JP6590667B2 - Imprint apparatus, imprint method, and article manufacturing method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an imprint apparatus, an imprint method, and an article manufacturing method.

  An imprint apparatus is known as an apparatus for forming a fine pattern on a substrate for manufacturing a semiconductor device or the like. In the imprint apparatus, an uneven pattern of the mold is transferred by bringing the imprint material (for example, a photocurable composition) supplied on the substrate into contact with the mold and applying energy for curing to the imprint material. It is an apparatus for forming a pattern of a cured product.

  Patent Document 1 supplies an imprint material that is generated when an arrangement direction of a plurality of discharge ports that discharge an imprint material and a short direction of a rectangular processing region are inclined in a rotation direction around a vertical direction. Discloses a method for correcting a deviation of a target position from a target supply position. Specifically, the angle of the rotation direction between the arrangement direction of the plurality of discharge ports and the short direction of the rectangular processing region is measured, and the timing of discharging the imprint material based on the rotation angle and the stage It discloses that the moving direction is corrected.

JP2012-69758

  In general, when the ejection unit ejects the imprint material while moving the substrate, the ejection timing is determined in consideration of a predetermined dwell time. However, the distance between the discharge port and the substrate is often distributed due to the warp of the substrate and the thickness distribution of the substrate, and the imprint material is discharged according to the difference in the distance between the discharge port and the substrate. There is a possibility that the time for which air travels until it is supplied onto the substrate varies. Due to the difference between the predetermined flight time and the actual flight time, the supply position of the imprint material is shifted from the target position.

  However, although Patent Document 1 describes the correction of the rotation angle, it does not disclose a method for correcting the supply position when the distance between the discharge port and the substrate has a distribution. Therefore, in the imprint apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1, the supply position of the imprint material is shifted due to the distribution of the distance between the discharge port and the substrate, and it may be difficult to form a pattern with high accuracy.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide an imprint apparatus and an imprint method capable of supplying an imprint material with high accuracy.

The present invention relates to an imprint apparatus for forming a pattern of an imprint material on a substrate using a mold, including an ejection port, and ejecting the imprint material from the ejection port to supply the imprint material to the substrate Supply means, measuring means for measuring information about the position of the surface of the substrate in the height direction, and moving means for moving the substrate and the discharge port relative to each other, and the measuring means moves An imaging unit that images imprint materials discharged from the discharge port at different timings and supplied to at least two locations of the substrate while the unit relatively moves the substrate and the discharge port, and the imaging unit by image processing the imaging result of, anda calculating means for calculating a distance between each of said at least two locations and said discharge port, said supply means, calculated by the calculating means Based on the distance, the imprint apparatus and supplying an imprint material as the deviation from the target position of supplying the imprint material in a plane perpendicular the height direction is reduced.

  According to the present invention, an imprint material can be supplied with high accuracy.

It is a figure which shows the structure of the imprint apparatus which concerns on embodiment. It is a figure which shows the structure of a discharge means. It is a flowchart which shows the imprint method which concerns on 1st Embodiment. It is a figure explaining the position of the height direction of the surface of a board | substrate. It is a figure which shows the supply position of the imprint material in case the distance of a discharge outlet and a board | substrate is constant. It is a figure which shows the supply position of the imprint material when the distance of a discharge outlet and a board | substrate is not constant. It is a figure explaining the correction method of the supply conditions of a 1st embodiment. It is a figure which shows the correction method of the supply conditions of 1st Embodiment. It is a figure explaining a reference plane. It is a figure explaining the measuring method which concerns on 5th Embodiment. It is a figure which shows the imaging result which concerns on 5th Embodiment.

[First Embodiment]
(Device configuration)
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an imprint apparatus 100 according to the embodiment. In FIG. 1, the vertical direction (height direction) is taken as the Z axis. Furthermore, two axes orthogonal to each other in a plane perpendicular to the Z axis (in a plane intersecting the height direction) are taken as an X axis and a Y axis. The position components in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction in the XY plane are represented by (X, Y).

  In the present embodiment, the imprint material 102 is a photocurable material.

  The irradiation unit 104 irradiates the substrate 101 with ultraviolet rays 105 to cure the uncured imprint material 102. The irradiation unit 104 includes a light source 106 that emits ultraviolet rays 105 and a mirror 107 that bends the optical path of the ultraviolet rays 105 toward the substrate 101.

  The mold 103 has a rectangular pattern part 103a in which the outer periphery is rectangular and a concavo-convex pattern is formed at the center. On the substrate 101, a plurality of pattern regions 120, which are processed regions having substantially the same size as the pattern portion 103a, are formed.

  In the imprint apparatus 100, an operation of bringing the imprint material 102 and the mold 103 into contact (hereinafter referred to as a pressing operation) is performed. Further, a pattern is formed on the substrate 101 by curing the imprint material 102 in a state where the imprint material 102 and the mold 103 are in contact with each other.

