EVG FinalDr 1/3/10 12:35 Page 15
Nanoimprint Lithography
Automated hot embossing
Nanoimprint lithography has continued to develop as an alternative to
other types of lithography and printing. To ensure the technology can
be realised in new markets and structures, there has been a need to
speed the process while enabling differing material usage. The EV
Group, and the Industrial Materials Institute of the National Research
Issue I 2010
square4
Council in Canada discuss fully automated hot embossing processes
.com
utilizing high resolution working stamps.
N
oasiasemiconductor
anoimprint Lithography (NIL) is a
.eur
fast replication technology for
www
structures with different
resolution regimes in the micrometer as well as
15
in the nanometre range. This paper describes
the equipment and processes for imprinting of
polymer substrates as well as spin-on polymers
by using soft working stamp materials. The fully
automated hot embossing system, the EVG750,
was built and related processes were developed.
Typical micro fluidic features with imprint depth
of down to 200 µm are demonstrated by utilizing
working stamps. Feature sizes down to 50 nm
could be resolved on spin-on polymers in a fully
automated process run.
Hot embossing is a patterning technique for
polymer substrates and spin-on polymers on
substrates. It enables the creation of 2-
dimensional and 3-dimensional structures by
applying elevated temperatures and high
contact forces. The similarities in regards to
process parameters and equipment
specifications between wafer bonding and hot imprinting is performed on thick polymers
embossing have led to the modifications of substrates, to the fabrication of sub 100 nm Figure 1: Processes
wafer bonder systems used for thermo- features for bio-sensing or data recording available on the EVG
compression bonding processes to applications, which requires imprinting into spin- 750 utilizing soft
accommodate embossing processes
[1]
. on polymers. working stamps
The low-cost fabrication of disposable, The need for fully-automated processes
polymer based devices needed for emerging implies an automated de-embossing process of
point-of-care diagnostic or bio-sensing devices stamp and imprinted substrate. A reliable and
can be realized by hot embossing processes at residual free separation of stamp and imprinted
low cost. Hot embossing processes are generally substrate after imprinting is the key for
used to address different applications ranging automated process runs by using an anti-
from polymer-based lab-on-chip systems, where adhesive monolayer on the stamp surface
[3]
.
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36