Reusable template for creation of thin films; method of making and using template; and thin films produced from template

Abstract

The present invention is directed generally to templates used in the creation of thin-film replicas, for example, the creation of thin films, such as carbon films, for use as specimen support in electron-beam specimen analysis. More specifically, the present invention is directed to novel reusable patterned templates, the methodology of making these reusable templates, the templates made from such methodologies, the use and reuse of these templates to make thin films of any type for any purpose, and the thin films made from these templates. A feature of the novel template of the present invention is in its employment of one or more zones of discontinuity, or undercuts, associated with the patterns transferred into the template to allow for the removal of the thin film from the template without sacrificing the structural integrity of the template to prevent at least one re-use of the template.

1 . A reusable template for use in creating thin films comprising:
 (a) a base structure having a top surface, a bottom surface and a thickness defined as the distance between the top surface and the bottom surface;   (b) one or more patterns in the top surface of the base;   said one or more patterns each having a respective aperture,   said respective aperture for each of said respective patterns having a desired aperture shape defining a desired perimeter boundary at the top surface of the base; and   (c) one or more cavities extending from said one or more aperture perimeter boundaries into the thickness of the base structure,   said one or more cavities having a shape defined by one or more internal wall surfaces extending into the thickness of the base;   said one or more cavities having a region of discontinuity between said one or more cavities and their respective one or more aperture perimeter boundaries.   
   
   
       2 . (canceled) 
   
   
       3 . The reusable template of  claim 1  wherein said plurality of patterns are arranged in a regular array of aperture shapes. 
   
   
       4 . The reusable template of  claim 3  wherein the base is an amorphous substrate material. 
   
   
       5 . The reusable template of  claim 1  wherein the base is comprised of crystalline material. 
   
   
       6 . (canceled) 
   
   
       7 . The reusable template of  claim 1  wherein the base further comprises a multilayered structure having a surface layer comprised of a surface layer material and a substrate layer comprised of a substrate layer material,
 said surface layer having a topside and an underside,   said surface layer underside being in contact with said subsurface layer,   said surface layer containing said one or more apertures,   said subsurface layer containing said one or more cavities,   said one or more cavities having a region of discontinuity between said one or more cavities and said surface layer apertures.   
   
   
       8 . The reusable template of  claim 7  wherein said region of discontinuity comprises an undercut. 
   
   
       9 . The reusable template of  claim 8  wherein said undercut comprises a region of the cavity walls proximate the aperture perimeter boundary where such walls have a substantially retrograde slope. 
   
   
       10 . The reusable template of  claim 8  wherein said undercut comprises a region of the surface layer forming a lip at the aperture perimeter boundary,
 said lip comprising a topside face, an underside face substantially underneath said topside face, and a depth,   said underside face having an outer boundary, and an inner boundary   said lip underside face having length defined as the distance between said outer and inner boundaries,   said lip underside face inner boundary contacting said cavity substrate layer.   
   
   
       11 . The reusable template of  claim 10  wherein said lip underside face inner boundary contacts said cavity substrate layer in a region where said cavity walls have a substantially retrograde slope. 
   
   
       12 . The reusable template of  claim 10  wherein said lip underside face inner boundary contacts said cavity substrate layer in a region where said cavity walls have a substantially re-entrant slope. 
   
   
       13 . A method of manufacturing reusable thin film templates comprising the steps of:
 (a) creating a thin film template workpiece having one or more layers of desired composition, said workpiece having a top surface, a bottom surface and a depth;   (b) transferring patterned features from a pattern master into the surface of the template workpiece to create one or more patterned apertures having a desired aperture shape defining a desired perimeter boundary in the top surface of the workpiece; and   (c) creating one or more cavities extending from said one or more aperture perimeter boundaries into the thickness of the workpiece,   said one or more cavities having a shape defined by one or more internal wall surfaces extending into the thickness of the base;   said one or more cavities having a region of discontinuity between said one or more cavities and their respective one or more aperture perimeter boundaries.   
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the step of creating a workpiece comprises creating a multilayered structure having a surface layer comprised of a surface layer material and a substrate layer comprised of a substrate layer material,
 said surface layer having a topside and an underside,   said surface layer underside being in contact with said subsurface layer,   said surface layer containing said one or more apertures,   said subsurface layer containing said one or more cavities,   said one or more cavities having a region of discontinuity between said one or more cavities and said surface layer apertures.   
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein said region of discontinuity comprises an undercut. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein said undercut comprises a region of the cavity walls proximate the aperture perimeter boundary where such walls have a substantially retrograde slope. 
   
   
       17 . The method of clam  15  wherein said undercut comprises a region of the surface layer forming a lip at the aperture perimeter boundary,
 said lip comprising a topside face, an underside face substantially underneath said topside face, and a depth,   said underside face having an outer boundary, and an inner boundary   said lip underside face having length defined as the distance between said outer and inner boundaries,   said lip underside face inner boundary contacting said cavity substrate layer.   
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17  wherein said lip underside face inner boundary contacts said cavity substrate layer in a region where said cavity walls have a substantially retrograde slope. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 17  wherein said lip underside face inner boundary contacts said cavity substrate layer in a region where said cavity walls have a substantially re-entrant slope. 
   
   
       20 - 29 . (canceled) 
   
   
       30 . A method of manufacturing thin films comprising the steps of:
 (a) coating a reusable thin film template with a release layer;   (b) applying the desired thin film to the release layer; and   (c) releasing the thin film from the release layer without sacrificing the structural integrity of the thin film template such that the thin film template remains available for at least one re-use;   said reusable thin film template comprising:   a base structure having a top surface, a bottom surface and a thickness defined as the distance between the top surface and the bottom surface;   one or more patterns in the top surface of the base;   said one or more patterns each having a respective aperture,   said respective aperture for each of said respective patterns having a desired aperture shape defining a desired perimeter boundary at the top surface of the base; and   one or more cavities extending from said one or more aperture perimeter boundaries into the thickness of the base structure,   said one or more cavities having a shape defined by one or more internal wall surfaces extending into the thickness of the base;   said one or more cavities having a region of discontinuity between said one or more cavities and their respective one or more aperture perimeter boundaries.   
   
   
       31 - 37 . (canceled)