  A transfer pattern of the pattern portion 103a is formed on one pattern region 120 by one pressing operation. The material of the mold 103 is a material that transmits ultraviolet rays 105 such as quartz.

  The chuck 108 holds the mold 103 by vacuum suction force or electrostatic force. The drive mechanism 109 moves the mold 103 together with the chuck 108 along the Z-axis direction. The chuck 108 and the drive mechanism 109 have an opening region 110 at the center so that the ultraviolet light 105 reaches the substrate 101. The mold 103 is moved during the pressing operation of the mold 103 and the operation of separating the imprint material 102 and the mold 103 (hereinafter referred to as the releasing operation).

  The substrate stage (moving body) 111 has a chuck 112a and a drive mechanism 112b, and positions the substrate 101 in accordance with an instruction from the control unit 122 described later. The chuck 112a holds the substrate 101 by vacuum suction force or electrostatic force. The drive mechanism 112b moves along the XY plane while the substrate 101 is held by the chuck 112a. Used for measuring the position of the substrate 101 is provided on the drive mechanism 112b. The drive mechanism 112b is, for example, an air cylinder or a piezo actuator.

  The drive mechanism 109 and the drive mechanism 112b may be configured by a plurality of drive systems such as a coarse drive system and a fine drive system. Further, the drive mechanism 109 may be a mechanism that moves the mold 103 not only in the Z-axis direction but also in the X-axis direction, the Y-axis direction, and the rotation direction around each axis. The drive mechanism 112b may be a mechanism that moves the substrate 101 not only in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction but also in other axial directions and in the rotation direction around each axis. The pressing operation and the releasing operation may be performed by moving at least one of the mold 103 and the substrate 101 in the Z-axis direction.

  By arranging the transmission member 113 above the mold 103, a space 114 capable of adjusting the pressure is provided in the opening region 110. When the pattern portion 103 a is brought into contact with the imprint material 102, the pattern portion 103 a is bent in a convex shape toward the substrate 101. Thereby, bubbles can be prevented from entering between the mold 103 and the imprint material 102, and the imprint material 102 can be filled to every corner of the pattern portion 103a.

FIG. 2 is a view of the discharge means (supply means) 115 as viewed from the −Z direction. A plurality of nozzles 116 are arranged along the Y-axis direction. The discharge means 115 includes a discharge port (supply port) 116a of the nozzle 116, and the imprint material from the discharge port 116a while the substrate stage 111 moves the substrate 101 in a predetermined direction (−X direction in the present embodiment). 102 is discharged. The ejection unit 115 arranged in a fixed manner ejects the imprint material 102 by a predetermined amount at predetermined time intervals. In this way, the imprint material 102 is supplied to the pattern region 120 on the substrate 101.

  The nozzle 116 has a piezo element (not shown) as an ejection mechanism included in the nozzle 116 and pushes out the imprint material 102 using the piezoelectric effect. A waveform of a voltage applied to the piezo element (hereinafter referred to as a drive waveform) and timing for applying a voltage according to the drive waveform are instructed by the control unit 122 described later. The imprint material 102 discharged by the discharge means 115 is the unprinted imprint material 102.

  In the present embodiment and the subsequent embodiments, the discharge speed corresponds to a value obtained by dividing the integral value of the speed during which the imprint material 102 is in the air by the air delay time Δt. This is because the deviation of the initial speed given from the discharge means 115 and the speed immediately before reaching the substrate is corrected by receiving air resistance, and the speed of the imprint material 102 being dropped is assumed to be constant.

  The measuring unit 117 captures an image of the substrate 101 from above the mold 103, and measures a relative position shift between the plurality of marks 118 formed on the pattern unit 103a and the plurality of marks 119 formed on the pattern region 120. .

  The imaging unit 121 irradiates light transmitted through the mold 103 toward the substrate 101 and receives reflected light from the substrate 101 with an imaging element such as a CCD, thereby imaging the contact state between the mold 103 and the imprint material 102. . Images are taken of the state in which particles are sandwiched between the pattern portion 103a and the substrate 101 during the stamping operation and the imprint material 102 is filled into the pattern portion 103a.

  The measurement unit 126 measures the distance between the measurement unit 126 and each position on the surface of the substrate 101. That is, information on the position of the surface of the substrate 101 in the Z-axis direction (information on the position of the surface of the substrate in the height direction) is measured. Hereinafter, the position in the Z-axis direction is referred to as a Z position. In the present embodiment, the measurement unit 126 measures the position of the surface of the substrate 101 in the Z-axis direction.

  The measuring unit 126 is, for example, a laser interferometer or an oblique incidence type height measuring device that detects light reflected obliquely with respect to the substrate. The measuring unit 126 may be another measuring device such as a capacitance sensor or an encoder. A plurality of measurement units may be included so that a plurality of points can be measured simultaneously. The distance between the measurement unit 126 and the substrate 101 is used for the calculation of the distance between the ejection port 116 a and the substrate 101 by the control unit 122.

