Lithography apparatus, control method therefor, and method of manufacturing article

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10583608-B2
Application number	US-201615013458-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 2, 2016
Priority date	Feb 9, 2015
Publication date	Mar 10, 2020
Grant date	Mar 10, 2020

Abstract

A lithography apparatus is provided. The lithography apparatus includes a control unit that obtains information of an expected processing count to be processed in a lot by a transfer unit, obtains information of an accumulated processing count, in the transfer unit, of each of originals in a original storage unit, and preferentially selects, from the originals, an original whose process enable count before the accumulated processing count reaches a predetermined count is not smaller than the expected processing count.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A lithography apparatus comprising:
a transfer unit;
an original storage unit configured to store a plurality of originals;
a control unit configured to select, from the plurality of originals, an original; and
a conveyance unit configured to extract, from the original storage unit, the original selected by the control unit, and convey the extracted original to an original holding position of the transfer unit, the transfer unit being configured to transfer, to a substrate, a pattern formed on the extracted original,
wherein the control unit:
obtains information of an expected processing count to be processed in a lot by the transfer unit,
obtains information of an accumulated processing count, in the transfer unit, of each of the plurality of originals in the original storage unit,
selects, from the plurality of originals, an original whose process enable count, which is a count indicating a difference between a predetermined count and an accumulated processing count of the selected original, is equal to the expected processing count, and
in a case where there is no original whose process enable count is equal to the expected processing count, selects, from the plurality of originals, an original whose process enable count is larger than the expected processing count.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein in a case where a sum of process enable counts of the respective originals is smaller than the expected processing count, the control unit outputs an original shortage error message or an original request message.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein in a case where there is no original whose process enable count is not smaller than the expected processing count, the control unit outputs a lot interruption warning or an original request message.

4. The apparatus according to claim 2 , further comprising:
a display unit configured to display a corresponding warning in response to the original shortage error message or the original request message from the control unit.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein for an original whose process enable count is smaller than the expected processing count, the control unit sends a command to execute original recovery processing of the original.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein for originals whose sum of the process enable counts is smaller than a predetermined limit margin count, the control unit sends a command to execute original recovery processing of the originals.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a plurality of transfer units are included in the apparatus, and the expected processing count to be processed in the lot is distributed among the plurality of transfer units.

8. An imprint apparatus comprising:
an imprint processing device;
a storage configured to store a plurality of originals;
a controller configured to select, from the plurality of originals, an original; and
a conveyor configured to extract, from the storage, the original selected by the controller, and convey the extracted original to an original holding position of the imprint processing device, the imprint processing device being configured to transfer, to a substrate, a pattern formed on the extracted original,
wherein the controller:
obtains information of an expected processing count to be processed in a lot by the imprint processing device,
obtains information of an accumulated processing count, in the imprint processing device, of each of the plurality of originals in the storage,
selects, from the plurality of originals, an original whose process enable count, which is a count indicating a difference between a predetermined count and an accumulated processing count of the selected original, is equal to the expected processing count, and
in a case where there is no original whose process enable count is equal to the expected processing count, selects, from the plurality of originals, an original whose process enable count.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein in a case where a sum of process enable counts of the respective originals is smaller than the expected processing count, the controller outputs an original shortage error message or an original request message.

10. The apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein in a case where there is no original whose process enable count is not smaller than the expected processing count, the controller outputs a lot interruption warning or an original request message.

11. The apparatus according to claim 9 , further comprising:
a display configured to display a corresponding warning in response to the original shortage error message or the original request message from the controller.

12. The apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein for an original whose process enable count is smaller than the expected processing count, the controller sends a command to execute original recovery processing of the original.

13. The apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein for originals whose sum of the process enable counts is smaller than a predetermined limit margin count, the controller sends a command to execute original recovery processing of the originals.

14. The apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein a plurality of imprint processing devices are included in the apparatus, and the expected processing count to be processed in the lot is distributed among the plurality of imprint processing devices.

15. A lithography apparatus comprising:
an original storage unit configured to store a plurality of originals;
a transfer unit configured to transfer a pattern formed on an original to a substrate;
a control unit configured to select, from the plurality of originals, an original; and
a conveyance unit configured to convey the original selected by the control unit to an original holding position of the transfer unit,
wherein the control unit:
obtains information of an expected processing count to be processed in a lot by the transfer unit,
obtains information of an accumulated processing count, in the transfer unit, of each of the plurality of originals in the original storage unit, and
selects, from the plurality of originals, an original whose process enable count, which is a count indicating a difference between a predetermined count and an accumulated processing count of the selected original, is larger than or equal to the expected processing count.

16. The apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein in a case where a sum of process enable counts of the respective originals is smaller than the expected processing count, the control unit outputs an original shortage error message or an original request message.

17. The apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein in a case where there is no original whose process enable count is not smaller than the expected processing count, the control unit outputs a lot interruption warning or an original request message.

18. The apparatus according to claim 16 , further comprising: a display unit configured to display a corresponding warning in response to the original shortage error message or the original request message from the control unit.

19. The apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein for an original whose process enable count is smaller than the expected processing count, the control unit sends a command to execute original recovery processing of the original.

20. The apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein for originals whose sum of the process enable counts is smaller than a predetermined limit margin

Assignees

• Canon Kk

Inventors

• Hirano Shinichi

Classifications

• G03F7/0002 Primary

  Lithographic processes using patterning methods other than those involving the exposure to radiation, e.g. by stamping · CPC title

• B29C64/386 Primary

  Data acquisition or data processing for additive manufacturing · CPC title

• B29C64/20

  Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor · CPC title

• G03F9/00

  Registration or positioning of originals, masks, frames, photographic sheets or textured or patterned surfaces, e.g. automatically (G03F7/22 takes precedence; preparation of photographic masks G03F1/00; within photographic printing apparatus for making copies G03B27/00) · CPC title

• B29C64/393

  for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes · CPC title