Film forming apparatus, alignment method, program, and article manufacturing method

Abstract

To provide a film forming apparatus which is advantageous in terms of throughput.SOLUTION: A first unit including a first detection unit configured to detect an edge of the substrate, a second unit including a second detection unit configured to detect an edge of the substrate and a driving unit configured to drive at least one of the substrate and the second detection unit, a conveyance unit configured to convey the substrate from the first unit to the second unit, and a control unit configured to control the driving unit, the controller controls the driving unit based on information about a position of an edge of the substrate obtained from a detection result of the first detector.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a film forming apparatus, an alignment method, a program, and a method for manufacturing an article. [Background technology]

[0002] A film forming apparatus that forms a film of a curable composition on a substrate is sometimes used in the manufacturing process of semiconductor devices, liquid crystal display devices, etc. Patent Document 1 describes that the supply of imprint material to a shot region arranged on the periphery of the substrate is controlled based on the relative position between the shot region arranged on the periphery of the substrate and the edge of the substrate. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2017-55115 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Here, if the position of the substrate edge varies, it may take time to position the substrate edge in the detectable area of ​​the detection unit, which may result in a decrease in throughput.

[0005] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a film forming apparatus that is advantageous in terms of throughput. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, one aspect of the present invention provides a film forming apparatus that brings a curable composition on a substrate into contact with a member to form a film of the curable composition, and is characterized in that it has: a first unit including a first detection unit that detects an edge of the substrate; a second detection unit that detects the edge of the substrate; a second unit that includes a drive unit that drives at least one of the substrate and the second detection unit; a transport unit that transports the substrate from the first unit to the second unit; and a control unit that controls the drive unit, and the control unit controls the drive unit based on information regarding the position of the edge of the substrate obtained from the detection result of the first detection unit.

[0007] Further objects and other aspects of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of the embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a film forming apparatus that is advantageous in terms of throughput. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] Schematic diagram of a film forming apparatus. [Figure 2] Schematic diagram of the pre-alignment unit. [Figure 3] Schematic diagram of the application area. [Figure 4] Schematic diagram of the formation area. [Figure 5] FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the processing from pre-alignment processing to formation processing in the first embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a method for manufacturing an article according to a third embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the 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 the embodiments may be combined in any manner. Furthermore, in the drawings, the same reference numerals are used to designate the same or similar components, and redundant explanations will be omitted.

[0011] In addition, in this specification and drawings, directions are basically indicated by an XYZ coordinate system in which the vertical direction is the Z-axis direction and the horizontal plane perpendicular to the vertical direction is the XY plane, with each axis being orthogonal to each other. However, if an XYZ coordinate system is shown in each drawing, that coordinate system takes precedence.

[0012] Specific configurations of each embodiment will be described below.

[0013] First Embodiment 1 is a schematic diagram of a film forming apparatus 100. The film forming apparatus 100 includes a member carry-in / out mechanism 105, a substrate carry-in / out mechanism 106, a transport unit 104, a pre-alignment unit (first unit) 113, a processing unit (second unit) 101, a heat processing unit 120, a control unit 111, and a memory unit 112. The film forming apparatus 100 is an apparatus that brings a member 109 into contact with a curable composition 201 applied to a substrate 110, cures the curable composition, and forms a film of the curable composition on the substrate 110.

[0014] The member 109 is transparent to ultraviolet light and includes, for example, quartz, glass, PMMA (Polymethyl methacrylate), polycarbonate resin, etc. The film forming apparatus 100 of this embodiment is a planarization apparatus that forms a flat film of the curable composition 201 on the substrate 110. The member 109 is a member that includes a flat surface that can flatten the curable composition 201. However, the film forming apparatus 100 may also be an imprinting apparatus that forms a pattern in the curable composition 201 on the substrate 110. When the film forming apparatus 100 is an imprinting apparatus, the member 109 is a member on which a concave-convex pattern to be transferred to the curable composition 201 on the substrate 110 is formed.

[0015] Substrate 110 includes, for example, silicon or glass. Substrate 110 may also have an adhesive layer formed on its surface. Substrate 110 has, for example, a circular outer periphery with a diameter of 300 mm or 200 mm, and is formed with a notch, which is a V-shaped cutout portion, or an orientation flat, which is a linear cutout portion.

[0016] The curable composition 201 is a composition (e.g., a resin) that is cured by ultraviolet light or heat. The curable composition 201 may contain any of a polymerizable compound, a photopolymerization initiator, a non-polymerizable compound, and a solvent, and may contain at least any of a sensitizer, a hydrogen donor, an internal separation material, a surfactant, an antioxidant, and a polymer component as the non-polymerizable compound.

[0017] In the component loading / unloading mechanism 105, components 109 to be used are loaded, and used components 109 are unloaded. In addition, in the substrate loading / unloading mechanism 106, substrates 110 to be processed are loaded, and processed substrates 110 are unloaded. Note that loading / unloading is not limited to one at a time; for example, a carrier storing multiple components or substrates may be loaded / unloaded. In the example of FIG. 1, the components 109 are stored in the component carrier 107, and the substrates 110 are stored in the substrate carrier 108. The transport unit 104 is a mechanism for transporting the components 109 or the substrates 110 to each unit, and includes, for example, a hand for transporting the components 109 or the substrates 110.

