TWI632595B - Imprint device, imprint method, and article manufacturing method - Google Patents

Abstract

The embossing device is a method in which a mold is brought into contact with an imprint material on a substrate to cure the imprint material to form a pattern on the substrate. The imprint apparatus includes a substrate holder for holding a substrate, a substrate peripheral member disposed around the substrate holder, a mold holder for holding a mold, a mold peripheral member disposed near the mold holder, and a periphery of the substrate. A power source including a voltage of an AC component is supplied between the structural member and the mold peripheral member.

Description

Imprint device, imprint method, and article manufacturing method

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

The imprint technique which solidifies an imprint material in the state which contacted the mold to the imprint material arrange | positioned on the board | substrate, and forms a pattern on a board | substrate attracts attention. In the mold, a pattern formed by the concave portion is formed, and when the mold contacts the imprint material on the substrate, the imprint material fills the concave portion due to capillary phenomenon. At the time when the embossed material is sufficiently filled in the recess, energy such as light or heat is applied to the embossed material. As a result, the imprint material is cured, and the pattern formed by the concave portion formed in the mold is transferred to the imprint material on the substrate. After the imprint material is cured, the mold is separated from the imprint material.

The mold is charged when the mold is separated from the cured imprint material on the substrate. The electric field formed by this charging causes electrostatic force (Coulomb force) to act on the particles, whereby the particles are attracted to the mold and adhere to the mold. The particles sometimes invade from the outside of the chamber of the imprint apparatus, and sometimes also occur due to the friction between the mechanical elements in the chamber, the friction between the mechanical elements and the substrate or the mold, and the like. Or, in order to arrange uncured on the substrate When the embossed material is ejected from the discharge port, the embossed material is fogged, and the embossed material is solidified to generate particles. In Patent Document 1, it is described that a foreign object capturing area is provided in a mold and the foreign object capturing area is charged to remove foreign objects existing in the ambient gas and / or the substrate when the substrate is transferred to the transfer position.

When particles are attached to a mold or a substrate and a pattern is formed by contacting the mold with an imprint material on the substrate, a defective pattern is formed, or the substrate and / or the mold may be damaged. Here, the particles strongly adhered to the surface of the structural material arranged on the periphery of the substrate are not easily separated from the surface due to the electrostatic force acting between the molds, but the particles weakly adhered to the surface are due to static electricity. Force and easily detach from the surface. The detached particles may be attached to the mold or the substrate. In addition, the particles strongly adhered to the surface of the structural member disposed on the periphery of the mold are not easily separated from the surface due to the electrostatic force acting on the imprint material on the substrate. On the other hand, particles that are weakly adhered to the surface are easily detached from the surface due to electrostatic force. The detached particles may be attached to the substrate or the mold.

[Prior technical literature] [Patent Literature]

[Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2014-175340

The present invention was created by taking the above-mentioned subject recognition as an opportunity, and an object of the present invention is to provide a technique that is advantageous in terms of: Pattern defects due to particles that are likely to be detached from the substrate and / or a structure around the substrate, and damage to the substrate and / or mold.

One aspect of the present invention relates to an imprinting apparatus that contacts a mold with an imprinting material on a substrate and cures the imprinting material to form a pattern on the substrate. The imprinting device includes: a substrate holder that holds the substrate; A substrate peripheral structure around the substrate holder, a mold holder holding a mold, a mold peripheral structure arranged around the mold holder, and an AC-containing component is supplied between the substrate peripheral member and the mold peripheral member. Voltage power supply.

According to the present invention, there is provided a technique which is advantageous in terms of reducing a pattern defect and breakage of a substrate and / or a mold due to particles that are easily detached from a substrate and / or a structure around the substrate.

IMP‧‧‧ Imprint Device

100‧‧‧mould

101‧‧‧ substrate

102‧‧‧Substrate fixture

113‧‧‧ Substrate peripheral structure

150‧‧‧ particles

161‧‧‧mould surrounding structure

PS‧‧‧ Power

1 is a diagram schematically illustrating a configuration of a part of an imprint apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically illustrating a configuration of an imprint apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[Fig. 3] A diagram showing a modification.

4A is a diagram illustrating a voltage supplied between a substrate peripheral member and a mold peripheral member by a power source.

4B is a diagram illustrating a voltage supplied between a substrate peripheral member and a mold peripheral member by a power source.

5A is a diagram illustrating a voltage supplied between a substrate peripheral member and a mold peripheral member by a power source.

5B is a diagram illustrating a voltage supplied between a substrate peripheral member and a mold peripheral member by a power source.

6 is a diagram illustrating an operation method of an imprint apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

7 is a diagram illustrating an operation method or an operation method of an imprint apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[Fig. 8A] A diagram illustrating an experimental method.

[Fig. 8B] A diagram illustrating experimental condition A. [Fig.

FIG. 8C is a diagram illustrating experimental condition B. FIG.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a sample prepared for experimental condition A. FIG.

FIG. 10A is a graph plotting results under experimental condition A. FIG.

FIG. 10B is a graph plotting results under experimental condition A. FIG.

FIG. 10C is a graph showing results under experimental condition A. FIG.

FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating a sample prepared for experimental condition B. FIG.

FIG. 12A is a graph plotting results under experimental condition B. FIG.

[Fig. 12B] The results plotted under the experimental conditions B Illustration.

FIG. 12C is a graph plotting results under experimental condition B. FIG.

FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a mold peripheral member.

14 is a diagram illustrating a divided mold peripheral material as another example of the configuration of the mold peripheral material.

15 is a diagram illustrating an example of use of a divided mold peripheral structure.

FIG. 16 is a diagram illustrating an example of use of a divided mold peripheral structure.

FIG. 17 is a diagram illustrating an example of use of a divided mold peripheral member.

