JP6700771B2 - Imprint apparatus and article manufacturing method - Google Patents

Description

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

  The imprint technology is being put to practical use as one of the lithography technologies for manufacturing articles such as magnetic storage media and semiconductor devices. In the imprint apparatus, since the pattern is formed by bringing the mold into contact with the imprint material on the substrate, a pattern defect is more likely to occur in principle than the conventional exposure apparatus, and reduction of this defect is a problem. ..

  One of the causes of pattern defects is that bubbles are easily trapped between the mold and the imprint material when the pattern portion of the mold is brought into contact with the imprint material. When the imprint material is cured with air bubbles remaining, unfilled defects occur in the formed pattern.

  Another cause of pattern defects is adhesion of foreign matter (particles) to the pattern surface of the mold. When the particles adhere to the pattern surface, the pattern formed on the substrate is distorted and a transfer defect occurs, which may damage the mold depending on the degree.

  In order to solve these problems, Patent Document 1 promotes the disappearance of bubbles by supplying a functional gas between the mold and the imprint material, and forms an air curtain from the outer peripheral portion of the mold toward the substrate. By doing so, a technology is disclosed that makes it difficult for foreign matter to enter between the mold and the substrate from the outside.

JP, 2014-056854, A

  Here, when the functional gas is supplied to the gap between the mold and the substrate and the air curtain airflow is formed on the substrate, the functional gas and the air curtain airflow may be mixed. .. When the functional gas and the air curtain air flow are mixed, the concentration of the functional gas in the gap between the mold and the substrate cannot be sufficiently increased, and the imprint material is not filled in the pattern part of the mold, causing a defect. The possibility increases. Therefore, there is a need for a gas curtain structure that can prevent foreign matter from adhering to the substrate without hindering the filling of the imprint space with the functional gas.

  It is an exemplary object of the present invention to provide an imprint apparatus that is advantageous in terms of accurate pattern formation.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an imprinting device that forms a pattern using a mold on an imprint material on a substrate, the facing member being arranged around the mold and facing the substrate, A first supply unit configured to supply a first gas between the mold and the substrate through a first supply port disposed between the mold and the facing member, and a first supply unit disposed in the facing member. A second supply part for supplying a second gas from the two supply ports between the facing member and the substrate, and the surface of the facing member facing the substrate has the first supply port and the A groove is formed at a position between the second supply port and the second gas flowing from the second supply port toward the mold flows through the groove. It

  According to the present invention, for example, it is possible to provide an imprint apparatus which is advantageous in terms of accurate pattern formation.

1 is a configuration diagram of an imprint apparatus according to an embodiment. The figure explaining the air flow by the groove part in embodiment. The figure which shows the example of the shape of the outer peripheral edge of the groove part in embodiment. The block diagram of the imprint apparatus in a modification.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments, but merely shows specific examples advantageous for carrying out the present invention. In addition, not all combinations of features described in the following embodiments are essential for solving the problems of the present invention.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of an imprint apparatus 1 according to this embodiment. The imprint apparatus 1 is used for manufacturing an article such as a semiconductor device, and is an apparatus for forming a pattern on a substrate by bringing an imprint material on a substrate to be processed into contact with a mold to cure the imprint material. Is. In the present embodiment, a photo-curing method of curing the imprint material by irradiation of ultraviolet rays is adopted, but the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, a thermosetting method of curing the imprint material by heat input may be adopted. it can. In the drawings, the Z axis is parallel to the optical axis of the illumination system that irradiates the imprint material on the substrate with ultraviolet rays, and the X axis and the Y axis are orthogonal to each other in a plane perpendicular to the Z axis.

  The light irradiation unit 20 irradiates the imprint material 8 (for example, photocurable resin) with the ultraviolet light 21 during the imprint process. Although not shown, the light irradiation section 20 may include an exposure light source and an optical element that adjusts the ultraviolet light 21 emitted from the exposure light source to light suitable for imprinting. The mold 4 is made of a material having a rectangular outer peripheral shape, such as quartz glass, which transmits the ultraviolet rays 21. The mold 4 includes a pattern portion 5 in which a predetermined pattern such as a circuit pattern is formed on the surface facing the substrate 2.

