Adaptive nanotopography sculpting
View Patent ↗Adaptive imprint planarization provides a surface having desired shape characteristics. Generally, topography of a first surface is mapped to provide a density map. The density map is evaluated to provide a drop pattern for dispensing polymerizable material on the first surface. The polymerizable material is solidified and etched to provide a second surface having the desired shape characteristics. Additionally, adaptive imprint planarization compensates for parasitic effects of the imprinting process.
1. A method of forming a surface having desired shape characteristic using an imprint lithography system, comprising:
determining nanotopography of a first surface;
determining desired shape characteristic for a second surface;
evaluating the nanotopography of the first surface and the desired shape characteristic for the second surface to provide a drop pattern;
depositing polymerizable material between a template and the first surface according to the drop pattern;
contacting the template to the polymerizable material;
solidifying the polymerizable material;
etching the polymerizable material to provide the second surface having the desirable shape characteristic.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining at least one parasitic effect and adjusting the drop pattern to compensate for the parasitic effect.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the parasitic effect is evaporation of the polymerizable material.
4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the parasitic effect is variation in pattern density.
5. The method of claim 2 , wherein the parasitic effect is etching non-uniformity.
6. The method of claim 2 , wherein the parasitic effect is polishing non-uniformity.
7. The method of claim 2 , wherein the parasitic effect is volume shrinkage.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein etching the polymerizable material alters the nanotopography and roughness of the first surface.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the desired shape characteristic of the second surface is planar.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the desired shape characteristic of the second surface is non-planar.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein depositing polymerizable material between a template and the first surface according to the drop pattern further comprises:
depositing a first polymerizable material having a first etch rate and depositing a second polymerizable material having a second etch rate; and,
adjusting the drop pattern to compensate for the first etch rate and the second etch rate.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first etch rate and the second etch rate are different.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein evaluating the nanotopography of the first surface and the desired shape characteristic for the second surface to provide the drop pattern further comprises:
evaluating the differences between the nanotopography of the first surface and the desired shape characteristic for the second surface to provide a height correction map;
providing a density map based on the height correction map; and,
using the density map to determine the drop pattern.
14. A method of forming a surface having desired nanotopography using an imprint lithography system, comprising:
determining nanotopography of a surface;
evaluating the nanotopography of the surface to determine height correction between the nanotopography of the surface as compared to a desired nanotopography;
providing a density map based on the height correction between the nanotopography of the surface as compared to the desired nanotopography;
determining a drop pattern based on the density map;
depositing polymerizable material between an imprint lithography template and the surface according to the drop pattern;
contacting the template to the polymerizable material;
solidifying the polymerizable material;
etching the polymerizable material to provide the surface with the desired nanotopography.
15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising determining at least one parasitic effect and adjusting the drop pattern to compensate for the parasitic effect.
16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the desired nanotopography is planar.
17. The method of claim 14 , wherein the surface is non-planar and etching the polymerizable material provides the surface with planar topography while maintaining the nominal non-planar surface.
18. A method of forming a planar surface using an imprint lithography system, comprising:
determining nanotopography of a surface;
evaluating the nanotopography of the surface to determine a drop pattern to provide the planar surface for a first polymerizable material having a first etch rate and a second polymerizable material having a second etch rate;
depositing the first polymerizable material and the second polymerizable material between an imprint lithography template and the surface according to the drop pattern;
contacting the template to at least one of the first polymerizable material and the second polymerizable material;
solidifying at least one of the first polymerizable material and the second polymerizable material;
etching at least one of the first polymerizable material and the second polymerizable material to provide the planar surface.
19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising determining at least one parasitic effect and adjusting the drop pattern to compensate for the parasitic effect.
20. The method of claim 18 , wherein evaluating the nanotopography of the surface to determine a drop pattern further comprises:
evaluating the nanotopography of the surface to determine height correction between the nanotopography of the surface as compared to the planar surface to be formed;
providing a density map based on the height correction; and,
determining the drop pattern based on the density map.