Hereinafter, an imprint apparatus and an operation method thereof according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings with reference to the illustrated embodiments.

FIG. 2 illustrates a configuration of an imprint apparatus IMP according to an embodiment of the present invention. The imprint apparatus IMP transfers the pattern of the mold 100 to the substrate 101 through imprinting. In other words, the imprinting device IMP is an imprinting material (a material to be transferred) that transfers the pattern of the mold 100 onto the substrate 101 by imprinting. In this specification, embossing means that the embossing material is brought into contact with the mold, the embossing material is cured, and then the embossing material is separated from the mold. The mold 100 has a pattern formed by a recess. The mold 100 is brought into contact with an imprint material (resin in an uncured state) on the substrate 101 so that The printed material is filled in the concave portion of the pattern. In this state, energy is given to the imprint material for curing, so that the imprint material is cured. Accordingly, the pattern of the mold 100 is transferred to the imprint material, and the pattern formed by the cured imprint material is formed on the substrate 101.

The embossing material is a curable composition that is cured by being given energy to cure it. The embossed material sometimes indicates a cured state and sometimes indicates an uncured state. For the energy for curing, for example, electromagnetic waves and heat are used. The electromagnetic wave is, for example, light having a wavelength selected from a range of 10 nm to 1 mm (for example, infrared rays, visible rays, and ultraviolet rays).

The curable composition is generally a composition that is cured by light irradiation or heating. Among these, the photocurable composition cured by light may contain at least a polymerizable compound and a photopolymerization initiator. The photocurable composition may additionally contain a non-polymerizable compound or a solvent. The non-polymerizable compound may be, for example, at least one selected from the group consisting of a sensitizer, a hydrogen donor, an internal release agent, a surfactant, an antioxidant, and a polymer component.

The present specification and drawings refer to directions in an XYZ coordinate system in which a direction parallel to the surface of the substrate 101 is an XY plane. Let X, Y, and Z directions parallel to the XYZ coordinate system be X, Y, and Z directions, respectively, and make rotations about the X axis, rotations about the Y axis, and rotations about the Z axis θ X , Θ Y, θ Z. The control or drive of the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis means control or drive of a direction parallel to the X-axis, a direction parallel to the Y-axis, and a direction parallel to the Z-axis, respectively. In addition, the control or drive of the θ X axis, θ Y axis, and θ Z axis refers to rotation about an axis parallel to the X axis, rotation about an axis parallel to the Y axis, and about an axis parallel to the Z axis, respectively. Control or drive of the rotation. The position is information that can be determined based on the coordinates of the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis, and the posture can be determined by relative rotation with respect to the θ X-axis, θ Y-axis, and θ Z-axis. Positioning means controlling the position and / or posture. In addition, the expression "A and / or B" in this specification means "at least one of A and B".

The imprint apparatus IMP is a substrate driving mechanism SDM including a positioning substrate 101, and the substrate driving mechanism SDM may include, for example, a substrate holder 102, a substrate peripheral structure 113, a micro-motion mechanism 114, a coarse-motion mechanism 115, and a base structure 116. The substrate holder 102 has a substrate holding area for holding the substrate 101 and holds the substrate 101 by adsorption (for example, vacuum adsorption, electrostatic adsorption) or mechanical means. The micro-movement mechanism 114 may include a micro-motion stage that supports the substrate holder 102 and the substrate peripheral structure 113 and a driving mechanism that drives the micro-motion stage. The substrate peripheral member 113 is disposed around the substrate holder 102. The substrate peripheral member 113 is, as shown in FIG. 1, disposed around the area where the substrate 101 is disposed so as to surround the side surface of the substrate 101. The substrate peripheral structure 113 may have an upper surface having a height substantially equal to the upper surface of the substrate 101. For example, the substrate peripheral member 113 may have an upper surface that is equal to the upper surface of the substrate 101 or slightly lower than the upper surface of the substrate 101 (for example, an upper surface that is 1 mm or less in height from the upper surface of the substrate 101). In addition, the substrate peripheral member 113 may be formed as a single body instead of being integrated.

The micro-movement mechanism 114 is a mechanism for micro-driving the substrate holder 102 and micro-driving the substrate 101. The coarse movement mechanism 115 is a mechanism for coarsely driving the fine movement mechanism 114 to coarsely drive the substrate 101. The base structure 116 supports the coarse movement mechanism 115, the fine movement mechanism 114, the substrate holder 102, and the substrate peripheral structure 113. The substrate driving mechanism SDM is configured, for example, so as to drive the substrate 101 with respect to a plurality of axes (for example, three axes of an X axis, a Y axis, and a θ Z axis). The position of the micro-movement mechanism 114 that is integrated with the substrate holder 102 (micro-motion stage) is monitored by a measuring device 117 such as an interferometer.

The imprint apparatus IMP is provided with a mold driving mechanism MDM for positioning the mold 100. The mold driving mechanism MDM may include a mold clamp 110, a driving mechanism 109, and a mold peripheral member 161. The mold peripheral member 161 is disposed around the area where the mold 100 is disposed so as to surround the side surface of the mold 100. The mold driving mechanism MDM and the mold peripheral structure 161 can be supported by the support structure 108. The mold jig 110 can hold the mold 100 by adsorption (for example, vacuum adsorption, electrostatic adsorption) or mechanical means. The driving mechanism 109 drives the mold 100 by driving the mold holder 110. The master plate driving mechanism MDM may be configured to drive the mold 100 with respect to a plurality of axes (for example, 6 axes of X axis, Y axis, Z axis, θ X axis, θ Y axis, and θ Z axis).

