Molding apparatus that molds composition on substrate by using mold, molding method, and manufacturing method of article

A molding apparatus for molding a composition on a substrate using a mold includes a moving unit configured to hold and move the substrate and a gaseous matter supplying unit configured to supply gaseous matter. The gaseous matter supplying unit includes a supply port arranged in a periphery of the substrate held by the moving unit, and supplies the gaseous matter from the supply port while the moving unit is moving the substrate after the composite is supplied to the molding area in the periphery of the substrate.

BACKGROUND

Field

The present disclosure relates to a molding apparatus that molds a composition on a substrate by using a mold, a molding method, and a manufacturing method of an article.

Description of the Related Art

Due to an increased demand for miniaturization of a semiconductor device or micro-electro mechanical systems (MEMS), attention has been paid to a microfabrication technique for molding a composition of an imprinting material on a substrate by molding the imprinting material on the substrate with a mold, in addition to the conventional photolithographic technique. This technique is also called an imprinting technique. Through the technique, a microscopic structure of a several nanometer size can be molded on a substrate.

A light curing method is given as one example of the imprinting technique. In an imprinting apparatus employing this light curing method, firstly, a light curable imprinting material is applied to a shot area as an imprinting area on the substrate. Next, a mold (original) and the imprinting material applied to the substrate are brought into contact (i.e., mold pressing) while positional adjustment of a pattern portion of the mold and the shot area is being executed, and the mold is filled with the imprinting material. Then, after the imprinting material is cured with irradiation of light, the imprinting material is pulled away from the mold, so that a composition of the imprinting material is molded on the substrate.

When the imprinting apparatus brings the mold and the imprinting material applied to the substrate into contact, gaseous matter may remain between the mold and the substrate, which causes a defect in the molded composition.

In order to suppress occurrence of a defect, it is necessary to wait until the remaining gaseous matter is diffused externally or dissolved into the imprinting material. Therefore, time required for executing the filling need to be set longer. Thus, lower throughput of the imprinting apparatus caused by longer filling time is one of the issues in the imprinting technique.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-174809 discusses a technique of reducing a length-measuring error. The length-measuring error occurs when helium supplied to a space between the mold and the substrate at the time of imprinting a peripheral portion of the substrate leaks to a length-measuring optical path of a laser interferometer used for adjusting the position of the substrate stage. Therefore, in order to suppress leakage of helium in the length-measuring optical path of the laser interferometer, an auxiliary member having a face of approximately the same height as a substrate surface is arranged in a periphery of the substrate.

However, if the auxiliary member is arranged in the periphery of the substrate as described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-174809, there is a possibility that the substrate and the auxiliary member have a space (narrow gap) therebetween. Even if gaseous matter such as helium is supplied to a space between the mold and the substrate at the time of imprinting the periphery of the substrate, it is difficult to fill the space with gaseous matter such as helium, so that air remains in that space. Therefore, if the periphery portion of the substrate is imprinted in a state where the space is not sufficiently filled with gaseous matter such as helium, defects will be increased.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure is directed to a molding apparatus, a molding method, and a manufacturing method of an article, which can reduce defects in a periphery portion of a substrate.

According to an aspect of the present disclosure, a molding apparatus for molding a composition on a substrate using a mold includes a moving unit configured to hold and move the substrate and a gaseous matter supplying unit configured to supply gaseous matter, wherein the gaseous matter supplying unit includes a supply port arranged in a periphery of the substrate held by the moving unit, and supplies the gaseous matter from the supply port while the moving unit is moving the substrate after the composite is supplied to a molding area in the periphery of the substrate.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, a suitable exemplary embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the appended drawings. In the below-described exemplary embodiment, an imprinting apparatus is taken as an example of a molding apparatus which forms a composite on a substrate by using a mold. In respective drawings, same reference numbers are applied to same members, and overlapping description will be omitted.

