Master matrix for making multiple copies

Claim 2

A MASTER MATRIX FOR MAKING MULTIPLE COPIES OF AN ARTICLE BY ELECTROPLATING METAL IN THE GROOVES OF A GROOVE-PATTERNED BASE SUBSTRATE AND STRIPPING THE FORMED ARTICLE THEREFROM, COMPRISING: A. SUBSTRATE CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF A DEGENERATELY DOPED SILICON BODY HAVING A HIGHLY POLISHED FLAT SURFACE, SAID SURFACE HAVING A THIN OXIDE FILM THEREON, AN ADHERENT LAYER OF AN INORGANIC DIELECTRIC MATERIAL ON SAID SURFACE, AND A PATTERN OF GROOVES IN SAID DIELECTRIC LAYER SUCH THAT SAID POLISHED SILICON OXIDE SURFACE IS EXPOSED AT THE BOTTOMS OF SAID GROOVES.

Claim 3

A matrix according to claim 1 in which said dielectric is SiO2.

Claim 4

A matrix according to claim 2 in which said SiO2 is thermally grown.

Claim 5

A matrix according to claim 1 in which said article is a fine mesh screen and said grooves are in a grid-work pattern.

Claim 6

A matrix according to claim 4 in which said grooves are of the order of 3 Mu wide.

Claim 7

In a method of making a plurality of fine mesh screens as replicas from a single matrix, whereby a metal is electroplated in a grid pattern of grooves in a dielectric layer on a base substrate of a master matrix to form a mesh screen, said screen is stripped from said matrix, and the electroplating and stripping steps are repeated, the improvement comprising a matrix consisting essentially of a substrate of single crystal degenerately doped silicon having a highly polished surface, said surface having a thin oxide film thereon, a layer of an inorganic dielectric material on said surface and a grid pattern of grooves in said dielectric layer exposing said silicon oxide surface.

Claim 8

In a method of making a plurality of fine mesh screens as replicas from a single matrix, whereby a metal is electroplated in a grid pattern of grooves in a dielectric layer on a base substrate of a master matrix to form a mesh screen, said screen is stripped from said matrix, and the electroplating and stripping steps are repeated, the improvement comprising a matrix consisting essentially of a substrate of single crystal degenerately doped silicon having a highly polished surface, said surface having a thin oxide film thereon, a layer of an inorganic dielectric material on said surface and a grid pattern of grooves in said dielectric layer exposing said silicon oxide surface.

Claim 9

A method according to claim 6 in which said metal is nickel.

Claim 10

A method according to claim 6 in which said metal is copper.

Claim 11

A method according to claim 6 in which said screen has at least 1,000 lines per inch.