The substrate driving mechanism SDM and the mold driving mechanism MDM constitute a driving unit that performs relative positioning of the substrate 101 and the mold 100. The drive unit adjusts the relative position of the substrate 101 and the mold 100 in addition to the X-axis, Y-axis, θ X-axis, θ Y-axis, and θ Z-axis, and adjusts the substrate with respect to the Z-axis. The relative position of 101 and the mold 100. The adjustment of the relative position of the substrate 101 and the mold 100 in the Z axis includes the operation of contacting and separating the imprint material on the substrate 101 and the mold 100.

The imprint apparatus IMP may include a dispenser (supply section) 111 for coating, arranging, or supplying an uncured imprint material on the substrate 101. The dispenser 111 may be configured, for example, to arrange the imprint material on the substrate 101 in the form of a plurality of droplets. The distributor 111 is supported by a support structure 108.

The imprint apparatus IMP may include a curing unit 104 that irradiates the imprint material on the substrate 101 with light such as UV light to cure the imprint material. The imprint apparatus IMP may further include a camera 103 for observing the state of imprint. The light emitted from the curing section 104 can be reflected by the mirror 105 and transmitted through the mold 100 to irradiate the imprint material. The camera 103 may be configured to observe the embossing situation through the mold 100 and the mirror 105, for example, to observe a contact state between the embossing material and the mold 100.

The imprint apparatus IMP may include alignment range displays 107 a and 107 b for detecting a relative position of the mark of the substrate 101 and the mark of the mold 100. The alignment range displays 107 a and 107 b are arranged on the upper structure 106 supported by the support structure 108. The imprint apparatus IMP may include an off-axis detector 112 for detecting a plurality of marked positions on the substrate 101. The off-axis detector 112 is supported by the support structure 108.

The imprint apparatus IMP may include one or a plurality of gas supply units 118. The gas supply part 118 may be used to surround the mold holder 110 The method is arranged around the mold holder 110. The gas supply unit 118 supplies gas to the space between the substrate 101 and the mold 100 to form a curtain-shaped air flow 118a. The gas supply part 118 passes the air flow 118 a to prevent particles from entering the space between the substrate 101 and the mold 100. The gas supply part 118 is supported by the support structure 108, for example. The gas supplied from the gas supply unit 118 may be, for example, clean and dry air, but may be other gas such as nitrogen or helium. The gas outlet (not shown) of the gas from the gas supply part 118 is preferably circular. However, as long as the formed airflow 118a surrounds the space between the substrate 101 and the mold 100, the air outlet itself may not be circular. The imprint apparatus IMP may include a gas supply unit 130 to supply a gas 131 toward a space between the substrate 101 and the mold 100 so as to form a flow of the gas 131 along the substrate 101.

The imprint apparatus IMP includes a power supply PS that supplies a voltage V including an AC component between the substrate peripheral member 113 and the mold peripheral member 161. In the example shown in FIG. 2, the system substrate peripheral member 113 is grounded, and the mold peripheral member 161 is supplied with a voltage V including an AC component from a power source PS. The voltage V can be a negative voltage or a positive voltage. A voltage V containing an AC component is supplied between the substrate peripheral member 113 and the mold peripheral member 161 through a power supply PS so that an electric field is formed between the substrate peripheral member 113 and the mold peripheral member 161. This electric field causes an electrostatic force to act on the particles on the substrate peripheral structure 113 so that at least a part of the particles on the substrate peripheral structure 113 is removed.

The imprint apparatus IMP is provided with a chamber 190, and the above-mentioned structures The component system may be arranged in the chamber 190. The imprint apparatus IMP may further include a main control section (control section) 126, an imprint control section 120, an irradiation control section 121, a display control section 122, a dispenser control section 123, a curtain control section 124, and a substrate control section 125. The main control unit 126 controls the imprint control unit 120, the irradiation control unit 121, the display control unit 122, the dispenser control unit 123, the curtain control unit 124, the substrate control unit 125, and the power supply PS. The imprint control unit 120 controls the mold driving mechanism MDM. The irradiation control unit 121 controls the curing unit 104. The display control unit 122 controls the alignment range displays 107 a and 107 b and the off-axis detector 112. The distributor control unit 123 controls the distributor 111. The curtain control unit 124 controls the gas supply unit 118. The substrate control unit 125 controls the substrate driving mechanism SDM.

FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a part of the imprint apparatus IMP of FIG. 2. The substrate peripheral structure 113 may have an upper surface having the same height as the upper surface of the substrate 101. The mold peripheral member 161 may have a lower surface having the same height as the lower surface of the mold 100. The substrate peripheral member 113 and the mold peripheral member 161 function to suppress disturbance of the flow of the gas 131 supplied from the gas supply unit 130. The substrate peripheral structure 113 may have a flat upper surface. The mold peripheral member 161 may have a flat lower surface.

In the internal space of the chamber 190, the particles 150 may penetrate. In addition, in the chamber 190, the mutual friction of the mechanical elements, the friction of the mechanical elements with the substrate 101 or the mold 100, and the like make it possible to generate particles 150. Alternatively, the dispenser 111 is arranged to be uncured on the substrate 101 When the embossing material is discharged from the discharge port, the embossing material is misted, and the embossing material is solidified so that particles 150 may be generated.

