Large-area homogeneous corrosion process for electrochemical nanoimprint lithography on GaAs wafer by modulating contact pressure

Electrochemical nanoimprint lithography (ECNL) has proven to be a prospective manufacturing technology for the fabrications of three-dimensional micro/nano-structures (3D-MNSs) directly on semiconductors. It is an essentially spatially confined corrosion process induced by the contact potential across the metal/semiconductor boundaries, so the contact pressure between the metallized mold and the semiconductor workpiece and its homogeneity play crucial roles for the product quality. For this, we investigated the influence of the contact pressure on the ECNL process by combining experiments with theoretical analyses. The results show that the pressure should be optimized to improve the imprinting efficiency and accuracy, and excessive pressure would lead to mold distortion and product defects. To ensure the homogeneity of the pressure distribution between the metallized mold and the semiconductor workpiece, a dual-cushion omnidirectional structure was designed and, consequently, the imprint uniformity in large area was improved. The finite element simulations are in harmonious accordance with the experimental results, which is proved very instructive for the optimization of ECNL technical parameters.

Automated summary

Electrochemical nanoimprint lithography (ECNL) is a promising manufacturing technology for creating three-dimensional micro/nano-structures directly on semiconductors. The contact pressure and its uniformity between the metallized mold and semiconductor workpiece are crucial for product quality. Through experiments and theoretical analyses, it was found that optimizing the pressure improves efficiency and accuracy, while excessive pressure causes mold distortion and defects. A dual-cushion omnidirectional structure was designed to improve imprint uniformity in large areas. Finite element simulations matched experimental results, providing instructive guidance for optimizing ECNL technical parameters.