Abstract: Systems and methods for improving robust layer separation during the separation process of an imprint lithography process are described. Included are methods of matching strains between a substrate to be imprinted and the template, varying or modifying the forces applied to the template and/or the substrate during separation, or varying or modifying the kinetics of the separation process.

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 systems for contacting a polymerizable material on a surface of a substrate with a patterning surface of a template; curing the polymerizable material in a working environment, comprising a first gas, the working environment proximate to the surface of the substrate; after introducing a second gas into the working environment, separating the patterning surface of the template and the surface of the substrate to achieve at least a particular distance between the patterning surface and the surface of the substrate; and after achieving the particular distance, introducing a third gas into the working environment, wherein, for a given pressure of the working environment, the second gas has a breakdown voltage less than that of the first gas up to the particular distance, and the third gas has a breakdown voltage less than that of the second gas at distances greater than the particular distance.

Abstract: A method of can be used to generating a fluid droplet pattern for an imprint lithography process. A fluid dispense head can include a set of fluid dispense ports, wherein the fluid dispense ports are in a fixed arrangement. The method can include rotating the set of the fluid dispense ports to a rotation angle to change a fluid droplet pitch in a first direction; moving a substrate and the set of the fluid dispense ports relative to each other in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction; and dispensing fluid droplets onto the substrate while moving the substrate and the set of the fluid dispense ports relative to each other. The method can be used in the formation of an electronic component within or over a semiconductor substrate. The apparatus can be configured to carry out the methods as described herein.

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: Control of lateral strain and lateral strain ratio (dt/db) between template and substrate through the selection of template and/or substrate thicknesses (Tt and/or Tb), control of template and/or substrate back pressure (Pt and/or Pb), and/or selection of material stiffness are described.

Abstract: Methods of reversing the tone of a pattern having non-uniformly sized features. The methods include depositing a highly conformal hard mask layer over the patterned layer with a non-planar protective coating and etch schemes for minimizing critical dimension variations.

Abstract: Apparatus, systems and methods that use alpha-ionizers to discharge electrostatic charge accumulated on the working surfaces of imprint lithography templates and/or substrates.

Abstract: Facilitating throughput in nanoimprint lithography processes by using an imprint resist including fluorinated components and a substrate treated with a pretreatment composition to promote spreading of an imprint resist on the substrate. The interfacial surface energy between the pretreatment composition and air exceeds the interfacial surface energy between the imprint resist and air by at least 1 mN/m, and the contact angle of the imprint resist on the surface of the nanoimprint lithography template is less than 15°.

Abstract: A nanoimprint lithography method to remove uncured pretreatment composition from an imprinted nanoimprint lithography substrate. The method includes disposing a pretreatment composition on a nanoimprint lithography substrate to form a pretreatment coating and disposing discrete portions of imprint resist on the pretreatment coating, each discrete portion of the imprint resist covering a target area of the nanoimprint lithography substrate. A composite polymerizable coating is formed on the nanoimprint lithography substrate as each discrete portion of the imprint resist spreads beyond its target area, and the composite polymerizable coating is contacted with a nanoimprint lithography template. The composite polymerizable coating is polymerized to yield a composite polymeric layer and an uncured portion of the pretreatment coating on the nanoimprint lithography substrate, and the uncured portion of the pretreatment coating is removed from the nanoimprint lithography substrate.

Abstract: A nanoimprint lithography method includes disposing a pretreatment composition on a substrate to form a pretreatment coating. The pretreatment composition includes a polymerizable component. Discrete imprint resist portions are disposed on the pretreatment coating, with each discrete portion of the imprint resist covering a target area of the substrate. A composite polymerizable coating is formed on the substrate as each discrete portion of the imprint resist spreads beyond its target area. The composite polymerizable coating includes a mixture of the pretreatment composition and the imprint resist. The composite polymerizable coating is contacted with a template, and is polymerized to yield a composite polymeric layer on the substrate. The interfacial surface energy between the pretreatment composition-and air exceeds the interfacial surface energy between the imprint resist and air or between at least a component of the imprint resist and air.

Abstract: A nanoimprint lithography method includes contacting a composite polymerizable coating formed from a pretreatment composition and an imprint resist with a nanoimprint lithography template defining recesses. The composite polymerizable coating is polymerized to yield a composite polymeric layer defining a pre-etch plurality of protrusions corresponding to the recesses of the nanoimprint lithography template. The nanoimprint lithography template is separated from the composite polymeric layer. At least one of the pre-etch plurality of protrusions corresponds to a boundary between two of the discrete portions of the imprint resist, and the pre-etch plurality of protrusions have a variation in pre-etch height of ±10% of a pre-etch average height. The pre-etch plurality of protrusions is etched to yield a post-etch plurality of protrusions having a variation in post-etch height of ±10% of a post-etch average height, and the pre-etch average height exceeds the post-etch average height.

