Photocurable silsesquioxane-based formulations as versatile resins for nanoimprint lithography

Fabrication of Large-Area Hierarchical Structure Array Using Siliconized-Silsesquioxane as a Nanoscale Etching Barrier

A material approach to fabricate a large-area hierarchical structure array is presented. The replica molding and oxygen (O2) plasma etching processes were combined to fabricate a large-area hierarchical structure array. Liquid blends consisting of siliconized silsesquioxane acrylate (Si-SSQA), ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA), and photoinitiator are developed as a roughness amplifying material during O2 plasma etching. Microstructures composed of the Si-SSQA/EGDMA mixtures are fabricated by replica molding. Nanoscale roughness on molded microstructures is realized by O2 etching. The nanoscale roughness on microstructures is efficiently controlled by varying the etching time and the weight ratio of Si-SSQA to EGDMA. The hierarchical structures fabricated by combining replica molding and O2 plasma etching showed superhydrophilicity with long-term stability, resulting in the formation of hydroxyl-terminated silicon oxide layer with the reorientation limit. On the other hand, the hierarchical structures modified with a perfluorinated monolayer showed superhydrophobicity. The increment of water contact angles is consistent with increment of the nano/microroughness of hierarchical structures and decrement of the top contact area of water/hierarchical structures.

Fluorinated silsesquioxane-based photoresist as an ideal high-performance material for ultraviolet nanoimprinting

A new kind of fluorinated silsesquioxane-based photoresist has been demonstrated for ultraviolet nanoimprint lithography (UV-NIL), which opens up a way to utilize simple but multi-functional component materials for developing photoresist with superior performance.

Direct nanoimprint lithography of Al₂O₃ using a chelated monomer-based precursor

Nanostructuring of Al₂O₃ is predominantly achieved by the anodization of aluminum film and is limited to obtaining porous anodized aluminum oxide (AAO). One of the main restrictions in developing approaches for direct fabrication of various types of Al₂O₃ patterns, such as lines, pillars, holes, etc, is the lack of a processable aluminum-containing resist. In this paper, we demonstrate a stable precursor prepared by reacting aluminum tri-sec-butoxide with 2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl acetoacetate, a chelating monomer, which can be used for large area direct nanoimprint lithography of Al₂O₃. Chelation in the precursor makes it stable against hydrolysis whilst the presence of a reactive methacrylate group renders it polymerizable. The precursor was mixed with a cross-linker and their in situ thermal free-radical co-polymerization during nanoimprinting rigidly shaped the patterns, trapped the metal atoms, reduced the surface energy and strengthened the structures, thereby giving a ~100% yield after demolding. The imprinted structures were heat-treated, leading to the loss of organics and their subsequent shrinkage. Amorphous Al₂O₃ patterns with line-widths as small as 17 nm were obtained. Our process utilizes the advantages of sol-gel and methacrylate routes for imprinting and at the same time alleviates the disadvantages associated with both these methods. With these benefits, the chelating monomer route may be the harbinger of the universal scheme for direct nanoimprinting of metal oxides.

D4(H)/D4(V) silicone: a replica material with several advantages for nanoimprint lithography and capillary force lithography

Reported are demonstrations that D(4)(H)/D(4)(V) silicone (the product of the platinum-catalyzed hydrosilylation reaction between tetramethylcyclotetrasiloxane and tetramethyltetravinylcyclotetrasiloxane) is useful and practical as a replica material for both nanoimprint lithography (NIL) and capillary force lithography (CFL). The multiple advantageous properties of this extremely cross-linked material include UV transparency (for photo NIL and photo CFL), thermal stability (for high printing temperatures), high modulus (for high printing pressures), low surface energy (for easy demolding), and low viscosity precursors (for replicating small scale features). The replication performance of this material was tested using Blu-ray discs with sub-25 nm features and anodized aluminum foil with sub-10 nm features. Structures of ∼5 nm length scale on the surface of the anodized Al were replicated using D(4)(H)/D(4)(V) silicone as a mold material for CFL with a photocurable epoxy resin and for NIL with poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA). Features (holes in the anodized aluminum) with aspect ratios of greater than 9 were replicated.