JP6560736B2 - 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 technique for transferring a pattern formed on a mold onto a substrate has attracted attention as one of lithography techniques used for manufacturing semiconductor devices. In an imprint apparatus using such a technique, a mold on which a pattern is formed and an imprint material supplied on a substrate are brought into contact with each other, and the imprint material is cured in that state. Then, the mold pattern can be transferred to the substrate by peeling the mold from the cured imprint material.

  Since the imprint apparatus is required to accurately transfer the mold pattern to the substrate, it is important to accurately align the mold and the substrate in the surface direction along the surface of the substrate. Therefore, Patent Document 1 proposes a method of aligning the mold and the substrate in the surface direction while the mold and the imprint material on the substrate are in contact with each other.

JP 2006-165371 A

  When aligning the mold and the substrate in the surface direction while the mold and the imprint material on the substrate are in contact, it is difficult to change the relative position of the mold and the substrate. It can take a long time. Therefore, in the imprint apparatus, the mold and the imprint material on the substrate are brought into contact with each other after the mold and the substrate are aligned in the surface direction in a state where the mold and the imprint material on the substrate are not in contact with each other. It is demanded. However, if alignment in the surface direction is performed in a state where the mold and the imprint material on the substrate are not in contact with each other, the pattern of the mold transferred onto the substrate is shifted from the target position to be transferred onto the substrate. May end up.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a technique advantageous in accurately positioning the mold.

In order to achieve the above object, an imprint apparatus according to one aspect of the present invention is configured to cure the imprint material in a state where the pattern-formed mold and the imprint material on the substrate are in contact with each other. An imprint apparatus that performs a process of forming a pattern of the imprint material on a substrate with respect to a target area of the substrate, the mark on the mold and the mark on the substrate in a surface direction along the surface of the substrate a measuring unit for measuring a relative position between, by relatively driving the front Symbol mold and the substrate in the contacting step of contacting the imprint material and the mold, the relative positions in the measurement unit A control unit that controls the first alignment between the mold and the target region in the surface direction based on the measurement result while measuring. The control unit, for the said treatment prior to and the target area is included in the substrate different from the substrate having the target area is performed region, measured by the measuring unit after contact with the mold and the imprint material Based on the relative position of the mark of the mold and the mark of the region, the amount of relative shift of the mold and the region in the surface direction by the contact step is acquired as a first shift amount, The relative position between the mark of the mold and the mark of the target area measured by the measurement unit is the first shift amount in a direction opposite to the direction in which the mold and the target area are relatively shifted in the contact step. The first alignment is controlled so as to be displaced by a distance.

  According to the present invention, for example, it is an exemplary object to provide a technique advantageous in accurately positioning a mold.

It is a figure which shows the imprint apparatus of 1st Embodiment. It is a figure which shows the structure of a correction | amendment part. It is a figure which shows the scope of the measurement part which detects the mark on a board | substrate, and the mark on a mold. It is a figure for demonstrating the imprint process in the imprint apparatus of 1st Embodiment. It is a figure which shows the shot area | region arrange | positioned at the peripheral part of a board | substrate. It is a figure which shows a correction map. It is a flowchart which shows the operation | movement sequence in the imprint process of 1st Embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the operation | movement sequence in the imprint process of 2nd Embodiment.

  DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In addition, in each figure, the same reference number is attached | subjected about the same member thru | or element, and the overlapping description is abbreviate | omitted.

<First Embodiment>
An imprint apparatus 100 according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The imprint apparatus 100 is used for manufacturing a semiconductor device or the like, and cures the imprint material in a state where the mold 111 on which the pattern is formed is in contact with the imprint material (resin) on the substrate. The imprint apparatus 100 can transfer the pattern onto the substrate by increasing the distance between the mold 111 and the substrate 101 and peeling the mold 111 from the cured imprint material. As a method for curing the imprint material, there are a thermal cycle method using heat and a photocuring method using light. The imprint apparatus 100 according to the first embodiment employs a photocuring method. In the photocuring method, an uncured ultraviolet curable resin (hereinafter referred to as resin) is supplied as an imprint material onto a substrate, and the resin is irradiated with ultraviolet rays while the substrate 101 and the mold 111 are in contact with each other through the resin. This is a method of curing the resin. After the resin is cured by irradiation with ultraviolet rays, a pattern can be formed on the substrate by peeling the mold 111 from the resin.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an imprint apparatus 100 according to the first embodiment. The imprint apparatus 100 includes a substrate stage 106 that holds a substrate 101, a mold holding unit 113 that holds a mold 111, a measurement unit 114, an irradiation unit 142, and a resin supply unit 121. The imprint apparatus 100 includes a CPU and a memory, and includes a control unit 150 that controls imprint processing (controls each unit of the imprint apparatus 100).

