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Nanoimprint lithography: 2D or not 2D? A review

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Abstract

Nanoimprint lithography (NIL) is more than a planar high-end technology for the patterning of wafer-like substrates. It is essentially a 3D process, because it replicates various stamp topographies by 3D displacement of material and takes advantage of the bending of stamps while the mold cavities are filled. But at the same time, it keeps all assets of a 2D technique being able to pattern thin masking layers like in photon- and electron-based traditional lithography. This review reports about 20 years of development of replication techniques at Paul Scherrer Institut, with a focus on 3D aspects of molding, which enable NIL to stay 2D, but at the same time enable 3D applications which are “more than Moore.” As an example, the manufacturing of a demonstrator for backlighting applications based on thermally activated selective topography equilibration will be presented. This technique allows generating almost arbitrary sloped, convex and concave profiles in the same polymer film with dimensions in micro- and nanometer scale.

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Acknowledgments

Taking part in the development of NIL over 20 years was a great opportunity. For a Swiss citizen, the view of the panorama of the Swiss Alps makes one believe that there is nothing else then 3D. Furthermore, there are many dishes, where viscous materials have either to be prepared and molded, even in 3D. This is melting of cheese for cheese fondue and raclette, casting of chocolate, baking of waffles [39]. The 20 years of NIL coincide with the development of NIL in the PSI—including LiGA and other “Gutenberg toolbox processes”. Already before, I was involved in replication techniques, starting with the purchase of a hot embossing machine in the Institute of Microtechnology Mainz (IMM). Many thanks are due to all those researchers, engineers, technicians, and students, who contributed to the continuous development of the NIL technology in the Laboratory for Micro- and Nano-technology (LMN) at PSI, and especially J. Gobrecht, K. Vogelsang, S. Park, C. Spreu, M. Altana, S. Bellini and R. Kirchner. In particular, I want to thank A. Schleunitz, who developed TASTE from first proofs in 2009 into a reproducible 3D technique for backlight applications. This review was done within the framework of the INKA (Institute of Polymer Nanotechnology) of the University of Applied Sciences and Arts Nordwestschweiz (FHNW) and the PSI, which is a good example of collaboration between institutes with different foci but a joint interest in polymers research, applications and education.

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    Helmut Schift

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Schift, H. Nanoimprint lithography: 2D or not 2D? A review. Appl. Phys. A 121, 415–435 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-015-9106-3

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