Composition to reduce adhesion between a conformable region and a mold
View Patent ↗An imprint lithography mold assembly includes a mold having a surface, a substrate having a surface, and a polymerizable composition disposed between the surface of the mold and the surface of the substrate. The polymerizable composition includes a bulk material and a non-ionic surfactant having a first end and a second end. The first end of the non-ionic surfactant has an affinity for the bulk material, and the second end of the non-ionic surfactant is fluorinated.
1. An imprint lithography mold assembly, comprising:
(a) a mold having a surface;
(b) a substrate having a surface; and
(c) a polymerizable composition disposed between the surface of the mold and the surface of the substrate, wherein the polymerizable composition comprises:
(i) a bulk material; and
(ii) a non-ionic surfactant having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the non-ionic surfactant has an affinity for the bulk material, and the second end of the non-ionic surfactant is fluorinated.
2. The imprint lithography mold assembly of claim 1 , wherein the second end of the non-ionic surfactant in the polymerizable composition is oriented toward the surface of the mold.
3. The imprint lithography mold assembly of claim 1 , wherein the non-ionic surfactant has the following formula:
F(CF 2 CF 2 ) x CH 2 CH 2 O(RO) y R′
wherein (RO) y is a poly(oxyalkylene) group that includes groups having two to four carbon atoms, R′ is a terminal group of H or C 1 to C 4 alkyl, and x and y are integers.
4. The imprint lithography mold assembly of claim 3 , wherein R is selected from the group consisting of
—CH 2 —, —CH 2 —, —CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 —, —CH(CH 3 )CH 2 —, and
—CH(CH 3 )CH(CH 3 )—.
5. The imprint lithography mold assembly of claim 3 , wherein R′ is selected from the group consisting of H and methyl.
6. The imprint lithography mold assembly of claim 1 , wherein the non-ionic surfactant has the following formula:
wherein R and R′ are identical or different and selected from the group consisting of H and methyl; wherein R″ is an optional sulfonyl linking group —SO 2 N(R′″″), with R′″″ selected from the group consisting of C 1 to C 6 alkyl; wherein (OR′″) z is a poly(oxyalkylene) group comprising at least one type of oxyalkylene unit; wherein R″″ is a terminal group selected from the group consisting of H, methyl, and C 1 to C 4 alkyl; and wherein the ratio of x to y is in a range of 1:1 to 3:1.
7. The imprint lithography mold assembly of claim 6 , wherein the ratio of x to y is in a range of 1:1 to 2:1.
8. The imprint lithography mold assembly of claim 1 , wherein the non-ionic surfactant has the following formula:
where x is an integer in a range of 0 to 6, inclusive; and y is an integer in a range of 0 to 15, inclusive.
9. The imprint lithography mold assembly of claim 1 , wherein the non-ionic surfactant has the following formula:
where x is an integer having a value of 1 to 2; y is an integer having a value of 2 to 1; and z is an integer having a value in a range of 0 to 6, inclusive.
10. The imprint lithography mold assembly of claim 1 , wherein the non-ionic surfactant includes a silicon atom.
11. The imprint lithography mold assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a lamella between the surface of the mold and the bulk material, wherein the lamella comprises the second end of the non-ionic surfactant.
12. The imprint lithography mold assembly of claim 11 , wherein the second end of the non-ionic surfactant is in contact with the surface of the mold.
13. The imprint lithography mold assembly of claim 1 , further comprising one or more additional surfactants.
14. The imprint lithography mold assembly of claim 13 , wherein the one or more additional surfactants are selected from the group consisting of ionic, non-ionic, cationic, and zwitterionic surfactants.
15. The imprint lithography mold assembly of claim 13 , wherein one of the additional surfactants is selected from a group consisting of a silicon-containing surfactant, a hydrocarbon-based surfactant, and a fluorinated surfactant.
16. The imprint lithography mold assembly of claim 13 , wherein the polymerizable composition further comprises an initiator.
17. The imprint lithography mold assembly of claim 13 , wherein the bulk material comprises one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of vinyl ethers, methacrylates, acrylates, thiolenes, and epoxies.
18. The imprint lithography mold assembly of claim 1 , wherein a viscosity of the polymerizable material is in a range of about 0.5 cps to about 20 cps.
19. The imprint lithography mold assembly of claim 1 , wherein a viscosity of the polymerizable material is in a range of about 10 cps to about 500,000 cps.
20. The imprint lithography mold assembly of claim 1 , wherein a viscosity of the polymerizable material is in a range of about 10 cps to about 20,000 cps.