  The mold holding unit 6 includes a drive mechanism that moves the mold 4 while holding the mold 4. The mold holding unit 6 can hold the mold 4 by attracting the outer peripheral region of the irradiation surface of the ultraviolet ray 21 in the mold 4 with a vacuum suction force or an electrostatic force. The mold holding unit 6 moves the mold 4 in each axial direction so that the mold 4 and the imprint material 8 on the substrate 2 can be selectively contacted (pressed) and separated (released). Further, in order to cope with highly accurate positioning of the mold 4, the mold 4 may be composed of a plurality of drive systems such as a coarse drive system and a fine drive system. Further, not only the Z-axis direction but also the X-axis direction, the Y-axis direction, the position adjustment function of each axis in the θ direction, the tilt function for correcting the tilt of the mold 4, and the like may be provided. The pressing and releasing operations in the imprint apparatus 1 may be realized by moving the mold 4 in the Z-axis direction, or may be realized by moving the substrate stage 3 in the Z-axis direction. Alternatively, both may be relatively moved.

  The substrate 2 is, for example, a single crystal silicon substrate or an SOI (Silicon on Insulator) substrate, and an ultraviolet curable imprint material 8 that is pattern-formed on the surface to be processed by the pattern portion 5 formed in the mold 4. Is applied. The substrate stage 3 holds the substrate 2 and aligns the mold 4 and the imprint material 8 when the mold 4 and the imprint material 8 on the substrate 2 contact each other. The substrate stage 3 also has a stage drive mechanism (not shown) that is movable in each axial direction. The stage drive mechanism may be composed of a plurality of drive systems such as a coarse drive system and a fine drive system in each of the X-axis and Y-axis directions. Furthermore, there may be a configuration having a drive system for position adjustment in the Z-axis direction, a position adjustment function for the substrate 2 in the θ direction, or a tilt function for correcting the tilt of the substrate 2.

  In the present embodiment, a facing member 15 that faces the substrate 2 is arranged around the mold 4. The facing member 15 is arranged so as to always face the substrate 2 within the moving range of the substrate stage 3. The ejection unit 7 (dispenser) is installed in the vicinity of the mold holding unit 6, for example, inside the facing member 15, and ejects (supplies) the imprint material 8 onto the substrate 2. The imprint material 8 is a photocurable composition having a property of being cured by receiving the ultraviolet rays 21, and can be appropriately selected depending on various conditions such as a semiconductor device manufacturing process. Further, the amount of the imprint material 8 ejected from the ejection unit 7 and the distribution on the substrate are also appropriately determined depending on the desired thickness of the imprint material 8 formed on the substrate 2, the density of the formed pattern, and the like. It

  The imprint apparatus 1 includes a first supply unit that supplies the first gas 13 to the gap between the mold 4 and the imprint material 8 on the substrate 2 when the die is pressed. This is to improve the filling property by shortening the time for filling the imprint material 8 into the concave-convex pattern of the pattern portion 5 and preventing the bubbles from remaining in the filled portion. .. The first supply unit includes a first gas supply source 14 and a first gas nozzle 12 (first supply port) connected to the first gas supply source 14. The first gas nozzle 12 is arranged between the mold 4 and the facing member 15. For example, the first gas nozzle 12 may be arranged inside the mold holding unit 6. The first gas nozzle 12 may be provided so as to be adjacent to only one side surface of the mold 4, or may be provided so as to surround the periphery of the mold 4. Here, as the first gas 13, a condensable gas that is liquefied by the pressure increase in the space between the mold and the substrate at the time of pressing, or a gas that is excellent in diffusivity and solubility in the imprint material from the viewpoint of filling property. Can be adopted. Specifically, for example, nitrogen, helium, carbon dioxide, hydrogen, xenon, pentafluoropropane, etc. can be adopted.

  After the imprint material 8 is applied to the substrate 2 in the state of FIG. 1A, the mold 4 and the substrate 2 are positioned in a predetermined positional relationship as shown in FIG. 1B. After that, the mold holding unit 6 moves in the −Z direction, the pattern unit 5 contacts the imprint material 8, and the imprint material 8 on the substrate 2 is molded.

  Here, if the pattern portion 5 is brought into contact with the imprint material 8 while foreign matter such as particles is attached to the shot area on the substrate 2 or the pattern portion 5, the pattern portion 5 may be damaged. Although the imprint apparatus is placed in a clean environment for manufacturing semiconductor devices, it is difficult to eliminate the generation of foreign matter at all. The foreign matter may be generated by the material itself forming the imprint apparatus, sliding between the materials, bringing in from the outside of the imprint apparatus, or the like. Although it depends on the pattern size and pattern depth of the pattern portion 5, if there is a foreign substance having a size equal to or larger than the half pitch size, the possibility of pattern defect occurrence increases.

