CN101271269A - Nano-imprinting apparatus and method - Google Patents
Nano-imprinting apparatus and method Download PDFInfo
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- CN101271269A CN101271269A CNA2008100827983A CN200810082798A CN101271269A CN 101271269 A CN101271269 A CN 101271269A CN A2008100827983 A CNA2008100827983 A CN A2008100827983A CN 200810082798 A CN200810082798 A CN 200810082798A CN 101271269 A CN101271269 A CN 101271269A
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Abstract
An apparatus and a method in connection with the lithography of structures on a micro or nanometer scale. A nano-imprinting apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention comprises two rotatably mounted rollers for transferring a pattern of micro or nanometer size to the substrate to be patterned. A first rotatably mounted roller has a patterned circumferential surface for transferring a pattern from the first rotatably mounted roller to a deformable substrate by contacting the patterned surface with the substrate. A second rotatably mounted roller has a principally smooth circumferential surface which faces the patterned surface of the first rotatably mounted roller. Furthermore, the second rotatably mounted roller is rotatably coupled with the first rotatably mounted roller for synchronized rotation of the first and second rollers. The substrate is movable between the first and second rollers such that, when these rollers rotate with respect to each other, the patterned surface of the first rotatably mounted roller comes into contact with the substrate whereby this pattern is transferred from the patterned surface to the substrate.
Description
Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to lithography, and more particularly to an apparatus and method associated with micro-or nano-scale lithographic structures. In particular, the invention relates to nanoimprint lithography on large area substrates or objects.
Background
The trend in microelectronics is toward smaller dimensions. Although commercial features are now being fabricated in sizes less than one micron, there is a need for further size reduction to < 100 nm. Research on nano-components has led to a demand for commercially applicable manufacturing techniques for components with dimensions < 10 nm.
Some of the most interesting technologies for micro-or nanostructures include different types of lithography. One of the most promising techniques for reconstructing nanostructures (i.e., structures on the order of 100nm or less) is the nanoimprint lithography (NIL) technique. Nanoimprint lithography (NIL) techniques, such as described in U.S. Pat. No.5,772,905, have disclosed basic prerequisites for the mass production of near-atomic-level structures, see, for example, Stephen Y.Chou, Peter R.Krauss, Wei Zhang, Lingjie Guoand LeiZhuang: "Sub-10 nm print graphics and application", J.Vac.Sci.Technol.B, Vol.15, No.6, (1997). Several research reports have been proposed on this topic, but to date, the NIL technique is still limited to nanoimprinting on parts of small overall area (typically only a few square centimeters), see for example Stephen y. chou, peter r. krauss and Preston j. renstorm: "Nanoimprint lithgraph", J.Vac.Sci.Technol.B, 14, 4129 < RTI (1996); pfeiffer, g.bleidiessel, g.gruetzner, h.schulz, t.hoffmann, h.c.scheer, c.m.sotomayotorres and J.A hopelto: "reliability of new polymer materials with adjustable glass structure for nanoimpringing", proceedings of micro-and Nano-Engineering Conference, (1998); and Leuven. Bo Cui, Wei Wu, Linshu Kong, Xiaooyun Sun and Stephen Y. Chou: "Perpendicular squared magnetic disks with 45 Gbits on a 4x4cm2area”，J.Appl.Phys.85，5534(1999)。
In the prior art of nanoimprint lithography processes, the substrate to be patterned is covered with a moldable layer. The pattern to be transferred to the substrate is predefined on the stamp or template in a three-dimensional manner. The stamp is brought into contact with the moldable layer and the layer is softened, preferably by heating. The stamp is then moved towards the softened layer by a vertical movement such that the stamp presses into the softened layer, thus forming an imprint of the stamp pattern in the moldable layer. The layer is cooled until it hardens to a satisfactory extent, and the stamp is subsequently separated and removed. Subsequent etching may be used to replicate the stamp pattern in the substrate. Although this nanoimprinting process may be capable of mass production, it has heretofore been limited to nanoimprinting on features of small overall area (typically only a few square centimeters).
