JP5900589B2 - Imprint mold, alignment method, imprint method, and imprint apparatus - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an imprint mold in which a fine uneven pattern is formed, an alignment method, an imprint method, and an imprint apparatus, and more particularly to an alignment technique using the imprint mold.

  In recent years, especially for semiconductor devices, high speed operation and low power consumption operation are required due to further progress in miniaturization, and high technology such as integration of functions called system LSIs is required. Under such circumstances, the lithography technology that is necessary for producing the pattern of the semiconductor device has become very expensive as the exposure apparatus and the like as the pattern becomes finer, and the price of the mask used therefor also becomes expensive. Yes.

  On the other hand, the nanoimprint method (also called imprint method) proposed by Chou et al. In Princeton University in 1995 is a fine pattern formation technology having a high resolution of about 10 nm while the apparatus price and the materials used are low. (Patent Document 1).

  In the imprint method, a mold (also referred to as a template, a stamper, or a mold) in which a nanometer-sized uneven pattern is formed on a surface in advance is pressed against a resin formed on the surface of a substrate to be transferred such as a semiconductor wafer. Is a technique for transferring the concavo-convex pattern by mechanically deforming the substrate and processing the substrate to be transferred using the resin to which the pattern is transferred as a resist mask. Once the mold is made, the nanostructure can be easily and repeatedly molded, resulting in high throughput and economics, and because it is a nano-processing technology with little harmful waste, not only semiconductor devices in recent years, Application to various fields is expected.

  As such an imprint method, there are known a thermal imprint method in which a concavo-convex pattern is transferred by heat using a thermoplastic resin, and a photo imprint method in which a concavo-convex pattern is transferred by ultraviolet rays using a photocurable resin. (Patent Document 2).

  The optical imprint method can transfer a pattern at a low applied pressure at room temperature, and does not require a heating / cooling cycle like the thermal imprint method and does not cause dimensional changes due to mold or resin heat. It is said that it is excellent in terms of productivity.

  Here, when the concavo-convex pattern is transferred to the transfer substrate using the imprint method as described above, it is necessary to precisely align the mold and the transfer substrate.

  Generally, alignment is performed by optically detecting an alignment mark provided on the mold side and an alignment mark provided on the transfer substrate from the mold side. In general, the alignment mark provided on the mold side is a mark having a step structure obtained by processing the mold into an uneven shape.

  FIGS. 5A and 5B are explanatory views showing an arrangement example of the concave / convex pattern of the conventional imprint mold and the mold-side alignment mark, where FIG. 5A is a schematic plan view and FIG. 5B is a schematic diagram of a cross-sectional structure.

  As shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, the imprint mold 101 has a transfer region 103 having a mesa structure, and the uneven pattern 102 which is a transfer pattern and the mold are formed in the transfer region 103. A side alignment mark 104 is formed.

  In general, the mold 101 is made of synthetic quartz, and the mold-side alignment mark 104 is a mark having a step structure obtained by processing the synthetic quartz of the mold 101 into an uneven shape.

  FIG. 6 is an explanatory view showing an example of an alignment method using a conventional imprint mold, and FIG. 6A is a schematic plan view showing an example of arrangement of a transfer region and a substrate side alignment mark on a transfer substrate. FIG. 6B is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the relationship between the mold and the transfer substrate.

  As shown in FIG. 6 (a), the transfer substrate 111 has a plurality of transfer regions 113, and the uneven pattern 102 formed in the transfer region 103 of the mold 101 by the step-and-repeat method. Imprinting is sequentially performed on the transfer region 113.

  In general, in the step-and-repeat method, the uncured resin 112b is formed in the transferred region 113b to be imprinted immediately before imprinting by an inkjet method or the like, and the cured resin pattern 112a is sequentially formed after imprinting. To go.

  Here, in FIG. 6A, among the 3 × 3 transferred regions 113, the left of the uppermost stage and the central stage is the resin-cured transferred area 113 a, and the center is before the resin is cured. This is the transfer area 113b, and the right and lowermost stages of the center stage indicate the transfer area 113c before resin application.

  Normally, the transferred region 113 is disposed adjacently without providing a gap, and when imprinting is completed, the surface of the transferred substrate 111 is covered with a cured resin. This is to prevent a problem such as the occurrence of foreign matter in the subsequent etching process or the like when an exposed portion where the resin is not applied remains on the surface of the transfer substrate 111.

  In the transferred area 113, substrate-side alignment marks 114 are formed at positions corresponding to the mold-side alignment marks 104 of the mold 101. For example, 3 × 3 transferred areas 113 shown in FIG. Among them, when imprinting is performed on the central transfer area 113b, the alignment is performed such that the substrate side alignment mark 114 in the transfer area 113b and the mold side alignment mark 104 of the mold 101 are overlapped.

