Patent ID: 7976761

Claim:
A process for producing a patterned structure, the process comprising: imprinting a first pattern by pressing a stamper having a projection-depression configuration on a surface thereof against an imprint-work layer to form the first pattern on a first region of the imprint-work layer; and imprinting a second pattern by displacing relatively the stamper from a position of the first pattern to another position on the imprint-work layer and then pressing the stamper against the imprint-work layer to form the second pattern on a second region of the imprint-work layer, wherein at least a portion of the second region of the imprint work layer overlaps at least a portion of the first region of the imprint work layer, wherein the first pattern and the second pattern have a same pitch, wherein the first pattern and the second pattern form a combined pattern on the imprint-work layer, wherein the combined pattern is formed in a finer pitch than the pitch of the first pattern and the second pattern, wherein the imprint-work layer includes a thermoplastic material, and wherein the first pattern is formed under a first temperature and the second pattern is formed under a second temperature lower than the first temperature, such that a depth of depressions of the first pattern and a depth of depressions of the second pattern are nearly equal.