JP2010269528A - Method for applying resist and method for forming stamper - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method for applying a resist capable of forming the resist on a surface of a roll for a stamper in a uniform thickness, and a method for forming the stamper. <P>SOLUTION: The roll (1) for the stamper as a workpiece to be machined is rotated around an axial center (16) while inclining the axial center (16) of the same relative to the vertical axis and the resist is dripped on the surface of the roll (1) for the stamper while moving the dripping position of the resist along the axial center (16) of the roll for the stamper. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a resist coating method for uniformly forming a resist on the surface of a stamper roll used for a stamper.

  In recent years, technologies for creating minute functional patterns have an impact on semiconductor RAM manufacturing technology, optical disks, and MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical Systems). We are following the path of expanding applications that will lead to next-generation nanotechnology.

  The reason behind this is that in recent years, miniaturization technology has progressed, making it possible to process from conventional micron order to submicron, and further from submicron to quarter micron, as well as mass production technology. This is thought to be due to the establishment of a stable operation of the facilities. With the latest technology, line and space below 0.1 μm level, pits, grooves, etc. can be realized in some fields, and a stable high yield has already been realized.

  For example, in the line and space of semiconductor DRAMs, those having a level of less than 90 nm in the exposure method are already in the spread period. Blu-ray discs have also been developed for optical discs, 0.16 μm groove, 0.32 μm. Mass production has already been established at this pitch.

  In order to realize continuous transfer even in nanoimprinting, thermal nanoprinting or roller transfer printing is possible using a roller. For example, as shown in Patent Document 1, a forming roll and a manufacturing method thereof, manufacturing of a substrate sheet for an optical recording medium There is a device.

JP-A-5-16230

  Here, there is a great progress in mass productivity in the present invention in that a roller on which a fine pattern is written is used as a transfer mold for an infinitely long sheet. However, the idea on which this system is based is based on the repetitive transfer of the same pattern every rotation of the roller.

  If the outer cylindrical surface of the roller is continuously wound at a constant pitch, for example, pits or grooves having a width of about 0.1 μm are formed at a pitch of 0.2 μm, and a constant flow is generated. If a sheet of resin or organic material with a width is used for thermal nanoimprinting with this roller as a mold, the pits or grooves drawn on the surface will be formed in a continuous and continuous manner with infinitely parallel pits or grooves. Will be. Considering manufacturing such a continuous transfer on a sheet of resin or organic material, although the method described in the above-mentioned conventional materials can be transferred seamlessly, the transferred one is at infinity. In order to realize it without considering what is continuous, remarkably high accuracy is required for edge joining.

  The present invention provides a resist coating method capable of forming a resist with a uniform thickness on the surface of a stamper roll, and a stamper applied to the resist on the surface of the stamper roll on which a resist with a uniform thickness is formed by the resist coating method. It is an object of the present invention to provide a stamper forming method capable of continuously recording a shape.

  In the resist coating method according to the first aspect of the present invention, when the resist is coated on the surface of the stamper roll, the axis of the stamper roll rotates around the axis while being inclined with respect to the vertical axis. The resist is dropped onto the surface of the stamper roll by moving the dropping position along the axis of the stamper roll.

  A resist coating method according to a second aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in the first aspect, the resist uniformity is adjusted by blowing a gas to the resist on the surface of the stamper roll.

  The resist coating method according to claim 3 of the present invention is characterized in that in claim 1, the resist uniformity is adjusted by applying an electrostatic force to the resist on the surface of the stamper roll.

  In the stamper forming method according to claim 4 of the present invention, the axis of a stamper roll as a workpiece is rotated around the axis while being inclined with respect to the vertical axis, and the dropping position of the resist is set to the A resist is dropped on the surface of the stamper roll by moving along the axis of the stamper roll to apply a resist on the surface of the stamper roll, and the stamper roll is rotated around the axis, The resist formed on the surface of the stamper roll is irradiated with a recording laser, and the stamper shape is recorded on the resist by moving the recording laser in the axial direction.

