Imprint Template Recesses for Bubble Storage and Pattern Integrity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing semiconductor device manufacturing templates face challenges in maintaining pattern shape integrity due to bubble formation and extruded material spread during imprinting processes, leading to pattern abnormalities and reduced formability.
Innovation Solution
A template design featuring a first protrusion portion with step portions and a first recess portion on its surface, where the recess portion has a different depth and width than the step portions, allowing for bubble storage and preventing extruded material from spreading, thereby maintaining pattern shape integrity and enhancing formability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If imprinting is performed in non-vacuum environments, then manufacturing complexity is reduced and throughput is increased, but bubbles are generated between the template and resist film causing pattern abnormalities
Solution Approach 1:
The invention converts the harmful effect of bubbles into a beneficial feature by designing recess portions that intentionally trap bubbles. The recess portions act as bubble reservoirs, preventing bubbles from interfering with the pattern formation area. This allows imprinting to be performed in non-vacuum environments while maintaining pattern quality, thereby increasing throughput without sacrificing reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The recess portions serve as intermediary structures between the template surface and the resist film. These recess portions mediate the interaction by providing a designated space for bubbles, thereby protecting the pattern formation area from bubble interference and enabling non-vacuum imprinting.
2Manufacturing precision
If template contact pressure is increased to improve pattern transfer quality, then manufacturing precision is improved, but material extrusion occurs at template edges causing pattern abnormalities
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies local quality by creating recess portions at specific locations (edges or corners) of the template where material extrusion is most likely to occur. These recess portions locally accommodate extruded material, preventing it from spreading into the pattern formation area. This allows high contact pressure to be used for improved pattern transfer quality without causing harmful material extrusion effects.
Data Source
AI summary
A template for patterning processes has a first protrusion portion on a first surface with a first step portion in a first region and a second step portion in a second region. The first step portion includes a plurality of first steps, at least one of which has a first step height and a first step width. The second step portion includes a plurality of second steps, at least one of which has the first step height and the first step width. The template includes a first recess portion on the first surface between the first and second regions on the first protrusion portion. The first recess portion has at least one of a recess depth different from the first step height and a recess width different from the first step width.