  As the substrate 101, for example, a single crystal silicon substrate or an SOI (Silicon on Insulator) substrate is used. Resin (ultraviolet curable resin) is supplied to the upper surface (surface to be processed) of the substrate 101 by a resin supply unit 121 described later. In addition, the mold 111 is usually made of a material that can transmit ultraviolet rays, such as quartz, and an uneven pattern to be transferred to the substrate 101 is formed in a part of the region 111a on the substrate side surface. Yes.

  The substrate stage 106 can include, for example, a fine movement stage 102 and a coarse movement stage 104. The fine movement stage 102 is configured to hold the substrate 101 by, for example, vacuum adsorption force or electrostatic force, and to be movable in the X, Y, Z, ωX, ωY, and ωZ directions by the fine movement actuator 103. The coarse movement stage 104 is configured to hold the fine movement stage 102 via a fine movement actuator 103 and be movable in the X, Y, and ωZ directions by the coarse movement actuator 105. The coarse movement stage 104 is supported via a coarse movement actuator 105 by a stage surface plate 107 placed on the floor surface. Here, in order to secure rigidity while simplifying the configuration, the substrate stage 106 may have a configuration in which the fine movement stage 102 and the coarse movement stage 104 are integrated, and the movement direction may be only X, Y, and ωZ.

  The mold holding unit 113 includes, for example, a mold chuck 113a that holds the mold by a vacuum suction force or an electrostatic force, and a mold driving unit 113b that drives the mold chuck 113a in the Z, ωX, and ωY directions. The mold chuck 113a and the mold driving unit 113b each have an opening region (not shown) at the center (inside), and the light emitted from the irradiation unit 142 is irradiated onto the substrate 101 through the mold 111. It is configured as follows. The mold driving unit 113b includes an actuator such as a linear motor or an air cylinder. The mold driving unit 113b moves the mold chuck 113a (mold 111) in the Z direction so that the mold 111 and the resin on the substrate are brought into contact with each other or separated. To drive. Since the mold driving unit 113b needs to drive the mold chuck 113a with high accuracy when the mold 111 and the resin on the substrate are brought into contact with each other or separated from each other, a plurality of types such as a coarse driving system and a fine driving system can be used. The drive system may be configured. Here, in the imprint apparatus 100 of the first embodiment, the operation of changing the distance between the substrate 101 and the mold 111 is performed by the mold driving unit 113b, but may be performed by the substrate stage 106, It may be performed relatively on both sides.

  In the region 111a on the mold, deformation including components such as a magnification component and a base formation may occur due to a manufacturing error or thermal deformation. Therefore, the mold holding unit 113 includes a correction unit 112 that applies a force to a plurality of locations on the side surface of the mold 111 to correct the deformation of the mold 111. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of the correction unit 112 that corrects deformation of the mold 111, and is a diagram when the mold 111 is viewed from below (−Z direction). The correction unit 112 includes a plurality of actuators. In the example illustrated in FIG. 2, four actuators are provided on each side of the mold 111. Each actuator individually applies a force from the side surface of the mold 111, whereby the deformation of the region 111a on the mold can be corrected. As the actuator of the correction unit 112, for example, a linear motor, an air cylinder, a piezoelectric actuator, or the like is used.

  The irradiation unit 142 irradiates the resin on the substrate with light (ultraviolet rays) through the mold 111 in order to cure the resin on the substrate. The irradiation unit 142 includes, for example, a light source 141 that emits light (ultraviolet rays) that cures the resin on the substrate, and a mirror 143 that bends the optical path of the light emitted from the light source 141. The irradiation unit 142 may include a plurality of optical elements (not shown) that adjust light emitted from the light source 141 to appropriate light in the imprint process. The resin supply unit 121 supplies (applies) a resin (uncured resin) on the substrate. As described above, in the first embodiment, an ultraviolet curable resin having a property of being cured by irradiation with ultraviolet rays is used. However, the type of resin supplied from the resin supply unit 121 onto the substrate is the same as that for manufacturing a semiconductor device. It may be appropriately selected depending on various conditions in the process. In addition, the amount of resin discharged from the discharge nozzle of the resin supply unit 121 can be appropriately determined in consideration of the thickness and density of the pattern transferred to the resin on the substrate. Further, the wavelength of light emitted from the light source 141 can be appropriately determined according to the type of resin.