  In the stamper forming method according to claim 5 of the present invention, the axis of a stamper roll as a workpiece is rotated around the axis while being inclined with respect to the vertical axis, and the resist dropping position is set to the A resist is dropped on the surface of the stamper roll by moving along the axis of the stamper roll to apply a resist on the surface of the stamper roll, and the stamper roll is rotated around the axis, The resist formed on the surface of the stamper roll is irradiated with a recording laser, and pits or grooves are continuously exposed to the resist at the same pitch or substantially the same pitch in the axial direction of the axis of the stamper roll. It is characterized by doing.

  In the stamper forming method according to claim 6 of the present invention, when the resist is applied to the surface of the stamper roll, the stamper roll rotates around the axis while the axis of the stamper roll is inclined with respect to the vertical axis. The resist is dropped onto the surface of the stamper roll, and the resist uniformity is adjusted by blowing a gas onto the resist on the surface of the stamper roll.

  In the stamper forming method according to claim 7 of the present invention, when the resist is applied to the surface of the stamper roll, the stamper roll rotates around the axis while the axis of the stamper roll is inclined with respect to the vertical axis. The resist uniformity is adjusted by dropping a resist onto the surface of the stamper roll and applying an electrostatic force to the resist on the surface of the stamper roll.

  According to this resist coating method, the resist can be uniformly coated on the surface of the stamper roll by utilizing the fact that the dropped resist flows down along the inclination of the stamper roll.

  Also, according to this stamper forming method, the stamper shape can be continuously recorded on the surface of the stamper roll, nanoimprinting by roller transfer can be realized, and the resin sheet having a constant width can be continuously and seamlessly. It is possible to transfer the same pattern.

The perspective view of the resist coating apparatus of Embodiment 1 which implements the resist coating method of this invention Operation explanatory diagram of the same embodiment The perspective view of the resist coating apparatus of Embodiment 2 which enforces the resist coating method of this invention The perspective view explaining operation | movement of the embodiment, the arrow view seen from the A direction, and the enlarged view of B The perspective view of the resist coating apparatus of Embodiment 3 which enforces the resist coating method of this invention Supplemental explanatory diagram of the shape of the insulator of the same embodiment The perspective view of the stamper recording apparatus which implements the stamper formation method which records a stamper shape on the roll for stampers apply | coated by the resist coating method of this invention Perspective view of another stamper recording device

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 shows a resist coating apparatus for carrying out the resist coating method of the present invention.

  The resist coating apparatus 2 for applying a resist to the surface of a stamper roll 1 that is a workpiece includes a spindle unit 5 that is mounted on a plate 3 and rotatably supports a rotating shaft 4 of the stamper roll 1, and a speed reducer 6. And a motor 7 that can rotate the spindle portion 5 at a low speed and a high speed. Reference numeral 8 denotes a fixing portion that supports them.

  The low-speed rotation is a rotation used when the resist is dropped onto the stamper roll 1 and is about 10 to 60 [rotation / min]. The high-speed rotation is the number of rotations used when the excess resist is shaken off to make the thickness uniform, and is about 600 to 900 [rotations / minute].

  These mechanisms are arranged in the cup 9 as seen in a normal coating apparatus, and the upper cover 10 is moved up and down by the cylinder 11 as necessary, and when the resist is dropped or the resist is shaken off. Is prevented from splashing around.

  Reference numeral 12 denotes an arm provided with a resist nozzle 13 that discharges resist at the tip. Only when the upper cover 10 is raised, the rotary actuator 14 moves the nozzle 1 from the nozzle retracting position 15 to above the stamper roll 1 shown in FIG. Apply resist.

The stamper roll 1 is attached to the plate 3 with the axis 16 of the stamper roll 1 inclined at an angle θ with respect to the vertical shaft 17 as shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 2A, the resist is discharged from the resist nozzle 13 at the tip of the arm 12 from above to the highest position on the peripheral surface of the stamper roll 1. For a while after the resist is dropped, the stamper roll 1 is stopped by the motor 7 so as not to be rotated around the axis 16 (in the direction of the circumferential surface of the stamper roll 1).

