Imprint device and manufacturing method for article

Abstract

To provide a favorable technique for correcting the shape of a pattern formed in a mold with high precision, unaffected by individual variations in the mold's external dimensions.SOLUTION: An imprinting apparatus includes a holding section for holding a mold, and a deformation mechanism for applying force to the side surface of the mold held by the holding section to deform the mold. The deformation mechanism includes an actuator, a first member driven by the actuator, and a second member that presses the side surface of the mold in response to the actuator driving the first member.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an imprint apparatus and an article manufacturing method. [Background technology]

[0002] An imprinting apparatus for manufacturing microstructure devices uses a mold to form an imprint material on a substrate. The imprinting apparatus may include a mold deformation mechanism that corrects the shape of a pattern formed on the mold by pressing the side of the mold held by a mold holding unit to deform the mold (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Special Publication No. 2008-504141 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] There may be individual differences in the external dimensions of the mold. Differences in the external dimensions of the mold affect the stroke of the pressing member in the mold deformation mechanism and the amount of force applied to the side of the mold. Such effects may increase alignment errors.

[0005] The present invention provides an advantageous technique for correcting the shape of a pattern formed on a mold with high precision without being affected by individual differences in the outer dimensions of the mold. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an imprinting apparatus that uses a mold to form a pattern in an imprint material on a substrate, comprising: a holding unit that holds the mold; and a deformation mechanism that applies force to the side of the mold held by the holding unit to deform the mold, wherein the deformation mechanism includes an actuator, a first member that is driven by the actuator, and a second member that presses the side of the mold as the first member is driven by the actuator. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an advantageous technique for correcting the shape of a pattern formed on a mold with high precision without being affected by individual differences in the outer dimensions of the mold. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of an imprint apparatus. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the detailed configuration of an imprint head. [Figure 3] FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a detailed configuration of a mold deformation mechanism. [Figure 5] FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. [Figure 7] 10A and 10B are diagrams for explaining an example of the operation of a mold deformation mechanism. [Figure 8] 10A and 10B are diagrams for explaining the relationship between the drive source output and the force applied to the mold for each mold size. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a detailed configuration of a mold deformation mechanism in a modified example. [Figure 10] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a detailed configuration of a mold deformation mechanism. [Figure 11] 10A and 10B are diagrams for explaining the relationship between the drive source output and the force applied to the mold depending on the distance between the tip of the drive transmission part and the side surface of the mold. [Figure 12] 1A to 1C are diagrams illustrating an article manufacturing method according to an embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the following embodiments do not limit the scope of the invention claimed. Although multiple features are described in the embodiments, not all of these multiple features are necessarily essential to the invention, and multiple features may be combined arbitrarily. Furthermore, in the accompanying drawings, the same reference numerals are used to designate the same or similar components, and redundant explanations will be omitted.

[0010] The configuration of an imprinting apparatus will be described below with reference to the drawings. In this specification and the drawings, directions are indicated in an XYZ coordinate system, with the horizontal plane being the XY plane. Generally, a substrate is placed on a substrate stage so that its surface is parallel to the horizontal plane (XY plane). Therefore, hereinafter, the directions that are perpendicular to each other in a plane along the surface of the substrate are referred to as the X-axis and Y-axis, and the direction perpendicular to the X-axis and Y-axis is referred to as the Z-axis. Furthermore, hereinafter, the directions that are parallel to the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis in the XYZ coordinate system are referred to as the X-direction, Y-direction, and Z-direction, respectively, and the directions of rotation around the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis are referred to as the θX-direction, θY-direction, and θZ-direction, respectively.

[0011] First, an overview of an imprinting apparatus according to an embodiment will be described. The imprinting apparatus is an apparatus that brings an imprinting material supplied onto a substrate into contact with a mold and applies energy for curing to the imprinting material, thereby forming a pattern in a cured product to which the concave-convex pattern of the mold has been transferred.

[0012] The imprint material is a curable composition (sometimes referred to as an uncured resin) that cures when curing energy is applied. Examples of curing energy include electromagnetic waves and heat. Electromagnetic waves can be, for example, light having a wavelength selected from the range of 10 nm to 1 mm, such as infrared light, visible light, and ultraviolet light. The curable composition can be a composition that cures when irradiated with light or when heated. Among these, photocurable compositions that cure when irradiated with light contain at least a polymerizable compound and a photopolymerization initiator and may further contain a non-polymerizable compound or a solvent, as needed. The non-polymerizable compound is at least one selected from the group consisting of a sensitizer, a hydrogen donor, an internal mold release agent, a surfactant, an antioxidant, and a polymer component. The imprint material can be deposited on a substrate in the form of droplets, or in the form of islands or a film formed by connecting multiple droplets, using an imprint material supply device (dispenser). The viscosity of the imprint material (at 25°C) may be, for example, 1 mPa·s or more and 100 mPa·s or less. Materials that can be used for the substrate include, for example, glass, ceramics, metal, semiconductor, and resin. If necessary, a member made of a material different from the substrate may be provided on the surface of the substrate. The substrate may be, for example, a silicon wafer, a compound semiconductor wafer, or quartz glass.

