Imprint apparatus and method of manufacturing article

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9798231-B2
Application number	US-201314372595-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 9, 2013
Priority date	Feb 7, 2012
Publication date	Oct 24, 2017
Grant date	Oct 24, 2017

Abstract

The present invention provides an imprint apparatus comprising a deforming unit configured to deform a pattern surface by applying a force to a mold, a measuring unit configured to measure a deformation amount of the pattern surface, a control unit configured to control the measuring unit to measure the deformation amount in each of a plurality of states in which a plurality of the forces are applied to the mold, a calculation unit configured to calculate a rate of change in the deformation amount as a function of a change in the force applied to the mold, and a calibration unit configured to calibrate a control profile describing a time in the imprint process, and the force applied to the mold, based on the rate of change in the deformation amount.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An imprint apparatus which forms a pattern of an imprint material on a substrate held by a substrate stage, by using a mold having a pattern surface, the apparatus comprising:
a deforming unit configured to deform the pattern surface by applying a first force to the mold;
a first measuring unit configured to be placed on the substrate stage and measure a deformation amount of the pattern surface deformed by the deforming unit in a vertical direction;
a control unit configured to control the first measuring unit to measure the deformation amount of the pattern surface in each of a plurality of states in which a plurality of first forces are applied to the mold by the deforming unit;
a calculation unit configured to calculate a rate of change in deformation amount of the pattern surface as a function of a change in first force applied to the mold by the deforming unit, based on a relationship between each of the plurality of first forces applied to the mold and the deformation amount of the pattern surface corresponding to each of the plurality of first forces; and
a calibration unit configured to calibrate a first control profile describing the relationship between a time in the imprint process and a first force to be applied to the mold by the deforming unit, based on the rate of change in deformation amount of the pattern surface calculated by the calculation unit, so that the deformation amount of the pattern surface in the imprint process becomes a target amount.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
each of the mold and the substrate includes an alignment mark,
the imprint apparatus further comprises:
a change unit configured to change a distortion of the pattern surface by applying a second force to the mold; and
a second measuring unit configured to measure the distortion of the pattern surface by detecting a relative position between the alignment mark on the mold and the alignment mark on the substrate,
the control unit further controls the second measuring unit to measure the distortion of the pattern surface in each of a plurality of states in which a plurality of first forces are applied to the mold by the deforming unit,
the calculation unit further calculates a rate of change in distortion of the pattern surface as a function of a change in first force applied to the mold by the deforming unit, based on a relationship between each of the plurality of first forces applied to the mold and the distortion of the pattern surface corresponding to each of the plurality of first forces, and
the calibration unit further calibrates a second control profile describing the relationship between a time in the imprint process and a second force to be applied to the mold by the change unit, based on the rate of change in distortion of the pattern surface calculated by the calculation unit, so that the distortion of the pattern surface in the imprint process becomes a target amount.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the change unit changes the distortion of the pattern surface using an actuator configured to apply a force to a side surface of the mold.

4. The apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the change unit applies the second force to the mold in accordance with the second control profile calibrated by the calibration unit.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the calibration unit calibrates the first control profile while the pattern of the mold is brought into contact with the imprint material.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the calibration unit calibrates the first control profile while the mold is separated from the cured imprint material.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a holding unit having a holding surface configured to hold the mold,
wherein the deforming unit deforms the pattern surface using a pressure in a chamber between the holding surface and a surface of the mold on a side of the holding surface.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the deforming unit applies the first force to the mold in accordance with the first control profile calibrated by the calibration unit.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the deformation amount measured by the first measurement unit is a difference between a position of a central portion of the pattern surface of the mold in the vertical direction when the pattern surface is flat and a position of the central portion in the vertical direction when the pattern surface is deformed by the deforming unit.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a substrate stage configured to hold the substrate, wherein the first measurement unit is provided to the substrate stage.

11. A method of manufacturing an article, the method comprising:
performing forming a pattern of a resin on a substrate using an imprint apparatus; and
processing the substrate, on which the forming has been performed, to manufacture the article,
wherein the imprint apparatus forms a pattern of the resin on the substrate held by a substrate stage, by using a mold having a pattern surface, the apparatus comprising:
a deforming unit configured to deform the pattern surface by applying a first force to the mold;
a first measuring unit configured to be placed on the substrate stage and measure a deformation amount of the pattern surface deformed by the deforming unit in a vertical direction;
a control unit configured to control the first measuring unit to measure the deformation amount of the pattern surface in each of a plurality of states in which a plurality of first forces are applied to the mold by the deforming unit;
a calculation unit configured to calculate a rate of change in deformation amount of the pattern surface as a function of a change in first force applied to the mold by the deforming unit, based on a relationship between each of the plurality of first forces applied to the mold and the deformation amount of the pattern surface corresponding to each of the plurality of first forces; and
a calibration unit configured to calibrate a first control profile describing the relationship between a time in the imprint process and a first force to be applied to the mold by the deforming unit, based on the rate of change in deformation amount of the pattern surface calculated by the calculation unit, so that the deformation amount of the pattern surface in the imprint process becomes a target amount.

12. An imprint apparatus which forms a pattern of an imprint material on a substrate held by a substrate stage, by using a mold having a pattern surface, the apparatus comprising:
a deforming unit configured to deform the pattern surface by applying a force to the mold;
a measuring unit configured to be placed on the substrate stage and measure a deformation amount of the pattern surface deformed by the deforming unit in a vertical direction;
a calibration unit configured to perform a calibration to generate a control profile for controlling a force to be applied to the mold by the deforming unit in the imprint process, based on a relationship between a predetermined force applied to the mold by the deforming unit and the deformation amount of the pattern surface measured by the measurement unit when the predetermined force is applied to the mold by the deforming unit.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the deformation amount measured by the measurement unit is a difference between a position of a central portion of the pattern surface of the mold in the vertical direction when the pattern surface is flat and a position of the central portion in the vertical directio

Assignees

• Canon Kk

Inventors

• Shiode Yoshihiro

Classifications

• G03F7/0002 Primary

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

• B82Y10/00 Primary

  Nanotechnology for information processing, storage or transmission, e.g. quantum computing or single electron logic · CPC title

• G03F9/7023

  Aligning or positioning in direction perpendicular to substrate surface · CPC title

• B82Y40/00

  Manufacture or treatment of nanostructures · CPC title

• B29C59/026

  of layered or coated substantially flat surfaces · CPC title