Template having a varying thickness to facilitate expelling a gas positioned between a substrate and the template

A nanoimprint lithography system comprising:

• a template having first and second opposed sides with a first surface disposed on the first side, the second side having a recess disposed therein, the template having a first region and a second region having a perimeter, with the second region surrounding the first region and the recess in superimposition with the first region, with a portion of the first surface in superimposition with the first region being spaced-apart from the second side a first distance and a portion of the first surface in superimposition with the second region being spaced-apart from the second side a second distance, with the second distance being greater than the first distance, the template further having a mold disposed on the first side in superimposition with a portion of the first region and wherein the mold comprises a plurality of protrusions and recessions and the recess is in superimposition with the plurality of protrusions and recessions, and the first region further adapted to bow away from the second side of the template upon application of pressure;
• and
• a pressure control system in fluid communication with the recess configured to apply pressure to the template to bow the first region of the template away from the second side of the template.