(722f) Molecular Transfer Printing Over Large Areas

Adaptations of Molecular Transfer Printing (MTP) may offer a possible route to high-volume production of next-generation microelectronics with features smaller than those that can be made by traditional photolithography. MTP is a pattern replication procedure that could link Directed Self Assembly (DSA) of block co-polymers, a high-resolution/low-throughput patterning methodology with high-throughput processes like imprint lithography. MTP uses substrate-reactive homopolymer “inks” that are partitioned selectively into the phase separated domains of a block copolymer thin film to transfer a chemical pattern from a “master” substrate to a “replica” substrate. In this work we discuss a strategy that scales up the MTP process to allow transfer of nanopatterns over large areas. This strategy retains the ink/substrate chemistry of the original MTP process, but places a curable liquid between the replica substrate and a SiO₂ layer vapor deposited on the top surface of the master substrate. The curable liquid layer fills the volume between the master and replica substrates and conforms to both surfaces.  It also promotes adhesion between the surfaces, and enables large area pattern transfer. To demonstrate the utility of this strategy a chemical pattern characteristic of a relatively thick, self-assembled block copolymer was successfully transferred between two 100 mm diameter Si wafers.   Progress toward integrating conformal layer MTP in a step and flash imprint lithography tool will be presented.