Characterization of Adhesion Properties of a UV-Curable Nanoimprint Resin with Different Amounts of Release Agents

Abstract

In ultraviolet (UV) nanoimprint lithography, the adhesion between the UV-curable resin and the stamp must be carefully controlled to avoid deformation and breakage of the imprinted patterns during the stamp separation process. In this work, UV-curable resins with different amounts of release agent were prepared, and the adhesion properties of the resins were characterized quantitatively using a four-point bending test. The interfacial fracture energy between the UV-curable resin with a release agent and a glass wafer was measured based on the concept of interfacial fracture mechanics. The results were used to investigate the effect of the release agent on the reduction of the interfacial adhesion. The interfacial fracture energy between the resin containing the release agent and the glass wafer decreased with increasing concentration of the release agent. After the test, the fractured surfaces were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and the effect of the release agent on the adhesion was examined.