Method for removing foreign matter, method for forming, method for manufacturing articles, apparatus for removing foreign matter, and system

Abstract

To provide technique enabling damage to a member to be reduced when removing foreign matter on the member.SOLUTION: A foreign matter removal method is for removing a foreign matter on a first member having an uneven pattern. The foreign matter removal method includes a supplying step, a pressing step, a curing step, and a separating step. The supplying step is for supplying a composition onto the first member. The pressing step is for pressing a second member onto the composition supplied to the first member in the supplying step. The curing step is for curing the composition in a state in which the composition on the first member and the second member are in contact with each other. The separating step is for separating the second member together with the composition from the first member. In the supplying step, the amount of supply of the composition onto the first member is controlled so that the thickness of a portion of the composition cured in the curing step between a convex portion of the uneven pattern of the first member and the second member is larger than an estimated size on the basis of the cure shrinkage rate of the composition in the curing step and the estimated size of the foreign matter estimated to adhere to the first member.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a foreign matter removal method, a forming method, a method for manufacturing an article, a foreign matter removal device, and a system.

Background Art

[0002] In the manufacture of semiconductor devices, MEMS, etc., members such as semiconductor substrates are cleaned. Conventionally, megasonic cleaning, two-fluid cleaning, RCA cleaning using a chemical solution, etc. have been applied to the cleaning of such members. As these cleaning principles, there are a cleaning method that removes foreign matter attached to a substrate by using a physical force due to a fluid force (see Patent Document 1), and a cleaning method that removes foreign matter in a lift-off manner by using a chemical action of a chemical solution (for example, an etching effect) (see Patent Document 2). Further, as a method for cleaning a member, Patent Documents 3-4 describe a solid-phase cleaning method in which a solid film is formed on the member, foreign matter on the member is included in the solid film, and then the solid film is removed using a chemical solution.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Patent Document 3

Patent Document 4

Patent Document 5

Patent Document 6

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Recently, with the advancement of miniaturization of patterns in the manufacturing of semiconductor devices and the like, there is a need to remove even very small foreign matter (e.g., tens of nanometers or less) from semiconductor substrates and other materials during cleaning. However, in cleaning methods using fluid force, as described in Patent Document 1, increasing the fluid force to remove small foreign matter or unwanted materials such as polymers attached to the material can damage the microstructure formed as the underlying layer (underlying pattern) on the material. Similarly, in cleaning methods using the chemical action of chemical solutions, as described in Patent Document 2, damage to the underlying layer of the material can also occur. Therefore, the above cleaning methods are reaching their limits in terms of the removal of small foreign matter. Furthermore, in solid-phase cleaning methods described in Patent Documents 3-4, when dissolving (removing) the solid film using chemical solutions, foreign matter may reattach to the material, and there are problems with the environmental burden and cost burden of wastewater treatment, etc.

[0005] Therefore, as a method for cleaning components, solid-phase cleaning methods (sometimes called dry solid-phase cleaning methods) that remove foreign matter from components using an imprint method without using chemicals are attracting attention. For example, Patent Document 5 describes a solid-phase cleaning method in which a template is pressed onto a resin coated on a dummy wafer, and after the resin is cured, the template is removed from the resin to remove foreign matter from the template. Patent Document 6 also describes a solid-phase cleaning method in which a planarizing member is brought into contact with a resin coated on a mold from which foreign matter is to be removed to form a resin film, the resin film is cured, the planarizing member is peeled off the resin film, and then the resin film is peeled off the mold. In such solid-phase cleaning methods using the imprint method, the composition such as resin that has been spread between two components and incorporated foreign matter is cured, so if the curing shrinkage of the composition at that time is not taken into consideration, depending on the size of the foreign matter, the component from which the foreign matter is to be removed may be damaged.

[0006] Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a technology that can reduce damage to a component when removing foreign matter from the component. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] To achieve the above objective, a method for removing foreign matter as one aspect of the present invention is a method for removing foreign matter on a first member having an uneven pattern, comprising: a supply step of supplying a composition onto the first member; a pressing step of pressing a second member onto the composition on the first member so that the composition supplied onto the first member in the supply step spreads on the first member and the foreign matter on the first member is incorporated into the composition; a curing step after the pressing step of curing the composition while the composition on the first member and the second member are in contact; and a separation step after the curing step of separating the second member together with the composition from the first member, wherein in the supply step, the amount of the composition supplied onto the first member is controlled based on the curing shrinkage rate of the composition in the curing step and the estimated size of the foreign matter estimated to be adhering to the first member, such that the thickness of the portion of the composition cured in the curing step between the protrusions of the uneven pattern on the first member and the second member becomes larger than the estimated size.

[0008] Further objects or other aspects of the present invention will be revealed by preferred embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, for example, it is possible to provide a technology that can reduce damage to a component when removing foreign matter from the component. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] Flowchart showing the foreign matter removal method of the first embodiment [Figure 2] A schematic diagram illustrating the steps of the foreign matter removal method of the first embodiment in chronological order. [Figure 3] Diagram illustrating the challenges in the pressing process. [Figure 4]Figure for explaining problems in the pressing process [Figure 5] Figure for explaining problems in the pressing process [Figure 6] Figure for explaining the supply amount of the composition when the pattern density of the target member is different [Figure 7] Schematic diagram showing a configuration example of the foreign matter removal device according to the first embodiment [Figure 8] Figure showing an example of shrinkage amount information [Figure 9] Schematic diagram showing a configuration example of a system including a foreign matter removal device and a forming device [Figure 10] Figure for explaining a method of manufacturing an article

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0011] Hereinafter, embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the following embodiments do not limit the invention according to the claims. Although a plurality of features are described in the embodiments, not all of these plurality of features are essential for the invention, and the plurality of features may be arbitrarily combined. Further, in the accompanying drawings, the same or similar configurations are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant descriptions are omitted.

[0012] In this specification and the accompanying drawings, directions are indicated in an XYZ coordinate system in which the direction parallel to the surface (upper surface) of the member to be removed of foreign matter is the XY plane. The directions parallel to the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis in the XYZ coordinate system are the X-direction, Y-direction, and Z-direction, respectively, and the rotations around the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis are θX, θY, and θZ, respectively. Control and drive (movement) related to the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis respectively mean control or drive (movement) related to the direction parallel to the X-axis, the direction parallel to the Y-axis, and the direction parallel to the Z-axis. Further, control or drive related to the θX-axis, θY-axis, and θZ-axis respectively means control or drive related to the rotation around the axis parallel to the X-axis, the rotation around the axis parallel to the Y-axis, and the rotation around the axis parallel to the Z-axis.

[0013] <First Embodiment> A foreign object removal method according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described. The foreign object removal method of this embodiment is a method for removing foreign objects on a member (first member), and specifically, it is a solid-phase cleaning method (so-called dry solid-phase cleaning method) for removing foreign objects on the member without using a chemical solution.

[0014] [Foreign Object Removal Method] Hereinafter, the foreign object removal method (solid-phase cleaning method) of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 2. FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing the foreign object removal method (control method of foreign object removal process) of this embodiment. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram for explaining each step of the foreign object removal method of this embodiment in time series. Note that the examples shown in FIGS. 1 to 2 are merely representative examples and are not limited to the examples shown in FIGS. 1 to 2.

[0015] First, in step S11 (preparation step), a member 1 (first member) to be the object of foreign object removal is prepared. Hereinafter, the member 1 to be the object of foreign object removal may be referred to as "target member 1". The preparation step may be understood as a step of loading the target member 1 into a foreign object removal device for removing foreign objects on the target member 1. A configuration example of the foreign object removal device will be described later.

[0016] As shown in Figure 2(a), the target component 1 may be, for example, a substrate on which a pattern is formed by a lithography process for manufacturing semiconductor devices or flat panel displays. Examples of such substrates include semiconductor wafers, MEMS wafers, power semiconductor wafers, display glass substrates (glass plates), and bio-elements on which a pattern (underlay pattern) has been formed. In this embodiment, an example in which a substrate is applied as the target component 1 is described, but the target component 1 may also be a master plate used to form a pattern on the substrate in the lithography process. Examples of such master plates include EUV exposure masks, semiconductor exposure masks, semiconductor imprint molds (templates), MEMS exposure masks, power semiconductor exposure masks, and display exposure masks. MEMS is an abbreviation for Micro Electro Mechanical System, and EUV is an abbreviation for Extreme Ultraviolet.

