Method and apparatus for patterning substrates

Claim 3

The method of Claim 1, characterised by: (a) confining said treating fluid stream within an open channel, said stream at least partially conforming to and being laterally confined by said channel, and (b) interrupting and re-establishing contact between said stream and said surface while said stream is within said channel.

Claim 4

The method of Claim 2, characterised in that said treating fluid stream is interrupted within said channel by means of a transverse stream of a control fluid which is directed into said treating fluid stream from a point within said channel with sufficient pressure to force said treating fluid stream to leave the confines of said channel.

Claim 5

The method of Claim 2 or 3, characterised in that said stream is comprised of water, and wherein said stream is interrupted by means of a transverse stream of a control fluid which is directed into said water stream within said open channel from under said water stream, thereby lifting said water stream from said channel.

Claim 6

The method of Claim 3, characterised in that said treating fluid stream is a liquid stream which substantially conforms to said open channel and is flowing within said channel at relatively high velocity, and wherein said transverse stream is comprised of a gas which has sufficient pressure to disrupt the flow of said liquid stream and cause said stream to dissipate.

Claim 7

The method of Claim 3, characterised in that said treating fluid stream is given a desired cross-section following passage within said open channel by passage through an aperture which is aligned with said open channel.

Claim 12

Apparatus for carrying out the method of Claim 1, comprising a conduit (166) forthe flow of a first fluid stream; means (166/180) for supplying a stream of said first fluid in alignment with said conduit; means (170-4) for directing a transverse stream of a control fluid into said first fluid stream laterally from a point beneath said first stream within said conduit; and means for supplying said control fluid to said directing means at a sufficient pressure to interrupt said first fluid stream; characterised in that the conduit (166) is an open groove-like channel and that said control fluid is supplied at a pressure sufficient to lift said first fluid stream and thereby cause said first stream to leave the confines of said channel.

Claim 13

The apparatus of Claim 11, characterised in that said directing means comprises a passage (174) in the base of said channel (166) directed outwardly from said base.

Claim 14

The apparatus of Claim 11, characterised in that further comprises stream forming means (166/178) for giving said first fluid stream a desired cross-section following the flow of said first stream within said open channel (166), said stream forming means including an aperture in substantial alignment with said channel.

Claim 15

Apparatus for carrying out the method of Claim 1 comprising: a manifold (70) for containing a quantity of fluid at the desired pressure; and stream forming means (75, 92) in fluid communication with said manifold, for forming a stream of said fluid; characterised by: a reed (58, 81-2) comprising a thin portion of stiff, resilient material and being positioned outside said manifold and adjacent to the path of said stream, said reed being connected in cantilever fashion to said manifold and having a fixed, proximal end and a free, distal end capable of resilient movement through the path of said stream; reed actuation means (60-2, 84-6) for intermittently urging a portion of said distal end of said reed into the path of said stream and comprising a plunger (60, 84) which may be moved between extended and retracted positions on command, and arranged to contact said reed to move said distal portion into the path of said stream in one of said positions and to allow said reed to move out of said path in the other of said positions; and a barrier (64, 88-9) positioned generally within the path of said fluid stream and beyond but in close proximity to said distal end of said reed, said barrier having an aperture therein in alignment with said stream forming means, whereby said stream can pass through said aperture whenever the distal portion of said reed has moved out of the path of said stream.

Claim 16

The apparatus of Claim 14, characterised in that said reed (58) is of stiff metal, the distal end of which is bent at an obtuse angle, said strip being situated in parallel arrangement along the path of said stream so that when said plunger (60) is extended, the distal end of said strip is forced into the path of said stream.

Claim 17

The apparatus of Claim 15, characterised in that said stream forming means comprises a plurality of generally aligned bores (75), for simultaneously forming an array of fluid streams; and that a plurality of reeds are positioned in two generally parallel arrays (81, 82) flanking and corresponding to said bores, said arrays being slightly laterally displaced to allow for interleaving of reed means from each array; a plurality of reed actuation means (84-6) being positioned in respective operable association with said reeds; and said barrier (88-9) having at least one aperture in substantial alignment with said plurality of bores.

Claim 18

Apparatus for carrying out the method of Claim 1, comprising: a manifold (112, 132, 132A) for containing and distributing a fluid at a desired pressure; and stream forming means (114, 134, 134A) in fluid communication with said manifold; characterised in that: said stream forming means comprises a relatively stiff but resilient section of tubing (116, 136, 136A) which is directed at said substrate and which at its proximal end is cantilevered from said manifold; and by a barrier (118, 144, 144A) extending transversely to the direction of said stream path beyond the distal end of said tube, and serving to intersect the path of said stream when said tube is in a first position, to allow said stream to pass when said tube is in a second position; and tube deflection means (122, 141-2, 141-2A) comprising a plunger (120, 140, 140A) which when extended contacts said cantilevered tube and deflects said distal end of said tube.

Claim 19

The apparatus of Claim 17, characterised in that said tube (116) is in said first position when said plunger (120) is extended.

Claim 20

The apparatus of Claim 17, characterised in that said tube (136) is in said second position when said plunger (140) is extended.

Claim 21

The apparatus of Claim 17, characterised by: an array of relatively stiff sections of tubing and cantilevered from said manifold (132), said tubes being arranged in two generally parallel arrays (136, 136A) which are laterally offset so that respective tubes from each array are unopposed; a barrier (144, 144A) being provided for each array; and said tube deflection means comprising a plurality of plungers (140, 140A) arranged in two generally parallel arrays which are laterally offset to correspond with the cantilevered tubes.