Eurostarsproject, ANILP, 8516 Obducat Technologies

Purpose and goal

A new nanoimprint lithography (NIL) system with an imprint area of 500mm x 500mm has been successfully developed including a stamp manufacturing technology. To overcome a physical limitation required by a large process window in pressure and temperature, several new concepts has been adopted, designed, and implemented into the system, which include a heater with uniform temperature control over large area, a new process chamber with LED UV source, a new lifting and locking mechanism.

Expected results and effects

A large-area NIL system implemented with several new designs has been constructed including control electronics and operating software, and a capability of large-area imprint was demonstrated by producing intermediate polymer stamps from a 500 mm x 500 mm nickel stamp. The completion of the machine is an important milestone for the NIL technology to move forward to open a new market which has been waiting for the large-area NIL solution. The new NIL system will go through fine tuning and necessary modification to be ready for the launch at the market in the first half of 2017.

Planned approach and implementation

During the project period, the interest in the large-area NIL has increased significantly in particular from the flat panel display. This states that the start of the project three years ago was timely to meet the industrial demand in the near future. The project included all the important aspects of large-area NIL including material, process, machine, and the stamp. Although the scale-up of the technology even to larger area is needed beyond the scope of the project, the achievement of important milestone in the path was possible through the support from VINNOVA and the Eurostars.