Imprint Lithography Film Thickness Control via Dissolved Gas
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing imprint lithography methods require significant force to align and separate a mold and workpiece substrate due to the small film thickness of the light-curable composition, leading to increased strain and alignment time, especially when the film thickness is 20 nm or less.
Innovation Solution
Dissolving a condensable gas in the light-curable composition to increase its film thickness by at least 20% during alignment, reducing the shear force required for mold separation and improving alignment accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the film thickness of the light-curable composition is minimized to reduce in-plane variations and enhance pattern transfer accuracy, then manufacturing precision is improved, but the force required to displace the composition in the shear direction increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical-chemical parameters of the light-curable composition by dissolving a condensable gas in it. This increases the film thickness by 20% or more during alignment, which reduces the shear force required for displacement while maintaining the minimal thickness needed for high-resolution patterning. The gas dissolution temporarily modifies the composition's properties during the alignment process.
Solution Approach 2:
The condensable gas acts as an intermediary substance that mediates between the conflicting requirements of minimal film thickness and reduced shear force. By dissolving in the light-curable composition, it increases the film thickness during alignment to reduce shear force, then can be removed or evaporated afterward to achieve the desired minimal final thickness for high-resolution patterning.
2Manufacturing precision
If the film thickness of the light-curable composition is minimized to enhance pattern transfer accuracy, then manufacturing precision is improved, but the time required for alignment increases due to large strains in the mold and substrate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical-chemical parameters of the light-curable composition by dissolving a condensable gas in it. This increases the film thickness by 20% or more during alignment, which reduces the shear force required for displacement while maintaining the minimal thickness needed for high-resolution patterning. The gas dissolution temporarily modifies the composition's properties during the alignment process.
Solution Approach 2:
The condensable gas acts as an intermediary substance that mediates between the conflicting requirements of minimal film thickness and reduced shear force. By dissolving in the light-curable composition, it increases the film thickness during alignment to reduce shear force, then can be removed or evaporated afterward to achieve the desired minimal final thickness for high-resolution patterning.
3Manufacturing precision
If the film thickness of the light-curable composition is minimized to enhance pattern transfer accuracy, then manufacturing precision is improved, but the strain on the mold and workpiece substrate increases making accurate alignment difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical-chemical parameters of the light-curable composition by dissolving a condensable gas in it. This increases the film thickness by 20% or more during alignment, which reduces the shear force required for displacement while maintaining the minimal thickness needed for high-resolution patterning. The gas dissolution temporarily modifies the composition's properties during the alignment process.
Solution Approach 2:
The condensable gas acts as an intermediary substance that mediates between the conflicting requirements of minimal film thickness and reduced shear force. By dissolving in the light-curable composition, it increases the film thickness during alignment to reduce shear force, then can be removed or evaporated afterward to achieve the desired minimal final thickness for high-resolution patterning.
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 increased film thickness reduces the shear force needed for alignment, shortening the time required for precise alignment and enhancing the accuracy of pattern transfer in imprint lithography.
Implementation Method 1
dissolving a condensable gas in a light-curable composition to make the film thickness of the light-curable composition during alignment 20% or more greater than that of the resulting light-curable composition
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3A~3L
AI summary
An imprint method includes: placing a light-curable composition on a workpiece substrate (placement); bringing the light-curable composition and a mold into contact with each other an atmosphere.of a condensable gas (contact); aligning the mold and the workpiece substrate (alignment); irradiating the light-curable composition with light to obtain a light-cured composition (irradiation); and separating the light-cured composition and the mold from each other after the irradiation (release). The film thickness of the light-curable composition during the alignment is 20% or more greater than that of the light- cured composition after the release.