Nanoshape patterning techniques that allow high-throughput fabrication of functional nanostructures with complex geometries on planar and non-planar substrates

A method for fabricating multi-tiered, multi-graded imprint lithography templates, the method comprising:

• depositing a first profiled polymer layer onto a patterned multi-tiered primary material;
• etching said first profiled polymer layer and said patterned multi-tiered primary material thereby forming a composite profiled surface comprising regions of said first profiled polymer layer and regions of said patterned multi-tiered primary material, wherein a top tier of said multi-tiered primary material has been etched along with said first profiled polymer layer;
• selectively depositing a hard mask cap on to said regions of said patterned multi-tiered primary material on said composite profiled surface;
• selectively removing said etched first profiled polymer layer thereby forming an intermediate multi-tiered multi-graded primary material;
• depositing a second profiled polymer layer onto said intermediate multi-tiered multi-graded primary material;
• etching said second profiled polymer layer and said patterned multi-tiered primary material thereby forming a graded depth in a lower tier of said multi-tiered primary material;
• and
• selectively removing said etched second profiled polymer layer thereby forming a patterned multi-tiered multi-graded primary material with a hard mask.

A method for fabricating functional optical components, the method comprising:

• depositing a detackable adhesive layer on an intermediate substrate;
• depositing a curable liquid onto said detackable adhesive layer on said intermediate substrate;
• using an imprint template to transfer patterns onto said curable liquid followed by curing thereby forming an imprinted patterned material on said intermediate substrate;
• depositing a layer of functional material on said imprinted patterned material;
• depositing a polymer layer on top of said functional material layer;
• performing a correlated etch of said polymer layer and said functional material layer thereby forming an etched functional material surface;
• bonding said etched functional material surface to a final substrate;
• and
• detacking said imprinted patterned material from said intermediate substrate at said detackable adhesive layer.

A method for fabricating diffractive optical elements with customizable pattern heights, the method comprising:

• patterning nanostructures on a substrate;
• depositing one or more layers of contrasting material over said patterned nanostructures;
• custom profiling said contrasting material forming a custom profile;
• etching said custom profile into said patterned nanostructures thereby producing a patterned nanostructure with custom pattern heights with trenches filled with said contrasting material;
• and
• eliminating said contrasting material from said trenches leaving behind said nanostructure with custom pattern heights.

A method for fabricating multi-layered diffractive optical elements, the method comprising:

• patterning nanostructures of high index material;
• depositing low index material over said patterned nanostructure of said high index material as an inter-fill;
• planarizing said low index material thereby forming a single layer of high index nanostructure with planarized low index material inter-fill;
• and
• bonding said single layer of high index nanostructure with planarized low index material inter-fill to another single layer of said high index nanostructure with planarized low index material inter-fill.