Solvent-assisted layer formation for imprint lithography

1. An imprint lithography method, comprising:

applying a liquid composition onto a surface of an imprint lithography substrate to form a multiplicity of spaced-apart, discrete portions of the liquid composition on the surface of the imprint lithography substrate, wherein the composition comprises:

a solvent; and

a polymerizable material;

then allowing the spaced-apart, discrete portions of the liquid composition to spontaneously spread and merge on the surface of the imprint lithography substrate to form a substantially continuous layer of the liquid composition with a depth between about 5 nm and about 1 μm on the surface of the imprint lithography substrate and with an exposed liquid surface, formed by the spreading of the discrete portions of the liquid composition, opposite the surface of the imprint lithography substrate;

evaporating at least some of the solvent from the exposed, substantially continuous layer of the liquid composition having a depth between about 5 nm and about 1 μm; and

polymerizing the polymerizable material to form a solid layer of polymerized material on the imprint lithography substrate, wherein the solid layer of polymerized material is substantially free of interstitial voids.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein applying the liquid composition comprises dispensing the liquid composition with an inkjet.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein applying the liquid composition comprises spraying the liquid composition with an atomization spray head.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein applying the liquid composition comprises spraying the liquid composition with an ultrasonic spray head.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the spaced-apart, discrete portions of the liquid composition on the surface of the imprint lithography substrate has a pre-determined volume, and the pre-determined volume differs for at least two of the spaced-apart, discrete portions of the liquid composition on the surface of the imprint lithography substrate.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the multiplicity of spaced-apart, discrete portions of the liquid composition forms a pattern on the surface of the imprint lithography substrate.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising applying spaced-apart, discrete portions of a second liquid composition about a perimeter of the multiplicity of spaced-apart, discrete portions of the liquid composition on the surface of the imprint lithography substrate to limit spreading of the liquid composition on the imprint lithography substrate, wherein the second liquid composition is more viscous than the liquid composition.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising contacting the exposed, substantially continuous layer of the liquid composition from which at least some of the solvent has evaporated with an imprint lithography template and polymerizing the polymerizable material between the imprint lithography template and the imprint lithography substrate.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the exposed, substantially continuous layer of the liquid composition is substantially uniform in thickness.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the surface of the imprint lithography substrate is non-planar.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein evaporating at least some of the solvent comprises evaporating substantially all of the solvent.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein evaporating at least some of the solvent comprises allowing the solvent to evaporate for a pre-determined length of time.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the pre-determined length of time is greater than about 1 second and less than about 200 seconds.

14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

sequentially applying one or more additional multiplicities of spaced-apart, discrete portions of the liquid composition onto the surface of the imprint lithography substrate, wherein each multiplicity is spatially separated from the one or more other multiplicities;

then allowing the multiplicities of the spaced-apart, discrete portions of the liquid composition to spontaneously spread and merge on the surface of the imprint lithography substrate such that each of the multiplicities of the spaced-apart, discrete portions of the liquid composition forms an additional exposed, substantially continuous layer of the liquid composition on the surface of the imprint lithography substrate, wherein each additional exposed, substantially continuous layer of the liquid composition is spaced apart from the other additional exposed, substantially continuous layers of the liquid composition; and

evaporating at least some of the solvent from each additional exposed, substantially continuous layer of the liquid composition.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:

contacting a first one of the additional exposed, substantially continuous layers of the liquid composition from which at least some of the solvent has evaporated with a surface of an imprint lithography template;

polymerizing the polymerizable material in the first one of the additional exposed, substantially continuous layers;

separating the surface of the imprint lithography template from the polymerized material; and

then contacting another one of the additional exposed, substantially continuous layers of the liquid composition with the surface of the imprint lithography template.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the polymerizable material comprises a component selected from the group consisting of acrylates, methacrylates, epoxies, isocyanurates, and thiolenes.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the solid layer of polymerized material is a resist layer.

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein the solid layer of polymerized material is a functional layer.

19. An imprint lithography method, comprising:

applying a liquid composition onto a surface of an imprint lithography substrate to form a multiplicity of spaced-apart, discrete portions of the liquid composition on the surface of the imprint lithography substrate, wherein the composition comprises:

a solvent; and

a solid;

then allowing the spaced-apart, discrete portions of the liquid composition to spontaneously spread and merge on the surface of the imprint lithography substrate to form a substantially continuous layer of the liquid composition with a depth between about 5 nm and about 1 μm on the surface of the imprint lithography substrate and with an exposed liquid surface, formed by the spreading of the discrete portions of the liquid composition, opposite the surface of the imprint lithography substrate;

evaporating at least some of the solvent from the exposed, substantially continuous layer of the liquid composition having a depth between about 5 nm and about 1 μm to form a layer of the solid on the imprint lithography substrate, wherein the solid layer is substantially free of interstitial voids.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the imprint lithography substrate is a patterned layer.

21. The method of claim 19 , wherein the solid layer comprises functional material.

22. The method of claim 19 , wherein the liquid composition is a solution.

23. The method of claim 19 , wherein the liquid composition is a dispersion.

24. The method of claim 19 , wherein the solid comprises a polymeric material.

25. The method of claim 19 , wherein the solid comprises fullerenes or carbon nanotubes.

26. The method of claim 19 , wherein the solid comprises metal-containing particles.

27. A method of forming a polymerized layer on an imprint lithography substrate, the method comprising:

selecting a liquid composition comprising:

a polymerizable material; and

a solvent having a structure comprising R f —X—R, wherein:

R f comprises fluorine and carbon,

R comprises an alkyl group, and

X is a divalent atom;

applying the liquid composition onto a surface of an imprint lithography substrate to form a multiplicity of spaced-apart, discrete portions of the liquid composition on the surface of the imprint lithography substrate;

then allowing the spaced-apart discrete portions of the liquid composition to spontaneously spread and merge on the surface of the imprint lithography substrate to form a substantially continuous layer of the liquid composition with a depth between about 5 nm and about 1 μm on the surface of the imprint lithography substrate and with an exposed liquid surface, formed by the spreading of the discrete portions of the liquid composition, opposite the surface of the imprint lithography substrate;

evaporating at least some of the solvent from the exposed, substantially continuous layer of the liquid composition having a depth between about 5 nm and about 1 μm; and

polymerizing the polymerizable material to form a solid layer of polymerized material on the imprint lithography substrate, wherein the solid layer of the polymerized material is substantially free of interstitial voids.

28. The method of claim 27 , wherein the polymerizable material comprises a component selected from the group consisting of acrylates, methacrylates, epoxies, isocyanurates, and thiolenes.

29. The method of claim 27 , wherein the boiling point of the polymerizable material is greater than about 250° C.

30. The method of claim 27 , wherein the boiling point of the solvent is less than about 150° C.

31. The method of claim 30 , wherein the boiling point of the solvent is less than about 100° C.

32. The method of claim 27 , wherein the solvent is a fluorinated ether.

33. The method of claim 27 , wherein R f is a fluorinated alkyl group.

34. The method of claim 33 , wherein R f is a perfluorinated alkyl group.

35. The method of claim 27 , wherein R is an alkyl group.

36. The method of claim 27 , wherein X is oxygen.