The particles 150 may be attached to the surface of a substrate, such as a substrate peripheral member 113 and a mold peripheral member 161. Among the substrate peripheral member 113 and the mold peripheral member 161, especially for the substrate peripheral member 113 located below, the particles 150 are highly likely to fall and adhere. The particles 150 have various types depending on the particle size, shape, and material. Therefore, there are various adhesion forces to the particles 150 on the upper surface of the substrate peripheral structure 113. The particles 150 having weak adhesion on the upper surface of the substrate peripheral structure 113 are easily detached from the upper surface of the substrate peripheral structure 113 due to external stimuli (vibration, air flow, static electricity) and the like. Since the mold 100 is charged by embossing, a strong electric field may be formed between the substrate peripheral member 113 and the mold 100. Due to this electric field, an electrostatic force acts on the particles 150 on the substrate peripheral structure 113. Therefore, the particles 150 attached to the upper surface of the substrate peripheral structure 113 with a weak adhesion force may be easily separated from the upper surface of the substrate peripheral structure 113. The particles 150 detached from the upper surface of the substrate peripheral structure 113 may be attracted to the mold 100 and attached to the mold 100 or to the substrate 101. Therefore, the particles 150 may be sandwiched between the mold 100 and the substrate 101 in some cases. For this reason, a defective pattern may be formed, or a substrate and / or a mold may be damaged.

Therefore, in order to prevent the particles 150 adhered to the substrate peripheral structure 113 with a weak adhesive force from detaching from the substrate peripheral structure 113 at an unexpected timing, it is desirable to forcibly remove the particles 150 from the substrate peripheral structure 113 in advance. In order to achieve this, the imprint apparatus IMP is provided with a power source PS. power supply PS: A voltage V including an AC component is supplied between the substrate peripheral member 113 and the mold peripheral member 161. Since the voltage V supplied between the substrate peripheral structure 113 and the mold peripheral structure 161 causes an electric field to be generated between the substrate peripheral structure 113 and the mold peripheral structure 161, an electrostatic force acts on the particles 150 due to the electric field. Among the particles 150 adhering to the upper surface of the substrate peripheral structure 113, the particles 150 adhering with a weak adhesive force are detached from the upper surface of the substrate peripheral structure 113 due to the electrostatic force. The power source PS preferably supplies a voltage V including an AC component between the substrate peripheral member 113 and the mold peripheral member 161 at least before the substrate peripheral member 113 enters the space surrounded by the airflow 118a and the substrate 101. The particles 150 detached from the upper surface of the substrate peripheral member 113 are caused to flow by the airflow 118a, and can be further multiplied by the flow of the gas 131 and discharged in a direction away from the mold 100. The substrate peripheral member 113 and the mold peripheral member 161 include a conductor that applies a voltage through a power source PS. This can prevent particles 150 from adhering to the mold 100 from the upper surface of the substrate peripheral structure 113 in a space surrounded by the airflow 118a at an unexpected time.

Here, as an example, consider the following case: The mold 100 is separated from the solidified imprint material on the substrate 101 so that the mold 100 is charged to -3 kV. The substrate peripheral member 113 is grounded and its potential is a ground potential. The gap between the substrate peripheral structure 113 and the mold 100 is 1 mm. The direction of the electric field in this case is upward (positive direction of the Z axis), and the intensity (absolute value) of the electric field is 3 kV / mm. In this example, it is preferable that the average value of the voltage V of the mold peripheral member 161 is lower than -3 kV. (V <-3kV), a voltage V is supplied between the substrate peripheral structure 113 and the mold peripheral structure 161 through the power supply PS. As a result, the particles 150 attached to the upper surface of the substrate peripheral structure 113 with a weak force pass through the electrostatic force formed by the electric field between the substrate peripheral structure 113 and the mold peripheral structure 161 to construct the structure from the substrate periphery. The upper surface of the material 113 is detached. The particles 150 detached from the substrate peripheral structure 113 can be discharged by the flow of the gas 131.

The voltage V supplied between the substrate peripheral member 113 and the mold peripheral member 161 is the result of an experiment conducted by the present inventor. It is found that the case where the voltage includes an AC component is more than the case where the voltage is a fixed voltage. The effect of the particles 150 detaching from the substrate peripheral member 113 is high.

Hereinafter, the above-mentioned experiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 8A to 12C. FIG. 8A shows an experimental system. In this experimental system, two wafers 301 and 302 are separated and arranged in parallel with each other. The wafer 301 is a wafer to which particles 300 floating in the clean room are attached, and is electrically grounded. The wafer 302 is a wafer for evaluation, and a voltage is applied through the power source 303.

Under experimental condition A, as shown in FIG. 8B, a fixed voltage of -1 kV was applied to the wafer 302. Under experimental condition B, as shown in FIG. 8C, the voltage applied to the wafer 302 is turned on / off every 10 seconds. The experimental condition B can be understood as an example in which a voltage including an AC component is supplied between the wafers 301 and 302. Under both experimental conditions A and B, it was confirmed that the particles 300 attached to the wafer 301 were detached from the wafer 301 and adhered to the wafer 302. The evaluation of the results of experimental conditions A and B is based on the particles attached to the wafer 302 The number of 300 was counted to perform.

In FIG. 9, the positions and diameters of the particles attached to the wafer 301 prepared for the experiment under the experimental condition A are shown. The number of particles attached to the wafer 301 was 736. The first wafer 302 is arranged opposite to the wafer 301 as shown in FIG. 8A, and a fixed voltage is applied between the wafers 301 and 302 according to the experimental condition A. Next, instead of the first wafer 302, the second wafer 302 is arranged opposite to the wafer 301 as shown in FIG. 8A, and a fixed voltage is applied between the wafers 301 and 302 according to the experimental condition A. Next, instead of the second wafer 302, the third wafer 302 is arranged opposite to the wafer 301 as shown in FIG. 8A, and a fixed voltage is applied between the wafers 301 and 302 according to the experimental condition A.

Thereafter, the number of particles attached to the first, second, and third wafers 302 is counted. FIG. 10A shows the positions and the number of particles attached to the first wafer 302, and the number is nine. FIG. 10B shows the position and number of particles attached to the second wafer 302, and the number is one. FIG. 10C shows the positions and the number of particles attached to the third wafer 302, and the number is zero.

