Thermal Nanoimprint Lithography-A Review of the Process, Mold Fabrication, and Material

Micro- and nanopatterns perform unique functions and have attracted attention in various industrial fields, such as electronic devices, microfluidics, biotechnology, optics, sensors, and smart and anti-adhesion surfaces. To put fine-patterned products to practical use, low-cost patterning technology...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Nanomaterials (Basel, Switzerland) Switzerland), 2023-07, Vol.13 (14), p.2031
Main Authors: Unno, Noriyuki, Mäkelä, Tapio
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Biotechnology
compostable films
Electronic equipment
Fabrication
Flexibility
Integrated circuit fabrication
Lithography
Microfluidics
Molds
Nanolithography
Nanopatterning
Optics
Patterning
Plasma etching
Recyclable materials
replica mold
Review
roll-to-roll
seamless roll mold
Sensors
Silicon wafers
Smart sensors
thermal nanoimprint
Ultraviolet radiation
Viscosity
VOCs
Volatile organic compounds
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Summary:Micro- and nanopatterns perform unique functions and have attracted attention in various industrial fields, such as electronic devices, microfluidics, biotechnology, optics, sensors, and smart and anti-adhesion surfaces. To put fine-patterned products to practical use, low-cost patterning technology is necessary. Nanoimprint lithography (NIL) is a promising technique for high-throughput nanopattern fabrication. In particular, thermal nanoimprint lithography (T-NIL) has the advantage of employing flexible materials and eliminating chemicals and solvents. Moreover, T-NIL is particularly suitable for compostable and recyclable materials, especially when applying biobased materials for use in optics and electronics. These attributes make T-NIL an eco-friendly process. However, the processing time of normal T-NIL is longer than that of ultraviolet (UV) NIL using a UV-curable resin because the T-NIL process requires heating and cooling time. Therefore, many studies focus on improving the throughput of T-NIL. Specifically, a T-NIL process based on a roll-to-roll web system shows promise for next-generation nanopatterning techniques because it enables large-area applications with the capability to process webs several meters in width. In this review, the T-NIL process, roll mold fabrication techniques, and various materials are introduced. Moreover, metal pattern transfer techniques using a combination of nanotransfer printing, T-NIL, and a reverse offset are introduced.
ISSN:2079-4991
2079-4991
DOI:10.3390/nano13142031