Hereinafter, the first exemplary embodiment will be described.FIG.1is a diagram illustrating an imprinting apparatus. An imprinting apparatus1(molding apparatus) brings an imprinting material (composite)9supplied onto a substrate10into contact with a mold (original or template)7. Then, curing energy is applied to the imprinting material9, so that a cured composite, onto which a concavo-convex pattern of the mold7is transferred, is molded.

Herein, a curable composite (also called an imprinting material to be cured) that is cured with application of curing energy is used as the imprinting material. An electromagnetic wave or heat is used as the curing energy. The electromagnetic wave is light such as infrared light, visible light, or ultraviolet light selected from a wavelength range of 150 nm or more to 1 mm or less.

The curable composite is a composite that is curable by irradiation of light or application of heat. Of the curable composites, a light curable composite that is cured by light contains at least a polymerizable compound and a photopolymerization initiator, and may also contain a non-polymerizable compound or solvent as necessary. The non-polymerizable compound is at least one type of compound selected from compounds such as a sensitizer, a hydrogen donator, an internal mold release agent, a surface-activating agent, an antioxidizing agent, and a polymeric component.

The imprinting material is applied to a substrate in a film-like state by a spin coater or a slit coater. Alternatively, the imprinting material may be applied to a substrate in a droplet state, or may be applied thereon in an island state or a film-like state, in which a plurality of droplets is connected to each other by a liquid injection head. For example, viscosity of the imprinting material is 1 mPa·s or more and 100 mPa·s or less at a temperature of 25° C.

In the present exemplary embodiment, it is assumed that a light curing method for curing the imprinting material through irradiation of light is employed in the imprinting apparatus1. In the below-described present exemplary embodiment, a direction parallel to an optical axis of the below-described irradiation optical system is taken as a Z-axis direction. The irradiation optical system irradiates the imprinting material on the substrate with light. In addition, two directions orthogonal to each other on a plane vertical to the Z-axis direction are taken as an X-axis direction and a Y-axis direction.

Respective units of the imprinting apparatus1will be described with reference toFIG.1. A mold holding unit3includes a mold chuck11for drawing and holding the mold7using vacuum adsorption force or electrostatic force and a mold moving mechanism12for holding the mold chuck11to move the mold7(mold chuck11). Each of the mold chuck11and the mold moving mechanism12has an opening at a central portion (inner side portion) thereof so that the imprinting material9on the substrate10is irradiated with light from the irradiation unit2. The mold moving mechanism12moves the mold7in the Z-axis direction to selectively execute imprinting (mold pressing) or releasing (mold releasing) of the mold7on or from the imprinting material9on the substrate10. For example, an actuator applicable to the mold moving mechanism12includes a linear motor or an air cylinder. In order to highly precisely adjust the position of the mold7, the mold moving mechanism12may be configured of a plurality of driving systems such as a coarse motion driving system and a fine motion driving system. Further, the mold moving mechanism12may be configured to move the mold7not only in the Z-axis direction but also in the X-axis direction or the Y-axis direction. Furthermore, the mold moving mechanism12may include a tilt function for adjusting the position and the inclination of the mold7in a θ-direction (i.e., Z-axis rotation direction) thereof.

The mold7has a rectangular-shaped outer circumference, and a face (pattern face) thereof that faces the substrate10and has a pattern portion7aon which a pattern (concavo-convex pattern such as a circuit pattern to be transferred onto the substrate10) is formed three-dimensionally. The mold7consists of a light transmissive material such as quartz. Further, the mold7may include a circular planar-shaped cavity having a certain level of depth formed on a face irradiated with light8.

An irradiation unit2includes a light source (not illustrated) and an irradiation optical system (not illustrated), and the irradiation optical system includes a combination of optical elements described below. The irradiation unit2irradiates the imprinting material9on the substrate10with light8(e.g., ultraviolet light) via the mold7when imprinting processing (molding processing) is executed. The irradiation unit2includes a light source and optical elements such as a lens, a mirror, and a light shielding plate which adjust the condition (intensity distribution of light or illumination area) of light emitted from the light source to be the light8appropriate for the imprinting processing. Since the light curing method is employed in the present exemplary embodiment, the imprinting apparatus1includes the irradiation unit2. However, in a case where a thermal curing method is employed, the imprinting apparatus1includes a heat source for curing an imprinting material (heat curable imprinting material) in place of the irradiation unit2.

