Abstract: The present invention is directed towards a method of expelling a gas positioned between a substrate and a mold, the substrate and the mold further having a liquid positioned therebetween.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a chucking system to modulate substrates so as to properly shape and position the same with respect to a wafer upon which a pattern is to be formed with the substrate. The chucking system includes a chuck body having first and second opposed sides. A side surface extends therebetween. The first side includes first and second spaced-apart recesses defining first and second spaced-apart support regions. The first support region cinctures the second support region and the first and second recesses. The second support region cinctures the second recess, with a portion of the body in superimposition with the second recess being transparent to radiation having a predetermined wavelength. The second side and the side surface define exterior surfaces. The body includes throughways placing the first and second recesses in fluid communication with one of the exterior surfaces.

Abstract: The present invention is directed towards a method of separating a mold, included in a template, from a layer disposed on a substrate, the method including, inter alia, applying a separation force to the template to separate the template from the layer; and facilitating localized deformation in the substrate to reduce the separation force required to achieve separation.

Abstract: Described are systems for patterning a substrate by imprint lithography. Imprint lithography systems include an imprint head configured to hold a template in a spaced relation to a substrate. The imprint lithography system is configured to dispense an activating light curable liquid onto a substrate or template. The system includes a light source that applies activating light to cure the activating light curable liquid.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to methods for patterning a substrate by imprint lithography. Imprint lithography is a process in which a liquid is dispensed onto a substrate. A template is brought into contact with the liquid and the liquid is cured. The cured liquid includes an imprint of any patterns formed in the template. In one embodiment, the imprint process is designed to imprint only a portion of the substrate. The remainder of the substrate is imprinted by moving the template to a different portion of the template and repeating the imprint lithography process.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a template having a body including a surface with first and second regions. The first region has first wetting characteristics for a given material and the second region has second wetting characteristics for the given material. The first wetting characteristics differ from the second wetting characteristics. Specifically, the first region is formed from a surface treatment layer with a first surface energy to provide the first wetting characteristics. The second region is exposed portions of the body, typically quartz of fused silica, having a second surface energy associated therewith. The second surface energy is greater than the first surface energy to provide the second region with the second wetting characteristics.

Abstract: The present invention is directed toward a system to vary dimensions of a substrate, such as a template having a patterned mold. To that end, the system includes a substrate chuck adapted to position the substrate in a region; a pliant member; and an actuator sub-assembly elastically coupled to the substrate chuck through the pliant member. The actuator assembly includes a plurality of lever sub-assemblies, one of which includes a body lying in the region and spaced-apart from an opposing body associated with one of the remaining lever sub-assemblies of the plurality of lever sub-assemblies. One of the plurality of lever assemblies is adapted to vary a distance between the body and the opposing body. In this manner, compressive forces may be applied to the template to remove unwanted magnification or other distortions in the pattern on the mold. The pliant member is configured to attenuate a magnitude of resulting forces sensed by the substrate chuck generated in response to the compressive forces.

Abstract: The present invention is directed toward a system to vary dimensions of a substrate, such as a template having a patterned mold. To that end, the system includes a substrate chuck adapted to position the substrate in a region; a pliant member; and an actuator sub-assembly elastically coupled to the substrate chuck through the pliant member. The actuator assembly includes a plurality of lever sub-assemblies, one of which includes a body lying in the region and spaced-apart from an opposing body associated with one of the remaining lever sub-assemblies of the plurality of lever sub-assemblies. One of the plurality of lever assemblies is adapted to vary a distance between the body and the opposing body. In this manner, compressive forces may be applied to the template to remove unwanted magnification or other distortions in the pattern on the mold. The pliant member is configured to attenuate a magnitude of resulting Forces sensed by the substrate chuck generated in response to the compressive forces.

Abstract: The present invention is directed toward a method to vary dimensions of a substrate supported by a chuck. The method includes applying compressive forces to the substrate with the actuator assembly while facilitating movement of the actuator assembly with respect to the substrate to minimize reactive forces generated in response to the compressive forces being sensed by the chuck.

Abstract: The present invention is directed toward a system to vary dimensions of a substrate, such as a template having a patterned mold. To that end, the system includes a substrate chuck adapted to position the substrate in a region; a pliant member; and an actuator sub-assembly elastically coupled to the substrate chuck through the pliant member. The actuator assembly includes a plurality of lever sub-assemblies, one of which includes a body lying in the region and spaced-apart from an opposing body associated with one of the remaining lever sub-assemblies of the plurality of lever sub-assemblies. One of the plurality of lever assemblies is adapted to vary a distance between the body and the opposing body. In this manner, compressive forces may be applied to the template to remove unwanted magnification or other distortions in the pattern on the mold. The pliant member is configured to attenuate a magnitude of resulting forces sensed by the substrate chuck generated in response to the compressive forces.

Abstract: Disclosed is a template transfer assembly and method that features a template transfer substrate, and a template having first and second sides, with the first side facing away from the template transfer substrate and the second side facing the template transfer substrate and having mold pattern formed thereon. Polymerized imprint material is disposed between the second side and the template transfer substrate to fixedly attach the template to the template transfer substrate. The method of transferring an imprint lithography template includes dispensing a selected volume of imprinting fluid onto the template transfer substrate, placing the template upon the selected volume; and converting the imprinting fluid to solid imprint material. The selected volume of imprint material is of sufficient quantity to fixedly attach the template to the template transfer substrate while maintaining a space between the mold and the template transfer substrate.

Abstract: The present invention is directed toward a system to vary dimensions of a template in order to attenuate if not prevent distortions in an underlying pattern formed by the template. To that end, the system features a compression device that includes a pair of spaced-apart contact members to compress a perimeter surface of the template between the pair of spaced-apart contact members. The compression device includes first and second bodies, each has a contact member and an actuator arm. One of the actuator arms is coupled to the first body to reciprocate about an axis in response to variations of a volume of a bladder disposed adjacent to the actuator arm. In this manner, the distance between the two contact members may be varied.