  The control unit (determination unit, correction unit) 122 includes a CPU, a RAM, and a ROM, and includes an irradiation unit 104, a drive mechanism 109, a substrate stage 111, a discharge unit 115, a measurement unit 117, an imaging unit 121, and a storage unit 123. Connected via line. These are controlled in an integrated manner, and an imprint process is executed according to a program shown in the flowchart of FIG.

  The control unit 122 functions as a determination unit, and determines information related to the distribution of the distance between the ejection port 116 a and the substrate 101 based on the measurement result of the measurement unit 126.

  Further, the control unit 122 also functions as a correction unit, and corrects the supply condition of the imprint material 102 to the substrate 101 based on the information regarding the distance between the ejection port 116a and the substrate 101 determined by the control unit 122 ( adjust).

  The correction is correction that makes the supply position of the imprint material 102 supplied onto the substrate 101 approach the ideal supply position. The supply conditions are: the moving speed of the substrate stage 111 while the imprint material 102 is supplied onto the substrate 101, the discharge speed of the imprint material 102 from the discharge port 116a, and the discharge of the imprint material 102 from the discharge port 116a. At least one of the timings.

  The storage unit 123 includes a hard disk (storage medium) that can be read by the control unit 122. The program shown in the flowchart of FIG. 3, the Z positions of the measurement unit 126 and the ejection unit 115, the arrangement of the nozzles 116, and the like are stored. A substrate stage 111 is placed on the base surface plate 124. The drive mechanism 109 is suspended and supported by the bridge surface plate 125.

(Imprint method)
The imprint method according to this embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. In this embodiment, the information regarding the distribution of the distance between the discharge port 116a and the substrate 101 is the distribution of the distance in the height direction between the discharge port 116a and each target supply position on the surface of the substrate 101. The supply condition of the imprint material 102 corrected by the control unit 122 is the speed of the substrate stage 111. In the present embodiment, the displacement of the supply position in the X-axis direction, which is the movement direction of the substrate stage 111 during ejection of the imprint material 102, is more than the displacement of the supply position in the Y-axis direction, which is the non-movement direction of the substrate stage 111. Is also suitable for cases in which a large deviation is likely to occur.

First, the measurement unit 126 measures the position of the substrate 101 in the height direction (S101). The measurement unit 126 representatively measures a plurality of measurement points. Then, the control unit 122 determines the distance between the ejection port 116a and each position on the surface of the substrate 101 (S102). Based on the measurement result of the measurement unit 126, the control unit 122 performs a calculation process that complements the distance between the ejection port 116 a and a position other than the measurement point, and an approximate function F (x , Y). The approximate function may be a linear function represented by F (x, y) = ax + by + f, a quadratic function represented by F (x, y) = ax ² + bxy + cy ² + dx + ey + f, or a higher-order function.

  The measurement points are preferably selected so as to include the central region and the outer peripheral region of the substrate 101. The central region is an inner region of a circle virtually drawn with a half radius of the radius of the substrate 101. The outer peripheral region is a region on the outer peripheral side with respect to the central region surrounding the central region. Thereby, the control unit 122 can determine the approximate function F (x, y) with high accuracy.

  A measurement result by the measurement unit 126 will be described with reference to FIG. 4A is a diagram of the substrate 101 viewed from the + Z direction, and FIG. 4B is a diagram illustrating a distribution of positions in the height direction between the X positions A-A ′ passing through the center of the substrate 101. The distribution of the positions in the height direction per one pattern region 120 is approximated by a linear expression with respect to the X-axis direction.

  Returning to the flowchart of FIG. Next, the control unit 122 corrects the supply condition so that the supply position of the imprint material 102 to the pattern region 120 becomes the target supply position (S103). Details of the process of S103 will be described later.

  The imprint apparatus 100 supplies the imprint material 102 to the pattern region 120 based on the corrected supply conditions using the ejection unit 115 and the substrate stage 111 (S104). The substrate stage 111 moves the substrate 101 to a position facing the mold 103. The drive mechanism 109 lowers the mold 103 and performs a pressing operation (S105).

  In a state where the mold 103 and the imprint material 102 are in contact with each other, the irradiating unit 104 irradiates the pattern region 120 with the ultraviolet light 105 to cure the imprint material 102 (S106). After the imprint material 102 is cured, the drive mechanism 109 raises the mold 103 to perform a release operation (S107).

  Before describing the method for correcting the supply condition in S103, the case where correction is not performed will be described with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 5A is a diagram showing the inclination of the flat substrate 101. It shows that the substrate 101 is at a predetermined height H0. Predetermined height is the height of the design at the time of placing the substrate 101 on the chuck 112 a. FIG. 5B is a view of the pattern area 120 supplied with the imprint material 102 as viewed from the + Z direction.

