Template replication

A method of manufacturing an article, the method comprising:

• identifying one or more dimensional attributes of a first active area of a template;
• based at least in part on the identified dimensional attributes of the first active area of the template, determining a magnification correction of a second active area of a substrate prior to contacting the template with the substrate;
• measuring an out-of-plane distortion of each of the template, the substrate, or both;
• applying a back pressure to the template through a first chamber recessed into the template above the first active region, the substrate through a second chamber recessed into the substrate under the second active region, or both the template and the substrate, to compensate for the measured out-of-plane distortion of the template, the substrate, or both prior to determining the magnification correction;
• after compensating for the measured out-of-plane distortion of the template, the substrate, or both,
• i) disposing an imprint resist on the substrate,
• ii) contacting the imprint resist with the template such that pattern features in the first active area of the template are filled by the imprint resist, and
• iii) applying an additional back pressure to the template, the substrate, or both, wherein the applied additional back pressure is selected such that the second active area of the substrate exhibits the desired magnification correction;
• polymerizing the imprint resist to yield a polymeric layer;
• separating the template from the polymeric layer;
• and transferring a pattern of the polymeric layer into the substrate to yield the article.

An imprint lithography method comprising:

• identifying one or more dimensional attributes of a first active area of a template;
• based at least in part on the identified dimensional attributes of the first active area of the template, determining a magnification correction of a second active area of a substrate prior to contacting the template with the substrate;
• measuring an out-of-plane distortion of the template;
• measuring an out-of-plane distortion of the substrate;
• further comprising applying the back pressure to the template through a first chamber recessed into the template above the first active region, the substrate through a second chamber recessed into the substrate under the second active region, or both the template and the substrate, to compensate for the measured out-of-plane distortion of the template, the substrate, or both prior to determining the magnification correction,
• applying a back pressure to the template through a first chamber recessed into the template above the first active region, to compensate for the measured out-of-plane distortion of the template prior to determining the magnification correction;
• applying a back pressure to the template through a first chamber recessed into the template above the first active region to compensate for the measured out-of-plane distortion of the substrate prior to determining the magnification correction;
• after compensating for the measured out-of-plane distortion of the template and the substrate:
• contacting an imprint resist positioned on the substrate with the template such that pattern features in the first active area of the template are filled by the imprint resist, and
• applying an additional back pressure to the template, the substrate, or both, wherein the applied additional back pressure is selected such that the second active area of the substrate exhibits the desired magnification correction.