[0017] In the example shown in Figure 2(a), the target member 1 has a textured pattern 3 (base pattern) in which recesses and protrusions are repeatedly (for example, periodically) arranged. Various sizes of foreign matter 2 (particles) are attached to the top surface (upper surface of the protrusions) and bottom surface (bottom surface of the recesses) of the textured pattern 3 of the target member 1. In particular, extremely minute foreign matter with a particle size of 30 nm or less and foreign matter attached to the bottom surface of the textured pattern 3 are difficult to remove with conventional cleaning methods such as megasonic cleaning and two-fluid cleaning.

[0018] Next, in step S12 (supply step), as shown in Figure 2(b), a composition 4 for capturing and encapsulating foreign matter 2 on the target member 1 is supplied onto the target member 1. The composition 4 is supplied onto the target member 1 in a fluid state (i.e., a liquid state).

[0019] Composition 4 is a curable composition (e.g., a resin) that hardens when curing energy is applied. The curable composition is a composition that hardens by irradiation with light or by heating. Of these, the photocurable composition (photocurable resin) that hardens by irradiation with light contains at least a polymerizable compound and a photopolymerization initiator, and may further contain a non-polymerizable compound or a solvent as needed. A polymerizable compound is a compound that reacts with polymerization factors (radicals, etc.) generated from the photopolymerization initiator and forms a film made of a polymer compound by a chain reaction (polymerization reaction). Examples of such polymerizable compounds include radical polymerizable compounds, and it is preferable that they are compounds having one or more acryloyl groups or methacryloyl groups, i.e., (meth)acrylic compounds. The non-polymerizable compound is at least one selected from the group of sensitizers, hydrogen donors, internally added mold release agents, surfactants, antioxidants, polymer components, etc. The viscosity of composition 4 (viscosity at 25°C) is, for example, 1 mPa·s or more and 100 mPa·s or less.

[0020] In this embodiment, composition 4 may be supplied (coated) onto the target member 1 using an apparatus that ejects composition 4 by an inkjet method. However, the method of supplying (coating) composition 4 onto the target member 1 is not limited to the inkjet method, and any method that allows control of the amount of composition 4 supplied onto the target member 1 (for example, the coating thickness of composition 4) is acceptable. For example, composition 4 may be supplied onto the target member 1 using dispenser coating, spin coating, various printing methods such as screen printing, gravure printing, and offset printing, or dipping coating.

[0021] Here, it is preferable that the surface of the target member 1 has as high a wettability as possible so that air bubbles are not trapped between the target member 1 and the composition 4, and / or so that the composition 4 spreads easily over the target member 1. In other words, it is preferable to make the contact angle between the target member 1 and the composition 4 as small as possible. The allowable range of the contact angle is preferably 2 degrees or less, and more preferably 1 degree or less.

[0022] Therefore, it is preferable that the surface of the target member 1 be treated to make the composition 4 hydrophilic (hydrophilic liquefaction treatment) before the supply process (step S12). The hydrophilic liquefaction treatment includes a treatment to remove organic contaminants on the target member 1. Examples of hydrophilic liquefaction treatments include heat treatment, plasma ashing, atmospheric pressure plasma treatment, alkaline cleaning, or ozonated water cleaning. In this embodiment, atmospheric pressure plasma treatment, which can be realized with a simple apparatus configuration, can be used as the hydrophilic liquefaction treatment. By supplying the composition 4 onto the target member 1 after pre-hydrophilizing the surface of the target member 1 in this way, the composition 4 can be easily penetrated by capillary force into the narrow channel (gap) between the target member 1 and the foreign matter 2 attached thereto. Note that the hydrophilic liquefaction treatment may be performed by an external device of the foreign matter removal device before the preparation process (step S11), for example, before the target member 1 is brought into the foreign matter removal device. Furthermore, a separation layer (e.g., fluorine-based) may be formed on the target member 1 before the supply step (step S12) to facilitate the separation (peeling) of the target member 1 and the composition 4 in the separation step (step S15) described later.

[0023] Next, in step S13 (pressing step), the template 5 is pressed against the composition 4 on the target member 1 so that the composition 4 spreads on the target member 1. Specifically, as shown in Figure 2(c), the pressing step involves bringing the template 5 into contact with the composition 4 supplied onto the target member 1 in the supply step, and then, as shown in Figure 2(d), the template 5 is used to spread the composition 4 on the target member 1. At this time, the template 5 is pressed against the composition 4 on the target member 1 so that the composition 4 spreads over the target area of ​​the target member 1 and any foreign matter 2 within the target area is incorporated into the composition 4. The target area of ​​the target member 1 is the area from which foreign matter should be removed, and in this embodiment, it is set to the entire surface of the target member 1. The pressing step may be performed by a drive mechanism that drives the target member 1 and the template 5 relative to each other.

[0024] Template 5 is a component (second component) that acts as a handle for spreading the composition 4 supplied onto the target component 1 in the supply process, and for separating (peeling off) the hardened composition 4 from the target component 1 in the hardening process described later. The pressing surface 5a of template 5 (the surface pressed against the composition 4) may be a flat surface, but in this embodiment, it has an uneven pattern 6 (second uneven pattern) to improve the adhesion between the composition 4 and template 5. The uneven pattern 6 provided on the pressing surface 5a of template 5 may be configured, for example, as a pattern in which recesses and protrusions are repeatedly (for example, periodically) provided. Furthermore, template 5 is preferably configured to be larger than the target range of the target component 1 in order to effectively clean the entire target range of the target component 1. In this embodiment, since the target range is set to the entire surface of the target component 1, template 5 may be configured to be larger than the target component 1.

[0025] Next, in step S14 (curing step), as shown in Figure 2(e), energy 7 is applied to the composition 4 while the composition 4 on the target member 1 and the template 5 are in contact, thereby curing the composition 4. For example, if a photocurable resin (e.g., an ultraviolet-curable monomer) is used as the composition 4, light (ultraviolet light) as energy 7 is irradiated (applied) to the composition 4 through the template 5. In this case, the template 5 is preferably made of a material that can transmit light (ultraviolet light), such as quartz. Here, the composition 4 is not limited to a material that hardens by irradiation with ultraviolet light, but may also be a material that hardens by a polymerization reaction caused by irradiation with other energy such as X-rays or visible light, or a material that hardens by thermal energy.

[0026] Next, in step S15 (separation step), as shown in Figure 2(f), the composition 4, which has hardened in the hardening step, and the template 5 are adhered to each other. By widening the gap between the template 5 and the target member 1, the composition 4 is separated (peeled) from the target member 1. In other words, the template 5 is separated from the target member 1 together with the composition 4 while the hardened composition 4, which contains the foreign matter 2, is adhered to the template 5. By using such a separation step, the foreign matter 2 on the target member 1 can be removed efficiently and with a simple process, that is, the target member 1 can be effectively cleaned, which can also be advantageous in terms of throughput.

[0027] In order to perform the separation process described above, the adhesion between the template 5 and the composition 4 must be higher than the adhesion between the target member 1 and the composition 4. In this embodiment, as mentioned above, the pressing surface 5a of the template 5 is provided with an uneven pattern 6, but in addition to or instead of this, a pretreatment to improve the adhesion between the template 5 and the composition 4 may be performed on the template 5. This pretreatment is performed before the pressing process (step S13) and may include a film formation treatment in which an adhesion film (adhesion layer) that adheres to the composition 4 is formed (applied) on the surface (pressing surface 5a) of the template 5. The film formation treatment can be performed by general thin film formation methods such as spraying, vapor deposition, or spin coating. The pretreatment (coating treatment) may be performed by an external device of the foreign matter removal device before the template 5 is brought into the foreign matter removal device.

[0028] Furthermore, the surface of the template 5 (pressing surface 5a) is preferably as wettable as possible so that air bubbles are not trapped between the template 5 and the composition 4 during the pressing process, and / or so that the composition 4 spreads easily on the template 5. In other words, it is preferable to make the contact angle between the template 5 and the composition 4 on the target member 1 as small as possible during the pressing process. The allowable range of the contact angle between the template 5 and the composition 4 is preferably 2 degrees or less, more preferably 1 degree or less, and is about 0.5 to 1 degree smaller than the contact angle between the target member 1 and the composition 4. For example, if a fluorine-based separation layer is formed on the target member 1, the contact angle between the target member 1 and the composition 4 does not meet the above allowable range, so it is preferable to set the contact angle between the template 5 and the composition 4 to 1 degree or less to increase the spreading speed of the composition 4 on the template 5.

