Abstract: A superstrate can include a body having a surface; a buffer layer overlying the surface; and a protective layer overlying the buffer layer, wherein the protective layer has a surface roughness that is equal to or less than a surface roughness of the surface of the body. The protective layer can include a material that can be selectively removed with respect to the buffer layer, and the buffer layer can include a material that can be selectively removed with respect to the body of the superstrate. The superstrate can be used for more planarization or other processing sequences before the body needs to be replaced, as any defects that may form extend into the protective layer or buffer layer and not reach the body. The layers can be removed and replaced by corresponding new layers without significantly adversely affecting the body.

Abstract: An imprinting system and method. An illumination system for imprinting, during a first period of time, that illuminates a first portion of boundary region that surrounds a pattern region with a thickening dosage of light that is within a first dose range, such that the fluid in the first portion of the boundary region does not solidify but does increase a viscosity of the fluid. The illumination system, during a second period of time, illuminates the pattern region with a curing dosage of light that is within a second dose range higher than the first dose range. Prior to illumination, the imprinting includes dispensing droplets and holding a template with a template chuck such that the template contact the droplets and the droplets merge and form a fluid front that spreads through the pattern region and towards the boundary region.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for planarization of a substrate. Material is dispensed onto the substrate that varies depending upon the substrate topography variation. A superstrate is brought into contact with the material, the material takes on a shape of the superstrate. The material is solidified. The superstrate is lifted away from the solidified material. Material has a first shrinkage coefficient. Second material is dispensed onto the solidified material with an average thickness. The average thickness is greater than a second material thickness threshold that is dependent upon step height of the substrate and the first shrinkage coefficient. The second material is then solidified.

Abstract: A superstrate can include a body having a surface; a buffer layer overlying the surface; and a protective layer overlying the buffer layer, wherein the protective layer has a surface roughness that is equal to or less than a surface roughness of the surface of the body. The protective layer can include a material that can be selectively removed with respect to the buffer layer, and the buffer layer can include a material that can be selectively removed with respect to the body of the superstrate. The superstrate can be used for more planarization or other processing sequences before the body needs to be replaced, as defects may form extend into the protective layer or buffer layer and not reach the body. The layers can be removed and replaced by corresponding new layers without significantly adversely affecting the body.

Abstract: An imprinting system and method. An illumination system for imprinting, during a first period of time, that illuminates a first portion of boundary region that surrounds a pattern region with a thickening dosage of light that is within a first dose range, such that the fluid in the first portion of the boundary region does not solidify but does increase a viscosity of the fluid. The illumination system, during a second period of time, illuminates the pattern region with a curing dosage of light that is within a second dose range higher than the first dose range. Prior to illumination, the imprinting includes dispensing droplets and holding a template with a template chuck such that the template contact the droplets and the droplets merge and form a fluid front that spreads through the pattern region and towards the boundary region.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for planarization of a substrate. Material is dispensed onto the substrate that varies depending upon the substrate topography variation. A superstrate is brought into contact with the material, the material takes on a shape of the superstrate. The material is solidified. The superstrate is lifted away from the solidified material. Material has a first shrinkage coefficient. Second material is dispensed onto the solidified material with an average thickness. The average thickness is greater than a second material thickness threshold that is dependent upon step height of the substrate and the first shrinkage coefficient. The second material is then solidified.

Abstract: A method used to create small pattern features over existing topography variations. The method includes providing a substrate having a surface having non-planar surface variations; forming a multi-stack layer over the substrate, by applying a first carbon layer over the substrate, with the resultant first carbon layer having non-planar surface variations corresponding to the non-planar surface variations of the underlying substrate, followed by applying a second planarizing layer over the first carbon layer; depositing a hard mask on the multi-stack layer; forming a patterned layer on the hard mask, the formed patterned layers having features; and performing one or more etch steps to etch the formed patterned layer features into the multi-layer stack. The multi-layer stack has a composite effective mechanical stiffness (Eeff) sufficient to maintain the one or more etched features with minimal feature collapse.

Abstract: A method used to create small pattern features over existing topography variations. The method includes providing a substrate having a surface having non-planar surface variations; forming a multi-stack layer over the substrate, by applying a first carbon layer over the substrate, with the resultant first carbon layer having non-planar surface variations corresponding to the non-planar surface variations of the underlying substrate, followed by applying a second planarizing layer over the first carbon layer; depositing a hard mask on the multi-stack layer; forming a patterned layer on the hard mask, the formed patterned layers having features; and performing one or more etch steps to etch the formed patterned layer features into the multi-layer stack. The multi-layer stack has a composite effective mechanical stiffness (Eeff) sufficient to maintain the one or more etched features with minimal feature collapse.