[0013] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of an imprint apparatus 100 according to an embodiment. The imprint apparatus 100 is configured to form patterns in multiple shot areas of a substrate by repeating an imprint cycle. By transferring a pattern of a mold 4 to a substrate 1, an element pattern corresponding to the mold pattern is formed on the surface layer of the substrate. A substrate stage 2 that holds the substrate 1 is disposed on a surface plate 3. The substrate stage 2 is guided by the surface plate 3 and is movable above the surface plate 3. The movement of the substrate stage 2 moves the substrate 1. A control unit 12 can move the substrate 1 to the imprint area below the mold 4 by moving the substrate stage 2 in the X, Y, and θZ directions. A displacement sensor 2a that detects the movement position of the substrate stage 2 is disposed on the surface plate 3. The displacement sensor 2a can be configured with a laser interferometer, an encoder, or the like. The control unit 12 drives a motor of the substrate stage 2 based on the detection value of the displacement sensor 2a to position the substrate 1 with high precision.

[0014] The mold 4 has a mesa 4a, which is a plateau-shaped portion. A concave-convex pattern is engraved on the surface of the mesa 4a. By bringing the surface of the mesa 4a into contact with the imprint material supplied onto the substrate 1, the pattern is transferred to the imprint material on the substrate 1. The mesa 4a has a downwardly convex stepped shape so that areas of the mold 4 other than the mesa 4a do not come into contact with the substrate 1 or the imprint material thereon.

[0015] The imprint apparatus 100 has an imprint head H, which is a mechanism for holding and moving the mold 4. The imprint head H may include a mold holding unit 5 (holding unit) that holds the mold 4, a drive mechanism 6 for driving the mold holding unit 5 (i.e., the mold 4) in the Z direction, and a mold deformation mechanism 11 (deformation mechanism) for applying force to the side of the mold 4 held by the mold holding unit 5 to deform the mold 4. The mold holding unit 5 may hold the mold 4 by vacuum suction or electrostatic adsorption. The detailed configuration of the imprint head H will be described later with reference to FIG. 2 , but here it is assumed that the mold holding unit 5 holds the mold 4 by vacuum suction. The drive mechanism 6 is fixed to a frame 7. The drive mechanism 6 may bring the mold 4 into contact with the imprint material on the substrate 1 and separate the mold 4 from the imprint material on the substrate 1.

[0016] The curing unit 8 cures the imprint material by irradiating the imprint material on the substrate 1 with ultraviolet light 8a via the mold 4. The curing unit 8 may include a shutter 8b for controlling the irradiation timing of the ultraviolet light 8a.

[0017] The frame 7 is provided with a dispenser 9 that supplies imprint material. After the substrate 1 is moved by the substrate stage 2 so that the shot area of ​​the substrate 1 is positioned below the dispenser 9, the dispenser 9 supplies the imprint material onto the shot area. The substrate stage 2 moves back and forth between below the dispenser 9 and below the mold 4 during the imprint process. Note that the dispenser 9 does not necessarily have to be provided within the imprint apparatus 100. For example, the imprint process may be performed by positioning a substrate, the entire surface of which has been coated with imprint material outside the apparatus, below the mold 4, and repeating the imprint operation and step movement at a pitch corresponding to the size of the shot area. In this case, the dispensing process can be omitted, which has the effect of improving productivity.

[0018] The scope 10 is equipped with an optical lens, an illumination unit, and an imaging unit inside, and detects the relative positional deviation between the alignment mark on the mold 4 and the alignment mark on the substrate 1. The mold 4 and the substrate 1 can be aligned by moving the substrate stage 2 by an amount corresponding to the amount of deviation.

[0019] The control unit 12 is electrically connected to each of the above-mentioned units and controls each unit to execute processes related to imprinting. Here, the control unit 12 can perform optimal alignment control based on alignment information of the scope 10, position information of the substrate stage 2, and information on the load applied to the mold 4 by the mold deformation mechanism 11.

[0020] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the detailed configuration of the imprint head H. The back surface of the mold 4 and the mold holder 5 come into contact with the contact surface 5aa, which is the bottom surface of the suction protrusions 5a. When the mold 4 and the bottom surface of the suction protrusions 5a come into contact, a closed space, region b, is formed between the mold 4 and the suction protrusions 5a. A vacuum pipe 5c is connected to region 5b. By evacuating region 5b, the mold holder 5 can chuck the mold 4. The mold holder 5 is supported by a frame 7 via a drive mechanism 6. The drive mechanism 6 may include a fixed portion 6b fixed to the frame and a movable portion 6a fixed to the mold holder 5 and moving relative to the fixed portion 6b. For example, the drive mechanism 6 may include a voice coil motor or a linear shaft motor. There is no friction between the fixed portion 6b and the movable portion 6a, which is advantageous in reducing the risk of foreign matter generation. However, the drive mechanism 6 may also use a drive source with friction, such as a ball screw rotary motor, air cylinder, or piezoelectric actuator, that is equipped with a foreign matter suction mechanism.

