INDIAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, KHARAGPUR
End-Spring Semester Examination, 2022-2023
Subject: Instability and Patterning of Thin Polymer Films Subject No.: CH 62052
Date: 28.04.2023 (FN) Time: 3 Hrs Full Marks: 50 No. of Students: 133
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Instructions:
1. All Questions are compulsory.
2. Please answer all parts of the same question together. Else marks will be deducted.
3. Be Precise with your answers. Long, redundant answers can potentially fetch zero!
4. As much as possible, answers should be accompanied with figures.
5. If you feel any question is wrong, make suitable assumptions. NO DOUBTS will be
entertained during the examination.
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******** Please answer all parts of the same question together *********
1. (a) What are the different types of Photo Resist Tones. Explain with suitable figures. (2)
(b) What is Soft Baking? (1)
(c) What are the different Printing modes in photolithography? Discuss which mode offers the
possibility of fabrication of features that are smaller (in lateral dimension) than those
printed on the photo-mask. (2+1)
(d) Why is the time required for development crucial? (2)
(e) What is native oxide layer? Why it is essential to grow the oxide layer in Photolithogaphy?
(1+2) [Total Marks in Q1: 11]
2. (a) Explain why the patterns made by NIL have significantly higher levels of residual stress. (2)
(b) What is the role of Solvent Vapor Exposure to a polymer film? (3)
(c) Discuss the method of Micro Contact Printing. On what does proper pattern replication by
this method depend on? (2+1)
(d) Discuss briefly the method of Roller NIL. How it is different from standard NIL and
consequently what critical control is essential. (2+1)
[Total Marks in Q2: 11]
3. (a) What is the fundamental difference between the working of an STM and that of an AFM? In
which of the instruments vacuum is required, and why? (1+1)
(b) Describe the steps of approach of an AFM in contact mode. (4)
(c) How is set point chosen in Tapping (Intermittent Contact) mode. Also describe how
“imaging” is performed in this mode. (2+3=5)
[Total Marks in Q3: 11]
CH62052 End Semester Page No. 1
𝐿𝑊
4. (a) Obtain an expression for the Excess Interfacial Free Energy (𝐺𝐸𝑥 ) for a thin film of
material 1 coated on a semi-infinite substrate of materials 2. You can use the following
1 1 1 1 𝐿𝑊
expressions: 𝐺 𝑙𝑤 (𝑑) = −(𝐴12 /12𝜋) [(𝑑 + 𝑑 + 𝑑)2 + 𝑑2 − (𝑑+𝑑 )2 − (𝑑+𝑑 )2 ] and 𝐺𝐹𝑖𝑙𝑚 =–
1 2 1 2
𝐿𝑊
𝐺𝐼𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑓𝑎𝑐𝑒 . The symbols carry their usual meaning. (3)
(b) Define Effective Interface Potential, Conjoining Pressure and Disjoining Pressure. (2)
(c) Discuss how the Sign of AE can be correlated to film stability. (4)
[Total Marks in Q4: 9]
5. (Thought provoking questions)
(a) You know that spin coating over a flat substrate leads to a uniform, smooth and flat film.
What do you think will happen if you coat the film over a topographically patterned
substrate (let’s say with simple grating geometry)? (3)
(b) You know that by executing several soft lithography techniques (such as NIL, CFL, REM
etc.) properly, one can get a perfect negative replica of the stamp patterns. Can you think
of some conceptual technique that would in principle allow you to make patterns that have
same lateral dimension as that of the stamp features but will have different feature height
(simple terms: Let’s say height of the stamp features is h0, can you now make patterns
with any feature height varying between 0 and h0).
Disclaimer: Roller NIL is NOT the answer I am looking at.
Clue: Please start thinking in terms of material property of the different polymers that you
have studied in this course. (5)
[Total Marks in Q5: 8]
******** Please ensure that you have looked into the instructions on the top of the question
paper very seriously and have cared to answer all parts of the same question together *********
CH62052 End Semester Page No. 2
