TY - JOUR
T1 - Nanoimprint lithography in the cyclic olefin copolymer, Topas, a highly ultraviolet-transparent and chemically resistant thermoplast
AU - Nielsen, T.
AU - Nilsson, D.
AU - Bundgaard, F.
AU - Shi, P.
AU - Szabo, Peter
AU - Geschke, O.
AU - Kristensen, Anders
PY - 2004
Y1 - 2004
N2 - Thermal nanoimprint lithography (NIL) of the cyclic olefin copolymeric thermoplast Topas® isdemonstrated. Topas® is highly UV-transparent, has low water absorption, and is chemically resistant to hydrolysis, acids and organic polar solvents which makes it suitable for lab-on-a-chipapplications. In particular, Topas® is suitable for micro systems made for optical bio-detection since waveguides for UV-light can be made directly in Topas®. In this article full process sequences for spin coating Topas® onto 4 in. silicon wafers, NIL silicon stamp fabrication with micro and nanometer sized features, and the NIL process parameters are presented. The rheological propertiesof Topas® are measured and the zero shear rate viscosity is found to be 2.16x104 Pa s at 170 °C and3.6x103 Pa s at 200 °C while the dominant relaxation time is found to be 4.4 s and 0.9 s,respectively. The etch resistance of Topas® to two different reactive ion etch processes, an oxygenplasma, and an anisotropic silicon etch, is found to be 12.6 nm/s and 0.7 nm/s, respectively. The etch rates are compared to the similar etch rates of 950 k PMMA, cross-linked SU-8, and standard AZ5214E photoresist. Finally, UV-lithography (UVL) followed by metal deposition and lift-off ontop of a Topas® film patterned by NIL is demonstrated. This exploits the chemical resistance ofTopas® to sodium hydroxide and acetone. The demonstrated UVL and lift-off on top of an imprinted Topas® film opens new possibilities for post-NIL processing.
AB - Thermal nanoimprint lithography (NIL) of the cyclic olefin copolymeric thermoplast Topas® isdemonstrated. Topas® is highly UV-transparent, has low water absorption, and is chemically resistant to hydrolysis, acids and organic polar solvents which makes it suitable for lab-on-a-chipapplications. In particular, Topas® is suitable for micro systems made for optical bio-detection since waveguides for UV-light can be made directly in Topas®. In this article full process sequences for spin coating Topas® onto 4 in. silicon wafers, NIL silicon stamp fabrication with micro and nanometer sized features, and the NIL process parameters are presented. The rheological propertiesof Topas® are measured and the zero shear rate viscosity is found to be 2.16x104 Pa s at 170 °C and3.6x103 Pa s at 200 °C while the dominant relaxation time is found to be 4.4 s and 0.9 s,respectively. The etch resistance of Topas® to two different reactive ion etch processes, an oxygenplasma, and an anisotropic silicon etch, is found to be 12.6 nm/s and 0.7 nm/s, respectively. The etch rates are compared to the similar etch rates of 950 k PMMA, cross-linked SU-8, and standard AZ5214E photoresist. Finally, UV-lithography (UVL) followed by metal deposition and lift-off ontop of a Topas® film patterned by NIL is demonstrated. This exploits the chemical resistance ofTopas® to sodium hydroxide and acetone. The demonstrated UVL and lift-off on top of an imprinted Topas® film opens new possibilities for post-NIL processing.
U2 - 10.1116/1.1771665
DO - 10.1116/1.1771665
M3 - Journal article
SN - 1071-1023
VL - 22
SP - 1770
EP - 1775
JO - Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology B
JF - Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology B
ER -