Abstract: A molding composition and a method of forming a pattern. The method includes forming on a substrate a molding layer of a molding composition of aromatic divinyl ethers; pressing the template into the molding layer, the template having a relief pattern, the molding layer filling voids in the relief pattern, the template not contacting the substrate; exposing the molding layer to actinic radiation, the actinic radiation converting the molding layer to a cured molding layer having thick and thin regions corresponding to the relief pattern; removing the template; filling the thin regions of the relief pattern with a backfill material; removing regions of the molding layer not protected by the backfill material to expose regions of the substrate; forming trenches in the exposed regions of the substrate; and removing any remaining molding layer and backfill material. A transfer layer may be used between the molding layer and the substrate.

Abstract: A stable viscosity coating composition, a method of forming the stable viscosity coating composition and a method for using the stable viscosity coating composition in a micro-molding imprint lithographic process, such as Step and Flash Imprint Lithography is disclosed. The stable viscosity coating composition may include at least one vinyl ether having at least one vinyl ether group (—OCR?CR2), and a stabilizer, wherein the stabilizer may be 9-anthracenemethanol, a substituted 9-anthracenemethanol, phenothiazine, or a substituted phenothiazine. The coating composition may include a radiation sensitive photoacid generator (PAG). The method of forming the coating composition comprises combining at least one vinyl ether having at least one vinyl ether group (—OCR?CR2), and at least one stabilizer.

Abstract: A molding composition and a method of forming a pattern. The method includes forming on a substrate a molding layer of a molding composition of aromatic divinyl ethers; pressing the template into the molding layer, the template having a relief pattern, the molding layer filling voids in the relief pattern, the template not contacting the substrate; exposing the molding layer to actinic radiation, the actinic radiation converting the molding layer to a cured molding layer having thick and thin regions corresponding to the relief pattern; removing the template; filling the thin regions of the relief pattern with a backfill material; removing regions of the molding layer not protected by the backfill material to expose regions of the substrate; forming trenches in the exposed regions of the substrate; and removing any remaining molding layer and backfill material. A transfer layer may be used between the molding layer and the substrate.

Abstract: A molding composition and a method of forming an pattern. The method includes forming on a substrate a molding layer of a molding composition of aromatic divinyl ethers; pressing the template into the molding layer, the template having a relief pattern, the molding layer filling voids in the relief pattern, the template not contacting the substrate; exposing the molding layer to actinic radiation, the actinic radiation converting the molding layer to a cured molding layer having thick and thin regions corresponding to the relief pattern; removing the template; filling the thin regions of the relief pattern with a backfill material; removing regions of the molding layer not protected by the backfill material to expose regions of the substrate; forming trenches in the exposed regions of the substrate; and removing any remaining molding layer and backfill material. A transfer layer may be used between the molding layer and the substrate.

Abstract: A method of forming an image. The method includes: a transfer layer on a substrate; forming on the transfer layer, an etch barrier layer; pressing a template having a relief pattern into the etch barrier layer; exposing the etch barrier layer to actinic radiation forming a cured etch barrier layer having thick and thin regions corresponding to the relief pattern; removing the template; removing the thin regions of the cured etch barrier layer; removing regions of the transfer layer not protected by the etch barrier layer; removing regions of the substrate not protected by the transfer layer and any remaining etch barrier layer; and removing remaining transfer layer. The transfer layer may be removed using a solvent, the etch barrier layer may include a release agent and an adhesion layer may be formed between the transfer layer and the etch barrier layer. A reverse tone process is also described.

Abstract: A memory device utilizes a phase change material as the storage medium. The phase change material includes at least one of Ge, Sb, Te, Se, As, and S, as well as a nitride compound as a dopant. The memory device can be a solid-state memory cell with electrodes in electrical communication with the phase change medium, an optical phase change storage device in which data is read and written optically, or a storage device based on the principle of scanning probe microscopy.

Abstract: A memory device utilizes a phase change material as the storage medium. The phase change material includes at least one of Ge, Sb, Te, Se, As, and S, as well as a nitride compound as a dopant. The memory device can be a solid-state memory cell with electrodes in electrical communication with the phase change medium, an optical phase change storage device in which data is read and written optically, or a storage device based on the principle of scanning probe microscopy.

