Method of hardening a nano-imprinting stamp
US6916511B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 24, 2002 |
| Grant date | Jul 12, 2005 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 13, 2023 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10T428/24355
- WIPO fieldMicro-structural and nano-technology
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
A method of forming a hardened nano-imprinting stamp is disclosed. The hardened nano-imprinting stamp includes a plurality of silicon-based nano-sized features that have an hardened shell of silicon carbide, silicon nitride, or silicon carbide nitride. The hardened shell is made harder than the underlying silicon by a plasma carburization and/or a plasma nitridation process. During the plasma process atoms of carbon and/or nitrogen bombard and penetrate a plurality of exposed surfaces of the nano-sized features and chemically react with the silicon to form the hardened shell of silicon carbide, silicon nitride, or silicon carbide nitride.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.