Patrick Carlberg

Lift-off process for nanoimprint lithography

We report a novel a lift-off method for nanoimprint lithography. This is a bi-layer method, using a polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) on lift-off layer (LOL) resist scheme. For the imprint step, direct evidence for good pattern transfer down to 20 nm is shown. Oxygen plasma ashing is required to remove residual PMMA. A liquid solvent, MF 319, is used to transfer the pattern down to the silicon. The LOL is dissolved isotropically while the PMMA is unaffected. Ashing time can kept to a minimum through the wet etch method. This reduces the line widening effect. After metal evaporation a two-step lift-off process prevents metal flakes from adhering to the surface electrostatically. At first warm acetone breakes apart the metal layer and dissolves the PMMA, then warm Remover S-1165 removes the LOL and remaining metal. Structures of lines down to 50 mn and dots with a diameter of sub 20 nm are presented.

A comparison of thermally and photochemically cross-linked polymers for nanoimprinting

The characteristics and benefits of two types of cross-linking prepolymers with low glass transition temperature (Tg) for nanoimprinting are reported. They are soluble in organic solvents and their solutions can be processed like those of common thermoplastics. The imprinted patterns receive high thermal and mechanical stability through cross-linking polymerization. The course of the polymerization was investigated to determine the appropriate conditions for the imprint process. In thermally cross-linked polymers mr-I 9000, the cross-linking occurs during imprinting. Process time and temperature depend on the polymerization rate. Volume shrinkage during the polymerization does not adversely affect imprinting. Photochemically crosslinked polymers mr-L 6000 make possible imprint temperatures below 100 °C and short imprint times. The Tg of the prepolymer determines the imprint temperature. The cross-linking reaction and structural stabilization is performed after imprinting. 50-nm trenches and sub-50-nm dots confirm the successful application of the polymers.

Fabrication of cantilever based mass sensors integrated with CMOS using direct write laser lithography on resist

A CMOS compatible direct write laser lithography technique has been developed for cantilever fabrication on pre-fabricated standard CMOS. We have developed cantilever based sensors for mass measurements in vacuum and air. The cantilever is actuated into lateral vibration by electrostatic excitation and the resonant frequency is detected by capacitive readout. The device is integrated on standard CMOS circuitry. In the work a new direct write laser lithography (DWL) technique is introduced. This laser lithography technique is based on direct laser writing on substrates coated with a resist bi-layer consisting of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) on lift-off resist (LOR). Laser writing evaporates the PMMA, exposing the LOR. A resist solvent is used to transfer the pattern down to the substrate. Metal lift-off followed by reactive ion etching is used for patterning the structural poly-Si layer in the CMOS. The developed laser lithography technique is compatible with resist exposure techniques such as electron beam lithography. We demonstrate the fabrication of sub-micrometre wide suspended cantilevers as well as metal lift-off with feature line widths down to approximately 500 nm.

Nanoimprint lithography for the fabrication of interdigitated cantilever arrays

We report on the realization of a novel interdigitated cantilever array with electrostatic control of the shape of the interdigitated array. It consists of an array of SiO2/metal double-finger cantilevers in a grating configuration together with an electrical connection part. The complete grating structure is fabricated with nanoimprint lithography, UV lithography and reactive ion etching. The patterns of the cantilever arrays are defined by nanoimprint lithography. The electrical contact pads are defined and aligned with the imprinted grating pattern by UV lithography. The two steps of reactive ion etching are optimized to get vertical sidewalls of the SiO2 cantilevers and finally to release them from the Si substrate. By applying a bias, the shape of the cantilever array can be altered due to the electrostatic force. The dimensions of the cantilevers and the spacing between them are optimized to achieve the desired functional operating characteristics of the structures. Since the fabrication scheme is based on nanoimprint lithography, such electrostatically controlled periodic structures may be relatively easily and non-expensively realized in various configurations, allowing them to function as optical switching elements, electrical filters, mass sensors, etc.

Guiding molecular motors with nano-imprinted structures

This work, for the first time, demonstrates that nano-imprinted samples, with 100 nm wide polymer lines, can act as guides for molecular motors consisting of motor proteins actin and myosin. The motor protein function was characterized using fluorescence microscopy and compared to actomyosin motility on non-structured nitrocellulose surfaces. Our results open for further use of the nano-imprint technique in the production of disposable chips for bio-nanotechnological applications and miniaturized biological test systems. We discuss how the nano-imprinted motor protein assay system may be optimized and also how it compares to previously tested assay systems involving low-resolution UV-lithography and low throughput but high-resolution electron beam lithography.