  The measuring unit 114 measures the relative position between the shot area formed on the substrate and the area 111a on the mold on which the pattern is formed. For example, a plurality of alignment marks (hereinafter referred to as marks) are respectively provided in the shot area and the area 111a on the mold. The measuring unit 114 includes a plurality of scopes, and each scope detects a mark in the shot area and a mark in the area 111a on the mold. Thereby, the measurement unit 114 measures the relative position between the shot area and the area 111a on the mold based on the detection result of the mark of the shot area detected in each scope and the mark of the area 111a on the mold. Can do.

  Here, the alignment between the mold 111 and the substrate 101 in the imprint process will be described. In general, the alignment between the mold 111 and the substrate 101 in the imprint apparatus 100 includes a global alignment method and a die-by-die alignment method. The global alignment method is an alignment method in which alignment is performed based on the positions of all shot regions determined by processing the detection results of marks formed in some representative shot regions (sample shot regions). On the other hand, in the die-by-die alignment method, for each shot region on the substrate, a mark formed in the shot region and a mark formed on the mold are optically detected, and the relative relationship between the substrate 101 and the mold 111 is detected. This is an alignment method for correcting a positional shift. In the first embodiment, a method for aligning the mold 111 and the substrate 101 by a die-by-die alignment method will be described.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the scope 114a of the measuring unit 114 that detects the mark 321 on the substrate and the mark 311 on the mold. As shown in FIG. 3, the mold 111 includes a region 111a in which a pattern and a mark 311 are formed. The scope 114a can include, for example, a light source 330 that emits light, a prism 331, an imaging element 332, and a plurality of optical elements. The light emitted from the light source 330 has a wavelength different from the wavelength of the light (ultraviolet light) that cures the resin supplied on the substrate. Moreover, the scope 114a is inclined because light (ultraviolet rays) for curing the resin supplied on the substrate is irradiated from above the mold 111, so that an optical path of the light (ultraviolet rays) is secured. The scope 114a reflects the light emitted from the light source 330 by a prism 331 configured by a half prism, a polarization beam splitter, or the like, and irradiates the mark 311 on the mold and the mark 321 on the substrate. The light reflected by the mold 111 and the light reflected by the substrate 101 pass through the prism 331 and enter the image sensor 332. As a result, the image of the mark 311 on the mold and the image of the mark 321 on the substrate can be formed on the image sensor 332. For example, when the mark 311 on the mold and the mark 321 on the substrate are configured with lattice patterns having different pitches, a moiré image can be formed on the image sensor 332. Since the moire image formed on the image sensor 332 is projected by enlarging the difference in relative position between the mark 311 on the mold and the mark 321 on the substrate, the mark 311 on the mold and the mark 321 on the substrate are projected. Can be detected with high accuracy. Further, as the mark 311 on the mold and the mark 321 on the substrate, for example, a Box in Box mark may be used.

  The imprint process in the imprint apparatus 100 of the first embodiment configured as described above will be described with reference to FIG. First, the control unit 150 controls the substrate stage 106 so that a target region (for example, a shot region where imprint processing is performed) on the substrate to which the pattern of the mold 111 is to be transferred is disposed below the resin supply unit 121. Then, the substrate 101 is moved. When the target area is disposed under the resin supply unit 121, the control unit 150 controls the resin supply unit 121 so as to supply the resin 122 (uncured resin) to the target area. Then, after the resin 122 is supplied to the target area, the control unit 150 controls the substrate stage 106 so that the target area is arranged under the area 111a on the mold on which the pattern is formed, and the substrate 101 is controlled. Move. At this time, the positional relationship between the mold 111 and the substrate 101 is the positional relationship shown in FIG.

  When the target area is arranged under the area 111a on the mold, the control unit 150 causes the measurement unit 114 to detect the mark on the mold and the mark of the target area, respectively, so that the area 111a and the target area on the mold are detected. Measure the relative position. Then, the control unit 150 drives the substrate stage 106 and the mold holding unit 113 in a state where the mold 111 and the resin on the substrate are not in contact with each other based on the measurement result by the measurement unit 114, and the region 111a on the mold Align with the target area. Then, after aligning the region 111a on the mold with the target region, the control unit 150 controls the mold holding unit 113 so that the mold 111 moves in the −Z direction, and the pattern of the mold 111 and the substrate The resin 122 is brought into contact. At this time, the positional relationship between the mold 111 and the substrate 101 is the positional relationship shown in FIG.

