Imprint Template with Localized Light Transmittance for Dense Pattern Formation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional nano-imprint techniques face challenges in forming miniaturized patterns due to interference from hardened organic material, leading to printing deficiencies and inefficient use of substrate surface, as gaps are required between patterned regions to prevent interference during template movement.
Innovation Solution
The method involves adjusting exposure times and light transmittance to control the hardening rate of light curable materials on a template with a concave-convex pattern, ensuring the pattern periphery region remains softer than the pattern formed region, allowing for uninterrupted template movement and efficient pattern formation without gaps between shots.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If gaps are provided among shot regions to prevent hardened organic material interference, then template movement is enabled, but substrate surface utilization is reduced and productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating a gradient in the light transmittance characteristics of the template. The pattern periphery region has different transmittance properties compared to the pattern formed region, allowing selective control of light exposure. This enables the organic material at the shot boundaries to have different hardening characteristics, preventing interference with template movement while eliminating the need for gaps between shots.
2Ease of manufacture
If uniform exposure is applied to all regions, then pattern formation is simplified, but printing deficiency occurs at shot boundaries due to hardened organic material interference
Solution Approach 1:
The template is designed with spatially varying light transmittance properties. The pattern periphery region has reduced light transmittance compared to the pattern formed region. This creates a gradient exposure effect where the organic material at shot boundaries receives less light energy, preventing complete hardening and thus preventing interference with template movement to adjacent shots, while maintaining high printing quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the light transmittance parameter of the template across different regions. By adjusting the transmittance characteristic from the pattern formed region to the pattern periphery region, the exposure amount received by the organic material varies spatially. This parameter change enables differential hardening control, preventing printing deficiency at shot boundaries while maintaining process simplicity.
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
This approach enables accurate and dense pattern formation on the substrate surface by preventing interference during template movement, increasing the number of patterns that can be formed and optimizing substrate utilization.
Implementation Method 1
a light curable material applied on a sample face of a substrate being a processing target hardened by being exposed to light
Data Source
AI summary
An imprint method, in which pattern forming is performed by having a light curable material applied on a sample face of a substrate being a processing target hardened by being exposed to light in a state where the light curable material and a pattern formed surface of a template contact each other, the pattern formed surface having a concave-convex pattern formed thereon; wherein in one exposure performed with respect to a predetermined shot of the light curable material, an exposure amount at a light curable material on a first region which contacts a pattern formed region including the concave-convex pattern of the template is greater than an exposure amount at a light curable material on a second region which at least contacts a part of a pattern periphery region of the template, the pattern periphery region existing in a periphery of the pattern formed region of the template.