One different form of nanoimprint lithography is commonly referred to as step and flash imprint lithography. International patent application WO 02/067055 discloses a system for applying step-and-flash imprint lithography. Among other things, this document relates to the production-level implementation of a stepping flash-type device (also referred to as a stepper). The template for the apparatus has a rigid body of transparent material, usually quartz. The template is supported in the stepper by flexures that allow the template to pivot about X and Y axes that are perpendicular to each other in a plane parallel to the substrate surface to be imprinted. The mechanism also includes a piezoelectric actuator for controlling parallelism and gap between the template and the substrate. However, this system is not capable of processing large area substrates in a single imprint step. A step flash system is provided on the market as imrio 100 by Molecular Imprints, inc., 1807-C West Braker Lane, Austin, TX 78758, u.s.a. The system has a template image area of approximately 25mm by 25 mm. Although this system is capable of processing substrate wafers equivalent to 8 inches, the imprint process must be repeated by raising the template, moving it aside, and lowering it again to the substrate, with the aid of an X-Y conversion step. Thus, the process is relatively time consuming and is also less advantageous for mass production. Moreover, the imprinting process is also affected by defects that do not produce a continuous substrate larger than the size of the template. In summary, this means that the production costs may be too high to attract interest in applying this technique for mass production of fine substrate devices, especially on large area substrates or objects.
Disclosure of Invention
In view of the above and following description, it is an aspect of the present invention to provide a nanoimprinting apparatus and method that seek to mitigate, alleviate, or eliminate one or more of the above-identified deficiencies in the art and disadvantages singly or in any combination.
It is a primary object of some embodiments of the present invention to provide a nanoimprinting apparatus and method that facilitate the fabrication of structures that include micro-or nano-scale three-dimensional features. In particular, it is an object of some embodiments of the present invention to provide an improved nanoimprinting apparatus and method for transferring a pattern of the structures to a widthGreater than one inch, even 8 inches wide, 12 inches wide, and larger. In particular, some embodiments of the apparatus and method have been developed for nanoimprinting of structures on substrates having a relatively large total area, typically a rectangular shaped area, which is greater than about 7-20cm2. In addition, some embodiments of the apparatus and method have been developed for nanoimprinting of structures on continuous substrates having a large total area, particularly a significantly large total area.
According to a first aspect of the invention, a nanoimprinting apparatus includes:
a first rotatably mounted roller having a patterned circumferential surface for transferring a pattern from the first rotatably mounted roller onto a deformable substrate by contacting the patterned circumferential surface with the substrate;
a second rotatably mounted roller having a substantially smooth circumferential surface facing the patterned surface of the first rotatably mounted roller, the second rotatably mounted roller being rotatably coupled to the first rotatably mounted roller such that the rollers rotate in unison; wherein,
the substrate may be moved between the rollers such that when the rollers are rotated relative to each other, the patterned surface of the first rotatably mounted roller contacts the substrate, whereby the pattern is transferred from the patterned surface onto the substrate.
In one embodiment, at least one of the first and second rollers is arranged to apply pressure to the other roller when the rollers are rotated relative to each other.
In one embodiment, the pressure is in the range of 1-100bar positive pressure, preferably 10-40bar positive pressure.
In a preferred embodiment the second rotatably mounted roller comprises a tubular cavity for the medium under pressure, the wall of said cavity being constituted by a diaphragm, the side of the diaphragm remote from the cavity forming said substantially smooth circumferential surface.
In an embodiment the nanoimprinting apparatus further comprises means for adjusting the pressure of said medium to a pressure in the range of 1-100bar positive pressure, preferably in the range of 10-40bar positive pressure.
In one embodiment, the membrane is made of a flexible material, preferably a polymeric material or a thin metal, even more preferably a plastic, rubber or thin metal, the membrane having a thickness equal to 10mm, preferably equal to 3mm, or even more preferably equal to 1 mm.
In one embodiment, the medium comprises a gas.
In a preferred embodiment, the medium comprises air.
In one embodiment, the first rotatably mounted roller has a diameter equal to 5m, preferably equal to 2m, even more preferably equal to 1 m.
In one embodiment, the first rotatably mounted roller has a length equal to 2.5m, preferably equal to 1.5m, even more preferably equal to 1 m.
In one embodiment, the first rotatably mounted roller has a 1: 2 ratio between diameter and length.
In one embodiment, the second rotatably mounted roller has a diameter equal to 5m, preferably equal to 2m, even more preferably equal to 1 m.
In one embodiment, the second rotatably mounted roller has a length equal to 2.5m, preferably equal to 1.5m, even more preferably equal to 1 m.
In one embodiment, the second rotatably mounted roller has a diameter to length ratio of 1: 2.
In a preferred embodiment, the nanoimprinting apparatus further includes a heating device for heating the substrate, wherein the heating device is configured to heat the substrate before the substrate is moved between the first roller and the second roller.
