Increasing adhesion in an imprinting procedure

Abstract

A method for increasing adhesion between a substrate and a polymeric imprintable material during an imprinting procedure. The method includes chemically bonding a plurality of molecules to a surface of a substrate to form a self-assembled monolayer thereon. A monomer is copolymerized with the self-assembled monolayer to form a polymeric imprintable material that is chemically bonded to the self-assembled monolayer. Adhesion between the polymeric imprintable material and the substrate is substantially increased by the self-assembled monolayer.

1 - 22 . (canceled)  
     
     
         23 . A substrate for use in an imprinting process, the substrate comprising: 
 a self-assembled monolayer formed on a surface of the substrate; and    a polymeric imprintable material chemically bonded to the self-assembled monolayer;    wherein the self-assembled monolayer substantially increases adhesion between the substrate and the polymeric imprintable material.    
     
     
         24 . The substrate as defined in  claim 23  wherein the substrate comprises silicon, silicon dioxide, glass, quartz, alumina, germanium, germanium oxide, tin, tin oxide, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         25 . The substrate as defined in  claim 23  wherein the self-assembled monolayer comprises a plurality of molecules, each of the plurality of molecules having a self-assembling connecting group at one end and a linking group at an opposed end.  
     
     
         26 . The substrate as defined in  claim 25  wherein the self-assembled monolayer is formed by chemically bonding the surface of the substrate to the self-assembling connecting groups of the plurality of molecules.  
     
     
         27 . The substrate as defined in  claim 25  wherein the self-assembling connecting group comprises at least one of hydroxyl groups, chlorine groups, acetoxy groups, amino groups, thiol groups, and mixtures thereof; and wherein the linking group comprises at least one of acryloxy groups, methacryloxy groups, vinyl groups, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         28 . The substrate as defined in  claim 25 , further comprising at least one of hydroxyl groups, chlorine groups, amino groups, thiol groups, and acetoxy groups attached to the surface of the substrate, the at least one of the hydroxyl groups, chlorine groups, amino groups, thiol groups, and acetoxy groups adapted to chemically bond to at least one of the plurality of molecules via the self-assembling connecting groups, wherein the polymeric imprintable material is adapted to chemically bond to the self-assembled monolayer.  
     
     
         29 . The substrate as defined in  claim 25  wherein the plurality of molecules comprises at least one molecular species selected from methacryloxy propyltrichlorosilane, (methacryloyloxypropyl)trimethoxysilane, 3-methacryloxypropylbis(trimethylsiloxy)methylsilane, 3-methacryloxypropyldimethylchlorosilane, 3-methacryloxypropylmethyldichlorosilane, 3-methacryloxypropylmethyldimethoxysilane, 3-acryloxypropylmethyldichlorosilane, acryloxypropylmethyldimethoxysilane, 3-acryloxypropyltrichlorosilane, acryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane, vinyltriacetoxysilane, vinylmethyldiethoxysilane, vinyltrichlorosilane, vinyltrimethoxysilane, vinylmethyidiacetoxysilane, hydroxyethyl methacrylate, hydroxyethyl acrylate, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         30 . The substrate as defined in  claim 23 , further comprising at least one of hydroxyl groups, chlorine groups, amino groups, thiol groups, and acetoxy groups chemically bonding the surface of the substrate to the self-assembled monolayer.  
     
     
         31 . The substrate as defined in  claim 23  wherein the polymeric imprintable material is formed by copolymerizing a monomer with the self-assembled monolayer.  
     
     
         32 . The substrate as defined in  claim 31  wherein copolymerization is initiated by at least one of ultraviolet irradiation and thermal treatment.  
     
     
         33 . The substrate as defined in  claim 31  wherein the monomer comprises at least one of benzyl methacrylate, styrene, methyl methacrylate, hexyl acrylate, hexyl methacrylate, butyl methacrylate, butyl acrylate, lauryl methacrylate, lauryl acrylate, isodecyl acrylate, isodecyl methacrylate, octadecyl acrylate, octadecyl methacrylate, ethylene glycol dimethacrylate, divinylbenzene, vinylbenzyl chloride, hydroxyethyl methacrylate, hydroxyethyl acrylate, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         34 . The substrate as defined in  claim 23  wherein the polymeric imprintable material comprises a resist polymer.  
     