[0021] The mold deformation mechanism 11 includes an actuator 13 as a drive source and a drive transmission unit 11b, and can apply a desired force to the side surface 4b of the mold 4 to deform the mold 4 in order to correct the shape of the pattern formed on the mold 4. The mold deformation mechanism 11 can also include a load cell 11c as a force sensor that measures the force applied to the side surface 4b of the mold 4. The force generated by the actuator 13 is converted by the drive transmission unit 11b using the principle of a lever, and the force is applied to the side surface 4b of the mold 4 via the load cell 11c. This structure has the advantage that the amount of force generated by the actuator 13 and the amount of force actually applied to the mold 4 can be adjusted by changing the fulcrum position of the drive transmission unit 11b. Furthermore, with regard to the placement of the actuator 13, it is possible to place the actuator 13 on the upper surface of the mold holding unit 5, which has relatively more space. The detailed structure of the mold deformation mechanism 11 will be described later.

[0022] Figure 3 is a bottom view of the imprint head H. As shown in Figure 3, drive mechanisms 6 are arranged at three locations around the mold 4. There is an area 5b on the back side of the mold 4, and the mold 4 is held by suction by suctioning the area 5b.

[0023] Drive transmission units 11b and load cells 11c of the mold deformation mechanism 11 are arranged in each of the through regions of the mold holding unit 5 formed corresponding to each side of the mold 4. In the example of FIG. 3, four drive transmission units 11b and four load cells 11c are evenly arranged on each side of the mold 4. That is, 16 drive transmission units 11b and 16 load cells 11c are used in the imprint head H. The number of drive transmission units 11b and the number of load cells 11c can be determined based on the size of the mold 4, the expected deformation shape, and the amount of correction. Although not shown, sensors such as laser interferometers for measuring the size and arrangement of the mold may be arranged around the mold 4.

[0024] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of the detailed configuration of the mold deformation mechanism 11. The actuator 13 is disposed above the mold holding unit 5. In one example, the base side end of the actuator 13 is fixed to a flange 5d formed on the mold holding unit 5, and the actuator 13 is driven in the X direction (first direction) parallel to the contact surface 5aa. One end of the drive transmission unit 11b is connected to the output end of the actuator 13 via a bearing (not shown). The actuator 13 applies force to the drive transmission unit 11b in accordance with a command value from the control unit 12. The actuator 13 is preferably a piezoelectric actuator capable of high output in a small space, but may also be an actuator such as an air cylinder or an ultrasonic motor.

[0025] Drive transmission unit 11b can convert the force applied in the -X direction by actuator 13 into a force directed in the +X direction, in which side surface 4b of mold 4 is located, using fulcrum unit 11d as a fulcrum. A parallel spring 11e is configured between mold holding unit 5 and drive transmission unit 11b. Parallel spring 11e is elastically deformable in the X direction (first direction) parallel to contact surface 5aa, and serves to guide drive transmission unit 11b so that it moves in the X direction with precision.

[0026] A load cell 11c may be disposed at the tip of the drive transmission unit 11b on the mold 4 side. In this case, the drive transmission unit 11b presses the side surface 4b of the mold 4 via the load cell 11c. The load cell 11c detects the force with which the drive transmission unit 11b presses the mold 4. It is not essential that the load cell 11c be interposed between the tip of the drive transmission unit 11b and the mold 4, but it is preferable that the load cell 11c be disposed closer to the mold than the parallel spring 11e to reduce detection errors. Hereinafter, for convenience, the terms "drive transmission unit 11b presses the side surface 4b of the mold 4" and the like will be used to refer to either the drive transmission unit 11b pressing the side surface 4b of the mold 4 via the load cell 11c or the drive transmission unit 11b directly pressing the side surface 4b of the mold 4. Similarly, for convenience, whether the drive transmission unit 11b comes into contact with the side surface 4b of the mold 4 via the load cell 11c or the drive transmission unit 11b comes into direct contact with the side surface 4b of the mold 4, it will be expressed as "the drive transmission unit 11b comes into contact with the side surface 4b of the mold 4."

[0027] Although not shown for simplicity, the drive transmission part 11b may be configured with other parallel springs or hinge parts. The drive transmission part 11b also has a deflection part 11f formed or disposed therein. The deflection part 11f is configured to absorb distortion or misalignment of the drive transmission part 11b in a direction parallel to the side surface 4b of the mold 4.

[0028] 10 shows that when the output of the actuator 13 is zero, the load cell 11c arranged at the tip of the drive transmission unit 11b does not come into contact with the side surface of the mold 4, leaving a space. This space is an extra space provided in consideration of individual differences in the outer shape of the mold and / or in consideration of the fact that the mold is inserted into an area surrounded by multiple drive transmission units 11b (or load cells 11c).

[0029] FIG. 11 is a graph showing the relationship between the output of the actuator 13 (drive source output) and the force applied to the mold 4 for different distances between the tip of the drive transmission unit 11b and the side surface of the mold 4. In FIG. 11, the horizontal axis represents the drive source output (%), and the vertical axis represents the force (N) that can be applied to the mold 4. The distance between the load cell 11c and the side surface 4b of the mold 4 when the drive source output is zero differs between states (1), (2), and (3). The relationship among the distances is (1) > (2) > (3). In state (1), i.e., when the distance is large, a large amount of drive source output (here, about 30%) must be consumed before force can begin to be applied to the mold 4. As a result, a maximum force of about 70 N can be applied to the mold 4 at 100% output. On the other hand, in state (3), i.e., when the distance is almost zero, the drive source output can begin to apply force to the mold 4 when it is close to zero, so a maximum force of about 100 N can be applied to the mold 4 at 100% output. Because the length of the distance varies depending on individual differences in the external dimensions of mold 4 and placement errors of mold 4, these errors are taken into account and the layout of the mold deformation mechanism is determined so that the distance is in intermediate state (2) for an average mold size. Since the actual mold size has an error range that results in states (1) to (3), the maximum force that can be applied to the mold also has an error between 70 and 100 N. Because the drive source output is limited, applying as much force as possible to the mold will be affected by errors in mold size. In this way, the issue is that the force that can be applied to the mold may be insufficient due to the effects of mold size errors.

