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Nanoimprint Lithography

Solutions for

Nanoimprint Lithography

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EV GROUP® | Products//

Nanoimprint Lithography

Introduction
EV Group is the market-leading equipment supplier for nanoimprint lithography (NIL).
Pioneering this non-conventional lithography technique for many years, EVG mastered NIL
and has implemented it in volume production on ever-increasing substrate sizes. EVG’s
proprietary SmartNIL technology is optimized by years of research, development and field
experience to address nanopatterning requirements that cannot be supported by conventionallithography. SmartNIL provides superior conformal imprint results down to 40 nm.

UV Nanoimprint Lithography
EV Group provides a complete product line for UV-based nanoimprint lithography (UV-NIL),
including different full-area imprinting systems, large-area imprinters, microlens molding
equipment as well as step-and-repeat systems for efficient master fabrication. Besides soft
UV-NIL, EVG offers its proprietary SmartNIL technology with multiple-use polymer stamptechnology. The efficient and robust SmartNIL process provides high pattern fidelity, highly
uniform patterned layers and minimum residual layers, combined with easy scalability
in wafer size and production volume. EVG’s SmartNIL redeems the long-term promise ofnanoimprinting being a high-performance, low-cost and volume-capable manufacturing
technology for mass production of micro- and nanoscale structures.
SmartNIL®
SmartNIL is a full-field imprint technology based on UV exposure, providing a powerfulnext-generation lithography technique with almost unlimited structure size and geometry
capabilities. Since SmartNIL incorporates multiple-use soft stamp processing, it also enables
unmatched throughput with considerable cost-of-ownership advantages while preserving
scalability and maintenance-friendly operation. In addition, the lifetime of the master templateis extended to periods comparable to masks used for optical lithography.
Lens Molding
Wafer-Level Optics (WLO) manufacturing is supported by EVG’s high precision polymericlens molding and stacking equipment up to 300 mm. Lens patterns are transferred into
optical polymer materials by soft UV imprint lithography using working stamps replicatedfrom the wafer-size master stamps. EV Group offers hybrid and monolithic microlens molding
processes, which can be easily adapted to various material combinations for working stamp
and microlens materials. EVG systems are our customers’ first choice for high-volume waferlevel lens replication.
Panel-Size Large-Area Nanoimprinting
Recent advances in EVG’s proprietary and volume-proven SmartNIL technology haveenabled implementation of nanopatterning on panel-size substrates up to Gen 3 (550 mm x650 mm). For applications such as displays, wire grid polarizers, biotechnology and photonicelements, which cannot be reduced in size, it is crucial to increase substrate utilization
efficiency by increasing the pattern area. NIL has proven to be the most cost-efficient way toenable fabrication of nano patterns on large areas as it is not limited by optical systems andcan provide the best pattern fidelity for the smallest structures.
Step-and-Repeat UV-Nanoimprinting
The EVG770 NT is a versatile platform for step-and-repeat (S&R) nanoimprint lithography
for efficient master fabrication or direct patterning of complex structures on substrates. Thisapproach allows uniform replication of templates from small dies up to 30 cm². The S&R
process allows to replicate those dies multiple times over large areas up to Gen2 panelsize substrates. In combination with diamond turning or direct writing methods, S&R
imprinting is frequently used to efficiently fabricate masters required for wafer-level optics
manufacturing or EVG’s SmartNIL process. Thus, it is often a crucial prerequisite for highvolume manufacturing of augmented reality waveguides, optical sensors, diffractive optics,
metasurfaces or biomedical devices.

UV Nanoimprint Lithography Systems
EVG®610 / EVG®620 NT / EVG®6200 NT
Universal mask alignments systems with UV-nanoimprint capability

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High-precision alignment stage
Automated wedge error compensation mechanism
Motorized and recipe-controlled exposure gap
Supports the latest UV-LED technology
Minimized system footprint and facility requirements

EVG®720 / EVG®7200 / EVG®7200 LA
Automated full-field nanoimprint solution up to Gen 3 substrates

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Volume-proven imprinting technology with superior replication fidelity
Proprietary SmartNIL® technology with multiple-use polymer stamp technology
Integrated imprinting, UV curing, demolding, and working stamp fabrication
Automated cassette-to-cassette handling plus semi-automated R&D mode
Open platform for all commercially available imprint materials

EVG®7300
Multifunctional UV Nanoimprint Lithography system up to 300mm■■■

Featuring SmartNIL® technology, lens molding and lens stacking in one tool■■Low-force automated stamp detachment for SmartNIL® and WLOAdvanced Alignment Capabilities
Precisely controlled multistep imprint process including alignment, contactingand UV-curing
Standalone module, as well integration into HERCULES® NIL