In one embodiment, the heating means is a heating chamber arranged such that the substrate is movable through said heating chamber to heat the substrate prior to movement between said first and second rollers during operation.
In one embodiment the heating means comprises at least one further rotatable mounting roller having a substantially flat circumferential heating surface, said further rotatable mounting roller being arranged to enable the substrate to be moved over said heating surface, so that during operation the substrate is heated by said heating surface before being moved between said first and second rollers.
In a preferred embodiment, the nanoimprinting apparatus further comprises a cooling device for cooling the substrate, wherein the cooling device is arranged to cool the substrate after the substrate passes between the first roller and the second roller.
In one embodiment, the cooling device is a cooling chamber arranged such that the substrate is movable through the cooling chamber to cool the substrate after passing between the first and second rollers during operation.
In one embodiment the cooling device comprises at least one further rotatable mounting roller having a substantially flat circumferential cooling surface, the further rotatable mounting roller being arranged to enable the substrate to be moved over the cooling surface, thereby cooling the substrate via the cooling surface after the substrate has been moved between the first and second rollers during operation.
In one embodiment, the substrate is a continuous substrate.
In a preferred embodiment, the substrate is a sheet or film.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a nanoimprinting method performed by an apparatus having a first rotatably-mounted roller and a second rotatably-mounted roller, wherein the first rotatably-mounted roller has a patterned circumferential surface for transferring a pattern from the first rotatably-mounted roller onto a deformable substrate by bringing the patterned circumferential surface into contact with the substrate; a second rotatably mounted roller having a substantially smooth circumferential surface facing the patterned surface of the first rotatably mounted roller, the second rotatably mounted roller rotatably coupled to the first rotatably mounted roller such that the rollers rotate in unison, wherein the method comprises:
rotating the rollers relative to each other; and
the substrate is moved between the rollers such that when the rollers are rotated relative to each other, the patterned surface of the first rotatably mounted roller contacts the substrate, whereby the pattern is transferred from the patterned surface onto the substrate.
In one embodiment, the method further comprises:
pressure is applied to either or both of the rollers as the rollers rotate relative to each other.
In one embodiment the second rotatably mounted roller comprises a tubular cavity for a medium under pressure, the walls of said cavity being constituted by a diaphragm, the side of the diaphragm remote from the cavity forming said substantially smooth circumferential surface, and the method further comprises the steps of:
the pressure of the medium is adjusted to a positive pressure in the range of 1-100bar, preferably 10-40 bar.
In one embodiment, the medium comprises a gas.
In a preferred embodiment, the medium comprises air.
In one embodiment, the method further comprises:
heating the substrate before the substrate moves between the first roller and the second roller.
In one embodiment, the method further comprises:
cooling the substrate after the substrate passes between the first and second rollers.
In one embodiment, the substrate is a continuous substrate.
In a preferred embodiment, the substrate is a sheet or film.
According to a third aspect, there is provided a nanoimprinting apparatus as disclosed in this specification and drawings.
Drawings
Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of embodiments of the invention, which is to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional side view of a nanoimprinting apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 2 is a different view of the nanoimprinting apparatus of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional side view on the micro or nano scale showing when the first roller, the second roller and the substrate are arranged substantially parallel to each other when a pattern is transferred from the pattern surface of the first roller onto the substrate;
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional side view of a nanoimprinting apparatus that further includes a heating chamber and a cooling chamber, according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional side view of a nanoimprinting apparatus that further includes a heating roller and a cooling roller according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 6 is a different view of the nanoimprinting apparatus of FIG. 5;
FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a first roller and a second roller of the nanoimprinting apparatus shown in FIGS. 5 and 6; and
figures 8-10 illustrate different embodiments of a nanoimprinting apparatus.
Detailed Description
Embodiments of the present invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which embodiments of the invention are shown. The invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout.
The present invention generally relates to a nanoimprinting apparatus and method for transferring a pattern from a template onto a substrate. The present invention is based on an example of nano-imprinting, different from the prior art, in which the template is to be brought into contact with the substrate to be patterned in the form of a rotatably mounted roller. Unlike existing nanoimprint equipment, some embodiments of the present invention are based on the use of two rotatably mounted rollers for transferring micrometer or nanometer sized patterns onto a substrate to be patterned.
Fig. 1 and 2 schematically show an embodiment of a nanoimprinting apparatus 1 according to the present invention. Now, the functions and basic process steps of the actual pattern transfer step (or imprinting step) of the embodiment of the present invention will be described in conjunction with the nanoimprinting apparatus shown in fig. 1 and 2.