  The control unit 150 causes a predetermined time to elapse while the pattern of the mold 111 and the resin 122 on the substrate are in contact with each other. Thereby, the resin 122 on the substrate can be filled to every corner of the pattern of the mold 111. The control unit 150 irradiates the resin 122 on the substrate with light (ultraviolet rays) via the mold 111 after a predetermined time has elapsed after the mold 111 and the resin 122 on the substrate come into contact with each other. To control. Then, the control unit 150 controls the mold holding unit 113 so that the mold 111 moves in the + Z direction, and peels the mold 111 from the resin 122 on the substrate. At this time, the positional relationship between the mold 111 and the substrate 101 is the positional relationship shown in FIG. Thereby, the pattern of the mold 111 can be transferred to the resin 122 on the substrate.

  As described above, in the imprint apparatus 100 according to the first embodiment, the alignment between the mold 111 and the substrate 101 (positioning of the mold 111) is performed in a state where the mold 111 and the resin on the substrate are not in contact with each other. However, if the mold 111 is positioned in a state where the mold 111 and the resin on the substrate are not in contact with each other, the pattern of the mold 111 is shifted from the target region (shot region) on the substrate to which the pattern is to be transferred. It may be done. Therefore, the imprint apparatus 100 according to the first embodiment determines the amount by which the pattern of the mold 111 transferred to the substrate 101 is shifted in the XY direction (the surface direction along the surface of the substrate 101) with respect to the target area on the substrate. The shift amount (correction value) indicated is acquired in advance. After aligning the mold 111 and the substrate 101 in a state where the mold 111 and the resin 122 are not in contact with each other, a shift amount generated while the mold 111 is brought close to the substrate 101 and brought into contact with the resin 122 is measured. . Then, the imprint apparatus 100 shifts the pattern of the mold 111 measured by the measurement unit by a shift amount with respect to the target area in a state where the mold 111 and the resin on the substrate are not in contact with each other, and the mold 111 and the substrate 101. Align with. Thereby, it can suppress that the pattern of the mold 111 is shifted and transferred with respect to the target area on the substrate, and the pattern of the mold 111 can be accurately transferred to the target area on the substrate.

  As a cause of the pattern of the mold 111 being transferred out of the target area, for example, a mold shift in the process of bringing the mold 111 into contact with the resin on the substrate and a measurement error in the measurement unit 114 are assumed. For example, as shown in FIG. 5, the former becomes conspicuous when a mold pattern is transferred to a shot area 601 (a shot area in which a part of the mold pattern can be transferred) disposed in the peripheral portion of the substrate 101. . For example, when the pattern of the mold 111 is transferred to the shot area 601, among the plurality of marks 611 to 614 arranged at the four corners of the shot area 601, only the marks 611 to 613 are used without using the mark 614. Alignment is performed. In such a shot region 601, in order to improve the transfer performance, the mold 111 may be brought into contact with the resin on the substrate while being slightly inclined with respect to the substrate 101. When the mold 111 is tilted with respect to the substrate 101 in this way, the pattern of the mold 111 is shifted with respect to the target region (shot region in the periphery of the substrate) by the process of bringing the mold 111 into contact with the resin on the substrate. It can end up. Therefore, the imprint apparatus 100 according to the first embodiment acquires a first correction value for correcting a first shift amount indicating an amount by which the mold shifts in the process of bringing the mold into contact with the resin on the substrate.

  In the latter case, for example, as shown in FIG. 3, the scope 114a of the measurement unit 114 is disposed at an inclination, so that a measurement error (measurement error) is detected when the relative position between the mark on the mold and the mark on the substrate is detected. May occur). Thus, when the measurement error of the measurement unit 114 occurs, even if the pattern of the mold 111 and the target area on the substrate are accurately aligned using the measurement unit 114, the pattern of the mold is relative to the target area. Will be transferred. Therefore, the imprint apparatus 100 according to the first embodiment causes the second shift amount indicating the amount by which the pattern of the mold 111 transferred to the substrate 101 is shifted with respect to the target region, which is caused by the measurement error of the measurement unit 114. A second correction value for correcting is acquired.

