Template Having a Varying Thickness to Facilitate Expelling a Gas Positioned Between a Substrate and the Template

Abstract

A nanoimprint lithography template including, inter alia, a body having first and second opposed sides with a first surface disposed on the first side, the second side having a recess disposed therein, the body having first and second regions with the second region surrounding the first region and the recess in superimposition with the first region, with a portion of the first surface in superimposition with the first region being spaced-apart from the second side a first distance and a portion of the first surface in superimposition with the second region being spaced-apart from the second side a second distance, with the second distance being greater than the first distance; and a mold disposed on the first side of the body in superimposition a portion of the first region.

1 . A nanoimprint lithography template comprising:
 a body having first and second opposed sides with a first surface disposed on the first side, the second side having a recess disposed therein, the body having first and second regions with the second region surrounding the first region and the recess in superimposition with the first region, with a portion of the first surface in superimposition with the first region being spaced-apart from the second side a first distance and a portion of the first surface in superimposition with the second region being spaced-apart from the second side a second distance, with the second distance being greater than the first distance, wherein the first distance is determined to support contact with polymerizable material during an imprint lithography process; and   a mold disposed on the first side of the body in superimposition with a portion of the first region, wherein the mold comprises a plurality of protrusions and recessions and the recess is in superimposition with at least a portion of the protrusions and recessions.   
     
     
         2 . The template as recited in  claim 1  wherein the recess has a geometric shape selected from a group of geometric shapes consisting of square, rectangular, circular, and elliptical. 
     
     
         3 . The template as recited in  claim 1  wherein the recess comprises a nadir surface, with the portion of the first surface in superimposition with the first region being spaced-apart from the nadir surface a first distance. 
     
     
         4 . The template as recited in  claim 1  wherein the second distance has a magnitude of approximately 0.25 inches. 
     
     
         5 . The template as recited in  claim 1  wherein the first distance has a magnitude of approximately 700 microns. 
     
     
         6 . The template as recited in  claim 1  wherein the first distance has a magnitude in a range of 1 micron to 0.25 inches. 
     
     
         7 . A nanoimprint lithography template comprising:
 a body having first and second opposed sides with a first surface disposed on the first side being substantially planar, the body having first and second regions with the second region surrounding the first region, with a portion of the body in superimposition with the first region having a first thickness and a portion of the body in superimposition with the second region having a second thickness, with the second thickness being greater than the first thickness forming a first recess in the body, wherein the first thickness is determined to support contact with polymerizable material during an imprint lithography process; and   a mold disposed on the first side in superimposition with a portion of the first region, wherein the mold comprises a plurality of protrusions and recessions and the recess is in superimposition with at least a portion of the protrusions and recessions.   
     
     
         8 . The template as recited in  claim 7 , with the recess being in superimposition with the first region of the body. 
     
     
         9 . The template as recited in  claim 8 , wherein the recess has a geometric shape selected from a group of geometric shapes consisting of square, rectangular, circular, and elliptical. 
     
     
         10 . The template as recited in  claim 7 , wherein the second thickness has a magnitude of approximately 0.25 inches. 
     
     
         11 . The template as recited in  claim 7 , wherein the first thickness has a magnitude of approximately 700 microns. 
     
     
         12 . The template as recited in  claim 7  wherein the first thickness has a magnitude in a range of 1 micron to 0.25 inches. 
     
     
         13 . A nanoimprint lithography system comprising:
 a body having first and second opposed sides with a first surface disposed on the first side, the second side having a recess disposed therein, the body having first and second regions with the second region surrounding the first region and the recess in superimposition with the first region, with a portion of the first surface in superimposition with the first region being spaced-apart from the second side a first distance and a portion of the first surface in superimposition with the second region being spaced-apart from the second side a second distance, with the second distance being greater than the first distance, wherein the first distance is determined to support contact with polymerizable material during an imprint lithography process, the body further having a mold disposed on the first side in superimposition with a portion of the first region and wherein the mold comprises a plurality of protrusions and recessions and the recess is in superimposition with at least a portion of the protrusions and recessions; and   an actuator coupled to the body to apply a force to the body to bow the first region of the body away from the second side of the body.   
     
     
         14 . The system as recited in  claim 13 , further including a plurality of actuators. 
     
     
         15 . The system as recited in  claim 13 , wherein the force of the actuator may vary dimensions of the body. 
     
     
         16 . The system as recited in  claim 13 , wherein the recess has a geometric shape selected from a group of geometric shapes consisting of square, rectangular, circular, and elliptical. 
     
     
         17 . The system as recited in  claim 13 , wherein the actuator is coupled to a periphery of the body. 
     
     
         18 . The system as recited in  claim 13 , wherein the recess comprises a nadir surface spaced-apart from the first side and the body comprises a boundary surface defined between the nadir surface and the second side, with the actuator being coupled to the boundary surface. 
     
     
         19 . A nanoimprint lithography template comprising:
 a body having first and second opposed sides with a first surface disposed on the first side being substantially planar, the body having first and second regions with the second region surrounding the first region, with a portion of the body in superimposition with the first region having a first thickness and a portion of the body in superimposition with the second region having a second thickness, with the second thickness being greater than the first thickness; and   a mold disposed on the first side in superimposition with a portion of the first region,   wherein the first thickness has a magnitude greater than approximately 8 μm.