Patent ID: 8322025

Claim:
An apparatus for forming a plurality of high-aspect ratio gridline structures on a substrate, the apparatus comprising: first and second co-extrusion heads positioned over a surface of the substrate such that first outlet orifices of the first co-extrusion head define a first line extending is a first direction, and second outlet orifices of the second co-extrusion head define a second line that is parallel to the first line, wherein each of the first and second co-extrusion heads comprises a plurality of multi-channel cavities, each of the multi-channel cavities including a first channel and a second channel that converge at an output portion such that both the first channel and the second channel communicate with an associated outlet orifice of said first and second outlet orifices; first means for forcing a gridline material into the first channel of each of the plurality of multi-channel cavities of the first and second co-extrusion heads and second means for forcing and a sacrificial material into the second channel of each of the plurality of multi-channel cavities of the first and second co-extrusion heads such that both the gridline material and the sacrificial material are co-extruded through each of the first and second outlet orifices; and means for moving the first and second co-extrusion heads relative to the substrate in a second direction such that said gridline material extruded from each of the first and second outlet orifices forms an associated gridline structure of said plurality of high-aspect ratio gridline structures, and said sacrificial material extruded from each of the first and second outlet orifices forms associated first and second sacrificial material portions respectively disposed on opposing sides of said associated gridline structure, wherein the first and second co-extrusion heads are positioned such that the first said outlet orifices and the second said outlet orifices are disposed in a staggered arrangement such that a first said gridline structure extruded from the first co-extrusion head is disposed between second and third said gridline structures extruded from the second co-extrusion head.