Abstract: The present invention provides a method adhering a layer to a substrate that features defining first and second interfaces by having a composition present between the layer and the substrate that forms covalent bonds to the layer and adheres to the substrate employing one or more of covalent bonds, ionic bonds and Van der Waals forces. In this manner, the strength of the adhering force of the layer to the composition is assured to be stronger than the adhering force of the layer to the composition formed from a predetermined adhering mechanism, i.e., an adhering mechanism that does not include covalent bonding.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a composition of adhering together first and second materials. The composition features a multi-functional reactive compound that includes a backbone group and first and second functional groups; a cross-linker, and a catalyst. The first functional group is responsive to a first actinic energy to form cross-linked molecules and to adhere a subset of the cross-linked molecules to the first material. The second functional group is responsive to a second actinic energy, differing from the first actinic energy to adhere to the second material.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method to reduce adhesion between a conformable region on a substrate and a pattern of a mold, which selectively comes into contact with the conformable region. The method features forming a conformable material on the substrate and contacting the conformable material with the surface. A conditioned layer is formed from the conformable material. The conditioned layer has first and second sub-portions, with the first sub-portion being solidified and the second sub-portion having a first affinity for the surface and a second affinity for the first sub-portion. The first affinity is greater than the second affinity. In this fashion, upon separation of the mold from the conditioned layer, a subset of the second sub-portion maintains contact with the mold, thereby reducing the probability that a pattern formed in the conditioned layer becomes compromised.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method that features improved wetting characteristics while allowing preferential adhesion and release characteristics with respect to a substrate and a mold having imprinting material disposed therebetween. The method includes coating a surface of the mold with a volume of surfactant containing solution. The surfactant in the solution includes a hydrophobic component consisting essentially of a plurality of fluorine-containing molecules. The distribution of the plurality of the fluorine atoms in the fluorine-containing molecules, as well as the fluorine-containing molecules throughout the volume provides a desired contact angle with respect to a polymerizable composition disposed on the substrate. The contact angle is in a range of 50° or less.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method of controlling a quantity of liquid from extruding from a volumetric gap defined between a mold included in the substrate and a region of the substrate in superimposition therewith that features varying the capillary forces between the liquid and one of the template and the substrate. To that end, the method includes generating capillary forces between the liquid and one of the template and the substrate; and varying a magnitude of the forces to create a gradient of forces.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method to improve a flow rate of imprinting material, said method including, inter alia, propagating radiation through said imprinting material to impinge upon an absorption layer; absorbing said radiation by said absorption layer to collect thermal energy with said absorption layer, defining collected thermal energy; and transferring said collected thermal energy to said imprinting material through thermal conduction to increase a temperature of said imprinting material

Abstract: The present invention provides compositions that feature improved preferential adhesion and release characteristics with respect to a substrate and a mold having imprinting material disposed therebetween. To that end, the compositions facilitate bifurcation of the imprinting into a surfactant-component-rich sub-portion and a surfactant-component-depleted sub-portion located between said surfactant-component-rich sub-portion and said substrate. This surfactant-component-rich sub-portion attenuates the adhesion forces between the mold and the imprinting material, once solidified.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method that features improved preferential adhesion and release characteristics with respect to a substrate and a mold having imprinting material disposed therebetween. To that end, the method includes locating the imprinting material between the mold and the substrate so as to be bifurcated into a surfactant-component-rich sub-portion and a surfactant-component-depleted sub-portion located between said surfactant-component-rich sub-portion and said substrate. This surfactant-component-rich sub-portion attenuates the adhesion forces between mold and the imprinting material, once solidified.

Abstract: In a substantially planar circuit, the conductors are separated by an inorganic material with a dielectric constant of less than about 3.0. The dielectric layers are formed in a process that includes defining trenches and/or vias for the conductors by imprinting an initially planar layer of a radiation curable composition. The imprinting die is preferably UV transparent such that the composition is UV cured while the imprint die is in place. The curable composition includes an organic modified silicate compound and a second decomposable organic component, the latter forming nanometer scale pores as the organic compounds are subsequently decomposed to provide a polysilicate matrix. The pores reduce the effective dielectric constant from that of otherwise dense silicon dioxide.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of planarizing a substrate with a template spaced-apart from the substrate having a liquid disposed therebetween, the method including: contacting the liquid with the template forming a first shape therein; and impinging radiation upon the liquid causing a reduction in volume of the liquid, with the first shape compensating for the reduction in volume such that upon impinging the actinic radiation upon the liquid, the liquid forms a contoured layer having a substantially planar shape.

Abstract: The present invention includes a method of solidifying a polymerizable liquid to form a film on a substrate that features minimizing inhibition of the polymerization process by oxygen contained in the atmosphere surrounding the polymerizable liquid. To that end, the polymerizable liquid includes, inter alia, an initiator that consumes oxygen that interacts with the polymerizable liquid and generates additional free radicals to facilitate the polymerization process.

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.

Abstract: The present invention includes a composition to form a layer on a substrate having uniform etch characteristics. To that end, the composition has a plurality of components, a subset of which has substantially similar rates of evaporation for an interval of time.

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 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: One embodiment of the present invention relates to an imprinting material for imprint lithography that includes the surfactant 3M™ Novec™ Fluorosurfactant FC-4432, and another embodiment of the present invention relates to a method for imprint lithography that uses the imprinting material.

Abstract: The present invention is a method of increasing the flow rate of an imprinting layer disposed between a source of radiation and a target to facilitate pattern formation. Infrared radiation is directed toward the target with the imprinting layer substantially transparent to infrared radiation. The target substantially absorbs the infrared radiation to create a thermal energy in the same, and the thermal energy is subsequently transferred to the liquid, causing a temperature rise of the liquid, and thus improving a flow rate of the imprinting layer and reducing the time required to fill the features defined on a mold.

Abstract: The present invention is a system that selectively directs radiation of multiple wavelengths at a substrate to facilitate pattern formation. The system may include a wavelength discriminator to filter the radiation and an absorption layer to develop a localized heat source. The localized heat source may be employed to raise a temperature of an imprinting layer. This improves the flow rate and the fill factor of the material disposed within the imprinting layer, thus reducing the time required to fill the features defined on a mold.

Abstract: A signalling switch for use in information protocol telephony is provided, which can initiate, sustain, and terminate a plurality of discrete voice and data calls simultaneously. A plurality of cards are mounted on a computer bus, where the first card is a single board computer whose function is to act as the operations and maintenance control card for the switch. A non-system card functions as a message transport controller card; and there is at least one further non-system card which functions as a master application controller card. Local bus communication among the non-system cards is provided by a local bus found on the message transport controller card. Telephone routing information protocol software is resident in the switch, and the switch communicates externally via Ethernet interfaces.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention is a method for generating patterned features on a substrate that includes: (a) forming a first layer on at least a portion of a surface of the substrate, the first layer comprising at least one layer of a first material, which one layer abuts the surface of the substrate; (b) forming a second layer of a second material on at least a portion of the first layer, which second layer is imprinted with the patterned features; (c) removing at least portions of the second layer to extend the patterned features to the first layer; and (d) removing at least portions of the first layer to extend the patterned features to the substrate; wherein the first layer and the second layer may be exposed to an etching process that undercuts the patterned features, and the first material may be lifted-off.