Gas-permeable templates using cellulose derivatives with acrylate and methacrylate groups for reducing in void defect density in ultraviolet nanoimprint lithography

Nanoimprint lithography has been applied to the manufacture of microlenses, antireflection films, and biochips because of its cost reduction advantage. Previously, we demonstrated a gas-permeable template derived from a thermal cross-linkable cellulose derivative with methacrylate (HPC-MOI) that eliminated defects due to the concentration of acetone gas between the template and the imprint material. In this study, we prepared a thermoset cellulose derivative with acrylate as the gas-permeable template (HPC-AOI). The results of Raman spectroscopy and indentation test confirmed that HPC-AOI had a very high cross-linking density when heated for 10 min. The micrographs and three-dimensional (3D) image of the 5 µm line and space pattern in the UV cross-linked material containing a volatile solvent showed that void defects were removed and edges were sharper when the HPC-AOI template was utilized.