Flexible Mold for Nano-Imprint Lithography
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional nano-imprint lithography for manufacturing magnetic recording media is prone to defects due to hard contamination particles, which cause non-uniform resist film thickness and data errors, and flexible molds made from poly dimethyl siloxane have limited resolution and durability issues.
Innovation Solution
Employing a flexible mold with a Young's modulus of less than 4 GPa, made from a perfluoropolyether with urethane acrylate end groups, on a rigid support for nano-imprint lithography, which accommodates contamination particles and is easily releasable, allowing for uniform resist coating and pattern replication.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a rigid mold is used for nano-imprint lithography, then high manufacturing precision can be achieved, but hard contamination particles cause non-uniform resist film thickness and defects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies a flexible mold made from polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) instead of a rigid mold. The flexible nature of the PDMS mold allows it to conform to the substrate surface even when contamination particles are present, preventing the particles from causing non-uniform resist film thickness. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining manufacturing precision while reducing sensitivity to particle contamination.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the mechanical parameter of the mold from rigid to flexible by selecting PDMS material with appropriate elastic modulus. This parameter change allows the mold to accommodate surface irregularities caused by contamination particles, thereby maintaining uniform resist coating quality despite the presence of particles.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If flexible molds made from poly dimethyl siloxane are used, then particle contamination sensitivity is reduced, but resolution is limited and durability is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite structure consisting of a PDMS flexible mold layer bonded to a rigid support substrate. The PDMS layer provides flexibility and particle tolerance, while the rigid support maintains structural integrity and enables high-resolution patterning. This composite approach resolves the contradiction between particle tolerance and manufacturing precision.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The flexible mold mitigates the effects of hard contamination particles, ensuring uniform resist thickness and reducing defects in patterned media, while its low surface energy and mechanical properties enable clean separation and repeated use, producing high-quality magnetic recording disks.
Implementation Method 1
The flexible mold mitigates the effects of hard contamination particles that prevent the uniform approach of the rigid mold and disk to be patterned with the resist in between
Implementation Method 2
Radiation (e.g., UV light or heat) is applied through the quartz to cure the resist
Data Source
AI summary
A system, method and apparatus for manufacturing high density magnetic media is disclosed. A flexible mold having a very low modulus of less than about 4 GPa is made on a rigid support. The mold nano-imprints a resist material on disks for hard disk drives. The flexible mold may comprise a perfluoropolyether with urethane acrylate end groups with a low surface adhesion from which the cured resist is easily released.