That is, in the first experiment using the first wafer 302, nine particles with weak adhesion to the wafer 301 detached from the wafer 301 and adhered to the wafer 302. In the second experiment using the second wafer 302, one particle with weak adhesion to the wafer 301 detached from the wafer 301 and adhered to the wafer 302. In the third experiment using the third wafer 302, the number of particles attached to the wafer 302 was zero. The number of particles adhering to the wafer 302 was reduced in the second experiment than in the first experiment. The reason is that the first experiment reduced the number of particles attached to the wafer 301 with a weak adhesion force. In the third experiment, the number of particles attached to the wafer 302 was zero, which is understood to mean that in the experiments up to the second experiment, all the particles attached to the wafer 301 with a weak adsorption force were removed. Through the first, second, and third experiments, 10 of the 736 particles (1.4% of the 736 particles) were removed from the wafer 301.

In FIG. 11, the positions and diameters of the particles attached to the wafer 301 prepared for the experiment under the experimental condition B are shown. The number of particles attached to the wafer 301 is 650. The first wafer 302 is arranged opposite to the wafer 301 as shown in FIG. 8A, and a voltage including an AC component is applied between the wafers 301 and 302 according to the experimental condition B. Next, instead of the first wafer 302, the second wafer 302 is arranged opposite to the wafer 301 as shown in FIG. 8A, and a voltage including an AC component is applied between the wafers 301 and 302 according to the experimental condition B. Next, instead of the third wafer 302, the third wafer 302 is arranged opposite to the wafer 301 as shown in FIG. 8A, and a voltage including an AC component is applied between the wafers 301 and 302 according to the experimental condition B.

Thereafter, the number of particles attached to the first, second, and third wafers 302 is counted. FIG. 12A shows the positions and the number of particles attached to the first wafer 302, and the number is 27. FIG. 12B shows the positions and the number of particles attached to the second wafer 302, and the number is nine. FIG. 12C shows the positions and the number of particles attached to the third wafer 302, and the number is 12.

That is, for the first time under the use of the first wafer 302 In the experiment, 27 particles with weak adhesion to the wafer 301 detached from the wafer 301 and adhered to the wafer 302. In the second experiment using the second wafer 302, nine particles with weak adhesion to the wafer 301 detached from the wafer 301 and adhered to the wafer 302. In the second experiment using the third wafer 302, 12 particles with weak adhesion to the wafer 301 were detached from the wafer 301 and adhered to the wafer 302.

In the experimental condition B, the first, second, and third experiments were performed, and 48 of the 650 particles (7.4% of the 650 particles) were removed from the wafer 301. Under experimental condition B, a larger number of particles can be removed from wafer 301 than experimental condition A. In addition, under experimental condition B, in the second and third experiments, a plurality of particles may be removed from the wafer 301. In this way, the effect of reducing the adhesion of particles to the surface of the structural material is higher than the effect of applying a fixed force to the particles as in Experiment A and a variable force to the particles as in Experiment B.

FIG. 4A exemplarily shows a voltage V supplied to the mold peripheral member 161 through the power supply PS. The voltage V is a voltage including an AC component (for example, a voltage expressed as a sum of an AC component and a fixed value). The voltage V is a pulse wave (pulse voltage) composed of a plurality of pulses. Alternatively, the waveform of the voltage V may include at least one of a rectangular wave (square wave), a triangular wave, a trapezoidal wave, a step wave (a waveform in which the voltage changes stepwise), and a sine wave. FIG. 5A shows a 6-cycle sine wave as an example of the voltage V waveform. In this way, the voltage V including the AC component may be a voltage whose magnitude varies across a plurality of cycles.

The voltage V is a voltage that does not change in polarity. Polarity changes are also possible. When the voltage V is a voltage that does not change in polarity, the polarity of the voltage V can be set in the same direction as the direction of the electric field formed by the charging of the mold 100 between the substrate 101 and the mold 100. Polarity between the substrate peripheral member 113 and the mold peripheral member 161. In this case, while the voltage V including the AC component is being applied between the substrate peripheral member 113 and the mold peripheral member 161, it is the direction of the electric field formed between the substrate peripheral member 113 and the mold peripheral member 161. Only the magnitude of the electric field changes while the state is maintained. When the voltage V is a voltage having a changed polarity, for example, the supply voltage is determined such that the average force of the force applied to the particles 150 attached to the substrate peripheral structure 113 acts on the direction in which the particles 150 are detached from the substrate peripheral structure 113. The polarity of the voltage V of the mold peripheral member 161 changes.

When the mold 100 is separated from the cured imprint material on the substrate 101 so that the mold 100 is charged with a voltage in the range of -V0 to 0V (V0 is a positive value), the peak value of the voltage V is -V1 (V1 is a positive Value) is preferably a voltage lower than -V0. Thereby, an electric field can be generated between the substrate peripheral member 113 and the mold peripheral member 161 which generates an electrostatic force stronger than the electrostatic force acting on the particles 150 due to the charging of the mold 100. For this reason, the particles adhering to the substrate peripheral member 113 may be removed in advance. The time for the voltage V to transition from the maximum value to the minimum value and / or the time for the voltage V to transition from the minimum value to the maximum value is preferably 1 second or less.

The maximum value of the absolute value of the voltage V is determined such that an electric field stronger than the maximum intensity of the electric field generated by the charging of the mold 100 is formed between the substrate peripheral member 113 and the mold peripheral member 161. advantageous. However, this optional condition may be such that an electric field that is weaker than the maximum intensity of the electric field formed by the charging of the mold 100 is formed between the substrate peripheral member 113 and the mold peripheral member 161. In this case, at least a part of the particles may be removed from the substrate peripheral member 113, and the effect of removing particles from the substrate peripheral member 113 may be improved by increasing the rate of change of the voltage V per unit time.

