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News Article

New nanoimprint system could replace optical lithography

Germany-based semiconductor equipment vendor SUSS MicroTec and Finnish research company VTT Microelectronics have developed what they claim is the world's first nanoimprint lithography system that can undertake both hot and cold wafer embossing.
Germany-based semiconductor equipment vendor SUSS MicroTec and Finnish research company VTT Microelectronics have developed what they claim is the world's first nanoimprint lithography system that can undertake both hot and cold wafer embossing.

The companies say that the new tool could "soon" replace traditional optical lithography for the production of nano-scale devices.

Developed as part of a four-year European Commission-initiated project to devise new nano-patterning methods, the new tool can achieve a sub-20nm imprinting resolution for cold (UV-NIL) and hot embossing applications.

It works with wafers up to 300mm and, when equipped with an automatic alignment add-on, it can achieve a 250nm overlay accuracy and accept stamps with sizes up to 100mm and thickness up to 6.5 mm.

"It offers various imprinting techniques and is a cost-effective alternative to high-resolution e-beam lithography for printing sub-20nm geometries," said SUSS project manager Gilbert Lecarpentier.

"Step and stamp imprinting for hot embossing is an innovative method that has been demonstrated at the VTT Microelectronic Centre in Finland. This method consists of transferring the stamp pattern into a thermoplastic embossing material by controlling heat and pressure. Using in-situ material dispense and UV curing, a step and cure Imprinting method can be used for cold embossing applications."

By using stamps or templates rather than optical lithography for the imprinting, the companies say the tool can replicate the tiniest patterns.

Possible applications include integrated optical devices, smart materials for microelectronics, sensors for temperature, light, molecules and life science and three-dimensional replication.
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