US 7,320,283 B2
Nanoprinting method
Massimiliano Cavallini, Vergato (Italy); and Fabio Biscarini, Bologna (Italy)
Assigned to Consiglio Nazionale Delle Ricerche, Rome (Italy)
Appl. No. 10/528,378
PCT Filed Sep. 15, 2003, PCT No. PCT/EP03/10242
§ 371(c)(1), (2), (4) Date Aug. 29, 2005,
PCT Pub. No. WO2004/025367, PCT Pub. Date Mar. 25, 2004.
Claims priority of application No. MI02A1961 (IT), filed on Sep. 16, 2002.
Prior Publication US 2006/0027117 A1, Feb. 09, 2006
Int. Cl. B41C 33/00 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 101—483  [101/327; 101/487; 101/486; 101/483; 977/887; 977/892] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A printing process for obtaining patterns of nanometer and micrometer dimensions on a substrate, comprising the steps of sequentially:
forming a solution or suspension of a volatile liquid and a printing material,
applying a layer of the solution or suspension to said substrate,
positioning, without applying pressure, of a stamp provided with relief patterns at a distance of 0 nm to 500 μm from the substrate with the relief patterns in contact with the layer of the solution or suspension,
evaporating only the volatile liquid from said solution or suspension from between the substrate and the stamp without evaporating the printing material so as to draw the suspension or solution by capillarity to the relief patterns and deposit the printing material on the substrate in accordance with the relief patterns of the stamp, and
thereafter separating the stamp from the substrate and leaving the printing material on the substrate.