The nanoimprinting apparatus 1 includes a first rotatably mounted roller 10. The first rotatably mounted roller 10 has a patterned circumferential surface 11 in which surface 11 three-dimensional protrusions and recesses are formed with characteristic dimensions in the range of 1nm to several μm in height and width, and possibly smaller or larger. The diameter d1 of cylindrical roll 10 is typically between 1 decimeter and 5 meters. Preferably, the diameter d1 is in the range of 100-1000 millimeters. In addition, the length of the rolls is typically between 1 decimeter and 5 meters. Preferably, the length of the roll 10 is in the range of 1-3 meters. Preferably, but not necessarily, the ratio between the diameter and the length of the rotatable roller is about 1: 2. In the best mode known to the inventors at the filing date of this application, the diameter d1 may be about 600 millimeters and the length about 1.5 meters.
The nanoimprinting apparatus 1 also includes a second rotatably mounted roller 30. The second rotatably mounted roller 30 is rotatably coupled to the first rotatably mounted roller 10, thereby ensuring synchronous rotation of the rollers 10, 30. Synchronous rotation means that the rotational speed of the first roller 10 is synchronized with the rotational speed of the second roller 30. In addition, the second roller has a substantially smooth circumferential surface 31. The diameter d2 of second cylindrical roller 30 is typically between 1 decimeter and 5 meters. Preferably, the diameter d2 is in the range of 100-1000 millimeters. In addition, the length of the second roller is typically between 1 decimeter and 5 meters. Preferably, the diameter is in the range of 1-3 meters. Preferably, but not necessarily, the ratio between the diameter and the length is about 1: 2. In the best mode known to the inventors at the filing date of this application, the diameter d2 may be about 600 millimeters and the length about 1.5 meters.
The axes of the respective rollers 10, 30 are arranged substantially parallel to each other so that the respective surfaces 11, 31 face each other substantially in a parallel manner. Thus, the patterned circumferential surface of the first rotatably mounted roller and the substantially smooth circumferential surface of the second rotatably mounted roller facing the patterned surface are arranged substantially parallel to each other when the surfaces 11, 31 are pressed towards each other.
The substrate 20 may be moved between the rollers 10, 30 as the rollers 10, 30 rotate relative to each other. Substrate 20 is a deformable substrate 20, for example a substrate of deformable material or a substrate covered by a deformable coating. Preferably, but not necessarily, the substrate has a rectangular shape. The width of the substrate 20 is preferably selected to correspond to the length of the respective rollers 10, 30. In the preferred disclosed embodiment, the substrate is a continuous substrate 20. The continuous substrate 20 may be a film or sheet, for example, a polymer sheet. As used herein, the term "continuous substrate" is used to refer to a substrate having a much greater length as compared to width, as shown in the figures. The continuous substrate 20 may be fed from the feeding device 60 between the rotatably mounted rollers 10, 30. In the preferred disclosed embodiment, the supply 60 is a spool for holding a roll of film or sheet (e.g., a roll of polymer sheet).
During operation of the nanoimprinting apparatus 1, the substrate 20 moves or passes between the rollers 10, 30 as the rollers 10, 30 rotate relative to each other, such that when the rollers 10, 30 rotate relative to each other, the patterned surface of the first rotatably mounted roller 10 is in contact with the substrate 20, whereby the pattern is transferred from the patterned surface 11 onto the substrate 20. In order to achieve a uniform imprinting of the pattern to the substrate 20, the respective rollers 10, 30 may advantageously be pressed towards each other. In other words, the first roller 10 may press the second roller 30, and vice versa. Either or both of the first and second rollers 10, 30 may be arranged to apply this pressure to the other roller 10, 30. The nanoimprinting apparatus 1 can include means for controlling and regulating the applied pressure. Preferably, but not necessarily, the device should be capable of controlling and regulating the pressure dynamically or statically. In addition, the device should be capable of regulating the applied pressure at least in the range of 1-100bar positive pressure. In order to achieve a sufficiently uniform imprinting of the pattern onto the substrate 20, the applied pressure should preferably be in the range of 10-40 bar.
