Large Area Submicrometer Contact Printing Using a Contact Aligner

Submicrometer patterns were produced in a thin layer of gold over a 3 in. diameter substrate with an accuracy of ≥40 nm and a runout (feature to feature misalignment between the template and the stamped pattern) of approximately 1 μm, using microcontact printing (μ-CP). Successful pattern reproduction required careful control of the forces exerted on the substrate during the μ-CP process, as well as the encompassing pressure, which was achieved using a custom-built stamp aligner. The use of a thin film stamp bonded to a rigid glass support in conjunction with the aligner significantly improved the runout and eliminated contact of recessed regions of the stamp with the substrate.