Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method of forming a layer on a region of a substrate, the method including, inter alia, positioning a liquid on the substrate; and contacting the liquid with the mold, defining a gap between the mold and the substrate, with the gap enabling positioning of the liquid by capillary forces to generate the layer over the region.

Abstract: Described are imprint lithography templates, methods of forming and using the templates, and a template holder device. An imprint lithography template may include a body with a plurality of recesses on a surface of the body. The body may be of a material that is substantially transparent to activating light. At least a portion of the plurality of recesses may define features having a feature size less than about 250 nm. A template may be formed by obtaining a material that is substantially transparent to activating light and forming a plurality or recesses on a surface of the template. In some embodiments, a template may further include at least one alignment mark. In some embodiments, a template may further include a gap sensing area. An imprint lithography template may be used to form an imprinted layer in a light curable liquid disposed on a substrate. During use, the template may be disposed within a template holder.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for patterning a substrate with a template having a mold that features positioning conformable material between the substrate and the mold and filling a volume defined between the mold and the substrate with the conformable material through capillary action between the conformable material and one of the mold and the substrate. Thereafter, the conformable material is solidified. Specifically, the distance between the mold and the substrate is controlled to a sufficient degree to attenuate, if not avoid, compressive forces between the mold and the substrate. As a result, upon initial contact of the mold with the conformable material, spontaneous capillary filling of the volume between the mold and the substrate occurs.

Abstract: The present invention includes a conforming template for patterning liquids disposed on substrates. The template includes a body having opposed first and second surfaces. The first surface includes a plurality of recessed regions with a patterning region being disposed between adjacent recessed regions. Specifically, the recessed regions define flexure regions about which each patterning region may move independent of the remaining patterning regions of the template. In one embodiment the template is mounted to a fluid chamber having an inlet and a throughway. The template is connected to the throughway and the inlet is connected to a fluid source to facilitate deformation of the template to conform to a profile of a surface adjacent thereto.

Abstract: An apparatus to control displacement of a body spaced-apart from a surface includes a flexure system having a first flexure member defining a first axis of rotation and a second flexure member defining a second axis of rotation. A body is coupled to the flexure system to move about a plurality of axes. An actuation system is coupled to the flexure system to selectively constrain movement of the body along a subset of the plurality of axes.

Abstract: The present invention is directed towards a method and a system 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 towards a method and a system of patterning first and second opposed sides of a substrate. The method and system may employ a mold assembly and obtaining a desired spatial relationship between the first and second opposed sides of the substrate and the mold assembly. In a further embodiment, the method and system may employ a first and a second mold assembly.

Abstract: The present invention is directed towards a method of controlling an atmosphere about a substrate, the method including, inter alia, positioning a body a distance from a surface of the substrate, the body having a wall coupled thereto placed in a position to create a flow resistance of a fluid between first and second regions of the substrate; and altering the position of the wall such that when a magnitude of the distance between the body and the surface of the substrate is decreased, a probability of the wall contacting the substrate is minimized.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method to pattern a substrate which features creating a multi-layered structure by forming, on the substrate, a patterned layer having protrusions and recessions. Formed upon the patterned layer is a conformal layer, with the multi-layered structure having a crown surface facing away from the substrate. Portions of the multi-layered structure are removed to expose regions of the substrate in superimposition with the protrusions, while forming a hard mask in areas of the crown surface in superimposition with the recessions.

Abstract: The present invention is directed towards a method for patterning first and second substrates in a nanoimprint lithography system, the method including, inter alia, positioning the first substrate on a first substrate chuck; positioning a nanoimprint material on the first substrate; obtaining a spatial relationship between the first substrate and a nanoimprint mold assembly and imprinting a pattern in the nanoimprint material on the first substrate with the nanoimprint mold assembly while concurrently positioning the second substrate on a second substrate chuck; separating the nanoimprint mold assembly from the nanoimprint material on the first substrate; positioning a nanoimprint material on the second substrate; removing the first substrate from the first substrate chuck while concurrently obtaining a spatial relationship between the second substrate and the nanoimprint mold assembly and imprinting a pattern in the nanoimprint material on the second substrate with the nanoimprint mold assembly; and separati