In the preferred disclosed embodiment, the second rotatably mounted roller 30 comprises a tubular cavity 32 for a medium having a certain pressure. As shown, the second roller 30 includes an inner cylinder 34. The diaphragm 33 is fitted on the inner cylinder 34 such that the diaphragm 33 is disposed around the circumferential surface of the inner cylinder 34. Thus, it can be said that the geometric axis of rotation of the tubular diaphragm 33 coincides with the axis of rotation of the inner cylinder 34. The diaphragm 33 is typically made of a flexible material. Preferably, the material is a polymeric material or a thin metal, even more preferably, the material is a plastic or rubber. In a preferred disclosed embodiment, the membrane 33 has a thickness of about 1 mm. However, other dimensions are equally possible. In the best mode for the inventors at the time of filing this application, the thickness of the separator should be in the range of 1-10 mm. The diaphragm may be attached to the inner cylinder 34 in a variety of conventionally known ways. As a mere example, the membrane 33 may be clamped to the inner cylinder 34 by clamping means 35 located at each end side of the second roller 30. The clamping device 35 is better shown in fig. 6.
The cavity 32 is used to contain a medium, preferably a gas (e.g., air, nitrogen or argon) that can be pressurized through an inlet passage. The intake passage may be the intake passage 36 shown in fig. 7. Thus, when the space between the inner cylinder 34 and the diaphragm 33 is filled with the medium, a tubular cavity 32 is formed. The actual size of the space between the inner cylinder 34 and the diaphragm 33 need not be too large. Rather, it is sufficient if the space is on the order of micrometers that enable the cavity 32 to accommodate the media. The pressurisation of the medium contained in the cavity 32 can then be generated, for example, by dynamic control, which is used to provide a very small variation in pressure. Alternatively, the pressure of the medium contained in the cavity 32 may be preset to a predetermined pressure level. The pressure of the medium in the cavity can be increased/decreased by means of the inlet channel so that the pressure of said medium is in the range of 1-100bar, preferably in the range of 10-40 bar. When the pressure of the medium in the cavity increases, the membrane 33 is arranged to bend outwards (flexout).
In addition, during operation of the nanoimprinting apparatus 1, the respective rollers 10, 30 are pressed against each other while the substrate 20 is moved between the rollers 10, 30. At the same time, the pressure of the medium in the cavity 32 may be controlled and/or adjusted to increase/decrease. Thus, the total pressure between the rolls 10, 30 may be a composite pressure of: i) the pressure exerted by the rollers 10, 30 pressing against each other, and ii) the pressure exerted by the pressurised gas contained in the cavity 32. When the pressure of the medium in the cavity increases, the diaphragm 33 bends outward, so that the diaphragm 33 presses the substrate 20 toward the patterned surface 11 of the first roller 10. Due to the pressure from the cavity 32 by the flexible membrane 33, a uniformly distributed force is obtained over the entire contact surface between the substrate 20 and the patterned surface 11 of the first roller 10 when the membrane 33 is bent outwards due to the pressure of the medium. This allows the roller 10, the substrate 20, and the roller 30 to be arranged substantially parallel to each other when viewed at the micro-or nano-scale, as exemplarily shown in fig. 3.
Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a portion of the substrate 20 when the patterned surface 11 of the first rotatably mounted roller 10 is in contact with the substrate 20 on a micro-or nano-scale. As shown in fig. 3, at the moment of contact between the patterned surface 11 and the upper surface of the substrate 20, the substrate 20 has an upper surface arranged substantially or almost parallel to the patterned surface 11 of the template (i.e. the first rotatably mounted roller 10). In addition, the membrane 33 (which forms the surface 31 of the second roller 30) is arranged substantially or almost parallel to the lower surface of the substrate 20. In this way, the membrane 33 may act as a substantially parallel support to press the lower surface of the substrate 20 during imprinting of the micrometer or nanometer sized pattern from the patterned surface 11 of the first roller 10 onto the upper surface of the substrate 20.
Since the first roller 10, the substrate 20, and the second roller 30 are sufficiently parallel (on a micrometer or nanometer scale) with respect to each other, the effect of irregularities in the upper surface of the substrate 20 or on the patterned surface 11 of the first roller 10 can be reduced or even eliminated. In addition, the pressure from the cavity 32 by the flexible membrane 33, which acts towards the lower surface of the substrate 20 during imprinting, may cause the micro-or nano-sized pattern to be sufficiently imprinted onto the deformable substrate 20 from the patterned surface 11. In addition, it has been demonstrated that the pressure of the medium of the cavities 32 can cause the flexible membranes 33 to flex outwards, so that the embossing step produces only a very small or no sliding effect between the respective rollers 10, 30 and the substrate 20. To avoid any potential slip effects, it may also be important that the various rollers 10, 30 are rotatably coupled relative to each other, thereby ensuring synchronous rotation.