  The above alignment will be described in more detail. As shown in FIG. 6B, the mold 101 is brought into contact with the resin 112b on the transfer substrate 111, and the detector 121 optically detects the mold-side alignment mark 104 and the substrate-side alignment mark 114, and the deviation. The mold 101 and the transferred substrate 111 are moved relative to each other so as to correct the above.

  The alignment is performed in a state where the mold 101 is in contact with the resin 112b on the transfer substrate 111. The alignment is performed in a state where the mold 101 is separated from the transfer substrate 111, and then the mold 101 is placed on the transfer substrate 111. This is because a positional shift (so-called lock shift) occurs in the process of bringing the mold 101 into contact with the resin 112b on the transfer substrate 111.

JP-T-2004-504718 JP 2002-93748 A JP 2007-281072 A JP 2007-140460 A JP 2007-103915 A

  However, when the mold is brought into contact with the resin for alignment, the unevenness of the mold side alignment mark is filled with the resin. In such a state, the refractive index of the mold material constituting the mold side alignment mark and the resin Therefore, there is a problem that it is difficult to optically identify the mold side alignment mark.

  In response to this problem, for example, a second alignment mark is formed outside the transfer area of the mold, and the relative position with respect to the first alignment mark in the transfer area is memorized. There is a method of detecting the second alignment mark and the substrate-side alignment mark and performing alignment based on the stored information of the relative position of the first alignment mark (Patent Document 3), or a mold transfer region. A second alignment mark is formed on the surface opposite to the surface or inside the mold, and information on the relative position of the transfer region surface with the first alignment mark is obtained. During alignment, the second alignment mark is not in contact with the resin. Alignment mark and substrate side alignment mark are detected, and alignment is performed based on relative position information with respect to the first alignment mark. The method and (Patent Document 4), how to configure the alignment marks with high refractive index material (Patent Document 5) have been proposed.

  However, since the first alignment mark in the transfer region to be overlapped with the substrate side alignment mark is not directly detected in the method of Patent Document 3 described above, the alignment accuracy may be deteriorated. In the method, in addition to the fear that the alignment accuracy is inferior as described above, a complicated process for forming the second alignment mark on a surface different from the surface having the transfer region is required, which makes it difficult to produce a mold.

  Further, the above-described method of Patent Document 5 requires a process of forming the high refractive index material on a mold and a process of processing the alignment mark structure, and also evaluates reliability such as imprint resistance and cleaning resistance. This is not desirable.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances, and enables alignment of an alignment mark made of the same material as the molding material to be directly optically identified without requiring a complicated process for manufacturing the mold, thereby achieving high alignment. It is an object of the present invention to provide an imprint mold, an alignment method, an imprint method, and an imprint apparatus that can be aligned with accuracy.

  As a result of various studies, the present inventor has formed a mold-side alignment mark in a mesa structure different from the transfer area of the mold in the step-and-repeat type imprint, and the substrate in the transferred area to be imprinted. The present invention has been completed by finding that the above-mentioned problem can be solved by aligning not with the side alignment mark but with the substrate side alignment mark in another transfer area in contact with the transfer area.

That is, according to the first aspect of the present invention, a step-and-repeat imprint method is used to position an uneven transfer pattern on a transfer substrate having a plurality of adjacent transfer regions and substrate-side alignment marks. An imprint mold for transferring together, wherein the first mesa structure has a transfer region in which the uneven transfer pattern is formed, and is different from the first mesa structure. 2 has a mold side alignment mark for alignment with the substrate side alignment mark, the transfer region and the mold side alignment mark are on the same plane, and the mold side alignment mark is When the imprint mold is imprinted on one transferred area on the transferred substrate, the other imprinting area is in contact with the transferred area. The imprint mold is formed in one transfer area on the transfer substrate in the transfer area. The imprint mold is formed in a position opposite to at least one of the substrate-side alignment marks formed in the transfer area. The imprint mold is characterized in that a transfer area mark corresponding portion is formed at a portion overlapping with the position of the substrate side alignment mark formed in the transferred area when imprinting.

  The invention according to claim 2 of the present invention is the imprint according to claim 1, wherein the mold-side alignment mark is formed in a concavo-convex shape made of the same material as the imprint mold. Mold.

  Further, in the invention according to claim 3 of the present invention, the imprint mold according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the mark corresponding portion in the transfer region is a convex shape having a flat upper surface. .

