|Publication number||US7858010 B2|
|Application number||US 11/945,400|
|Publication date||Dec 28, 2010|
|Filing date||Nov 27, 2007|
|Priority date||Dec 1, 2006|
|Also published as||CN101201538A, CN101201538B, US20080131791|
|Publication number||11945400, 945400, US 7858010 B2, US 7858010B2, US-B2-7858010, US7858010 B2, US7858010B2|
|Inventors||Eun-Hyoung Cho, Sung-Hoon Choa, Jin-Seung Sohn, Du-hyun Lee, Hae-Sung Kim|
|Original Assignee||Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.|
|Export Citation||BiBTeX, EndNote, RefMan|
|Patent Citations (9), Referenced by (5), Classifications (24), Legal Events (3)|
|External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, Espacenet|
This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2006-0120974, filed on Dec. 1, 2006, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a soft template with an alignment mark and a manufacturing method thereof, and more particularly, to a soft template having alignment marks formed at both sides of a pattern to facilitate forming a fine pattern in a large area, and a manufacturing method thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
Photolithography is one of the core parts of semiconductor pattern transfer technology. Electron-beam lithography and X-ray exposure are used in manufacturing a photolithography mask and forming a fine pattern. As the semiconductor patterns become finer, the costs associated with the fabricating semiconductor patterns increase.
Nano-imprint lithography (NIL) has been highlighted as an efficient and economic process for forming patterns. NIL has been suggested to embody a nano process (1-100 nm) by transferring a pattern directly from a mold (template pattern) to a substrate by pressing the mold. Thermoplastic resin or photosensitive resin is coated on a substrate, and a nano-sized mold is pressed onto the substrate to transfer a pattern from the mold to the substrate, following by curing using an E-beam. NIL makes it possible to form a complicated step pattern on a substrate in a simpler way than the conventional photolithography. Conventional photolithography requires several processes to form a multi-step pattern, but NIL allows the formation of such multi-step pattern via an one-time press transfer. Thus, NIL is effective, especially for the formation of a multi-step shape pattern. It was reported that NIL could be used to manufacture electronic and optical devices such as MOS-FETs, in replacement of the conventional lithography. However, although NIL may produce a fine structure of a nanometer-scale, it cannot attain the positional accuracy of the alignment, which is provided by photolithography.
The NIL may be divided into two types: hot embossing or thermal imprint lithography, and UV-assisted imprint lithography. In the hot embossing or thermal imprint lithography, heat is applied to a polymer layer to make it flexible, followed by pressing the polymer layer against a mold to form a desired pattern on the polymer layer. However, the application of high heat and pressure requires an expensive, complicated apparatus. Also, there are disadvantages, for example, it is difficult to apply the hot embossing or thermal imprint lithography to form large scale patterns, as it requires a high pressure, and cracks can be formed in the substrate.
To solve these problems, UV-assisted imprint lithography, which uses a polymer cured by UV rays, has been introduced. This method is similar to the conventional hot embossing method, except the former uses a liquid having a viscosity similar to that of water, which is cured by UV rays, and thus pressing may be performed at much lower pressure than the hot embossing. Since UV rays are used to cure a polymer layer, a quartz based mold is used. This method is advantageous in comparison with the conventional imprint method in terms of the process conditions such as lower pressure. However, it is very difficult and expensive to form a nano-pattern on a quartz mold. Also, it is difficult to prevent bubbles, which cause defects, from being trapped in the mold. Presently, these two imprint methods are used in various fields.
Various factors attribute to the advantages or disadvantages of the NIL process. They include, for example 1) enabling a large area process, 2) minimizing a polymer residual layer, and 3) securing a precise alignment. Also, the separation of the mold from the polymer layer and lowering the pressure and temperature are important factors.
As to the factor of the large area process, it has been reported that about a 4″ wafer process could be successfully performed, almost without defects. For a larger size substrate, there is currently no report of successful overall pattern transfer of a wafer by one-time process, probably because applying a uniform pressure over a large area is difficult, and the price of the mold itself is high. Thus, a “step and repeat method,” in which a small mold is repeatedly printed, has recently been widely used. In theory, the step and repeat process can be applied to an 8″ or larger wafer.
The residual layer-related concerns are unequivocally applicable to molding processes, including imprint processes. When the polymer is pressed by a mold, a polymer residual layer having a certain thickness always remains on the substrate. Thus, two-step dry etching including a polymer etching process is needed to remove the polymer residual layer. Much research is directed towards reducing the polymer residual layer.
A method using a soft template instead of a rigid template has been suggested to enable a large area process and minimize the polymer residual layer.
