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Step and repeat imprint lithography systemsStep and repeat imprint lithography systems description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060077374, Step and repeat imprint lithography systems. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/194,414, filed Jul. 11, 2002, entitled "Step and Repeat Imprint Lithography Systems" listing Sidlgata V. Sreenivasan, Michael P. C. Watts, Byung-Jin Choi, Mario J. Meissl, Norman E. Shumaker, and Ronald Voisin as inventors, which application is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. Field of the Invention [0003] Embodiments presented herein relate to methods and systems for imprint lithography. More particularly, embodiments relate to methods and systems for micro- and nano-imprint lithography processes. [0004] 2. Description of the Relevant Art [0005] Optical lithography techniques are currently used to make most microelectronic devices. However, it is believed that these methods are reaching their limits in resolution. Sub-micron scale lithography has been a critical process in the microelectronics industry. The use of sub-micron scale lithography allows manufacturers to meet the increased demand for smaller and more densely packed electronic circuits on chips. It is expected that the microelectronics industry will pursue structures that are as small or smaller than about 50 nm. Further, there are emerging applications of nanometer scale lithography in the areas of opto-electronics and magnetic storage. For example, photonic crystals and high-density patterned magnetic memory of the order of terabytes per square inch may require sub-100 nanometer scale lithography. [0006] For making sub-50 nm structures, optical lithography techniques may require the use of very short wavelengths of light (e.g., about 13.2 nm). At these short wavelengths, many common materials are not optically transparent and therefore imaging systems typically have to be constructed using complicated reflective optics. Furthermore, obtaining a light source that has sufficient output intensity at these wavelengths is difficult. Such systems lead to extremely complicated equipment and processes that may be prohibitively expensive. It is also believed that high-resolution e-beam lithography techniques, though very precise, are too slow for high-volume commercial applications. [0007] Several imprint lithography techniques have been investigated as low cost, high volume manufacturing alternatives to conventional photolithography for high-resolution patterning. Imprint lithography techniques are similar in that they use a template containing topography to replicate a surface relief in a film on the substrate. One form of imprint lithography is known as hot embossing. [0008] Hot embossing techniques face several challenges: i) pressure greater than 10 MPa are typically required to imprint relief structures, ii) temperatures must be greater than the T.sub.g of the polymer film, iii) patterns (in the substrate film) have been limited to isolation trenches or dense features similar to repeated lines and spaces. Hot embossing is unsuited for printing isolated raised structures such as lines and dots. This is because the highly viscous liquids resulting from increasing the temperature of the substrate films require extremely high pressures and long time durations to move the large volume of liquids needed to create isolated structures. This pattern dependency makes hot embossing unattractive. Also, high pressures and temperatures, thermal expansion, and material deformation generate severe technical challenges in the development of layer-to-layer alignment at the accuracies needed for device fabrication. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0009] In one embodiment, a patterned layer is formed by curing a curable liquid disposed on a substrate in the presence of a patterned template. In an embodiment, a system for forming a patterned layer on a substrate includes an imprint head and a motion stage. The imprint head is configured to hold a patterned template. The imprint head also includes a fine orientation system. The fine orientation system allows motion of the patterned template with respect to a substrate to achieve a substantially parallel orientation of the patterned template. In one embodiment, the fine orientation system is a passive system that allows the template to self-correct for non-planarity when the template contacts a liquid disposed on the substrate. The imprint head further includes a force detector. The force detector is coupled to the template and is configured to determine a resistive force applied to the template by the curable liquid disposed on the substrate. The substrate is coupled to a motion stage. The motion stage is configured to support the substrate and to move the substrate in a plane substantially parallel to the template. The imprint lithography system also includes a liquid dispenser. The liquid dispenser may be coupled to the imprint head or a portion of the system body. The liquid dispenser is configured to dispense an activating light curable liquid onto the substrate. The imprint lithography system also includes a light source optically coupled to the patterned template. The light source is configured to direct activating light through the patterned template and onto the curable liquid during use. [0010] Imprint lithography systems for forming features having a feature size below 100 nm are typically sensitive to changes in temperature. As the temperature of the system increases, the supports (i.e., components that support the template, substrate and other components of the imprint lithography system) may expand. Expansion of the supports may contribute to errors due to misalignment of the template with the substrate. In one embodiment, supports are formed from a material that has a low coefficient of thermal expansion (e.g., less than about 20 ppm/.degree. C.). In addition, the imprint lithography system may be placed in an enclosure. The enclosure