Nano-Imprint Lithography Stack with Enhanced Adhesion Between Silicon-Containing and Non-Silicon Containing Layers

• US 20100098940A1
• Filed: 10/19/2009
• Published: 04/22/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mii Newco, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Molecular Imprints, Inc. (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Xu, Frank Y., Liu, Weijun
• Granted Patent: US 8,415,010 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/336
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 10/00 Nanotechnology for information processing, storage or transmission, e.g. quantum computing or single electron logic
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 40/00 Manufacture or treatment of nanostructures
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/0002 Lithographic processes using patterning methods other than those involving the exposure to radiation, e.g. by stamping
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/027 Non-macromolecular photopolymerisable compounds having carbon-to-carbon double bonds, e.g. ethylenic compounds G03F7/075 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/0382 the macromolecular compound being present in a chemically amplified negative photoresist composition
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/0757 Macromolecular compounds containing Si-O, Si-C or Si-N bonds G03F7/0752 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/265 1 mil or less
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31667 Next to addition polymer from unsaturated monomers, or aldehyde or ketone condensation product

Abstract

A nano-imprint lithography stack includes a nano-imprint lithography substrate, a non-silicon-containing layer solidified from a first polymerizable, non-silicon-containing composition, and a silicon-containing layer solidified from a polymerizable silicon-containing composition adhered to a surface of the non-silicon-containing layer. The non-silicon-containing layer is adhered directly or through one or more intervening layers to the nano-imprint lithography substrate. The silicon-containing layer includes a silsesquioxane with a general formula (R′_(4-2z)SiO_z)_x(HOSiO_1.5)_y, wherein R′ is a hydrocarbon group or two or more different hydrocarbon groups other than methyl, 1<z<2, and x and y are integers. The imprint lithography stack may further include a second non-silicon-containing layer solidified from a second polymerizable, non-silicon-containing composition adhered to a surface of the silicon-containing layer such that the silicon-containing layer is sandwiched between the non-silicon-containing layers.

Claims

1. A nano-imprint lithography stack comprising:

a nano-imprint lithography substrate;

a non-silicon-containing layer solidified from a first polymerizable, non-silicon-containing composition, wherein the non-silicon-containing layer is adhered directly or through one or more intervening layers to the nano-imprint lithography substrate; and

a silicon-containing layer solidified from a polymerizable silicon-containing composition adhered to a surface of the non-silicon-containing layer, the silicon-containing layer comprising;

a silsesquioxane with a general formula

(R′

_(4-2z)SiO_z)_x(HOSiO_1.5)_y, wherein;

R′

is a hydrocarbon group or two or more different hydrocarbon groups other than methyl),

1<

z<

2, and

x and y are integers.

2. The imprint lithography stack of claim 1, further comprising a second non-silicon-containing layer solidified from a second polymerizable, non-silicon-containing composition adhered to a surface of the silicon-containing layer such that the silicon-containing layer is sandwiched between the non-silicon-containing layers.

3. The imprint lithography stack of claim 1, wherein a silicon content of the silicon-containing layer is at least about 10 wt %.

4. The imprint lithography stack of claim 1, wherein the silicon-containing layer is adhered to the non-silicon-containing layer through covalent bonds between carbon-containing components in the non-silicon-containing layer and carbon-containing components in the silicon-containing composition.

5. The imprint lithography stack of claim 1, wherein the silicon-containing layer is adhered to the non-silicon-containing layer through polar interactions between carbon-containing components in the non-silicon-containing layer and carbon-containing components in the silicon-containing composition.

6. The imprint lithography stack of claim 1, wherein the polar interactions comprise hydrogen-bonding interactions.

7. The imprint lithography stack of claim 1, wherein the silicon-containing layer is less than about 100 nm thick.

8. The imprint lithography stack of claim 1, wherein R′

comprises a phenyl group.

9. A method of forming an imprint lithography stack, the method comprising:

depositing a non-silicon-containing polymerizable composition directly or indirectly on a nano-imprint lithography substrate;

polymerizing the non-silicon-containing polymerizable composition to form a solidified non-silicon-containing layer;

depositing a silicon-containing polymerizable composition on the solidified non-silicon-containing layer, wherein the silicon-containing polymerizable composition comprises a silsesquioxane with a general formula (R′

_(4-2z)SiO_z)_x(HOSiO_1.5)_y, wherein;

R′

is a hydrocarbon group or two or more different hydrocarbon groups other than methyl,

1<

z<

2, and

x and y are integers; and

polymerizing the silicon-containing polymerizable composition to form a solidified silicon-containing layer adhered to the non-silicon-containing layer.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising depositing a second non-silicon-containing polymerizable composition on the solidified silicon-containing layer and polymerizing the non-silicon-containing polymerizable composition to form a solidified non-silicon-containing layer adhered to the silicon-containing layer.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein polymerizing the second non-silicon-containing composition comprises irradiating the second non-silicon-containing composition with ultraviolet radiation.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein polymerizing the non-silicon-containing composition comprises heating the non-silicon-containing composition.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein polymerizing the silicon-containing composition comprises irradiating the silicon-containing composition with ultraviolet radiation.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein polymerizing the silicon-containing composition comprises forming covalent bonds between unreacted functional groups on the surface of the non-silicon-containing layer and a carbon-containing compound in the silicon-containing composition.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the carbon-containing compound in the silicon-containing composition is a crosslinking agent.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein the silicon-containing layer comprises at least about 10 wt % silicon.

17. The method of claim 9, wherein the silicon-containing composition comprises a crosslinking agent.

18. The method of claim 9, wherein the silicon-containing layer comprises a carbon-containing compound with a polar functional group.

19. The method of claim 9, wherein the silicon-containing composition includes a component with the same functionality as a component in the non-silicon-containing composition.

20. A nano-imprint lithography composition comprising:

a cross-linking agent;

an initiator;

a solvent; and

a silsesquioxane with a general formula (R′

_(4-2z)SiO_z)_x(HOSiO_1.5)_y, wherein;

R′

is a hydrocarbon group or two or more different hydrocarbon groups other than methyl),

1<

z<

2, and

x and y are integers,

wherein the composition is capable of forming covalent bonds with a non-silicon-containing layer in an imprint lithography stack during polymerization of the composition.