Pattern transfer process using innovative polymers in combined thermal and UV nanoimprint lithography (TUV-NIL)

We performed combined thermal and ultraviolet nanoimprint lithography (TUV-NIL) using a recently developed nanoimprint polymer (mr-NIL 6000 from Micro Resist technology GmbH) and achieved an imprinted feature size of 50 nm. We used commercially available 2-inch-diameter transparent quartz molds (NIL Technology, Denmark and Obducat, Sweden) comprising 150 nm to 190 nm-deep features of various shapes and aspect ratios with lateral dimensions ranging between 50 nm and 300 nm. The imprint polymer was spun onto a silicon substrate, covered with an oxide layer. After the TUV-NIL step, residual polymer layers at the bottom of the imprinted features were removed by oxygen plasma etching. Imprinted patterns were then transferred into the silicon oxide layer underneath by reactive ion etching (RE). In a final step the residual polymer was stripped off the silicon oxide surface in an oxygen asher. All imprinted features as well as the corresponding pattern transfer results showed good surface and sidewall characteristics.