Box 12: Stamps for Nanoimprint Lithography.

P-beam writing is a flexible direct write technique that is extremely suitable for rapid prototyping down to the nanometer level and therefore, in combination with electroplating, extremely suitable for the production of high quality masters for nanoimprinting. Direct write processes for a long time have been considered intrinsically slow and inefficient compared with masked processes for the mass production of large-area, high-density, low-dimensional structures. However, the increased technical complexities and predicted increased cost of producing feature sizes smaller than 100 nm has called into question the traditional role of masked processes as the universal method of mass production. Direct write processes therefore may have some distinct advantages when used in combination with nanoimprinting [1]. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]