Projects»
micro resist technology GmbH
Projekt Number
IW050336
funded by the Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Technologie
[German Ministry of Economy and Technology – BMWi]
Project duration
1st March 2005 – 30th June 2007
Project objectives
The objective of the national project entitled “Entwicklung
von UV-prägbar Polymersystemen für die Nanoimprint-Lithografie” [development
of polymer systems which can be UV imprinted for nanoimprint lithography]
was to develop nanopatternable polymer systems based on reactive,
low-viscosity, cross-linkable components for UV-assisted nanoimprint
lithography (UV-NIL). Industrial applications for nanoimprint lithography
will arise in future for both thermal and UV-assisted imprinting,
which was why micro
resist technology GmbH launched this project in 2005
specifically to expand the principles of its existing leading-edge
development and experience in nanoimprint polymers. As a consequence, micro resist technology GmbH as
a material manufacturer can offer polymers and resists for both
technology variants.
Project benefit
The main application under consideration was use as an etching mask
for transferring patterns in metal or semiconductor substrates.
Numerous customer enquiries relating to UV-NIL and the latest developments
in suitable imprinting machines gave impetus to the decision to
serve this promising market. Key factors in project progress were
investigations into layer formation, flow characteristics during
imprinting, UV curing, surface properties and plasma etching.
Following thorough preparation, research work focused on qualifying
a polymer system suitable for UV-NIL processes and this aim was achieved.
Extensive investigations into various raw materials and their properties
during the processing of thin layers, during imprinting and during
UV curing led to several polymer systems for UV imprinting; from
among these, mr-UVCur06 was qualified as a product. Tests conducted
with our partner in the collaboration, AMO GmbH, confirmed excellent
imprinting properties for this UV-NIL polymer. Both very low residual
layers below 10 nm and pattern resolution down to the sub-30 nm range
can be achieved. Its good flow properties also make it possible to
fill and imprint patterns of several orders of magnitude simultaneously
(sub-100 nm to 10 µm range). Curing speed on UV exposure has
been increased to achieve UV-NIL process times in the range of a
few seconds. Plasma etching processes have been evaluated for transferring
patterns to common substrate materials.
Outlook
In the course of the project, several polymer systems with very good UV imprint
properties were qualified. The first product from the material development
of the project to be offered commercially is mr-UVCur06.
The project results are a good basis for developing further materials for UV-NIL
with modified characteristics, e.g. for the production of nanostructures
in microelectronics or in data storage.
Line patterns with resolutions to < 30 nm (Source: AMO GmbH)
UV-NIL process with very short process time (17 s)
