Embossing compound for embossing lithography

Abstract

An embossing material that can be hardened and used for embossing lithography, comprised of a mixture of at least one polymerizable main component, and at least one secondary component. The invention also relates to a use of the embossing material for the primary forming of an embossing form.

Claims

1. An embossing system for embossing a substrate to form an embossed material thereon, said embossing system comprising: an embossing material to be embossed onto the substrate, the embossing material comprising: one or more polymerizable main inorganic components based on silicon oxide and selected from the group consisting of polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS), polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), and tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS); and one or more secondary components selected from the group consisting of acrylics, epoxides, epoxy resins, phenols, alkanes, alkenes, alkynes, and benzenes; and an embossing die configured to emboss the embossing material onto the substrate; wherein a proportion by weight of the polymerizable main inorganic components in the embossing material is greater than a proportion by weight of the secondary components in the embossing material, wherein adhesion between the embossed material and the embossing die is less than 2.5 J/m.sup.2, wherein, when the embossing material is hydrophilic, the embossing die is hydrophobic, wherein, when the embossing material is hydrophobic, the embossing die is hydrophilic, wherein the embossing material consists of the one or more polymerizable main inorganic components, the secondary components, a solvent, and an activated initiator, and wherein the secondary components are not copolymerizable with the polymerizable main inorganic components.

2. An embossing system according to claim 1, wherein the embossing material is comprised of a chain of polymerized monomers having a chain length of at least two monomers.

3. An embossing system according to claim 1, wherein the proportion by weight of the one or more polymerizable main inorganic components in the embossing material is less than 10%, wherein the proportion by weight of the secondary components in the embossing material is less than 2%, wherein a proportion by weight of the solvent in the embossing material is less than 98%, and wherein a proportion by weight of the activated initiator in the embossing material is less than 2%.

4. A method of embossing an embossing material onto a substrate with an embossing die to form an embossed material thereon, the method comprising: coating the substrate with an embossing material consisting of one or more polymerizable main inorganic components based on silicon oxide, one or more secondary components, a solvent, and an initiator; applying the embossing die to the embossing material to mold the embossing material; curing only the polymerizable main inorganic components of the embossing material on the substrate during the application of the embossing die to the embossing material to form the embossed material on the substrate; and demolding the embossing die from the embossed material after the curing, wherein the one or more polymerizable main inorganic components are selected from the group consisting of polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS), polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), and tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS); and wherein the one or more secondary components are selected from the group consisting of acrylics, epoxides, epoxy resins, phenols, alkanes, alkenes, alkynes, and benzenes; wherein a proportion by weight of the main inorganic components in the embossing material is greater than a proportion by weight of the secondary components in the embossing material, wherein adhesion between the embossed material and the embossing die is less than 2.5 J/m.sup.2, wherein, when the embossing material is hydrophilic, the embossing die is hydrophobic, and wherein, when the embossing material is hydrophobic, the embossing die is hydrophilic.

5. An embossing method according to claim 4, wherein the proportion by weight of the one or more polymerizable main inorganic components in the embossing material is less than 10%, wherein the proportion by weight of the secondary components in the embossing material is less than 2%, wherein a proportion by weight of the solvent in the embossing material is less than 98%, and wherein a proportion by weight of the initiator in the embossing material is less than 2%.

6. An embossing system for embossing a substrate to form an embossed material thereon, said embossing system comprising: a hydrophobic embossing material to be embossed onto the substrate, the embossing material comprising: one or more polymerizable main inorganic components based on silicon oxide and selected from the group consisting of polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS), polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), and tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS); and one or more secondary components selected from the group consisting of acrylics, epoxides, epoxy resins, phenols, alkanes, alkenes, alkynes, and benzenes; and a hydrophobic embossing die configured to emboss the embossing material onto the substrate, wherein a proportion by weight of the main inorganic components in the embossing material is greater than a proportion by weight of the secondary components in the embossing material, wherein adhesion between the embossed material and the embossing die is less than 2.5 J/m.sup.2, and wherein the secondary components are not copolymerizable with the polymerizable main inorganic components.