Abstract: A stable viscosity coating composition, a method of forming the stable viscosity coating composition and a method for using the stable viscosity coating composition in a micro-molding imprint lithographic process, such as Step and Flash Imprint Lithography is disclosed. The stable viscosity coating composition may include at least one vinyl ether having at least one vinyl ether group (—OCR?CR2), and a stabilizer, wherein the stabilizer may be 9-anthracenemethanol, a substituted 9-anthracenemethanol, phenothiazine, or a substituted phenothiazine. The coating composition may include a radiation sensitive photoacid generator (PAG). The method of forming the coating composition comprises combining at least one vinyl ether having at least one vinyl ether group (—OCR?CR2), and at least one stabilizer.

Abstract: A memory device utilizes a phase change material as the storage medium. The phase change material includes at least one of Ge, Sb, Te, Se, As, and S, as well as a nitride compound as a dopant. The memory device can be a solid-state memory cell with electrodes in electrical communication with the phase change medium, an optical phase change storage device in which data is read and written optically, or a storage device based on the principle of scanning probe microscopy.

Abstract: A stable viscosity coating composition, a method of forming the stable viscosity coating composition and a method for using the stable viscosity coating composition in a micro-molding imprint lithographic process, such as Step and Flash Imprint Lithography is disclosed. The stable viscosity coating composition may include at least one vinyl ether having at least one vinyl ether group (—OCR?CR2), and a stabilizer, wherein the stabilizer may be 9-anthracenemethanol, a substituted 9-anthracenemethanol, phenothiazine, or a substituted phenothiazine. The coating composition may include a radiation sensitive photoacid generator (PAG). The method of forming the coating composition comprises combining at least one vinyl ether having at least one vinyl ether group (—OCR?CR2), and at least one stabilizer.

Abstract: A method of forming an image. The method includes: a transfer layer on a substrate; forming on the transfer layer, an etch barrier layer; pressing a template having a relief pattern into the etch barrier layer; exposing the etch barrier layer to actinic radiation forming a cured etch barrier layer having thick and thin regions corresponding to the relief pattern; removing the template; removing the thin regions of the cured etch barrier layer; removing regions of the transfer layer not protected by the etch barrier layer; removing regions of the substrate not protected by the transfer layer and any remaining etch barrier layer; and removing remaining transfer layer. The transfer layer may be removed using a solvent, the etch barrier layer may include a release agent and an adhesion layer may be formed between the transfer layer and the etch barrier layer. A reverse tone process is also described.

Abstract: A molding composition and a method of forming an pattern. The method includes forming on a substrate a molding layer of a molding composition of aromatic divinyl ethers; pressing the template into the molding layer, the template having a relief pattern, the molding layer filling voids in the relief pattern, the template not contacting the substrate; exposing the molding layer to actinic radiation, the actinic radiation converting the molding layer to a cured molding layer having thick and thin regions corresponding to the relief pattern; removing the template; filling the thin regions of the relief pattern with a backfill material; removing regions of the molding layer not protected by the backfill material to expose regions of the substrate; forming trenches in the exposed regions of the substrate; and removing any remaining molding layer and backfill material. A transfer layer may be used between the molding layer and the substrate.

Abstract: A method of forming an image. The method includes: a transfer layer on a substrate; forming on the transfer layer, an etch barrier layer; pressing a template having a relief pattern into the etch barrier layer; exposing the etch barrier layer to actinic radiation forming a cured etch barrier layer having thick and thin regions corresponding to the relief pattern; removing the template; removing the thin regions of the cured etch barrier layer; removing regions of the transfer layer not protected by the etch barrier layer; removing regions of the substrate not protected by the transfer layer and any remaining etch barrier layer; and removing remaining transfer layer. The transfer layer may be removed using a solvent, the etch barrier layer may include a release agent and an adhesion layer may be formed between the transfer layer and the etch barrier layer. A reverse tone process is also described.