  The invention according to claim 4 of the present invention is characterized in that a pattern that does not interfere with alignment between the substrate side alignment mark and the mold side alignment mark is formed in the mark corresponding to the transfer region. The imprint mold according to claim 1 or 2.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, the first mesa structure has a transfer region in which an uneven transfer pattern is formed, and the mold is formed in a second mesa structure different from the first mesa structure. An imprint mold having a side alignment mark, and a step-and-repeat type imprint alignment method using a transfer substrate having a plurality of adjacent transfer regions and a substrate-side alignment mark, the mold side alignment The mark is formed on the same surface as the transfer area, and other marks that are in contact with the transferred area when the imprint mold is imprinted on one transferred area on the transferred substrate. The transfer area is formed at a position facing at least one of the substrate-side alignment marks formed in the transfer area, In this case, when the imprint mold is imprinted on one transferred area on the transferred substrate, a mark in the transfer area is formed at a position overlapping the position of the substrate side alignment mark formed in the transferred area. A corresponding portion is formed, and the mold-side alignment mark is superimposed on the opposing substrate-side alignment mark, and the amount of misalignment between the two is optically detected, thereby aligning the mold and the transferred substrate. It is an alignment method characterized by performing.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a transfer region in which an uneven transfer pattern is formed on the first mesa structure, and the mold is formed on a second mesa structure different from the first mesa structure. Using the imprint mold having a side alignment mark and a transfer substrate having a plurality of adjacent transfer regions and substrate side alignment marks, the transfer pattern of the imprint mold is aligned with the transfer substrate. A step-and-repeat imprint method for transferring the mold, wherein the mold-side alignment mark is formed on the same surface as the transfer region, and the imprint mold is placed on the substrate to be transferred. The number of substrate-side alignment marks formed in the other transferred area in contact with the transferred area when imprinting in one transferred area It is formed at a position opposed to at least one of them, and is formed in the transfer area when the imprint mold is imprinted on one transfer area on the transfer substrate in the transfer area. The imprint mold in which the transfer area mark corresponding part is formed is used for a portion overlapping the position of the substrate side alignment mark, and an uncured curable resin is formed in one transfer area on the transfer substrate. The imprint mold and the curable resin on the substrate to be transferred are brought into contact with each other, and the mold-side alignment mark and the opposing substrate-side alignment mark are overlaid so that the amount of misalignment between them is increased. After optically detecting and aligning the imprint mold and the transfer substrate relative to each other, the curing is performed. The resin is cured, and then the imprint mold is released, and the process of moving to the next transfer area is repeated to sequentially transfer the imprint mold to a plurality of transfer areas on the transfer substrate. An imprint method is characterized in that a pattern is transferred.

The invention according to claim 7 of the present invention has a transfer region in which an uneven transfer pattern is formed in the first mesa structure, and is molded in a second mesa structure different from the first mesa structure. Using the imprint mold having a side alignment mark and a transfer substrate having a plurality of adjacent transfer regions and substrate side alignment marks, the transfer pattern of the imprint mold is aligned with the transfer substrate. A step-and-repeat type imprint apparatus for transferring the imprint mold, wherein the mold-side alignment mark of the imprint mold is formed on the same surface as the transfer region, and the imprint mold Formed in the other transferred area in contact with the transferred area when imprinted on one transferred area on the transferred substrate The imprint mold is imprinted on one transfer area on the transfer substrate in the transfer area of the imprint mold. The imprint mold is formed at a position facing at least one of the plate side alignment marks. In this case, a portion corresponding to the mark in the transfer region is formed at a portion overlapping with the position of the substrate side alignment mark formed in the transfer region, and a mold holding means for holding the imprint mold, A transferred substrate holding means for holding a transfer substrate; a resin forming means for applying and forming an uncured curable resin on a transferred region on the transferred substrate; and a position of the imprint mold and the transferred substrate. A moving means for relatively moving the imprint mold and the transfer substrate to perform alignment; Detecting means for optically detecting both the mold-side alignment mark of the mold for use and the opposing substrate-side alignment mark of the transferred substrate, the resin forming means, the holding means, the moving means, and the detection Control means for controlling the means, and the detection means detects relative position information between the mold side alignment mark and the opposing substrate side alignment mark, and based on the detected relative position information, In the imprint apparatus, the imprint mold and the transfer substrate are moved and aligned by the moving means via a control means.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to directly optically identify an alignment mark made of the same material as the mold material and formed on the same surface as the transfer area of the mold, and the mold and the transferred substrate with high alignment accuracy. And the transfer pattern can be imprinted.

It is explanatory drawing which shows an example of the mold for imprint which concerns on this invention, (a) is a schematic plan view, (b) shows the schematic diagram of a cross-section. It is explanatory drawing which shows an example of the alignment method using the mold for imprint which concerns on this invention, (a) is a schematic plan view which shows the example of arrangement | positioning of the to-be-transferred area | region and board | substrate side alignment mark in a to-be-transferred substrate, (B) is a cross-sectional schematic diagram which shows the relationship between a mold and a to-be-transferred substrate. It is a typical process figure showing an example of the imprint method using the mold for imprints concerning the present invention. It is the schematic which shows the structure of the imprint apparatus which concerns on this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the example of the conventional mold for imprint, (a) is a schematic plan view, (b) shows the schematic diagram of a cross-section. It is explanatory drawing which shows the example of the alignment method using the mold for the conventional imprint, (a) is a schematic plan view which shows the example of arrangement | positioning of the to-be-transferred area | region and board | substrate side alignment mark in a to-be-transferred substrate, (b ) Is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the relationship between the mold and the substrate to be transferred.

