SCIL (Substrate Conformal Imprint Lithography)

A New Method for Large Area Nanoimprint Lithography

The Substrate Conformal Imprint Lithography (SCIL) technique combines the advantages of a soft composite working stamp for large area patterning with a rigid glass carrier for low pattern deformation and best resolution. SCIL uses a sequential imprinting principle that applies capillary forces instead of backside pressure, which minimizes air inclusions even on large areas, ensuring highest uniformity. The sequential separation of stamp and substrate avoids high forces and allows for a clean and reliable disconnection without damage to the patterned structures.

The excellent performance in respect to substrate conformity and pattern fidelity over large areas makes this imprint technology a powerful tool, especially for applications like LED/VCSEL, optical elements, patterned media or functional materials such as printed electronics or RFIDs.

SCIL was developed by Philips Research, Eindhoven, and transferred to SUSS MicroTec in a technology license agreement. The SCIL toolkit can be field-installed on any SUSS MicroTec MA6/8 and MA/BA8 Gen3 Mask Aligner.

Your Needs - Our SCIL Solutions

  • Large area imprinting at high resolution
    SCIL provides up to 6“ full-field imprints, down to sub- 50 nm resolution.
  • Excellent cost of ownership
    Generates multiple stamps from one single master and high-volume imprints from every stamp
  • High resolution over large areas
    The flexible SCIL composite working stamp provides in-plane rigidity and out-of-plane flexibility to accommodate wafer bow and substrate imperfections
  • High process reliability
    Sequential imprinting and separation ensure faithful feature replication due to low stress stamp application and separation
  • Easily upgradable on your manual SUSS mask aligner
    The SUSS MA6 and MA8/BA8 Gen3 and bond mask aligner can be enhanced with a SCIL toolkit without affecting any other process

Technical Data

Alignment

Alignment accuracy (TSA)

± 1 μm (manual alignment
± 0.5 μm (assisted alignment)
only MA/BA8 Gen3

Throughput

Single wafer imprint

≥12 wph

Multi wafer imprint

up to 60 wph

no alignment, exposure time 2 min, imprint 30 sec, separation 60 sec, manual wafer handling 1.5 min

Imprinting

Large area imprinting

currently up to 6“

Structure size

less than 50 nmhigh aspect ratio structures

Data, design and specification of custom built machines depend on individual process conditions and can vary according to equipment configurations. Not all specifications may be valid simultaneously. Illustrations on this web page are not legally binding. SUSS MicroTec reserves the right to change machine specifications without prior notice.

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Nano-Gratings Creation of a wire-grid polarizer by etching of an aluminum layer while using the Sol-Gel imprinted layer as an etch mask. Courtesy Philips Research

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Photonic Crystals 2-D photonic crystal imprinted on GaN and subsequently etched into the material. Courtesy Philips Research

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BPM Bit, Patterned Media for Next Generation HDD SCIL is capable of reproducing < 30 nm features in Sol-Gel layers. Courtesy Philips Research

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Microlenses SEM picture showing the good replication of microlenses. Courtesy Philips Research and SUSS MicroOptics

Information Materials

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