  FIG. 6A is a diagram showing the inclination of the surface of the substrate 101, and FIG. 6B shows a state in which the supply position where the imprint material 102 is supplied only in the X-axis direction is shifted. ing. Intersections 10 of vertical and horizontal broken lines arranged at equal intervals are ideal supply positions of the imprint material 102, that is, target positions (target supply positions). Black circles indicate the imprint material 102 supplied to the substrate 101. When the imprint material 102 is supplied while moving the substrate stage 111 in the −X direction at a predetermined speed, the imprint material 102 is supplied to the intersection 10 because the distance from the discharge port 116a to the height H0 is constant. The

  When the position in the height direction of the pattern region 120 has an inclination like the above-described position B-B ′ shown in FIG. 4B, the distance from the supply port 116 a becomes small at a position higher than the height H0. The ejection unit 115 supplies the imprint material 102 while the substrate 101 is moving in the X-axis direction. Therefore, since the imprinting time of the imprint material 102 is shortened, the imprint material 102 is supplied to the substrate 101 earlier than when the imprint material 102 is supplied to the position of the height H0.

  On the contrary, the distance from the supply port 116a becomes large at a position lower than the height H0. Accordingly, since the imprinting time of the imprint material 102 becomes longer, the imprint material 102 is supplied to the substrate 101 later than when the imprint material 102 is supplied to the position of the height H0. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 6B, the displacement of the position of the imprint material 102 with respect to the intersection point 10 increases as the position of the substrate 101 in the height direction increases from the height H0.

  The control unit 122 corrects the displacement of the supply position by correcting the moving speed of the substrate stage 111 against the displacement of the supply position due to the distribution of the substrate 101 in the Z-axis direction with respect to the X-axis direction in which the substrate stage 111 moves. is there.

FIG. 7 shows a state where the imprint material 102 is supplied to the position A at the height H1. The moving speed of the substrate stage 111 before correction is set to V1. The discharge speed of the imprint material 102 is V2. The distance in the Z-axis direction between the discharge port 116a and the position A that is the target position of the height H1 is H1. The discharge means 115 discharges the imprint material 102 when the distance between the X position of the position A during discharge and the X position of the discharge port 116a is L1. When the corrected moving speed of the substrate stage 111 is V1 + ΔV, equations (1) and (2) are established. The control unit 122 determines the equation (3) for the speed correction amount ΔV from the equations (1) and (2).
T1 = L1 / (V1 + ΔV) (1)
T2 = H1 / V2 (2)
ΔV = (L1 · V2) / H1−V1 (3)

  FIG. 8A shows the relationship between the height of each X position of the substrate 101 and the moving speed of the substrate stage 111. As described above, the control unit 122 supplies the imprint material 102 to the target position higher than the predetermined height H0 when the imprint material 102 is supplied to the target position lower than the predetermined height H0. Larger than the moving speed at the time.

  The control unit 122 corrects the supply condition, so that the imprint material 102 can be supplied to the target position on the substrate 101 more accurately than in the past when the distance between the discharge port 116a and the substrate has a distribution. . Thereby, the imprint apparatus 100 can form a good pattern with few pattern defects as a pattern of the cured imprint material 102.

[Second Embodiment]
In the present embodiment, the measurement unit 126 measures the Z position on the surface of the substrate 101. In the present embodiment, the information regarding the distribution of the distance between the discharge port 116 a and the substrate 101 is the distribution of the distance in the height direction between the discharge port 116 a and the respective target supply positions on the surface of the substrate 101. The supply condition of the imprint material 102 corrected by the control unit 122 is the ejection timing of the imprint material 102. In this embodiment, the discharge timing is controlled by the time of the first discharge start and the time interval (discharge interval) from the previous discharge time to the next discharge time. Regarding the configuration of the imprint apparatus 100, the parts not described are the same as those in the first embodiment.

  The present embodiment can be applied to the case where either the inclination in the X-axis direction or the inclination in the Y-axis direction in the pattern region 120 is large. Of the imprint method according to the embodiment, only the step S103 different from the first embodiment will be described.

  When the discharge means 115 periodically discharges the imprint material 102 at the discharge interval T, the discharge timing is controlled as shown in FIG. When the height is higher than H0, the imprint material 102 is discharged later than T, and when the height is lower than H0, the imprint material 102 is discharged earlier than T. That is, the discharge timing of the imprint material 102 supplied to the target position whose height is lower than the predetermined height H0 is set earlier than the discharge timing of the imprint material 102 supplied to the target position higher than the predetermined height H0.

When supplying the target position higher than the predetermined height H0, the control unit 122 determines the time until the imprint material 102 is supplied after the imprint material 102 supplied with the predetermined height H0 is discharged. Correct to T + ΔT. The ejection timing is delayed by ΔT shown in Expression (4).
ΔT = L1 / V1-H1 / V2 (4)

  For the position to be supplied next to the position A, the time from when the imprint material 102 discharged toward the position A is discharged until the next imprint material is discharged may be (T + 2 · ΔT). . By correcting the ejection timing each time the imprint material 102 is ejected, it is possible to correct the supply position shift.