[Imprint mold]
First, the imprint mold according to the present invention will be described.

  1A and 1B are explanatory views showing an example of an imprint mold according to the present invention. FIG. 1A is a schematic plan view, and FIG. 1B is a schematic diagram of a cross-sectional structure.

  As shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, an imprint mold 1 has a mesa structure transfer region 3 and a mesa structure mold side alignment mark 4 on its main surface. In the region 3, a concavo-convex pattern 2 that is a transfer pattern and a transfer region mark corresponding part 5 are formed.

  The concavo-convex pattern 2 in the transfer region 3 and the mold-side alignment mark 4 are formed on the same main surface of the mold original plate, and other portions are etched by leaving the portions of the transfer region 3 and the mold-side alignment mark 4. A groove structure 6 is formed.

  In general, the mold 1 is made of synthetic quartz, the mold-side alignment mark 4 is a stepped structure mark obtained by processing the synthetic quartz of the mold 1 into an uneven shape, and the planar shape thereof is, for example, a rectangular shape or a cross-shaped shape. There are one in which one or more are arranged, and one having a periodic structure such as moire fringes.

  The mold-side alignment mark 4 is formed in another transfer area that is in contact with the transfer area in the up, down, left, and right directions when imprinting the mold 1 on one transfer area on the transfer substrate. It is formed at a position facing the substrate-side alignment mark.

  FIG. 1A shows an example in which the substrate-side alignment mark and the mold-side alignment mark 4 of the transferred region in contact with the diagonal are opposed to the transferred region to be imprinted. Can be used as long as it is a substrate-side alignment mark provided in the transfer region that is in contact with the transfer region to be imprinted in the vertical, horizontal, and diagonal directions. Accordingly, the arrangement position of the mold side alignment mark 4 also changes appropriately. The position of the substrate side alignment mark will be described in detail in the description of the alignment method according to the present invention described later.

  On the other hand, the transfer area mark corresponding portion 5 is arranged so that the position of the substrate-side alignment mark formed in the transferred area via the resin when imprinting the mold 1 on one transferred area on the transferred substrate. It is the part which overlaps.

  As shown in FIG. 1B, the transfer area mark corresponding portion 5 has, for example, a convex shape having a flat top surface. When the mold 1 moves to the next transfer area by the step-and-repeat method and imprints, in the present invention, the substrate-side alignment mark of the already imprinted transfer area and the mold-side alignment mark 4 are: This is because they are overlapped through the cured resin pattern. However, any pattern that does not interfere with the alignment between the substrate-side alignment mark and the mold-side alignment mark 4 can be formed in the transfer area mark corresponding portion 5.

  The size of the mold side alignment mark 4 and the transfer area mark corresponding portion 5 is, for example, several tens of μm square, and the size of the transfer region 3 is, for example, about 20 mm square.

  Further, the depth and width of the groove structure 6 separating the mold side alignment mark 4 and the transfer region 3 shown in FIG. 1B are preferably large enough to prevent the resin from spreading. The depth of the groove structure 6 is, for example, 200 nm to 50 μm, and the width thereof is about twice to three times the depth of the groove when the groove is formed by wet etching, for example.

  Due to the groove structure 6, uncured resin at the time of imprinting does not reach the mold-side alignment mark 4. Therefore, in the present invention, there is no situation in which it is difficult to optically identify the mold-side alignment mark by filling the unevenness of the mold-side alignment mark 4 with resin.

  The imprint mold 1 according to the present invention can be manufactured by the same manufacturing method using the same material as the conventional imprint mold.

  And since the mold side alignment mark 4 is formed on the same main surface as the uneven | corrugated pattern 2 of the transcription | transfer area | region 3 like the past, the complicated process like the method of forming in another surface increases. In addition, the relative positional accuracy between the mold-side alignment mark 4 and the uneven transfer pattern 2 can be assured as in the conventional case.

  In addition, the mold side alignment mark 4 is formed by processing the mold into a concavo-convex shape as before without using a different material, so that the number of complicated processes does not increase, and imprint resistance and cleaning resistance. The same reliability as before can be secured.

[Alignment method]
Next, an alignment method using the imprint mold according to the present invention will be described.

  FIG. 2 is an explanatory view showing an example of an alignment method using the imprint mold according to the present invention, and (a) is a schematic plan view showing an example of the arrangement of the transferred region and the substrate side alignment mark on the transferred substrate. It is a figure, (b) is a cross-sectional schematic diagram which shows the relationship between a mold and a to-be-transferred substrate.

