Appeal 2007-0619
Application 10/178,008
42 may be formed according to a variety of ways. [Emphasis
added.]
Kumar then goes on to exemplify two techniques, i.e., micromachining and
lithography (col. 9, l.54 to col. 10, l. 13).
Shepard, like Kumar, is directed to fabricating microelectronic
devices having feature sizes ranging from hundreds of nanometers to
microns (col. 1, ll. 14-39 and col. 4, ll.21-22). Shepard teaches fabricating
microelectronic devices via a molding process that employs, inter alia, an
injection molded stamp master (master copy) (col. 3, l. 55 to col. 4, l. 12).
Specifically, Shepard teaches (col. 3, l. 56 to col. 4, l. 26) that:
Devices in accordance with the invention may be
fabricated using a molding process, which obviates the need to
etch a recessed pattern into each substrate. Such a process is
illustrated in FIG. 1. With reference to FIG. 1, a “master”
substrate is etched with the recessed pattern…Variations on the
electroforming of the master copy could include depositing on
that master copy material intended to appear in the face of the
mold, following which the mold is chemically or physically
separated from the master following deposition.
… In one embodiment, injection molding is used to produce
new substrates having the same recessed pattern as the master.
The new substrate is typically formed out of plastic or glass
although other moldable materials…are suitable. Finally, a
series of layers is applied to the new substrate (step 150).
These layers provide the desired electrical properties of the
microelectronic device.
FIG. 2A is a top view of a portion of a substrate 200
having a microscopic recessed pattern constructed in
accordance with the present invention. Typically, feature sizes
will range from hundreds of nanometers to microns, but larger
and smaller features are possible….Substrate 200 can be
formed from the master by injection molding or itself could be
the master used to create the form…
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