     
         35 . A method for increasing adhesion between a substrate and a polymeric imprintable material during an imprinting procedure, the method comprising: 
 attaching a plurality of monomers of an imprintable material to a plurality of molecules, the plurality of molecules adapted to form a self-assembled monolayer;    chemically bonding the plurality of molecules to a surface of the substrate to form a self-assembled monolayer having the plurality of monomers attached thereto; and    copolymerizing the plurality of monomers with the self-assembled monolayer to form the polymeric imprintable material chemically bonded to the self-assembled monolayer;    wherein the self-assembled monolayer substantially increase adhesion between the polymeric imprintable material and the substrate.    
     
     
         36 . The method as defined in  claim 35  wherein each of the plurality of molecules comprises a self-assembling connecting group at one end and a linking group at an opposed end.  
     
     
         37 . The method as defined in  claim 36  wherein the self-assembled monolayer is chemically bonded to the polymeric imprintable material via the linking group.  
     
     
         38 . The method as defined in  claim 36  wherein the self-assembled monolayer is chemically bonded to the surface of the substrate via the self-assembling connecting group.  
     
     
         39 . The method as defined in  claim 36  wherein the self-assembling connecting group comprises at least one of hydroxyl groups, chlorine groups, acetoxy groups, amino groups, thiol groups, and mixtures thereof; and wherein the linking group comprises at least one of acryloxy groups, methacryloxy groups, vinyl groups, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         40 . The method as defined in  claim 36 , further comprising forming at least one of hydroxyl groups, chlorine groups, amino groups, thiol groups, and acetoxy groups on the surface of the substrate prior to chemically bonding the plurality of molecules, and wherein the at least one of the hydroxyl groups, chlorine groups, amino groups, thiol groups, and acetoxy groups is adapted to chemically bond to at least one of the self-assembling connecting groups.  
     
     
         41 . The method as defined in  claim 35 , further comprising forming at least one of hydroxyl groups, chlorine groups, amino groups, thiol groups, and acetoxy groups on the surface of the substrate prior to chemically bonding the plurality of molecules, and wherein the at least one of the hydroxyl groups, chlorine groups, amino groups, thiol groups, and acetoxy groups is adapted to chemically bond to the plurality of molecules.  
     
     
         42 . The method as defined in  claim 35  wherein chemically bonding is accomplished via ionic bonding, covalent bonding, and coordination bonding.  
     
     
         43 . The method as defined in  claim 35  wherein copolymerization is initiated by at least one of ultraviolet irradiation and thermal treatment.  
     
     
         44 . The method as defined in  claim 35  wherein the plurality of monomers comprises at least one of benzyl methacrylate, styrene, methyl methacrylate, hexyl acrylate, hexyl methacrylate, butyl methacrylate, butyl acrylate, lauryl methacrylate, lauryl acrylate, isodecyl acrylate, isodecyl methacrylate, octadecyl acrylate, octadecyl methacrylate, ethylene glycol dimethacrylate, divinylbenzene, vinylbenzyl chloride, hydroxyethyl methacrylate, hydroxyethyl acrylate, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         45 . The method as defined in  claim 35  wherein the plurality of molecules comprises at least one molecular species selected from methacryloxy propyltrichlorosilane, (methacryloyloxypropyl)trimethoxysilane, 3-methacryloxypropylbis(trimethylsiloxy)methylsilane, 3-methacryloxypropyldimethylchlorosilane, 3-methacryloxypropylmethyidichlorosilane, 3-methacryloxypropylmethyldimethoxysilane, 3-acryloxypropylmethyldichlorosilane, acryloxypropylmethyldimethoxysilane, 3-acryloxypropyltrichlorosilane, acryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane, vinyltriacetoxysilane, vinylmethyldiethoxysilane, vinyltrichlorosilane, vinyltrimethoxysilane, vinylmethyidiacetoxysilane, hydroxyethyl methacrylate, hydroxyethyl acrylate, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         46 . The method as defined in  claim 35  wherein the substrate comprises silicon, silicon dioxide, glass, quartz, alumina, germanium, germanium oxide, tin, tin oxide, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         47 . The method as defined in  claim 35  wherein the polymeric imprintable material comprises a resist polymer.  
     