[0030] Fig. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a detailed configuration of the mold deformation mechanism 11 for solving the above problem. In Fig. 4, the actuator 13 is disposed above the mold holding unit 5. In one example, the base side end of the actuator 13 is fixed to a flange 5d formed on the mold holding unit 5, and the actuator 13 is driven in the X direction (first direction) parallel to the contact surface 5aa.

[0031] In FIG. 4, the drive transmission unit (corresponding to drive transmission unit 11b in FIG. 10) is composed of separate components: lever transmission unit 11ba (first member) and horizontal transmission unit 11bc (second member). Lever transmission unit 11ba extends in a second direction (e.g., the Y direction) intersecting contact surface 5aa, with one end connected to the output end of actuator 13 and the other end connected to horizontal transmission unit 11bc via connecting unit 11bb. Horizontal transmission unit 11bc extends in the X direction (first direction) below mold holding unit 5, with one end connected to lever transmission unit 11ba via connecting unit 11bb, and is configured to push side surface 4b of mold 4 at the other end.

[0032] The mold deformation mechanism 11 may include a fulcrum portion 11 disposed on a wall surface 5e intersecting with the contact surface 5aa. The lever transmission portion 11ba swings around the fulcrum portion 11 as the actuator 13 is driven. The lever transmission portion 11ba can convert a force applied in the -X direction by the actuator 13 into a force directed in the +X direction, in which the side surface 4b of the mold 4 is located, with the fulcrum portion 11d as the fulcrum. A parallel spring 11e is configured between the mold holding portion 5 and the horizontal transmission portion 11bc. The parallel spring 11e is elastically deformable in the X direction (first direction) parallel to the contact surface 5aa, and serves to guide the horizontal transmission portion 11bc so that it moves in the X direction with precision.

[0033] A load cell 11c may be disposed at the tip of the horizontal transmission unit 11bc on the mold 4 side. In this case, the horizontal transmission unit 11bc presses the side surface 4b of the mold 4 via the load cell 11c. The load cell 11c detects the force with which the horizontal transmission unit 11bc presses the mold 4. It is not essential that the load cell 11c be interposed between the tip of the horizontal transmission unit 11bc and the mold 4, but it is preferable that the load cell 11c be disposed closer to the mold than the parallel spring 11e to reduce detection errors. In the following, for convenience, the horizontal transmission unit 11b pressing the side surface 4b of the mold 4 via the load cell 11c and the horizontal transmission unit 11bc directly pressing the side surface 4b of the mold 4 will be expressed as "the horizontal transmission unit 11bc presses the side surface 4b of the mold 4," etc. Similarly, for convenience, whether the horizontal transmission part 11bc comes into contact with the side surface 4b of the mold 4 via the load cell 11c or the horizontal transmission part 11bc comes into direct contact with the side surface 4b of the mold 4, it will be expressed as "the horizontal transmission part 11bc comes into contact with the side surface 4b of the mold 4."

[0034] In addition, a deflection portion 11f is formed or disposed on the horizontal transmission portion 11bc. The deflection portion 11f is configured to absorb distortion or misalignment of the drive transmission portion 11b in a direction parallel to the side surface 4b of the mold 4.

[0035] In this embodiment, the mold deformation mechanism 11 is configured to be able to adjust the positional relationship between the lever transmission unit 11ba and the horizontal transmission unit 11bc. For example, the lever transmission unit 11ba and the horizontal transmission unit 11bc are connected by a connecting unit 11bb. The connecting unit 11bb is configured to be able to switch between a connected state in which the lever transmission unit 11ba and the horizontal transmission unit 11bc are connected and a disconnected state in which the lever transmission unit 11ba and the horizontal transmission unit 11bc are not connected. In this case, the connecting unit 11bb can switch the lever transmission unit 11ba and the horizontal transmission unit 11bc between the connected state and the disconnected state at any angle. By switching between the connected state and the disconnected state in accordance with the output of the drive source, the position at which the horizontal transmission unit 11bc starts moving and the position at which force is applied to the mold 4 can be adjusted.

[0036] 5 and 6, a configuration example of the connecting unit 11bb that switches between the connected state and the unconnected state will be described. FIG. 5(a) is a side view of the mold deformation mechanism 11 as seen from the X direction. FIG. 5(b) is a side view of the mold deformation mechanism 11 as seen from the Y direction, which is the same as FIG. 4. FIG. 5(c) is a bottom view of the mold deformation mechanism 11 as seen from below in the Z direction. The connected state is a state in which the lever transmission unit 11ba and the horizontal transmission unit 11bc can work together to push the side surface 4b of the mold 4 when driven by the actuator 13. On the other hand, the unconnected state is a state in which the drive of the lever transmission unit 11ba by the actuator 13 does not act on the horizontal transmission unit 11bc, and the side surface 4b of the mold 4 cannot be pushed.

