A method for forming a nanostructure includes coating an exposed surface of a base layer with a patterning layer. The method further includes forming a pattern in the patterning layer including nano-patterned non-random openings, such that a bottom portion of the non-random openings provides direct access to the exposed surface of the base layer. The method also includes depositing a material in the non-random openings in the patterning layer, such that the material contacts the exposed surface to produce repeating individually articulated nano-scale features. The method includes removing remaining portions of the patterning layer. The method further includes forming an encapsulation layer on exposed surfaces of the repeating individually articulated nanoscale features and the exposed surface of the base layer.

Embodiments provided herewith are directed to self-assembled methods of preparing a patterned surface for sequencing applications including, for example, a patterned flow cell or a patterned surface for digital fluidic devices. The methods utilize photolithography to create a patterned surface with a plurality of microscale or nanoscale contours, separated by hydrophobic interstitial regions, without the need of oxygen plasma treatment during the photolithography process. In addition, the methods avoid the use of any chemical or mechanical polishing steps after the deposition of a gel material to the contours.

The invention relates to a method for nanostructuring a substrate (10) for the preparation of a nanostructured substrate having nanostructures of different dimensions, the method including removing the crosslinked polymer layer (TC) and one of the blocks of the nanostructured block copolymer so as to form patterns of a nanolithography mask; said method being characterized in that the removal of one of the blocks is a removal of only a portion of the nanodomains (21, 22) of one of the blocks of the nanostructured block copolymer, in particular of only the perpendicular nanodomains (Z1) of said block, such that the parallel nanodomains (21, 22) of at least two blocks of the nanostructured block copolymer form patterns of the nanolithography mask; and so as to generate in the nanolithography mask patterns (M1, M2, M3) of different dimensions and nanostructures in the nanostructured substrate of different dimensions after etching.

A substrate processing apparatus of an embodiment includes a nozzle plate and a support configured to support a substrate at a predetermined distance from the nozzle plate with a first surface of the substrate facing the nozzle plate. A processing liquid supply unit is configured to supply a processing liquid to a second surface of the substrate that is opposite to the first surface. A first supply unit is configured to supply a first fluid from a first supply port in the nozzle plate. A second supply unit is configured to supply a second fluid from a second supply port closer to a outer edge of the nozzle plate than the first supply port.

Methods and apparatuses related to fiducial designs for fiducial markers on glass substrates, or other transparent or translucent substrates, are disclosed. Example fiducial designs can facilitate visual recognition by enhancing edge detection in visual perception. In example fiducial designs, optical features on glass substrates can re-direct light so as to present a bright image region. Such optical features can include surface relief patterns formed in a coating on the surface of glass substrates. An exemplary method for manufacturing the fiducial markers can involve transfers of a fiducial design across a master mold or plate, a submaster mold or plate, and a target glass substrate. A fiducial marker can facilitate the use of the substrate in a variety of applications, including machine vision systems that facilitate automated performance of manufacturing processes on input working material.

Disclosed is a patterning method by ink lithography. More particularly, the patterning method includes coating thin film-forming nanoparticles surrounded by the first ligand on a substrate to form a nanoparticle thin film; directly spraying a ligand-substituting ink to a selected region on the nanoparticle thin film to form a region in which the first ligand is substituted with the second ligand; and washing the nanoparticle thin film with a washing solvent so that the region substituted with the second ligand is patterned.

An imprint apparatus that forms a pattern of an imprint material on a substrate with use of a mold includes a mold holding unit configured to hold the mold, a suction unit provided at the mold holding unit and configured to suction a gas in a space in which the mold and the substrate face each other, a detector configured to detect particles included in the gas suctioned by the suction unit, and a control unit configured to perform error processing depending on a result of detection performed by the detector.

According to one embodiment, an imprint apparatus that presses a fine pattern of an original plate against a photo-curable resin dropped onto a substrate, and transfers the fine pattern to the photo-curable resin by applying light, includes a dropping unit that drops the photo-curable resin onto a shot region obtained by dividing the substrate into a plurality of sections, an original plate supporting unit that stamps the original plate on the photo-curable resin on the substrate, the original plate being supported the fine pattern towards the substrate side, and a substrate supporting unit that supports the substrate and moves the substrate such that a position of a predetermined shot region of the substrate is a dropping position of the dropping unit or a stamping position of the original plate, in which the dropping unit is controlled such that the photo-curable resin is sequentially dropped onto the plurality of shot regions of the substrate, and the original plate supporting unit is controlled such that the fine pattern is transferred by sequentially stamping the original plate on the photo-curable resin dropped onto the plurality of shot regions, while operating the substrate supporting unit.

A system and method for shaping a film on a partial field including determining an initial contact point. Receiving information about: a partial field of a substrate; and an edge of a patternable area of the substrate. Determining a chord that connects intersection vertices of the partial field and the edge. Determining coordinates of a bisecting line, wherein the bisecting line bisects the chord, and the bisecting line is orthogonal to the chord. Determining an initial contact point range on the bisecting line in which a template and formable material on the substrate contact each other. Contacting the formable material in the partial field on the substrate with the template at an initial contact point within the initial contact point range.

An imprint lithography apparatus having a first frame to be mounted on a floor, a second frame mounted on the first frame via a kinematic coupling, an alignment sensor mounted on the second frame, to align an imprint lithography template arrangement with a target portion of a substrate, and a position sensor to measure a position of the imprint lithography template arrangement and/or a substrate stage relative to the second frame.