[0029] Therefore, before the pressing step (step S13), the template 5 may be subjected to a treatment (liquidation treatment) to make the surface of the template 5 (pressing surface 5a) hydrophilic to the composition 4. The liquidation treatment may include a treatment to remove organic contaminants on the surface of the template 5 (pressing surface 5a). Examples of liquidation treatments include heat treatment, atmospheric pressure plasma treatment or ashing treatment, alkaline cleaning or ozonated water cleaning treatment. In this embodiment, atmospheric pressure plasma treatment, which can be realized with a simple apparatus configuration, can be used as the removal treatment. By making the surface of the template 5 (pressing surface 5a) hydrophilic in this way, the contact angle between the template 5 and the composition 4 can be reduced during the pressing step, making it easier for the composition 4 to spread on the template 5. Note that the liquidation treatment may be performed by an external device of the foreign matter removal device before the template 5 is brought into the foreign matter removal device.

[0030] [Supply amount of composition 4] The amount of composition 4 to be supplied onto the target member 1 in the supply process (target supply amount) will be described below. As mentioned above, the foreign matter removal method of this embodiment includes a curing step (step S14) in which the composition 4, which has incorporated foreign matter 2 between the target member 1 and the template 5, is cured. In this curing step, the composition 4 hardens and shrinks, so depending on the size of the foreign matter incorporated into the composition 4, the target member 1 (uneven pattern 3) or the template 5 may be damaged, as shown in Figures 3(a) to (c). Also, as shown in Figures 4(a) to (c), the adhesion force between the template 5 and the composition 4 may be insufficient, and in the separation step, the template 5 may not be able to be separated from the target member 1 together with the composition 4. Furthermore, although the above example shows an example in which the target member 1 has an uneven pattern 3, as shown in Figure 5, it is also applicable in the case where the target member 1 has been pre-flattened. In that case as well, depending on the size of the foreign matter incorporated into the composition 4, the adhesion force between the template 5 and the composition 4 may be insufficient and they may not be able to be separated, or as shown in Figure 5(c), the template 5 may be damaged or the substrate 1 may be damaged due to the influence of the foreign matter. Therefore, in the supply step (step S12) of this embodiment, the composition 4 is supplied onto the target member 1 in such a way that the influence of foreign matter 2 incorporated into the composition 4 is reduced, taking into account the curing shrinkage of the composition 4 in the subsequent curing step. Figures 3(a) to (c), 4(a) to (c), and 5(a) to (c) correspond to Figures 2(d) to (f), respectively, and show the pressing step, curing step, and separation step.

[0031] The target amount of composition 4 supplied onto the target member 1 during the supply process is controlled based on information indicating the curing shrinkage rate of composition 4 during the curing process and the size of the foreign matter 2 estimated to be adhering to the target member 1 (hereinafter sometimes referred to as the estimated size). Specifically, the amount of composition 4 supplied is controlled based on the curing shrinkage rate and the estimated size so that the thickness T (see Figure 2(e)) of the portion of the composition 4 cured in the curing process between the protrusions of the uneven pattern 3 on the target member 1 and the template 5 is greater than the estimated size δ. If an uneven pattern 6 is provided on the pressing surface 5a of the template 5, the thickness T can be defined as the thickness of the portion of the composition 4 cured in the curing process between the protrusions of the uneven pattern 3 on the target member 1 and the protrusions of the uneven pattern 6 on the template 5. Note that, as shown in Figure 5, if the surface of the target member 1 is a flat surface, the unevenness of the target member 1 and the template 5 is very small, and even if they are substantially flat, the thickness T of composition 4 will be greater than the estimated size δ of the foreign matter. Therefore, it is necessary to control the amount of composition 4 applied so that it is greater than the thickness after curing shrinkage. Otherwise, damage may occur to the template 5 and / or the target member 1, as shown in Figure 5(c). The specific amount to apply can be considered by setting h1=h2=0 (assuming there are no irregularities) in equation (1) described later.

[0032] The estimated size can be defined as the representative size (preferably the maximum size) of the foreign matter 2 that is presumed to be attached to the target member 1. For example, the estimated size may be the representative size (maximum size) of the foreign matter 2 that is presumed to be attached to the target member 1, based on the results of prior measurement (inspection) of the size of the foreign matter 2 attached to the target member 1. In this case, the step of measuring (inspecting) the size of the foreign matter 2 attached to the target member 1 and determining (calculating) the estimated size based on the measurement results may be performed before the supply process. Alternatively, the estimated size may be the representative size (maximum size) of the foreign matter that is presumed to be attached to a sample member different from the target member 1, based on the results of measurement of the size of the foreign matter. In this case, the step of measuring (inspecting) the size of the foreign matter attached to the sample member and determining (calculating) the estimated size based on the measurement results may be performed before the supply process. Multiple sample members may be used, and it is preferable that they are members that have gone through the same process and steps as the target member 1 using the same equipment. In this embodiment, the sample members are members different from the target member 1, but the target member 1 may be included as one of the multiple sample members. Furthermore, the estimated size may be the representative size (maximum size) of foreign object 2 estimated from calculations (simulations) based on past empirical rules (statistical values).

[0033] The target amount of composition 4 supplied onto the target member 1 during the supply process can be calculated (determined) to satisfy the following equation (1). The parameters in equation (1) are as shown in Figure 2(e), where "h1" represents the height of the protrusions (depth of the recesses) in the uneven pattern 3 of the target member 1, and "h2" represents the height of the protrusions (depth of the recesses) in the uneven pattern 6 of the template 5. "δ" represents the estimated size of the foreign matter 2. "Z" represents the total film thickness of the composition 4 cured in the curing process, i.e., the thickness of the cured composition 4 between the bottom surface of the recesses in the uneven pattern 3 of the target member 1 and the bottom surface of the recesses in the uneven pattern 6 of the template 5. The height h1 of the protrusions in the uneven pattern 3 of the target member 1 may be obtained from the result of measuring the height distribution of the target member 1 by a measuring device provided outside the foreign matter removal device, or it may be obtained from the design data of the target member 1. Similarly, the height h2 of the protrusions in the uneven pattern 6 of template 5 may be obtained from the results of measuring the height distribution of template 5 using a measuring device installed outside the foreign matter removal device, or it may be obtained from the design data of template 5. α(h1+h2+δ)≦Z≦β(h1+h2+δ) ···(1)

[0034] In equation (1), "α" is a parameter (film thickness lower limit parameter) that defines the lower limit of the film thickness Z of composition 4, and is set to the reciprocal of the curing shrinkage rate κ of composition 4 in the curing process (i.e., α = 1 / κ). In this embodiment, since composition 4 with a curing shrinkage rate κ of 0.8 is used, 1.25 is applied as the film thickness lower limit parameter α.

[0035] Furthermore, "β" is a parameter (film thickness limit parameter) for defining the upper limit of the film thickness Z of composition 4. If too much composition 4 is supplied onto the target member 1 in the supply process, curing defects may occur in the curing process, such as composition 4 not curing to the target hardness (target viscosity), which can lead to problems such as a decrease in the foreign matter removal rate or some of composition 4 remaining on the target member 1 in the subsequent separation process. Also, if too much composition 4 is supplied onto the target member 1 in the supply process, the irradiation time for energy to cure composition 4 to the target hardness in the curing process will be longer, which can reduce throughput. For this reason, the film thickness limit parameter β may be set so that the time it takes for composition 4 to cure to the target hardness in the curing process is below a threshold. This threshold may be set in advance, taking throughput and other factors into consideration. For example, the film thickness limit parameter β is preferably 100 or less, and preferably around 10.

[0036] The above equation (1) represents the supply of composition 4 onto the target member 1 in the supply process such that the film thickness Z of composition 4 after curing shrinkage is greater than the sum of height h1, height h2, and the estimated size δ (maximum size) of the foreign matter 2. By controlling the amount of composition 4 supplied onto the target member 1 to satisfy this equation (1), it is possible to reduce the damage to the target member 1 (uneven pattern 3) or template 5 (uneven pattern 6) caused by being pressed against the foreign matter 2 in composition 4 due to curing shrinkage of composition 4.