[0037] As shown in Figure 5(a), a notch is formed at the bottom end of the lever transmission unit 11ba, and the end of the horizontal transmission unit 11bc is sandwiched within the notch by the connecting unit 11bb (connected state). By sandwiching the horizontal transmission unit 11bc from a direction (Y direction) perpendicular to the moving direction (X direction) of the parallel spring 11e of the horizontal transmission unit 11bc, the horizontal transmission unit 11bc can be connected at any position regardless of the movement position of the horizontal transmission unit 11bc during operation. The connected state refers to a state in which no misalignment occurs between the lever transmission unit 11ba and the horizontal transmission unit 11bc when a force is applied to the side surface 4b of the mold 4 held by the mold holding unit 5 according to the output of the drive source. For example, if the maximum force applied to the mold 4 is 100 N, the frictional force required for connection is 100 N or more, and the friction coefficient is 0.1, the required force for connection is 1000 N. This connecting force can be generated by converting force using the principle of leverage, using the expansion force of an air or hydraulic cylinder or a piezoelectric element. Furthermore, the effect of preventing lateral displacement may be enhanced by providing a gradient on the contact surface of the connecting portion 11bb to increase the coefficient of friction.

[0038] 6(a) to 6(c) show a state in which the lever transmission unit 11ba and the horizontal transmission unit 11bc are not connected by the connecting unit 11bb (disconnected state). FIG. 6(a) is a side view of the mold deformation mechanism 11 as seen from the X direction. FIG. 6(b) is a side view of the mold deformation mechanism 11 as seen from the Y direction, which is the same as FIG. 4. FIG. 6(c) is a bottom view of the mold deformation mechanism 11 as seen from below in the Z direction. When the connecting unit 11bb moves away from the horizontal transmission unit 11bc, a gap is created between the connecting unit 11bb and the horizontal transmission unit 11bc, resulting in a disconnected state. In the disconnected state, no force is transmitted to the horizontal transmission unit 11bc even if the drive source output is changed, and no force can act on the mold 4.

[0039] The control unit 12 controls the actuator 13 and the connecting unit 11bb. An example of the operation of the mold deformation mechanism 11 (including the control of the actuator 13 and the connecting unit 11bb by the control unit 12) will be described with reference to Figures 7(a) to (d). The control unit 12 controls the actuator 13 and the connecting unit 11bb so that the horizontal transmission unit 11bc comes into contact with the side surface 4b of the mold 4 when the output of the actuator 13 is at an initial value (for example, zero or a value close to it) (first value).

[0040] Figure 7 shows the flow from the preparation process before inserting the mold 4 into the area surrounded by multiple drive transmission units 11b (or load cells 11c) to inserting the mold 4 and starting the mold deformation drive. In Figure 7(a), the mold 4 has not been loaded yet, and the drive source output is at its initial value (e.g., zero) (first value). Also, the connecting unit 11bb is in a non-connected state, and therefore no force is applied to the horizontal transmitting unit 11bc.

[0041] In the state shown in Figure 7(a), the control unit 12 sets the output of the actuator 13 to a second value (e.g., 100% or a value close to it) greater than the first value, and drives the lever transmission unit 11ba. When the lever transmission unit 11ba has fully moved, the control unit 12 switches the connecting unit 11bb to the connected state. This connects the lever transmission unit 11ba and the horizontal transmission unit 11bc. Figure 7(b) shows this state.

[0042] Next, the control unit 12 returns the drive source output to its initial value. This causes the actuator 13 and lever transmission unit 11ba to return to their original positions, and the horizontal transmission unit 11bc is also pulled and moves in the opposite direction to the mold side. The movement of the horizontal transmission unit 11bc ensures clearance for inserting the mold 4 into a position below the mold holding unit 5. The control unit 12 controls the mold transport unit (not shown) to load the mold 4. Figure 7(c) shows this state.

[0043] According to the processing up to this point, in the state shown in FIG. 7(c), the drive source output is at its initial value (first value), the horizontal transmission unit 11bc is not in contact with the side surface 4b of the mold 4, and the connecting unit 11bb is in a connected state. In this state, the control unit 12 increases the drive source output so that the horizontal transmission unit 11bc contacts the side surface 4b of the mold 4. When the load cell 11c detects contact with the side surface 4b of the mold 4, the control unit 12 stops increasing the drive source output and maintains it constant, thereby holding the actuator 13 in its current position. In this state, the control unit 12 switches the connecting unit 11b to a non-connected state and returns the drive source output to its initial value (near zero). Thereafter, the control unit 12 switches the connecting unit 11bb to a connected state. FIG. 7(d) shows this state. By setting this state each time the mold is changed, it is possible to start applying force to the mold 4 from a state where the drive source output is near zero during alignment during the imprint process.

[0044] By operating the mold deformation mechanism 11 in this manner, the output of the actuator 13 is not consumed until the drive transmission unit 11b comes into contact with the mold 4, as in the comparative example shown in Fig. 11. This makes it possible to use the entire range of force that the actuator 13 can generate for mold shape correction without waste.

