Porous alumina nano-membranes: Soft replica molding for large area UV-nanoimprint lithography

High-density ordered arrays of h-PDMS nanopillars were fabricated using an anodic aluminium oxide (AAO) template. The pore diameter and the interpore distance of the replica h-PDMS molding are well consistent with that of AAO template. The inverse h-PDMS has the surface characteristic of hydrophobic and surface energy of 130°. Hexagonally arranged array can be obtained by UV-nanoimprint lithography using our proposed h-PDMS mold, and their morphologies can be transferred truly. Besides, the h-PDMS mold has been used to fabricate photonic crystal structure on GaN by nanoimprint process, which could be found an application in the light output of GaN LED.     

Metallic and dielectric photonic crystals with chiral elements by combined nanoimprint and reversal lithography in SU-8

We report a novel nanoprocess combining nanoimprint lithography and conventional lithography to fabricate metallic and dielectric nanophotonic crystals with chiral elements in SU-8. The previously developed nanoimprint process was modified for much smaller feature size. Four different types of nanophotonic crystals with different materials in both large and small dimensions are fabricated. The new proposed reversal lithography is used to fabricate one type among the above mentioned four. The success of reversal lithography provides a solution for near-field lithography to achieve nanosize structures with simple conventional lithography. Optical measurements of the laser polarization state from the fabricated photonic crystals indicate an optical chirality which distinguishes the chiral elements from other normal symmetric structures.     

UV enhanced substrate conformal imprint lithography (UV-SCIL) technique for photonic crystals patterning in LED manufacturing

The global LED (light emitting diode) market reached 5 billion dollors in 2008 and will be driven towards 9 billion dollors by 2011 [1]. The current applications are dominated by portable device backlighting, e.g. cell phones, PDAs, GPS, laptop etc. In order to open the general lighting market doors the luminous efficiency needs to be improved significantly. Photonic crystal (PhC) structures in LEDs have been demonstrated to enhance light extraction efficiency on the wafer level by researchers [2]. However, there is still a great challenge to fabricate PhC structures on LED wafers cost-effectively. Nanoimprint lithography (NIL) [3] has attracted considerable attentions in this field due to its high resolution, high throughput and low cost of ownership (CoO). However, the current NIL techniques with rigid stamps rely strongly on the substrate flatness and the production atmosphere. Those factors hinder the integration of NIL into high volume production lines. UV-NIL with flexible stamps [4], e.g. PDMS stamps, allows the large-area imprint in a single step and is less-sensitive to the production atmosphere. However, the resolution is normally limited due to stamp distortion caused by imprint pressure.A novel NIL technique developed by Philips Research and Süss MicroTec, substrate conformal imprint lithography (SCIL), bridges the gap between UV-NIL with rigid stamp for best resolution and soft stamp for large-area patterning. Based on a cost-effective upgrade on Süss mask aligner, the capability can be enhanced to nanoimprint with resolution of down to sub-10 nm on an up to 6 inch area without affecting the established conventional optical lithographic processes on the machine. Benefit from the exposure unit on the mask aligners, the SCIL process is now extended with UV-curing option, which can help to improve the throughput dramatically. In this paper, the fabrication of photonic crystal structures with SCIL technique on Süss MA6 mask aligner is demonstrated. In addition, the industrialization considerations of UV-SCIL process in high volume manufacturing are briefly discussed.     

Large area nanosize array stamp for UV-based nanoimprint lithography fabricated by size reduction process

A novel size reduction process using electron beam lithography (EBL) combining with wet etching technique is developed as a possible solution for producing large area and low cost nanopattern stamp for UV-based nanoimprint lithography (UV-NIL). In the first step, a microstructure stamp with 1.4 μm periodical pore array and aspect ratio of 1:1 was formed over a 1 inch² area on a quartz substrate. This process was carried out using common electron beam lithography (EBL) equipment, which was easily available in the modern integrated circuits (IC) semiconductor factory. Afterwards, with a controlled wet etching technique, the pore array was changed into tip patterns with the line width below 100 nm and the period keeping as before. The uniformities and nanopattern accuracies were investigated to identify its possibility as a UV-NIL stamp by AFM and SEM. Finally, as a demonstration, the as obtained stamp was used as a positive stamp to replicate the nanotips into UV-curable resist successfully by a UV-NIL process. The method developed for the mold of nanoimprint lithography would be a simple and low price approach to fabricate large area UV-NIL stamp and the nanotip array structures would be widely used in two dimensional (2D) photonic crystal application.     

