Abstract: A method of forming at least one lithography feature, the method including: providing at least one lithography recess on a substrate, the or each lithography recess having at least one side-wall and a base, with the at least one side-wall having a width between portions thereof; providing a self-assemblable block copolymer having first and second blocks in the or each lithography recess; causing the self-assemblable block copolymer to self-assemble into an ordered layer within the or each lithography recess, the ordered layer including at least a first domain of first blocks and a second domain of second blocks; causing the self-assemblable block copolymer to cross-link in a directional manner; and selectively removing the first domain to form lithography features of the second domain within the or each lithography recess.

Abstract: A method of depositing an imprintable medium onto a target area of a substrate for imprint lithography is disclosed. The method includes moving the substrate, a print head comprising a nozzle to eject an imprintable medium onto the substrate, or both, relative to the other in a first direction across the target area while ejecting a first series of droplets of imprintable medium onto the substrate and moving the substrate, the print head, or both, relative to the other in a second opposing direction across the target area while ejecting a second series of droplets of imprintable medium onto the substrate on or adjacent to droplets from the first series of droplets.

Abstract: Causing a self-assemblable block copolymer (BCP) having first and second blocks to migrate from a region surrounding a lithography recess of the substrate and a dummy recess on the substrate to within the lithography recess and the dummy recess, causing the BCP to self-assemble into an ordered layer within the lithography recess, the layer having a first block domain and a second block domain, and selectively removing the first domain to form a lithography feature having the second domain within the lithography recess, wherein a width of the dummy recess is smaller than the minimum width required by the BCP to self-assemble, the dummy recess is within the region of the substrate surrounding the lithography recess from which the BCP is caused to migrate, and the width between portions of a side-wall of the lithography recess is greater than the width between portions of a side-wall of the dummy recess.

Abstract: An imprint lithography template is disclosed. The imprint lithography template includes a plurality of pattern features extending from a plane of a body of the imprint lithography template, and away from that body, the pattern features to be used to apply a pattern into an imprintable medium. The imprint lithography template further includes a plurality of assist features in the form of recesses extending from the plane of that body of the imprint lithography template, and into that body. A method for forming the assist features in the imprint lithography template, using self-assembled block copolymers as an etch resist, is also disclosed.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a lithographic apparatus is disclosed that includes a modulator configured to expose an exposure area of the substrate to a plurality of beams modulated according to a desired pattern and a projection system configured to project the modulated beams onto the substrate. The modulator includes a deflector to displace the plurality of beams with respect to an exposure area.

Abstract: An object provided with a particular alignment arrangement for use in aligning the object and a further object with respect to each other is disclosed. The alignment arrangement includes a first fine alignment mark in the form of a substantially regular grating, and a second coarse alignment mark located in the same area as the first alignment mark.

Abstract: An imprint lithography apparatus is disclosed that has a first array of template holders, a second array of template holders, and a substrate table arranged to support a substrate to be imprinted, wherein the first array of template holders is arranged to hold an array of imprint templates that can be used to imprint a first array of patterns onto the substrate, and the second array of template holders is arranged hold an array of imprint templates that can be used to imprint a second array of patterns onto the substrate, the patterns imprinted by the second array being interspersed between the patterns imprinted by the first array.

Abstract: A method of forming an imprint template using a substrate having an inorganic release layer and a layer of imprintable medium is disclosed. The method includes using a master imprint template to imprint a pattern into the imprintable medium, causing the imprintable medium to solidify, and etching the imprintable medium and the inorganic release layer to form a pattern in the inorganic release layer.

Abstract: An imprint lithography apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus includes an imprint template arrangement for use in imprinting a pattern into a substrate provided with an amount of imprintable medium, a substrate holder configured to hold the substrate, and a chamber having an inlet to allow gas to flow into the chamber and an outlet to allow gas to flow out of the chamber, wherein the imprint template arrangement and the substrate holder are located within the chamber, the chamber, in use, being arranged to contain a gaseous atmosphere. The chamber may be part of a gas circulation system, the inlet and outlet of the chamber being connected to further components of the gas circulation system, the further components of the gas circulation system including: a gas circulation driver configured to drive gas around the gas circulation system; and/or a gas purification unit configured to purify the gas as it circulates around the gas circulation system.

Abstract: An imprint lithography method is disclosed for forming a patterned layer from an imprintable liquid medium on a substrate by means of an imprint template having a patterned surface. The method involves contacting the patterned surface and imprintable liquid medium together for a filling period. Light emergent (e.g., scattered or reflected) from an interface between the medium and the patterned surface is collected and measured during the filling period to obtain data concerning one or more voids at the interface, and an estimated end time for the filling period is derived from a relationship between the data and time. The method may allow subsequent process steps to be undertaken more rapidly, with reduced risk of defects arising from remnants of unfilled voids. An imprint lithography apparatus and component for putting the method into effect are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method of determining a position of an imprint template in an imprint lithography apparatus. In an embodiment, the method includes illuminating an area of the imprint template in which an alignment mark is expected to be found by scanning an alignment radiation beam over that area, detecting an intensity of radiation reflected or transmitted from the area, and identifying the alignment mark via analysis of the detected intensity.