[0045] Furthermore, in the state shown in FIG. 7(d) when the mold deformation drive is started, a force is already applied to the mold 4 due to the reaction force of the deformation of the parallel spring 11e. This force can be detected by the load cell 11c, so when the state shown in FIG. 7(d) is reached, the reaction force of the deformation of the parallel spring 11e can be counteracted by switching the connecting part 11b to the connected state while inputting a drive source output equivalent to that force in advance. This countermeasure makes it possible to return the force applied to the mold to near zero when the drive source output is set to zero so as to cancel out the force of the parallel spring 11e. An example of the operation at this time will be described with reference to FIG. 8.

[0046] Figure 8 is a graph showing the relationship between the drive source output and the force applied to the mold for each mold size. The horizontal and vertical axes in Figure 8 are the same as those in Figure 11, with the horizontal axis representing the drive source output (%) and the vertical axis representing the force (N) that can be applied to mold 4. Here, we consider three molds of different sizes. The sizes of the three molds are L, M, and S, in descending order. Case (1) is when an L-size mold is used, (2) is when an M-size mold is used, and (3) is when an S-size mold is used.

[0047] In case (1), the mold size is larger than in the other cases. Therefore, the horizontal transmission unit 11bc is displaced significantly in the direction opposite to the mold, resulting in a large reaction force acting on the mold. As shown in FIG. 8, if this force is equivalent to 30% of the drive source output, the control unit 12 switches the coupling unit 11bb to the connected state when the state shown in FIG. 7(d) is achieved, with the drive source output already at 30%. This allows the force on the mold to be reduced accordingly when the drive source output is returned to zero. As a result, the force applied to the mold by the drive source output operation during this connection switching can be controlled over the entire range from minimum (near zero N) to maximum (e.g., 100 N). Conversely, in case (3), the mold size is smaller than in the other cases, so the reaction force acting on the mold by the horizontal transmission unit 11bc is close to zero, and the drive source output can be started at zero when connected. Case (2) is an intermediate state between cases (1) and (3), and has a nearly linear relationship; in this example, the drive source output is switched to the connected state at 15%. In this way, in the example of Figure 8, in order to eliminate the influence of the mold size difference between cases (1) to (3), the drive source output at the time of connection switching is changed according to the load cell output. This allows the entire range of force (including zero N) that the actuator 13 can generate to be used for mold shape correction.

[0048] (Variation) 9(a) and 9(b) are diagrams showing the detailed configuration of a modified mold deformation mechanism 11. Fig. 9(a) is a side view of the mold deformation mechanism 11 as seen from the Y direction, and Fig. 9(b) is a bottom view of the mold deformation mechanism 11 as seen from below in the Z direction.

[0049] The horizontal transmission unit 11bc, parallel spring 11e, and connecting unit 11bb are similar to those shown in FIG. 4. However, the example of FIGS. 9(a) and 9(b) is a configuration that uses direct drive rather than a configuration that transmits driving force based on the principle of leverage. Specifically, in FIGS. 9(a) and 9(b), the lever transmission unit 11ba is not present, and instead, a direct drive transmission unit 11bd is provided between the actuator 13 and the connecting unit 11bb. Therefore, the mold deformation mechanism 11 constitutes a direct drive mechanism in which the actuator 13, the direct drive transmission unit 11bd (first member), the connecting unit 11bb, and the horizontal transmission unit 11bc (second member) are arranged in this order in a first direction parallel to the contact surface 5aa, toward the side surface 4b of the mold 4.

[0050] The base side end of the actuator 13 is fixed to a flange 5e provided on the outer periphery of the mold holding part 5, and the output end of the actuator 13 is connected to the end of the linear motion transmission part 11bd via a bearing (not shown). The connecting part 11bb connects the linear motion transmission part 11bd and the horizontal transmission part 11bc.

[0051] 9(a) and (b), since there is no fulcrum, the amount of displacement cannot be adjusted at the fulcrum position, but instead a configuration is adopted in which a compression spring 13a that expands and contracts in a direction parallel to the drive direction of the actuator 13 is used to balance the rigidity with the output of the actuator 13. This makes it possible to adjust the drive amount of the actuator 13 to the desired displacement stroke.

[0052] In the configuration of this modified example, it is necessary to arrange the actuator 13 and a flange 5e to fix it on the outer periphery of the mold holding unit 5. When it is possible to increase the unit size of the entire imprint head, this is advantageous in that the structure of the transmission unit can be simplified in this way. Even with the configuration of this modified example, the entire range of forces (including zero N) that the actuator 13 can exert can be used to correct the shape of the mold.

[0053] <Embodiment of an article manufacturing method> The pattern of the cured product formed using the imprinting apparatus is used permanently on at least a portion of various articles, or temporarily when manufacturing various articles. Examples of articles include electrical circuit elements, optical elements, MEMS, recording elements, sensors, and molds. Examples of electrical circuit elements include volatile or nonvolatile semiconductor memories such as DRAM, SRAM, flash memory, and MRAM, and semiconductor elements such as LSI, CCD, image sensors, and FPGAs. Examples of molds include molds for imprinting.

[0054] The pattern of the cured product may be used as it is as at least a part of a component of the article, or may be used temporarily as a resist mask, which is removed after etching or ion implantation in a substrate processing step.