     
         48 . The method as defined in  claim 35  wherein attaching the plurality of monomers to the plurality of molecules is accomplished by chemical bonding.  
     
     
         49 . A method for aiding release of a polymeric imprintable material from a mold having features thereon during an imprinting procedure, the method comprising forming the polymeric imprintable material such that it is chemically bonded to a self-assembled monolayer that is chemically bonded to a surface of a substrate, wherein the polymeric imprintable material is adapted to contact the mold during the imprinting procedure, and wherein the self-assembled monolayer substantially increases adhesion between the polymeric imprintable material and the substrate, thereby aiding in release of the polymeric imprintable material from the mold.  
     
     
         50 . The method as defined in  claim 49  wherein the mold comprises a release layer disposed thereon.  
     
     
         51 . The method as defined in  claim 49  wherein the self-assembled monolayer comprises a plurality of molecules, each of the plurality of molecules having a self-assembling connecting group at one end and a linking group at an opposed end, and wherein the plurality of molecules chemically bonds to the substrate surface via the self-assembling connecting groups.  
     
     
         52 . The method as defined in  claim 51  wherein a plurality of monomers is attached to the linking groups of the plurality of molecules prior to chemically bonding the self-assembling connecting groups to the surface of the substrate to form the self-assembled monolayer.  
     
     
         53 . The method as defined in  claim 52  wherein the polymeric imprintable material is formed by the copolymerization of the plurality of monomers with the linking groups.  
     
     
         54 . The method as defined in  claim 53  wherein copolymerization is initiated by at least one of ultraviolet irradiation and thermal treatment.  
     
     
         55 . The method as defined in  claim 51  wherein the polymeric imprintable material is formed by copolymerizing a plurality of monomers with the linking groups after the self-assembling connecting groups are bonded to the substrate surface.  
     
     
         56 . The method as defined in  claim 55  wherein copolymerization is initiated by at least one of ultraviolet irradiation and thermal treatment.  
     
     
         57 . A molecule for increasing adhesion between a substrate and a polymeric imprintable material, the molecule comprising: 
 a self-assembling connecting group at one end of the molecule, the self-assembling connecting group adapted to connect the molecule to the substrate, thereby forming a self-assembled monolayer; and    a linking group at an opposed end of the molecule, the linking group adapted to connect the self-assembled monolayer to the polymeric imprintable material;    wherein adhesion between the polymeric imprintable material and the substrate is substantially increased by the self-assembled monolayer.    
     
     
         58 . The molecule as defined in  claim 57  wherein the self-assembling connecting group comprises at least one of hydroxyl groups, chlorine groups, acetoxy groups, amino groups, thiol groups, and mixtures thereof; and wherein the linking group comprises at least one of acryloxy groups, methacryloxy groups, vinyl groups, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         59 . The molecule as defined in  claim 57 , further comprising at least one of hydroxyl groups, chlorine groups, amino groups, thiol groups, and acetoxy groups attached to a surface of the substrate, the at least one of the hydroxyl groups, chlorine groups, amino groups, thiol groups, and acetoxy groups adapted to chemically bond to the molecule via the self-assembling connecting group, wherein the polymeric imprintable material is adapted to chemically bond to the self-assembled monolayer.  
     
     
         60 . The molecule as defined in  claim 57  wherein the molecule comprises at least one molecular species selected from methacryloxy propyltrichlorosilane, (methacryloyloxypropyl)trimethoxysilane, 3-methacryloxypropylbis(trimethylsiloxy)methylsilane, 3-methacryloxypropyldimethylchlorosilane, 3-methacryloxypropylmethyldichlorosilane, 3-methacryloxypropylmethyldimethoxysilane, 3-acryloxypropylmethyldichlorosilane, acryloxypropylmethyldimethoxysilane, 3-acryloxypropyltrichlorosilane, acryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane, vinyltriacetoxysilane, vinylmethyldiethoxysilane, vinyltrichlorosilane, vinyltrimethoxysilane, vinylmethyldiacetoxysilane, hydroxyethyl methacrylate, hydroxyethyl acrylate, and mixtures thereof.