Patterned multi-layer structure and manufacturing method

Claim 2

A manufacturing method for a patterned multi-layer article comprising the steps of: forming on a substrate a protective layer comprising at least one refractory material selected from the group consisting of aluminum oxide, zirconium oxide, cerium oxide, cerium fluoride, thorium oxide, praseodymium chloride, praseodymium oxide, lanthanum oxide and lanthanum fluoride, which is resistant to reactive sputter etching; forming on the protective layer a laminated layer having laminae composed of silicon oxide and titanium oxide, said silicon oxide and titanium oxide being etched at different rates by reactive sputter etching; and etching the laminated layer by reactive sputter etching to form a predetermined pattern.

Claim 3

A manufacturing method according to claim 1, wherein a reactive gas for the etching step contains a chlorine or fluorine compound.

Claim 4

A manufacturing method according to claim 2, wherein the reactive gas contains dichlorodifluoromethane.

Claim 5

A manufacturing method according to claim 2, wherein the reactive gas contains carbon tetrachloride.

Claim 6

A manufacturing method according to claim 1, wherein the atmospheric pressure in the reactive sputter etching step is 1×10 -3 to 1×10 -1 Torr.

Claim 7

A manufacturing method according to claim 5, wherein the atmospheric pressure is 1×10 -3 to 5×10 -3 Torr.

Claim 8

A patterned optical multi-layer article comprising: a substrate; a protective layer comprising at least one refractory material selected from the group consisting of aluminum oxide, zirconium oxide, cerium oxide, cerium fluoride, thorium oxide, praseodymium chloride, praseodymium oxide, lanthanum oxide and lanthanum fluoride formed on the surface of the substrate; and at least one laminated and patterned layer formed on the surface of said protective layer and having laminae composed of silicon oxide and titanium oxide, said silicon oxide and titanium oxide having different refractive indices, wherein said protective layer and said laminated and patterned layer constitute an optical filter, and said protective layer prevents said substrate from being etched by reactive sputter etching.

Claim 9

A patterned optical multi-layer article comprising: a substrate; a protective layer comprising at least one refractory material selected from the group consisting of aluminum oxide, zirconium oxide, cerium oxide, cerium fluoride, thorium oxide, praseodymium chloride, praseodymium oxide, lanthanum oxide and lanthanum fluoride formed on the surface of the substrate; and at least one laminated and patterned layer formed on the surface of said protective layer and having laminae composed of silicon oxide and titanium oxide, said silicon oxide and titanium oxide having different refractive indices, wherein said protective layer and said laminated and patterned layer constitute an optical filter, and said protective layer prevents said substrate from being etched by reactive sputter etching.

Claim 10

A patterned optical multi-layer article according to claim 7, wherein said optical filter comprises a first laminated and stripe patterned layer and a second laminated and stripe patterned layer deposited on the surface of said first stripe patterned layer and on the surface of said protective layer, said first and second stripe patterned layers crossing each other.

Claim 11

A patterned optical multi-layer article according to claim 8, wherein said optical filter further comprises a second protective layer interposed beween said first and second stripe patterned layers, said second protective layer preventing the first stripe patterned layer from being etched by reactive sputter etching.

Claim 12

A patterned optical multi-layer article according to claim 7, wherein said protective layer is made of aluminum oxide.

Claim 13

A patterned optical multi-layer article according to claim 7, wherein the optical filter comprises three stripe filter layers, whose stripes are parallel with each other.