[0055] Next, an article manufacturing method will be described with reference to Fig. 12. In step SA, a substrate 1z such as a silicon substrate having a workpiece 2z such as an insulator formed on its surface is prepared, and then an imprint material 3z is applied to the surface of the workpiece 2z by an inkjet method or the like. Here, a state in which multiple droplets of the imprint material 3z have been applied to the substrate is shown.

[0056] In step SB, the imprinting mold 4z is placed facing the imprinting material 3z on the substrate, with the side on which the concave-convex pattern is formed. In step SC, the substrate 1z to which the imprinting material 3z has been applied is brought into contact with the mold 4z, and pressure is applied. The imprinting material 3z fills the gap between the mold 4z and the workpiece 2z. In this state, when light is irradiated through the mold 4z as hardening energy, the imprinting material 3z hardens.

[0057] In step SD, after the imprint material 3z is cured, the mold 4z is separated from the substrate 1z, forming a pattern of the cured product of the imprint material 3z on the substrate 1z. In this cured product pattern, the recesses of the mold correspond to the protrusions of the cured product, and the protrusions of the mold correspond to the recesses of the cured product, i.e., the recess-protrusion pattern of the mold 4z is transferred to the imprint material 3z.

[0058] In step SE, etching is performed using the cured material pattern as an etching-resistant mask, and portions of the surface of the workpiece 2z where no cured material or only a thin layer remains are removed, forming grooves 5z. In step SF, the cured material pattern is removed, resulting in an article with grooves 5z formed in the surface of the workpiece 2z. Here, the cured material pattern is removed, but it may also be used as an interlayer insulating film included in a semiconductor element or the like, i.e., a component of an article, without being removed after processing.

[0059] The disclosure of the present specification includes at least the following techniques. (Item 1) An imprinting apparatus that forms a pattern in an imprint material on a substrate using a mold, comprising: a holding section for holding the mold; a deformation mechanism that applies force to a side surface of the mold held by the holding unit to deform the mold; Equipped with The deformation mechanism is An actuator; a first member driven by the actuator; a second member that presses the side surface of the mold in response to the driving of the first member by the actuator; 1. An imprinting apparatus comprising: (Item 2) The imprinting apparatus described in item 1, characterized in that the deformation mechanism further includes a connecting unit configured to be switchable between a connected state in which the first member and the second member are connected and a non-connected state in which the first member and the second member are not connected. (Item 3) the coupled state is a state in which the first member and the second member can be linked together to press the side surface of the mold by driving the actuator, The uncoupled state is a state in which the driving of the first member by the actuator does not act on the second member and the side surface of the mold cannot be pressed. 3. The imprinting apparatus according to item 2, characterized in that: (Item 4) The imprinting apparatus described in item 3 is characterized in that the connected state is a state in which no positional deviation occurs between the first member and the second member even when force is applied to the side of the mold held by the holding section. (Item 5) 5. The imprinting apparatus according to any one of items 2 to 4, further comprising a control unit that controls the actuator and the connecting unit. (Item 6) The imprinting apparatus described in item 5, characterized in that the control unit controls the actuator and the connecting unit so that the second member comes into contact with the side surface of the mold when the output of the actuator is at a first value. (Item 7) The control unit when the output of the actuator is the first value, the second member and the side surface of the mold are not in contact with each other, and the connecting portion is in the connected state, the output of the actuator is increased from the first value; When the second member comes into contact with the side surface of the mold, the increase in the output of the actuator is stopped, the coupling portion is switched to the non-coupling state, and the output of the actuator is returned to the first value; Thereafter, the coupling portion is switched to the coupled state. 7. The imprinting apparatus according to item 6, (Item 8) The control unit When the mold is not loaded, the output of the actuator is at the first value, and the connecting portion is in the disconnected state, the output of the actuator is set to a second value greater than the first value to drive the first member; Switching the coupling unit to the coupled state to return the output of the actuator to the first value; In this state, the mold is carried in and held by the holding unit, and then the output of the actuator is increased from the first value, When the second member comes into contact with the side surface of the mold, the increase in the output of the actuator is stopped, the coupling portion is switched to the non-coupling state, and the output of the actuator is returned to the first value; Thereafter, the coupling portion is switched to the coupled state. 7. The imprinting apparatus according to item 6, (Item 9) the deformation mechanism further includes a force sensor that measures a force applied to the side surface of the mold; The control unit detects the contact using the force sensor. 9. The imprinting apparatus according to item 7 or 8, (Item 10) the holding portion has a contact surface that comes into contact with the mold, the actuator is actuated above the holding portion in a first direction parallel to the contact surface, the first member extends in a second direction intersecting the contact surface, has one end connected to the output end of the actuator, and has the other end connected to the connecting portion; the second member extends in the first direction below the holding portion, is connected to the first member at one end via the connecting portion, and presses the side surface of the mold at the other end. 10. The imprinting apparatus according to any one of items 2 to 9, wherein the imprinting apparatus is configured as follows: (Item 11) the deformation mechanism further includes a fulcrum portion disposed on a wall surface of the holding portion that intersects with the contact surface, The first member swings about the fulcrum portion as the actuator is driven. 11. The imprinting apparatus according to item 10, (Item 12) the deformation mechanism further includes a parallel spring disposed between the holding portion and the second member, the parallel spring being elastically deformable in the first direction; the second member moves in the first direction while being guided by the parallel springs in accordance with the swing of the first member; Item 12. The imprinting apparatus according to item 11, (Item 13) the holding portion has a contact surface for holding the mold, the deformation mechanism constitutes a linear motion mechanism in which the actuator, the first member, the connecting portion, and the second member are arranged in this order toward the side surface of the mold in a first direction parallel to the contact surface. 10. The imprinting apparatus according to any one of items 2 to 9, (Item 14) 14. The imprinting apparatus according to any one of items 2 to 13, wherein the second member includes a deflection portion that absorbs distortion or misalignment in a direction parallel to the side surface of the mold. (Item 15) A forming step of forming a pattern on a substrate using the imprint apparatus according to any one of items 1 to 14; a processing step of processing the substrate on which the pattern has been formed in the forming step; and manufacturing an article from the substrate that has been processed in the processing step.

