METHOD OF APPLYING A MATERIAL TO A SURFACE

A method of applying a first material to a surface in a plurality of mutually separate coating regions includes: A) providing the surface containing the coating regions; B) producing a first masking layer on the surface by a photolithographic process, wherein the first masking layer includes a plurality of first openings arranged above the coating regions; C) providing a self-supporting second masking layer and then applying the second masking layer to the first masking layer, wherein the second masking layer includes a plurality of second openings arranged above the first openings and having a size less than or equal to a size of the first openings; and D) applying the first material to the surface in the coating regions through the first and second openings in the first and second masking layers.