Fluorinated Alkyl Silane Research Articles

Polybenzoxazine as a Mold-Release Agent for Nanoimprint Lithography

One of the most important tasks remaining to be resolved in nanoimprint lithography is the elimination of the resist sticking to the mold during demolding. Previously, the main approach was to apply a thin layer of fluorinated alkyl silane mold-release agent on the surface on the mold; however, this involves complicated steps and high costs. The low surface free energy material polybenzoxazine provides an efficient mold-release agent for silicon molds that is easier to process, costs less, and has no side reactions.

Development and characterization of silane antisticking layers on nickel-based stamps designed for nanoimprint lithography

In this study we will report on the development of a process to establish antisticking layers on nickel-based stamps, which are used in several industrial applications of nanoimprint lithography or related methods. The fluorinated alkyl silane films have been deposited onto different Ni-based stamp surfaces in order to minimize the adhesion tendency at the stamp/polymer interface. Film thickness, chemical composition, purity, and binding mechanisms of the silane groups to different stamp surface materials have been determined by photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). In the case of electroplated nickel stamps—where low imprint qualities are observed—multilayer thick films cover the stamp surfaces, consisting of polymerized, cross-linked alkyl silanes, which are poorly bound to the surface. In order to overcome these restrictions a 100 Å thick polycrystalline titanium layer has been established in a sandwich position between the nickel substrate and the silane film. Here, silane film thicknesses in the monomolecular region together with evidences for strong covalent linkage between the silane groups and the oxidized Ti surface can be concluded from the XPS results, leading to film properties and imprint qualities, which are comparable to those formerly observed for silicon stamps.