Step & flash imprint lithography

The escalating cost of next generation lithography (NGL) is driven in part by the need for complex sources and optics. The cost for a single NGL tool could soon exceed $50 million, a prohibitive amount for many companies. As a result, several research groups are looking at alternative, low-cost methods for printing sub-100 nm features. Many of these methods are limited in their ability to do precise overlay. In 1999, Willson and Sreenivasan developed step and flash imprint lithography (S-FIL (TM)). The use of a quartz template opens up the potential for optical alignment of the wafer and template. This paper reviews several key aspects of the S-FIL process, including template, tool, ultraviolet (UV)-curable monomer, and pattern transfer. Two applications are also presented: contact holes and surface acoustic wave (SAW) filters.