Abstract: A method of determining a position of an imprint template in an imprint lithography apparatus is disclosed. In an embodiment, the method includes illuminating an area of the imprint template in which an alignment mark is expected to be found by scanning an alignment radiation beam over that area, detecting an intensity of radiation reflected or transmitted from the area, and identifying the alignment mark via analysis of the detected intensity.

Abstract: A method is disclosed to form a patterned epitaxy template, on a substrate, to direct self-assembly of block copolymer for device lithography. A resist layer on a substrate is selectively exposed with actinic (e.g. UV or DUV) radiation by photolithography to provide exposed portions in a regular lattice pattern of touching or overlapping shapes arranged to leave unexposed resist portions between the shapes. Exposed or unexposed resist is removed with remaining resist portions providing the basis for a patterned epitaxy template for the orientation of the self-assemblable block copolymer as a hexagonal or square array. The method allows for simple, direct UV lithography to form patterned epitaxy templates with sub-resolution features.

Abstract: A method of designing a feature guiding template for guiding self-assembly of block copolymer to form at least two features in a design layout for lithography, the feature guiding template including at least two portions joined by a bottleneck, the method including determining a characteristic of the feature guiding template based on at least a function of geometry of the feature guiding template including a value of a first width of at least one of the portions, a value of a second width of the bottleneck, or a value based on both the first width and the second width.

Abstract: An aqueous curable imprintable medium having at least one curable compound according to Formula 1: wherein R1-R3 are hydrolysable alkoxy groups, and wherein R4 is selected from the group consisting of C1-C6 linear alkyl groups, hydrolysable alkoxy groups and a phenyl group; and a photo-acid generator or a photo-base generator. Such a medium may have an extended shelf-life and may facilitate the formation of highly reproducible patterned layers when used in an imprint lithography process.

Abstract: A method of determining a characteristic of a guiding template for guiding self-assembly of block copolymer to form an entirety of a design layout, or a portion thereof, including a plurality of design features, each design feature including one or more elemental features, the method including selecting a characteristic of a guiding template for each of the one or more elemental features of the plurality of design features from a database or a computer readable non-transitory medium, the database or the computer readable non-transitory medium storing a characteristic of a guiding template for each of the one or more elemental features, and determining the characteristic of the guiding template to form the entirety of the design layout, or the portion thereof, by combining the selected characteristic of the guiding template for the one or more elemental features for each of the plurality of design features.

Abstract: An imprint lithography apparatus is disclosed that includes an imprint template holder arranged to hold an imprint template, and a plurality of position sensors configured to measure change of the size and/or shape of the imprint template, wherein the position sensors are mechanically isolated from the imprint template. Also disclosed is a lithography method that includes using an imprint template to imprint a pattern onto a substrate, and measuring changes of the size and/or shape of the imprint template while imprinting the pattern onto the substrate.

Abstract: A method of design or verification for a self-assemblable block copolymer feature, the block copolymer feature including a first domain having a first polymer type and a second domain having a second polymer type, the method including, based on the length of the second polymer type or on an uncertainty in position of the first domain within the block copolymer feature calculated based on the length of the second polymer type, adjusting a parameter of the self-assembly process of a block copolymer feature or verifying a placement of a block copolymer feature.

Abstract: An imprint lithography method is disclosed for reducing a difference between an intended topography and an actual topography arising from a part of a patterned layer of fixed imprintable medium. The method involves imprinting an imprint lithography template into a layer of flowable imprintable medium to form a patterned layer in the imprintable medium, and fixing the imprintable medium to form a patterned layer of fixed imprintable medium. Local excitation is applied to the part of the patterned layer to adjust a chemical reaction in the part of the patterned layer to reduce the difference between the intended topography and the actual topography arising from the part of the fixed patterned layer of imprintable medium when this is subsequently used as a resist for patterning the substrate. An imprint medium suitable for imprint lithography with the method is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method of forming a plurality of regularly spaced lithography features, the method including providing a self-assemblable block copolymer having first and second blocks in a plurality of trenches on a substrate, each trench including opposing side-walls and a base, with the side-walls having a width therebetween, wherein a first trench has a greater width than a second trench; causing the self-assemblable block copolymer to self-assemble into an ordered layer in each trench, the layer having a first domain of the first block alternating with a second domain of the second block, wherein the first and second trenches have the same number of each respective domain; and selectively removing the first domain to form regularly spaced rows of lithography features having the second domain along each trench, wherein the pitch of the features in the first trench is greater than the pitch of the features in the second trench.