Imprint Mold Side Wall Liquid Repellency via Inorganic Coatings
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Solution Overview
Problem
In photo-nanoimprinting, the curable composition tends to 'leach' onto the side walls of the imprint mold, leading to adhesion and subsequent defects on the wafer, and existing solutions like CF-based materials are not durable during cleaning processes.
Innovation Solution
An imprint mold with a liquid repellent surface on its side walls, formed using materials like oxides of inorganic elements, which exhibit high contact angles with the curable composition and are resistant to cleaning steps, preventing leaching and adhesion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a CF-based material is used to make the side wall liquid repellent, then leaching is reduced, but the material is not durable to cleaning steps
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material composition of the liquid repellent surface from CF-based materials to inorganic materials (oxides, fluorides, nitrides). This parameter change in material type provides both liquid repellency and durability to cleaning steps, resolving the contradiction between reducing leaching and maintaining reliability during cleaning.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite material structures where inorganic materials form the liquid repellent surface layer. This composite approach combines the liquid repellent properties with the chemical stability needed to withstand cleaning processes, simultaneously addressing both the leaching prevention and cleaning durability requirements.
2Manufacturing precision
If cleaning is performed frequently to remove adhered curable composition, then wafer defects are reduced, but the liquid repellent surface degrades over time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a liquid repellent surface made of durable inorganic materials that can withstand repeated cleaning cycles. This creates a robust surface that maintains its liquid repellent properties over extended periods, effectively serving as a long-lasting protective layer that reduces the frequency and impact of cleaning operations.
Solution Approach 2:
By changing the material parameters to inorganic compounds with high chemical stability, the liquid repellent surface becomes resistant to degradation from cleaning agents. This parameter change extends the operational lifetime of the surface while maintaining its ability to prevent leaching and reduce wafer defects.
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 liquid repellent surface effectively prevents curable composition from adhering to the mold side walls, reducing defects and allowing for repeated use without significant loss of liquid repellency during cleaning.
Implementation Method 1
a liquid repellent surface is formed on at least the surface of the side wall. The liquid repellent surface has a contact angle with respect to the curable composition being higher than a contact angle of the contact surface
Data Source
AI summary
An imprint mold includes a mesa portion projecting from a base material. The mesa portion includes a contact surface configured for contact with a curable composition made of an organic material, and a surface of a side wall at which the contact surface projects from the base material. A liquid repellent surface is formed on at least the surface of the side wall, the liquid repellent surface having a contact angle with respect to the curable composition being higher than a contact angle of the contact surface. The liquid repellent surface includes at least one type of compound selected from the group consisting of an oxide of an inorganic element, a fluoride of an inorganic element, and a nitride of an inorganic element.