Effects of Imprinting Pressure on the Damage of Flexible Composite Mould and Pattern Quality during UV Nanoimprinting.

Xu Zheng,Wenquan Du,Qing Wang

doi:10.3390/mi10100706

Abstract

Imprinting pressure is the significant factor for composite mould durability and pattern quality during UV nanoimprinting on complex surfaces. To solve these problems, the effects of imprinting pressure on the damage of flexible composite mould and pattern quality-encountering particles were investigated through experiment and simulation. It was found that increasing the pressure could improve the pattern quality, but it will damage the mould and reduce the durability. Moreover, too small pressure could lead to serious pattern defects. Therefore, the imprint pressure of 30 kPa was suitable for use in the imprinting process from the viewpoints of protecting the mould and reducing pattern defects. These findings will be useful for improving the pattern quality and mould durability.

Highlights

The preparation of high quality and precision moulds is the core of nanoimprint lithography (NIL), and the hard mould and the soft mould are the widest applications at present [1,2]
In the case of the hard mould used for NIL under high temperature and pressure, it is easy to damage the mould, and easy to cause pattern defects in the demoulding process [3–6]
It can well meet the requirements in term of high throughput, low cost and the duplicate capability on curved surfaces [7–11]

Summary

Introduction

The preparation of high quality and precision moulds is the core of nanoimprint lithography (NIL), and the hard mould and the soft mould are the widest applications at present [1,2]. In the case of the hard mould used for NIL under high temperature and pressure, it is easy to damage the mould, and easy to cause pattern defects in the demoulding process [3–6]. The composite mould can be conformably contacted with a complex substrate compared to the hard mould, and its high Young’s modulus ensures a higher pattern resolution compared to the soft mould. The composite mould extends the application range of nanoimprint from planar substrates to high-curvature surfaces or complex non-planar surfaces [16]. Researchers successfully prepared high-resolution and curved patterns using hardpolydimethylsiloxane (H-PDMS)/PDMS, H-PDMS/acrylate and polyimide/Ormo composite moulds [21–23]. Composite moulds can achieve higher resolution patterns on complex surfaces, defects such as interface separation and fracture of the support layer limit the application [24]. TThheemmoouuldld wwaass aa ffrreeee bboouunnddaarryy ccoonnddiittiioonn tthhaatt ccoouulldd mmoovvee freely in both horizontal aanndd vveerrttiiccaallddirireecctitoionnss. .InInththeesismimulualtaiotino,nt,htehelemlemenetnPtLPALNAEN4E2 4w2aws uaseudsetodrteoprespernetsethnet tphaertpicalertaicnlde saunbdstsruatbes,tarantde,thaendeletmheenetlePmLAenNt EP1L8A2NwEas1u8s2edwtaos ruepserdesetontrtehperPesDeMntSt/hOermPoDcMoSm/Opormsitoe cmoomupldo.siTtehemcoounltda.ctTehlemcoennttaoctf eClOemNeTnAt o1f71CaOnNdTTAAR17G1Ea1n6d9 wTAarReGaEpp16li9edwfaorretahpepinliteedrffaocretbheetwineternfathce bPeDtwMeSe/On rtmheo PcoDmMpSo/sOitremmoocuoldm. pToossiteudmyotuhledi.nTflouesntucedsyotfhteheinimflupernincteps roefsstuhree iamndprpinatrtpicrlesrsaudrieusanodn partteicrlne qraudailuitsy,ovnapriaetdteprnarqaumaelitteyr,svwareireedspimarualmateetde.rsDwuerirnegsitmheuliamtepdri.nDtiunrginpgrothcesism, tphreinutinnigfoprmrocloesasd, wthaesusneitfonrmsulrofaadcewoafscosemt poonssituermfaoceulodf fcroommp1o0sittoe1m00oukPlda.frTohme p10arttoic1le00wkitPhar. aTdhieuspoarft2ic, l4e, w6,iathndra8dμiums wofe2r,e4i,n6v,easntidga8teμdm. were investigated

RReessuullttss aanndd DDiissccuussssions

Effects of Imprinting Pressure on Composite Mould