Thermal imprint lithography using sub-micron sized nickel template coated with thin SiO2 layer

Nickel template is very suitable for thermal imprinting process since it has high mechanical durability and can easily be duplicated using electroforming technique. However nickel has a poor anti-sticking property; in addition, proper and stable releasing layer on nickel surface is not yet available.In this study, thin layer of SiO2 film was deposited on nickel surface and silane based hydrophobic self-assembled monolayer (SAM) was formed on SiO2 film, coated on nickel. Since the silane based SAM layer can be stably formed on SiO2 layer coated nickel template, it can be used anti-sticking layer for thermal imprint process using thermoplastic polymer resin or thermally curable prepolymer resin.