Fig. 4-6 show various advantageous embodiments of the nanoimprinting apparatus 1 shown in fig. 1, 2, and 3, wherein the nanoimprinting apparatus 1 further includes a heating device 40 and a cooling device 50.
In the embodiment shown in fig. 4, the heating means 40 is a heating chamber arranged to heat the substrate 20 before it is moved between the first roller 10 and the second roller 30. Thus, at least the upper layer of the deformable substrate 20 may be softened before the subsequent imprinting of the micro-or nano-sized pattern from the patterned surface 11 of the first roller 10 onto the substrate 20 when said rollers 10, 30 are rotated relative to each other and the patterned surface 11 of the first rotatably mounted roller 10 is in contact with the substrate 20. Inside the heating chamber 40, one or more heaters circulate hot air, preferably in the range of 100-200 ℃, more preferably in the range of 150-170 ℃. Furthermore, the cooling device 50 is a cooling chamber arranged to cool the substrate 20 after the substrate 20 has passed between the first and second rollers 10, 30 during the imprinting step. Therefore, after the pattern is imprinted from the pattern surface 11 to the substrate 20, the substrate is cooled until it is hardened to a satisfactory extent. Inside the cooling chamber 50, one or more coolers are provided for lowering the temperature of the substrate 20, so that the substrate is cooled until it hardens to a satisfactory extent. In order to reduce the temperature of the substrate 20, a cooler may be arranged to circulate water or air having a temperature of 130 ℃ or less within the cooling chamber 50.
Fig. 5 and 6 show a preferred embodiment of the present invention. In the embodiment shown in fig. 5 and 6, the heating device 40 includes one or more (preferably two) heated rollers configured to heat the substrate 20. Further, the cooling device 50 comprises one or more (preferably two) cooling rollers arranged to cool the substrate 20. In the preferred disclosed embodiment, two heating rollers 40a, 40b and two upper cooling rollers 50a, 50b are used for heating/cooling of the substrate 20, respectively.
The nanoimprinting apparatus 1 of FIGS. 5 and 6 includes two rotatably mounted heated rollers 40a, 40b, each having a substantially flat circumferential heated surface 41a, 41b, and means for adjusting the temperature of the surfaces to a temperature in the range of 100-200 deg.C, preferably in the range of 150-170 deg.C. The heating rollers 40a, 40b are rotatably coupled to the first rotatably mounted roller 10 such that the heating rollers 40a, 40b rotate in synchronization with the first roller 10. Thus, during operation, the substrate 20 may come into contact with the heated surfaces 41a, 41b when the heated rollers 40a, 40b and the first and second rollers 10, 30 are rotated relative to each other. The heating rollers 40a, 40b may be provided as shown in fig. 5 and 6. Thus, during operation, the substrate 20 is heated before it is moved between the first roller 10 and the second roller 30. In addition, the nanoimprinting apparatus 1 of fig. 5 and 6 includes two rotatably mounted cooling rollers 50a, 50b, each having a substantially flat circumferential cooling surface 51a, 51b and means for adjusting the temperature of said surface to a temperature in the range of 130 ℃ and lower. The cooling rollers 50a, 50b are rotatably coupled to the first rotatably mounted roller 10 such that the cooling rollers 50a, 50b rotate in synchronization with the first roller 10. Thus, during operation, when the cooling rollers 50a, 50b and the first and second rollers 10, 30 are rotated relative to each other, the substrate 20 may come into contact with the cooling surfaces 51a, 51b, so that the substrate 20 is cooled until it is hardened to a satisfactory extent.
Fig. 8 to 10 disclose other arrangements or embodiments of the nanoimprinting apparatus 1 for transferring micrometer or nanometer sized patterns onto a substrate to be patterned based on the use of rotatably mounted rollers.
Some embodiments of the nanoimprinting apparatus 1 and method according to the present invention are particularly advantageous for large area imprinting in a single imprinting step, and for nanoimprinting lithography on large area substrates or objects with the same great advantages over previously known techniques. Due to the two rotatably mounted rollers, the large area substrate or object may be in the form of a continuous substrate (e.g., a film or polymer sheet) that may be moved between the two rotatably mounted rollers as the rollers rotate. This may allow for a continuous process with a higher throughput for producing structures comprising three-dimensional features on the micro-or nano-scale. Some embodiments of the present invention may be used to transfer micro or nano sized patterns onto large area substrates having a total area of 400 x 600mm and greater. For example, a full flat panel display (full flat panel display) having dimensions of 400 x 600mm and larger may thus be patterned by a single imprint according to some embodiments of the present invention. Accordingly, some embodiments of the present invention provide, for the first time, a nanoimprinting apparatus and method that are advantageous for large-scale production of fine-structure devices on large-area substrates or objects, for example, for applications such as full flat panel displays.