  At this time, the resist applied from the tip of the resist nozzle 13 tends to spread in both the circumferential direction and the direction of the axis 16. However, the direction of the axis 16 does not pass through the straight line 18 that is a ridge on the peripheral surface of the stamper roll 1, but passes through the peripheral surface having a lower potential as shown in FIG. Flows down in the direction. Further, the resist that has flowed down passes through a straight line 19 that is a lower ridge on the peripheral surface of the stamper roll 1 and concentrates on the lowermost edge of the stamper roll 1 and falls downward according to gravity. This movement has almost the same tendency although the spread width on the peripheral surface of the stamper roll 1 varies depending on the viscosity of the resist.

  Here, if the stamper roll 1 is driven to rotate at the low speed around the axis 16 by the motor 7 via the speed reducer 6, the area where the resist is already applied increases uniformly, and the tip of the nozzle The resist can be applied to the axial direction (+) side, with the point 20 protruding from the peripheral surface of the stamper roll 1 as a straight line extending straight from the center. However, with respect to the reverse surface, there is no portion directly applied from the nozzle. Therefore, depending on the viscosity of the resist and the state of the surface of the stamper roll 1, there are several paths as shown in FIG. There are some cases that break up into books. In this case, the resist is not always applied uniformly.

  Therefore, in the resist coating method of this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2 (d), the stamper roll 1 is rotated at a high speed by the motor 7 via the speed reducer 6 after the dropped resist starts to flow down along the peripheral surface. 2 and the arm 12 is moved by the rotary actuator 14 so that the position where the resist dripped from the nozzle lands on the peripheral surface of the stamper roll 1 is shown in FIG. If the distance between both ends 21 of the straight line 18 that is a ridge on the surface is movable in the horizontal direction, the area directly applied from the resist nozzle increases with the movement in the horizontal direction, and the circumference of the stamper roll 1 is increased. Resist can be applied to all areas of the surface.

  In this way, although there is some unevenness, when the resist is applied to the peripheral surface of the stamper roll 1, the arm 12 is moved by the rotary actuator 14 from the state shown in FIG. 10 to increase the rotational speed of the spindle 5 and drive at the high speed for several minutes.

  At this time, the force applied to the resist is a centrifugal force due to the gravity and rotation of the peripheral surface of the stamper roll 1, and finally the resist is blown to the periphery until the centrifugal force and the surface tension of the resist are balanced. It may flow downward due to gravity, and the film thickness of the resist applied to the peripheral surface of the stamper roll 1 becomes substantially uniform.

(Embodiment 2)
In the first embodiment, when the dropping of the resist onto the peripheral surface of the stamper roll 1 is completed, the stamper roll 1 is rotated at a high speed by the spindle unit 5 to shake off the resist and make the resist film thickness uniform. 4 differs from the second embodiment shown in FIG. 4 only in that the film thickness of the resist is made uniform by using an air nozzle without rotating the stamper roll 1 at a high speed.

  As shown in FIG. 4B, the air nozzles 22a, 22b, and 22c installed at positions slightly further away from the peripheral surface of the stamper roll 101 held by the rotating shaft 4 have a nozzle tip that is a stamper roll. 1 is directed in the axial direction, and compressed air is blown in the axial direction. Although not shown in the figure, compressed air is sent to the air nozzles 22a to 22c, and the air nozzles 22a to 22c are turned on / off by a valve on the way.

  As shown in FIG. 4A, if the resist is already applied to the peripheral surface of the stamper roll 1 and the stamper roll 1 is not rotating, the compressed air injected from the air nozzles 22a to 22c is As shown in FIG. 4 (c), a portion 23 having a high pressure is generated at the central portion on the peripheral surface of the stamper roll 1, and the film thickness of the resist is locally reduced only in this portion, and the resist is applied to the periphery. Push away. In the periphery of the portion 23 where the central portion has a high pressure, there is a region 24 in which the resist pushed away to the central portion of the compressed air slightly increases in thickness, and on the outer side, the thickness of the resist is hardly affected by the compressed air. In addition, there is a region 25 that is almost unchanged before the compressed air is blown.

