Preparation of diamond mold using electron beam lithography for application to nanoimprint lithography

Diamond molds were fabricated by two types of fabrication processes, both of which use a conductive intermediate layer between the diamond surface and polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) resist to prevent surface charge-up. Using a PtPd intermediate layer, electron beam lithography and ion beam etching, a denting line pattern of 600 nm width and 70 nm depth was fabricated. Using a carbon intermediate layer, electron beam lithography, PtPd lift-off and oxygen ion beam etching, a convex line pattern of 600 nm width and 110 nm height was fabricated. These diamond molds were pressed into PMMA on a silicon substrate that was heated to a temperature of 150 degreesC and kept at a pressure of 23.5 MPa until the temperature dropped below 90 degreesC, and then the diamond mold was released from the PMMA. The convex line pattern of 600 nn width and 150 nm height was imprinted using a denting diamond mold. The denting pattern of 1100 nm width and 180 nm height was imprinted using a convex diamond mold. PMMA patterns were transferred well over the imprinted area, by the diamond molds.