  As shown in FIG. 2A, the transfer substrate 11 has a plurality of transfer regions 13, and the uneven pattern 2 formed in the transfer region 3 of the mold 1 by the step-and-repeat imprint is Imprinting is sequentially performed on a plurality of transferred regions 13.

  More specifically, uncured resin 12b is formed in imprinted region 13b to be imprinted immediately before imprinting by an inkjet method or the like, and cured resin pattern 12a is sequentially formed after imprinting.

  In FIG. 2A, among the 3 × 3 transferred regions 13, the left of the uppermost step and the central step is the transferred region 13 a that has been cured with resin, and the center is the transferred region 13 b that has not been cured with resin. Yes, the right and lowermost stages of the central stage show the transferred area 13c before resin application.

  In the transferred area 13, a substrate side alignment mark 14 is formed at a position corresponding to the mark corresponding portion 5 in the transferred area of the mold 1, and the transferred area 13 having the substrate side alignment mark 14 at a predetermined position. However, when the mold 1 is imprinted on one transferred region 13 on the transferred substrate 11, the position corresponding to the mold-side alignment mark 4 is not positioned at the position corresponding to the mold-side alignment mark 4. There are substrate-side alignment marks 14 of other transferred regions 13 that are in contact with the transfer region 13 in the vertical and horizontal directions and diagonally.

  For example, when imprinting in the central transfer area 13b among the 3 × 3 transfer areas 13 shown in FIG. 2A using the mold 1 shown in FIG. Position alignment is performed such that the substrate side alignment mark 14b of the transferred region 13a or the transferred region 13c that is diagonally in contact with the region 13b and the mold side alignment mark 4 of the mold 1 are overlapped.

  The above alignment will be described in more detail.

  As shown in FIG. 2B, the transfer area 3 of the mold 1 is brought into contact with an uncured resin 12b formed in the transfer area 13b on the transfer substrate 11, and the mold 21 is aligned by the detector 21. 4 and the substrate-side alignment mark 14b are detected optically, and the mold 1 and the transferred substrate 11 are moved relative to each other so as to correct the misalignment.

  Here, since there is a groove structure 6 between the mold side alignment mark 4 of the mold 1 and the transfer region 3, the uncured resin 12 b formed in the transferred region 13 b does not reach the mold side alignment mark 4. . Therefore, only the already cured resin pattern 12a or air exists between the mold-side alignment mark 4 and the transfer substrate 11, and the unevenness of the mold-side alignment mark 4 is filled with the resin so that the mold side A situation in which it becomes difficult to optically identify the alignment mark does not occur.

  FIG. 1A shows an example in which the substrate-side alignment mark 14 and the mold-side alignment mark 4 of the transferred region 13 in contact with the diagonal face each other with respect to the transferred region 13 to be imprinted. However, in the present invention, any substrate-side alignment mark provided in the transfer area that is in contact with the transfer area to be imprinted vertically, right and left, or diagonally can be used. For example, FIG. The alignment may be performed using a mold having a substrate side alignment mark provided in a transfer area adjacent to the right and left shown in FIG. 5 and a mold side alignment mark 4 opposite to this mark. A mold having a substrate-side alignment mark provided in the transfer region and a mold-side alignment mark 4 opposite to the mark is used. It may be aligned Te. Furthermore, the alignment may be performed using all of the upper, lower, left, and right substrate-side alignment marks and a mold having the mold-side alignment marks 4 facing these marks.

  According to the alignment method of the present invention, the mold-side alignment mark made of the same material as the mold material and formed on the same surface as the mold transfer region is identified even during imprinting while preventing defects due to resin filling. Since the mold-side alignment mark and the substrate-side alignment mark are superimposed and the deviation is directly detected optically, the mold and the transferred substrate can be aligned with high alignment accuracy.

[Imprint method]
Next, an imprint method using the imprint mold according to the present invention will be described.

  The imprint method according to the present invention is characterized by the steps of the above-described imprint mold and the alignment method using the same, and other steps, for example, a step-and-repeat step, uncured resin on the transfer substrate. Conventional methods can be used for the forming step, mold pressing step, resin curing step, and mold release step.

  FIG. 3 is a schematic process diagram showing an example of an imprint method using the imprint mold according to the present invention.

  First, as shown in FIG. 3A, the imprint mold 1 according to the present invention is prepared, and an uncured resin 12 b is formed in a transfer area on the transfer substrate 11 to be imprinted.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 3 (b), the mold 1 and the resin 12b on the substrate 11 to be transferred are brought into contact with each other, and the mold side alignment mark 4 and the opposing substrate side alignment mark 14 are overlaid. By aligning the amount of deviation optically using the detector 21, the mold 1 and the transferred substrate 11 are aligned.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 3C, for example, a predetermined amount of ultraviolet rays 32 are irradiated to obtain a cured resin pattern 12a.

  Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 3D, the mold 1 is released and moved to the next transfer area.

  By repeating the above process, the transfer pattern 2 of the mold 1 is sequentially transferred to a plurality of transfer areas on the transfer substrate 11.

  According to the imprint method of the present invention, the mold-side alignment mark and the substrate-side alignment mark are superimposed and the deviation is directly detected optically, so that a transfer pattern with high alignment accuracy is formed on the transfer substrate. be able to.

  Further, in the imprint method of the present invention, for example, a measure is taken such that the resin is not formed on the portion of the substrate 11 to be transferred that is in contact with the mold side alignment mark 4 so that the mold side alignment mark 4 is not filled with resin. Therefore, the transferred region 13 is disposed adjacently without providing a gap, and when imprinting is completed, the surface of the transferred substrate 11 is covered with a cured resin. Therefore, there is no possibility that an exposed portion where the resin is not applied and formed remains on the surface of the transferred substrate 11 and causes a problem such as generation of foreign matters in a subsequent etching process or the like.

[Imprint device]
Next, an imprint apparatus using the imprint mold according to the present invention will be described.

  The imprint apparatus according to the present invention is characterized by a configuration using the above-described imprint mold and applying the above-described alignment method. Other configurations, for example, each mechanism for a step-and-repeat method, a substrate to be transferred Conventional structures can be used for the uncured resin forming mechanism, the mold pressing mechanism, the resin curing mechanism, and the mold release mechanism.

  FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the imprint apparatus according to the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the imprint apparatus according to the present invention includes a mold holding means 42a for holding the imprint mold 1 according to the present invention, a transferred substrate holding means 42b for holding the transferred substrate 11, and a transferred substrate. Resin forming means 41 comprising a dispenser or the like for applying and forming an uncured resin on 11, the mold 1 is brought into contact with or released from the resin formed on the transfer substrate 11, and the mold 1 and the transfer substrate 11 are further removed. In order to perform alignment with the mold 1, the mold moving means 43 a that moves the mold 1 and the transferred substrate 11, the transferred substrate moving means 43 b, the mold side alignment mark 4 of the mold 1, and the opposite substrate side alignment mark 14 Detecting means 44 for optically detecting, the resin forming means 41, the mold holding means 42a, the substrate to be transferred A holding means 42b, a mold moving means 43a, a transfer substrate moving means 43b, a control means 45 for controlling the detecting means 44, etc., and the detecting means 44 uses the mold side alignment mark 4 and the opposing substrate side alignment mark. 14 is detected, and the mold 1 and the transferred substrate 11 are moved by the mold moving means 43a and the transferred substrate moving means 43b via the control means 45 based on the detected relative position information. Alignment is performed. In the case where a photocurable resin is used for imprinting, the imprint apparatus according to the present invention is configured to include the exposure means 46.

  The detection means 44 is composed of an image sensor such as a CCD, an illumination optical system, an imaging optical system, and the like, and this configuration itself can be the same as the conventional one. However, instead of detecting the substrate-side alignment mark in the transfer target area to be imprinted as in the past (FIGS. 6A and 6B), the object to be imprinted as described above. This is a mechanism for detecting a substrate-side alignment mark in another transferred region that is in contact with the upper, lower, left, and right sides of the transferred region (FIGS. 2A and 2B). .

  According to the imprint apparatus according to the present invention, it is not necessary to have a complicated mechanism as compared with the conventional apparatus, and it is not the alignment with a virtual image such as stored information, but the mold side alignment mark and the substrate side alignment mark. The real image of the degree of overlap with can be directly detected.

  That is, according to the imprint apparatus according to the present invention, the mold-side alignment mark made of the same material as the mold material and formed on the same surface as the mold transfer region is prevented during imprinting by preventing problems caused by resin filling. Can be identified, and the mold side alignment mark and the substrate side alignment mark are overlapped and the deviation is directly detected optically, so that the mold and the transfer substrate can be aligned with high alignment accuracy. .

  As mentioned above, although each embodiment was described about the mold for imprint, the alignment method, the imprint method, and the imprint apparatus which concern on this invention, this invention is not limited to the said embodiment. The above-described embodiment is an exemplification, and the technical idea described in the claims of the present invention has substantially the same configuration and exhibits the same function and effect regardless of the case. It falls within the technical scope of the invention.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described more specifically with reference to examples.
(Example 1)
A synthetic quartz substrate is used as a mold substrate, and an electron beam resist is applied on one main surface of the synthetic quartz substrate to a thickness of 200 nm, drawn with an electron beam, developed, and then dry-etched to form an uneven transfer pattern 2. Then, the imprint mold 1 according to the present invention is formed, which includes the transfer region 3 in which the upper-surface-flat convex transfer region mark corresponding part 5 is formed and the mold-side alignment mark 4.

