In various embodiments, the present invention provides a method comprising: disposing upon a first substrate, a first coating; texturing the first coating with a stamp; treating the textured first coating to form a master mold; where the master mold contains a mirror image of the texture contained in the first coating; and transferring the texture from the master mold to a second substrate.

The invention relates in particular to a method for producing subsequent patterns in an underlying layer (120), the method comprising at least one step of producing prior patterns in a carbon imprintable layer (110) on top of the underlying layer (120), the production of the prior patterns involving nanoimprinting of the imprintable layer (110) and leave in place a continuous layer formed by the imprintable layer (110) and covering the underlying layer (120), characterized in that it comprises the following step: at least one step of modifying the underlying layer (120) via ion implantation (421) in the underlying layer (120), the implantation (421) being carried out through the imprintable layer (110) comprising the subsequent patterns, the parameters of the implantation (421) being chosen in such a way as to form, in the underlying layer (120), implanted zones (122) and non-implanted zones, the non-implanted zones defining the subsequent patterns and having a geometry that is dependent on the prior patterns.

According to one embodiment, a pattern formation method includes forming a structure body on a first surface of a patterning member, the structure body having protrusions and a recess. The protrusions are arranged at a first pitch along a first direction. The first direction is aligned with the first surface. The recess is between the protrusions. The method further includes forming a resin film of a block copolymer on the structure body. The block copolymer includes first portions and second portions. The first and second portions are arranged alternately at a second pitch along the first direction. The structure body includes first and second regions. The first portions are on the first regions. The second portions on the second regions. The method further includes removing the second portions and the second regions, introducing a metal to the first regions, and etching the patterning member using the first regions.

A method of transfer printing comprises globally heating an array of stamps, where each stamp comprises a shape memory polymer with a light absorbing agent dispersed therein, and pressing the array of stamps to a donor substrate comprising a plurality of inks. Each stamp is thereby compressed from an undeformed adhesion-off configuration to a deformed adhesion-on configuration. The array of stamps is then cooled to rigidize the shape memory polymer and bind the plurality of inks to the stamps in the deformed adhesion-on configuration. The plurality of inks remain bound to the stamps while the array of stamps is positioned in proximity with a receiving substrate. A selected stamp in the array is then locally heated using a concentrated light source. The selected stamp returns to the undeformed adhesion-off configuration, and the ink bound to the selected stamp is released and transfer printed onto the receiving substrate.

A flattening apparatus includes a mold holding unit configured to suck and hold a mold including a flat portion, a substrate holding unit holding a substrate, an exposure unit irradiating a light curing composition supplied onto the substrate with light at least via the mold to cure the composition, the composition being irradiated with the light and cured in a state where the flat portion of the mold is in contact with the composition on the substrate, a gas suction unit sucking gas from a spatial region between the mold and the mold holding unit, a gas supply unit supplying the gas to the spatial region, and a control unit controlling the gas suction unit and the gas supply unit to perform temperature adjustment processing for supplying the gas to the spatial region in a state where the mold is sucked and held onto the mold holding unit.

The invention relates to a method for producing a metal stamp for embossing a nano- or microstructure on a metal device (4), comprising the following steps for producing a 3D structured embossing area (3) on the stamp: a) providing a master (30) having a structured surface (30a), and replicating said master (30a) in the surface of a soft stamp (31); b) forming an imprint (32) on the soft stamp (31a) using a cross-linkable material to form an imprint structured surface (32a), before, while or after contacting an opposite side of the imprint (32) with said surface portion of the metal stamp, and removing said soft-stamp (31) exposing said imprint structured surface (32a); c) etch-opening said surface (32a) using a first set of etching conditions; d) using a second set of etching conditions, different from the first ones, etching the surface of the metal stamp to form said embossing area (3).

In an embodiment, an article having an impact textured surface comprises a plurality of vertical pillars; and a plurality of annular impact features; wherein a first portion of the vertical pillars is located in an annulus of the plurality of annular impact features and a second portion of the vertical pillars is located in an area around the plurality of annular impact features; wherein a height of the plurality of annular impact features is at least 10 nanometers greater than a height of the plurality of vertical pillars. In another embodiment, a method of making the article comprises molding the impact textured surface from a mold comprising a plurality of holes and a plurality of annular track features; wherein the plurality of holes corresponds to the plurality of pillars and the plurality of annular track features corresponds to the plurality of annular impact features.

The method comprises contacting a silicon substrate with a silver salt and an acid for a time effective to produce spikes having a first end disposed on the silicon substrate and a second end extending away from the silicon substrate. The spikes have a second end diameter of about 10 nm to about 200 nm, a height of about 100 nm to 10 micrometers, and a density of about 10 to 100 per square microns. The nanostructures provide antimicrobial properties and can be transferred to the surface of various materials such as polymers.

The invention relates in particular to a method for creating patterns in a layer (410) to be etched, starting from a stack comprising at least the layer (410) to be etched and a masking, layer (420) on top of the layer (410) to be etched, the masking layer (420) having at least one pattern (421), the method comprising at least: a) a step of modifying at least one zone (411) of the layer (410) to be etched via ion implantation (430) vertically in line with said at least one pattern (421); b) at least one sequence of steps comprising: b1) a step of enlarging (440) the at least one pattern (421) in a plane in which the layer (410) to be etched mainly extends; b2) a step of modifying at least one zone (411, 411) of the layer (410) to be etched via ion implantation (430) vertically in line with the at least one enlarged pattern (421), the implantation being carried out over a depth less than the implantation depth of the preceding, modification step; c) a step of removing (461, 462) the modified zones (411, 411, 411), the removal comprising a step of etching the modified zones (411, 411, 411) selectively with respect to the non-modified zones (412) of the layer (410) to be etched.

A method of manufacturing a sensor device comprising: configuring a moulding support structure and a packaging mould so as to provide predetermined pathways to accommodate a moulding compound, the moulding support structure defining a first notional volume adjacent a second notional volume. An elongate sensor element and the moulding support structure are configured so that the moulding support structure fixedly carries the elongate sensor element and the elongate sensor element resides substantially in the first notional volume and extends towards the second notional volume, the elongate sensor element having an electrical contact electrically coupled to another electrical contact disposed within the second notional volume. The moulding support structure carrying (102) the elongate sensor element is disposed within the packaging mould (106). The moulding compound is then introduced (110) into the packaging mould during a predetermined period of time (112) so that the moulding compound fills the predetermined pathways, thereby filling the second notional volume and surrounding the elongate sensor element within the second notional volume without contacting the elongate sensor element.