Fluorescence microscopy for quality control in nanoimprint lithography

Fluorescence microscopy is introduced as a low cost quality control process for nanoimprint lithography. To depict imprinted structures down to 1 µm lateral size and to detect residues down to 100 nm lateral size, the standard printable polymer mr-I8000 is labelled with less than 0.1 wt.% fluorescent dye. Three different types of stamps are used to determine the dependence of the shape and size of stamp features in a series of imprints. The quality of a stamp is given by the sticking polymer residues per unit area. Fluorescence light images as well as visible light images are analysed. Changes in the area of the stamp covered with polymer as a function of the number of imprints is summarised in a statistical process chart. Adhesion was artificially induced in order to observe self cleaning of virgin stamps. They were detected and monitored, suggesting that this method is a suitable technique for quality control and that it could be easily adapted to the nanoimprint process.

Nanoimprint lithography for fabrication of three-terminal ballistic junctions in InP/GaInAs

We present processing technology and characterization results for InP/GaInAs two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) three-terminal ballistic junction (TBJ) devices manufactured using nanoimprint lithography (NIL). To transfer sub-100 nm features into a high-mobility InP-based 2DEG material, we used SiO2/Si stamps made using electron beam lithography and reactive ion etching. After NIL, the resist residues are removed in oxygen plasma; this is followed by wet etching of InP/GaInAs to define the TBJ structures. Fabricated TBJ devices are characterized using scanning electron microscopy and electron transport measurements. Highly non-linear electrical characteristics as predicted by the theory (Xu H Q 2001 Appl. Phys. Lett. 78 2064) are demonstrated.

Efficient methods of nanoimprint stamp cleaning based on imprint self-cleaning effect

Nanoimprint lithography (NIL) is a nonconventional lithographic technique that promises low-cost, high-throughput patterning of structures with sub-10 nm resolution. Contamination of nanoimprint stamps is one of the key obstacles to industrialize the NIL technology. Here, we report two efficient approaches for removal of typical contamination of particles and residual resist from stamps: thermal and ultraviolet (UV) imprinting cleaning-both based on the self-cleaning effect of imprinting process. The contaminated stamps were imprinted onto polymer substrates and after demolding, they were treated with an organic solvent. The images of the stamp before and after the cleaning processes show that the two cleaning approaches can effectively remove contamination from stamps without destroying the stamp structures. The contact angles of the stamp before and after the cleaning processes indicate that the cleaning methods do not significantly degrade the anti-sticking layer. The cleaning processes reported in this work could also be used for substrate cleaning.

Nanoimprint technology for fabrication of three-terminal ballistic junction devices in GaInAs/InP

We present processing technology based on nanoimprint lithography (NIL) and wet etching for fabrication of GaInAs/InP three-terminal ballistic junction (TBJ) devices. To transfer sub-100 nm features into a high-mobility InP-based 2DEG material, we used SiO2/Si stamps made with electron beam lithography and reactive ion etching. After the NIL, the resist residues are removed in oxygen plasma followed by wet etching of GaInAs/InP to define the TBJ-structures. Fabricated TBJ-devices are characterized using scanning electron microscopy and electron transport measurements. Highly non-linear electrical characteristics of the TBJ structures are demonstrated and compared with E-beam defined devices.

Reactive polymers: a route to nanoimprint lithography at low temperatures

To utilize the potential of nanoimprint lithography (NIL) you need polymers, which give relief patterns with good thermal and etch resistance, a necessity for subsequent process steps. Thermoplastic polymers with high thermal stability require high imprint temperatures. Such temperatures can cause polymer degradation and problems with pattern transfer due to the different coefficients of thermal expansion of substrate, polymer and stamp. The characteristics and benefits of two types of cross-linking prepolymers with low glass transition temperature (Tg) for nanoimprinting are described. They are soluble in organic solvents and their solutions can be processed like those of poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA). The imprinted patterns receive high thermal and mechanical stability through cross-linking polymerization and exhibit high plasma etch resistance. The course of the polymerization was investigated to determine the appropriate conditions for the imprint process. In thermally cross-linking allyl polymers, the cross-linking occurs during imprinting. Process time and temperature depend on the polymerization rate. Volume shrinkage during the polymerization does not adversely affect imprinting. Photochemically cross-linking epoxy-based polymers permit imprint temperatures below 100°C and short imprint times. Tg of the prepolymer determines the imprint temperature. The cross-linking reaction and structural stabilization is performed after imprinting. SEM images demonstrate the realization of the cross-linking polymer approach. Isolated lines down to 50 nm width confirm the successful application of the polymers.