  Therefore, the imprint apparatus 1 further includes a second supply unit that supplies the second gas 10 to the gap between the facing member 15 and the substrate 2. The second supply unit includes a second gas supply source 11 and a second gas nozzle 9 (second supply port) connected to the second gas supply source 11. The second gas nozzle 9 is arranged in the facing member 15. The second gas nozzle 9 may be provided so as to surround the mold 4. By blowing the second gas 10 such as air toward the substrate 2, it is possible to prevent foreign matter from entering the imprint space. The second gas 10 blown from the second gas nozzle 9 onto the substrate 2 is generated by the air flow as indicated by the arrow pointing from the gap space between the mold 4 and the opposing member 15 and the substrate 2 toward the outer peripheral side of the substrate stage 3. Form a gas curtain such as an air curtain.

  Here, as shown in FIG. 1A, after the imprint material 8 is applied to the substrate 2, the gap between the mold 4 and the imprint material 8 is filled with the first gas 13. The first gas 13 is drawn below the mold 4 by the Couette flow. In this case, the second gas 10 blown out from the second gas nozzle 9 forms an air flow from the space sandwiched between the substrate 2 and the facing member 15 toward the outer peripheral side of the substrate stage 3. Since the facing member 15 is arranged so as to always face the substrate 2 within the moving range of the substrate stage 3, an air flow is formed by the second gas 10 toward the outer peripheral side of the substrate stage 3. However, if the airflow is generated even in the region where the first gas 13 is supplied, the first gas 13 and the second gas 10 are mixed and the concentration of the first gas 13 is reduced, which causes imprinting. The filling property of the material 8 may also decrease.

  Therefore, in the imprint apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 1A, 1B, 2 and 3, the first gas nozzle 13 and the second gas nozzle 9 in the facing member 15 are provided. A flow path is provided between. This flow path bypasses the space (imprint space) between the mold 4 and the substrate 2 (imprint material 8) for the second gas 10 flowing from the second gas nozzle 9 toward the mold 4. Configured to guide. Here, the first gas bypasses at least the space between the pattern portion 5 of the mold 4 and the substrate 2. Such a flow path can be configured by, for example, the groove portion 16 formed on the surface of the facing member 15 facing the substrate 2.

  The opening width w1 of the groove portion 16 is wider than the distance (Z-axis direction distance) h1 between the substrate 2 and the facing member 15. Therefore, the second gas 10 that has flowed between the substrate 2 and the facing member 15 in the direction in which the first gas nozzle 12 (mold 4) flows preferentially flows into the groove portion 16 in which it is easier to flow. The flow below 12 is suppressed. In particular, the distance between the substrate 2 and the facing member 15 is for moving the region to which the imprint material is supplied to below the pattern portion 5 of the mold 4 after applying the imprint material on the substrate 2. Is the distance when the substrate stage 3 is moving. The groove 16 is formed so as to surround the mold 4 and the first gas nozzle 12, as shown in FIG. 2. Inside the groove 16, for example, a space 16b wider than the opening 16a is formed. That is, the cross section of the groove portion 16 is formed in a shape having a width wider than the opening width w1. As a result, the second gas 10 that has flowed into the groove portion 16 is on the opposite side (other than the inflow point) with the space 16b as a detour, as shown by the dotted arrow 16c in FIGS. 1(a), 1(b), and 3. Out of the opening 16a. Therefore, the second gas 10 supplied from the outside of the groove 16 can form an airflow that bypasses the space 16b inside the groove 16 and flows toward the outer peripheral side of the substrate stage 3 without decreasing the flow rate thereof.

  The larger the opening width w1 of the groove 16 is, the more the effect of bypassing the airflow can be expected to be improved. However, if the opening width w1 becomes, for example, 10 times or more the distance h1 between the substrate 2 and the facing member 15, the detouring effect of the airflow is improved, which causes disturbance in forming the gas curtain airflow, and the effect of preventing foreign matter intrusion. The adverse effect of decreasing the value becomes larger. That is, if the opening width w1 of the groove 16 is 10 times or less the distance h1 between the substrate 2 and the facing member 15, the detouring effect of the airflow can be improved so as not to be a disturbance in forming the gas curtain airflow. it can. According to the study by the inventor, in order to more surely improve the bypass effect of the air flow so as not to be a disturbance in forming the gas curtain air flow, the opening width w1 of the groove portion 16 is set to face the substrate 2. The distance h1 to the member 15 is preferably twice or less.

  Regarding the shape of the opening 16a of the groove 16, as shown in FIG. 3, the end 17 on the outer peripheral side of the inflow side or the outflow side of the second gas 10 may be inclined toward the inner peripheral side. At this time, the end portion on the inner peripheral side of the groove portion 16 may be made a right angle within the range of machining. The inclination of the end portion 17 on the outer peripheral side may be a square surface structure or a round surface structure. By inclining the end portion 17 on the outer peripheral side, the inflowing second gas 10 can be more easily drawn in, and the outflowing second gas 10 can be more easily discharged.

