Method for determining pattern of mold for imprint, imprint method, and apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9829789-B2
Application number	US-201414531777-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 3, 2014
Priority date	Nov 6, 2013
Publication date	Nov 28, 2017
Grant date	Nov 28, 2017

Abstract

A determination method for determining a pattern of a mold is disclosed. The pattern of the mold is used in imprint processing of forming a pattern on imprint material by performing the steps of pressing the imprint material on a substrate against the pattern of the mold in an atmosphere containing condensable gas to be liquefied due to compression, curing the imprint material, and releasing the mold from the imprint material. A processor calculates a shrinkage amount of the pattern on the imprint material. The pattern on the imprint material shrinks by desorbing condensate liquid, which is produced through liquefaction of the condensable gas between the imprint material and the pattern of the mold in the pressing step and which is dissolved in the imprint material, from the imprint material after completion of the pressing step.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A determination method for determining a pattern of a mold, the pattern of the mold being used in imprint processing of forming a pattern on imprint material by performing the steps of pressing the imprint material on a substrate against the pattern of the mold in an atmosphere containing condensable gas to be liquefied due to compression, curing the imprint material, and releasing the mold from the imprint material, the method comprising the steps of:
by using a processor,
calculating a shrinkage amount of the pattern on the imprint material, the pattern on the imprint material shrinking by desorbing condensate liquid from the imprint material after completion of the pressing step, the condensate liquid being produced through liquefaction of the condensable gas between the imprint material and the pattern of the mold in the pressing step and being dissolved in the imprint material; and
determining a size of the pattern of the mold by using the calculated shrinkage amount.

2. The determination method according to claim 1 ,
wherein, in the calculating step, the shrinkage amount is calculated by using a concentration of the condensate liquid dissolved in the imprint material and a relationship between the concentration and the shrinkage amount.

3. The determination method according to claim 2 ,
wherein, in the calculating step, the concentration of the condensate liquid is obtained from a concentration of the condensable gas in the atmosphere.

4. The determination method according to claim 3 ,
wherein, in the calculating step, a concentration distribution of the condensate liquid in a pattern area formed on the imprint material is obtained by using a concentration distribution of the condensable gas in the atmosphere, and
wherein the shrinkage amount is calculated by using the concentration distribution of the condensate liquid.

5. The determination method according to claim 3 ,
wherein, in the calculating step,
a concentration distribution of the condensate liquid in a pattern area formed on the imprint material is obtained by using the amount of the condensable gas confined between the imprint material and the pattern of the mold in the pressing step, and
wherein the shrinkage amount is calculated by using the concentration distribution of the condensate liquid.

6. The determination method according to claim 1 ,
wherein, in the calculating step, the shrinkage amount is calculated for each of a plurality of pattern components whose sizes are different from each other.

7. The determination method according to claim 1 ,
wherein, in the determining step, the size of the pattern of the mold is determined by using a shrinkage amount produced due to curing of the imprint material in the step of curing the imprint material.

8. A non-transitory recording medium storing a program for causing a computer to execute the determination method according to claim 1 .

9. A computer including a processor that determines a pattern of a mold,
wherein the mold is used in imprint processing of forming a pattern on imprint material by performing the steps of pressing the imprint material on a substrate against the pattern of the mold in an atmosphere containing condensable gas to be liquefied due to compression, curing the imprint material, and releasing the mold from the imprint material, and
wherein the processor calculates a shrinkage amount of the pattern on the imprint material, the pattern on the imprint material shrinking by desorbing condensate liquid from the imprint material after completion of the pressing step, the condensate liquid being produced through liquefaction of the condensable gas between the imprint material and the pattern of the mold in the pressing step and being dissolved in the imprint material, and determines a size of the pattern of the mold by using the calculated shrinkage amount.

Assignees

• Canon Kk

Inventors

• Tanabe Masayuki
• Yoshida Setsuo
• Sakai Keita
• Nakano Hitoshi

Classifications

• B29C2043/025

  forming a microstructure, i.e. fine patterning · CPC title

• B29C43/021

  characterised by the shape of the surface · CPC title

• G05D21/02

  characterised by the use of electric means · CPC title

• B29C33/3842

  Manufacturing moulds, e.g. shaping the mould surface by machining · CPC title

• B29C2059/023

  Microembossing · CPC title