Polymerization related deformations in multilayer soft stamps for nanoimprint

Förthner M, Papenheim M, Rumler M, Stumpf F, Baier L, Rommel M, Scheer HC, Frey L (2017)

Publication Language: English

Publication Status: Published

Publication Type: Journal article, Original article

Publication year: 2017

Journal

Journal of Applied Physics AIP Publishing

Publisher: American Institute of Physics Inc.

Book Volume: 122

Article Number: 165305

Journal Issue: 16

DOI: 10.1063/1.5001463

Abstract

This paper presents a study concerning the macroscale deformation of soft stamps for nanoimprint lithography. Composite stamps consisting of two or three layers were prepared with varying process parameters, and the bow of the stamps was investigated with an optical profilometer. Deflection measurements were compared with results from a mechanical model in order to prove its validity. The composite stamps were prepared from polydimethylsiloxane (S-PDMS) and OrmoStamp® layers on different substrate materials (silicon or AF-32-glass). The influence of selected preparation parameters on the deformation was investigated, such as layer thickness, curing, and hardbake temperatures, as well as UV-exposure intensities. It is discussed how an appropriate choice of preparation parameters can reduce the deformation, too. By decreasing the curing intensity of a thin OrmoStamp layer, coated on top of a silicon wafer, from 200 mW/cm2 to 2 mW/cm2, the deformation was reduced from 6 μm to 0. It is shown that the mechanical model is capable of predicting the deformation of composite stamps consisting of OrmoStamp layers on top of a silicon substrate. Further on, deformation results for S-PDMS top layers are presented and discussed. As a promising process option for the reduction of stamp deformations, a new, room temperature curable PDMS recipe is introduced. For composite stamps prepared with this material, the deformation value was reduced below 10 μm, compared to values ranging from 10 μm up to 127 μm for thermally cured S-PDMS (50 °C or 70 °C). Finally, different two-layer stamps were coated with an additional third layer and measured again, in order to investigate the deflection for tri-layered cases. The research is of high relevance for the fabrication and application of substrate conformal imprint lithography stamps with minimized deflection. © 2017 Author(s).

Authors with CRIS profile

Michael Förthner Lehrstuhl für Elektronische Bauelemente Maximilian Rumler Lehrstuhl für Elektronische Bauelemente Lothar Frey Lehrstuhl für Elektronische Bauelemente

Additional Organisation(s)

Exzellenz-Cluster Engineering of Advanced Materials (EAM)

Related research project(s)

Hybrid polymer based Bragg grating sensors - Fundamental investigations and application (FR 713/10-2) Oct. 1, 2013 - Oct. 1, 2016

Involved external institutions

Bergische Universität Wuppertal DE Germany (DE)

How to cite

APA:

Förthner, M., Papenheim, M., Rumler, M., Stumpf, F., Baier, L., Rommel, M.,... Frey, L. (2017). Polymerization related deformations in multilayer soft stamps for nanoimprint. Journal of Applied Physics, 122(16). https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5001463

MLA:

Förthner, Michael, et al. "Polymerization related deformations in multilayer soft stamps for nanoimprint." Journal of Applied Physics 122.16 (2017).

BibTeX: Download