ABSTRACT

Nanoimprint lithography (NIL)1-3 is one of the most promising new technologies for fabricating patterns with resolutions of less than 10 nm because it allows a higher throughput and lower cost than conventional photolithography. Ultraviolet (UV)-NIL2-3, which is performed at low pressures and room temperature, is particularly advantageous compared

to thermal-type NIL. In UV-NIL, a nanopatterned UV-transparent stamp is pressed onto a dispensed resin or spin-coated resin on a substrate, and then the stamp is exposed to UV light from above to cure the resin. After 10-20 seconds, the stamp is separated from the patterned layer on the substrate. As elevated temperature or high pressure is not needed, this method is both sufficiently rapid and prevents stress on the stamp or substrate. Finally, an anisotropic etching is used to transfer the patterns onto the substrate.