The foregoing has described the principles of the invention by way of examples of embodiments or modes of operation. The present invention, however, is not limited to the specific embodiments described above, which are to be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive, and it should be appreciated that variations may be made in those embodiments by workers skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined by the following claims.
Claims (32)
1. A nanoimprinting apparatus (1) comprising:
a first rotatably mounted roller (10) having a patterned circumferential surface (11) for transferring a pattern from the first rotatably mounted roller (10) onto a deformable substrate (20) by bringing the patterned surface (11) into contact with the substrate (20);
a second rotatably mounted roller (30) having a substantially smooth circumferential surface (31) facing said patterned surface (11) of said first rotatably mounted roller (10), said second rotatably mounted roller (30) being rotatably coupled to said first rotatably mounted roller (10) so that said rollers (10, 30) rotate in unison; wherein,
the substrate (20) is movable between the rollers (10, 30) such that when the rollers (10, 30) are rotated relative to each other, the patterned surface (11) of the first rotatably mounted roller (10) is brought into contact with the substrate (20) such that the pattern is transferred from the patterned surface (11) onto the substrate (20).
2. The nanoimprinting apparatus (1) of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second rollers (10, 30) is arranged to apply pressure to the other roller (10, 30) when the rollers (10, 30) are rotated relative to each other.
3. The nanoimprinting apparatus (1) of claim 2, wherein the pressure is in the positive pressure range of 1-100bar, preferably in the positive pressure range of 10-40 bar.
4. Nanoimprinting device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the second rotatably mounted roller (30) comprises a tubular cavity (32) for a medium having a certain pressure, the walls of the cavity (32) being constituted by a membrane (33), the side of the membrane facing away from the cavity (32) forming the substantially smooth circumferential surface (31).
5. The nanoimprinting apparatus (1) of claim 4, further comprising means for adjusting the pressure of the medium to a pressure in the range of 1-100bar positive pressure, preferably in the range of 10-40bar positive pressure.
6. Nanoimprint device according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the membrane (33) is made of a flexible material, preferably of a polymer material or a thin metal, even more preferably of a plastic, rubber or thin metal, the membrane (33) having a thickness equal to 10mm, preferably equal to 3mm, or even more preferably equal to 1 mm.
7. The nanoimprinting apparatus of any one of claims 4 through 6, wherein the medium comprises a gas.
8. The nanoimprinting apparatus of claim 7, wherein the medium comprises air.
9. Nanoimprinting apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first rotatably mounted roller (10) has a diameter equal to 5m, preferably equal to 2m, even more preferably equal to 1 m.
10. Nanoimprinting apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the first rotatably mounted roller (10) has a length equal to 2.5m, preferably equal to 1.5m, even more preferably equal to 1 m.
11. Nanoimprinting apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the ratio between the diameter and the length of the first rotatably mounted roller (10) is 1: 2.
12. nanoimprinting apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the second rotatably mounted roller (30) has a diameter equal to 5m, preferably equal to 2m, even more preferably equal to 1 m.
13. Nanoimprinting apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the second rotatably mounted roller (30) has a length equal to 2.5m, preferably equal to 1.5m, even more preferably equal to 1 m.
14. Nanoimprinting apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the ratio between the diameter and the length of the second rotatably mounted roller (30) is 1: 2.
15. Nanoimprinting apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising heating means (40) for heating the substrate (20), wherein the heating means are arranged to heat the substrate (20) before the substrate is moved between the first and second rollers (10, 30).
16. Nanoimprinting apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the heating device is a heating chamber arranged such that the substrate (20) is movable through the heating chamber, so that during operation the substrate (20) is heated before being moved between the first and second rollers (10, 30).
17. Nanoimprinting apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the heating device comprises at least one further rotatable mounting roller (40a, 40b) having a substantially flat circumferential heating surface (41a, 41b), the further rotatable mounting roller being arranged such that the substrate (20) is movable over the heating surface (41a, 41b) such that during operation the substrate (20) is heated by the heating surface (41a, 41b) before being moved between the first and second rollers (10, 30).
18. Nanoimprinting apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising cooling means (50) for cooling the substrate (20), wherein the cooling means (50) is arranged to cool the substrate (20) after it has passed between the first and second rollers (10, 30).
