Saskia Möllenbeck

Thermal imprint with negligibly low residual layer

Thermal imprint into polymer layers that are thin compared to the pattern height allows for imprints with extremely low and uniform residual layers where lift-off works without previous dry etching. The authors report about possible restrictions of this method such as unintended self-assembling and recovery of polymer underneath the imprinted structures. Both can be attributed to structure size properties and temperature influence and hinder a subsequent successful lift-off. Taking the example of two different temperatures and two different initial layer thicknesses the authors investigate their impact on the resulting structure shape and potential defects. In addition, to qualitatively estimate the residual layer thickness the authors apply lift-off and discuss the results with focus on the usability of this approach as a lithography technique.

Quality assessment of antisticking layers for thermal nanoimprint

Layers from fluorinated trichlorosilanes are in widespread use for the prevention of sticking in nanoimprint. It is generally assumed that these layers are monolayers, bonded to the substrate, and internally cross-linked. The authors have investigated a gas phase deposition process for such layers in detail, varying the amount of antisticking agent and the deposition time in a vacuum process. The quality of the layers was determined from the layer thickness and the contact angle was measured. In accordance with some recent literature, claiming that formation of dense cross-linked monolayers from fluorocarbon-trichlorosilanes is not possible, the results indicate that the deposited layers are not monolayers. Instead the authors suggest that they are even thinner disordered but cross-linked layers. Obviously monolayer formation is not required for sticking prevention.

Impact of glass temperature for thermal nanoimprint

To address the importance of the parameter glass transition temperature Tg for the choice of an adequate process temperature in a thermal nanoimprint process, three polymers with different values of Tg were investigated with respect to their imprint behaviors (poly)vinyl-chloride, (poly)styrene, and (poly)methyl-methacrylate. In order to evaluate the imprint results obtained at different temperatures, the volume of the polymer squeezed into the cavities was observed, and the temperature margins for the appearance of typical pattern size dependent failure types were derived. It turned out that despite the comparable molecular weight of these materials, the imprint temperature has to be chosen at different levels above Tg. Thus, Tg is not sufficient to characterize imprint polymers, and, in addition to the molecular weight, the viscosity at a definite temperature should be known. Tg alone can only indicate a lower limit for the process temperature.

Multiple replication of three dimensional structures with undercutsa)

Three dimensional linear structures with definite undercuts of different sizes were replicated in the first step in an elastomeric material and, in the second replication step, in a negative tone resist. Undercut masters for the first step were prepared from Si by laser ablation and anisotropic wet etching. For the second step the elastomeric replica, featuring the inverse undercut, served as a master. The first replication was performed by molding or imprinting, where the prepolymer of the elastomer was cross-linked within the master in an oven or in a thermal press, respectively. The second replication of the undercut elastomeric structures into the negative tone resist was performed successfully by molding. Comparison of the Si masters with the second replication revealed shrinkage-induced differences. Undercuts of up to 60% of the overall pattern width were successfully replicated.

Study of defect mechanisms in partly filled stamp cavities for thermal nanoimprint control

Self-assembly defects limit the suitability of partial cavity filling in thermal nanoimprint for residual layer minimization. As they represent thermodynamically stable structures already the formation of such defects has to be avoided—because once developed they cannot be removed. One impact parameter for the formation of self-assembly defects is the quality of the stamp surface, in particular its roughness. The authors compared stamps with flat surfaces obtained by potassium hydroxide etching of (110)-Si with stamps prepared by dry-etching, featuring vertical grooves or horizontal scallops (typical of deep-etching in a Bosch process). Under comparable conditions, the stamps with the vertical grooves feature the highest amount of self-assembly defects. In contrast, horizontal scallops avoid defect formation. Thus, the surface quality of the stamp sidewalls is important for a high quality imprint.