[0018] The pre-alignment unit 113 measures the transported substrate 110 and aligns the substrate 110 at a predetermined rotation angle. By adjusting the substrate 110 to the predetermined rotation angle in the pre-alignment unit 113, the substrate 110 can be transported to the coating unit 102 or the forming unit 103 at the predetermined rotation angle. Note that the rotation angle of the substrate 110 is the rotation angle around an axis (Z axis) that is perpendicular to the surface (XY plane) of the substrate 110. Details of the pre-alignment unit 113 will be described later.

[0019] The processing unit 101 has a coating unit 102 and a forming unit 103. The coating unit 102 coats a curable composition 201 on a substrate 110. The forming unit 103 brings the curable composition 201 coated in the coating unit 102 into contact with a member 109 and cures the curable composition 201, thereby forming a film of the curable composition 201 on the substrate 110. The coating unit 102 and the forming unit 103 will be described in detail below.

[0020] The heat treatment unit 120 heats the substrate 110 treated in the treatment unit 101, and further hardens the curable composition on the substrate 110. Note that if the curing in the formation unit 103 alone is sufficient for hardening, the film forming apparatus 100 does not need to be provided with the heat treatment unit 120.

[0021] The control unit 111 controls each component within the film forming apparatus 100. The control unit 111 includes an information processing unit, a bus, a ROM, a RAM, and a storage device, and each component functions according to a program. The information processing unit is a processing device that performs calculations for control according to the program and controls each component connected to the bus. This information processing unit can be configured with a CPU, a PLD such as an FPGA, an ASIC, a computer with a built-in program, or a combination of all or part of these. The ROM is a memory dedicated to data readout and stores programs and data. The RAM is a memory for reading and writing data and is used to store programs and data. The RAM is used for temporary storage of data such as the results of CPU calculations. The storage device is also used to store programs and data. The storage device is also used as a temporary storage area for the operating system (OS) program and data of the control unit 111. The storage device has slower data input / output speed than RAM, but is capable of storing large amounts of data. The storage device is preferably a non-volatile storage device that can store data as permanent data so that the data can be referenced for a long period of time. The storage device is mainly composed of a magnetic storage device (HDD), but may also be a device that reads and writes data from and to external media such as CDs, DVDs, and memory cards. The control unit 111 may be provided integrally with other parts of the film forming apparatus 100 (in a common housing), or may be located outside the film forming apparatus 100. The storage unit 112 may be located within the control unit 111.

[0022] In the present embodiment, an example has been shown in which the film forming apparatus 100 includes one of each of the units, but the film forming apparatus 100 may include multiple of each of the units. For example, the film forming apparatus 100 may include two of each of the pre-alignment unit 113, the coating unit 102, and the forming unit 103.

[0023] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the pre-alignment unit 113. The pre-alignment unit 113 includes a rotation unit 801 and a first detection unit 802. The rotation unit 801 holds and rotates the substrate 110. The first detection unit 802 detects the position of an orientation flat or a notch on the rotating substrate 110. This detection by the first detection unit 802 is performed continuously on the rotating substrate 110, for example. That is, the first detection unit 802 performs detection on multiple points on the edge of the rotating substrate 110, for example. The control unit 111 adjusts the rotation unit 801 by rotating it based on the detected positions of the orientation flat and the notch so that the substrate 110 is rotated at a predetermined angle. In this embodiment, the control unit 111 calculates the diameter (or radius) of the substrate 110 based on the result of detection of the edge of the substrate 110 by the first detection unit 802. The diameter of substrate 110 can be determined by measuring three or more points that are not on the orientation flat or notch (positions other than the cutout portion) of substrate 110. First detection unit 802 is, for example, a line sensor.

[0024] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of the coating unit 102. The coating unit 102 includes a substrate chuck 202, a substrate stage 203, a dispenser 206, a second detector 207a, and a detector driver 207c that drives the second detector 207a. The substrate stage 203 includes a substrate driver 205, which moves the substrate chuck 202 holding the substrate 110 to a desired position (positions along six axes: X, Y, Z, rotation around the X axis, rotation around the Y axis, and rotation around the Z axis) while the substrate chuck 202 is placed thereon. The substrate chuck 202 holds the substrate 110 by, for example, vacuum suction or electrostatic suction. The substrate driver 205 is, for example, a linear motor. The dispenser 206 supplies, arranges, or applies the curable composition 201 to the substrate 110 that has been moved to a desired position. The dispenser 206 has nozzles that dispense droplets of the curable composition 201 onto the substrate 110. As a dispensing method, a piezo-jet method or a microsolenoid method can be used. The number of nozzles included in the dispenser 206 is not particularly limited, and the dispenser 206 may be a single-row nozzle array or a multiple-row nozzle array.

[0025] The second detection unit 207a is, for example, an off-axis scope, and detects a reference mark arranged on the substrate stage 203 and a mark formed on the substrate 110 held by the substrate chuck 202. The control unit 111 then adjusts the position of the substrate 110 using the relative positions of the reference mark arranged on the substrate stage 203 and the mark formed on the substrate 110. This allows the relative position between the dispenser 206 and the substrate 110 to be set to a desired relative position, and allows the curable composition 201 to be applied to a desired position on the substrate 110. The off-axis scope may include a light source, an image sensor, and an optical system that guides detection light to the test object or the image sensor. Note that, in this embodiment, an example has been shown in which the substrate stage 203 includes the substrate driving unit 205 and the substrate stage 203 moves, but the dispenser 206 may also include a driving unit and move.

