US2007125653A1PendingUtilityA1

Multilayer electroform, methods of making multilayer electroforms, and products made therefrom

51
Individually held — no corporate assignee on recordPriority: Dec 2, 2005Filed: Dec 2, 2005Published: Jun 7, 2007
Est. expiryDec 2, 2025(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Dennis CoyleKenneth Paul Zarnoch
C25D 1/10C25D 1/006C25D 1/003
51
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Claims

Abstract

In one embodiment, the method for making an electroform comprises: passivating a sub-master to form a passivation layer, disposing the passivated sub-master into an initial electroplating solution, applying a first current, depositing a first metal onto the passivated sub-master to form an initial coating on the sub-master, moving the initially coated sub-master from the initial electroplating solution to a subsequent plating solution, applying a second current, depositing a subsequent layer of a second metal onto the initial coating to form a multilayer, and removing the multilayer to form the electroform.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . A method for making an electroform, comprising: 
 passivating a sub-master to form a passivation layer;    disposing the passivated sub-master into an initial electroplating solution;    applying a first current, wherein the passivated sub-master is one of two initial electrodes enabling the application of the current;    depositing a first metal onto the passivated sub-master to form an initial coating on the sub-master;    moving the initially coated sub-master from the initial electroplating solution to a subsequent plating solution;    applying a second current, wherein the initially coated sub-master is one of two second electrodes enabling the application of the current;    depositing a subsequent layer of a second metal onto the initial coating to form a multilayer; and    removing the multilayer to form the electroform.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first metal is selected from the group consisting of gold, silver, chromium, titanium, cobalt, alloys comprising at least one of the foregoing, and combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the first metal is selected from the group consisting of gold, silver, chromium, titanium, cobalt, alloys thereof, as well as combinations thereof.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the first metal is selected from the group consisting of gold, silver, alloys comprising at least one of the foregoing, and combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the first metal comprises gold and cobalt.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the initial coating has a thickness of about 1 nm to about 1 μm.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the thickness is about 10 nm to about 100 nm.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the subsequent layer comprises a thickness of about 50 μm to about 500 μm.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the subsequent layer comprises a thickness of about 100 μm to about 300 μm.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein, prior to removing the multilayer, further comprising: 
 moving the multilayer from the subsequent electroplating solution to an additional plating solution;    applying another current, wherein the multilayer is one of two second electrodes enabling the application of the current; and    depositing an additional layer of an additional metal onto the multilayer.    
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the subsequent layer has a subsequent layer thickness of about 1 nm to about 50 μm, and the additional layer has an additional layer thickness of about 50 μm to about 500 μm.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the subsequent layer has a subsequent layer thickness of about 1 nm to about 25 μm, and the additional layer has an additional layer thickness of about 100 μm to about 300 μm.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein passivating comprises contacting at least a surface of the sub-master to be passivated with a solution comprising an oxidizing agent, and applying an anodic current to the sub-master.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the initially coated sub-master is not passivated before being moved to the subsequent plating solution.  
     
     
         15 . A multilayer electroform formed from the method of  claim 1 .  
     
     
         16 . A multilayer electroform formed from the method of  claim 10 .  
     
     
         17 . An electroform, comprising: 
 a surface layer comprising a surface layer composition; and    a backing layer comprising a different composition than the surface layer composition.    
     
     
         18 . The electroform of  claim 17 , wherein the initial coating has a thickness of about 1 nm to about 1 μm.  
     
     
         19 . The electroform of  claim 18 , wherein the thickness is about 10 nm to about 100 nm.  
     
     
         20 . The electroform of  claim 17 , wherein the subsequent layer comprises a thickness of about 50 μm to about 500 μm.  
     
     
         21 . The electroform of  claim 20 , wherein the subsequent layer comprises a thickness of about 100 μm to about 300 μm.  
     
     
         22 . The electroform of  claim 17 , wherein the first metal is selected from the group consisting of gold, silver, chromium, titanium, cobalt, alloys comprising at least one of the foregoing, and combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing.  
     
     
         23 . The electroform of  claim 22 , wherein the surface layer comprises gold.  
     
     
         24 . The electroform of  claim 23 , wherein the backing layer comprises nickel.  
     
     
         25 . A method for making an electroform, consisting essentially of: 
 passivating a sub-master to form a passivation layer;    disposing the passivated sub-master into an initial electroplating solution;    applying a first current, wherein the passivated sub-master is one of two initial electrodes enabling the application of the current;    depositing a first metal onto the passivated sub-master to form an initial coating on the sub-master;    moving the initially coated sub-master from the initial electroplating solution to a subsequent plating solution;    applying a second current, wherein the initially coated sub-master is one of two second electrodes enabling the application of the current;    depositing a subsequent layer of a second metal onto the initial coating to form a multilayer; and    removing the multilayer to form the electroform.    
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein passivating comprises contacting at least a surface of the sub-master to be passivated with a solution comprising an oxidizing agent, and applying an anodic current to the sub-master.  
     
     
         27 . A method for making a film, comprising: 
 applying a coating to a surface of an electroform, wherein the electroform comprises multiple layers, and wherein microfeatures having nanoscale resolution are disposed in the surface of the electroform;    curing the coating; and    removing the coating from the electroform to form the film.    
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein a surface layer of the electroform comprises a chemically inert material that resists chemical reaction with the coating.  
     
     
         29 . A film formed from the method of  claim 27 .  
     
     
         30 . A light management article comprising the film of  claim 29 .  
     
     
         31 . The article of  claim 30 , wherein the article is a backlight computer display.

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