Compliant hard template for UV imprinting
View Patent ↗A compliant UV imprint lithography template, which may also act as a thermal implant template, and methods for manufacturing it. The template essentially comprises a relief image and an elastomer adapted to adjust the relief image. In an embodiment, the relief image is arranged in a compliant imprinting layer where the elastomer is arranged between the imprinting layer and a rigid transparent substrate. In an embodiment, the template is compliant to a wafer surface. In an embodiment, layering an elastomer and an imprinting layer on a substrate and patterning a relief image into the imprinting layer, form the template.
1. A lithography template comprising:
a body;
an imprinting layer comprising a plurality of protrusions and recessions, defining a pattern; and
an elastomer positioned between said imprinting layer and said body, with said elastomer being configured to alter a portion of said pattern.
2. The template as recited in claim 1 , wherein said imprinting layer is substantially transparent to actinic radiation.
3. The template as recited in claim 1 , wherein said imprinting layer is substantially transparent to visible light.
4. The template as recited in claim 1 , wherein said imprinting layer comprises a first surface substantially parallel to a second surface, with said first surface comprising said pattern and said elastomer being adjacent to said second surface.
5. The template as recited in claim 1 , wherein said body is more rigid than said imprinting layer.
6. The template as recited in claim 1 , wherein said body is substantially transparent to actinic radiation.
7. The template as recited in claim 1 , wherein said imprinting layer is conformal with a wafer surface.
8. The template as recited in claim 1 , wherein said template is substantially transparent to actinic radiation.
9. The template as recited in claim 1 , wherein said pattern comprises features having dimensions less than about 100 nm.
10. The template as recited in claim 1 , wherein said pattern comprises features having dimensions, and wherein altering at least a portion of said pattern comprises altering at least one dimension of at least one feature.
11. A lithography template comprising:
a body;
an imprinting layer comprising a plurality of protrusions and recessions, defining a pattern; and
an elastomer, positioned between said imprinting layer and said body, with said elastomer being configured to alter a portion of said pattern in a first direction while minimizing dimensional variability in a second direction orthogonal to said first direction.
12. The template as recited in claim 11 , wherein said elastomer is less rigid than said body.
13. The template as recited in claim 11 , wherein said elastomer is less rigid than said imprinting layer.
14. The template as recited in claim 11 , wherein said imprinting layer is substantially transparent to actinic radiation.
15. The template as recited in claim 11 , wherein said elastomer is substantially transparent to actinic radiation.
16. The template as recited in claim 11 , wherein said body is substantially transparent to actinic radiation.
17. The template as recited in claim 11 , wherein said imprinting layer is conformal with a non-planar surface.
18. The template as recited in claim 11 , wherein said imprinting layer comprises a first surface substantially parallel to a second surface, with said first surface comprising said pattern and said elastomer being adjacent to said second surface.
19. The template as recited in claim 1 , wherein said elastomer is further configured to be resistant to degradation and deformation.
20. The template as recited in claim 1 , wherein said elastomer is contiguous with said imprinting layer.
21. The template as recited in claim 11 , wherein said elastomer is further configured to be resistant to degradation and deformation.
22. The template as recited in claim 11 , wherein said elastomer is contiguous with said imprinting layer.
23. A lithography template comprising:
a body;
an imprinting layer comprising a plurality of protrusions and recessions, defining a pattern; and
an elastomer positioned between said imprinting layer and said body, with said elastomer being configured to alter a portion of said pattern in response to a force while having suitable memory to return to an initial state in an absence of said force.
24. The template as recited in claim 23 , wherein said imprinting layer is substantially transparent to actinic radiation.
25. The template as recited in claim 23 , wherein said imprinting layer is substantially transparent to visible light.
26. The template as recited in claim 23 , wherein said imprinting layer comprises a first surface substantially parallel to a second surface, with said first surface comprising said pattern and said elastomer being adjacent to said second surface.
27. The template as recited in claim 23 , wherein said body is more rigid than said imprinting layer.
28. The template as recited in claim 23 , wherein said body is substantially transparent to actinic radiation.
29. The template as recited in claim 23 , wherein said imprinting layer is conformal with a non-planar surface.
30. The template as recited in claim 23 , wherein said template is substantially transparent to actinic radiation.
31. The template as recited in claim 23 , wherein said pattern comprises features having dimensions, and wherein altering at least a portion of said pattern comprises altering at least one dimension of at least one feature.
32. A lithography template, said template being substantially transparent to actinic radiation, said template comprising:
a body;
an imprinting layer comprising a plurality of protrusions and recessions, defining a pattern, with said imprinting layer being conformal with a non-planar surface of a substrate; and
an elastomer positioned between said imprinting layer and said body, with said elastomer being configured to alter a portion of said pattern.