  In the above-described embodiment, the first gas 13 is drawn below the mold 4 by utilizing the Couette flow accompanying the movement of the substrate stage 3, so that the first gas 13 disposed on the side of the substrate stage 3 before the movement with respect to the mold 4 is The gas nozzle 12 is used. Here, the plurality of first gas nozzles 12 may be arranged so as to surround the mold 4. For example, as shown in FIG. 1B, after the imprint material 8 is conveyed to a position right below the pattern portion 5 and the substrate stage 3 is stopped, all or part of the first gas nozzle 12 surrounding the mold 4 is removed. The first gas 13 may be used and the supply of the first gas 13 may be continued.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, the structure of the gas curtain that can suppress the adhesion of foreign matter on the substrate without hindering the filling of the imprint space with the first gas is realized. This makes it possible to provide an imprinting device that is advantageous in terms of accurate pattern formation.

  Hereinafter, modified examples will be shown. For example, as shown in FIG. 4, an injection unit 18 to which a third gas supply source 19 is connected to supply gas to the groove 16 may be provided. Since the groove portion 16 has a complicated shape as compared with the surrounding facing member 15, when a foreign matter enters the inside, the foreign matter is likely to remain as it is. If a gas curtain is formed when the first gas is supplied while foreign matter remains inside the groove 16, the possibility that the foreign matter will move due to the second gas 10 flowing in the groove 16 and adhere to the substrate 2 increases. In particular, when the substrate 2 is not located under the groove portion 16, no gas curtain airflow is formed, so that there is a high possibility that foreign matter will enter the inside of the groove portion 16. Therefore, when the substrate 2 is not located under the groove portion 16, air is jetted from the jetting portion 18. This can prevent foreign matter from entering the inside of the groove portion 16. Further, even if foreign matter remains inside the groove portion 16, the foreign matter can be removed by injecting air from the injecting unit 18.

<Embodiment of Manufacturing Method of Article>
The method for producing an article according to the embodiment of the present invention is suitable for producing an article such as a microdevice such as a semiconductor device or an element having a fine structure. The method of manufacturing an article according to the present embodiment includes a step of forming a pattern on an imprint material on a substrate using the above imprint apparatus (a step of performing an imprint process on the substrate), and a substrate on which a pattern is formed in the step. And a step of processing (the substrate on which the imprint process is performed). Furthermore, the manufacturing method includes other well-known steps (oxidation, film formation, vapor deposition, doping, planarization, etching, resist stripping, dicing, bonding, packaging, etc.). The article manufacturing method of the present embodiment is advantageous in at least one of the performance, quality, productivity, and production cost of the article as compared with the conventional method.

1: Imprinting device, 2: Substrate, 3: Substrate stage, 4: Mold, 5: Pattern part, 7: Discharge part, 8: Imprint material, 9: Second gas nozzle, 12: First gas nozzle, 15 : Facing member, 16: groove

Claims (11)

An imprint apparatus for forming a pattern using a mold on an imprint material on a substrate,
A facing member that is arranged around the mold and faces the substrate;
A first supply unit configured to supply a first gas between the mold and the substrate from a first supply port arranged between the mold and the facing member;
A second supply unit configured to supply a second gas between the counter member and the substrate from a second supply port arranged in the counter member;
Have
Wherein the surface facing the substrate of the opposing member, the which grooves are formed at a position between the first supply port and said second supply port, flows toward the mold from the second supply port The imprint apparatus, wherein the second gas flows through the groove . The imprint apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the groove guides a space between the mold and the substrate so as to bypass the space . The grooves, the type and imprint apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it is formed so as to surround the first supply port. The imprint apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , wherein an opening width of the groove is wider than a distance between the facing member and the substrate.   The imprint apparatus according to claim 4, wherein an opening width of the groove is 10 times or less a distance between the facing member and the substrate.   The imprint apparatus according to claim 5, wherein an opening width of the groove is equal to or less than twice a distance between the facing member and the substrate.   The imprint apparatus according to claim 4, wherein a cross section of the groove is formed in a shape having a width wider than the opening width.   The imprint apparatus according to any one of claims 4 to 7, wherein an end portion of the opening of the groove on the outer peripheral side is inclined toward the inner peripheral side. 9. The imprint apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an ejection unit that ejects gas into the groove .   10. The imprint apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first gas is a condensable gas that is liquefied by a pressure increase in a space between the mold and the substrate. A step of performing pattern formation on a substrate using the imprint apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 10,
A step of processing the substrate having the pattern formed in the step,
Unrealized, method of manufacturing an article, characterized in that to produce the article from the treated substrate.

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