Abstract: A photocurable composition can comprise a polymerizable material and a photoinitiator, wherein the polymerizable material can comprise at least one multi-functional acrylate monomer in an amount of at least 75 wt % based on the total weight of the polymerizable material and at least one mono-functional monomer in an amount of at least 5 wt % based on the total weight of the polymerizable material. The at least one mono-functional monomer can have a ring parameter of at least 0.5, and a total carbon content of the photocurable composition after curing may be at least 69%. The photocurable composition may have a low thermal shrinkage after curing, a high etch resistance and be suitable for AIP or NIL processing.

Abstract: A photocurable composition can comprise a polymerizable material and at least one photoinitiator, wherein the polymerizable material comprises a multi-functional vinylbenzene monomer in an amount of at least 30 wt % based on the total weight of the polymerizable material and the at least one photoinitiator includes an oxime ester compound. The photocurable composition can be adapted that a UV shrinkage after forming a photo-cured layer at 23° C. is not greater than 4.0%; and that a thermal shrinkage after conducting a baking treatment of the photo-cured layer at 350° C. is not greater than 3.5%.

Abstract: A substrate surface planarization method includes an arranging step of arranging a liquid curable composition onto a substrate surface having unevenness, a waiting step of waiting until the surface of the layer of the liquid curable composition becomes smooth, and a light exposure step of applying light to cure the layer of the liquid curable composition in this order. The arranging step includes a first arranging step of arranging a layer made of a first liquid curable composition (A1) containing at least a polymerizable compound (a1), and a second arranging step of arranging droplets of a second liquid curable composition (A2) containing at least a polymerizable compound (a2) onto the layer made of the first liquid curable composition (A1) by dropping the droplets discretely.

Abstract: A photocurable composition can comprise a polymerizable material, and a photoinitiator, wherein the polymerizable material can comprise at least one polymerizable monomer and at least one reactive polymer. The reactive polymer can have a carbon content of at least 75% based on the total weight of the reactive polymer; a molecular weight of the at least one reactive polymer can be at least 400 g/mol and not greater than 50,000 g/mol; an amount of the reactive polymer may be at least 5 wt %; and a viscosity of the photocurable composition may be not greater than 100 mPa·s. The photocurable composition may have a low linear shrinkage after curing, a high carbon content and high etch resistance and being suitable for AIP or NIL processing.

Abstract: A photocurable composition can comprise a polymerizable material, at least one non-reactive polymer, and a photoinitiator, wherein the non-reactive polymer can have a carbon content of at least 80% based on the total weight of the non-reactive polymer; a molecular weight of the at least one non-reactive polymer can be at least 750 g/mol and not greater than 20,000 g/mol; an amount of the non-reactive polymer may be at least 10 wt % and not greater than 30 wt %; and a viscosity of the photocurable composition may be not greater than 110 mPa·s. The photocurable composition may have a low linear shrinkage after curing, a high carbon content and high etch resistance and being suitable for AIP or NIL processing.

Abstract: A method of forming a photo-cured layer on a substrate can include applying a first photocurable composition overlying a first region of the substrate and a second photocurable composition overlying a second region of the substrate and photo-curing the applied compositions, wherein the first region is a center region of the substrate and the second region is an edge region of the substrate, and the second photocurable composition has a higher vapor pressure than the first photocurable composition. The method can have the advantage that the forming of an extrusion within the edge region of the photo-cured layer can be avoided or being kept very low.

Abstract: A curable composition can comprise a polymerizable material and a photo-initiator, wherein the polymerizable material can comprise a first monomer including at least one bismaleimide-monomer and at least one second monomer. The curable composition can have a viscosity of not greater than 30 mPa·s, and a cured layer of the curable composition can have a high thermal stability up to 350° C.

Abstract: A photocurable composition can comprise a polymerizable material and a photo-initiator, wherein the polymerizable material can comprise at least one multi-functional vinylbenzene in an amount of 15 wt % to 85 wt % and at least one multi-functional acrylate monomer in an amount of 15 wt % to 85 wt % based on the total weight of the photocurable composition. A photo-cured layer of the photocurable composition can have a high heat stability up to 400° C. and a glass transition temperature of at least 135° C.

Abstract: A photocurable composition can comprise a polymerizable material and a photo-initiator, wherein the polymerizable material can comprise at least one multi-functional vinylbenzene in an amount of 15 wt % to 85 wt % and at least one multi-functional acrylate monomer in an amount of 15 wt % to 85 wt % based on the total weight of the photocurable composition. A photo-cured layer of the photocurable composition can have a high heat stability up to 400° C. and a glass transition temperature of at least 135° C.

