UV-nanoimprint lithography using an elementwise patterned stamp

Ultraviolet-nanoimprint lithography (UV-NIL) is a promising method for cost-effectively defining nano-scale structures at room temperature and low pressure. In an attempt to apply a large area stamp to UV-NIL in a low vacuum environment, we have proposed a new UV-NIL process using an elementwise patterned stamp (EPS), which consists of a number of elements, each of which is separated by channels. Nano-scale patterns of each element were fabricated using e-beam lithography and an etching process in which a Cr film was employed as a hard mask for transferring nano-structures to a quartz plate. Before pressing the EPS, low viscosity resin droplets with a nano-liter volume were dispensed on each element of the EPS. Experiments on UV-NIL were performed on an EVG620-NIL. 380 nm-1 mum features of the EPS were successfully transferred to 4 in. wafers. We measured patterns and residual layers on the imprinted wafers to evaluate the potential of the proposed process. Experiments showed that the EPS enables UV-NIL using a large-area stamp in a low vacuum environment. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.