Patterning of thin-film microstructures on non-planar substrate surfaces using decal transfer lithography

Patterning of thin-film material microstructures supported on spherically curved lenses was investigated using an extension of decal transfer lithography (DTL). Poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) resists were transferred adhesively to the convex surface of a curved lens to serve as an etch resist for microfabrication procedures. It was found that the application of plasma etching and sputter deposition were subject to shadowing effects as the degree of non-planarity increased. It was also found that the selective pattern release (SPaR) resists were less subject to this impact than the thicker resists patterned by micromolding in capillaries (MIMIC).