Abstract: Methods and systems for contacting a polymerizable material on a surface of a substrate with a patterning surface of a template; curing the polymerizable material in a working environment, comprising a first gas, the working environment proximate to the surface of the substrate; after introducing a second gas into the working environment, separating the patterning surface of the template and the surface of the substrate to achieve at least a particular distance between the patterning surface and the surface of the substrate; and after achieving the particular distance, introducing a third gas into the working environment, wherein, for a given pressure of the working environment, the second gas has a breakdown voltage less than that of the first gas up to the particular distance, and the third gas has a breakdown voltage less than that of the second gas at distances greater than the particular distance.

Abstract: A method of can be used to generating a fluid droplet pattern for an imprint lithography process. A fluid dispense head can include a set of fluid dispense ports, wherein the fluid dispense ports are in a fixed arrangement. The method can include rotating the set of the fluid dispense ports to a rotation angle to change a fluid droplet pitch in a first direction; moving a substrate and the set of the fluid dispense ports relative to each other in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction; and dispensing fluid droplets onto the substrate while moving the substrate and the set of the fluid dispense ports relative to each other. The method can be used in the formation of an electronic component within or over a semiconductor substrate. The apparatus can be configured to carry out the methods as described herein.

Abstract: A substrate useful for imprint lithography having a location thereon defining an imprint field, the imprint field further defined by an interior region, a perimeter region surrounding the interior region, and a border, with the perimeter region further including fluid control features. A polymerizable material deposited on the substrate at the imprint field location is allowed to spread on the substrate, with the fluid control relief features redirecting the spreading of the polymerizable material so as to minimize spreading of the polymerizable material beyond the imprint field border as further imprint lithography techniques are then performed.

Abstract: A substrate useful for imprint lithography having a location thereon defining an imprint field, the imprint field further defined by an interior region, a perimeter region surrounding the interior region, and a border, with the perimeter region further including fluid control features. A polymerizable material deposited on the substrate at the imprint field location is allowed to spread on the substrate, with the fluid control relief features redirecting the spreading of the polymerizable material so as to minimize spreading of the polymerizable material beyond the imprint field border as further imprint lithography techniques are then performed.

Abstract: A nanoimprint lithography method to remove uncured pretreatment composition from an imprinted nanoimprint lithography substrate. The method includes disposing a pretreatment composition on a nanoimprint lithography substrate to form a pretreatment coating and disposing discrete portions of imprint resist on the pretreatment coating, each discrete portion of the imprint resist covering a target area of the nanoimprint lithography substrate. A composite polymerizable coating is formed on the nanoimprint lithography substrate as each discrete portion of the imprint resist spreads beyond its target area, and the composite polymerizable coating is contacted with a nanoimprint lithography template. The composite polymerizable coating is polymerized to yield a composite polymeric layer and an uncured portion of the pretreatment coating on the nanoimprint lithography substrate, and the uncured portion of the pretreatment coating is removed from the nanoimprint lithography substrate.

Abstract: Facilitating throughput in nanoimprint lithography processes by using an imprint resist including fluorinated components and a substrate treated with a pretreatment composition to promote spreading of an imprint resist on the substrate. The interfacial surface energy between the pretreatment composition and air exceeds the interfacial surface energy between the imprint resist and air by at least 1 mN/m, and the contact angle of the imprint resist on the surface of the nanoimprint lithography template is less than 15°.

Abstract: A pattern is formed on a substrate with forming a layer of a curable composition (A1) containing a polymerizable compound (a1) on a surface of the substrate, then dispensing droplets of a curable composition (A2) containing a polymerizable compound (a2) dropwise discretely onto the curable composition (A1) layer, subsequently sandwiching a mixture layer of the curable composition (A1) and the curable composition (A2) between a mold and the substrate, then irradiating the mixture layer with light to cure the mixture layer, and releasing the mold from the mixture layer after the curing. The curable composition (A1) except a solvent has a viscosity at 25° C. of 40 mPa·s or more and less than 500 mPa·s. The curable composition (A2) except a solvent has a viscosity at 25° C. of 1 mPa·s or more and less than 40 mPa·s.