The present disclosure relates to the technical field of nano-imprinting technologies, and in particular relates to a preparation method of a splicing imprint template and a cavity template.
When a large-size imprint template is prepared, a pattern layer for imprinting needs to be formed by splicing subpatterns for imprinting. The splicing method includes separate splicing and overlap splicing. When separate splicing is adopted, the obtained pattern layer for imprinting has a wider splicing seam, and when overlap splicing is adopted, the obtained pattern layer has a larger splicing segment difference in the overlap area.
As can be seen, the pattern layer for imprinting prepared by the existing splicing methods has obvious defects.
To solve at least one of the problems in the related art, the present disclosure provides a preparation method of a splicing imprint template and a cavity template.
In a first aspect, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a preparation method of a splicing imprint template, wherein the splicing imprint template includes: a first splicing area and a second splicing area adjacent to each other, and the preparation method includes: forming a first splicing imprint pattern in the first splicing area on a base substrate; forming a sacrificial layer on a side surface of the first splicing imprint pattern facing away from the base substrate, the sacrificial layer covering at least part of the first splicing area close to the second splicing area, and the sacrificial layer, the first splicing imprint pattern and a second splicing imprint pattern to be formed subsequently being configured such that under a film removing process, the sacrificial layer is removed while the first splicing imprint pattern and the second splicing imprint pattern remain; forming a second template glue in the second splicing area on the base substrate; patterning the second template glue in the second splicing area by a cavity template; curing and demolding the second template glue; and removing the sacrificial layer by the film removing process.
In some embodiments, the sacrificial layer covers the entire first splicing area.
In some embodiments, a material of the sacrificial layer includes: a degradable material; and the step of removing the sacrificial layer through the film removing process includes: degrading the sacrificial layer through a degradation process.
In some embodiments, the degradable material includes: a degradable imprint glue.
In some embodiments, a material of the sacrificial layer includes: a water soluble material; and the step of removing the sacrificial layer through the film removing process includes: dissolving the sacrificial layer with an aqueous solvent.
In some embodiments, the water soluble material includes: at least one of a polyvinyl alcohol resin and a polycaprolactone resin.
In some embodiments, after the step of removing the sacrificial layer through the film removing process, the method further includes: drying the imprint template.
In some embodiments, the cavity template includes: a first imprint structure and a second imprint structure connected to each other; the first imprint structure includes: a support layer, and an imprint pattern layer located on and protruding from a first surface of the support layer; the second imprint structure extends out of the support layer along a direction parallel to the first surface, and is located on a side of a plane of the first surface facing away from the imprint pattern layer so that a distance exists between a surface, close to the imprint pattern layer, of the second imprint structure and the first surface; and the step of patterning the second template glue in the second splicing area by the cavity template includes: aligning the cavity template to the second template glue, wherein an orthographic projection of the first imprint structure on the base substrate covers the second splicing area, and an orthographic projection of the second imprint structure on the base substrate falls into an orthographic projection of the sacrificial layer on the base substrate; and imprinting the second template glue by the cavity template to pattern the second template glue in the second splicing area.
In some embodiments, during the process of patterning the second template glue in the second splicing area by the cavity template, a side of the first imprint structure facing the second imprint structure is located on the same plane as a side surface of the first splicing imprint pattern facing the second splicing area.
In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present disclosure further provides a cavity template, including: a first imprint structure and a second imprint structure connected to each other; wherein the first imprint structure includes: a support layer, and an imprint pattern layer located on and protruding from a first surface of the support layer; and, the second imprint structure extends out of the support layer along a direction parallel to the first surface, and is located on a side of a plane of the first surface facing away from the imprint pattern layer so that a distance exists between a surface, close to the imprint pattern layer, of the second imprint structure and the first surface.
In some embodiments, an imprint surface of the second imprint structure is a plane.
In some embodiments, the first and second imprint structures are integrally formed.
To improve understanding of the technical solution of the present disclosure for those skilled in the art, the splicing imprint template, the preparation method thereof and the cavity template according to the present disclosure will be described below in detail in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
Example embodiments will be described more sufficiently below with reference to the accompanying drawings, but which may be embodied in different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the disclosure to those skilled in the art.
The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing specific embodiments only and is not intended to limit the disclosure. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that as used herein, the terms “comprise” and/or “consist of . . . ” specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.
It will be understood that, although the terms first, second, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element from another. Thus, a first element, component, or part discussed below could be termed a second element, component, or part without departing from the teachings of the present disclosure.
Embodiments described herein may be described with reference to plan and/or cross-sectional views in idealized representations of the present disclosure. Accordingly, the example illustrations may be modified in accordance with manufacturing techniques and/or tolerances. Accordingly, the embodiments are not limited to the embodiments shown in the drawings, but include modifications of configurations formed based on a manufacturing process. Thus, the regions illustrated in the figures have schematic properties, and the shapes of the regions shown in the figures illustrate specific shapes of regions of elements, but are not intended to be limiting.
Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. It will be further understood that terms, such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the related art and the present disclosure, and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein.
During the process of patterning the template glue 2 by the cavity template 3, overlapped glue will inevitably occur, causing part of the template glue to overflow to a surface of the imprint splicing pattern 1, and part of the imprint splicing pattern 1 corresponding to the preset overlap area 4 to be covered. In order for continuity of the two imprint splicing patterns in the two adjacent splicing areas, the template glue 2 in the preset overlap area 4 also needs to be patterned. In order to ensure that the template glue 2 in the preset overlap area 4 can be patterned, the template glue 2 needs to be coated in a large thickness so that the template glue overflowing to the preset overlap area 4 can be patterned.
Although the conventional preparation methods can solve the problem with continuity of the imprint splicing pattern, as can be seen from
In order to solve the above technical problem, the present disclosure provides an imprint template, a preparation method thereof and a cavity template.
In the preparation method of a splicing imprint template provided by the embodiment of the present disclosure, the splicing imprint template includes a first splicing area and a second splicing area adjacent to each other, a first splicing imprint pattern formed the first splicing area, and a second splicing imprint pattern formed the second splicing area.
At step S101, a first splicing imprint pattern 8 is formed in the first splicing area on a base substrate.
The first splicing imprint pattern 8 prepared by the above process is not water soluble or degradable.
At step S102, a sacrificial layer is formed on a side surface of the first splicing imprint pattern facing away from the base substrate.
In the present disclosure, the preset overlap area 4 in the first splicing area is an area set according to the overlap condition of the second template glue in a preliminary imprint experiment. The specific shape and size of the preset overlap area 4 is not limited in the technical solution of the present disclosure.
Preferably, the sacrificial layer 9 completely covers a side surface of the first splicing imprint pattern 8 facing away from the base substrate 5, the specific beneficial effect of which will be described later. It should be noted that
In the present disclosure, the sacrificial layer 9, the first splicing imprint pattern 8 and a second splicing imprint pattern to be formed subsequently are configured such under a specific film removing process, the sacrificial layer 9 is removed while the first splicing imprint pattern 8 and the second splicing imprint pattern remain.
As an alternative implementation, a material of the sacrificial layer includes: a degradable material; and further, the degradable material includes: a degradable imprint glue. Further optionally, the degradable imprint glue specifically includes a degradable resin.
As another alternative implementation, a material of the sacrificial layer includes: a water soluble material; and further, the water soluble material includes: at least one of a polyvinyl alcohol resin and a polycaprolactone resin.
At step S103, a second template glue is formed in the second splicing area on the base substrate.
In the present disclosure, the first template glue and the second template glue 10 may be formed of the same material or different materials. In addition, a thickness of the second template glue 10 coated in the second splicing area 7 may be the same as or different from a thickness of the first template glue coated in the first splicing area 6. Apparently, in order to minimize or even eliminate the segment difference between the first splicing imprint pattern 8 and the subsequently formed second splicing imprint pattern, the coating thickness of the second template glue is the same as that of the first template glue.
At step S104, the second template glue is patterned by a preset cavity template (the second cavity template).
As an alternative implementation, in
It should be noted that, in the actual production process, the overflowed second template glue may go beyond the preset overlap area 4 due to some accidental factors. At this time, if the sacrificial layer is disposed only in the preset overlap area 4, the second template glue overflowing out of the preset overlap area 4 will directly contact the imprint surface of the first splicing imprint pattern 8. To overcome the above problem, it is preferred in the present disclosure that the sacrificial layer 9 completely covers a side surface of the first splicing imprint pattern 8 facing away from the base substrate 5, i.e., the sacrificial layer 9 covers the entire first splicing area. In this manner, the second template glue 10 is completely prevented from contacting the imprint surface of the first splicing imprint pattern 8 during the imprinting process.
When the preset cavity template 3a shown in
To solve the above problem, the present disclosure provides another technical means for patterning the second template glue 10.
The specific process of patterning the second template glue 10 by the preset cavity template 3b shown in
It should be noted that since the second template glue 10 in the preset overlap area 4 is removed in a subsequent process, whether the second template glue 10 in the preset overlap area 4 is imprinted or patterned in step S104 is not limited in the technical solution of the present disclosure. In the present disclosure, it is only necessary to ensure that the second template glue 10 in the second splicing area 7 is imprinted and patterned. The structure of the preset cavity template is not limited herein, and the structure for patterning may be the same as or different from the structure for patterning of the first cavity template.
At step S105, the second template glue is cured and demolded.
At step S106, the sacrificial layer is removed through a specific film removing process so that the second template glue on a side of the sacrificial layer facing away from the base substrate falls off, and so that the second template glue in the second splicing area forms a second splicing imprint pattern.
