Method for providing desirable wetting and release characteristics between a mold and a polymerizable composition

Abstract

The present invention provides a method to reduce adhesion between a conformable region on a substrate and a pattern of a mold, which selectively comes into contact with the conformable region. The method features forming a conformable material on the substrate and contacting the conformable material with the surface. A conditioned layer is formed from the conformable material. The conditioned layer has first and second sub-portions, with the first sub-portion being solidified and the second sub-portion having a first affinity for the surface and a second affinity for the first sub-portion. The first affinity is greater than the second affinity. In this fashion, upon separation of the mold from the conditioned layer, a subset of the second sub-portion maintains contact with the mold, thereby reducing the probability that a pattern formed in the conditioned layer becomes compromised.

1 - 10 . (canceled)  
     
     
         11 . A method for providing desirable wetting and release characteristics between a mold, having a surface, and a polymerizable composition, said method comprising: 
 coating said surface with a volume of surfactant containing solution, with said surfactant including a hydrophobic component consisting essentially of a plurality of atoms, with a distribution of said fluorine atoms throughout said volume providing a desired contact angle with respect to said polymerizable composition.    
     
     
         12 . The method as recited in  claim 11  wherein coating further includes arranging said volume of said surfactant-containing-solution to have a surfactant-rich region and a surfactant-depleted region, disposed between said surfactant-rich-region and said surface.  
     
     
         13 . The method as recited in  claim 11  wherein coating further includes depositing a quantity of said surfactant-containing-solution on said surface and contacting said polymerizable composition with said quantity to generate said volume.  
     
     
         14 . The method as recited in  claim 11  wherein coating further includes depositing a quantity of said surfactant-containing-solution on said surface and contacting said polymerizable composition with said quantity to generate said volume to have a surfactant-rich region and a surfactant-depleted region, disposed between said surfactant-rich-region and said surface.  
     
     
         15 . The method as recited in  claim 11  wherein said plurality of fluorine atoms are included in fluorine-containing molecules having CF 3  and CF 2  groups.  
     
     
         16 . A method for providing desirable wetting and release characteristics between a mold, having a surface, and a polymerizable composition, said method comprising: 
 disposing a layer of a surfactant-containing solution on said surface;    contacting said polymerizable composition with said layer, defining an interface, with said layer and said polymerizable composition each including a surfactant component, with an aggregate quantity of said surfactant component at said interface being sufficient to generate a lamella layer.    
     
     
         17 . The method as recited in  claim 16  wherein said surfactant component further includes fluorine-containing molecules selected from a set of fluorine-containing molecules consisting essentially of CF3 and CF2 groups.