Extraction efficiency enhancement of LEDs using 2-D photonic crystal

Using photonic crystals (PCs), the extraction efficiency of the light-emitting diodes (LEDs) can be greatly enhanced by the effects of photonic band gap (PBG) and grating diffraction. The two theoretical methods are also discussed. Meanwhile, we demonstrate that LEDs can achieve high extraction efficiency by employing photonic crystal as diffraction grating. PCs with square lattice of cylindrical unit cells are fabricated in GaN layer of GaN-based blue LED. We present a theoretical discussion on the extraction efficiency of PC-LED, which relies on the effective medium theory and transmission matrix method to investigate the effect of lattice constant. The results show that the extraction efficiency of the high performance LEDs can achieve 61.8% when the lattice constant is 270 nm.     

利用常规工艺提高光子晶体GaN LED的出光效率

计算了GaN二维光子晶体的能带结构,并利用常规工艺在国内首次制备出了GaN基二维平板结构的光子晶体蓝光LED。经过器件测试表明,与没有制作光子晶体的器件相比,光子晶体使器件的有效出光效率达到了原来的1.5倍以上。另外,还对感应耦合等离子体刻蚀(ICP)的制备光子晶体LED的刻蚀工艺进行了分析。     

Fabrication of Efficient Light-Emitting Diodes With a Self-Assembled Photonic Crystal Array of Polystyrene Nanoparticles

A low-cost method of fabricating large photonic crystal arrays of hexagonal posts without the use of lithography is described, along with an application of enhancing light extraction efficiency in semiconductor light-emitting diodes (LEDs). Polystyrene spheres are deposited onto a wafer surface and then processed to achieve control over photonic crystal lattice properties in a method suitable for fast and repeatable patterning. The spheres serve as an etch mask to extend the photonic crystal formed into the semiconductor surface. This technique is applied to LEDs to increase the top surface light extraction, and 51% wall plug enhancement is demonstrated in deep junction liquid phase epitaxially grown LEDs with absorbing substrates, though is adaptable to any substrate and photonic crystal dimensions.     

High Color Rendering Index Hybrid III‐Nitride/Nanocrystals White Light‐Emitting Diodes

An excellent hybrid III‐nitride/nanocrystal nanohole light‐emitting diode (h‐LED) has been developed utilizing nonradiative resonant energy transfer (NRET) between violet/blue emitting InGaN/GaN multiple quantum wells (MQWs) and various wavelength emitting nanocrystals (NCs) as color‐conversion mediums. InGaN/GaN MQWs are fabricated into nanoholes by soft nanoimprint lithography to minimize the separation between MQWs and NCs. A significant reduction in the decay lifetime of excitons in the MQWs of the hybrid structure has been observed as a result of the NRET from the nitride emitter to NCs. The NRET efficiency of the hybrid structures is obtained from the decay curves, as high as 80%. Moreover, a modified Förster formulation has exhibited that the exciton coupling distance in the hybrid structures is less than the Förster's radius, demonstrating a strong coupling between MQWs and NCs. Finally, based on a systemic optimization for white emission indexes, a series of hybrid ternary complementary color h‐LEDs have been demonstrated with a high color rendering index, up to 82, covering the white light emission at different correlated color temperatures ranging from 2629 to 6636 K, corresponding to warm white, natural white, and cold white.     

纳米压印光刻模版制作技术

在下一代光刻技术中,光刻的成本越来越高,这使得工业界开始寻找新的技术。纳米压印作为非光学的下一代光刻技术,具有分辨率高、成本低、产率高等诸多优点,因而可能应用于将来的半导体制造中。同时,纳米压印也可以用于微机电系统(MEMS)和其他纳米结构的图形复制。纳米压印光刻技术主要包括热压印、紫外固化压印和微接触法压印。介绍了在这3种纳米压印光刻技术中,压印模版制作的制作工艺和模版表面的防粘连处理,并且讨论3种压印方法适用的不同领域。     

UV nanoimprint lithography with rigid polymer molds

Transparent polymers are considered as alternative low-cost mold materials in UV nanoimprint lithography (UV-NIL). Here, we demonstrate a nanoimprint process with molds made of rigid polymers novel for this application. These polymer molds are found to show high performance in the patterning with UV-NIL. Sub-50 nm structures were fabricated with this process.     