Next, consider a case where the stamper roll 1 rotates.
The air nozzles 22a to 22c in FIG. 4A are intentionally shifted in both the height direction and the horizontal direction. When the resist is dropped from the resist nozzle 13, the resist falls on the peripheral surface of the stamper roll 1 according to the gravity, and flows according to the gravity while spreading the peripheral surface. At this time, if the peripheral surface rotates in the direction shown in the figure, the resist tries to pass through a place where it is blown by the compressed air by the air nozzle 22a before it sufficiently spreads. However, the pressure from the center of the compressed air cannot be overcome, and the trajectory of the resist changes so as to avoid the center. In this case, if the center of the compressed air is set well, it is possible to change the path through which most of the resist that flows down flows by this compressed air. The resist whose flow has changed can now be blown against the compressed air by the air nozzle 22b, and the direction can be further changed to further change the flow path by the compressed air by the air nozzle 22c.

  In FIG. 4A, these are continuously performed, and the resist on the peripheral surface of the stamper roll 1 is forcibly pushed to the lower end of the stamper roll 1 by the compressed air from the air nozzles 22a to 22c. Shows the case. In this case, 26a, 26b, and 26c are the center points at which air is blown from the air nozzles 22a, 22b, and 22c, respectively. If the resist flow direction is forcibly changed by the air nozzle in this way, a thin resist region 27 and a thick resist region 28 can be formed as a result.

  In addition, although compressed air was injected to the peripheral surface toward the axial center of the roll 1 for stampers, it does not necessarily have to be discharged toward the center of the axis, and if it matches the purpose of changing the resist flow path, There is no need to stick to the direction.

Further, the resist nozzle 13 may be fixed even if the resist nozzle 13 is moved in the horizontal direction as in the first embodiment.
Moreover, although the case where the air nozzles 22a-22c were also fixed was demonstrated, you may move this nozzle also as needed.

Moreover, although FIG. 4 demonstrated with the nozzle for three compressed air, a number can also be increased. The gas to be injected is compressed air, but the same applies to an inert gas such as nitrogen.
(Embodiment 3)
In the first embodiment, when the dropping of the resist onto the peripheral surface of the stamper roll 1 is completed, the film thickness of the resist is made uniform by rotating the stamper roll 1 at a high speed by the spindle unit 5, but FIG. 5 and FIG. The third embodiment is different only in that the thickness of the resist is made uniform using static electricity without rotating the stamper roll 1 at high speed.

  A rod-like insulator 29 extending along the axial direction of the stamper roll 1 is installed at a position slightly further away from the peripheral surface of the stamper roll 1 held by the rotary shaft 4. The insulator 29 is coupled to the static electricity generator 30 with an insulator 31. Specifically, the static electricity generator 30 is a van de graph electromotive machine.

A typical example of the insulator 29 is shown in FIGS. 6 (a) and 6 (b).
The insulator 29 in the example shown in FIG. 6A has a length equal to or longer than the length JK along the stamper roll 1, and one curved surface of the insulator 29 is fixed. The width is always parallel to the circumferential surface of the stamper roll 1 so that a constant distance is always maintained. That is, the surface constituted by EFGH is parallel to the circumferential surface S of the stamper roll 1. This is because the strength of the electric field applied to the peripheral surface S of the insulator 29 is kept substantially the same regardless of the portion.

  The insulator 29 in the example shown in FIG. 6B has a length that is shorter than the length of the stamper roll 1, so that it can move linearly in a direction parallel to the rotation axis of the stamper roll 1. Move according to the coating amount and concentration. The shape of the insulator 29 in this case needs to be configured such that one curved surface is a parallel curved surface that always maintains a constant distance with respect to the circumferential surface S with a constant width. In other words, the surface formed by the circumferential surface S and QR-TU must be parallel.