The alignment-related concerns are relatively less frequently faced in an exposure process where a master pattern and a substrate are not in contact to each other. The exposure process can be easily applied to a curved or multilayered structure. However, when the nano-imprint process is applied to a curved or multilayer structure, the chances of failing to transfer a pattern increases. Many studies to solve this problem using an alignment mark are underway. For the soft template, no solutions applicable to the nano-imprint process have been suggested.
The conventional nano-imprint process uses a method of forming an alignment mark on the surface of a template by etching. However, when the template is used, it is difficult to identify the alignment mark when the patterning resin is bring into contact with the template during the imprint process, because the template and patterning resin usually have similar refractive indexes. To solve this problem, as shown in
The present invention provides a soft template which can be used for a large area process during a nano-imprint process. The soft template minimizes the formation of a polymer residual layer, and includes an alignment mark that can be easily identified so as to be used for a process in which an alignment is performed. The soft template can be easily separated after imprint process. The present invention also provides a method for manufacturing the soft template.
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a pattern template comprising a flexible substrate; a template mold formed on the flexible substrate, the mold having a pattern formed thereon; and an alignment mark formed on the template mold, the alignment mark having a refractive index which is greater than that of the template mold.
The template further comprises a metal film interposed between the template mold and the alignment mark.
The template further comprises a SAM coating layer formed on the metal thin film.
Two or more the alignment marks are provided on the template mold, each at opposite ends of a surface of the template.
The flexible substrate is a light transmitting substrate.
The flexible substrate is formed of a poly(ethylene terephthalate)(PET), polyurethane elastomer, or soft epoxy resin.
The metal thin film is formed of Au, Ag, Cu, Pd, or Pt.
The alignment mark comprises a benzene radical.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing a pattern template with an alignment mark comprises providing a master template including a patterned area and a resin layer applied on the pattern area, placing a flexible plate on the coating resin and curing the resin to form a template mold; separating the template mold from the master template; and forming an alignment mark on the template mold, the alignment mark having a refractive index which is greater than that of the template mold. The method further comprises applying a metal film on the template mold before forming the alignment mark.
The method further comprises forming a SAM layer by coating a ligand or precursor selected according to the material of the metal thin film on the template mold and the metal thin film.
The master template is formed of quartz, Si, or Ni.
The resin for mold comprises a photo initiator that enables a UV reaction with a functionalized prepolymer. The prepolymer includes an acrylate group.
The master template is formed by coating an E-beam reactive polymer on a wafer, performing a patterning and developing process by E-beam lithography, and performing a dry etching process.
Two or more alignment marks are formed on the metal film. The alignment marks are each formed at opposite ends of the metal film. The alignment marks are formed by coating a material, which has a greater refractive index than that of the template mold, using a CVD (chemical vapor deposition) or dispensing method.
The alignment mark comprises a benzene radical.
The above and other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent by describing in detail preferred embodiments thereof with reference to the attached drawings in which:
A template with an alignment mark according to the present invention and a manufacturing method thereof will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, the thicknesses of layers and regions are exaggerated for clarity.
It is preferable to perform the SAM coating on the master template 301 for the separation of a pattern area in the step of forming a template with an alignment mark according to the present embodiment using the master template 301. The SAM coating can be performed by various methods such as dipping method, a spin coating method or a vapor processing method.
First, in a dipping or immersing method, the substrate is immersed for about 12 hours in a solution containing a ligand or a precursor that can react with the substrate. Second, in a spin coating method, a solution containing a ligand or a precursor is spin coated onto the substrate. Third, in a vapor processing method, the substrate is exposed to a reactive vapor in a vacuum state.
Of these methods, the vapor processing method may be used advantageously in the present embodiment, because when a nano pattern is to be formed, there is a possibility of distorting the pattern during the SAM coating. Various materials can be used as the ligand or precursor for the SAM coating, according to the type of substrate.
When a quartz is used, RSiCl3 or RSi(OR′)3 can be used as the ligand. An anchoring group forming a chemical combination with the substrate is —SiCl3 or —Si(OR′)3. As head group R—, a fluorine compound which exhibits good oil and water repellency may be used. For example, tridecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetrahydrooctyl)-trichlorosilane[CF3—(CF2)5—CH2—CH2—SiCl3](FOTCS) (Gelest, Inc.) can be used, dissolved in a solvent of anhydrous n-heptane(C7H6) to the concentration of 1 ppm solution. n-Heptane is a medium that helps a vaporized SAM ligand to be absorbed by the substrate and FOTCS is sensitive to moisture. That is, when FOTCS contacts moisture, a chemical reaction occurs, causing clouding and congealing. When a SAM contaminated by moisture is used to form a coat on the pattern of the substrate or moisture is introduced during the formation of the SAM coat, the SAM coat completely covers the pattern surface of the substrate, causing the deformation of the pattern.
