Nanoimprinting Technology and its Applications

Solid State Electronics Lab
Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109

ABSTRACT:
Nanoimprint lithography has become an emerging technology that promises high-resolution patterning, high throughput and low cost. Unlike soft contact printing that uses an elastomer stamp, nanoimprinting uses a hard mold to create nanoscale features by directly imprinting into the polymer film at an elevated temperature. Sub-10 nm resolution and large area patterning have been demonstrated in the past. But nanoimprinting also has its limitations as a general lithographic technique. In this talk I will present some recent development in this area to address these issues. I will introduce a combined nanoimprint-and-photolithography technique, which can simplify the process and can allow the patterning of various size features in one-step without defects, as well as allow the commercial photoresist to be used for nanoscale patterning. I will also discuss a technique that enables the patterning on flexible substrate and on non-flat surfaces, as well as the creation of 3D polymer nanostructures. The nanoimprinting technique not only has the ability to pattern precise nanoscale features, but it is also compatible with polymer material processing. Based on these characteristics, we have applied nanoimprinting to several polymer based photonic devices. I will discuss the fabrication of photonic nanostructures in nonlinear optical polymers, polymer micro-ring resonator devices for photonic and sensor applications. I will also briefly describe our work on nanofluidic channels and its use for stretching DNA molecules.

BIO:
Dr. Guo graduated with B.S degree in Biophysics from China in 1990. He received the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Electrical Engineering from the University of Minnesota in 1995 and 1997 respectively, working on semiconductor nanoelectronic devices. He then moved with his Ph.D. advisor Professor Stephen Chou's group to Princeton University and worked as a research associate in the Department of Electrical Engineering till 1999. He has been on the faculty of Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS) at the University of Michigan since Fall of 1999, and he is currently an assistant professor of EECS, the Applied Physics, and Macromolecular Science & Engineering. His research interests include molecular electronics, polymer photonic devices, imprint lithography and applications, and biomolecular and nanofluidic devices.