Micro-conformal templates for nanoimprint lithography
View Patent ↗A micro-conformal nanoimprint lithography template includes a backing layer and a nanopatterned layer adhered to the backing layer. The elastic modulus of the backing layer exceeds the elastic modulus of the nanopatterned layer. The micro-conformal nanoimprint lithography template can be used to form a patterned layer from an imprint resist on a substrate, the substrate having a micron-scale defect, such that an excluded distance from an exterior surface of the micron-scale defect to the patterned layer formed by the nanoimprint lithography template is less than a height of the defect. The nanoimprint lithography template can be used to form multiple imprints with no reduction in feature fidelity.
1. A nanoimprint lithography template comprising:
a backing layer;
a silicon-containing cured nanopatterned resist layer adhered to the backing layer;
an oxidized layer on the surface of the silicon-containing cured nanopatterned resist layer, wherein the oxidized layer is formed by oxidizing the silicon-containing cured nanopatterned resist layer;
wherein the elastic modulus of the oxidized layer exceeds the elastic modulus of the silicon-containing cured nanopatterned resist layer, and a thickness of the oxidized layer is at least 5 nm.
2. The nanoimprint lithography template of claim 1 , wherein the oxidized layer is formed by oxidizing the silicon-containing cured nanopatterned resist layer via oxygen plasma processing, oxygen ashing, or UV-ozone treatment of the silicon-containing nanopatterned resist layer.
3. The nanoimprint lithography template of claim 1 , wherein a silicon content of the silicon-containing cured nanopatterned resist layer is at least about 10 wt %.
4. The nanoimprint lithography template of claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the oxidized layer is between about 10 nm and about 30 nm.
5. The nanoimprint lithography template of claim 1 , wherein the silicon-containing cured nanopatterned resist layer is formed from a composition comprising a surfactant.
6. The nanoimprint lithography template of claim 5 , wherein the surfactant is a fluorinated surfactant.
7. The nanoimprint lithography template of claim 1 , wherein the elastic modulus of the backing layer is greater than the elastic modulus of the silicon-containing cured nanopatterned resist layer.
8. The nanoimprint lithography template of claim 1 , wherein the silicon-containing cured nanopatterned resist layer comprises an inorganic-organic hybrid polymer.
9. The nanoimprint lithography template of claim 1 , wherein the elastic modulus of the silicon-containing cured nanopatterned resist layer is greater than the elastic modulus of polydimethylsiloxane.
10. The nanoimprint lithography template of claim 1 , wherein the nanoimprint lithography template shows no reduction in feature fidelity after 200 imprints.
11. The nanoimprint lithography template of claim 1 , wherein the nanoimprint lithography template forms a patterned layer in an imprint resist on a substrate having a micron-scale defect, such that an excluded distance from an exterior surface of the micron-scale defect to the patterned layer formed by the nanoimprint lithography template is less than a height of the defect.
12. A nanoimprint lithography method comprising:
selecting a backing layer;
disposing a silicon-containing polymerizable material on the backing layer;
contacting the silicon-containing polymerizable material with a patterned master nanoimprint lithography template;
solidifying the silicon-containing polymerizable material to form a silicon-containing patterned layer adhered to the backing layer;
separating the master nanoimprint template from the silicon-containing patterned layer; and
oxidizing the surface of the silicon-containing patterned layer to form an oxidized layer with a thickness of at least 5 nm on the surface of the silicon-containing patterned layer.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein oxidizing the surface of the silicon-containing patterned layer comprises an oxidizing treatment selected from the group consisting of oxygen plasma processing, oxygen ashing, reactive ion etching, and UV-ozone treatment.
14. The method of claim 12 , wherein a silicon content of the silicon-containing polymerizable material is at least about 10 wt %.
15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the silicon-containing polymerizable material comprises a fluorinated surfactant.
16. The method of claim 12 , wherein the elastic modulus of the backing layer is greater than the elastic modulus of the silicon-containing patterned layer.
17. The method of claim 12 , wherein the silicon-containing patterned layer comprises an inorganic-organic hybrid polymer.
18. A nanoimprint lithography template comprising:
a backing layer; and
a silicon-containing cured nanopatterned resist layer adhered to the backing layer, wherein the silicon-containing cured nanopatterned resist layer comprises an oxidized surface formed by oxidizing the silicon-containing cured nanopatterned resist layer, and the elastic modulus of the backing layer exceeds the elastic modulus of the silicon-containing cured nanopatterned resist layer,
wherein the nanoimprint lithography template forms a patterned layer from an imprint resist on a substrate, the substrate having a micron-scale defect, such that an excluded distance from an exterior surface of the micron-scale defect to the patterned layer formed by the nanoimprint lithography template is less than a height of the defect, and wherein the nanoimprint lithography template shows no reduction in feature fidelity after multiple imprints.
19. The nanoimprint lithography template of claim 1 , wherein the elastic modulus of the silicon-containing cured nanopatterned resist layer is greater than about 5 MPa.
20. The nanoimprint lithography template of claim 1 , wherein the silicon-containing cured nanopatterned resist layer is free of polydimethylsiloxane.