Replication of an UV-NIL stamp using DLC coating

We fabricated a stamp for UV nanoimprint lithography using a diamond-like carbon (DLC) coating on polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), which is commonly used in water-soluble polymer replica stamps. The RF-PECVD method was used to deposit a DLC on the PVA replica. An optical adhesive was then used to affix a glass plate to the DLC-coated PVA replica as a backup material, and the PVA replica was dissolved in water from the DLC layer stuck to the glass plate. The same topology was applied to successfully replicate the master stamp with sub-1 μm features. The correlation between the dimensions of the master stamp’s features and the corresponding replicated features was excellent. When replicating stamps, the properties of DLC yield the benefits of both good mechanical properties and low surface energy.