Imprint lithography template having a mold to compensate for material changes of an underlying liquid

Abstract

The present invention includes a template to form a recorded pattern on a substrate from a conformable material disposed between the template and the substrate, with the recorded pattern having recorded features with designed dimensions, the template comprising an original pattern having original features with original dimensions, with the original dimensions differing from the designed dimensions sufficient to compensate for volumetric changes of the conformable material that occurs upon the conformable material transitioning between first and second states.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A template to form a recorded pattern on a substrate from a conformable material disposed between said template and said substrate, with said recorded pattern having recorded features with designed dimensions; said template comprising: 
 an original pattern having original features with original dimensions, with said original dimensions differing from said designed-dimensions sufficient to compensate for volumetric changes of said conformable material that occurs upon said conformable material transitioning between first and second states.    
     
     
         2 . The template as recited in  claim 1  wherein said first state comprises a liquid state and said second state comprises a solid state.  
     
     
         3 . The template as recited in  claim 1  wherein said original pattern comprises a plurality of protrusions and recessions, with a set of said plurality of protrusions and recessions having angled profiles.  
     
     
         4 . The template as recited in  claim 1  wherein said original pattern is formed on a surface of said template, with said original pattern comprising a plurality of protrusions and recessions, with a set of said plurality of protrusions and recessions having a width that varies in a direction normal to said surface.  
     
     
         5 . The template as recited in  claim 1  wherein said volumetric changes further a volumetric expansion of said conformable material.  
     
     
         6 . The template as recited in  claim 1  wherein said volumetric changes includes a volumetric contraction of said conformable material.  
     
     
         7 . The template as recited in  claim 1  wherein said original pattern comprises a profile selected from the group consisting of recessed and protruded, smooth, and planarized profiles.  
     
     
         8 . The template as recited in  claim 1  wherein said template comprises silicon, silicon dioxide, silicon germanium carbon, gallium nitride, silicon germanium, sapphire, gallium arsinide, epitaxial silicon, polysilicon, gate oxide, quartz, or a combination thereof.  
     
     
         9 . A template to pattern recorded features on a substrate from a conformable material disposed between said template and said substrate, with said recorded features having designed dimensions; said template comprising: 
 original features having original dimensions, with said original dimensions differing from said designed dimensions sufficient to compensate for volumetric changes of said conformable material that occurs upon said conformable material transitioning between first and second states.    
     
     
         10 . The template as recited in  claim 9  wherein said first state comprises a liquid state and said second state comprises a solid state.  
     
     
         11 . The template as recited in  claim 10  wherein said original features comprises a plurality of protrusions and recessions, with a set of said plurality of protrusions and recessions having angled profiles.  
     
     
         12 . The template as recited in  claim 11  wherein said original features is formed on a surface of said template, with said original features comprising a plurality of protrusions and recessions, with a set of said plurality of protrusions and recessions having a width that varies in a direction normal to said surface.  
     
     
         13 . The template as recited in  claim 12  wherein said volumetric changes includes a volumetric expansion of said conformable material.  
     
     
         14 . The template as recited in  claim 13  wherein said volumetric changes includes a volumetric contraction of said conformable material.  
     
     
         15 . The template as recited in  claim 14  wherein said original features comprises a profile selected from the group consisting of recessed and protruded, smooth, and planarized profiles.  
     
     
         16 . The template as recited in  claim 15  wherein said template comprises silicon, silicon dioxide, silicon germanium carbon, gallium nitride, silicon germanium, sapphire, gallium arsinide, epitaxial silicon, polysilicon, gate oxide, quartz, or a combination thereof.  
     
     
         17 . A template to form a recorded pattern on a substrate from a conformable material disposed between said template and said substrate, with said recorded pattern having recorded features with designed dimensions; said template comprising: 
 an original pattern having original dimensions, said recorded pattern having first dimensions in a first phase state and second dimensions in a second phase state differing from said first dimensions, with said first dimensions being established to compensate for volumetric changes of said conformable material between said first and second phase states to form said second dimensions, with said second dimensions being substantially the same as said designed dimensions.    
     
     
         18 . The template as recited in  claim 17  wherein said first state comprises a liquid state and said second state comprises a solid state.  
     
     
         19 . The template as recited in  claim 17  wherein said original pattern comprises a plurality of protrusions and recessions, with a set of said plurality of protrusions and recessions having angled profiles.  
     
     
         20 . The template as recited in  claim 17  wherein said original pattern is formed on a surface of said template, with said original pattern comprising a plurality of protrusions and recessions, with a set of said plurality of protrusions and recessions having a width that varies in a direction normal to said surface.