Abstract: A solid layer is formed by applying a multiplicity of discrete portions of a fluid composition onto a surface of an imprint lithography substrate, and allowing the discrete portions of the composition to spontaneously spread on the surface of the substrate to form a substantially continuous layer. The composition includes a solvent and a solid or a solvent and a polymerizable material. The composition can be a solution or a dispersion. At least some of the solvent is evaporated from the composition, and a solid layer is formed (e.g., polymerized or dried) on the substrate. The solid layer is substantially free of interstitial voids.

Abstract: A template is treated to provide a surfactant rich region and a surfactant depleted region. A contact angle at the surfactant rich region may be greater than, less than, or substantially similar to a contact angle of the surfactant depleted region.

Abstract: Densifying a multi-layer substrate includes providing a substrate with a first dielectric layer on a surface of the substrate. The first dielectric layer includes a multiplicity of pores. Water is introduced into the pores of the first dielectric layer to form a water-containing dielectric layer. A second dielectric layer is provided on the surface of the water-containing first dielectric layer. The first and second dielectric layers are annealed at temperature of 600° C. or less. In an example, the multi-layer substrate is a nanoimprint lithography template. The second dielectric layer may have a density and therefore an etch rate similar to that of thermal oxide, yet may still be porous enough to allow more rapid diffusion of helium than a thermal oxide layer.

Abstract: Release agents with increased affinity toward nano-imprint lithography template surfaces interact strongly with the template during separation of the template from the solidified resist in a nano-imprint lithography process. The strong interaction between the surfactant and the template surface reduces the amount of surfactant pulled off the template surface during separation of a patterned layer from the template in an imprint lithography cycle. Maintaining more surfactant associated with the surface of the template after the separation of the patterned layer from the template may reduce the amount of surfactant needed in a liquid resist to achieve suitable release of the solidified resist from the template during an imprint lithography process. Strong association of the release agent with the surface of the template facilitates the formation of ultra-thin residual layers and dense fine features in nano-imprint lithography.

Abstract: Separation of an imprint lithography template and a patterned layer in an imprint lithography process may result in stress to features of the template and/or features of the patterned layer. Such stress may be reduced by minimizing open areas on the template, including dummy features within the open areas, and/or selective positioning of features on the template.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a material for use in imprint lithography that features a composition having a viscosity associated therewith and including a surfactant, a polymerizable component, and an initiator responsive to a stimuli to vary the viscosity in response thereto, with the composition, in a liquid state, having the viscosity being lower than about 100 centipoises, a vapor pressure of less than about 20 Torr, and in a solid cured state a tensile modulus of greater than about 100 MPa, a break stress of greater than about 3 MPa and an elongation at break of greater than about 2%.

Abstract: Systems and methods for fabrication of nanostructured solar cells having arrays of nanostructures are described, including nanostructured solar cells having a repeating pattern of pyramid nanostructures, providing for low cost thin-film solar cells with improved PCE.

Abstract: Variations of interdigitated backside contact (IBC) solar cells having patterned areas formed using nano imprint lithography are described.

Abstract: Control of lateral strain and lateral strain ratio (dt/db) between template and substrate through the selection of template and/or substrate thicknesses (Tt and/or Tb), control of template and/or substrate back pressure (Pt and/or Pb), and/or selection of material stiffness are described.

Abstract: A polymerizable composition includes an organic modified silicate selected from the group consisting of silsesquioxanes having the composition RSiO1.5, partially condensed alkoxysilanes, organically modified silicates having the composition RSiO3 and R2SiO2, and partially condensed orthosilicates having the composition SiOR4, where R is an organic substituent; a decomposable organic compound; a photoinitiator; and a release agent. The composition polymerizes upon exposure to UV radiation to form an inorganic silica network, and the decomposable organic compound decomposes upon exposure to heat to form pores in the inorganic silica network. The composition may be used to form a patterned dielectric layer in an integrated circuit device. A metallic film may be disposed on the patterned dielectric layer and then planarized.

Abstract: A method/process for curing imprint on a template prior to contact with a substrate. A curing process is used to adhere the imprint to a wafer or substrate. Monomer is deposited on a template and then partially cured using a UV exposure. The exposure is controlled so that the imprint is cured past the gel point, but still retains a thin liquid layer of uncured monomer at the surface that will bond with the wafer. Further, this partially cured layer enables the alignment adjustments between the template and the substrate to be performed after contact between the two without pulling any monomer out of the features.