HERCULES® NIL
Fully integrated nanoimprint lithography solution for high-volume
manufacturing up to 300 mm

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Volume manufacturing of structures down to 40 nm
and smaller (resolution dependent on process and template)
Combines pre-processing (clean / coat / bake / chill) and SmartNIL®
Fully automated imprinting and controlled low-force detachment for maximum
working stamp reusability
Includes working stamp manufacturing capability

EVG®770 NT
Step-and-repeat nanoimprint lithography for efficient master fabrication

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High-quality master fabrication of microlenses for wafer-level optics down tonanostructures for SmartNIL®
Efficient scaling to large substrate sizes up to panel size
Simple implementation of different types of masters
Variable resist dispense modes
Live image during dispensing imprinting and demolding
In-situ force control for imprinting and demolding

UV-Imprinting
UV Curing

Stamp
UV Resist
Substrate
Attach Stamp

Imprint Nanostructures

Detach Stamp

A substrate is spin-coated or drop-dispensed with a UV-curable resist. Subsequently, astamp is pressed into the resist and cross-linked by UV light while still in contact.

µ-Contact Printing

Soft Stamp
Materialon Substrate
Pick up Material

Material Transfer

Remove Stamp

A pre-inked stamp is used to transfer materials onto a substrate in a distinct pattern. This
technique is used for local modification of surface chemistry or precise placement ofcapture molecules in biosensor fabrication.

Hot Embossing
Pressurized
Heating
StampPolymer
Substrate
Attach StampMolding

DemoldingA polymer sheet or spin-on-polymer is heated above its glass transition temperature,transforming the material into a viscous state. A stamp is then pressed into the polymer
with sufficient force.
EV Group’s series of high-precision hot embossing systems
are based on the company’s market-leading wafer bonding
technology. Excellent pressure and temperature control as wellas uniformity over large areas allow for high accuracy imprints.
Hot embossing is a cost-effective and flexible fabrication
technology with very high replication accuracy for feature sizes
down to 50 nm. The systems are well suited for embossing
complex micro- and nanostructures and high-aspect ratio
features into a wide range of polymer substrates or spin-onpolymers.

NILPhotonics® Competence Center - Support and Development
The NILPhotonics Competence Center is a proven innovation incubator.

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Customer demonstrations
Process development
Materials testing
Joint R&D with partners
Funded projects
Small-volume pilot-line production
IP management
Process technology licenses
Process training→ World-class cleanroom infrastructure→ State-of-the-art equipment→ Technology experts→ Dedicated metrology→ Process know-how→ Applications know-how→ Chemistry know-how related toworking stamp materials andsurface chemistry aspects of NIL

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EV GROUP® | Products//

Nanoimprint Lithography

Process Results
New application developments are often closely linked to advances in equipment capabilities. EVG’s NIL solutions are able toproduce a multitude of different sized and shaped patterns with nanometer resolution and enable many new innovations in displays,biotechnology and photonic applications.

1 µm

AFM image of a single pixel on HRI SmartNIL® imprint

SEM image of slanted gratings
Source: EVG in collaboration with NILT

Microfluidic chips replicated in PMMA by hot embossing
Source: EVG

10 µm

L/S grating with optimized
approximately 10 nm thickness
Source: EVG

residuallayerwith

10 µm pillar arrays with high aspect ratio (7:1)
Courtesy of National Research Council Canada

5 µm

Photonic crystals for light extraction of LEDs

UV-molded lenses 300 µm
Source: EVG

20 µm

Honeycomb texturing of Multicrystalline Silicon (mc-Si)
Courtesy of Fraunhofer ISEPyramidal structures 50 µm
Source: EVG

1 µm

Wafer-level packaging of the optical modules withsmallest form factor
Source: EVG

Photonic bandgap sensor grating
Source: EVG (EU Project Saphely)

Full wafer photography of HRI SmartNIL® imprint underbright light illumination
Source: EVG

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+886 3 516 3389
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Korea
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Sales@EVGroup.co.kr
TechSupportKorea@EVGroup.com

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EVG makes no representation that the use or implementation of the information contained in this document will not infringe or violate any copyright, patent, trademark, trade secret or other right.
In no event shall EVG be liable for any claim, damages or other liability, including any general, special, indirect, incidental, or consequential damages, whether in an action of contract, tort infringement,
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Data, design and specifications may not simultaneously apply; or may depend on individual equipment configuration, process conditions and materials and vary accordingly. EVG reserves the right to change data,
design and specifications without prior notice.
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