New Directions in Nanotechnology - Imprint Techniques

摘要

Definition of lateral patterns by imprint methods like hot embossing have demonstrated surprising quality over large areas. As we used a simple commercially available hydraulic press the technique has proven to be simple and cost efficient in the laboratory scale. At adequate imprint temperature and pressure pattern sizes from several 10 nm to 100μm have been replicated in parallel, and processing conditions are relaxed when small and periodic patterns are involved. Hot embossing is a technique ideally suited for replication of small lateral patterns. A large number of thermoplastic polymers are commercially available that can be used in hot embossing. In addition, new polymers with specific characteristics are available recently. Beyond the definition of 2D-patterns also the replication of 3D-patterns could be demonstrated, offering further benefits for novel nm-scaled devices.