Abstract: Described are methods of forming large area templates useful for patterning large area optical devices including e.g. wire grid polarizers (WGPs). Such methods provide for seamless patterning of such large area devices.

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: Systems, methods, and processes for forming imprint lithography templates from a multi-layer substrate are described. The multi-layer substrate may include a block copolymer layer positioned on a substrate layer. The block copolymer layer may include two or more domains. At least one domain may have a different composition sensitivity than another domain such that the domains have different reactions to a specific process. Reaction of the domains to the specific process may provide a pattern in the block copolymer layer. The pattern may be transferred into the substrate layer to form the imprint lithography template.

Abstract: A nanoimprint lithography template including, inter alia, a body having first and second opposed sides with a first surface disposed on the first side, the second side having a recess disposed therein, the body having first and second regions with the second region surrounding the first region and the recess in superimposition with the first region, with a portion of the first surface in superimposition with the first region being spaced-apart from the second side a first distance and a portion of the first surface in superimposition with the second region being spaced-apart from the second side a second distance, with the second distance being greater than the first distance; and a mold disposed on the first side of the body in superimposition a portion of the first region.

Abstract: Methods for forming an imprint lithography template are provided. Materials for forming the imprint lithography template may be etched at different rates based on physical properties of the layers. Additionally, reflectance of the materials may be monitored to provide substantially uniform erosion of the materials.

Abstract: Imprint lithography system may provide for an energy source for solidification of material positioned between a template and a substrate. Additionally, the energy source and/or an additional energy source may be used to clean contaminants from the template and/or the substrate.

Abstract: Methods for forming an imprint lithography template are provided. Materials for forming the imprint lithography template may be etched at different rates based on physical properties of the layers. Additionally, reflectance of the materials may be monitored to provide substantially uniform erosion of the materials.

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: An enhanced process forming a material pattern on a substrate deposits the material anisotropically on resist material patterned to correspond to an image of the material pattern. The material is etched isotropically to remove a thickness of the material on sidewalls of the resist pattern while leaving the material on a top surface of the resist pattern and portions of the surface of the substrate. The resist pattern is removed by dissolution thereby lifting-off the material on the top surface of the resist pattern while leaving the material on the substrate surface as the material pattern. Alternately, a first material layer is deposited on the resist pattern and a second material layer is deposited and planarized. The second material layer is etched exposing the first material while leaving the second material in features of the resist pattern. The first material and the resist are removed leaving the first material pattern.

Abstract: A nanoimprint lithography template including, inter alia, a body having first and second opposed sides with a first surface disposed on the first side, the second side having a recess disposed therein, the body having first and second regions with the second region surrounding the first region and the recess in superimposition with the first region, with a portion of the first surface in superimposition with the first region being spaced-apart from the second side a first distance and a portion of the first surface in superimposition with the second region being spaced-apart from the second side a second distance, with the second distance being greater than the first distance; and a mold disposed on the first side of the body in superimposition a portion of the first region.

Abstract: A method of forming a lithographic template, the method including, inter alia, creating a multi-layered structure, by forming, on a body, a conducting layer, and forming on the conducting layer, a patterned layer having protrusions and recessions, the recessions exposing portions of the conducting layer; depositing a hard mask material anisotropically on the multi-layered structure covering a top surface of the patterned layer and the portions of the conducting layer; removing the patterned layer by a lift-off process, with the hard mask material remaining on the portions of the conducting layer; positioning a resist pattern on the multi-layered structure to define a region of the multi-layered structure; and selectively removing portions of the multi-layered structure in superimposition with the region using the hard mask material as an etching mask.

Abstract: A nanoimprint lithography template including, inter alia, a body having first and second opposed sides with a first surface disposed on the first side, the second side having a recess disposed therein, the body having first and second regions with the second region surrounding the first region and the recess in superimposition with the first region, with a portion of the first surface in superimposition with the first region being spaced-apart from the second side a first distance and a portion of the first surface in superimposition with the second region being spaced-apart from the second side a second distance, with the second distance being greater than the first distance; and a mold disposed on the first side of the body in superimposition a portion of the first region.