A nanoimprint lithography method includes disposing a pretreatment composition on a nanoimprint lithography substrate to form a pretreatment coating, and disposing discrete portions of imprint resist on the pretreatment coating, each discrete portion of the imprint resist covering a target area of the nanoimprint lithography substrate. The imprint resist is a polymerizable composition and includes a polymerization initiator. A composite polymerizable coating is formed on the nanoimprint lithography substrate as each discrete portion of the imprint resist spreads beyond its target area. The composite polymerizable coating is contacted with a nanoimprint lithography template. The polymerization initiator is activated, and the composite polymerizable coating is polymerized to yield a composite polymeric layer and an uncured portion of the pretreatment coating on the nanoimprint lithography substrate. After polymerizing the composite polymerizable coating to yield the composite polymeric layer, the uncured portion of the pretreatment coating is polymerized.

Techniques disclosed herein provide a method for continued patterning of substrates having sub-resolution features. Techniques include using novel deposition and removal techniques. This results in a substrate with inter-digitated photoresist in which photoresist is positioned between structures on a given substrate. Combined with using extreme ultraviolet lithographic exposure, patterning techniques herein can make desired cuts and blocks at specified locations on the substrate.

An apparatus configured to manufacture an article using a photoresist comprising photoresist material, the apparatus comprising: a. a housing configured to receive the photoresist and locate the photoresist in at least one operational position in the housing; b. an exposure system configured to emit radiation which is incident on the photoresist material when in the operational position, to induce a change in one or more properties of the area(s) of the photoresist material exposed to the radiation; and c. a heater configured to heat the photoresist material to cure the photoresist material to the substrate when the photoresist is in the operational position, or is in a different operational position in the housing; wherein d. the housing is radiation excluding such that external radiation cannot enter the housing at least to the extent that the external radiation is sufficiently excluded from the housing to prevent, or minimise polymerisation of the photoresist material, and further wherein the housing is a clean housing configured to prevent unwanted contamination from entering the housing, at least when the photoresist is located in the or each operational position.

The apparatus may be a floor standing or desktop apparatus, for producing single or multi-layered articles.

A pattern is formed on a substrate with a layer of a curable composition (A1) containing a component (a1) serving as a polymerizable compound on a surface of the substrate, then dispensing droplets of a curable composition (A2) containing at least a component (a2) serving as a polymerizable compound and a component (b2) serving as a photopolymerization initiator dropwise discretely onto the curable composition (A1) layer to lay the droplets, subsequently sandwiching a mixture layer of the curable composition (A1) and the curable composition (A2) between a mold having a pattern and the substrate, then irradiating the mixture layer with light to cure the layer, and releasing the mold from the mixture layer after the curing, a Distance in Hansen space Ra((a1)(A2)) between the component (a1) serving as a polymerizable compound in the curable composition (A1) and the curable composition (A2) being 6 or less.

Provided is a cured film of high elongation, low stress, and high adhesion to metal copper. The cured film is formed by curing a photosensitive resin composition, wherein the photosensitive resin comprises a polyhydroxyamide, and wherein the rate of ring-closure of the polyhydroxyamide in the cured film is not more than 10%.

A method of transferring a flexible layer to a substrate makes use of a partial bulge in the flexible layer, which does not make contact with the substrate. The partial bulge advances to the location of an alignment marker on the substrate. When alignment adjustments are needed, they are made with the partial bulge in place so that more reproducible positioning is possible when fully advancing the flexible layer against the substrate.

A laminate comprising a thermoplastic film and a chemically amplified positive resist film thereon is provided, the resist film comprising (A) a base polymer having a hydroxyphenyl group and a protective group, the polymer turning alkali soluble as a result of the protective group being eliminated under the action of acid, (B) a photoacid generator, (C) an organic solvent, and (D) a polymer having an ester bond in its backbone. The resist film may be transferred to a stepped support without forming voids.

The present invention relates to a device for embossing structures into an embossing material, having a structure punch for embossing the structures into the embossing material. The structure punch can be kept under a constant local expansion during embossing and separation from the embossing material.

Provided is a kit including a curable composition for imprinting which contains a polymerizable compound having an aromatic ring and a composition for forming an underlayer film for imprinting which contains a polymer and a solvent, in which the polymer contains at least one kind of specific constitutional unit and has a polymerizable group, a film formed of the composition for forming an underlayer film for imprinting is a solid film at 23 C., and a portion that has a continuous partial structure containing an aromatic ring which is included in the polymerizable compound and accounts for 60% by mass or more of the polymerizable compound is common to a continuous partial structure containing an aromatic ring which is included in a substituent R in a side chain in the polymer. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a composition for forming an underlayer film for imprinting which is used in combination with a curable composition for imprinting; a laminate; a method for producing a laminate; a method for producing a cured product pattern; and a method for manufacturing a circuit board.

A molding apparatus that molds a composition on a substrate with a mold includes a mold holding unit configured to hold the mold, a substrate holding unit configured to hold the substrate, a first elastic member configured to apply a first elastic force to the mold holding unit in a direction away from the substrate holding unit, and a control unit configured to cause the mold holding unit to move in the direction away from the substrate holding unit in a case where the control unit determines that an abnormality has occurred.