[0026] Furthermore, the second detection unit 207a detects the end (edge) of the substrate 110. By detecting the end of the substrate 110 with the second detection unit 207a, the center position of the outer shape reference (outer diameter reference) of the substrate 110 can be calculated. This makes it possible to obtain the difference (amount of deviation) between the center position of the mark reference formed on the substrate 110 and the center position of the outer shape reference of the substrate 110, and to further adjust the relative position between the dispenser 206 and the substrate 110 to a more desired relative position. In other words, this difference is the amount of deviation between the outer shape of the substrate and the mark. When the second detection unit 207a is a detection unit including an imaging element such as an off-axis scope, the detection of the position of the end of the substrate 110 is performed based on the captured image.

[0027] When droplets of the curable composition 201 are applied near the edge of the substrate 110, the curable composition 201 may seep out of the space between the member 109 and the substrate 110 when the member 109 and the substrate 110 are brought into contact with each other. Therefore, it is preferable to detect the position of the edge of the substrate 110 using the second detection unit 207a and apply the curable composition 201 to a position away from the edge. That is, it is preferable to adjust the supply position of the droplets of the curable composition 201 according to the edge position of the substrate 110. Furthermore, the amount of the curable composition 201 supplied to shot regions located on the periphery of the substrate 110 may be less than the amount of the curable composition 201 supplied to shot regions located in the center of the substrate 110. This can prevent the curable composition 201 from seeping out. The diameter of the substrate 110 varies due to tolerances and shrinkage caused by etching, heating, and the like during the process of treating the substrate 110. Therefore, by detecting the edge of each substrate 110 by the second detection unit 207a, the curable composition 201 can be applied appropriately.

[0028] The second detection unit 207a detects the edge of the substrate 110 at a position that avoids notches and orientation flats on the substrate 110. When the second detection unit 207a is a detection unit that detects an object by imaging using an off-axis scope or the like, the control unit 111 identifies the edge of the substrate 110 based on the contrast of the image captured by the second detection unit 207a. The second detection unit 207a may be a length measurement sensor that measures distance by irradiating light onto the periphery of the edge of the substrate 110 from above the substrate 110. When the second detection unit 207a is a length measurement sensor, the control unit 111 identifies a portion with a height difference of a certain level or more (a portion with a step) as the edge of the substrate 110.

[0029] 4 is a schematic diagram of the forming unit 103. The forming unit 103 has a substrate chuck 302, a substrate stage 303, an illumination unit 307, a member chuck 312, a head 313, an upward sensor 315, a separation assist mechanism 316, a second detection unit 207b, and a detection unit drive unit 207d. The substrate stage 303 includes a substrate drive unit 305, which moves the substrate chuck 302 holding the substrate 110 so that the substrate 110 is positioned at any desired position (positions along six axes: X, Y, Z, rotation around the X axis, rotation around the Y axis, and rotation around the Z axis). The substrate chuck 302 holds the substrate 110 by, for example, vacuum suction or electrostatic suction. The substrate drive unit 305 is, for example, a linear motor.

[0030] Member chuck 312 is a holding unit that holds member 109. Member chuck 312 holds member 109, for example, by vacuum suction or electrostatic suction. Head 313 holds member chuck 312. Head 313 also has a driving unit (not shown) that moves member chuck 312 (member 109) in a direction parallel to the Z-axis direction.

[0031] The upward sensor 315 is a sensor that detects (measures) the position of the member 109. Based on the detection result of the position of the member 109 by the upward sensor 315, the member 109 and the substrate 110 are aligned. The upward sensor 315 is, for example, a displacement sensor that uses an interference method or a gap sensor that can measure distance. Alternatively, the upward sensor 315 may be a sensor that captures an image of a specific location on the member 109 to identify the position of the member 109.

[0032] The second detection unit 207b is, for example, an off-axis scope, and detects a reference mark arranged on the substrate stage 303 and a mark formed on the substrate 110 held by the substrate chuck 302. The control unit 111 then adjusts the position of the substrate 110 using the relative position between the reference mark arranged on the substrate stage 303 and the mark formed on the substrate 110. This makes it possible to set the relative position between the member 109 and the substrate 110 to a desired relative position. The off-axis scope may include a light source, an image sensor, and an optical system that guides detection light to the test object or the image sensor.

[0033] Furthermore, the second detection unit 207b detects the end (edge) of the substrate 110. By detecting the end of the substrate 110 with the second detection unit 207b, the center position of the outline reference of the substrate 110 can be calculated. This makes it possible to obtain the difference (amount of deviation) between the center position of the mark reference formed on the substrate 110 and the center position of the outline reference of the substrate 110, and to make the relative position between the member 109 and the substrate 110 a more desirable relative position. When the second detection unit 207b is a detection unit including an imaging element such as an off-axis scope, the detection of the position of the end of the substrate 110 is performed based on the captured image.

