Method and system for tone inverting of residual layer tolerant imprint lithography

A method of imprint lithography, comprising:

• imprinting, via a patterned mask, a pattern into a resist layer on a substrate;
• and
• overlaying a cladding layer over said imprinted resist layer,
• wherein a portion of the cladding layer is used as a hard mask for a subsequent processing,
• wherein a transfer of the imprinted pattern is performed in a plurality of etches,
• wherein a first etch, which is selective to the cladding layer, partially etches the cladding layer to expose elevated portions of the imprint layer,
• wherein said first etch comprises one of a reactive ion etch, sputter etch, plasma etch, wet chemical etch and a chemical downstream etch,
• wherein a second etch, which is selective to the imprint layer and not selective to the cladding layer, etches the portions of the imprint layer that were exposed in the first etch to a substrate under said cladding layer, and
• wherein said second etch comprises one of a reactive ion etch, sputter etch, plasma etch, a wet chemical etch and a chemical downstream etch.