  The imprint apparatus 100 according to the first embodiment aligns the mold 111 and the substrate 101 using the first correction value and the second correction value in a state where the mold 111 and the resin on the substrate are not in contact with each other. Do. That is, the pattern of the mold 111 measured by the measurement unit 114 in a state where the mold 111 and the resin on the substrate are not in contact with each other is shifted by the total amount of the first shift amount and the second shift amount with respect to the target area. Then, the alignment of the mold 111 and the substrate 101 is performed. Here, the first correction value and the second correction value can be acquired for each shot area on the substrate. Hereinafter, a map of first correction values in a plurality of shot areas is referred to as a first correction map, and a map of second correction values in the plurality of shot areas is referred to as a second correction map. In the imprint apparatus 100 according to the first embodiment, the control unit 150 selects the first correction map and the second correction map, and the first correction value and the second correction value are obtained from the acquired first correction map and second correction map. Are extracted according to the position of the target shot area. Then, the imprint apparatus 100 performs imprint processing of the target area using the extracted first correction value and second correction value. Thereby, the pattern of the mold 111 can be accurately transferred to the target area. Moreover, in the imprint apparatus 100 of 1st Embodiment, in the state which the mold 111 and the resin on a board | substrate are not contacting, the position of a mold and a board | substrate using both a 1st correction value and a 2nd correction value. We are matching but not limited to that. For example, the alignment between the mold 111 and the substrate 101 may be performed using only the first correction value, or the alignment between the mold 111 and the substrate 101 may be performed using only the second correction value.

  Here, a method of generating the first correction map and the second correction map will be described. First, a method for generating the first correction map will be described. The imprint apparatus 100 calculates a change in position in the surface direction (XY direction) of the mold 111 before and after driving the mold 111 in the vertical direction (Z direction). That is, the imprint apparatus 100 (the control unit 150) determines the relative position between the pattern of the mold 111 and the shot area in both the state where the mold 111 and the resin on the substrate are not in contact with each other. Measurement is performed by the measurement unit 114. The imprint apparatus 100 is measured by the measurement unit 114 in a state where the mold 111 and the resin are in contact with each other and the relative position measured by the measurement unit 114 in a state where the mold 111 and the resin are not in contact with each other. The difference from the relative position is calculated. The difference between the relative positions calculated in this way becomes the first shift amount of the shot area, and this first shift amount is set as the first correction value. Then, the first correction map is generated by repeating the step of setting the first correction value in a plurality of shot regions. The first correction map can be generated for each lot of the substrate 101.

  Next, a method for generating the second correction map will be described. The imprint apparatus 100 (control unit 150) causes the measurement unit 114 to measure the relative position between the pattern of the mold 111 and the shot area in a state where the mold 111 and the resin on the substrate are in contact with each other, and the pattern of the mold 111 is measured. Transfer to the substrate 101. The imprint apparatus 100 then compares the relative position measured by the measurement unit 114 with the mold 111 and the resin being in contact with each other, and the relative position between the pattern of the mold 111 transferred to the substrate 101 and the shot area. Calculate the difference. The relative position between the pattern transferred to the substrate 101 and the shot area can be measured using a detection unit different from the measurement unit 114 provided in the imprint apparatus 100. As the detection unit, for example, a scope (off-axis scope) capable of detecting a mark on the substrate without passing through the mold 111 can be used. Further, the relative position between the pattern formed on the substrate 101 and the shot area may be measured using an overlay inspection apparatus outside the imprint apparatus 100. The difference between the relative positions calculated in this way becomes the second shift amount of the shot area, and this second shift amount is set as the second correction value. Then, the second correction map is generated by repeating the step of setting the second correction value in a plurality of shot areas. The second correction map can be generated by the above-described method using, for example, a dummy substrate, but may be generated by simulating from a circuit pattern, resist characteristics, or the like. Further, the second correction map can be generated for each lot of the substrate 101, similarly to the first correction map.

Here, an example of a correction map (a first correction map or a second correction map) is shown in FIG. The correction map shown in FIG. 6 is assigned a number (Shot No) according to the position in each of a plurality of shot areas on the substrate, and the correction amount (first correction amount or second correction amount) for each shot region. Has been generated to include. The correction amount can include a correction amount for each component shown below, for example.
-Correction amount of shift component in XY direction (Shift_X, Shift_Y)
-XY rotation component correction amount (Rot_X, Rot_Y)
-XY direction magnification component correction amount (Mag_X, Mag_Y)
-Correction amount for trapezoid formation in XY direction (Trap_X, Trap_Y)
In the imprint apparatus 100 according to the first embodiment, the first correction map and the second correction map are generated by the control unit 150, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the first correction map and the second correction map are external to the imprint apparatus 100. It may be generated by a computer or the like.

  Hereinafter, an imprint process in which the pattern of the mold 111 is transferred to a shot area (target area) on the substrate in the imprint apparatus 100 according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an operation sequence in the imprint process for transferring the pattern of the mold 111 to the target area on the substrate.