These actions will be described.
The static electricity generated from the static electricity generator 30 first accumulates on the static electricity generator 30. Since the insulator 30 is connected to the insulator 29, the insulator 29 stores static electricity having a polarity opposite to that generated by the static electricity generator 30.

  On the other hand, the solvent of a normal resist is alcohol, and since alcohol has polarization characteristics, it is easily affected by static electricity. If the charged insulator 29 is brought close to the shaft rotation of the stamper roll 1, In response, repulsion or attraction occurs, and the trajectory of alcohol can be changed. That is, the flow of the resist dissolved in the alcohol can be changed. Here, the insulator 29 has the shape described with reference to FIG. 6A and has the shape shown in FIG. 6B even when the insulator 29 is stationary, in a direction parallel to the rotation axis of the workpiece. Even if it moves linearly, it is the same in either case, and the resist film thickness can be made uniform by electrostatic force.

In the third embodiment, the resist nozzle 13 may be fixed or the resist nozzle 13 may be moved in the horizontal direction as in the second embodiment.
(Embodiment 4)
A stamper forming method for recording a stamper shape on a stamper roll 1 on which a resist is uniformly applied by any of the resist coating methods of the first to third embodiments will be described with reference to FIG.

FIG. 7 shows the stamper recording device 32.
The surface plate 33 holds a stamper roll 1 on which a resist is uniformly applied, and a motor 34 that rotates so that the axis of the stamper roll 1 coincides with the vertical axis. And a recording optical system 37 for exposing a target pit or groove with a resist applied to the peripheral surface of the stamper roll 1.

The slide mechanism 36 includes a slider guide 38, a slide portion 35 that moves in the vertical direction along the slider guide 38, and a bracket 40 on which a motor 39 is mounted.
In the recording optical system 37, an objective lens 41 for condensing the laser beam 44 on the stamper roll 1, a final mirror 42, and a moving mirror 43 for changing the laser coming from below in the horizontal direction are provided on the slide portion 35 of the slide mechanism 36. The laser beam is configured to be focused on the peripheral surface of the stamper roll 1 regardless of the position of the slide portion 35 that is mounted and driven up and down by the motor 39.

The operation control unit is configured as follows.
As an operation of the apparatus shown in FIG. 7, in order to create pits or grooves on the circumferential surface S of the stamper roll 1 at equal intervals, the slide part 35 is lowered at a constant speed while rotating the motor 34 at a constant speed. (Or ascending) and recording the light by modulating the light of the recording optical system 37 in accordance with the target pit or groove, and then developing, then curing the resist or masking the resist If a process such as etching is performed, a stamper roll 1 in which a desired signal is recorded can be manufactured.

  By using the stamper roll 1 in which the pits or grooves for this purpose are recorded on the peripheral surface, the nanoimprint of the pits or grooves is transferred to a resin or organic material sheet having a certain width that continuously flows. Can be performed continuously without a seam.

(Embodiment 5)
In the stamper recording apparatus of the fourth embodiment, the stamper roll 1 coated with resist uniformly is driven to rotate so that the axis of the stamper roll 1 coincides with the vertical direction. However, as shown in FIG. The axis of the axis of the stamper roll 1 can also be driven by rotating and driving so that the axis of the roll 1 coincides with the horizontal direction and moving the slide portion 35 in parallel with the axis of the stamper roll 1. Pits or grooves can be continuously exposed on the resist at the same or nearly the same pitch in the direction.

  In the second embodiment, the film thickness of the resist is made uniform by using an air nozzle without rotating the stamper roll 1 at a high speed. However, in the first embodiment, the resist on the peripheral surface of the stamper roll 1 is used. Is completed, the resist roll is spun off by rotating the stamper roll 1 at a high speed by the spindle unit 5, and the resist film thickness can be made uniform using an air nozzle. .

  In the third embodiment, the thickness of the resist is made uniform using static electricity without rotating the stamper roll 1 at a high speed. However, in the first embodiment, the resist is applied to the peripheral surface of the stamper roll 1. When the dropping is completed, the stamper roll 1 is rotated at a high speed by the spindle unit 5 so that the resist is shaken off to make the resist film thickness uniform, and the resist film thickness can be made uniform using static electricity.

