Soft UV Nanoimprint Lithography Technology Breaks Resolution Barrier

EV Group (EVG) has unveiled a new technology capability that enables ultra-high-resolution patterning of features down to 12.5nm: Soft Molecular Scale Nanoimprint Lithography (SMS-NIL). Based on EVG's UV-NIL systems, SMS-NIL provides customers with a repeatable, cost-effective process for producing ultra-high-resolution patterning on large-area surfaces. Using the new technology's soft working stamp nanoimprint process, customers can perform full-area nanoimprints and optically aligned UV-NIL on existing EVG equipment. Likewise, the stamp and imprinting can be processed on the same tool without requiring additional processing steps—saving customers significant processing time and money.

UV-NIL offers a significantly lower processing cost than other nano-patterning techniques, making it an attractive solution for CMOS image sensors, micro lens molding and other optical applications where the technology is already being used. SMS-NIL takes this approach a step further, employing soft polymeric working stamps to avoid damaging costly master stamps. The stamp material's inherent properties greatly reduce the risk of mechanical damage to master templates, thus extending their lifetime. The working stamps' relatively low surface energy facilitates separation from the substrate after the imprinting process, while their flexibility allows the stamps to be used for multiple imprints.

EV Group offers two flexible purchase options for SMS-NIL. Customers who are interested in producing the working stamps in-house may purchase EV Group's process technology consultancy services to enable their own application development. EV Group also offers the option of purchasing working stamps ready for processing. The new technology is compatible with EVG's proven UV-based imprinting systems, including the EVG620, EVG6200, IQ Aligner and EVG770.

EV Group