  The external dimensions of the imprint mold 1 are 65 mm in length, 65 mm in width, and 0.25 inch in thickness. The transfer region 3 is formed in the center of the mold with a size of 20 mm × 20 mm, and the mold-side alignment mark 4 is Groove structure 6 is formed near the four corners of the mold so that the distance between the edge of the mesa structure in the transfer region and the edge of the mesa structure provided with the mold side alignment mark is 40 μm apart in the X direction and 40 μm in the Y direction. did. The depth of the groove structure 6 was 20 μm.

  A line / space pattern having a depth of 100 nm, a width of 70 nm, and a pitch of 140 nm is formed as the uneven transfer pattern 2 in the transfer region, and an uneven shape periodic structure having a depth of 100 nm is formed as the mold-side alignment mark 4. .

  Next, a substrate having a plurality of adjacent transferred regions 13 and substrate-side alignment marks 14 on a silicon wafer having a diameter of 200 mm was prepared as the transferred substrate 11.

  A substrate-side alignment mark 14 is formed in the transferred region 13 at a position corresponding to the mark-corresponding portion 5 in the transfer region of the mold 1, and the transferred image having the substrate-side alignment mark 14 at a predetermined position. Since the regions 13 are regularly arranged continuously, when imprinting the mold 1 on one transferred region 13 on the transferred substrate 11, the region 13 is positioned at a position corresponding to the mold side alignment mark 4. Thus, there are substrate-side alignment marks 14 of other transferred regions 13 that are in contact with the transferred region 13 in the vertical, left, and right directions and diagonally.

  In this embodiment, the substrate-side alignment mark 14 and the mold-side alignment mark 4 of the transferred region 13 that are in contact with the diagonal are opposed to the transferred region 13 to be imprinted.

  Next, a coating film of a photocurable resin Monomat (registered trademark) manufactured by Molecular Imprints is formed as an uncured resin 12b in one transferred region 13b to be imprinted on the transferred substrate 11 described above. Then, the transfer region 3 of the mold 1 is brought into contact with the uncured resin 12b on the substrate 11 to be transferred, and the mold-side alignment mark 4 and the opposing substrate-side alignment mark 14 are moved by the detector 21 composed of a CCD image pickup device. Optically detected.

  Since there is a groove structure 6 between the mold side alignment mark 4 of the mold 1 and the transfer region 3, the uncured resin 12 b formed in the transfer region 13 on the transfer substrate 11 is transferred to the mold side alignment mark 4. The mold side alignment mark 4 could be well identified even during imprinting.

  Thereafter, the mold 1 and the transfer substrate 11 are relatively moved to align them, and the resin is cured by irradiating with ultraviolet rays having a wavelength of 320 nm, and the mold 1 is released from the transfer substrate 11, A cured resin pattern 12a was obtained on the substrate 11 to be transferred.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Mold 2 ... Concave-convex pattern 3 ... Transfer area 4 ... Mold side alignment mark 5 ... Mark corresponding part in transfer area 6 ... Groove structure 11 ... Substrate to be transferred 12. ··· Resin 12a ··· Hardened resin pattern 12b · · · Uncured resin 13 · · · Transfer target region 13a · · · Resin hardened transfer region 13b · · · .. Transfer area before resin coating 14... Substrate-side alignment mark 14 a... Mark of transfer area to be imprinted 14 b... Mark of transfer area in contact with diagonal 21. ..UV 41 ... resin forming means 42 ... holding means 42a ... mold holding means 42b ... transfer substrate holding means 43 ... moving means 43a ... mold moving means 43b ... Transfer substrate moving means 44 ... Detecting means 45 ... Control means 46 ... Exposure means 101 ... Mold 102 ... Uneven pattern 103 ... Transfer area 104 ... Mold side alignment Mark 106 ... Groove structure 111 ... Substrate to be transferred 112 ... Resin 112a ... Cured resin pattern 112b ... Uncured resin 113 ... Transfer area 113a ... Resin cured Transfer area 113b ... Transfer area before resin curing 113c ... Transfer area before resin formation 114 ... Substrate side alignment mark 121 ... Detector

Claims (7)

