Molecular Imprints, Inc.

The University of Texas System

Canon Nanotechnologies, Inc.

Pawan Kumar Nimmakayala

Byung-Jin Choi

Sidlgata V Sreenivasan

Mario Johannes Meissl

Philip D Schumaker

Anshuman Cherala

Tom H Rafferty

Daniel Babbs

Alireza Aghili

Frank Y Xu

Gerard M Schmid

Michael Nevin Miller

Niyaz Khusnatdinov

Van Nguyen Truskett

Xiaoming Lu

Ecron D Thompson

Mahadevan Ganapathisubramanian

Anshuman c/o Molecular Imprints Inc Cherala

Systems and methods for improving robust layer separation during the separation process of an imprint lithography process are described. Included are methods of matching strains between a substrate to be imprinted and the template, varying or modifying the forces applied to the template and/or the substrate during separation, or varying or modifying the kinetics of the separation process.

Strain and kinetics control during separation phase of imprint process

Systems and methods for alignment of template and substrate at the edge of substrate are described.

Alignment for edge field nano-imprinting

The present invention includes a substrate support system having a chuck body. The chuck body includes a body surface with a pin extending therefrom having a contact surface lying in a plane. The pin may be movably coupled to the chuck body to move with respect to the plane. The pin may also include a cross-member having multiple contact lands.

Substrate support system having a plurality of contact lands

Systems and methods for imprinting a patterned layer on a substrate are described. Features of patterned layer may be concentrically imprinted in relation to a shaft positioned on a substrate chuck. The substrate may be biased using a radius difference between a diameter of the shaft and an inner diameter of the substrate in relation to a point on an inner edge of the substrate.

Substrate alignment

Methods described include placing a sensor system over a substrate positioned on a chuck. The sensor system generates a beam of optical energy towards the substrate and is configured to receive optical energy deflected from the substrate. The sensor system generates sensor signals in response to variations in received optical energy from the substrate and the chuck.

Alignment system and method for a substrate in a nano-imprint process

The present invention features a method to determine relative spatial parameters between two coordinate systems, which may be a mold and a region of a substrate in which mold is employed to generate a pattern. The method includes sensing relative alignment between the two coordinate systems at multiple points and determines relative spatial parameters therebetween. The relative spatial parameters include a relative area and a relative shape.

Interferometric analysis method for the manufacture of nano-scale devices

A transparent imprint template mold is configured with gratings surrounding the active imprint area. The gratings are fabricated at the same time as the active area and thus accurately define the active area with respect to the gratings. The substrate is positioned in tool coordinates under the template mold. A sensor system generates a beam of optical energy and receives reflected energy only at a specific angular window and is used to locate the template mold. The sensor system is scanned to locate the substrate and the gratings in tool coordinates. In this manner, the relative position of the template mold is determined with respect to the substrate in tool coordinates. The substrate is then accurately positioned with respect to the template mold. The system may be used to track imprinted pattern position relative to the substrate and to determine concentricity of patterns to substrates.

An imprint lithography system operable for imprinting a pattern into a material deposited between an imprint mold and a substrate, the system including, inter alia, a first set of imaging units positioned at a first angle relative to normal of the substrate; and a second set of imaging units positioned at a second angle relative to normal of the substrate, wherein the first and second angles are not equal to each other.

Enhanced multi channel alignment

The present invention is directed toward a method to vary dimensions of a substrate supported by a chuck. The method includes applying compressive forces to the substrate with the actuator assembly while facilitating movement of the actuator assembly with respect to the substrate to minimize reactive forces generated in response to the compressive forces being sensed by the chuck.

Method of varying dimensions of a substrate during nano-scale manufacturing

The present invention is directed to a method of controlling dimensional relations between an original pattern present in a mold and a recorded pattern formed in a layer of a substrate. In this manner, the size of the recorded pattern may appear to be magnified and/or reduced, when compared to the original pattern. To that end, the method comprises defining a region on the layer in which to produce the recorded pattern. The substrate is bent to produce a contoured surface in the region. Dimensional variations in the original pattern are produced by bending the mold, defining a varied pattern. The contoured surface and the mold are provided to have similar radii of curvatures. The varied pattern is then recorded in the layer. These and other embodiments of the present invention are discussed more fully below.

Magnification correction employing out-of-plane distortion of a substrate

The present invention is directed toward a system to vary dimensions of a substrate, such as a template having a patterned mold. To that end, the system includes a substrate chuck adapted to position the substrate in a region; a pliant member; and an actuator sub-assembly elastically coupled to the substrate chuck through the pliant member. The actuator assembly includes a plurality of lever sub-assemblies, one of which includes a body lying in the region and spaced-apart from an opposing body associated with one of the remaining lever sub-assemblies of the plurality of lever sub-assemblies. One of the plurality of lever assemblies is adapted to vary a distance between the body and the opposing body. In this manner, compressive forces may be applied to the template to remove unwanted magnification or other distortions in the pattern on the mold. The pliant member is configured to attenuate a magnitude of resulting Forces sensed by the substrate chuck generated in response to the compressive forces.

System for varying dimensions of a substrate during nanoscale manufacturing

The present invention features a system to determine relative spatial parameters between two coordinate systems, which may be a mold and a region of a substrate in which mold is employed to generate a pattern. The system senses relative alignment between the two coordinate systems at multiple points and determines relative spatial parameters therebetween. The relative spatial parameters include a relative area and a relative shape.

Interferometric analysis for the manufacture of nano-scale devices

The present invention includes a method for supporting a substrate that features a chuck body having a body surface with a pin extending therefrom having a contact surface lying in a plane, with the pin being movably coupled to the chuck body to move with respect to the plane. To that end, the method includes disposing the substrate upon two spaced-apart bodies; and moving one of the two spaced-apart bodies away from the substrate.

Growing community of inventors

Austin, TX, United States of America

Pawan Kumar Nimmakayala