  In step S <b> 701, the control unit 150 selects the first correction map corresponding to the lot of the substrate 101 to be imprinted from the plurality of first correction maps and the plurality of second correction maps generated for each lot of the substrate 101. And a second correction map is selected. In step S <b> 702, the control unit 150 individually determines the position of the substrate 101 and the position of the mold 111 on the basis of the apparatus coordinates in order to easily measure the relative position between the mold 111 and the substrate 101 in the subsequent process. To measure. Specifically, the control unit 150 uses the measurement unit 114 to detect a plurality of marks on the substrate, measures the position of each shot region on the substrate, and detects the plurality of marks on the mold. The position of the mold 111 is measured. As described above, the relative position between the mold 111 and the substrate 101 can be measured with high accuracy by individually measuring the position of each shot region and the position of the mold 111 with reference to the apparatus coordinates.

  In step S <b> 703, the control unit 150 moves the substrate 101 by controlling the substrate stage 106 so that the shot area is disposed below the resin supply unit 121. In S704, the control unit 150 controls the resin supply unit 121 to supply resin (uncured resin) to the shot area. In step S <b> 705, the control unit 150 moves the substrate 101 by controlling the substrate stage 106 so that the shot region to which the resin is supplied is disposed below the pattern of the mold 111.

  In step S <b> 706, the control unit 150 causes the measurement unit 114 to measure the relative position between the pattern of the mold 111 and the shot area in a state where the mold 111 and the resin on the substrate are not in contact with each other. Thereby, the relative position between the pattern of the mold 111 and the shot area can be acquired, for example, for the shift component in the XY direction, the rotation component, the magnification component, and the part for forming the base. In S707, the control unit 150 extracts the first correction amount and the second correction amount corresponding to the shot area to be imprinted from the first correction map and the second correction map acquired in S701, respectively. Then, the control unit 150 determines the first correction amount and the second correction amount so that the pattern of the mold 111 measured by the measurement unit 114 is shifted from the shot region by the total amount of the first shift amount and the second shift amount. Is used to align the mold 111 and the substrate 101. The alignment of the mold 111 and the substrate 101 is performed, for example, by driving the substrate stage 106 to move and rotate the substrate 101 or driving the mold holding unit 113 to move and rotate the mold 111. . At this time, the correction unit 112 may apply a force to the side surface of the mold 111 to deform the region 111a on the mold. Thereby, when the pattern of the mold 111 is transferred to the substrate 101, the relative position between the pattern of the mold 111 transferred to the substrate 101 and the shot area can be within an allowable range.

  In S708, the control unit 150 controls the mold holding unit 113 so that the mold 111 is driven in the vertical direction (Z direction) orthogonal to the surface direction (XY direction) to come into contact with the resin on the substrate. In S709, the control unit 150 controls the irradiation unit 142 to irradiate the resin with which the mold 111 is contacted with ultraviolet rays, and cures the resin. In S710, the control unit 150 controls the mold holding unit 113 so that the mold 111 is peeled (released) from the resin on the substrate. In step S <b> 711, the control unit 150 determines whether or not there is a shot area (next shot area) on which the pattern of the mold 111 is continuously transferred on the substrate. If there is a next shot area, the process advances to step S703. If there is no next shot area, the imprint process on one substrate is terminated.

  As described above, in the imprint apparatus 100 of the first embodiment, the mold 111 and the substrate 101 are aligned in a state where the mold 111 and the resin on the substrate are not in contact with each other. At this time, the imprint apparatus 100 uses the first correction value so that the pattern of the mold 111 measured by the measuring unit 114 is shifted from the target area (shot area) by the total amount of the first shift amount and the second shift amount. And positioning of the mold 111 using the second correction. Thereby, the imprint apparatus 100 can transfer the pattern of the mold 111 to the target area with high accuracy. Further, since the imprint apparatus 100 can perform alignment between the mold 111 and the substrate 101 in a state where the mold 111 and the resin on the substrate are not in contact with each other, the throughput can be improved.

  Here, in the first embodiment, the case where the pattern of the mold 111 is transferred to the shot region formed on the substrate has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the present invention can be applied to a case where a mold pattern is transferred to a substrate on which no shot region is formed. In this case, the target area is not a shot area formed on the substrate, but can be managed based on, for example, apparatus coordinates. Further, in the first embodiment, the case where the mold 111 and the substrate 101 are aligned using the die-by-die alignment method has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the present invention can also be applied to the case where the alignment between the mold and the substrate is performed using the global alignment method.