FIG. 6 exemplarily shows an operation method of the imprint apparatus IMP. This operation method is controlled by a main control section (control section) 216. In program S201, the main control unit 126 controls the substrate driving mechanism SDM so that the pressing area of the imprint target on the substrate 101 moves below the dispenser 111. In program S202, the main control unit 126 controls the substrate driving mechanism SDM and the dispenser 111 so that the imprint material is arranged on the imprinting area of the imprint target on the substrate 101. Here, the arrangement of the embossing material to the impact area is performed by, for example, ejecting the embossing material from the dispenser 111 while moving the substrate 101 through the substrate driving mechanism SDM. The arrangement form of the embossing material toward the embossing area is arbitrary. For example, the embossing material can be arranged in the embossing area in the form of a plurality of droplets arranged.

In step S203, the main control unit 126 starts by moving the pressing area of the imprinted object on the substrate 101 below the mold 100, and more specifically, starts by aligning the pressing area with the mold 100. Control of the substrate driving mechanism SDM and the mold driving mechanism MDM. In step S204, the main control unit 126 starts the supply of the voltage V including the AC component between the substrate peripheral member 113 and the mold peripheral member 161, and forwards between the substrate peripheral member 113 and the mold peripheral member 161. Way to control Power PS. A voltage V including an AC component is supplied between the substrate peripheral member 113 and the mold peripheral member 161, so that an electric field having a variable magnitude is formed between the substrate peripheral member 113 and the mold peripheral member 161. Due to this electric field, particles that adhere to the upper surface of the substrate peripheral structure 113 with a weak adhesive force are detached, and the permeate air flow 118 a is discharged in a direction away from the vicinity of the substrate peripheral structure 113. Such functions and processes can be referred to as cleaning functions and cleaning processes, respectively. The cleaning function is set to ON, so that, for example, particles (in general, the adhesion should be weak) attached to the substrate peripheral structure 113 in the procedures S201 to S203 are directly detached. Here, the routine S204 (start of supply of the voltage V) can be executed before the end of the routine S203. However, it is preferable that the voltage between the substrate peripheral member 113 and the mold peripheral member 161 not be transmitted through the power supply PS while the distributor (supplying section) 111 supplies the imprinted material to (the pressing area of the substrate 101) V supply. This is because the electric field formed by the voltage V hinders the supply of the imprint material passing through the distributor 111 to an appropriate position on the substrate 101.

In program S205, the main control unit 126 controls the related constituent elements such that the substrate driving mechanism SDM, the mold driving mechanism MDM, the curing unit 104, and the alignment are controlled so that the imprint is performed on the impact area of the imprint object. Range displays 107a, 107b, and the like. Specifically, in step S205, an embossing material that causes the mold 100 to contact the embossing area of the embossing object on the substrate 101 is performed, the embossing material is cured, and then the embossing that separates the mold 100 from the embossing material deal with. In the example shown in FIG. 6, the routine S205 is performed while the cleaning function is ON. That is, the voltage V is supplied to the substrate peripheral member 113 and the mold peripheral member 161. In an intermittent state, an operation of bringing the mold 100 into contact with the imprint material on the substrate 101, curing the imprint material, and separating the mold 100 from the imprint material is performed.

In step S206, the main control unit 126 controls the power supply PS such that the supply of the voltage V between the substrate peripheral member 113 and the mold peripheral member 161 is conventionally stopped. That is, the main control unit 126 is connected to the program S206 to stop (OFF) the cleaning function.

In step S207, the main control unit 126 determines whether the imprint on all the pressing regions of the substrate 101 has ended, and if the unprocessed pressing regions remain, it returns to the process S201 to perform the unprocessed pressing. Area embossing. On the other hand, when the embossing has been completed for all the embossed areas, the process proceeds to step S208. In step S208, the main control unit 126 determines whether the imprint on all the substrates 101 to be processed is finished, and if the unprocessed substrate 101 remains, it returns to the process S201 to perform the imprint on the unprocessed substrate 101. Seal. On the other hand, when the imprint on all the substrates 101 is completed, a series of processes shown in FIG. 6 are completed.

In the processing described above, a part of the substrate peripheral structure 113 faces the mold 100 in the middle of the routine S201 to the middle of S203. However, the substrate peripheral structure 113 is subjected to cleaning processing in parallel with the imprinting of the procedure S205. Therefore, particles that adhere to this area of the substrate peripheral structure 113 with a weak adhesive force are separated from the substrate peripheral structure 113 and are transmitted through. The airflow 118a, the airflow 113, and the like are likely to be discharged.

FIG. 3 shows a change of the structure shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 example. In the example shown in FIG. 3, the mold peripheral member 161 is grounded, and the substrate peripheral member 113 is supplied with a voltage V including an AC component from a power source PS. The voltage V can be a negative voltage or a positive voltage. A voltage V containing an AC component is supplied between the substrate peripheral member 113 and the mold peripheral member 161 through a power supply PS so that an electric field is formed between the substrate peripheral member 113 and the mold peripheral member 161. This electric field causes electrostatic force to act on the particles on the substrate peripheral structure 113 so that the particles are removed from the substrate peripheral structure 113.

Here, as in the previous example, consider the following: The mold 100 is separated from the solidified imprint material on the substrate 101 so that the mold 100 is charged to -3 kV. The mold surrounding structure 161 is grounded and its potential is the ground potential. The gap between the substrate peripheral structure 113 and the mold 100 is 1 mm. The direction of the electric field in this case is upward (positive direction of the Z axis), and the intensity (absolute value) of the electric field is 3 kV / mm. In this example, it is preferable to supply the substrate peripheral structure 113 and the mold peripheral structure 161 through the power supply PS so that the voltage V of the substrate peripheral structure 113 becomes a higher potential (V> + 3kV) than + 3kV. Voltage V. As a result, the particles 150 attached to the upper surface of the substrate peripheral structure 113 with a weak force are transmitted from the substrate peripheral structure through the electrostatic force formed by the electric field between the substrate peripheral structure 113 and the mold peripheral structure 161. 113 upper surface detached. Detach from the substrate peripheral member 113. The particles 150 detached from the substrate peripheral structure 113 can be discharged by the flow of the gas 131.