纳米光刻对准方法及其原理

对准技术对光刻分辨力的提高有着重要作用。45nm节点以下的光刻技术如纳米压印等,对相应的对准技术提出了更高的要求。对光刻技术发展以来主要用于接近接触式和纳米压印光刻的对准技术做总结分类,为高精度的纳米级光刻对准技术提供理论研究基础和方向。经过分析,从原理上将对准技术分为几何成像对准、波带片对准、干涉光强度对准、外差干涉对准及莫尔条纹等五种对准方法。最后结论得出基于条纹空间相位的对准方法具有最好的抗干扰能力且理论上能达到最高的对准精度,而其他基于光强的对准方法的精度更易受到工艺涂层的影响。因此,基于干涉条纹空间相位对准的方法在纳米级光刻对准中具有很好的理论前景。     

Nanoimprint Lithography -A Next Generation High Volume Lithography Technique

IntroductionNanoimprint Lithography is a well-acknowl-edged low cost, high resolution, large area pattern-ing process. It includes the most promising methods,high-pressure hot embossing lithography (HEL) [2],UV-cured imprinting (UV-NIL) [3] and micro contactprinting (m-CP, MCP) [4]. Curing of the imprintedstructures is either done by subsequent UV-lightexposure in the case of UV-NIL or by cooling downbelow the glass transition temperature of the ther-moplastic material in case of HEL…     

纳米压印光刻技术--下一代批量生产的光刻技术

纳米压印光刻技术已被证实是纳米尺寸大面积结构复制的最有前途的下一代技术之一。这种速度快、成本低的方法成为生物化学、μ级流化学、μ-TAS和通信器件制造以及纳米尺寸范围内广泛应用的一种日渐重要的方法,如生物医学、纳米流体学、纳米光学应用、数据存储等领域。由于标准光刻系统的波长限制、巨大的开发工作量、以及高昂的工艺和设备成本,纳米压印光刻技术可能成为主流IC产业中一种真正富有竞争性方法。对细小到亚10nm范围内的极小复制结构,纳米压印技术没有物理极限。从几种纳米压印光刻技术中选择两种前景广阔的方法——热压印光刻(HEL)和紫外压印光刻(UV-NIL)技术给予介绍。两种技术对各种各样的材料以及全部作图的衬底大批量生产提供了快速印制。重点介绍了HEL和UV-NIL两种技术的结果。全片压印尺寸达200mm直径,图形分辨力高,拓展到纳米尺寸范围。     

Simple Holographic Patterning for High‐Aspect‐Ratio Three‐Dimensional Nanostructures with Large Coverage Area

Using the vertical standing wave phenomena commonly regarded as a deterrent in holographic lithography, multifaceted three‐dimensional (3D) nanostructures are fabricated on polymeric photoresist materials using a simple two‐beam interferometer. Large‐area 3D nanostructures with high aspect ratios (greater than 10) are readily produced using this methodology, including grating, pillar and pore patterns. Furthermore, manipulation of the lithography process conditions results in unique sidewall profiles of the nanostructures. Such 3D holographic control even produces highly porous polymer membranes composed of 3D interconnected pore networks, which resembles the 3D photonic crystal compound nanostructures that were previously attainable only with limited pattern coverage area using complex multibeam holographic lithography processes. Such well‐tailored high‐aspect‐ratio 3D nanostructures with large pattern coverage area further enable the fabrication of novel nanostructures for functionalized materials via various additive and subtractive pattern transfer techniques such as etching, deposition, and molding. In particular, direct molding followed by thermal decomposition process leads to the synthesis of hierarchical titanium oxide nanostructures of tunable 3D geometry, which would be of great significance in applications of photonic crystals, photovoltaic solar cells, and photocatalyst in water decontamination.     

Improved Light Output Power of GaN-Based Light-Emitting Diodes Using Double Photonic Quasi-Crystal Patterns

The enhancement of light extraction from GaN-based light-emitting diodes (LEDs) with a double 12-fold photonic quasi-crystal (PQC) structure using nanoimprint lithography is presented. At a driving current of 20 mA on a transistor-outline-can package, the light output power of an LED with a nanohole patterned sapphire substrate (NHPSS) and an LED with a double PQC structure are enhanced by 34% and 61%, compared with the conventional LED. In addition, the higher output power of the LED with the double PQC structure is due to better reflectance on NHPSS and higher scattering effect on p-GaN surface using a 12-fold PQC structure pattern. These results provide promising potential to increase the output powers of commercial light-emitting devices.      