  Further, in the first embodiment, when the dropping of the resist onto the peripheral surface of the stamper roll 1 is completed, the stamper roll 1 is rotated at high speed by the spindle unit 5 so that the resist is shaken off and the resist film thickness is made uniform. A nozzle can be used to make the resist film thickness even more uniform, and static electricity can be used to make the resist film thickness uniform.

  The present invention enables seamless transfer of nanoimprints of pits and grooves to resin and organic material sheets with a certain width that continuously flow, contributing to improvements in various mass production processes. it can.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Roll for stampers 2 Resist coating device 3 Plate 4 Rotating shaft 5 Spindle part 6 Reducer 7 Motor 8 Fixed part 9 Cup 10 Upper cover 11 Cylinder 12 Arm 13 Registration nozzle 14 Rotation actuator 15 Nozzle retract position 16 Center axis of stamper roll 17 Vertical axis θ Angle 18 A straight line 19 that is a ridge on the peripheral surface of the stamper roll A straight line 20 that is a lower ridge on the peripheral surface of the stamper roll 21 A point 21 protruding from the peripheral surface of the stamper roll 21 A peripheral surface of the stamper roll Between the ends 22a, 22b, 22c of the straight line 18 which is the upper collar Air nozzle 23 A portion where the central portion has a high pressure 24 A region where the resist slightly increases in thickness 25 A region 26a, 26b where there is almost no change before blowing compressed air , 26c Center point 27 where air is blown Thin register Area 28 thick resist area 29 insulator 30 static electricity generator 31 insulator 32 stamper recording device 33 surface plate 34 motor 35 slide part 36 slide mechanism 37 recording optical system 38 slider guide 39 motor 40 bracket 44 laser beam 41 objective Lens 42 Final mirror 43 Moving mirror

Claims (7)

When applying a resist to the surface of a stamper roll as a workpiece,
The stamper roll is rotated by rotating the stamper roll around the axis while tilting the axis of the stamper roll with respect to the vertical axis, and moving the resist along the axis of the stamper roll. Resist coating method of dropping a resist on the surface of the substrate. The resist coating method according to claim 1, wherein the resist uniformity is adjusted by blowing a gas to the resist on the surface of the stamper roll. The resist coating method according to claim 1, wherein the resist uniformity is adjusted by applying an electrostatic force to the resist on the surface of the stamper roll. The axis of the stamper roll as a workpiece is rotated around the axis while being inclined with respect to the vertical axis, and the dropping position of the resist is moved along the axis of the stamper roll. Applying a resist to the surface of the stamper roll by dropping a resist on the surface of the stamper roll,
Rotating the stamper roll around the axis, irradiating a recording laser on the resist formed on the surface of the stamper roll,
A stamper forming method of recording a stamper shape on the resist by moving the recording laser in the axial direction. The axis of the stamper roll as a workpiece is rotated around the axis while being inclined with respect to the vertical axis, and the dropping position of the resist is moved along the axis of the stamper roll. Applying a resist to the surface of the stamper roll by dropping a resist on the surface of the stamper roll,
Rotating the stamper roll around the axis, irradiating a recording laser on the resist formed on the surface of the stamper roll,
A stamper forming method in which pits or grooves are continuously exposed to the resist at the same pitch or substantially the same pitch in the axial direction of the axis of the stamper roll. When applying the resist to the surface of the stamper roll,
Rotating around the axis in a state where the axis of the stamper roll is inclined with respect to the vertical axis, dropping a resist on the surface of the stamper roll,
A resist coating method for adjusting resist uniformity by blowing a gas onto the resist on the surface of the stamper roll. When applying the resist to the surface of the stamper roll,
Rotating around the axis in a state where the axis of the stamper roll is inclined with respect to the vertical axis, dropping a resist on the surface of the stamper roll,
A resist coating method for adjusting resist uniformity by applying an electrostatic force to the resist on the surface of the stamper roll.

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