As is clear from the above description, the ground potential is supplied to one of the substrate peripheral member 113 and the mold peripheral member 161, and the voltage V is supplied to the other of the substrate peripheral member 113 and the mold peripheral member 161. Party. Alternatively, in other forms, the power supply PS may be supplied between the substrate peripheral structure 113 and the mold peripheral structure 161 in such a manner that the voltage V is supplied to both the substrate peripheral structure 113 and the mold peripheral structure 161. The potentials are different potentials.

Although the description so far focused on the removal of the particles attached to the substrate peripheral member 113, the electrostatic force also acts on the particles attached to the mold peripheral member 161 and is removed from the mold peripheral member 161. Thereby, the particles which adhere to the mold peripheral member 161 with a weak adhesion force are prevented from falling onto the substrate 101.

In FIG. 4B, the voltage V supplied to the substrate peripheral member 113 through the power supply PS is exemplarily shown. The voltage V is a voltage including an AC component (for example, a voltage expressed as a sum of an AC component and a fixed value). The voltage V is a pulse wave composed of a plurality of pulses. Alternatively, the voltage V is a rectangular wave (square wave), a triangular wave, a trapezoidal wave, or a step wave. Alternatively, the voltage V is a sine wave as shown in FIG. 5B. The voltage V supplied to the substrate peripheral member 113 through the power supply PS is a voltage that can vary in magnitude over a plurality of cycles. In addition, the voltage V including the AC component can be included while the voltage V is applied between the substrate peripheral member 113 and the mold peripheral member 161 without changing the substrate peripheral member 113 and the mold peripheral member. A voltage that changes only the magnitude of the electric field in the state of the direction of the electric field between the materials 161.

FIG. 7 exemplarily shows an operation method or an operation method of the imprint apparatus IMP. In program S211, maintenance is performed. Maintenance is sometimes performed by the operator and sometimes through the imprinting device IMP. Function. Maintenance may include, for example, inspection, repair, cleaning, or exchange of the dispenser 111, the substrate holder 102, or the mold holder 110. During the maintenance, particles may adhere to the substrate peripheral structure 113 and / or the mold peripheral structure 161.

Therefore, after the maintenance is completed and before the imprint process is restarted, a voltage V including an AC component is supplied between the substrate peripheral member 113 and the mold peripheral member 161 through the power supply PS. Specifically, programs S212 and S213 are performed next to program S11. In program S212, the main control unit 126 controls the substrate driving mechanism SDM so that the substrate peripheral member 113 corresponds to the mold peripheral member 161. The main control unit 126 executes program S212 in response to the input of a signal indicating the end of maintenance. Following step S212, in step S213, the main control unit 126 controls the power supply PS so that the supply of the voltage V between the substrate peripheral member 113 and the mold peripheral member 161 is started. Thereby, the voltage V is supplied between the substrate peripheral member 113 and the mold peripheral member 161, and an electric field having a variable magnitude is formed between the substrate peripheral member 113 and the mold peripheral member 161. Due to this electric field, particles attached to the upper surface of the substrate peripheral structure 113 with a weak adhesive force are removed from the substrate peripheral structure 113.

According to such an operation method or an application method, particles that may be attached to the substrate peripheral structure 113 and / or the mold peripheral structure 161 (generally, the adhesion should be weak) can be directly removed by maintenance.

The positive, negative, and magnitude of the voltage V including the AC component supplied between the substrate peripheral member 113 and the mold peripheral member 161 can also be measured based on a potentiometer disposed in the imprint apparatus IMP. The result of the potential is determined. Alternatively, the positive, negative, magnitude, and the like of the voltage V may be determined periodically based on the result of measuring the potential of the mold 100 by periodically removing the mold 100.

The mold peripheral structure 161, as illustrated in FIG. 13, may have a shape that surrounds the sides of the mold 100 across the entire surface. However, the mold peripheral structure 161 is exemplified in FIG. 14 and may be configured by the mold peripheral structures 330a, 330b, and 330c that are divided and arranged around the area where the mold 100 is disposed. By adopting such a configuration, the degree of freedom for disposing the mechanism around the mold 100 can be improved. Examples of mechanisms that can be arranged around the mold 100 include a mechanism that deforms the mold 100 into a target shape by applying a force to the side surface of the mold 100, and moves the mold 100 to A driving mechanism in the Z direction, a driving mechanism for adjusting the inclination of the mold 100, and the like. In addition, the divided mold peripheral members 330a, 330b, and 333c are used to supply the voltage V from the power source PS to the mold peripheral members 330a, 330b, and 333c, so that the entire electric field non-substrate peripheral member 113 can be generated in a local area. . Above the substrate peripheral structure 113, a reference mark for calibration of the position of the substrate 101, the micro-motion stage, etc., an illuminance sensor for measuring the illuminance of the exposure light for curing the imprint material, etc. are exposed to an electric field, It can prevent the measurement result of the reference mark and the measurement result of the illuminance sensor from being affected.

The arrangement and role of each of the mold peripheral members 330a, 330b, and 330c will be described. The mold peripheral member 330 a may be disposed in the −X direction with respect to the mold 100. That is, the mold peripheral structure 330a is It can be arranged in a direction opposite to the direction from the mold 100 toward the dispenser 111 (viewed from the + Z direction). The length in the longitudinal direction of the mold peripheral member 330 a is preferably longer than the longitudinal direction of the pattern-forming portion 100 a of the mold 100.