[0037] Referring to Figures 2(d) to (e), the film thickness Z0 of composition 4 before curing, as shown in Figure 2(d), shrinks to the film thickness Z of composition 4 after curing, as shown in Figure 2(e), after going through the curing process. The relationship between the film thickness Z0 (liquid film thickness) of the composition before curing, the film thickness Z of the composition after curing, and the curing shrinkage rate κ is given by equation (2). Therefore, in the supply process of this embodiment, the amount of composition 4 supplied onto the target member 1 is increased by an amount equivalent to the decrease in the film thickness of composition 4 due to curing shrinkage during the curing process, so that the film thickness Z of the composition after curing becomes larger than the estimated size δ (maximum size) of the foreign matter 2. Z0 = Z / κ ... (2)

[0038] Here, the density of the uneven pattern 3 on the target member 1 (hereinafter sometimes referred to as pattern density) may differ depending on the location on the target member 1. Therefore, it is necessary to adjust the target supply amount of composition 4 onto the target member 1 in the supply process according to the different pattern density at each location on the target member 1. This point will be explained with reference to Figure 6.

[0039] Figure 6(a) shows an example of a target member 1 (hereinafter sometimes referred to as uniform pattern member 1a) in which the density of the uneven pattern 3 (pattern density) is uniform. Figure 6(b) shows an example of a target member 1 (hereinafter referred to as non-uniform pattern member 1b) that has a portion that does not contain the uneven pattern 3 as a portion with a different pattern density (a portion with a sparse pattern density). Furthermore, the left figures of Figures 6(a) and 6(b) show an example in which it is assumed that the composition 4 supplied onto the target member 1 in the supply process is formed as a liquid film (coated film) on the target member 1 before the pressing process. The right figures of Figures 6(a) and 6(b) show an example of a liquid film of composition 4 formed between the target member 1 and the template 5 after the pressing process and before the curing process.

[0040] For example, assume a case where the supply amount of the composition 4 per unit area is made the same between the uniform pattern member 1a shown in FIG. 6(a) and the non-uniform pattern member 1b shown in FIG. 6(b), and the composition 4 is supplied by spin coating or dispenser coating. In this case, in the non-uniform pattern member 1b shown in FIG. 6(b), compared with the uniform pattern member 1a shown in FIG. 6(a), the liquid film thickness of the composition 4 in the portion where the pattern density is sparse becomes thinner. As a result, the liquid film thickness Z' of the composition 4 after the pressing step in the non-uniform pattern member 1b becomes thinner than the liquid film thickness Z0 of the composition 4 after the pressing step in the uniform pattern member 1a. Therefore, in the non-uniform pattern member 1b, in order to obtain the same liquid film thickness Z0 as that of the uniform pattern member 1a where the height h1 of the convex portion of the concavo-convex pattern 3 is the same, it is necessary to supply a larger amount of the composition 4 than that of the uniform pattern member 1a. Specifically, assume a case where the relative density of the convex portion based on the convex portion density at Z0 in the concavo-convex pattern 3 is d (0≦d≦1). In this case, for the non-uniform pattern member 1b having a portion without the concavo-convex pattern 3 (i.e., d = 0), it is advisable to determine the supply amount of the composition 4 in the supply step so as to further satisfy the following formula (3). However, when the height h1 of the convex portion of the concavo-convex pattern 3 is very small with respect to the film thickness Z of the composition 4 after the curing step (i.e., h1<<Z), the following formula (3) may be ignored. Z0 = Z' + (1 - d)h1 ···(3)

[0041] [Configuration of Foreign Matter Removal Device] The following describes an example configuration of the foreign matter removal device 10 of this embodiment. Figure 7 is a schematic diagram showing an example configuration of the foreign matter removal device 10 of this embodiment. The foreign matter removal device 10 of this embodiment is a device that removes foreign matter from a target member 1 by performing the foreign matter removal method described above using Figures 1 and 2. The foreign matter removal device 10 may include, for example, a stage 11, a holding unit 12, a supply unit 13, a first processing unit 14, a second processing unit 15, an imaging unit 16, a hardening unit 17, and a control unit 18. The control unit 18 is composed of, for example, a computer having a processor such as a CPU or MPU, or a logic circuit and a memory, and controls the foreign matter removal process to remove foreign matter from the target member 1 by controlling each part of the foreign matter removal device 10. The control unit 18 may also have a communication unit for communicating with an external device. Note that CPU is an abbreviation for Central Processing Unit, and MPU is an abbreviation for Micro Processing Unit.

[0042] Stage 11 is configured to hold the target member 1 (first member) from which foreign matter is to be removed using vacuum force or electrostatic force, and to be movable in the XY direction on the base plate BP. In other words, Stage 11 is a mechanism that holds the target member 1 and drives it in the XY direction. In this embodiment, Stage 11 is configured to drive the target member 1 only in the XY direction, but it may also be configured to drive the target member 1 in the Z direction and in the rotational direction of each axis. The holding part 12 is a mechanism that holds the template 5 (second member) using vacuum force or electrostatic force, and drives the template 5 in the Z direction. In this embodiment, the holding part 12 is configured to drive the template 5 only in the Z direction, but it may also be configured to drive the template 5 in the XY direction and in the rotational direction of each axis. Here, Stage 11 and Holding Part 12 can constitute a drive mechanism (drive unit) that drives the target member 1 and the template 5 relative to each other.

[0043] The supply unit 13 is a mechanism for supplying (discharging, coating) a liquid composition 4 onto the target member 1. When the supply unit 13 supplies the composition 4 onto the target member 1, the stage 11 positions the target member 1 below the supply unit 13. The first processing unit 14 is a mechanism for performing a liquefaction treatment on the target member 1. When the first processing unit 14 performs the liquefaction treatment on the target member 1, the stage 11 positions the target member 1 below the first processing unit 14. The second processing unit 15 is a mechanism for performing a film formation treatment and a liquefaction treatment on the template 5. In this embodiment, the second processing unit 15 is supported by a moving mechanism 19 that can move on the base plate BP in the XY direction. When the second processing unit 15 performs the film formation treatment and a liquefaction treatment on the template 5, the moving mechanism 19 positions the second processing unit 15 below the template 5.

[0044] The imaging unit 16 is a mechanism for observing (photographing) the spread of composition 4 on the target member 1 during the pressing process described above. The imaging unit 16 may include, for example, a camera 16a (image sensor) and an observation optical system 16b. In the example in Figure 7, the imaging unit 16 is configured to photograph the spread of composition 4 on the target member 1 via a mirror MR and a template 5. The curing unit 17 is a mechanism for curing composition 4 on the target member 1 during the curing process described above. The curing unit 17 may include, for example, an energy source 17a that emits energy (e.g., ultraviolet light) to cure composition 4, and an irradiation optical system 17b that irradiates the composition 4 on the target member 1 with the energy emitted from the energy source 17a. In the example in Figure 7, the curing unit 17 cures composition 4 by irradiating energy onto composition 4 on the target member 1 via a mirror MR and a template 5.

[0045] [Operation of the foreign object removal device] The following describes an example of the operation of the foreign matter removal device 10 of this embodiment. The series of operations of the foreign matter removal device 10 are performed by the control unit 18 transmitting signals to each part.

[0046] (Operations from the delivery of the target components to the supply process) First, the target member 1 is transported onto the stage 11 by a transport mechanism (not shown) and held by the stage 11 (preparation step). Then, the target member 1 is driven by the stage 11 to be positioned below the first processing unit 14, after which the first processing unit 14 performs a liquefaction treatment on the target member 1. The first processing unit 14 can perform a liquefaction treatment which is appropriately selected from heat treatment, plasma ashing, atmospheric pressure plasma treatment, alkaline cleaning, or ozone water cleaning, etc., that can remove organic contaminants on the target member 1.

[0047] Next, the target member 1 is driven by the stage 11 to position the target member 1 below the supply unit 13, after which the liquid composition 4 is supplied onto the target member 1 by the supply unit 13 (supply process). The supply unit 13 can supply the composition 4 onto the target member 1 using a method appropriately selected from inkjet, dispenser, printing, etc. In the example of Figure 7, the first processing unit 14 and the supply unit 13 are provided as components of the foreign matter removal device 10, but the first processing unit 14 and / or the supply unit 13 may be provided as external elements (external devices) of the foreign matter removal device 10. In this case, the target member 1, which has undergone liquefaction treatment and / or supply of composition 4 outside the foreign matter removal device 10, can be brought into the foreign matter removal device 10.

