Composite stamper for imprint lithography
A stamper having a patterned layer composed of a hard material and a compressible material back plane layer. The back plane layer may be composed of an elastomer. The stamper may be used to imprint an embossable layer disposed above a substrate for the production of a magnetic recording disk.
1 . A method, comprising:
providing a stamper, the stamper comprising:
a patterned layer comprising a hard material, the patterned layer having a back plane; and
a back plane layer directly bonded to the back plane of the patterned layer, the back plane layer comprising a compressible material; and
imprinting the patterned layer into an embossable layer, the embossable layer being disposed above a substrate.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the hard material comprises a rigid material.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the compressible material comprises an elastomer.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the embossable layer comprises a deformable solid.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the stamper is used to imprint the embossable layer for production of a magnetic recording disk.
6 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the stamper is used to imprint the embossable layer for production of a magnetic recording disk.
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein imprinting comprises applying a pressure to the back plane layer in an approximate range of 10 to 2,000 psi.
8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the stamper is used to imprint the embossable layer for production of an optical recording disk.
9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the stamper is used to imprint the embossable layer for production of a display.
10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the stamper is used to imprint the embossable layer for production of a semiconductor device.
11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the embossable layer is imprinted with a feature having a lateral dimension less than approximately 100 nm.
12 . A method of manufacturing a stamper, comprising:
generating a patterned layer having a back plane, the patterned layer comprising a hard material; and
directly bonding a compressible material on the back plane of the patterned layer.
13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the hard material comprises a rigid material.
14 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising curing the compressible material.
15 . The method of claim 12 , wherein generating a patterned layer comprises electroplating a master with a metal.
16 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
disposing a masking layer on the back plane of the patterned layer;
forming an outer wall on the back plane around the masking layer;
removing the masking layer; and
disposing the compressible material on the back plane within the outer wall.
17 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising curing the compressible material after the compressible material is disposed on the back plane.
18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein curing is performed at a temperature approximately in a range of room temperature to 150 degrees C.
19 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
forming an outer wall around the patterned layer to form a cavity above the back plane of the patterned layer; and
disposing the compressible material on the back plane of the patterned layer within the outer wall.
20 . The method of claim 19 , further comprising curing the compressible material.
21 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the hard material has a hardness value in approximately a range of HV100 to HV1000.
22 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the compressible material has a hardness value in approximately a range of 20 to 25 Shore 00 scale.
23 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the compressible material has a hardness value in approximately a range of 10 to 100 Shore A scale.