Nanoimprint lithography | University of Tübingen

High resolution nanoimprint lithography

Motivation:
The aim of this project is a cheap and simple method for doing nanoimprint lithography. For this purpose a stamp is fabricated by using electron beam patterning of Hydrogen Silsesquioxane (HSQ) on a silicon substrate. The developed HSQ resist can be used directly as a stamp for nanoimprint lithography. The process differs from previous work [1, 2, 3] in the specific method of baking, developing and imprinting the HSQ resist. With a simple imprinting setup and the improved stamp fabrication process, high resolution imprints can easily be made.

The following micrographs show some stamps and the imprint of a stamp into heated PMMA:

Left: HSQ lines on a stamp with high lateral resolution
Right: HSQ lines on a stamp with high aspect ratio

High resolution imprint into heated PMMA

References:
[1] S.Y. Chou, P.R. Krauss, P.J. Renstrom, J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B 14 (1996) 4129.
[2] D.P. Mancini, K. A. Gehoski, E. Ainley, K.J. Nordquist, D.J. Resnick, T.C. Bailey, S.V.
Sreenivasan, J. G. Ekerdt, C. G. Willson, J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B 20 (2002) 2896.
[3] W. Henschel, Y.M. Georgiev, H. Kurz, J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B 21 (2003) 2018.