Before the formation of the SAM coat, the surface of the substrate is cleaned and many silanol (Is-OH) groups are formed. For this purpose, O2 plasma ashing is performed for 5 to 10 seconds, forming —OH radicals distributed over the surface of a substrate (e.g., quartz substrate), in order to render the surface of the substrate hydrophilic. When the above-described solution is put in a vacuum chamber, the SAM ligand (particularly, the anchoring group Cl or OR′) in a vapor form reacts with the surface of the substrate where the silanol groups are formed. For example, Cl of the ligand reacts with H of the substrate to form HCl, which is released, and a chemical reaction between the ligand and the O group of the substrate, resulting in the formation of the SAM coat on the master template 301.
Mold resin 302 is coated on the master template 301 that is SAM coated. The mold resin 302 may be applied, for example, using a dispenser 303. When the mold resin 302 is coated, air may be trapped in the pattern area between the master template 301 and the mold resin 302. To prevent the trapped air, a step of removing the air under a vacuum may be further included after coating the mold resin 302.
The mold resin 302 includes a photo initiator to enable a UV reaction with a functionalized prepolymer including an acrylate group. Also, the mold resin 302 can include a release agent to aid mold release from the master template 301. The mold resin 302 has characteristics of mechanical rigidity, flexibility, low shrinkage, and good light transmittance.
A pair of the pattern to form an alignment mark is formed at opposite ends of the template mold 32. The post-treatment is performed to enable the identification of the alignment mark without being affected by the imprint resin during the nano-imprint process.
Next, referring to
Substrate (thin metal film)
Ligand or Precursor
For example, when the metal film 33 is formed of Au, X(CH2)nSH can be used as the SAM ligand. When the SAM coating is performed on the metal film 33, Au reacts with alkanethiolate CH3(CH2)nS—. The head group X may be a fluorine compound. Thus, oil and water repellency can be improved. Also, by reducing the surface energy of the template mold 32, it can be easily separated from the imprint resin after subsequent imprint process.
A surfactant can be added to prevent the deterioration of the wetting characteristics of the patterning resin 54 on the substrate 51 during the spin coating process. The surfactant is an organic compound having both of a hydrophilic group and a hydrophobic group, and can be used for both organic solvent and water. The surfactant reduces surface tension at a fluid boundary to improve wetting characteristics. When the surface of the substrate 51 is treated with hexamethyldisilazane (HMDS), the adhesion of the patterning resin 54 to the substrate 51 may be further improved, resulting in the improved coating stability.
While this invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
As described above, the present invention has the following advantages.
First, by forming the alignment mark at both sides of the template mold, when the template mold contacts the patterning resin during the imprint process, the alignment mark can be easily identified so that the alignment between the template and the substrate for imprint is easy.
Second, the SAM coating film formed by the ligand appropriately selected according to the metal thin film formed on the surface of the template aids separation from the patterning resin during the imprint process. Thus, the life span of the template can be extended.
Third, the soft template facilitates the formation of the nano-sized pattern during the imprint process. Also, there is no distortion of the pattern during separation, and a large area imprint process is possible.
Fourth, the soft template can be easily manufactured from the master template, which is very economical.
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|U.S. Classification||264/220, 264/293, 425/193, 425/412, 425/385, 264/131, 249/114.1|
|International Classification||G03F1/00, H01L21/027, B29C33/42, B29C59/02|
|Cooperative Classification||B82Y40/00, G03F7/0002, G03F9/708, G03F9/7076, B82Y10/00, G03F9/7084, H01L2924/0002|
|European Classification||G03F7/00A, B82Y10/00, G03F9/70K6, G03F9/70K4, G03F9/70K2, B82Y40/00|
|Feb 20, 2008||AS||Assignment|
Owner name: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.,, KOREA, REPUBLIC OF
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:CHO, EUN-HYOUNG;CHOA, SUNG-HOON;SOHN, JIN-SEUNG;AND OTHERS;REEL/FRAME:020530/0283
Effective date: 20080214
|May 3, 2012||AS||Assignment|
Owner name: SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL, CAYMAN ISLANDS
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.;REEL/FRAME:028153/0689
Effective date: 20111219
|Jun 30, 2014||FPAY||Fee payment|
Year of fee payment: 4