[0034] The detection of the edge of the substrate 110 by the second detection unit 207b is performed at a position that avoids the notch or orientation flat of the substrate 110. When the second detection unit 207b is a detection unit that detects an object by imaging with an off-axis scope or the like, the control unit 111 identifies the edge of the substrate 110 based on the contrast of the image captured by the second detection unit 207b. The second detection unit 207b may be a length measurement sensor, and when the second detection unit 207b is a length measurement sensor, the control unit 111 identifies a portion with a height difference of a certain level or more (a portion with a step) as the edge of the substrate 110.

[0035] The separation assist mechanism 316 is a mechanism for separating the member 109 from the curable composition 201 that has been cured by illumination from the illumination unit 307. The separation assist mechanism 316 includes a pin that can be driven in the Z-axis direction, for example, and assists the separation by contacting the member 109 and pushing up the member 109 while passing through a cutout portion of the substrate 110, such as a notch or an orientation flat.

[0036] The formation process in the formation unit 103 will be described. First, the second detection unit 207b detects the position of the edge of the substrate 110. Next, the upward sensor 315 detects the position of the member 109. Based on the detection result of the second detection unit 207b (the position of the substrate 110) and the detection result of the upward sensor 315 (the position of the member 109), the control unit 111 drives the substrate stage 303 to align the member 109 with the substrate 110. Next, the head 313 is driven to bring the member 109 into contact with the curable composition 201 on the substrate 110 held by the substrate chuck 302. Next, the member chuck 312 releases its hold on the member 109. This places the member 109 on the curable composition 201. In this state, the substrate stage 303 moves below the illumination unit 307. Then, the curable composition 201 is cured by the light emitted from the illumination unit 307. That is, the curable composition 201 is cured in a state in which the shape of the contact surface of the member 109 is transferred to it. When the contact surface of the member 109 with the curable composition 201 is flat, the surface of the curable composition 201 is formed flat. When an uneven pattern is formed on the contact surface of the member 109 with the curable composition 201, an inverted uneven pattern of the member 109 is formed on the surface of the curable composition 201.

[0037] Next, the substrate stage 303 moves below the member chuck 312, and the member 109 and the member chuck 312 are brought into contact with each other by driving the head 313. Next, the member chuck 312 holds the member 109. Then, the head 313 is driven to separate the member 109 held by the member chuck 312 from the curable composition 201 cured on the substrate 110. At this time, the separation may be assisted by a separation assist mechanism 316.

[0038] In this embodiment, the alignment between the member 109 and the substrate 110 is performed by driving the substrate stage 303, and the contact between the member 109 and the curable composition 201 is performed by driving the head 313, but the present invention is not limited to this example. In the alignment, it is sufficient to adjust the relative positions of the member 109 and the substrate 110, and for example, the head 313 may be driven for the alignment. In the contact, it is sufficient to change the relative positions of the member 109 and the substrate 110 to cause the contact, and for example, the substrate stage 303 may be driven for the contact.

[0039] When the film forming apparatus 100 is an imprinting apparatus, the cured curable composition 201 and the member 109 are in contact with each other in the shot area, not over the entire substrate 110, and therefore the curable composition 201 and the member 109 can be separated without the separation assist mechanism 316. Therefore, in this case, the separation assist mechanism 316 may not be necessary. When the film forming apparatus 100 is an imprinting apparatus, the upward sensor 315 may not be used to align the member 109 and the substrate 110, and a method of detecting the relative positions of marks formed on the member 109 and the substrate 110 may be used. In this case, the imprinting apparatus includes an optical system for detecting the relative positions of the marks formed on the member 109 and the substrate 110. Furthermore, the imprinting apparatus may further include a mechanism for changing the shape of the member 109, an optical system for correcting the shape of the substrate 110 by irradiating it with light, and an optical system for partially curing the curable composition 201 by irradiating it with light. Furthermore, when the film forming apparatus 100 is an imprint apparatus, processing may be performed in a series of steps without releasing the member 109 from the member chuck 312. Furthermore, although the present embodiment illustrates an example in which the position of the head 313 and the position of the illumination unit 307 are different in the direction perpendicular to the Z-axis direction, the position of the head 313 and the position of the illumination unit 307 may overlap in the direction perpendicular to the Z-axis direction. In other words, after the member 109 and the curable composition 201 are brought into contact with each other, the illumination unit 307 may irradiate light at the position of contact without moving the substrate stage 303.

[0040] As described above, the position of the edge of the substrate 110 may vary due to the tolerance of the substrate 110 or shrinkage of the substrate 110 due to etching, heating, or the like during the process of processing the substrate 110. Specifically, the diameter of the substrate 110 may vary due to the tolerance of the substrate 110 or shrinkage of the substrate 110 due to etching, heating, or the like during the process of processing the substrate 110. When the position of the edge of the substrate 110 varies, it may take time for the second detection unit 207 (including the second detection unit 207a and the second detection unit 207b) to bring the edge of the substrate 110 into a detectable area when detecting the edge of the substrate 110. Conventionally, the second detection unit 207 was required to detect three or more points on the edge of the substrate 110 to measure the diameter and position of the substrate 110. However, due to the variation in the position of the edge of the substrate 110, it took a long time for the second detection unit 207 to detect three or more points on the edge of the substrate 110.

