Imprint Mold Inclination Control for Alignment Shift Correction
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Solution Overview
Problem
In imprint apparatuses, aligning a mold and substrate while maintaining minimal relative position changes is challenging, especially when the mold is inclined, as this can cause shifts in alignment marks, increasing the complexity of precise positioning.
Innovation Solution
An imprint apparatus with a control unit that adjusts the mold's position and orientation to match the substrate's inclination, allowing for parallel alignment and calculating shift amounts to correct relative positions, ensuring accurate contact and pattern formation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the mold is inclined to match substrate inclination for uniform pattern formation, then the residual film thickness uniformity is improved, but the alignment mark position shifts in directions perpendicular to contact, increasing alignment complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary measurement of the substrate surface inclination and pre-calculates the required mold inclination angle and alignment mark shift amounts before the imprinting process. This allows the mold to be inclined and positioned in advance, so that when contact is made, the alignment marks are already in their correct relative positions, eliminating the need for complex real-time adjustments during contact
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces manual or mechanical alignment adjustment with an automated control system that uses sensors to measure substrate inclination, calculates the required corrections, and automatically adjusts the mold position and orientation. This substitution of mechanical alignment procedures with automated control reduces complexity while maintaining precision
2Measurement precision
If alignment is performed while the mold and imprint material are in contact, then the alignment accuracy is improved, but the time required for alignment increases due to the difficulty of changing relative positions
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary alignment and position correction before the mold and imprint material make contact. By measuring substrate inclination and calculating the required shift amounts in advance, the system pre-positions the mold and alignment marks so that minimal adjustment is needed during the contact phase, thereby reducing alignment time while maintaining accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
The system allows dynamic adjustment of the mold's position and orientation both before and during the imprinting process. The holding unit can change the mold's position and orientation dynamically, enabling preliminary positioning before contact and fine-tuning during contact, thus optimizing both speed and accuracy
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides an imprint apparatus which molds an imprint material on a shot region formed on a substrate by using a mold including a pattern surface on which a pattern is formed, comprising a holding unit configured to change a position and orientation of the mold, and a control unit configured to cause the holding unit to incline the mold, and bring the mold and the imprint material into contact with each other while the mold is inclined, wherein after the control unit obtains a shift amount by which a mark on the mold shifts by inclining the mold, and changes relative positions of the mold and the substrate according to the shift amount, the control unit brings the mold and the imprint material into contact with each other.