Impact of the resist properties on the antisticking layer degradation in UV nanoimprint lithography

• Published in: Journal of vacuum science & technology. B, Microelectronics and nanometer structures processing, measurement and phenomena Microelectronics and nanometer structures processing, measurement and phenomena, 2010-11, Vol.28 (6), p.C6M72-C6M76
• Main Authors: Francone, A., Iojoiu, C., Poulain, C., Lombard, C., Pépin-Donat, B., Boussey, J., Zelsmann, M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 1071-1023; 2166-2746; 1520-8567; 2166-2754
• DOI: 10.1116/1.3501339

In this work, the authors evaluate the impact of chemical and mechanical properties of UV nanoimprint lithography resists on the durability of antisticking treatments applied on the quartz mold surface. To do this, three acrylate-based resists were formulated and characterized. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy was used to investigate the degree of conversion of each formulation as a function of the exposure dose and electron spin resonance was used to investigate the chemical reactivity of each formulation with respect to a fluorinated antisticking layer (Optool DSX from Daikin Chemicals). The impact of resist mechanical properties on the mold surface treatment degradation was also studied. Elastic modulus and hardness were measured by nanoindentation as a function of the polymerization degree. Then, these resists were imprinted with a dummy quartz template treated beforehand with the antisticking layer. The release properties of the molds were monitored by measuring their free surface energy as a function of the chemical and mechanical properties of the imprinted resists. A detailed comparative study has shown that release properties degradation is more governed by a mechanical than by a chemical interaction.