[0048] Here, the method for determining the amount of composition 4 to be supplied (target supply amount) to the target member 1 by the supply unit 13 is as described above. Specifically, the control unit 18 acquires information indicating the curing shrinkage rate of composition 4 and information indicating the estimated size of foreign matter on the target member 1. At this time, the control unit 18 may also acquire information indicating the height h1 of the protrusions in the uneven pattern 3 of the target member 1, and / or the height h2 of the protrusions in the uneven pattern 6 of the template 5. Then, based on the curing shrinkage rate and the estimated size of foreign matter, the control unit 18 determines the amount of composition 4 to be supplied such that the thickness T of the portion between the protrusions in the uneven pattern 3 of the target member 1 and the template 5 of the composition 4 cured in the curing process is greater than the estimated size. The control unit 18 may also determine the amount of composition 4 to be supplied such that it satisfies the above-described equation (1). As a result, the control unit 18 can control the supply unit 13 by transmitting an instruction signal to the supply unit 13 according to the determined amount of composition 4 to be supplied.

[0049] (The process from template delivery to the pressing process) The template 5 is transported onto the holding section 12 by a transport mechanism (not shown), and the template 5 is held by the holding section 12. Then, the second processing section 15 is positioned below the template 5 by the moving mechanism 19, and the second processing section 15 performs a film formation process on the template 5. The film formation process is a process to form an adhesion film (adhesion layer) on the pressing surface 5a of the template 5 to improve the adhesion between the template 5 and the composition 4, and may include surface treatments such as silane coupling treatment, silazane treatment, and organic thin film formation. When such an adhesion film is formed on the pressing surface 5a of the template 5, the template 5 and the composition 4 are brought into close contact during the separation process, and the template 5 can be completely separated (peeled) from the target member 1 together with the composition 4. In other words, it becomes possible to efficiently and reliably remove foreign matter from the target member 1. Depending on the components of the composition 4 and the composition and materials of the template 5, the formation of the adhesion film may be omitted.

[0050] Next, the second processing unit 15 performs a liquefaction treatment on the template 5. The second processing unit 15 can perform a liquefaction treatment which is appropriately selected from heat treatment, plasma ashing, atmospheric pressure plasma treatment, alkaline cleaning, or ozone water cleaning, which can remove organic contaminants on the template 5. In the example in Figure 7, the second processing unit 15 is provided as a component of the foreign matter removal device 10, but the second processing unit 15 may also be provided as an external element (external device) of the foreign matter removal device 10. In this case, the template 5, which has undergone film formation treatment and / or liquefaction treatment outside the foreign matter removal device 10, can be brought into the foreign matter removal device 10.

[0051] Next, the target member 1 is driven by the stage 11 to position it below the template 5. Then, the holding unit 12 lowers the template 5 and presses it against the composition 4 on the target member 1 (pressing step). The time for the pressing step (i.e., the time the composition is spread on the target member 1) can be appropriately set according to the material and properties of the composition 4 so that the composition 4 can sufficiently enclose any foreign matter within the target area of ​​the target member 1.

[0052] In the stamping process, the pressing of the template 5 onto the composition 4 on the target member 1 (e.g., parallelism and / or pressing force) can be controlled while observing the uniformity / non-uniformity of the spread of the composition 4 on the target member 1 using the imaging unit 16. For example, the control unit 18 can observe (monitor) the uniformity / non-uniformity of the spread of the composition 4 on the target member 1 by performing known image processing on the image acquired from the imaging unit 16 and detecting the outer periphery of the composition 4 and / or the edges of the target member 1. If the control unit 18 detects non-uniformity in the spread of the composition 4, it controls the relative posture between the template 5 and the target member 1, and / or the pressing force of the template 5, using the stage 11 and the holding unit 12, so that the non-uniformity is corrected. This makes it possible to spread the composition 4 uniformly over the target area of ​​the target member 1 and reliably remove foreign matter from that target area.

[0053] Furthermore, during the pressing process, a gas may be introduced from a gas supply nozzle (not shown) provided in the holding section 12 to promote the disappearance of air bubbles trapped between the template 5 and the target member 1, and / or to avoid poor curing of the composition 4 due to oxygen inhibition. Examples of such gases include He, H2, and mixtures thereof. However, even if air bubbles are trapped between the template 5 and the composition 4, if there is no problem with the adhesion between the template 5 and the composition 4, it is not necessary to introduce gas from the gas supply nozzle.

[0054] (The process from the hardening step to the peeling step) Once the composition 4 has spread over the target area of ​​the target member 1 through the pressing process, a signal instructing the curing of the composition 4 is transmitted from the control unit 18 to the curing unit 17. In response to receiving this signal, the curing unit 17 emits energy (e.g., ultraviolet light) from the energy source 17a to cure the composition 4 and irradiates the composition 4 with this energy via the irradiation optical system 17b, mirror MR, and template 5 (curing process). This allows the composition 4 between the template 5 and the target member 1 to be cured.

[0055] The energy source 17a can be appropriately selected in terms of material and wavelength so that the emitted energy can penetrate the template 5. In this embodiment, the template 5 is made of quartz, and ultraviolet light with a wavelength of 365 nm is used as the energy emitted from the energy source 17a. However, the energy emitted from the energy source 17a is not limited to ultraviolet light with a wavelength of 365 nm, and depending on the materials of the template 5 and composition 4, visible light, ultraviolet light with wavelengths other than 365 nm, infrared light, X-rays, radiation, electron beams, etc. may be used.

[0056] In the curing process, the energy intensity (light intensity) and irradiation time (exposure time) irradiated onto the composition 4 can be appropriately set so that the composition 4 can be sufficiently cured, that is, so that the composition 4 hardens to the target hardness. Since the curing speed of the composition 4 may vary depending on the amount of oxygen in the surrounding atmosphere, the amount of oxygen in the surrounding atmosphere may be detected by a sensor or the like, and the energy intensity and / or irradiation time may be set based on the detection result.

[0057] Through the above process, the composition 4 on the target member 1 spreads over the target area of ​​the target member 1 due to capillary force and wettability, capturing (enveloping) foreign matter in the target area, and becomes separable from the target member 1 due to shrinkage during hardening (hardening shrinkage).

[0058] Next, the holding unit 12 raises the template 5, separating it from the target member 1 (separation step). At this time, the template 5 and the hardened composition 4 are stuck together, so the composition 4 is separated from the target member 1 along with the template 5. The speed at which the template and the target member 1 are separated can be set so as not to damage the pattern on the target member 1. By separating the template 5 together with the composition 4 from the target member 1 in this way, foreign matter on the target member 1 can be removed efficiently and with simple processing, which can also be advantageous in terms of throughput.

[0059] When separating the template 5 and composition 4 from the target member 1, the target member 1 may become charged (called peeling charge), attracting surrounding foreign matter by electrostatic force. Therefore, it is advisable to perform the separation process while discharging the template 5, composition 4, and / or target member 1 using an ionizer (not shown). Since composition 4 will be attached to the template 5 after the separation process, the template 5 may be replaced or cleaned when performing a foreign matter removal treatment on a new target member 1.

[0060] Once the separation process is complete, the target member 1 is separated from the stage 11 and transported away by a transport mechanism (not shown). The template 5 is also separated from the holding unit 12 and transported away by a transport mechanism (not shown). When separating the target member 1 from the stage 11 and / or separating the template 5 from the holding unit 12, it is preferable to use an ionizer (not shown) to remove static electricity.

[0061] As described above, in the foreign matter removal method of this embodiment, the amount of composition 4 supplied onto the target member 1 in the supply process is controlled based on the curing shrinkage rate and the estimated size. Specifically, in the curing process, the thickness of the portion of the cured composition 4 between the convex portion of the uneven pattern 3 of the target member 1 and the template 5 is controlled to be larger than the estimated size. This reduces the risk of the target member 1 or template 5 being pressed against and damaged by foreign matter 2 in the composition 4 due to curing shrinkage of the composition 4.

[0062] <Second Embodiment> A second embodiment of the present invention will now be described. In this embodiment, an example of controlling the curing of composition 4 during the curing process will be described so as to reduce the damage to the target member 1 (uneven pattern 3) and template 5 (uneven pattern 6) caused by being pressed against foreign matter 2 in composition 4 due to curing shrinkage of composition 4. This embodiment basically follows the first embodiment, and can be followed except for the matters described below.