Second Embodiment
An imprint apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the imprint apparatus 100 according to the first embodiment, the mold 111 and the substrate 101 are aligned using the first correction value and the second correction value in a state where the mold 111 and the resin on the substrate are not in contact with each other. It was conducted. On the other hand, in the imprint apparatus according to the second embodiment, the mold 111 and the substrate 101 are aligned using only the first correction value in a state where the mold 111 and the resin on the substrate are not in contact with each other. Then, in a state where the mold 111 is in contact with the resin on the substrate, the alignment between the mold 111 and the substrate is performed using the second correction value. Here, since the imprint apparatus according to the second embodiment has the same apparatus configuration as the imprint apparatus according to the first embodiment, description of the apparatus configuration is omitted here.

  The imprint process for transferring the pattern of the mold 111 to the shot area (target area) on the substrate in the imprint apparatus according to the second embodiment will be described below with reference to FIG. FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing an operation sequence in the imprint process for transferring the pattern of the mold 111 to the shot area on the substrate.

  Since S801 to S806 in FIG. 8 are the same as S701 to S706 in FIG. In step S807, the control unit 150 extracts a first correction value corresponding to the shot area where the imprint process is performed, from the first correction map acquired in step S801. Then, the control unit 150 aligns the mold 111 and the substrate 101 using the first correction value so that the pattern of the mold 111 measured by the measurement unit 114 is shifted from the shot region by the first shift amount. Do. In S808, the control unit 150 drives the mold 111 in the vertical direction (Z direction) orthogonal to the surface direction (XY direction) to control the mold holding unit 113 so that the mold 111 and the resin on the substrate come into contact with each other. . In step S809, the control unit 150 extracts a second correction value corresponding to the shot area where the imprint process is performed, from the second correction map acquired in step S801. Then, the control unit 150 aligns the mold 111 and the substrate 101 using the second correction value so that the pattern of the mold 111 measured by the measurement unit 114 is shifted from the shot region by the second shift amount. Do. Thereby, when the pattern of the mold 111 is transferred to the substrate 101, the relative position between the pattern of the mold 111 transferred to the substrate 101 and the shot area can be within an allowable range. In S810, the control unit 150 controls the irradiation unit 142 to irradiate the resin with which the mold 111 is contacted with ultraviolet rays, and cures the resin. In step S811, the control unit 150 controls the mold holding unit 113 so that the mold 111 is separated from the resin on the substrate by increasing the distance between the mold 111 and the substrate 101. In S812, the control unit 150 determines whether or not there is a shot area (next shot area) on which the pattern of the mold 111 is continuously transferred on the substrate. If there is a next shot area, the process advances to step S803. If there is no next shot area, the imprint process on one substrate is terminated.

  As described above, in the imprint apparatus according to the second embodiment, the mold 111 and the substrate 101 are aligned using the first correction value in a state where the mold 111 and the resin on the substrate are not in contact with each other. . Then, in a state where the mold 111 is in contact with the resin on the substrate, the alignment between the mold 111 and the substrate 101 is performed using the second correction value. Thereby, the imprint apparatus of 2nd Embodiment can transfer the pattern of the mold 111 to a target area | region with high precision similarly to the imprint apparatus 100 of 1st Embodiment. The imprint apparatus according to the second embodiment only needs to correct the second shift amount in a state where the mold 111 and the resin on the substrate are in contact with each other. Therefore, the amount of changing the relative position between the mold 111 and the substrate 101 in a state where the mold 111 and the resin are in contact can be reduced, and the throughput can be improved.

<Embodiment of Method for Manufacturing Article>
The method for manufacturing an article according to an embodiment of the present invention is suitable, for example, for manufacturing an article such as a microdevice such as a semiconductor device or an element having a fine structure. In the method for manufacturing an article according to the present embodiment, a pattern is formed in a step of forming a pattern on the resin applied to the substrate using the above-described imprint apparatus (step of performing imprint processing on the substrate). Processing the substrate. Further, the manufacturing method includes other well-known steps (oxidation, film formation, vapor deposition, doping, planarization, etching, resist stripping, dicing, bonding, packaging, and the like). The method for manufacturing an article according to 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.

  As mentioned above, although preferred 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.