This is an imprint mold for aligning and transferring a concavo-convex transfer pattern onto a transfer substrate having a plurality of adjacent transfer regions and substrate-side alignment marks by a step-and-repeat imprint method. And
The first mesa structure has a transfer region on which the uneven transfer pattern is formed, and is aligned with the substrate-side alignment mark in a second mesa structure different from the first mesa structure. Has a mold side alignment mark for
The transfer area and the mold-side alignment mark are on the same plane,
The mold-side alignment mark is formed on the substrate-side alignment formed in another transferred region that is in contact with the transferred region when the imprint mold is imprinted on one transferred region on the transferred substrate. Formed at a position facing at least one of the marks,
In the transfer region, when imprinting the imprint mold onto one transfer target region on the transfer target substrate, a portion overlapping the position of the substrate side alignment mark formed in the transfer target region includes a transfer region. An imprint mold characterized in that an inner mark corresponding portion is formed.   2. The imprint mold according to claim 1, wherein the mold-side alignment mark is formed in a concavo-convex shape made of the same material as the imprint mold.   The imprint mold according to claim 1, wherein the transfer area mark corresponding part has a convex shape with a flat top surface.   The imprint according to claim 1, wherein a pattern that does not interfere with alignment between the substrate-side alignment mark and the mold-side alignment mark is formed in the transfer region mark corresponding part. Mold. An imprint mold having a transfer region in which an uneven transfer pattern is formed in the first mesa structure and having a mold-side alignment mark in a second mesa structure different from the first mesa structure; An alignment method in a step-and-repeat type imprint using a transfer substrate having an adjacent transfer region and a substrate-side alignment mark,
The mold side alignment mark is
Another transfer area that is formed on the same surface as the transfer area and is in contact with the transfer area when the imprint mold is imprinted on one transfer area on the transfer substrate Formed at a position facing at least one of the substrate-side alignment marks formed inside,
In the transfer region, when imprinting the imprint mold onto one transfer target region on the transfer target substrate, a portion overlapping the position of the substrate side alignment mark formed in the transfer target region includes a transfer region. The inner mark corresponding part is formed,
Alignment of the mold and the transferred substrate is performed by optically detecting the amount of deviation between the mold side alignment mark and the opposite substrate side alignment mark. Method. An imprint mold having a transfer region in which an uneven transfer pattern is formed in the first mesa structure and having a mold-side alignment mark in a second mesa structure different from the first mesa structure; A step-and-repeat type imprint method in which a transfer pattern of the imprint mold is aligned and transferred to the transfer substrate using a transfer substrate having an adjacent transfer region and a substrate-side alignment mark. There,
The mold-side alignment mark is formed on the same surface as the transfer area, and the imprinted area when imprinting the imprint mold on one imprinted area on the transferred substrate Is formed at a position opposite to at least one of the substrate-side alignment marks formed in another transferred region that is in contact with the substrate, and the imprint mold is placed on the transferred substrate in the transferred region. Using the imprint mold in which the transfer region mark corresponding part is formed in a portion overlapping the position of the substrate side alignment mark formed in the transfer region when imprinting in one transfer region,
After forming an uncured curable resin in one transferred region on the transferred substrate,
Contacting the mold for imprint and the curable resin on the substrate to be transferred;
The mold side alignment mark and the opposing substrate side alignment mark are overlapped to optically detect the amount of deviation between them,
After relatively moving the imprint mold and the transfer substrate and aligning both, the curable resin is cured,
Thereafter, the mold for imprint is released, and the process of moving to the next transfer area is repeated,
An imprint method comprising sequentially transferring a transfer pattern of the imprint mold to a plurality of transfer regions on the transfer substrate. An imprint mold having a transfer region in which an uneven transfer pattern is formed in the first mesa structure and having a mold-side alignment mark in a second mesa structure different from the first mesa structure; A step-and-repeat type imprint apparatus that aligns and transfers a transfer pattern of the imprint mold to the transfer substrate using a transfer substrate having an adjacent transfer region and a substrate-side alignment mark. There,
The mold side alignment mark of the imprint mold is:
Another transfer area that is formed on the same surface as the transfer area and is in contact with the transfer area when the imprint mold is imprinted on one transfer area on the transfer substrate Formed at a position facing at least one of the substrate-side alignment marks formed inside,
In the transfer area of the imprint mold, when the imprint mold is imprinted on one transfer area on the transfer substrate, it overlaps the position of the substrate-side alignment mark formed in the transfer area. In the part, a transfer area mark corresponding part is formed,
Mold holding means for holding the imprint mold;
A transfer substrate holding means for holding the transfer substrate;
A resin forming means for applying and forming an uncured curable resin on the transfer region on the transfer substrate;
Moving means for relatively moving the imprint mold and the transfer substrate in order to align the imprint mold and the transfer substrate;
Detection means for optically detecting both the mold-side alignment mark of the imprint mold and the opposite substrate-side alignment mark of the transferred substrate;
Control means for controlling the resin forming means, the holding means, the moving means, and the detecting means,
By the detection means,
Detecting relative position information of the mold side alignment mark and the opposing substrate side alignment mark;
Based on the detected relative position information,
By the moving means via the control means,
An imprint apparatus for performing alignment by moving the imprint mold and the transfer substrate.

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