method according to claim 4, wherein a thermosetting pattern forming material is used for the adhesive layer, and the superimposing step includes a thermosetting step of thermosetting the pattern forming material. . 5. The method according to claim 4, wherein an ultraviolet-curable pattern forming material is used for the adhesive layer, and the step of superimposing includes an ultraviolet-curing step of ultraviolet-curing the pattern forming material. . A substrate on which a thick film pattern is formed,
An adhesive layer applied to the substrate surface,
A thick film pattern forming substrate, comprising: a pattern forming material attached to the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer from a pattern-shaped relief plate; and the adhesive layer is solidified and fixed. 8. The substrate according to claim 7, wherein the turn forming material is a conductive material.

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