is configured to inhibit temperature variations of greater than about 1.degree. C. within the enclosure. [0011] In an alternate embodiment, an imprint lithography system includes an imprint head, a motion stage, a liquid dispenser, a force detector and an activating light source. In this embodiment, a fine orientation system is coupled to the motion stage instead of the imprint head. Thus, fine orientation is achieved by altering the orientation of the substrate until the portion of the substrate to be imprinted and the template are substantially parallel. In this embodiment, imprint head is coupled to a support in a fixed position, while motion stage is configured to move a substrate about an X-Y plane under the template. The other components of the imprint lithography system are substantially the same as described previously for other embodiments. [0012] In another embodiment, an imprint lithography system includes an imprint head, a motion stage, a substrate support, a liquid dispenser, a force detector and an activating light source. The imprint head is configured to hold a patterned template. The imprint head also includes a fine orientation system. In one embodiment, the fine orientation system is a passive system that allows the template to self-correct for non-planarity when the template contacts a liquid disposed on the substrate. The imprint head is coupled to a motion stage. The motion stage is configured to move the imprint head in a plane substantially parallel to the substrate. The substrate is coupled to a substrate support. Substrate support is configured to hold the substrate in a fixed position during use. The other components of the imprint lithography system are substantially the same as described previously for other embodiments. [0013] In another embodiment, an imprint lithography system includes an imprint head, a motion stage, a substrate support, a liquid dispenser, a force detector and an activating light source. The imprint head is configured to hold a patterned template. The imprint head is coupled to a motion stage. The motion stage is configured to move the imprint head in a plane substantially parallel to the substrate. The substrate is coupled to a substrate support. Substrate support is configured to hold the substrate in a fixed position during use. Substrate support also includes a fine orientation system. The fine orientation system is configured to alter the orientation of the substrate until the portion of the substrate to be imprinted and the template are substantially parallel. The other components of the imprint lithography system are substantially the same as described previously for other embodiments. [0014] In some embodiments, a patterned template may be designed to allow improved liquid control. When a template is brought into contact with a liquid disposed on a substrate, the liquid will tend to expand to cover a larger area of the substrate than the liquid originally covered. In some processes it is advantageous that the liquid remains within an area defined by the template. Proper design of a template will, in some embodiments, inhibit flow of liquid substantially beyond a perimeter of the template. A patterned template includes a first surface and a plurality of recesses formed in one or more patterning areas of the template extending from the first surface toward an opposed second surface. The recesses define a plurality of features that are to be imprinted onto the substrate. The template also includes a border formed about the perimeter of the patterning areas. The border is formed as a recess that extends from the first surface toward the second surface. The depth of the border is substantially greater than the depth of the recesses that define the features of the template. Patterned templates that include borders may be used in any of the herein described systems. [0015] During use, the template is brought into contact with a curable liquid disposed on the surface of the substrate. The force applied to the substrate by the template may cause the substrate to tilt, particularly when the template is positioned near an edge of the substrate. In one embodiment, the substrate is coupled to a substrate support that includes a substrate tilt module. The substrate tilt module is configured to calibrate the tilt of the substrate surface during use. Additionally, the substrate tilt module is configured to inhibit tilt of the substrate due to compliance of the tilt module when pressure is exerted on the substrate. The substrate tilt module may be incorporated into either a motion stage that allows motion of the substrate during use or a fixed substrate support. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0016] Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description and upon reference to the accompanying drawings in which: [0017] FIG. 1 depicts an embodiment of a system for imprint lithography; [0018] FIG. 2 depicts an imprint lithography system enclosure; [0019] FIG. 3 depicts an embodiment of an imprint lithography head coupled to an imprint lithography system; [0020] FIG. 4 depicts a projection view of an imprint head; Continue reading about Step and repeat imprint lithography systems... Full patent description for Step and repeat imprint lithography systems Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Step and repeat imprint lithography systems patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Step and repeat imprint lithography systems or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Lithographic apparatus, device manufacturing method Next Patent Application: Method, device, and computer program for determining a range to a target Industry Class: Photocopying ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Step and repeat imprint lithography systems patent info. IP-related news and info Results in 0.57291 seconds Other interesting Feshpatents.com categories: Computers: Graphics , I/O , Processors , Dyn. Storage , Static Storage , Printers 174 |
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