Embossing of nanoscale features and environments

Abstract

A process has been developed whereby nanoscale features can be easily and uniformly transferred into a thermoplastic with the use of embossing. Masters for the embossing procedure are made using electron beam lithography, dry etching and electroplating and with these dies features as small as 60nm have been produced in the polymer cellulose acetate. In addition, it is shown that the plastic cellulose acetate can be patterned using photolithography with sub 250nm UV light and that a conjunction of these two pattern transfer methods allows fabrication of multiple layered plastic devices. An application for this two layer process is presented where sub micron features can be easily and controllably placed at the bottom of trenches, a normally very difficult procedure.