Line Width Reproducibility of Photo-Nanoimprints

Well-shaped patterns were fabricated by photo-nanoimprinting using a spin-on-glass (SOG) mold, the patterns of which were replicated from a Si master mold by the SOG replica method. The line width reproducibility of the photo-nanoimprint was then evaluated using an atomic force microscope (AFM). Pattern widths with a sub-nm resolution were determined by an edge detection program. The obtained widths included errors attributable to the nonlinearity of the AFM piezo scanner; however, a calibration method using pattern pitches was employed to filter out these errors and allow precise evaluation of line widths. Using this method, the standard deviation of differences between averaged values from 5 measurements of two patterns, which were fabricated on different dies by photo-nanoimprinting, was found to be 0.23 nm. High photo-nanoimprint reproducibility was thus confirmed quantitatively.