100: imprint apparatus, 101: substrate, 106: substrate stage, 111: mold, 113: mold holding unit, 114: measurement unit, 121: resin supply unit, 142: irradiation unit

Claims (12)

A process of forming a pattern of the imprint material on the substrate by curing the imprint material in a state where the mold on which the pattern is formed and the imprint material on the substrate are in contact with each other is performed. An imprint apparatus for performing
A measuring unit for measuring a relative position between the mark of the mold and the mark of the substrate in a surface direction along the surface of the substrate;
During the contacting step of contacting the imprint material and the mold by relatively driving the front Symbol mold and the substrate, while measures the relative position in the measurement unit, based on the measurement result, A controller that controls a first alignment between the mold and the target area in the surface direction;
Including
The controller is
The area of the mold measured by the measurement unit after the contact between the mold and the imprint material for the area that is included in a substrate different from the substrate having the target area and that has been processed before the target area . Based on the relative position between the mark and the mark in the region, an amount by which the mold and the region are relatively shifted in the surface direction by the contact step is acquired as a first shift amount,
The relative position between the mark of the mold and the mark of the target area measured by the measurement unit is the first shift amount in a direction opposite to the direction in which the mold and the target area are relatively shifted in the contact step. The imprinting apparatus is characterized in that the first alignment is controlled so as to be displaced by a distance.   The imprint apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first alignment is performed before the entire pattern of the mold contacts the imprint material. 3. The control unit according to claim 1, wherein the control unit acquires, as the first shift amount, an amount by which a relative position between the mold and the region changes in the surface direction before and after the contact step. Imprint device. The control unit changes the relative position of the mold and the region in the surface direction due to an operation of relatively driving the mold and the substrate so that the mold and the imprint material are brought into contact with each other. The imprint apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an amount to be acquired is acquired as the first shift amount. The controller is
The region that is included in the substrate different from the substrate having the target region and that has undergone the processing before the target region is formed on the region by the processing due to the measurement error of the measurement unit. The amount by which the pattern of the imprint material shifts with respect to the region is acquired as the second shift amount,
The first position is such that the relative position between the mark of the mold and the mark of the target area measured by the measurement unit is shifted by the second shift amount in the direction opposite to the direction in which the pattern of the imprint material is shifted. imprint apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4 for controlling the alignment, characterized in that. The control unit controls the second alignment between the mold and the target region in the surface direction based on the measurement result while causing the measurement unit to measure the relative position after the contact step. The imprint apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4 , wherein The controller is
The region that is included in the substrate different from the substrate having the target region and that has undergone the processing before the target region is formed on the region by the processing due to the measurement error of the measurement unit. The amount by which the pattern of the imprint material shifts with respect to the region is acquired as the second shift amount,
The second position is set such that the relative position between the mark on the mold and the mark on the target area measured by the measuring unit is shifted by the second shift amount in a direction opposite to the direction in which the pattern of the imprint material is shifted. The imprint apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the alignment of the image is controlled. The control unit includes a relative position between the mark of the mold and the mark of the region measured by the measurement unit, and the mark of the mold and the mark of the region transferred to the imprint material on the region. obtaining a difference between the relative position as the second shift amount, the imprint apparatus according to claim 5 or 7, characterized in that. The substrate includes a plurality of shot regions,
Wherein the control unit is configured to obtain a first shift amount for each shot region, imprint apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in. The substrate includes a plurality of shot regions,
Wherein the control unit, the imprint apparatus according to any one of claims 5, 7 to 8 to obtain a second shift amount for each shot region, it is characterized. Forming an imprint material pattern on a substrate using the imprint apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 10 , and
Processing the substrate on which the pattern is formed in the step;
A method for producing an article comprising: A process of forming a pattern of the imprint material on the substrate by curing the imprint material in a state where the mold on which the pattern is formed and the imprint material on the substrate are in contact with each other is performed. An imprint method for
Wherein during the contacting step of contacting the mold with the said imprint material, mark of the substrate and marks of the mold in the plane direction along the surface of the substrate by relatively driving said substrate before and SL mold Including a positioning step of controlling the positioning of the mold and the target area in the surface direction based on the measurement result while measuring the relative position with the measurement unit,
The alignment step includes
The area of the mold measured by the measurement unit after the contact between the mold and the imprint material for the area that is included in a substrate different from the substrate having the target area and that has been processed before the target area . A step of acquiring, as a first shift amount, an amount of relative shift between the mold and the region in the surface direction by the contact step based on a relative position between the mark and the mark of the region ;
The relative position between the mark of the mold and the mark of the target area measured by the measurement unit is the first shift amount in a direction opposite to the direction in which the mold and the target area are relatively shifted in the contact step. And a step of controlling the alignment so as to be displaced by a distance.

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