Imprint method and apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016147143-A1
Application number	US-201414900126-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 18, 2014
Priority date	Jun 26, 2013
Publication date	May 26, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An imprint method includes: placing a light-curable composition on a workpiece substrate (placement); bringing the light-curable composition and a mold into contact with each other an atmosphere of a condensable gas (contact); aligning the mold and the workpiece substrate (alignment); irradiating the light-curable composition with light to obtain a light-cured composition (irradiation); and separating the light-cured composition and the mold from each other after the irradiation (release). The film thickness of the light-curable composition during the alignment is 20% or more greater than that of the light-cured composition after the release.

First claim

1 . An imprint method comprising:
placing a light-curable composition on a workpiece substrate; bringing the light-curable composition and a mold into contact with each other in an atmosphere of a condensable gas; aligning the mold and the workpiece substrate; irradiating the light-curable composition with light to obtain a light-cured composition; and after the irradiation, separating the light-cured composition and the mold from each other, the condensable gas being a gas that condenses under a temperature condition that occurs during the contact and a pressure condition that occurs upon the light-curable composition penetrating into a space between the workpiece substrate and the mold or a depression in the mold; a film thickness of the light-curable composition during the alignment being 20% or more greater than a film thickness of the light-cured composition after the release.

2 . The imprint method according to claim 1 , wherein the film thickness of the light-cured composition after the release is 20 nm or less.

3 . The imprint method according to claim 1 , wherein the film thickness of the light-cured composition after the release is 10 nm or less.

4 . The imprint method according to claim 1 , further comprising dissolving the condensable gas in the light-curable composition before the contact.

5 . The imprint method according to claim 1 , wherein the light-curable composition and the mold are brought into contact with each other in a mixed-gas atmosphere of the condensable gas and a non-condensable gas.

6 . The imprint method according to claim 1 , wherein the condensable gas is any one of pentafluoropropane, trichlorofluoromethane, and pentafluoroethyl methyl ether.

7 . The imprint method according claim 6 , wherein the condensable gas is 1,1,1,3,3-pentafluoropropane.

8 . The imprint method according to claim 1 , wherein the light-curable composition is placed on the workpiece substrate by any of ink jet, dip coating, and spin coating.

9 . The imprint method according to claim 1 , wherein the light-curable composition is acrylic resin.

10 . The imprint method according to claim 1 , wherein the mold and the workpiece substrate are aligned within 1.0 second.

11 . An imprint apparatus comprising a gas introducer configured to introduce a condensable gas and an aligner for a mold and a workpiece substrate,
the imprint apparatus having a mechanism capable of controlling a space between the mold and the workpiece substrate at 20 nm or less.

12 . The imprint apparatus according to claim 11 , further comprising a protection layer on a surface thereof to be exposed to the condensable gas, the protection layer configured to protect a component of the imprint apparatus.

Assignees

• Canon Kk

Inventors

• Ito Toshiki
• Yoshida Takashi
• Sato Hitoshi
• Kawasaki Youji
• Iimura Akiko
• Yamashita Keiji
• Ueno Takehiko

Classifications

• G03F7/0002 Primary

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

• B29C59/005

  characterised by the choice of material · CPC title

• B29C59/022

  characterised by the disposition or the configuration, e.g. dimensions, of the embossments or the shaping tools therefor · CPC title

• B29K2033/08

  Polymers of acrylic acid esters, e.g. PMA, i.e. polymethylacrylate · CPC title

• B29C59/026

  of layered or coated substantially flat surfaces · CPC title