7. An embossing system according to claim 6, wherein the embossing material consists of the one or more polymerizable main inorganic components, the secondary components, a solvent, and an activated initiator, wherein the proportion by weight of the one or more polymerizable main inorganic components in the embossing material is less than 10%, wherein the proportion by weight of the secondary components in the embossing material is less than 2%, wherein a proportion by weight of the solvent in the embossing material is less than 98%, and wherein a proportion by weight of the activated initiator in the embossing material is less than 2%.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Additional features and embodiments of the invention follow from the claims as well as the subsequent description of figures in the drawings, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic cross-sectional depiction of a first use according to the invention of an embossing material according to the invention,

(3) FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic cross-sectional depiction of a second use according to the invention of an embossing material according to the invention,

(4) FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic cross-sectional depiction of a third use according to the invention of an embossing material according to the invention,

(5) FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic cross-sectional depiction of a fourth use according to the invention of an etching mask made of the embossing material,

(6) FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic cross-sectional depiction of a fifth use according to the invention of an embossing material according to the invention as an embossing die,

(7) FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic cross-sectional depiction of a sixth use according to the invention of an embossing material according to the invention in contact lithography,

(8) FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic cross-sectional depiction of a seventh use according to the invention of an embossing material according to the invention as a locally limited, through-etched insulating layer, and

(9) FIG. 8 is a diagrammatic cross-sectional depiction of an eighth use according to the invention of an embossing material according to the invention as a transfer etching mask.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(10) FIG. 1 shows a first use of the embossing material 2 according to the invention for encapsulating or for protecting functional units 3 on a substrate 1 by the primary forming of a first embossing form 4.

(11) FIG. 2 shows a second use of the embossing material 2 according to the invention as a basic material and construction material by the primary forming of a second embossing form 4.

(12) FIG. 3 shows a third use of the embossing material 2 according to the invention for the production of optical elements 6 via functional units 3. In this case, the optical elements 6 can preferably be embossed directly via the functional units 3 by the primary forming of a third embossing form 4.

(13) FIG. 4 shows a fourth use of the embossing material 2 according to the invention as an etching mask with already present through contact points 7 by the primary forming of a fourth embossing form 4. The through contact points 7 reach up to the surface 50o of the layer 5 that is to be etched.

(14) FIG. 5 shows a fifth use of the embossing material 2 according to the invention as a die 8 by the primary forming of a fifth embossing form 4.sup.IV.

(15) FIG. 6 shows a sixth use of the embossing material 2 according to the invention as embossing material on the embossing structures 9 of a die 8 in a sixth embossing form 4V.

(16) FIG. 7 shows a seventh use of the embossing material 2 according to the invention. In a first process step, an embossing step, structuring of the embossing material 2, applied on the substrate 1, is carried out in such a way that the embossing material 2 has still unopened contact access points 11 via electrically conductive contacts 10. The contacts 10 are connected to, for example, the functional units 3. In a second process step, an etching step, the embossing material 2 is etched until the still unopened contact access points 11 were etched completely to form the contact access points 11. The contact access points 11 reach to the contacts 10. In other process steps, not shown, a coating of the embossing material 2 with a conductive material, which connects the contacts 10 with the surface of the embossing material 2 or makes possible connections to individual contacts, can then be carried out.

(17) FIG. 8 shows an eighth use of the embossing material 2 according to the invention as a transfer etching mask. In a first process step, the embossing material 2 according to the invention is structured. In FIG. 8, a structuring, by way of example, can be seen in the form of several lenses 6. The structured embossing material 2 according to the invention is located on a substrate 1 that is actually to be etched. The substrate 1 is to form etched substrate 1 by an etching process, not shown. The shape of the embossing material 2 according to the invention was transferred into the substrate 1 in such a way that the shape was completely lost. In the example shown, the etching rate is the same between the embossing material 2 and the substrate 1. Should the latter be different, the shape of the structure is changed, in the concrete example of the lenses 6, in the transfer.

REFERENCE SYMBOL LIST

(18) 1 Substrate 2, 2 Embossing Material 3, 3 Functional Unit 4, 4, 4, 4, 4.sup.IV, 4.sup.V, 4.sup.VI, 4.sup.VII Embossing Form 5 Layer 6 Optical Elements 7 Through Contact Point 8, 8 Die 9 Embossing Structures 10 Contact 11, 11 Contact Access Points