It should be noted that, in step S106, in order to ensure that the second template glue 10 on the side of the sacrificial layer 9 facing away from the base substrate 1 can smoothly fall off following the removal of the sacrificial layer 9, when step S104 is finished, it is to be ensured that a small amount of glue is connected between the second template glue 10 on the side of the sacrificial layer 9 facing away from the base substrate 1 and the second template glue 10 in the second splicing area 7 (after curing, even if there is a small amount of glue connecting the second template glue 10 in the preset overlap area 4 and the second template glue 10 in the second splicing area 7, the small amount of connecting glue will break after the sacrificial layer is removed).
Preferably, when step S104 is finished, the second template glue 10 on the side of the sacrificial layer 9 facing away from the base substrate 1 and the second template glue 10 in the second splicing area 7 are completely separated, that is, the amount of glue connecting the second template glue 10 on the side of the sacrificial layer 9 facing away from the base substrate 1 and the second template glue 10 in the second splicing area 7 is 0. As an alternative implementation, when the preset cavity template shown in
In actual production, when step S104 is finished, the amount of glue connecting the second template glue 10 on the side of the sacrificial layer 9 facing away from the base substrate 1 and the second template glue 10 in the second splicing area 7 may be detected. If there is a large amount of glue, the glue may be removed by a plasma etching process when step S105 is finished so that the second template glue 10 on the side of the sacrificial layer 9 facing away from the base substrate 1 and the second template glue 10 in the second splicing area 7 are separated, and so that the second template glue 10 on the side of the sacrificial layer 9 facing away from the base substrate 1 can smoothly fall off after the sacrificial layer 9 is removed.
As an alternative implementation, the sacrificial layer 9 is made of a degradable material, and may be degraded through a degradation process in step S106. For example, the degradable material includes a degradable imprint glue that contains a ketal or acetal group, and the ketal or acetal functional group in the cross-linking group is unstable under weak acid conditions after the degradable imprint glue is cured. In step S106, the imprint template may be placed in a weak acid environment (e.g., immersed in a weak acid solution) so that the cross-linking group is hydrolyzed under the weak acid condition, the cross-linking bonds are broken, and the insoluble network structure is changed into a soluble linear structure, thereby achieving the purpose of degradation.
As another alternative implementation, the sacrificial layer 9 is made of a water soluble material, and may be dissolved by an aqueous solvent in step S106.
There is no segment difference between the first splicing imprint pattern 8 and the second splicing imprint pattern 11 prepared through the above steps S101 to S106.
After the sacrificial layer 9 is degraded through a degradation process or dissolved by an aqueous solvent, some water will be left on surfaces of the first splicing imprint pattern 8, the second splicing imprint pattern 11, the base substrate 5 or other structures. In order to avoid the influence of the left water on the subsequent process, in the embodiment, it is preferred that the imprint template is dried after the sacrificial layer 9 is removed; for example, by purging the surface of the imprint template with nitrogen.
It should be noted that the splicing imprint template of the present disclosure includes two or more splicing areas. When two splicing areas are included, the foregoing steps S101 to S106 only need be executed once; and when more than one splicing areas are included, part or all of the above steps S101 to S106 need to be repeatedly executed so that a first splicing imprint pattern and a second splicing imprint pattern are formed in any two adjacent splicing areas (one is the first splicing area and the other is the second splicing area), respectively. Therefore, on the finished splicing imprint template, no segment difference exists between the splicing imprint patterns in any two adjacent splicing areas.
In an embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided a splicing imprint template, which can be prepared by the preparation method provided in the foregoing embodiments, and the detailed description may be referred to the foregoing.
The cavity template provided by this embodiment can be used for imprinting and patterning the second template glue in the foregoing embodiments. The specific imprinting process may be referred to the description of
Considering that the second template glue overflowing into the preset overlap area is not patterned, the imprint surface of the second imprint structure may be designed to be a plane, so as to facilitate preparation of the cavity template.
Optionally, the first and second imprint structures are integrally formed. As a preparation method of the cavity template, a glass substrate may be directly etched for one or more times to obtain the first imprint structure and the second imprint structure.
It will be appreciated that the above implementations are merely exemplary implementations for the purpose of illustrating the principle of the disclosure, and the disclosure is not limited thereto. Various modifications and improvements can be made by a person having ordinary skill in the art without departing from the spirit and essence of the disclosure. Accordingly, all of the modifications and improvements also fall into the protection scope of the disclosure.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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201811376982.9 | Nov 2018 | CN | national |
This is a National Phase Application filed under 35 U.S.C. 371 as a national stage of PCT/CN2019/117133, filed Nov. 11, 2019, an application claiming the benefit of Chinese Application No. 201811376982.9, filed Nov. 19, 2018, the content of each of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/CN2019/117133 | 11/11/2019 | WO | 00 |