# US 8,147,742 B2 · Lithography processes using phase change compositions > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,147,742 B2 - Document ID: US8147742B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 11/661,028 - Filed: 2005-09-23 - Published: 2007-12-20 - Granted: 2012-04-03 - Earliest claimed: 2004-10-08 - Assignees: Dow Corning Corporation - Inventors: Wei Chen; Brian Robert Harkness; Joan Sudbury-Holtschlag; Lenin James Petroff - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8147742B2 ## CPC - G03F 7/0002: {Lithographic processes using patterning methods other than those involving the exposure to radiation, e.g. by stamping} - B82Y 10/00: Nanotechnology for information processing, storage or transmission, e.g. quantum computing or single electron logic - B82Y 40/00: 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) - B82Y: SPECIFIC USES OR APPLICATIONS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MEASUREMENT OR ANALYSIS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF NANOSTRUCTURES ## Abstract A lithography method includes the steps of: A) filling a mold having a patterned surface with a phase change composition at a temperature above the phase change temperature of the phase change composition; B) hardening the phase change composition to form a patterned feature; C) separating the mold and the patterned feature; optionally D) etching the patterned feature; optionally E) cleaning the mold; and optionally F) repeating steps A) to D) reusing the mold. The PCC may include an organofunctional silicone wax. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A lithographic method comprising following steps: A) filling a mold having a patterned surface with a phase change composition at a temperature above a phase change temperature of the phase change composition, where the phase change composition is a solid below the phase change temperature and the phase change composition is a fluid above the phase change temperature; followed by step B) contacting the phase change composition with a substrate; followed by step C) hardening the phase change composition to form a patterned feature on the substrate by cooling the phase change composition to a temperature below the phase change temperature; followed by step D) separating the mold and the patterned feature; optionally followed by step E) etching the patterned feature; optionally followed by step F) removing the phase change composition; optionally followed by step G) cleaning the mold; and optionally followed by step H) repeating steps A) to G) reusing the mold; to obtain a patterned feature on the substrate, with the proviso that the phase change composition comprises an organofunctional silicone wax. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, where the phase change composition comprises an uncrosslinked organofunctional silicone wax. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, where the uncrosslinked organofunctional silicone wax comprises a wax selected from: (R32SiO)m(R3R1SiO)n, R2R32SiO(R3R4SiO)x(R32SiO)y(R3R1SiO)zSiR32R2, or a combination thereof, where each R1 is independently an organic waxy group, each R2 is a substituted or unsubstituted monovalent hydrocarbon group having at least 1 carbon atom, each R3 is independently a substituted or unsubstituted monovalent hydrocarbon group of 1 to 10 carbon atoms, each R4 is independently R3 or a polyoxyalkylene group, m has a value greater than or equal to 0, n has a value greater than or equal to 1, m+n has a value ranging from 1 to 8, x has a value ranging from 0 to 600, y has a value ranging from 0 to 200, and z has a value ranging from 1 to 200. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, where the phase change composition comprises a crosslinked organofunctional silicone wax. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, where the crosslinked organofunctional silicone wax has unit formula: where each R1 is independently an organic waxy group, each R2 is independently a substituted or unsubstituted monovalent hydrocarbon group having at least 1 carbon atom, each R3 is independently a substituted or unsubstituted monovalent hydrocarbon group of 1 to 10 carbon atoms, each R5 is independently an alkyl group of 2 to 4 carbon atoms, each R6 is independently an alkyl group of 2 to 6 carbon atoms, each R7 is a terminal group selected from the group consisting of an acyl group, an alkyl group, and a hydrogen atom; each R8 is independently a divalent organic group or nil, each R9 is a divalent group, each d independently has a value greater than or equal to 0, each e independently has a value greater than 0, each f independently has a value greater than 0, each g independently has a value greater than or equal to 0, each h independently has a value greater than or equal to 0, and each i independently has a value greater than or equal to 0, with the proviso that at least one of h or i has a value greater than 0. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, where the PCC comprises a combination of an organic wax and an organofunctional silicone wax. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: I) casting a curable silicone composition against a master, II) curing the curable silicone composition to form the mold, and III) removing the mold from the master before step A). ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, where the method is used in a lithography technique selected from the group consisting of: imprint molding, step and flash imprint molding, solvent assisted micromolding, microtransfer molding, and micromolding in capillaries. ### Claim 9 A patterned feature on a substrate prepared by a lithographic method comprising following steps: A) filling a mold having a patterned surface with a phase change composition at a temperature above a phase change temperature of the phase change composition, where the phase change composition is a solid below the phase change temperature and the phase change composition is a fluid above the phase change temperature; followed by step B) contacting the phase change composition with a substrate; followed by step C) hardening the phase change composition to form a patterned feature on the substrate by cooling the phase change composition to a temperature below the phase change temperature; followed by step D) separating the mold and the patterned feature; optionally followed by step E) etching the patterned feature; optionally followed by step F) removing the phase change composition; optionally followed by step G) cleaning the mold; and optionally followed by step H) repeating steps A) to G) reusing the mold; to obtain a patterned feature on the substrate, with the proviso that the phase change composition comprises an organofunctional silicone wax and with the proviso that the patterned feature has dimensions on the order of 5 micrometers to 40 micrometers. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The patterned feature on a substrate according to claim 9, where the phase change composition comprises an uncrosslinked organofunctional silicone wax. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The patterned feature on a substrate according to claim 10, where the uncrosslinked organofunctional silicone wax comprises a wax selected from: (R32SiO)m(R3R1SiO)n, R2R32SiO(R3R4SiO)x(R32SiO)y(R3R1SiO)zSiR32R2, or a combination thereof, where each R1 is independently an organic waxy group, each R2 is a substituted or unsubstituted monovalent hydrocarbon group having at least 1 carbon atom, each R3 is independently a substituted or unsubstituted monovalent hydrocarbon group of 1 to 10 carbon atoms, each R4 is independently R3 or a polyoxyalkylene group, m has a value greater than or equal to 0, n has a value greater than or equal to 1, m+n has a value ranging from 1 to 8, x has a value ranging from 0 to 600, y has a value ranging from 0 to 200, and z has a value ranging from 1 to 200. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The patterned feature on a substrate according to claim 9, where the phase change composition comprises a crosslinked organofunctional silicone wax. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The patterned feature on a substrate according to claim 12, where the crosslinked organofunctional silicone wax has unit formula: where each R1 is independently an organic waxy group, each R2 is independently a substituted or unsubstituted monovalent hydrocarbon group having at least 1 carbon atom, each R3 is independently a substituted or unsubstituted monovalent hydrocarbon group of 1 to 10 carbon atoms, each R5 is independently an alkyl group of 2 to 4 carbon atoms, each R6 is independently an alkyl group of 2 to 6 carbon atoms, each R7 is a terminal group selected from the group consisting of an acyl group, an alkyl group, and a hydrogen atom; each R8 is independently a divalent organic group or nil, each R9 is a divalent group, each d independently has a value greater than or equal to 0, each e independently has a value greater than 0, each f independently has a value greater than 0, each g independently has a value greater than or equal to 0, each h independently has a value greater than or equal to 0, and each i independently has a value greater than or equal to 0, with the proviso that at least one of h or i has a value greater than 0. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The patterned feature on a substrate according to claim 9, where the PCC further comprises an organic wax.