Development of a resin curing model for UV nanoimprint

UV nanoimprint lithography uses UV light as an energy source. It is performed at room temperature and low pressure, and has its own merits as compared to thermal nanoimprint. In this paper, a measurement system was developed to measure the degree of resin curing in UV nanoimprint to improve our understanding of the resin solidification phenomenon. A curing model was then established based on the measurement results. The measurement system measured the degree of cure in real time and was composed of a Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy system, a UV light source, and an optical guide. Also, new UV-curable resins that had low viscosity values were developed for the UV nanoimprint process, and imprint tests using these resins were performed successfully. The curing model considered the UV irradiation time, power, and curing temperature, which are important parameters in the UV nanoimprint process. The degree of cure had an exponential relation to UV irradiation time, power, and temperature; thus, the curing model was expressed as an exponential function of the UV irradiation time, power, and temperature. The developed model was verified for various UV-curable resins.