Filled large-format imprinted structure

Abstract

A filled large-format imprinted structure includes a cured layer including a cured layer surface having one or more areas and a plurality of micro-cavities imprinted in each area, each of the micro-cavities having a micro-cavity width less than or equal to 20 microns. A rib separates each micro-cavity from an adjacent micro-cavity by a rib width that is less than the micro-cavity width, the rib extending from a bottom of the micro-cavity to the cured layer surface. A common cured material is located in each micro-cavity, thereby defining a filled large-format imprinted structure.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]Reference is made to commonly-assigned U.S. Patent Application Serial No. (Docket K001727) filed concurrently herewith, entitled Filled Large-Format Imprinting Method by Cok; to commonly-assigned U.S. Patent Application Serial No. (Docket K001728) filed concurrently herewith, entitled Ribbed Large-Format Imprinted Structure by Cok; to commonly-assigned U.S. Patent Application Serial No. (Docket K001729) filed concurrently herewith, entitled Ribbed Large-Format Imprinting Method by Cok; to commonly-assigned U.S. Patent Application Serial No. (Docket K001730) filed concurrently herewith, entitled Multi-Layer Large-Format Imprinted Structure by Cok; to commonly-assigned U.S. Patent Application Serial No. (Docket K001731) filed concurrently herewith, entitled Multi-Layer Large-Format Imprinting Method by Cok; to commonly-assigned U.S. Patent Application Serial No. (Docket K001732) filed concurrently herewith, entitled Stacked Large-Format Imp...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention provides improved methods and materials for making color filters and other filled large-format imprinted structures. These methods and structures have better uniformity and size, increased manufacturing speed, and require less material and equipment. Overall, the invention enables faster and more cost-effective production of high-quality color filters and other large-format structures.

Problems solved by technology

This process is expensive and time consuming because it is a subtractive process that is wasteful of etched materials, uses additional, expensive materials such as photoresists and masks, and requires expensive optical alignment equipment.

However, as with the imprinting process itself, it is difficult to uniformly fill a large, imprinted area with a liquid that is subsequently cured.

For example, the coffee-ring effect is widely known to compromise the uniformity of a dried coating because of capillary flow induced by differential evaporation rates over the extent of the coating.

Therefore, because of such imprinting and drying problems, it is difficult to form large fill-factor substrates, such as color filter substrates, using imprint-and-fill processes.

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