# US 2013/0153534 A1 · Fabrication of seamless large area master templates for imprint lithography using step and repeat tools

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- Number: US 2013/0153534 A1
- Document ID: US20130153534A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/720,315
- Filed: 2012-12-19
- Published: 2013-06-20
- Earliest claimed: 2011-12-19
- Assignees: Molecular Imprints, Inc.
- Inventors: Douglas J. Resnick; Michael N. Miller; Frank Y. Xu
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130153534A1

## CPC

- B29D 11/0074: {Production of other optical elements not provided for in B29D11/00009- B29D11/0073}
- B29C 33/3842: {Manufacturing moulds, e.g. shaping the mould surface by machining}
- B29C 43/003: {characterised by the choice of material}
- B29C 43/021: {characterised by the shape of the surface}
- B29C 59/022: {characterised by the disposition or the configuration, e.g. dimensions, of the embossments or the shaping tools therefor}
- B29C 2033/426: {Stampers}
- B29C 2043/025: {forming a microstructure, i.e. fine patterning}
- B29C 2059/023: {Microembossing}
- B29D 11/00: Producing optical elements, e.g. lenses or prisms (grinding or polishing of optical elements B24B; constructional form of optical elements G02B; {optical parts of spectacles G02C7/00})
- B29D 11/00769: {Producing diffraction gratings}
- B82Y 10/00: Nanotechnology for information processing, storage or transmission, e.g. quantum computing or single electron logic
- B82Y 30/00: Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
- B82Y 40/00: Manufacture or treatment of nanostructures
- G03F 7/0002: {Lithographic processes using patterning methods other than those involving the exposure to radiation, e.g. by stamping}
- G03F 7/0017: {for the production of embossing, cutting or similar devices; for the production of casting means}
- Y10S 977/887: Nanoimprint lithography, i.e. nanostamp
- Y10S 977/888: Shaping or removal of materials, e.g. etching
- B29D: PRODUCING PARTICULAR ARTICLES FROM PLASTICS OR FROM SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE (making granules B29B9/00; making preforms B29B11/00)
- B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00)
- B82Y: SPECIFIC USES OR APPLICATIONS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MEASUREMENT OR ANALYSIS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF NANOSTRUCTURES
- G03F: PHOTOMECHANICAL PRODUCTION OF TEXTURED OR PATTERNED SURFACES, e.g. FOR PRINTING, FOR PROCESSING OF SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; MATERIALS THEREFOR; ORIGINALS THEREFOR; APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED THEREFOR; (phototypographic composing devices B41B; photosensitive materials or processes for photographic purposes G03C; electrophotography, sensitive layers or processes therefor G03G)
- Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS

## Abstract

Described are methods of forming large area templates useful for patterning large area optical devices including e.g. wire grid polarizers (WGPs). Such methods provide for seamless patterning of such large area devices.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of forming a large area template comprising:
providing a substrate;
forming a patterned layer on the substrate or the oxide layer by printing a plurality of patterned fields on the substrate, wherein any disruption between adjacent field patterns is less than 10 microns;
transferring the pattern into the substrate and removing any remaining patterned layer to form a patterned feature area on the substrate.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the formed pattern layer consists of gratings.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the substrate further comprises an oxide layer and wherein the pattern is transferred into the oxide layer.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3 wherein the substrate further comprises an anti-reflective coating layer on the oxide layer.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3 wherein the substrate further comprises a hard mask on the oxide layer.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein each field is printed with reduced exposure of the field edges.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein each field is printed using a dark mask.

### Claim 8 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2 wherein the gratings have a desired length and width and wherein forming the patterned layer step further comprises employing a mask having one or more gratings having a length and width greater than the desired length and width to compensate for optical effects.

### Claim 9 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2 wherein the gratings have a desired length and width and wherein the forming the patterned layer step further comprises offsetting the plurality of printed fields in the x and/or y direction to compensate for optical effects.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the printing of fields further comprises:
a first printing step wherein patterned layers are formed on two or more non-adjacent fields and a planar, non-patterned layer is formed on at least a third field adjacent to at least one of the two or more non-adjacent fields, and the patterned layers are etched into the hard mask at the two or more non-adjacent field locations; and
a second printing step wherein a patterned layer is then formed on at least the third field and the patterned layer is then etched into the hard mask at least the third field location.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10 wherein the first and second printing steps are repeated as necessary until the hard mask is patterned at all available field locations.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10 further comprising the step of providing a mesa on the substrate with the patterned feature area located on the mesa.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12 further comprising the step of forming a layer over the patterned feature area, and etching away the oxide and a portion of the substrate to form the mesa.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

A method of forming a large area optical device by imprint lithography using a template formed according to claim 1.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14 wherein the large area optical device is a wire grid polarizer (WGP).

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

A method of forming a large area optical device by imprint lithography using a replica template, the replica template formed by transferring the pattern from a template formed according to claim 1 to a second substrate, the patterned second substrate forming the replica template.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16 wherein the large area optical device is a wire grid polarizer (WGP).