Imprint lithography has been shown to be an effective technique for the replication of nanoscale features. Acceptance of imprint lithography for manufacturing will require a demonstration of defect levels commensurate with cost-effective device production. This article summarizes the results of defect inspections of hard disks patterned using jet and flash imprint lithography (J-FIL (TM)). This work presents a methodology for automated pattern inspection and defect classification for imprint-patterned media. Candela CS20 and 6120 tools from KLA-Tencor map the optical properties of the disk surface, producing high-resolution grayscale images of surface reflectivity and scattered light. Defects that have been identified in this manner are further characterized according to the morphology. The imprint process was tested after optimizing both the disk cleaning and adhesion layer processes that precede imprinting. Two extended imprint runs were performed and both the defect types and trends are reported. (C) 2010 American Vacuum Society. [DOI:10.1116/1.3498752]