[0041] Therefore, in this embodiment, detection by the second detection unit 207 is performed based on information about the position of the edge of the substrate 110 obtained from the detection result of the edge of the substrate 110 by the pre-alignment unit 113. This makes it possible to shorten the time required to bring the edge of the substrate 110 into the detectable area of ​​the second detection unit 207, and also to reduce the number of times the second detection unit 207 detects the substrate 110.

[0042] 5 is a flowchart showing the processing from the pre-alignment process to the formation process in this embodiment. First, in the pre-alignment unit 113, the first detection unit 802 detects an index that defines the rotation angle of the substrate 110, such as an orientation flat or notch of the substrate 110, and detects three or more edges of the substrate 110 that are not orientation flats or notches (S101, first detection step). Next, based on the detection result of the edge (position) of the substrate 110 in the pre-alignment unit 113, information about the edge position of the substrate 110 is acquired (calculated) (S102, acquisition step). The information about the edge position of the substrate 110 includes, for example, at least one of information about the diameter (outer diameter) of the substrate 110 and information about the radius of the substrate 110. Note that the calculation of the diameter of the substrate 110 may be performed by the control unit 111 or the first detection unit 802.

[0043] Next, the substrate 110, whose rotation angle (direction) has been adjusted based on the measurement result of the pre-alignment unit 113, is transported to the coating unit 102 by the transport unit 104 (S103, transport step). In the coating unit 102, the second detection unit 207a detects the edge of the substrate 110 (S104, second detection step). In this detection by the second detection unit 207a in the coating unit 102, the control unit 111 drives at least one of the substrate driving unit 205 or the detection unit driving unit 207c based on information regarding the position of the edge of the substrate 110 acquired, to adjust the relative position between the substrate 110 and the second detection unit 207a. In other words, the control unit 111 controls at least one of the substrate driving unit 205 or the detection unit driving unit 207c based on information regarding the position of the edge of the substrate 110 obtained from the detection result of the first detection unit 802.

[0044] This allows the edge of the substrate 110 to be easily placed within the detectable range of the second detection unit 207a, reducing the time required to place the edge of the substrate 110 within the detectable range of the second detection unit 207a. Furthermore, because the diameter of the substrate 110 is known, there is no need for the second detection unit 207a to detect three or more points on the substrate 110; it is sufficient to detect at least two points (two or more points). This is because the known diameter of the substrate 110 and the detection results of the edge of the substrate 110 at at least two points make it possible to determine the position of the substrate 110 and the center position of the outer shape reference of the substrate 110. In step S104, the second detection unit 207a also detects marks formed on the substrate 110.

[0045] Next, the coating unit 102 performs a coating process in which the dispenser 206 coats the substrate 110 with the curable composition 201 (S105). In this coating process, the control unit 111 aligns the dispenser 206 with the substrate 110 based on the relative positions of a reference mark arranged on the substrate stage 203 and a mark formed on the substrate 110. This alignment also reflects the difference (amount of deviation) between the center position of the outer shape reference of the substrate 110, obtained from the detection result of the edge of the substrate 110 by the second detection unit 207a, and the center position of the mark reference formed on the substrate 110. Furthermore, in order to prevent the curable composition 201 from seeping out as described above, the supply position of the curable composition 201 with respect to the edge of the substrate 110 may be adjusted based on the detection result of the edge of the substrate 110 by the second detection unit 207a. Alternatively, the amount of curable composition 201 supplied to a shot region around the substrate 110 (a shot region near the edge of the substrate 110) may be adjusted based on the detection result of the edge of the substrate 110 by the second detection unit 207a. Furthermore, in order to suppress seepage of the curable composition 201, the supply position of the curable composition 201 with respect to the edge of the substrate 110 may be adjusted based on the detection result of the edge of the substrate 110 by the first detection unit 802, rather than the detection result of the second detection unit 207a. Alternatively, the amount of curable composition 201 supplied to a shot region around the substrate 110 (a shot region near the edge of the substrate 110) may be adjusted based on the detection result of the edge of the substrate 110 by the first detection unit 802.

[0046] Next, the substrate 110 is transported by the transport unit 104 to the forming unit 103, where the second detection unit 207b detects the edge of the substrate 110 (S106, second detection step). In this detection by the second detection unit 207b in the forming unit 103, the control unit 111 drives at least one of the substrate driving unit 305 or the detection unit driving unit 207d based on the acquired information about the position of the edge of the substrate 110, thereby adjusting the relative position between the substrate 110 and the second detection unit 207b. In other words, the control unit 111 controls at least one of the substrate driving unit 305 or the detection unit driving unit 207d based on the information about the position of the edge of the substrate 110 obtained from the detection result of the first detection unit 802.

[0047] This allows the edge of the substrate 110 to be easily placed within the detectable range of the second detection unit 207b, reducing the time required to place the edge of the substrate 110 within the detectable range of the second detection unit 207b. Furthermore, because the diameter of the substrate 110 is known, there is no need for the second detection unit 207b to detect three or more points on the substrate 110; it is sufficient to detect at least two points. This is because the known diameter of the substrate 110 and the detection results of the edge of the substrate 110 at at least two points make it possible to determine the position of the substrate 110 and the center position of the outer shape reference of the substrate 110. In step S106, the second detection unit 207b detects the marks formed on the substrate 110, and the upward sensor 315 detects the position of the member 109.

