Photocurable Composition for Nanoimprint Alignment Accuracy
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Solution Overview
Problem
In photonanoimprint technology, the alignment accuracy of patterns on semiconductor devices and MEMS is compromised due to thermal strain caused by exposure heat during photoirradiation, leading to pattern collapse defects when attempting to reduce exposure dose for lower heat generation.
Innovation Solution
A photocurable composition with a polymerizable compound and photopolymerization initiator is used, where the polymerizable compound has a polymerization conversion ratio of 50% or more under specific light exposure conditions, ensuring sufficient curing while minimizing thermal strain and pattern collapse.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If exposure dose is reduced to minimize exposure heat, then thermal strain is reduced, but photocurable composition is not cured sufficiently leading to pattern collapse
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the photocurable composition by selecting specific polymerizable compounds with appropriate polymerization rates and photopolymerization initiators with suitable absorption characteristics. This allows the system to achieve sufficient curing at lower exposure doses, thereby reducing thermal strain while maintaining pattern integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite photocurable compositions containing specific combinations of polymerizable compounds (acrylate, vinyl ether, vinyl silane) and photopolymerization initiators. This composite approach enables optimized curing characteristics that achieve complete polymerization at reduced exposure doses, resolving the contradiction between sufficient curing and heat generation.
2Reliability
If exposure dose is increased to ensure sufficient curing, then pattern collapse is prevented, but thermal strain increases reducing alignment accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the photoirradiation parameters by using photopolymerization initiators with specific absorption characteristics that allow efficient curing at lower exposure doses. This parameter optimization ensures complete curing while minimizing exposure heat generation, thereby maintaining alignment accuracy in adjacent regions.
3Productivity
If high exposure dose is used for rapid curing, then productivity is improved, but thermal strain increases causing alignment errors in adjacent regions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters to include polymerizable compounds with high polymerization conversion ratios and photopolymerization initiators with appropriate absorption coefficients. This enables rapid curing at optimized exposure doses that balance productivity with minimal thermal strain, preventing alignment errors in adjacent regions.
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 method achieves high alignment accuracy and reduces pattern collapse defects by optimizing the photocurable composition's properties to balance curing efficiency and thermal strain, allowing for precise pattern formation on semiconductor devices and MEMS.
Implementation Method 1
a step of irradiating the photocurable composition with light to form a cured product
Implementation Method 2
part of irradiation light is absorbed by the substrate, and hence heat (exposure heat) is generated in the substrate
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2G
Figure 3
AI summary
A method of producing a film includes: a disposing step of disposing a photocurable composition on a substrate; a mold contact step of bringing the photocurable composition and a mold into contact with each other; a photoirradiation step of irradiating the photocurable composition with light to form a cured product; and a mold release step of releasing the cured product and the mold from each other, in which the method further includes an alignment step of aligning the mold and the substrate with each other before the photoirradiation step, in which the photocurable composition contains at least a polymerizable compound serving as a component (A) and a photopolymerization initiator serving as a component (B), and in which the polymerizable compound has a polymerization conversion ratio of 50% or more when exposed to light under conditions of an illuminance of 0.12 mW/cm2 and an exposure time of 11.0 seconds.