  The control unit 122 corrects the supply condition, so that the imprint material 102 can be supplied to the target position on the substrate 101 more accurately than in the past when the distance between the discharge port 116a and the substrate has a distribution. . Thereby, the imprint apparatus 100 can form a good pattern with few pattern defects as a pattern of the cured imprint material 102.

[Third Embodiment]
In the present embodiment, the information regarding the distribution of the distance between the ejection port 116 a and the substrate 101 is a distribution of the difference between the height of the reference position and the height of the target position of the imprint material 102. The supply condition of the imprint material 102 corrected by the control unit 122 is the ejection timing of the imprint material 102. Regarding the configuration of the imprint apparatus 100, the parts not described are the same as those in the first embodiment. Of the imprint method according to the embodiment, only the step S103 different from the first embodiment will be described.

  As information on the position of the surface of the substrate 101 in the Z-axis direction, the surface shape of the substrate 101 is measured. The measurement unit 126 outputs information on the surface shape of the substrate 101 as shown in FIG. 9 to the control unit 122. The surface shape is information relating to the shape of the substrate 101 in the out-of-plane direction (in this embodiment, the Z-axis direction and the thickness direction of the substrate). The distance between the measurement unit 126 and the surface of the substrate 101 is measured at a plurality of locations on the substrate 101, and the three-dimensional surface shape of the substrate 101 is calculated based on the measurement result.

  Information on the out-of-plane displacement of each position of the surface of the substrate 101 (surface to be measured, surface facing the mold 103) with respect to the reference surface 201, which is a virtual flat surface, is obtained. The center of the reference plane 201 is called a reference position.

  FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the substrate 101 in the X-axis direction, showing the relationship between the reference plane 201 (broken line) and the position of the surface of the substrate 101 (solid line) at each X position.

  The control unit 122 determines the distribution of the difference ΔH between the height of the reference position and the height of the target position of the imprint material 102. FIG. 9 illustrates a difference ΔH between the target positions C (X, Y). When the discharge speed of the resin from the discharge means 115 is V2, the dwell time is shorter by ΔH / V2 than the reference position.

  Therefore, the control unit 122 may correct the ejection timing so that the ejection timing is advanced by ΔT = ΔH / V2. The controller 122 corrects the discharge timing in the same manner when discharging to other target positions. In this way, the control unit 122 sets the discharge timing of the imprint material 102 supplied to the target position lower than the predetermined height to be higher than the discharge timing of the imprint material 102 supplied to the target position higher than the predetermined height. Correct to make it faster.

  The control unit 122 corrects the supply condition, so that the imprint material 102 can be supplied to the target position on the substrate 101 more accurately than in the past when the distance between the discharge port 116a and the substrate has a distribution. . Thereby, the imprint apparatus 100 can form a good pattern with few pattern defects as a pattern of the cured imprint material 102.

  In the second embodiment and the third embodiment, the ejection timing to be corrected may not be a time interval. When the timing for discharging the imprint material 102 is managed by time, the control unit 122 sets the time for discharging the imprint material 102 supplied to the target position higher than the predetermined height H0 to the time before correction. Advance. In addition, the control unit 122 corrects the time for discharging the imprint material 102 supplied to the target position lower than the predetermined height H0 to be later than the time before correction.

  In this case, whether the discharge timing is early / slow is when the distance between the position (X, Y) of the discharge port 116a and the position (X, Y) of the target position in the XY plane is large / small, sometimes from the discharge port 116a. It means discharging. Even when the ejection timing is corrected in this way, the imprint material 102 can be accurately supplied to the target position on the substrate 101 by the control unit 122 correcting the supply conditions.

[Fourth Embodiment]
In the present embodiment, the information regarding the distribution of the distance between the ejection port 116 a and the substrate 101 is a distribution of the difference between the height of the reference position and the height of the target position of the imprint material 102. Since the description of the reference position is the same as that of the third embodiment, the description is omitted. The supply condition of the imprint material 102 corrected by the control unit 122 is the ejection speed of the imprint material 102. Regarding the configuration of the imprint apparatus 100, the parts not described are the same as those in the first embodiment.

  The ejection speed is corrected by changing the drive waveform of the voltage applied to the piezo element. The controller 122 increases the discharge speed of the imprint material 102 supplied to the target position lower than the predetermined height higher than the discharge speed of the imprint material 102 supplied to the target position higher than the predetermined height. Of the imprint method according to the embodiment, only the step S103 different from the first embodiment will be described.

  Before the discharge speed is corrected, an example will be described in which the discharge means 115 discharges the imprint material 102 at the discharge speed V2 while the substrate stage 111 moves in the + X direction at the speed V1. When the height of the target position of the substrate 101 is lower than the height H0 of the reference position, the control unit 122 increases the discharge speed higher than V2. Specifically, when the target position is lower than the height H0 by ΔH, the discharge time at which the dwell time Δt from when the imprint material 102 is discharged to when it is supplied to the substrate 101 = (H0 + ΔH) / V is satisfied. Correct to V.

