Eliminating printability of sub-resolution defects in imprint lithography
View Patent ↗The present invention provides a method of forming a desired pattern in a layer positioned on a substrate with a mold, the method including, inter alia, contacting the layer with the mold forming a shape therein having a plurality of features extending in a first direction; and altering dimensions of the shape of the layer in a second direction, orthogonal to the first direction, to eliminate a subset of the plurality of features having a dimension less that a predetermined magnitude while obtaining the desired pattern in the layer.
1. A method of forming a desired pattern in a patterning layer positioned on a substrate with a mold, said method comprising:
contacting said patterning layer with said mold forming a shape therein having a plurality of features extending in a first direction; and
altering dimensions of said shape of said patterning layer in a second direction, orthogonal to said first direction, to completely remove a subset of said plurality of features having a dimension less that a predetermined magnitude while obtaining said desired pattern in said patterning layer.
2. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein altering further includes trim etching said plurality of features in said patterning layer.
3. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein altering further includes trim etching said plurality of features in said patterning layer to remove said subset of said plurality of features having a dimension less that said predetermined magnitude while decreasing a dimension of remaining features of said plurality of features along said second direction to form said desired pattern in said patterning layer.
4. The method as recited in claim 1 further including transferring an inverse of said desired pattern into a transfer layer positioned between said substrate and said patterning layer subsequent to altering said dimensions of said shape of said patterning layer.
5. The method as recited in claim 1 further including transferring an inverse of said desired pattern into a transfer layer positioned between
said substrate and said patterning layer prior to altering said dimensions of said shape of said patterning layer.
6. The method as recited in claim 1 further including modifying a pattern of said mold prior to contact with said patterning layer.
7. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said mold comprises a plurality of protrusions and recessions, with said method further including increasing a dimension of said plurality of recessions along a third direction, parallel to said second direction.
8. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein altering further includes trim etching said plurality of features in said patterning layer by a constant and removing a subset of said plurality of features having a dimension less than said constant.
9. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said first direction is orthogonal to a surface of said substrate.
10. A method of forming a desired pattern in a patterning layer positioned on a substrate with a mold having a plurality of protrusions and recessions including a defect, said method comprising:
modifying a dimension of said plurality of recessions of said mold along a first direction;
contacting said patterning layer with said mold forming a shape therein having a plurality of features extending in a second direction; and
altering dimensions of said shape of said patterning layer along a third direction, orthogonal to said second direction, to completely remove a subset of said plurality of features associated with said defect while obtaining said desired pattern in said patterning layer.
11. The method as recited in claim 10 wherein altering further includes removing said subset of said plurality of features having a dimension less than a predetermined magnitude.
12. The method as recited in claim 10 wherein altering further includes trim etching said plurality of features in said patterning layer.
13. The method as recited in claim 10 wherein altering further includes trim etching said plurality of features in said patterning layer to remove said subset of said plurality of features associated with said defect while decreasing a dimension of remaining features of said plurality of features along said third direction to form said desired pattern in said patterning layer.
14. The method as recited in claim 10 further including transferring an inverse of said desired pattern into a transfer layer positioned between said substrate and said patterning layer subsequent to altering said dimensions of said shape of said patterning layer.
15. The method as recited in claim 10 further including transferring an inverse of said desired pattern into a transfer layer positioned between said substrate and said patterning layer prior to altering said dimensions of said shape of said patterning layer.
16. The method as recited in claim 10 wherein altering further includes trim etching said plurality of features in said patterning layer by a constant and removing a subset of said plurality of features having a dimension less than said constant.
17. A method of forming a desired pattern on a substrate with a mold having a plurality of protrusions and recessions, said method comprising:
increasing a dimension of said plurality of protrusions of said mold along a first direction;
contacting a patterning layer positioned on said substrate with said mold forming a first shape therein having a plurality of first features extending in a second direction;
altering dimensions of said first shape of said patterning layer along a third direction, orthogonal to said second direction, to completely eliminate a subset of said plurality of first features having a dimension less than a predetermined magnitude;
transferring an inverse of said first shape into a transfer layer positioned between said patterning layer and said substrate, defining a second shape having a plurality of second features extending in said second direction; and
altering dimensions of said second shape of said transfer layer along said third direction to eliminate a subset of said plurality of second features having a dimension less than a predetermined magnitude while obtaining said desired pattern in said transfer layer.
18. The method as recited in claim 17 wherein altering dimensions of said first shape further includes trim etching said plurality of first features in said patterning layer and altering dimensions of said second shape further includes trim etching said plurality of second features in said transfer layer.
19. A method of forming a desired pattern in a patterning layer positioned on a substrate, said method comprising:
forming a shape in said patterning layer employing electron beam lithography, said shape having a plurality of features extending in a first direction; and
altering dimensions of said shape of said patterning layer in a second direction, orthogonal to said first direction, to completely remove a subset of said plurality of features having a dimension less that a predetermined magnitude while obtaining said desired pattern in said patterning layer.