Pattern transfer fidelity of nanoimprint lithography on six-inch wafers

Abstract

We studied the pattern transfer fidelity of nanoimprint lithography (NIL) bypatterning sub-micron MESFET gates on six-inch wafers. The critical dimensions(CD) of the gate patterns on the mould, imprinted in resist, as well as afteroxygen reactive ion etching (RIE) and metal lift-off were measured, separately,using an ultrahigh-resolution scanning electron microscope. Comparison of themeasurements reveals that the as-imprinted gates in resist are 5.2% (or 37 nm) onaverage larger than those on the mould with a standard deviation of 1.2%(or 8 nm), and the gates after oxygen RIE and metal lift-off are 42%(or 296 nm) on average larger than those on the mould with a standarddeviation of 8% (or 30 nm). Compared with photolithography, NIL hasbetter pattern transfer fidelity with CD controls about four times smaller.