  Similarly, when the height of the target position of the substrate 101 is higher than the height H0, the control unit 122 makes the discharge speed smaller than V2. Specifically, when the target position is higher than the height H0 by ΔH, the discharge speed V is corrected to satisfy Δt = (H0−ΔH) / V.

  As described above, the control unit 122 corrects the discharge speed based on the information on the distribution of the distance between the discharge port 116 a and the substrate 101. Thereby, the shift | offset | difference of the supply position of the imprint material 102 with respect to a target position can be reduced. Therefore, the imprint apparatus 100 can form the pattern of the cured imprint material 102 with high accuracy.

[Fifth Embodiment]
In the fifth embodiment, an imaging unit 121 and a control unit 122 are used instead of the measurement unit 126 as measurement means for measuring the position of the surface of the substrate 101 in the height direction. The imaging unit 121 is used as an imaging unit that captures an image of the imprint material 102 that is ejected at different timings from the ejection unit 115 and supplied to at least two locations of the substrate 101 while the substrate 101 is moving.

  Further, the control unit 122 is used as a calculation unit that calculates the positions of the at least two locations by performing image processing on the imaging result of the imaging unit 121. Regarding the configuration of the imprint apparatus 100, the parts not described are the same as those in the first embodiment. Thereby, the Z position of the surface of the substrate 101 is measured.

  10A is a view of the discharge means 115 and the substrate stage 111 as viewed from the + Z direction, FIG. 10B is a view from the −Y direction, and FIG. 10C is a view as viewed from the + X direction.

  As shown in FIG. 10B, the discharge means 115 discharges the imprint material 102 at the discharge speed V2 while the substrate stage 111 moves at the speed V1 in the + X direction. A case will be described in which the substrate 101 is inclined in one direction by an angle θ in the rotational component ωY direction around the Y axis and an angle φ in the rotational component ωX direction around the X axis. FIG. 10C shows two discharge ports 116a and 116b provided at a distance W in a direction perpendicular to the moving direction of the substrate stage 111 (Y-axis direction).

  The method for obtaining the angle θ and the angle φ will be described below. First, while moving the substrate 101 to the substrate stage 111 at a constant speed V1, the discharge means 115 simultaneously discharges the imprint material 102 from the discharge ports 116a and 116b at time T1. The discharge port 116a discharges the imprint material 102 again after a predetermined time T has elapsed (time T2) after the imprint material 102 has been discharged first. That is, the discharge ports 116a discharge to at least two places on the substrate 101 at different timings.

The imaging unit 121 images the substrate 101 supplied with the imprint material 102. FIG. 11A shows a state when an image is taken. The position 311 is the position of the imprint material 102 discharged from the discharge port 116a at time T1. The position 312 is the imprint material 102 discharged from the discharge port 116a at time T2. Position 313 is imprint material 102 discharged from the discharge port 116 b at time T1.

  Next, the imaging unit 121 performs image processing on the imaging result, and the control unit 122 calculates the positions (X, Y) of the positions 311, 312, and 313. The control unit 122 calculates the angle θ and the angle φ using the information of the calculated positions 311, 312, and 313. A method of calculating the angle θ and the angle φ will be described with reference to FIGS. 11A and 11B.

The distance between the position 311 and the position 312 is L ′. The distance L ′ is longer by ΔL ′ = L′−L = L′−V1 · T than the distance L = V1 · T that the substrate stage 111 travels at the speed V1 during the time T. This has the difference distance H in the height of only the landing position amount that the surface shape of the substrate 101 is inclined an angle θ with respect to the horizontal plane, the flight duration t 1 of the imprint material 102 discharged at time T1, This is because the dwell time t2 of the imprint material 102 discharged at time T2 is different.

Since the difference in flight time ΔT = t2−t1 = H / V2, the distance H = (L′−V1 · T) · V2 / V1 is established. The control unit 122 calculates the angle θ by calculating Expression (10).
θ = tan ⁻¹ (H / L ′) = tan ⁻¹ {(L′−V1 · T) · V2 / (V1 · L ′)} (10)

  The control unit 122 calculates the angle φ using information on the obtained positions 311 and 313.

And X position of the position 311, the X position of the position 31 3 are separated by a distance D1. This is because the dwell time becomes longer as the surface shape of the substrate 101 is inclined by the angle φ with respect to the horizontal plane, and the substrate 101 is moved in the X-axis direction as the dwell time becomes longer. The relational expression D1 / V1 = W · tan (φ) / V2 is established. Therefore, the control unit 122 calculates the angle φ by calculating Expression (11).
φ = tan ⁻¹ {(D1 · V2 / (V1 / W)}} (11)

  As described above, the control unit 122 can calculate the angle θ and the angle φ of the substrate 101. In addition, the control unit 122 can calculate the shift ΔL between the position 312 and the ideal position 320 and calculate the Z position of the position 311. Further, the Z positions of the positions 312, 313 are calculated using the positions 312, 313, the angle θ, and the angle φ. Thereby, the Z position of the positions 311, 312, and 313 substrate 101 is measured (determined).