[0060] The invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the following claims are appended to apprise the public of the scope of the invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0061] 4: mold, 5: mold holding part, 11ba: lever transmission part (first member), 11bb: connecting part, 11bc: horizontal transmission part (second member)

Claims

1. An imprinting apparatus that forms a pattern in an imprint material on a substrate using a mold, comprising: a holding section for holding the mold; a deformation mechanism that applies force to a side surface of the mold held by the holding unit to deform the mold; Equipped with The deformation mechanism is An actuator; a first member driven by the actuator; a second member that presses the side surface of the mold in response to the driving of the first member by the actuator; 1. An imprinting apparatus comprising:

2. 2. The imprint apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the deformation mechanism further includes a connecting unit configured to be switchable between a connected state in which the first member and the second member are connected and a non-connected state in which the first member and the second member are not connected.

3. the coupled state is a state in which the first member and the second member can be linked together to press the side surface of the mold by driving the actuator, The uncoupled state is a state in which the driving of the first member by the actuator does not act on the second member and the side surface of the mold cannot be pressed. The imprint apparatus according to claim 2 .

4. 4. The imprinting apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the connected state is a state in which no positional misalignment occurs between the first member and the second member even when force is applied to the side of the mold held by the holding portion.

5. The imprint apparatus according to claim 2 , further comprising a control unit that controls the actuator and the connecting unit.

6. 6. The imprint apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the control unit controls the actuator and the connecting unit so that the second member is in contact with the side surface of the mold when the output of the actuator is at a first value.

7. The control unit when the output of the actuator is the first value, the second member and the side surface of the mold are not in contact with each other, and the connecting portion is in the connected state, the output of the actuator is increased from the first value; stopping the increase in the output of the actuator when the second member comes into contact with the side surface of the mold, and switching the connecting portion to the non-connected state to return the output of the actuator to the first value; Thereafter, the coupling portion is switched to the coupled state.

7. The imprinting apparatus according to claim 6,

8. The control unit When the mold is not loaded, the output of the actuator is at the first value, and the connecting portion is in the disconnected state, the output of the actuator is set to a second value greater than the first value to drive the first member; Switching the coupling portion to the coupled state to return the output of the actuator to the first value; In this state, the mold is carried in and held by the holding unit, and then the output of the actuator is increased from the first value, stopping the increase in the output of the actuator when the second member comes into contact with the side surface of the mold, and switching the connecting portion to the non-connected state to return the output of the actuator to the first value; Thereafter, the coupling portion is switched to the coupled state.

7. The imprinting apparatus according to claim 6,

9. the deformation mechanism further includes a force sensor that measures a force applied to the side surface of the mold; The control unit detects the contact using the force sensor. The imprint apparatus according to claim 7 .

10. the holding portion has a contact surface that comes into contact with the mold, the actuator is actuated above the holding portion in a first direction parallel to the contact surface, the first member extends in a second direction intersecting the contact surface, has one end connected to the output end of the actuator, and has the other end connected to the connecting portion; the second member extends in the first direction below the holding portion, is connected to the first member at one end via the connecting portion, and presses the side surface of the mold at the other end.

3. The imprint apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the imprint apparatus is configured as follows:

11. the deformation mechanism further includes a fulcrum portion disposed on a wall surface of the holding portion that intersects with the contact surface, The first member swings about the fulcrum portion as the actuator is driven. The imprinting apparatus according to claim 10 .

12. the deformation mechanism further includes a parallel spring disposed between the holding portion and the second member, the parallel spring being elastically deformable in the first direction; the second member moves in the first direction while being guided by the parallel springs in accordance with the swing of the first member; The imprinting apparatus according to claim 11 .

13. the holding portion has a contact surface for holding the mold, the deformation mechanism constitutes a linear motion mechanism in which the actuator, the first member, the connecting portion, and the second member are arranged in this order toward the side surface of the mold in a first direction parallel to the contact surface. The imprint apparatus according to claim 2 .

14. The imprint apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the second member includes a deflection portion that absorbs distortion or misalignment in a direction parallel to the side surface of the mold.

15. a forming step of forming a pattern on a substrate using the imprint apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 14; a processing step of processing the substrate on which the pattern has been formed in the forming step; and manufacturing an article from the substrate that has been processed in the processing step.

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