[0048] Steps S101 to S104 (or step S106) are a method for aligning the substrate 110. The control unit 111 stores a program for causing a computer to execute this alignment method.

[0049] Next, the forming unit 103 performs a forming process to form a film of the curable composition 201 on the substrate 110 (S107). In the forming process, the control unit 111 aligns the member 109 with the substrate 110 based on the relative positions of the reference marks arranged on the substrate stage 203 and the marks formed on the substrate 110, and on the detection results of the position of the member 109 by the upward sensor 315. This alignment also reflects the difference (amount of deviation) between the center position of the outline reference of the substrate 110, obtained from the detection results of the edge of the substrate 110 by the second detection unit 207b, and the center position of the mark reference formed on the substrate 110. Note that the alignment of the member 109 with the substrate 110 may be performed based on information about the position of the edge of the substrate 110, obtained from the detection results of the first detection unit 802. Then, the head 313 is driven to bring the member 109 into contact with the curable composition 201, and the curable composition 201 is cured by the lighting unit 307, thereby transferring the shape of the member 109 to the surface of the curable composition 201 and curing it. Thereafter, the member 109 is separated from the curable composition 201.

[0050] In adjusting the relative position between the second detection unit and the substrate 110, it is preferable that the detection unit driving unit drives the second detection unit so that the position of the second detection unit with respect to the substrate changes from a position toward the center of the substrate 110 to a position toward the outer periphery of the substrate 110. By driving in this manner, even if the position of the edge of the substrate 110 changes toward the center of the substrate 110 due to contraction of the substrate 110, it is possible to bring the edge of the substrate 110 into the detectable area of ​​the second detection unit in a short time.

[0051] In the present embodiment, an example has been shown in which one second detection unit 207a and one second detection unit 207b are disposed, but a plurality of each may be disposed. Also, in the present embodiment, an example has been shown in which the measurement result of the substrate 110 by the first detection unit 802 in the pre-alignment unit 113 is applied to both the coating unit 102 and the forming unit 103, but the present embodiment is not limited to this example and may be applied to at least one of the coating unit 102 and the forming unit 103.

[0052] Furthermore, there may be cases where it is expected that there will be little variation in outer diameter among multiple substrates 110 in a lot. In such cases, the first detection unit 802 in the pre-alignment unit 113 may detect the position of the edge of the substrate 110 for a representative substrate in the lot (for example, the first substrate to be processed). Then, information regarding the position of the edge of the substrate 110 obtained for the representative substrate in the lot may be applied to the other substrates 110 in the lot.

[0053] Furthermore, if there is little variation in the difference between the central position of the outline reference of the substrate 110 and the central position of the mark reference of the substrate 110 among multiple substrates 110 in a lot, it is sufficient to calculate the central position of the outline reference of the substrate 110 for only a representative substrate in the lot. Then, the central position of the outline reference of the substrate 110 obtained for the representative substrate in the lot may be applied to the other substrates 110 in the lot.

[0054] According to this embodiment, it is possible to reduce the time required to bring the edge of the substrate 110 into the detectable area of ​​the second detection unit 207. Furthermore, it is possible to reduce the number of times the second detection unit 207 detects the substrate 110.

[0055] Second Embodiment In addition to the features of the first embodiment, this embodiment is characterized in that it manages, as an offset, the difference between the detection results of the first detection unit 802 and the second detection unit 207. For example, when the first detection unit 802 and the second detection unit 207 use different detection methods, even if they each perform detection on the same substrate 110, the detection results of the edge position of the substrate 110 (for example, the diameter of the substrate 110) may differ from each other.

[0056] Therefore, in this embodiment, the control unit (storage unit) 111 stores, as an offset value, the difference between the detection results of the position of the edge of the substrate 110 between the first detection unit 802 and the second detection unit 207 (for example, the diameter of the substrate 110). Then, when the second detection unit 207 detects the edge of the substrate 110, the control unit 111 applies the stored offset value to control the driving of the substrate stage 203 (or substrate stage 303). This makes it possible to further reduce the time required to bring the edge of the substrate 110 into the detectable area of ​​the second detection unit 207. Note that the offset value does not have to be stored by the control unit 111, and may be stored in a separate storage unit.

[0057] Furthermore, this offset value may be applied when calculating the center position of the outline reference of the substrate 110 in the coating unit 102 or the forming unit 103. That is, the center position of the outline reference of the substrate 110 may be calculated based on a value obtained by applying an offset value (difference) to the detection result of the edge position of the substrate 110 by the first detection unit 802 and a detection result of the edge position of the substrate 110 by the second detection unit 207. Alternatively, the center position of the outline reference of the substrate 110 may be calculated based on a value obtained by applying an offset value (difference) to the detection result of the edge position of the substrate 110 by the first detection unit 802 and a detection result of the edge position of the substrate 110 by the second detection unit 207. That is, the center position of the substrate 110 is calculated based on a value obtained by applying an offset value (difference) to one of the detection result of the edge position of the substrate 110 by the first detection unit 802 and the detection result of the edge position of the substrate 110 by the second detection unit 207, and the other detection result.