  The control unit 122 determines information on the distribution of the distance between the ejection port 116a and the substrate 101 based on the Z positions of the positions 311, 312, and 313, and corrects the imprint material supply conditions. Since the detailed correction method is the same as that of the first embodiment, the description thereof is omitted.

  The control unit 122 corrects the supply condition, so that the imprint material 102 can be supplied to the target position on the substrate 101 more accurately than in the past when the distance between the discharge port 116a and the substrate has a distribution. . Thereby, the imprint apparatus 100 can form a good pattern with few pattern defects as a pattern of the cured imprint material 102. In the case of the present embodiment, since both the imaging unit 121 and the control unit 122 are used for imprint processing of the cured imprint material 102, an increase in mounting like the measurement unit 126 can be suppressed.

  Before measuring the position where the imprint material 102 is discharged using the imaging unit 121, it is preferable to irradiate the substrate 101 with ultraviolet rays 105 to cure the imprint material 102. The accuracy of position measurement of the imprint material 102 can be improved during image processing by the control unit 122.

  The substrate 101 used for measurement may be the same as the substrate (process wafer) used for imprint processing, or a different substrate (bare wafer) may be used.

  When a process wafer is used, the moving condition of the substrate stage 111 and the discharge time interval of the imprint material 102 so that the imprint material 102 is supplied onto the scribe line, avoiding the area where the imprint material 102 forms a pattern in the imprint process. Can be adjusted. In the case where a bare wafer is used, it is preferably a dedicated substrate for measurement, which has been subjected to a material or processing that increases the contact angle of the imprint material 102. For example, it is preferable to use a substrate coated with a fluorine-based material.

  By adjusting the time T so that the distance L becomes smaller, the inclination for each of the plurality of regions of the substrate 101 may be measured. The controller 122 may calculate the three-dimensional shape of the substrate 101 by performing a complementary operation on the measurement results in a plurality of regions. The number of discharge ports 116a used for measurement is not limited to two. The surface shape of the substrate 101 may be measured over a wide range using all the discharge ports. For example, when it is known that there is no angle φ, only the discharge port 116a may be used when measurement is not necessary.

[Other Embodiments]
The imprint apparatus 100 includes the information related to the distribution of the distance between the ejection port 116a and the substrate 101, the supply conditions of the imprint material 102 corrected by the control unit 122, and the measurement units described in the above embodiments. You may combine suitably. Even in the imprint apparatus 100 according to the combined embodiment, the imprint material 102 can be accurately supplied to the target position on the substrate 101.

  As supply conditions for correcting the deviation of the supply position, for example, the following conditions can be given. The movement speed of the substrate stage 111 while the imprint material 102 is supplied onto the substrate 101, the discharge speed of the imprint material 102 from the discharge port 116a, and the discharge timing of the imprint material 102 from the discharge port 116a. You may correct | amend at least 1 supply condition among these supply conditions combining the correction | amendment of multiple types of supply conditions.

  For the correction of the supply conditions by the control unit 122, different correction amounts may be applied to the plurality of ejection ports 116a.

  As an imprint method according to the embodiment, the measurement unit 126 may be disposed outside the imprint apparatus 100. In this case, the information output from the measurement unit 126 to the control unit 122 may be the surface shape of the substrate 101.

  The control unit 122 may be installed in a casing common to other components of the imprint apparatus 100 or may be installed outside the casing. In addition, the control unit 122 may be a collection of control boards that are different for each control object and each function (a function as a calculation unit, a function as a determination unit, a function as a correction unit, and the like).

  The substrate 101 is made of glass, ceramics, metal, semiconductor, imprint material, or the like, and a member made of a material different from the substrate may be formed on the surface as necessary. Specifically, the substrate 101 is a silicon wafer, a compound semiconductor wafer, quartz glass, or the like.

  As the imprint material 102, a curable composition (which may be referred to as an uncured imprint material) that is cured when energy for curing is applied is used. As the energy for curing, electromagnetic waves, heat, or the like is used. The electromagnetic wave is, for example, light such as infrared light, visible light, or ultraviolet light whose wavelength is selected from a range of 10 nm to 1 mm.

  A curable composition is a composition which hardens | cures by irradiation of light or by heating. Among these, the photocurable composition cured by light contains at least a polymerizable compound and a photopolymerization initiator, and may contain a non-polymerizable compound or a solvent as necessary. The non-polymerizable compound is at least one selected from the group consisting of a sensitizer, a hydrogen donor, an internal release agent, a surfactant, an antioxidant, and a polymer component.

  The imprint material 102 may be applied onto the substrate 101 in the form of droplets, or in the form of islands or films formed by connecting a plurality of droplets. The imprint material has a viscosity (viscosity at 25 ° C.) of, for example, 1 mPa · s or more and 100 mPa · s or less.