Abstract: A memory device utilizes a phase change material as the storage medium. The phase change material includes at least one of Ge, Sb, Te, Se, As, and S, as well as a nitride compound as a dopant. The memory device can be a solid-state memory cell with electrodes in electrical communication with the phase change medium, an optical phase change storage device in which data is read and written optically, or a storage device based on the principle of scanning probe microscopy.

Abstract: A molding composition and a method of forming an pattern. The method includes forming on a substrate a molding layer of a molding composition of aromatic divinyl ethers; pressing the template into the molding layer, the template having a relief pattern, the molding layer filling voids in the relief pattern, the template not contacting the substrate; exposing the molding layer to actinic radiation, the actinic radiation converting the molding layer to a cured molding layer having thick and thin regions corresponding to the relief pattern; removing the template; filling the thin regions of the relief pattern with a backfill material; removing regions of the molding layer not protected by the backfill material to expose regions of the substrate; forming trenches in the exposed regions of the substrate; and removing any remaining molding layer and backfill material. A transfer layer may be used between the molding layer and the substrate.

Abstract: An optical apparatus used for the efficient characterization of photoresist material includes at least one grating interferometer having at least two gratings that together define an optical recombination plane. An optical stop blocks any zeroth order beam from propagating through the apparatus. A reticle positioned at the recombination plane has at least one fiducial marking therein. A lithographic imaging optical tool is positioned so that its input optical plane is substantially coincident with the optical recombination plane and its output imaging plane is substantially coincident with photoresist on a wafer. The apparatus writes in the photoresist latent, sinusoidal grating patterns, preferably of different spatial frequencies, as well as at least one fiducial mark whose pattern is determined by the marking in the reticle. After the photoresist is developed, its intrinsic spatial resolution may be determined by automated means.

Abstract: An optical apparatus used for the efficient characterization of photoresist material includes at least one grating interferometer having at least two gratings that together define an optical recombination plane. An optical stop blocks any zeroth order beam from propagating through the apparatus. A reticle positioned at the recombination plane has at least one fiducial marking therein. A lithographic imaging optical tool is positioned so that its input optical plane is substantially coincident with the optical recombination plane and its output imaging plane is substantially coincident with photoresist on a wafer. The apparatus writes in the photoresist latent, sinusoidal grating patterns, preferably of different spatial frequencies, as well as at least one fiducial mark whose pattern is determined by the marking in the reticle. After the photoresist is developed, its intrinsic spatial resolution may be determined by automated means.

Abstract: A magnetic structure, such as a magnetoresistive sensor, having a continuous multi-region magnetic layer in which the magnetic and electrical characteristics of each region is locally defined. In the preferred embodiment, the continuous multi-region magnetic layer has high coercivity end regions separated by a low coercivity central region.

Abstract: A stochastic simulation method and system are provided. The invention eliminates the need for the use of subroutine calls in a user-written simulation program, and of option flags to direct execution via decision trees, by allowing the user to configure the simulator through choices of options at run-time. The options are presented via a user interface as radio buttons or checkboxes which the user activates. The simulator sets itself up to incorporate only those options. The programmer (that is, the author of software according to the invention) only makes the objects available and ensures that they work together. It is the user who actually configures the simulator. The invention provides a highly extendable structure. By use of inheritance and dynamic allocation of memory, and by design of self-contained objects to represent various components of the simulation system, a simulation program according to the invention incorporates new features and options with a minimum of new code.

Abstract: A system and method for simulating a mechanistic kinetic process, such as a chemical process including one or more chemical reactions, over a predetermined time period, subject to a programmed temperature variation, is provided. The simulation proceeds stochastically, by taking discrete time steps through the time period. The time steps vary in size, based on instantaneous reaction rate values for the reactions taking place. Reaction rates can vary by many orders of magnitude, and sometimes a stochastically calcualated time step will be so great that it might skip over a later increase in chemical activity. To avoid loss of accuracy and control of the simulation due to such excessively large time steps, when the stochastically determined time step exceeds a threshold, one or more smaller, deterministic time steps are made. The deterministic time steps "inch" forward in time, until an increase in chemical activity is detected. Then, stochastic time steps are resumed.