[0063] In the curing process of this embodiment, the curing of composition 4 is controlled so that the thickness T of the portion between the convex part of the uneven pattern 3 of the target member 1 and the template 5 does not fall below the estimated size, based on the curing shrinkage rate and the estimated size of the foreign matter. For example, in the curing process, the thickness T is controlled so that it does not fall below the estimated size, based on information showing the relationship between the energy irradiation dose to composition 4 and the amount of curing shrinkage of composition 4 (hereinafter sometimes referred to as shrinkage amount information). Figure 8 shows an example of shrinkage amount information. The energy irradiation dose to composition 4 is expressed as the time integral of the energy intensity (illuminance) irradiated onto composition 4, and in the example of Figure 8, the irradiation dose is expressed as irradiation time. Shrinkage amount information such as that shown in Figure 8 can be generated in advance by experiments or simulations.

[0064] For example, the control unit 18 pre-calculates the liquid film thickness Z0 of composition 4 based on the amount of composition 4 supplied onto the target member 1 in the supply process. Then, in the curing process, the control unit 18 sequentially calculates the thickness T of the relevant portion of composition 4 based on the shrinkage amount information and controls the curing of composition 4 so that the thickness T does not fall below the estimated size. For example, the control unit 18 stops curing composition 4 when the thickness T reaches the estimated size. This reduces the risk of damage to the target member 1 (uneven pattern 3) or template 5 (uneven pattern 6) caused by being pressed against foreign matter 2 in composition 4 due to curing shrinkage of composition 4. In this embodiment, composition 4 may not be completely cured in the curing process, but it is sufficient that composition 4 is cured to a hardness that allows the template 5 to be separated from the target member 1 together with composition 4 in the separation process.

[0065] <Third Embodiment> A third embodiment of the present invention will now be described. In this embodiment, a system 100 equipped with the foreign matter removal device 10 described in the first embodiment will be described. This embodiment basically follows the first embodiment, and except for the matters described below, it can follow the first embodiment. Furthermore, this embodiment may also follow the second embodiment.

[0066] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram showing an example configuration of the system 100 of this embodiment. The system 100 of this embodiment comprises a foreign matter removal device 10 and a forming device 20. In the system 100 of this embodiment, the foreign matter removal device 10 and the forming device 20 are connected inline by a conveying device 30, and the target member 1 from which foreign matter has been removed by the foreign matter removal device 10 is transported to the forming device 20 by the conveying device 30.

[0067] The foreign matter removal device 10 is a device that removes foreign matter from the target member 1, as described in the first embodiment. The target member 1 can be a substrate from which a pattern is formed by the forming device 20, and / or a master plate having a pattern that is transferred onto the substrate by the forming device 20, as described above. The forming device 20 is a device that forms a pattern on the substrate using the target member 1 from which foreign matter has been removed by the foreign matter removal device 10. The forming device 20 in this embodiment can be configured as a lithography device that transfers the pattern of a master plate onto the substrate. For example, if the target member 1 is a substrate, the forming device 20 transfers the pattern onto the substrate from which foreign matter has been removed by the foreign matter removal device 10. If the target member 1 is a master plate, the forming device 20 transfers the pattern of the master plate from which foreign matter has been removed by the foreign matter removal device 10 onto the substrate. Lithography equipment that constitutes the forming apparatus 20 includes exposure equipment that exposes a substrate with pattern light that has passed through a master plate (mask, reticle), and imprint equipment that forms a pattern of imprint material on a substrate using a master plate (mold).

[0068] Next, an example of the operation of the system 100 of this embodiment will be described. Here, we will describe an example in which the target member 1 from which foreign matter is removed by the foreign matter removal device 10 is a substrate, and the forming device 20 is an imprint device.

[0069] Substrates are fed into system 100 from a coater-developer apparatus (not shown). The coater-developer apparatus may be inline with the foreign matter removal apparatus 10 and the forming apparatus 20 in system 100, or it may be standalone, but inline is preferable from the viewpoint of preventing foreign matter adhesion and contamination. In the coater-developer apparatus, a masking material such as SOC / SOG is applied to the substrate, and the substrate is then transported to the inline foreign matter removal apparatus 10.

[0070] In the system 100 of this embodiment, before the substrate is fed into the forming apparatus 20 (imprint apparatus), the substrate is subjected to a foreign matter removal process by the foreign matter removal apparatus 10. This foreign matter removal process is as described in the first embodiment, so its description is omitted here. After the foreign matter removal process by the foreign matter removal apparatus 10 is performed on the substrate, it is transported to the forming apparatus 20, which is inline connected to the foreign matter removal apparatus 10, where a pattern formation process (imprint process) is performed. In the imprint process, after supplying imprint material onto the substrate, a quartz mold (template) with a fine uneven pattern is brought into contact with the imprint material on the substrate. Then, after the imprint material is cured while the imprint material on the substrate and the mold are in contact, the mold is separated (peeled) from the cured imprint material on the substrate. As a result, the pattern of the mold is transferred to the imprint material on the substrate, and a pattern composed of cured imprint material can be formed on the substrate.

[0071] In this imprint process, if foreign matter is present (adhered) to the substrate, for example, if inorganic foreign matter of about 80 nm or less is present, the mold having a relief pattern of about 20 nm may be damaged. Once the mold is damaged, defects will be formed in the pattern of the imprint material formed on the substrate in subsequent imprint processes using that mold. Therefore, foreign matter management of the substrate and original plate (mold) is a very important issue. The foreign matter removal device 10 of this embodiment is very suitable as a method to solve these problems because the device configuration is simple and it can remove even very small foreign matter.

[0072] In this embodiment, in system 100, after foreign matter removal processing was performed by the foreign matter removal device 10, pattern formation processing (imprint processing) was performed by the forming device 20 (imprint device). As a result, the defect density DD (pieces / cm) 2 The increase in ΔDD is 1 unit / cm 2 It was confirmed that the number of substrates that flowed to reach this stage increased dramatically from a few lots to several hundred lots depending on whether or not the foreign matter removal device 10 was present.

[0073] <Embodiment for manufacturing an article> The method for manufacturing articles according to embodiments of the present invention is suitable for manufacturing articles such as microdevices such as semiconductor devices and elements having microstructures. The method for manufacturing articles according to this embodiment includes a foreign matter removal step for removing foreign matter from a target member, a forming step for forming a pattern on a substrate, a processing step for processing the substrate on which the pattern was formed in the forming step, and a manufacturing step for manufacturing an article from the substrate processed in the processing step. In the foreign matter removal step, foreign matter is removed from the target member using the foreign matter removal method described above. The target member is a substrate on which a pattern is formed in the forming step, and / or a master plate having a pattern that is transferred onto the substrate in the forming step. Furthermore, such a manufacturing method includes other well-known steps (oxidation, film formation, vapor deposition, doping, planarization, etching, resist stripping, dicing, bonding, packaging, etc.). The method for manufacturing articles according to this embodiment is advantageous over conventional methods in at least one of the performance, quality, productivity, and production cost of the article.

[0074] When an imprint apparatus is used as a forming device to form a pattern on a substrate in the formation process, the pattern of the cured material formed by the imprint apparatus is used permanently on at least a part of various articles, or temporarily when manufacturing various articles. Articles include electrical circuit elements, optical elements, MEMS, recording elements, sensors, or molds. Examples of electrical circuit elements include volatile or non-volatile semiconductor memories such as DRAM, SRAM, flash memory, and MRAM, as well as semiconductor elements such as LSI, CCD, image sensors, and FPGAs. Examples of molds include molds for imprinting.

[0075] The pattern of the cured material is either used as is as a component of at least a part of the above-mentioned article, or temporarily used as a resist mask. After etching or ion implantation is performed during the substrate processing process, the resist mask is removed.

[0076] Next, we will explain the specific manufacturing method of the article. Here, we will explain an example using an imprint apparatus (imprint processing). As shown in Figure 10(a), a substrate 1z such as a silicon wafer is prepared on which a workpiece material 2z such as an insulator is formed on its surface. Subsequently, an imprint material 3z is applied to the surface of the workpiece material 2z by an inkjet method or the like. Here, we show how multiple droplet-shaped imprint material 3z are applied to the substrate.