[Application to article manufacturing]
The pattern of the cured product formed using the imprint apparatus 100 is used permanently on at least a part of various articles or temporarily used when manufacturing various articles.

  The article is an electric circuit element, an optical element, a MEMS, a recording element, a sensor, or a mold. Examples of the electric circuit elements include volatile or nonvolatile semiconductor memories such as DRAM, SRAM, flash memory, and MRAM, and semiconductor elements such as LSI, CCD, image sensor, and FPGA. Examples of the mold include an imprint mold.

  The pattern of the cured product is used as it is as a constituent member of at least a part of the article or temporarily used as a resist mask. After etching or ion implantation or the like is performed in the substrate processing step, the resist mask is removed.

  As mentioned above, although preferable embodiment of this invention was described, it cannot be overemphasized that this invention is not limited to these embodiment, A various deformation | transformation and change are possible within the range of the summary.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 Imprint apparatus 101 Substrate 102 Imprint material 103 Type 111 Substrate stage (moving means)
115 Discharge means 116a Discharge port 122 Control unit (determination means, correction means)
126 Measuring unit (measuring means)

Claims (11)

An imprint apparatus for forming a pattern of an imprint material on a substrate using a mold, including a discharge port, and supplying means for discharging the imprint material from the discharge port and supplying the imprint material to the substrate ,
Measuring means for measuring information about the position in the height direction of the surface of the substrate;
Moving means for relatively moving the substrate and the discharge port;
The measuring unit images the imprint material discharged from the discharge port at different timings and supplied to at least two locations of the substrate while the moving unit relatively moves the substrate and the discharge port. An imaging unit; and a calculation unit that calculates a distance between the ejection port and each of the at least two locations by performing image processing on an imaging result of the imaging unit,
The supply means supplies the imprint material based on the distance calculated by the calculation means so that a deviation from a target supply position of the imprint material in a plane perpendicular to the height direction is reduced. A characteristic imprint apparatus.   The imprint apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the supply unit supplies an imprint material based on information on a distribution of a distance between the ejection port and the substrate obtained from the measurement result. A correction unit that corrects the supply condition of the imprint material by the supply unit;
It said supply means, the imprint apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that to supply the imprint material in the supply condition in which the correction means has corrected. The supply conditions include a relative movement speed between the substrate and the discharge port during supply of the imprint material to at least two locations of the substrate, a discharge speed of the imprint material from the discharge port, and from the discharge port. The imprint apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the imprint apparatus is at least one of the discharge timing of the imprint material. The supply condition is the discharge timing of the imprint material from the discharge port, and the correction unit sets the discharge timing of the imprint material to be supplied to a target supply position lower than a predetermined height from the predetermined height. The imprint apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the imprint apparatus is set earlier than a discharge timing of the imprint material supplied to a high target supply position. The supply condition is a discharge speed of the imprint material from the discharge port, and the correction unit sets the discharge speed of the imprint material supplied to a target supply position lower than a predetermined height higher than the predetermined height. The imprint apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the imprint apparatus is set to be higher than a discharge speed of the imprint material supplied to the target supply position. The supply condition is a relative movement speed between the substrate and the discharge port while supplying the imprint material to at least two places on the substrate, and the correction unit is set to a target supply position lower than a predetermined height. The imprint material according to claim 3 , wherein the moving speed when supplying the imprint material is made larger than the moving speed when supplying the imprint material to a target supply position higher than the predetermined height. Printing device. 3. The imprint apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the information related to the distribution of the distance between the ejection port and the substrate is a distribution of a difference between a height of a reference position and a height of a target supply position of the imprint material. . 3. The imprint according to claim 2 , wherein the information regarding the distribution of the distance between the discharge port and the substrate is a distribution of a distance in a height direction from the discharge port to a target supply position of the imprint material. apparatus. An imprint method for forming a pattern of an imprint material on a substrate using a mold, the step of measuring information on the position in the height direction of the surface of the substrate;
Based on the measurement result in the step of measuring, determining a supply condition of the imprint material so that the deviation from the target supply position of the imprint material in a plane perpendicular to the height direction is reduced,
Supplying an imprint material to the substrate based on the supply conditions determined in the determining step;
Curing the imprint material in a state where the supplied imprint material and the mold are in contact with each other;
Separating the mold and the cured imprint material,
The measuring step includes
An imaging step of imaging the imprint material discharged from the discharge port at different timings and supplied to at least two locations of the substrate while the substrate and the discharge port for discharging the imprint material are relatively moved ; A calculation step of calculating a distance between the discharge port and each of the at least two locations by performing image processing on the imaging result of the imaging step,
The step of determining the supply condition determines an imprint material supply condition based on the distance calculated in the calculation step . Forming a pattern on a substrate using the imprint apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 9 ,
Processing the substrate after the step;
A method for producing an article comprising:

Images