Abstract: Improved preferential adhesion and release characteristics are described with respect to a substrate and a mold having imprinting material disposed therebetween, in the absence of an a priori release layer on the mold. The imprinting material is a polymerizable material including a fluorinated surfactant and a photoinitiator. The surfactant includes —CH2CH2CH2O—, —CH(CH3)CH2O—, —OCH(CH3)CH2—, —CH(CH3)CH(CH3)O—, or a combination thereof.

Abstract: An ultra-compliant nanoimprint lithography template having a backing layer and a nanopatterned layer adhered to the backing layer. The nanopatterned layer includes nanoscale features formed by solidifying a polymerizable material in contact with a mold. The polymerizable material includes a fluoroelastomer and a photoinitiator. The backing layer has a higher elastic modulus than the nanopatterned layer. The ultra-compliant nanoimprint lithography template can be used to form multiple high fidelity imprints.

Abstract: A lithography method for forming nanoparticles includes patterning sacrificial material on a multilayer substrate. In some cases, the pattern is transferred to or into a removable layer of the multilayer substrate, and functional material is disposed on the removable layer of the multilayer substrate and solidified. At least a portion of the functional material is then removed to expose protrusions of the removable layer, and pillars of the functional material are released from the removable layer to yield nanoparticles. In other cases, the multilayer substrate includes the functional material, and the pattern is transferred to or into a removable layer of the multilayer substrate. The sacrificial layer is removed, and pillars of the functional material are released from the removable layer to yield nanoparticles.

Abstract: A micro-conformal nanoimprint lithography template includes a backing layer and a nanopatterned layer adhered to the backing layer. The elastic modulus of the backing layer exceeds the elastic modulus of the nanopatterned layer. The micro-conformal nanoimprint lithography template can be used to form a patterned layer from an imprint resist on a substrate, the substrate having a micron-scale defect, such that an excluded distance from an exterior surface of the micron-scale defect to the patterned layer formed by the nanoimprint lithography template is less than a height of the defect. The nanoimprint lithography template can be used to form multiple imprints with no reduction in feature fidelity.

Abstract: Polymerized material on a substrate may be removed by exposure to vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) radiation from an energy source within a gaseous atmosphere of a controlled composition. Following such removal, additional etching techniques are also described for nano-imprinting.

Abstract: Fabricating a solar cell stack includes forming a nanopatterned polymeric layer on a first surface of a silicon wafer and etching the first surface of the silicon wafer to transfer a pattern of the nanopatterned polymeric layer to the first surface of the silicon wafer. A layer of reflective electrode material is formed on a second surface of the silicon wafer. The nanopatterned first surface of the silicon wafer undergoes a buffered oxide etching. After the buffered oxide etching, the nanopatterned first surface of the silicon wafer is treated to decrease a contact angle of water on the nanopatterned first surface. Electron donor material is deposited on the nanopatterned first surface of the silicon wafer to form an electron donor layer, and a transparent electrode material is deposited on the electron donor layer to form a transparent electrode layer on the electron donor layer.

Abstract: Forming an adhesive layer on a nanoimprint lithography template or a double-sided disk. Forming the adhesive layer on the double-sided disk includes immersing the double-sided disk in a liquid adhesive composition and removing the double-sided disk from the adhesive composition. The outer layer of the double-sided disk is a carbon overcoating or an intermediate layer. The adhesive composition is dried to form a first adhesion layer adhered directly to the carbon overcoating or intermediate layer on a first side of the disk and a second adhesion layer adhered directly to the carbon overcoating or intermediate layer on a second side of the disk. Forming the adhesive layer on the nanoimprint lithography template includes applying an adhesive material to the template, allowing the template to remain motionless, and rinsing a portion of the adhesive material from the template with a solvent, and drying the template.

Abstract: The present invention includes a composition for a silicon-containing material used as an etch mask for underlying layers. More specifically, the silicon-containing material may be used as an etch mask for a patterned imprinted layer comprising protrusions and recessions. To that end, in one embodiment of the present invention, the composition includes a hydroxyl-functional silicone component, a cross-linking component, a catalyst component, and a solvent. This composition allows the silicon-containing material to selectively etch the protrusions and the segments of the patterned imprinting layer in superimposition therewith, while minimizing the etching of the segments in superposition with the recessions, and therefore allowing an in-situ hardened mask to be created by the silicon-containing material, with the hardened mask and the patterned imprinting layer forming a substantially planarized profile.

Abstract: The present invention includes a method and a composition to form a layer on a substrate having uniform etch characteristics. To that end, the method includes controlling variations in the characteristics of a solid layer, such etch characteristics over the area of the solid layer as a function of the relative rates of evaporation of the liquid components that comprise the composition from which the solid layer is formed.