A versatile pattern inversion process based on thermal and soft UV nanoimprint lithography techniques

Si master molds are generally patterned by electron-beam lithography (EBL) that is known to be a time-consuming nanopatterning technique. Thus, developing mold duplication process based on high throughput technique such as nanoimprint lithography can be helpful in reducing its fabrication time and cost. Moreover, it could be of interest to get inverted patterns (holes instead of pillars) without changing the master EBL process. In this paper, we propose a two step process based on thermal nanoimprint lithography (T-NIL) (step 1) and soft UV assisted nanoimprint lithography (UV-NIL) (step 2) to invert a master EBL mold. After the two inversion steps, the grand-daughter Si mold exhibits the same pattern polarity as the EBL mold. For step 1, pattern transfer using ion beam etching (IBE) of a thin metallic underlayer is the critical step for dimension control due to the low NXR1020 resistance. For step 2, the optimized reactive ion etching (RIE) step allows transfer with good anisotropy even for nanostructures at the 50 nm-scale. For structures larger than 100 nm, this inversion process has been successfully applied to large field replication (up to 1.5 cm²) on whole wafer.     

纳米压印制作半导体激光器的分布反馈光栅

分布反馈(DFB)光栅的制作是半导体激光器芯片的关键工艺,通过纳米压印技术在InP基片表面涂覆的光刻胶上压印出DFB光栅图形,并分别通过湿法腐蚀和干法刻蚀技术将光栅图形转移到InP基片上。所制作的DFB光栅周期为240nm(对应于1 550nm波长的DFB激光器),光栅中间具有λ/4相移结构。采用纳米压印技术制作的DFB光栅相对于通常双光束干涉法制作的光栅具有更好的均匀性以及更低的线条粗糙度,而且解决了双光束干涉法无法制作非均匀光栅的技术难题。相对于电子束直写光刻法,采用纳米压印技术制作DFB光栅具有快速与低成本的优势。采用纳米压印技术在InP基片上成功制作具有相移结构的DFB光栅,为进一步进行低成本高性能的半导体激光器芯片的制作奠定了良好基础。     

Nitride-based green light-emitting diodes with high temperature GaN barrier layers

High-quality InGaN-GaN multiquantum well (MQW) light-emitting diode (LED) structures were prepared by temperature ramping method during metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) growth. It was found that we could reduce the 20-mA forward voltage and increase the output intensity of the nitride-based green LEDs by increasing the growth temperature of GaN barrier layers from 700/spl deg/C to 950/spl deg/C. The 20-mA output power and maximum output power of the nitride-based green LEDs with high temperature GaN barrier layers was found to be 2.2 and 8.9 mW, respectively, which were more than 65% larger than those observed from conventional InGaN-GaN green LEDs. Such an observation could be attributed to the improved crystal quality of GaN barrier layers. The reliability of these LEDs was also found to be reasonably good.     

纳米压印技术的最新进展

总结了纳米压印技术的最新进展,其中包括压印工艺、图形赋形方法以及纳米压印技术应用三方面最新的研究成果。在压印工艺的发展方面,大面积滚轴压印的发明最具有产业化意义,它不仅解决了常规平板压印很难大面积压印成型的困难,而且整个过程是一种柔性压印过程,降低了成本,提高了压印效率,但是最小特征尺寸还有待提高;在图形赋形方法的改进中,聚合物探针阵列技术集微米和纳米成型技术于一身,压印效率高,应用前景广阔;在压印技术应用的发展中,光伏电池、电子存储设备以及传感器等为纳米压印技术的应用提供了新的领域。     

Fabrication of nano-scaled patterns on ceramic thin films and silicon substrates by soft ultraviolet nanoimprint lithography

Soft ultraviolet nanoimprint lithography is a cost-effective and versatile technique for the transfer of nano-scaled patterns to various surfaces. Here, we report on the fabrication of sub-micron square pillar arrays in epitaxial Ba_0.7Sr_0.3TiO₃ ceramic films, using a combination of nanoimprint lithography and inductively coupled plasma etching techniques. Based on a similar approach we have also succeeded in preparing positive (direct) and negative (inverse) replicas of silicon master molds. Such a generic process could find application in various materials.