[0077] As shown in Figure 10(b), the mold 4z for imprinting is positioned opposite the imprint material 3z on the substrate, with the side where the uneven pattern is formed facing it. As shown in Figure 10(c), the substrate 1z to which the imprint material 3z is applied is brought into contact with the mold 4z, and pressure is applied. The imprint material 3z fills the gap between the mold 4z and the workpiece 2z. In this state, when light is shone through the mold 4z as curing energy, the imprint material 3z hardens.

[0078] As shown in Figure 10(d), after the imprint material 3z has hardened, when the mold 4z and substrate 1z are separated, a pattern of the hardened imprint material 3z is formed on the substrate 1z. In this pattern, the recesses of the mold correspond to the protrusions of the hardened material, and the protrusions of the mold correspond to the recesses of the hardened material. In other words, the uneven pattern of the mold 4z has been transferred to the imprint material 3z. Note that an RLT (Residual Layer Thickness, sometimes called residual film thickness) of several tens of nanometers in thickness (not shown) remains in the hardened recesses.

[0079] As shown in Figure 10(e), when etching is performed including the RLT portion using the cured material pattern as an etching-resistant mask, the parts of the workpiece 2z surface that are free of cured material or have a thin remaining layer are removed, forming grooves 5z. As shown in Figure 10(f), when the cured material pattern is removed, an article with grooves 5z formed on the surface of the workpiece 2z can be obtained. Here, the cured material pattern was removed, but it may also be used without removal after processing, for example, as an interlayer insulating film included in semiconductor devices, i.e., as a component of the article.

[0080] <Summary of Embodiments> The disclosures herein include the following methods for removing foreign matter, forming methods, methods for manufacturing articles, devices for removing foreign matter, systems, and templates.

[0081] (Item 1) A method for removing foreign matter from a first member having an uneven pattern, A supply step of supplying the composition onto the first member, A pressing step in which the second member is pressed against the composition on the first member so that the composition supplied on the first member in the supply step spreads on the first member and foreign matter on the first member is incorporated into the composition, After the pressing step, a curing step is performed in which the composition on the first member and the second member are in contact and the composition is cured. After the curing step, a separation step is performed to separate the second member together with the composition from the first member, Includes, A method for removing foreign matter, characterized in that, in the supply step, the amount of the composition supplied onto the first member is controlled based on the curing shrinkage rate of the composition in the curing step and the estimated size of foreign matter estimated to be adhering to the first member, such that the thickness of the portion of the composition cured in the curing step between the protrusions of the uneven pattern of the first member and the second member becomes greater than the estimated size.

[0082] (Item 2) The second member has a second uneven pattern on the pressing surface that is pressed against the composition, The method for removing foreign matter according to item 1, characterized in that in the supply step, the amount of the composition supplied onto the first member is controlled such that the thickness of the portion of the composition cured in the hardening step between the protrusions of the uneven pattern of the first member and the protrusions of the second uneven pattern of the second member becomes greater than the estimated size.

[0083] (Item 3) When h1 is the height of the protrusions in the uneven pattern of the first member, h2 is the height of the protrusions in the second uneven pattern of the second member, α is the reciprocal of the curing shrinkage rate, δ is the estimated size, and Z is the film thickness of the composition cured in the curing process, in the supply process, α(h1+h2+δ)≦Z The amount of the composition supplied onto the first member is controlled to satisfy the following conditions: The method for removing foreign matter according to item 2, characterized in that the film thickness Z of the composition is the thickness of the composition formed between the bottom surface of the recess of the uneven pattern of the first member and the bottom surface of the recess of the second uneven pattern of the second member after the curing step.

[0084] (Item 4) When β is the parameter that defines the upper limit of the film thickness Z of the composition, in the supply process, Z≦β(h1+h2+δ) The amount of the composition supplied onto the first member is controlled to satisfy the following conditions: The foreign matter removal method according to item 3, characterized in that the parameter β is set so that the time it takes for the composition to harden in the hardening step is less than or equal to a threshold.

[0085] (Item 5) The method for removing foreign matter according to any one of items 1 to 4, characterized in that the estimated size is the maximum size of foreign matter estimated to be attached to the first member.

[0086] (Item 6) A method for removing foreign matter according to any one of items 1 to 5, characterized in that it includes a step of determining the estimated size based on the result of measuring the size of the foreign matter attached to the first member, before the supply step.

[0087] (Item 7) A method for removing foreign matter according to any one of items 1 to 5, characterized in that it includes a step of determining the estimated size based on the result of measuring the size of foreign matter attached to a sample member different from the first member, before the supply step.

[0088] (Item 8) The method for removing foreign matter according to any one of items 1 to 7, characterized in that, in the curing step, the curing of the composition is controlled based on the curing shrinkage rate and the estimated size, such that the thickness of the composition between the protrusions of the uneven pattern of the first member and the second member does not fall below the estimated size.

[0089] (Item 9) The method for removing foreign matter according to any one of items 1 to 8, characterized in that, in the separation step, the composition is separated from the first member by separating the second member from the first member while the second member and the composition are adhered to each other.

[0090] (Item 10) The method for removing foreign matter according to any one of items 1 to 9, characterized in that the first member is a substrate on which a pattern is formed.

[0091] (Item 11) The method for removing foreign matter according to any one of items 1 to 9, characterized in that the first member is a master plate used to form a pattern on a substrate.

[0092] (Item 12) A method for removing foreign matter from a first member having an uneven pattern, A supply step of supplying the composition onto the first member, A pressing step in which the second member is pressed against the composition on the first member so that the composition supplied on the first member in the supply step spreads on the first member and foreign matter on the first member is incorporated into the composition, After the pressing step, a curing step is performed in which the composition on the first member and the second member are in contact and the composition is cured. After the curing step, a separation step is performed to separate the second member together with the composition from the first member, Includes, A method for removing foreign matter, characterized in that, in the curing step, the curing of the composition is controlled based on the curing shrinkage rate of the composition and the estimated size of foreign matter estimated to be attached to the first member, so that the thickness of the composition between the protrusions of the uneven pattern of the first member and the second member does not fall below the estimated size.

[0093] (Item 13) A method for forming a pattern on a substrate, A foreign matter removal step in which foreign matter is removed from the first member using the foreign matter removal method described in any one of items 1 to 12, A forming process for forming a pattern on a substrate, Includes, The forming method is characterized in that the first member on which the foreign matter removal step is performed is the substrate on which the pattern is formed in the forming step, and / or the master plate having the pattern to be transferred onto the substrate.

[0094] (Item 14) A step of forming a pattern on a substrate using the formation method described in item 13, A process of processing the substrate on which the pattern has been formed, A process for manufacturing an article from the processed substrate, A method for manufacturing an article, characterized by including the following:

[0095] (Item 15) A foreign matter removal device for removing foreign matter from a first member having an uneven pattern, A supply unit that supplies the composition onto the first member, A curing section for curing the aforementioned composition, A control unit that controls a foreign matter removal process to remove foreign matter from the first member, Equipped with, The aforementioned foreign matter removal process is as follows: A supply step in which the supply unit supplies the composition onto the first member, A pressing step in which the second member is pressed against the composition on the first member so that the composition supplied on the first member in the supply step spreads on the first member and foreign matter on the first member is incorporated into the composition, After the pressing step, a curing step is performed in which the composition on the first member and the second member are in contact, and the composition is cured by the curing unit. The process includes, after the curing step, a separation step of separating the second member together with the composition from the first member, A foreign matter removal device characterized in that, in the supply step, the control unit controls the amount of the composition supplied by the supply unit onto the first member, based on the curing shrinkage rate of the composition in the curing step and the estimated size of foreign matter estimated to be adhering to the first member, such that the thickness of the portion of the composition cured in the curing step between the protrusions of the uneven pattern of the first member and the second member becomes greater than the estimated size.

