Abstract
Recently, the major trends of NIL are high throughput and large area patterning. For UV NIL, if it can be proceeded in the non-vacuum environment, which greatly simplifies tool construction and greatly shorten process times. However, one key issue in non-vacuum environment is air bubble formation problem. In this paper, numerical analysis of bubble defect of UV NIL is performed. Fluent, flow analysis focused program was utilized and VOF (Volume of Fluid) skill was applied. For various resist-substrate and resist-mold angles, effects of velocity inlet and residual layer thickness of resist on bubble defect formation were investigated. The numerical analyses show that the increases of velocity inlet and residual layer thickness can cause the bubble defect formation, however the decreases of velocity inlet and residual layer thickness take no difference in the bubble defect formation.