[0058] By using the offset value in this manner to determine the center position of the outer diameter of the substrate 110, it is possible to determine the center position of the outer diameter of the substrate 110 taking into account the difference in detection results between the detection units, thereby improving the alignment accuracy of the substrate 110.

[0059] <Third embodiment> This embodiment relates to a method for manufacturing an article, characterized in that the article is manufactured using the film forming apparatus 100 described above.

[0060] 6 is a flowchart showing a method for manufacturing an article according to this embodiment. A film of a curable composition 201 is formed on a substrate 110 using the film-forming apparatus 100 (forming step, S201). Next, a processing step (202) is performed to process the substrate 110 on which the film of the curable composition 201 has been formed.

[0061] Products manufactured by this manufacturing method include, for example, semiconductor IC elements, liquid crystal display elements, color filters, MEMS, and the like.

[0062] The processing step includes, for example, developing the substrate (photosensitive material) on which the film of the curable composition 201 is formed, etching the developed substrate, removing the resist, dicing, bonding, and packaging. According to this manufacturing method, it is possible to manufacture articles with a higher throughput than conventional methods.

[0063] The disclosure of the present specification includes the following film forming apparatus, alignment method, program, and article manufacturing method.

[0064] (Item 1) A film forming apparatus that brings a curable composition on a substrate into contact with a member to form a film of the curable composition, a first unit including a first detection unit that detects an edge of the substrate; a second unit including a second detection unit that detects an edge of the substrate and a drive unit that drives at least one of the substrate and the second detection unit; a transport unit that transports the substrate from the first unit to the second unit; a control unit that controls the drive unit, The film forming apparatus is characterized in that the control unit controls the drive unit based on information about the position of the edge of the substrate obtained from the detection result of the first detection unit.

[0065] (Item 2) 2. The film forming apparatus according to item 1, wherein the information about the position of the edge of the substrate includes at least one of information about the diameter of the substrate and information about the radius of the substrate.

[0066] (Item 3) 3. The film forming apparatus according to item 1 or 2, wherein the first detection unit detects three or more points on the edge of the substrate other than the notch formed in the substrate.

[0067] (Item 4) 4. The film forming apparatus according to item 3, wherein the second detection unit detects two or more points on the edge of the substrate other than the notch portion.

[0068] (Item 5) 5. The film forming apparatus according to any one of items 1 to 4, wherein the driving unit drives the second detection unit so that the position of the second detection unit relative to the substrate changes from a position on the center side of the substrate to a position on the outer periphery side of the substrate.

[0069] (Item 6) the second unit includes a dispenser that applies the curable composition to the substrate; 6. The film forming apparatus according to any one of items 1 to 5, wherein the relative position between the dispenser and the substrate is adjusted based on information relating to the position of the edge of the substrate.

[0070] (Item 7) the second unit includes a dispenser that applies the curable composition to the substrate; 7. The film forming apparatus according to any one of items 1 to 6, wherein at least one of a supply position and a supply amount of the curable composition is adjusted based on information about the position of the edge of the substrate.

[0071] (Item 8) 8. The film forming apparatus according to any one of items 1 to 7, wherein a difference is calculated between the center position of the substrate obtained from the result of the second detection unit detecting the mark formed on the substrate and the center position of the substrate obtained from information about the position of the edge of the substrate and the result of the second detection unit detecting the edge of the substrate.

[0072] (Item 9) 9. The film forming apparatus according to any one of items 1 to 8, wherein the surface of the member that comes into contact with the substrate is flat.

[0073] (Item 10) 10. The film forming apparatus according to any one of items 1 to 9, wherein the member has a pattern formed thereon to be transferred to the curable composition.

[0074] (Item 11) the first unit is a pre-alignment unit that detects an edge of the substrate while rotating the substrate, the pre-alignment unit adjusts a rotation angle of the substrate around an axis perpendicular to a surface of the substrate. 11. The film forming apparatus according to any one of items 1 to 10, wherein:

[0075] (Item 12) 12. The film forming apparatus according to any one of items 1 to 11, wherein the second detection unit includes an imaging element, and the detection of the position of the edge of the substrate is performed based on a captured image.

[0076] (Item 13) 13. The film forming apparatus according to any one of items 1 to 12, wherein the second detection unit is a sensor that measures distance by irradiating light onto the periphery of the edge of the substrate from above the substrate.

[0077] (Item 14) 14. The film forming apparatus according to any one of items 1 to 13, characterized in that information regarding the position of an edge of a representative substrate in a lot containing a plurality of substrates, obtained for the representative substrate, is applied to other substrates in the lot.

[0078] (Item 15) a storage unit that stores a difference between a detection result of the edge position of the substrate by the first detection unit and a detection result of the edge position of the substrate by the second detection unit; 15. The film forming apparatus according to any one of items 1 to 14, wherein the control unit controls the drive unit based on the difference stored in the storage unit.