[0096] (Item 16) A foreign matter removal device for removing foreign matter from a first member having an uneven pattern, A supply unit that supplies the composition onto the first member, A curing section for curing the aforementioned composition, A control unit that controls a foreign matter removal process to remove foreign matter from the first member, Equipped with, The aforementioned foreign matter removal process is as follows: A supply step in which the supply unit supplies the composition onto the first member, A pressing step in which the second member is pressed against the composition on the first member so that the composition supplied on the first member in the supply step spreads on the first member and foreign matter on the first member is incorporated into the composition, After the pressing step, a curing step is performed in which the composition on the first member and the second member are in contact, and the composition is cured by the curing unit. The process includes, after the curing step, a separation step of separating the second member together with the composition from the first member, A foreign matter removal device characterized in that, in the curing step, the control unit controls the curing of the composition by the curing unit so that the thickness of the composition between the protrusions of the uneven pattern of the first member and the second member does not fall below the estimated size, based on the curing shrinkage rate of the composition and the estimated size of foreign matter estimated to be adhering to the first member.

[0097] (Item 17) A foreign matter removal device described in item 15 or 16 for removing foreign matter on the first member, A forming apparatus for forming patterns on a substrate, Equipped with, The system is characterized in that the first member from which foreign matter is removed by the foreign matter removal device is the substrate on which a pattern is formed by the forming device, and / or a master plate having a pattern to be transferred onto the substrate.

[0098] The invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications and variations are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, claims are attached to disclose the scope of the invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0099] 1: Target component (first component), 4: Composition, 5: Template (second component), 10: Foreign matter removal device, 11: Stage, 12: Holding unit, 13: Supply unit, 16: Imaging unit, 17: Curing unit, 18: Control unit, 20: Forming device

Claims

1. A method for removing foreign matter from a first member having an uneven pattern, A supply step of supplying the composition onto the first member, A pressing step in which the second member is pressed against the composition on the first member so that the composition supplied on the first member in the supply step spreads on the first member and foreign matter on the first member is incorporated into the composition, After the pressing step, a curing step is performed in which the composition on the first member and the second member are in contact and the composition is cured. After the curing step, a separation step is performed to separate the second member together with the composition from the first member, Includes, A method for removing foreign matter, characterized in that, in the supply step, the amount of the composition supplied onto the first member is controlled based on the curing shrinkage rate of the composition in the curing step and the estimated size of foreign matter estimated to be adhering to the first member, such that the thickness of the portion of the composition cured in the curing step between the convex portion of the uneven pattern of the first member and the second member becomes greater than the estimated size.

2. The second member has a second uneven pattern on the pressing surface that is pressed against the composition, The method for removing foreign matter according to claim 1, characterized in that in the supply step, the amount of the composition supplied onto the first member is controlled such that the thickness of the portion of the composition cured in the hardening step between the protrusions of the uneven pattern of the first member and the protrusions of the second uneven pattern of the second member becomes greater than the estimated size.

3. When h1 is the height of the protrusions in the uneven pattern of the first member, h2 is the height of the protrusions in the second uneven pattern of the second member, α is the reciprocal of the curing shrinkage rate, δ is the estimated size, and Z is the film thickness of the composition cured in the curing process, in the supply process, α(h1+h2+δ)≦Z The amount of the composition supplied onto the first member is controlled to satisfy the following conditions: The method for removing foreign matter according to claim 2, characterized in that the film thickness Z of the composition is the thickness of the composition formed between the bottom surface of the recess of the uneven pattern of the first member and the bottom surface of the recess of the second uneven pattern of the second member after the curing step.

4. When β is the parameter that defines the upper limit of the film thickness Z of the composition, in the supply process, Z≦β(h1+h2+δ) The amount of the composition supplied onto the first member is controlled to satisfy the following conditions: The method for removing foreign matter according to claim 3, characterized in that the parameter β is set such that the time it takes for the composition to harden in the hardening step is less than or equal to a threshold.

5. The method for removing foreign matter according to claim 1, characterized in that the estimated size is the maximum size of foreign matter estimated to be attached to the first member.

6. The method for removing foreign matter according to claim 1, characterized in that it includes a step of determining the estimated size based on the result of measuring the size of the foreign matter attached to the first member, before the supply step.

7. The method for removing foreign matter according to claim 1, characterized in that it includes a step of determining the estimated size based on the result of measuring the size of foreign matter attached to a sample member different from the first member, before the supply step.

8. The method for removing foreign matter according to claim 1, characterized in that, in the curing step, the curing of the composition is controlled based on the curing shrinkage rate and the estimated size, such that the thickness of the composition between the protrusions of the uneven pattern of the first member and the second member does not fall below the estimated size.

9. The method for removing foreign matter according to claim 1, characterized in that, in the separation step, the composition is separated from the first member by separating the second member from the first member while the second member and the composition are adhered to each other.

10. The method for removing foreign matter according to claim 1, characterized in that the first member is a substrate on which a pattern is formed.

11. The method for removing foreign matter according to claim 1, characterized in that the first member is a master plate used to form a pattern on a substrate.

12. A method for removing foreign matter from a first member having an uneven pattern, A supply step of supplying the composition onto the first member, A pressing step in which the second member is pressed against the composition on the first member so that the composition supplied on the first member in the supply step spreads on the first member and foreign matter on the first member is incorporated into the composition, After the pressing step, a curing step is performed in which the composition on the first member and the second member are in contact and the composition is cured. After the curing step, a separation step is performed to separate the second member together with the composition from the first member, Includes, A method for removing foreign matter, characterized in that, in the curing step, the curing of the composition is controlled based on the curing shrinkage rate of the composition and the estimated size of foreign matter estimated to be adhering to the first member, so that the thickness of the composition between the protrusions of the uneven pattern of the first member and the second member does not fall below the estimated size.

13. A method for forming a pattern on a substrate, A foreign matter removal step of removing foreign matter on a first member using the foreign matter removal method according to any one of claims 1 to 12; a forming step of forming a pattern on a substrate; Includes, The forming method is characterized in that the first member on which the foreign matter removal step is performed is the substrate on which the pattern is formed in the forming step, and / or the master plate having the pattern to be transferred onto the substrate.

14. A step of forming a pattern on a substrate using the forming method described in claim 13, A process of processing the substrate on which the pattern has been formed, A process for manufacturing an article from the processed substrate, A method for manufacturing an article, characterized by including the following:

15. A foreign matter removal device for removing foreign matter from a first member having an uneven pattern, A supply unit that supplies the composition onto the first member, A curing section for curing the aforementioned composition, A control unit that controls a foreign matter removal process to remove foreign matter from the first member, Equipped with, The aforementioned foreign matter removal process is as follows: A supply step in which the supply unit supplies the composition onto the first member, A pressing step in which the second member is pressed against the composition on the first member so that the composition supplied on the first member in the supply step spreads on the first member and foreign matter on the first member is incorporated into the composition, After the pressing step, a curing step is performed in which the composition on the first member and the second member are in contact, and the composition is cured by the curing unit. The process includes, after the curing step, a separation step of separating the second member together with the composition from the first member, A foreign matter removal device characterized in that, in the supply step, the control unit controls the amount of the composition supplied by the supply unit onto the first member, based on the curing shrinkage rate of the composition in the curing step and the estimated size of foreign matter estimated to be adhering to the first member, such that the thickness of the portion of the composition cured in the curing step between the protrusions of the uneven pattern of the first member and the second member becomes greater than the estimated size.

16. A foreign matter removal device for removing foreign matter from a first member having an uneven pattern, A supply unit that supplies the composition onto the first member, A curing section for curing the aforementioned composition, A control unit that controls a foreign matter removal process to remove foreign matter from the first member, Equipped with, The aforementioned foreign matter removal process is as follows: A supply step in which the supply unit supplies the composition onto the first member, A pressing step in which the second member is pressed against the composition on the first member so that the composition supplied on the first member in the supply step spreads on the first member and foreign matter on the first member is incorporated into the composition, After the pressing step, a curing step is performed in which the composition on the first member and the second member are in contact, and the composition is cured by the curing unit. The process includes, after the curing step, a separation step of separating the second member together with the composition from the first member, A foreign matter removal device characterized in that, in the curing step, the control unit controls the curing of the composition by the curing unit so that the thickness of the composition between the protrusions of the uneven pattern of the first member and the second member does not fall below the estimated size, based on the curing shrinkage rate of the composition and the estimated size of foreign matter estimated to be adhering to the first member.

17. A foreign matter removal device according to claim 15 or 16 for removing foreign matter on a first member, A forming apparatus for forming patterns on a substrate, Equipped with, The system is characterized in that the first member from which foreign matter is removed by the foreign matter removal device is the substrate from which a pattern is formed by the forming device, and / or a master plate having a pattern to be transferred onto the substrate.

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