19. Nanoimprinting apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the cooling device (50) is a cooling chamber arranged such that the substrate (20) is movable through the cooling chamber, thereby cooling the substrate (20) after its passage between the first and second rollers (10, 30) during operation.
20. Nanoimprinting apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the cooling device (50) comprises at least one further rotatably mounted roller (50a, 50b) having a substantially flat circumferential cooling surface (51a, 51b), the further rotatably mounted roller being arranged such that the substrate (20) is movable over the cooling surface (51a, 51b) such that, during operation, the substrate (20) is cooled by the cooling surface (51a, 51b) after being moved between the first and second rollers (10, 30).
21. The nanoimprint device of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the substrate is a continuous substrate.
22. The nanoimprinting apparatus of claim 21, wherein the substrate is a sheet or film.
23. A nanoimprinting method performed by an apparatus having a first rotatably mounted roller and a second rotatably mounted roller, wherein the first rotatably mounted roller has a patterned circumferential surface for transferring a pattern from the first rotatably mounted roller onto a deformable substrate by contacting the patterned surface with the substrate; the second rotatably mounted roller having a substantially smooth circumferential surface facing the patterned surface of the first rotatably mounted roller, the second rotatably mounted roller rotatably coupled to the first rotatably mounted roller such that the rollers rotate in unison, the method comprising the steps of:
rotating the rollers relative to each other; and
moving the substrate between the rollers such that when the rollers rotate relative to each other, the patterned surface of the first rotatably mounted roller contacts the substrate, whereby the pattern is transferred from the patterned surface onto the substrate.
24. The nanoimprinting method of claim 23, further comprising the steps of:
pressure is applied to either or both of the rollers as the rollers rotate relative to each other.
25. A nanoimprinting method as defined in claim 23 or 24, wherein the second rotatably mounted roller comprises a tubular cavity for the medium having a certain pressure, the walls of the cavity being constituted by a membrane, the side of the membrane remote from the cavity forming the substantially smooth circumferential surface, the method further comprising the steps of:
the pressure of the medium is adjusted to a positive pressure in the range of 1-100bar, preferably 10-40 bar.
26. The nanoimprinting method of claim 25, wherein the medium comprises a gas.
27. The nanoimprinting method of claim 26, wherein the medium comprises air.
28. The nanoimprinting method of any one of claims 23-27, further comprising the steps of:
heating the substrate before the substrate moves between the first roller and the second roller.
29. The nanoimprinting method of any one of claims 23-28, further comprising the steps of:
cooling the substrate after the substrate passes between the first and second rollers.
30. The nanoimprinting method of any one of claims 23-29, wherein the substrate is a continuous substrate.
31. The nanoimprinting method of claim 30, wherein the substrate is a sheet or film.
32. A nanoimprinting apparatus or method according to the specification and drawings.
Applications Claiming Priority (3)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US90705307P | 2007-03-19 | 2007-03-19 | |
| US60/907,053 | 2007-03-19 | ||
| US11/808,890 | 2007-06-13 |
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| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CN101271269A true CN101271269A (en) | 2008-09-24 |
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Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CNA2008100827983A Pending CN101271269A (en) | 2007-03-19 | 2008-03-19 | Nano-imprinting apparatus and method |
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| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CN (1) | CN101271269A (en) |
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| CN102101232A (en) * | 2010-11-17 | 2011-06-22 | 江苏大学 | Method for manufacturing micronanostructure on surface of crystalline magnesium alloy |
| CN102205639A (en) * | 2011-03-03 | 2011-10-05 | 北京化工大学 | Method for polymer extruding and micro embossing shaping |
| CN102574390A (en) * | 2009-09-07 | 2012-07-11 | 韩国机械研究院 | Printing apparatus using thermal roll imprinting and a patterned plate, and film-laminating apparatus for microfluidics and sensor and printing method using same |
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| CN108515688B (en) * | 2018-04-11 | 2020-07-28 | 王君豪 | Preparation method of super-hydrophobic plastic film |
| CN109080119A (en) * | 2018-08-09 | 2018-12-25 | 苏州千层茧农业科技有限公司 | A kind of reflectance coating forming roller |
| EP3686969A4 (en) * | 2018-10-16 | 2021-08-04 | Shenzhen Geesun Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd. | Battery electrode piece thermal compounding apparatus and method for using same to carry out thermo-compression bonding on battery electrode piece assembly |
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Application publication date: 20080924 |