The mold peripheral member 330a is used when the process shown in the flowchart of FIG. 6 is executed. For example, as shown in FIG. 15, the mold peripheral structure 330 a is opposed to the area 320 including a region where the mold 100 faces the substrate 101 and the substrate peripheral structure 113 during the imprint process. A voltage V including an AC voltage is supplied to the mold peripheral structure 330 a at the aforementioned timing, so that particles that are weakly adhered to the substrate peripheral structure 113 can be detached from the upper surface of the substrate peripheral structure 113.

The mold peripheral members 330b and 330c may be arranged on the + X direction side with respect to the mold 100 and on the ± Y direction side than the mold peripheral member 330a. The mold peripheral members 330b and 330c are used during the processing shown in the flowchart of FIG. The peripheral structure 330b can be used to weakly adhere to the area 340 shown in FIG. 16, and the mold peripheral structure 330c can be used to separate the particles weakly adhered to the area 350 shown in FIG. 17 from the upper surface of the substrate peripheral structure 113. In a region in which the regions 320, 330, and 350 are combined, at least the particles adhering to the upper surface of the substrate peripheral structure 113 are periodically detached, so that it is possible to prevent the particles from being drawn close to the mold 100 at an unexpected timing to cause pattern defects.

Hereinafter, a method for manufacturing the article will be described. Here, as an example, an article manufacturing method as an article manufacturing apparatus (semiconductor integrated circuit element, liquid crystal display element, etc.) will be described. Article manufacturing method, tying A procedure for forming a pattern on a substrate (wafer, glass plate, film substrate) using the above-mentioned imprint apparatus is included. The manufacturing method may include a process of processing (for example, etching) a patterned substrate. In addition, in the case of manufacturing other articles such as patterned media (recording media) and optical elements, this manufacturing method can be used instead of etching and other processes including processing a patterned substrate. The article manufacturing method of this embodiment is more advantageous than conventional methods in at least one of performance, quality, productivity, and production cost of the article.

The present invention is not limited to those described above, and various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, in order to disclose the scope of the present invention, the following claims are attached.

This case is based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2016-037999 filed on February 29, 2016 and Japanese Patent Application No. 2016-223348 filed on November 16, 2016. Use it for this.

Claims (15)

An embossing device that contacts a mold with an imprint material on a substrate and solidifies the imprint material to form a pattern on the substrate. The imprint device includes: a substrate holder that holds the substrate; a substrate peripheral structure disposed around the substrate holder; and a support. A driving mechanism that drives the substrate holder and the substrate peripheral structure; a mold holder that holds a mold; a mold peripheral structure that is disposed around the mold that is held by the mold holder; and the substrate peripheral structure and the mold A power source including a voltage of an AC component is supplied between the surrounding members. For example, the embossing device according to the first item of the patent application, wherein the aforementioned voltage includes a plurality of pulse voltages. For example, the embossing device of the first scope of the application, wherein the waveform of the voltage includes at least one of a rectangular wave, a triangular wave, a trapezoidal wave, a step wave, a step wave, and a sine wave. For example, the imprint device according to the first patent application range, wherein the aforementioned voltage has a polarity of either of positive and negative. For example, the imprint apparatus according to the fourth patent application range, wherein the polarity of the voltage is formed on the substrate in the same direction as that of the electric field formed by the charging of the mold between the substrate and the mold. The polarity between the peripheral structure and the mold surrounding structure. For example, the imprint apparatus according to item 5 of the application, wherein the maximum value of the absolute value of the voltage is an electric field that is stronger than the maximum intensity of the electric field formed by the charging of the mold. Values between mold perimeter structures. For example, the imprinting device of the scope of application for a patent, wherein the power source grounds one of the substrate peripheral structure and the mold peripheral structure, and the other of the substrate peripheral structure and the mold peripheral structure is grounded. One side supplies the aforementioned voltage. For example, the imprint apparatus according to the first patent application scope further includes a gas supply unit that supplies gas in a manner to form an air flow around the mold, and through the supply of the voltage, particles detached from the peripheral structure of the substrate are caused by the air flow. Instead, it is discharged in a direction away from the mold. For example, the embossing device of the first patent application scope further includes a supply unit for supplying embossing material on the substrate, and the power supply is not provided for the peripheral structure of the substrate while the embossing material is supplied to the substrate through the supply unit. The aforementioned voltage is supplied to the aforementioned mold peripheral structure. For example, the imprint apparatus according to the first patent application range, in which the pressing of the mold to the substrate is performed while the voltage is supplied between the substrate peripheral structure and the mold peripheral structure through the power supply. The printing material is used for curing the imprint material and separating the mold from the imprint material. For example, the imprinting device according to item 1 of the patent application range, wherein after the maintenance is completed and before the imprinting process is restarted, the voltage is supplied between the substrate peripheral structure and the mold peripheral structure through the power source. An imprinting method in which a mold is brought into contact with an imprinted material on a substrate and the imprinted material is cured to form a pattern on the substrate. The method includes arranging a substrate peripheral structure disposed around a substrate holder holding the substrate, and disposing the substrate. A voltage including an AC component is supplied between the mold peripheral members surrounding the part holding the mold, and the substrate holder and the substrate peripheral members are supported and driven by a drive mechanism. For example, the imprint method according to item 12 of the application, wherein the voltage including the AC component is supplied while the imprint material is not supplied on the substrate. For example, the imprint method according to item 12 of the patent application scope, wherein the voltage including the AC component is supplied between the substrate peripheral structure and the mold peripheral structure during the period after the maintenance is completed and before the imprint processing is restarted. . An article manufacturing method includes a program for forming a pattern on a substrate by using an imprint apparatus such as the first item in the patent application scope, and a program for processing a substrate on which the aforementioned pattern is formed.