Aspects of hybrid pattern definition while combining thermal nanoimprint with optical lithography

Thermal nanoimprint (T-NIL) is uniquely suitable for combinational lithography because it proceeds without cross-linking and does not rely on changes in properties of the imprint material. Most typical are combinations with other lithography techniques. Combinations with optical lithography may help to circumvent the pattern size dependence of nanoimprint and help to remove the residual layer by a simple development step. This work focuses on a hybrid processing combining T-NIL with optical lithography by using a single resist layer. Critical issues are the imprintability of typical photoresists and the fact that lithography has to be performed over a prepatterned topography. A well-known positive tone photoresist, AZ 1500, is compared with a previously investigated negative tone resist, SU-8. Gel permeation chromatography reveals typical differences of these photoresists compared to typical imprint polymers. The results demonstrate that molecular mobility is a more important indicator for viscosity of photoresists than molecular weight. Additionally, a simple construction method was found to allow prediction of features typically encountered during hybrid patterning.Thermal nanoimprint (T-NIL) is uniquely suitable for combinational lithography because it proceeds without cross-linking and does not rely on changes in properties of the imprint material. Most typical are combinations with other lithography techniques. Combinations with optical lithography may help to circumvent the pattern size dependence of nanoimprint and help to remove the residual layer by a simple development step. This work focuses on a hybrid processing combining T-NIL with optical lithography by using a single resist layer. Critical issues are the imprintability of typical photoresists and the fact that lithography has to be performed over a prepatterned topography. A well-known positive tone photoresist, AZ 1500, is compared with a previously investigated negative tone resist, SU-8. Gel permeation chromatography reveals typical differences of these photoresists compared to typical imprint polymers. The results demonstrate that molecular mobility is a more important indicator for viscosity of ph...

Contact angles in a thermal imprint process

In a thermal imprint process, contact angles may evolve in two situations, between the stamp and the polymer, when a cavity remains unfilled, or, in cases where the polymer locally dewets the substrate, between the substrate and the polymer. For two polymers of different polarity, such contact angles are determined experimentally and compared to values calculated from surface energy data. In doing so, the specific temperature dependence of surface energies of a thermoplastic polymer as well as the typical course of an imprint process, where cooling times often exceed the imprint times, are considered. The differences between experimental and theoretical values are critically discussed. The results indicate that the respective adhesive layers govern the surface status of the substrate and the stamp as well.

A novel tool for frequency assisted thermal nanoimprint (T-NIL)

Based on the well-known fact that thermoplastic polymers feature a decrease of viscosity at increased frequency we propose a novel tool for frequency assisted thermal nanoimprint. The system is equipped with a stepper motor to drive into contact and to apply a static loading. In addition a piezo-unit is available that allows the superposition of the static load with a dynamic excitation. Detailed analysis of the frequency response of the overall system makes obvious that the frequency range available is limited not only by the frequency cut-off of the piezo amplifier, but also by its power or rather by the limited output current available. As a consequence the maximum frequency at full displacement is only 10 Hz. Nonetheless this should be enough to reduce the viscosity of typical imprint polymers at a low imprint temperature. The measurement system is sensitive enough to detect the small changes induced by the polymeric layer in the imprint stack, when the temperature is raised to typical imprint temperatures. Decay times for the residual force during imprint with a conventional imprint stack could be obtained from a relaxation experiment, where the piezos are used as step-displacement sources. The data are in excellent agreement with values calculated from dynamic rheological characterization experiments.

Preparation of diamond-shaped channels in SU-8 for optical control of the filling state

To improve control during the filling of the channels of a microfluidic device with the fluid under investigation, a new concept is presented: channels with a diamond-shaped cross section. These channels easily allow one to distinguish an unfilled channel from a filled channel by simple optical microscopy. The idea is based on the fact that incident light is totally reflected with unfilled channels, whereas it is mostly transmitted with filled channels. Preparation of such channels in thin SU-8 layers on a glass was performed via a double replication of a Si template with undercut trenches. Functionality tests with filling materials spanning the range of refractive indices of typical organic media provided an excellent contrast between filled and unfilled channels, thus demonstrating the capacity of this concept.

Recovery prevention via pressure control in thermal nanoimprint lithography

In order to investigate the nonuniformity occurring below wider patterns during thermal nanoimprint lithography, the pressure situation is analyzed in detail. A balance of vertical forces shows that the gas pressure within the cavities is negligible, whereas the effective pressure acting on the stamp structures in contact to the polymer is increased compared to the externally applied pressure. This effective pressure has a high hydrostatic component, which may result in local stamp deformation. Imprint with a low molecular weight polymer provides evidence that the stamp structures become compressed under high pressure, resulting in a nonuniform residual layer beneath the imprinted patterns. In contrast, bending deformation of single stamp structures is found to be negligible. Pressure reduction is effective to reduce stamp compression, improving the uniformity of the residual layer. With typical imprint polymers of medium molecular weight, however, pressure reduction reduces the overall imprint depth.