Abstract: A curable composition can comprise a polymerizable material and a photo-initiator, wherein the polymerizable material can comprise a first monomer including at least one bismaleimide-monomer and at least one second monomer. The curable composition can have a viscosity of not greater than 30 mPa·s, and a cured layer of the curable composition can have a high thermal stability up to 350° C.

Abstract: A method of forming a cured layer on a substrate can include applying on the exterior surface of the substrate a first liquid film and subjecting the first liquid film to actinic radiation in at least one first region of the film. The actinic radiated region can modify the substrate surface such that the drop spreading of a region not subjected to actinic radiation is larger than the drop spreading in a region subjected to actinic radiation.

Abstract: A substrate surface planarization method includes an arranging step of arranging a liquid curable composition onto a substrate surface having unevenness, a waiting step of waiting until the surface of the layer of the liquid curable composition becomes smooth, and a light exposure step of applying light to cure the layer of the liquid curable composition in this order. The arranging step includes a first arranging step of arranging a layer made of a first liquid curable composition (A1) containing at least a polymerizable compound (a1), and a second arranging step of arranging droplets of a second liquid curable composition (A2) containing at least a polymerizable compound (a2) onto the layer made of the first liquid curable composition (A1) by dropping the droplets discretely.

Abstract: A method of forming a cured layer on a substrate can include applying on the exterior surface of the substrate a first liquid film and subjecting the first liquid film to actinic radiation in at least one first region of the film. The actinic radiated region can modify the substrate surface such that the drop spreading of a region not subjected to actinic radiation is larger than the drop spreading in a region subjected to actinic radiation.

Abstract: The pattern forming method, which is a photo-nanoimprint technology, includes in this order: laying a layer formed of a curable composition (A1) containing at least a polymerizable compound on a surface of a substrate; dispensing liquid droplets of a curable composition (A2) containing at least a polymerizable compound dropwise discretely onto the layer of (A1) to lay the liquid droplets; sandwiching a layer obtained by partially mixing (A1) and (A2) between a mold and the substrate; of irradiating the layer obtained by partially mixing (A1) and (A2) with light from a side of the mold to cure the layer in one stroke; and releasing the mold from the layer formed of the curable compositions after the curing, in which a value Vr/Vc obtained by dividing a volume of (A2) per shot area (Vr) by a volume of (A1) (Vc) is 4 or more and 15 or less.

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.

Abstract: A pattern is formed on a substrate with forming a layer of a first curable composition (A1) containing a component (a1) as a polymerizable compound and a first component (c1) as a surfactant on a surface of the substrate, then dispensing droplets of a second curable composition (A2) containing a component (a2) as a polymerizable compound and a second component (c2) as a surfactant onto the layer formed of the first curable composition (A1), subsequently sandwiching a mixture layer of the first and second curable compositions (A1) and (A2) between a mold having a pattern and the substrate, then irradiating the mixture layer with light to cure the mixture layer, and releasing the mold from the mixture layer after curing. The first curable composition (A1) contains at least 0.5 wt % of the first component (c1), the second curable composition (A2) contains at least 0.5 wt % of the second component (c2).

Abstract: A pattern is formed on a substrate with forming a layer of a curable composition (A1) containing a component (a1) serving as a polymerizable compound and a component (d1) serving as a solvent on a surface of the substrate, then dispensing droplets of a curable composition (A2) containing at least a component (a2) serving as a polymerizable compound dropwise discretely onto the layer of the curable composition, 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 layer, and releasing the mold from the mixture layer after the curing.

Abstract: A pattern is formed on a substrate with forming a layer of a curable composition (A1) containing a component (a1) serving as a polymerizable compound on a surface of the substrate, then dispensing droplets of a curable composition (A2) containing a component (a2) serving as a polymerizable compound (a2) and a component (b2) serving as a photopolymerization initiator dropwise discretely onto the layer of the curable composition (A1), 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 then releasing the mold from the mixture layer after the curing.

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 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. The imprint resist is a polymerizable composition and includes a polymerization initiator. A composite polymerizable coating is formed on the nanoimprint lithography substrate as each discrete portion of the imprint resist spreads beyond its target area. The composite polymerizable coating is contacted with a nanoimprint lithography template. The polymerization initiator is activated, and 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.