[0079] (Item 16) A film forming apparatus that brings a curable composition on a substrate into contact with a member to form a film of the curable composition, a first unit including a first detection unit that detects an edge of the substrate; a second unit including a second detection unit that detects an edge of the substrate and a drive unit that drives at least one of the substrate and the second detection unit; a transport unit that transports the substrate from the first unit to the second unit; a storage unit that stores a difference between a detection result of the position of the edge of the substrate by the first detection unit and a detection result of the position of the edge of the substrate by the second detection unit; A film forming apparatus comprising:

[0080] (Item 17) Item 17. The film forming apparatus according to item 16, wherein the center position of the substrate is calculated based on a value obtained by applying the difference to one of the detection result of the edge position of the substrate by the first detection unit and the detection result of the edge position of the substrate by the second detection unit, and the other detection result.

[0081] (Item 18) a first detection step of detecting the position of an edge of the substrate by a first detection unit included in the first unit; a transport step of transporting the substrate from the first unit to a second unit; an adjusting step of adjusting a relative position between a second detection unit included in the second unit and the substrate based on information about the position of the edge of the substrate obtained from the detection result of the first detection unit; a second detection step of detecting the position of the edge of the substrate by the second detection unit.

[0082] (Item 19) Item 19. A program for causing a computer to execute the alignment method according to Item 18.

[0083] (Item 20) A forming step of forming a film on a substrate using the film forming apparatus according to any one of items 1 to 17; a processing step of processing the substrate on which the film has been formed in the forming step; A method for manufacturing an article, comprising:

[0084] 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.

Claims

1. A film forming apparatus that brings a curable composition on a substrate into contact with a member to form a film of the curable composition, a first unit including a first detection unit that detects an edge of the substrate; a second unit including a second detection unit that detects an edge of the substrate and a drive unit that drives at least one of the substrate and the second detection unit; a transport unit that transports the substrate from the first unit to the second unit; a control unit that controls the drive unit, The film forming apparatus, wherein the control unit controls the drive unit based on information about the position of the edge of the substrate obtained from the detection result of the first detection unit.

2. 2. The film forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information about the position of the edge of the substrate includes at least one of information about the diameter of the substrate and information about the radius of the substrate.

3. 2. The film forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first detection unit detects three or more points on the edge of the substrate other than the notch formed in the substrate.

4. 4. The film forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the second detection unit detects two or more points on the edge of the substrate other than the notch portion.

5. 2. The film forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the driving unit drives the second detection unit so that the position of the second detection unit relative to the substrate changes from a position on the center side of the substrate to a position on the outer periphery side of the substrate.

6. the second unit includes a dispenser that applies the curable composition to the substrate; 2. The film forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the relative position between the dispenser and the substrate is adjusted based on information about the position of the edge of the substrate.

7. the second unit includes a dispenser that applies the curable composition to the substrate; 2. The film forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one of a supply position and a supply amount of the curable composition is adjusted based on information about the position of the edge of the substrate.

8. The film forming apparatus of claim 1, characterized in that a difference is calculated between the center position of the substrate obtained from the result of the second detection unit detecting a mark formed on the substrate and the center position of the substrate obtained from information regarding the position of the edge of the substrate and the result of the second detection unit detecting the edge of the substrate.

9. 2. The film forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the surface of the member that comes into contact with the substrate is flat.

10. The film forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the member has a pattern formed thereon to be transferred to the curable composition.

11. the first unit is a pre-alignment unit that detects an edge of the substrate while rotating the substrate, the pre-alignment unit adjusts a rotation angle of the substrate around an axis perpendicular to a surface of the substrate.

2. The film forming apparatus according to claim 1.

12. 2. The film forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second detection unit includes an image pickup element, and the position of the edge of the substrate is detected based on a picked-up image.

13. 2. The film forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second detection unit is a sensor that measures distance by irradiating light onto the periphery of the edge of the substrate from above the substrate.

14. 2. The film forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein information regarding the position of an edge of a representative substrate in a lot containing a plurality of substrates is applied to other substrates in the lot.

15. a storage unit that stores a difference between a detection result of the edge position of the substrate by the first detection unit and a detection result of the edge position of the substrate by the second detection unit, The film forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit controls the drive unit based on the difference stored in the storage unit.

16. A film forming apparatus that brings a curable composition on a substrate into contact with a member to form a film of the curable composition, a first unit including a first detection unit that detects an edge of the substrate; a second unit including a second detection unit that detects an edge of the substrate and a drive unit that drives at least one of the substrate and the second detection unit; a transport unit that transports the substrate from the first unit to the second unit; a storage unit that stores a difference between a detection result of the position of the edge of the substrate by the first detection unit and a detection result of the position of the edge of the substrate by the second detection unit; A film forming apparatus comprising:

17. The film forming apparatus described in claim 16, characterized in that the center position of the substrate is calculated based on a value obtained by applying the difference to one of the detection result of the edge position of the substrate by the first detection unit and the detection result of the edge position of the substrate by the second detection unit, and the other detection result.

18. a first detection step of detecting the position of an edge of the substrate by a first detection unit included in the first unit; a transport step of transporting the substrate from the first unit to a second unit; an adjusting step of adjusting a relative position between a second detection unit included in the second unit and the substrate based on information about the position of the edge of the substrate obtained from the detection result of the first detection unit; a second detection step of detecting the position of the edge of the substrate by the second detection unit.

19. A program for causing a computer to execute the alignment method according to claim 18.

20. a forming step of forming a film on a substrate using the film forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 17; a processing step of processing the substrate on which the film has been formed in the forming step; A method for manufacturing an article, comprising:

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