A substrate chuck14draws and holds the substrate10by vacuum adsorption force or electrostatic force. An auxiliary member15is arranged on a circumference of the substrate chuck14to surround the substrate10held by the substrate chuck14. The auxiliary member15is arranged so that an upper face of the auxiliary member15and an upper face of the substrate10held by the substrate chuck14are positioned on the same height. The substrate chuck14is mounted on a stage driving mechanism16. Herein, the substrate chuck14and the stage driving mechanism16constitute a substrate stage4(moving unit). The substrate stage4can be moved on an X-Y plane. A position of the substrate stage4is adjusted when the pattern portion7aof the mold7is imprinted on the imprinting material9on the substrate10, so that a position of the mold7and a position of the substrate10conform to each other. For example, an actuator applicable to the substrate stage4includes a linear motor or an air cylinder. Further, the substrate stage4may be configured to move the substrate10not only in the X-axis direction or the Y-axis direction but also in the Z-axis direction. In addition, the imprinting apparatus1realizes mold pressing or mold releasing of the mold7by moving the mold7in the Z-axis direction. However, the pressing or releasing may be realized by moving the substrate10in the Z-axis direction. Further, the mold pressing or mold releasing of the mold7may be realized by relatively moving both of the mold7and the substrate10in the Z-axis direction. Furthermore, the substrate stage4may include a tilt function for adjusting the position and the inclination of the substrate10in a θ-direction (i.e., Z-axis rotation direction) thereof.

Further, the substrate stage4includes a plurality of reference mirrors17corresponding to directions of X, Y, Z, ωx, ωy, and ωz respectively on its side face. Further, the imprinting apparatus1includes a plurality of laser interferometers18which measure the position of the substrate stage4by irradiating the respective reference mirrors17with beams such as helium-neon. InFIG.1, only one pair of the reference mirror17and the laser interferometer18is illustrated. The laser interferometer18measures the position of the substrate stage4on the basis of actual time, and a control unit6described below controls positional adjustment of the substrate10(substrate stage4) based on the measurement value. In addition, an encoder may be used for measuring the position of the substrate stage4.

The auxiliary member15has a function of preventing the below-described first gaseous matter30from entering a light path between the reference mirror17and the laser interferometer18. Further, the auxiliary member15is provided so that an effect of maintaining concentration of gaseous matter supplied from a first gaseous matter supplying unit26described below at a high level when imprinting is executed on a shot area arranged in a periphery of the substrate10. Herein, to the extent that the gaseous matter does not have a concentration difference of 1% or more in the upper space of the auxiliary member15and the upper space of the substrate10, the upper face of the auxiliary member15and the upper face of the substrate10held by the substrate chuck14may have a height difference. For example, a height difference between the upper face of the auxiliary member15and the upper face of the substrate10held by the substrate chuck14should be 1 mm or less. More preferably, a height difference between the upper face of the auxiliary member15and the upper face of the substrate10held by the substrate chuck14should be 0.1 mm or less.

A material such as glass, ceramics, metal, or an imprinting material is used for the substrate10, and a member consisting of a material different from the substrate10may be formed on a surface thereof as necessary. Specifically, the substrate10may be a silicon wafer, a compound semiconductor wafer, or a glass wafer that contains quartz as a material. Further, the substrate10may be a glass substrate for manufacturing a replica mask from a master mask through imprinting processing.

An applying unit5(composite supplying unit) is arranged in a vicinity of the mold holding unit3, and applies the imprinting material9to at least one shot area (molding area) existing in the substrate10. An ink-jet method is employed as an application method executed by the applying unit5, and the applying unit5includes a container19for containing the imprinting material9yet to be cured and a discharge unit20. It is preferable that an inner portion of the container19have an atmosphere containing, for example, a certain amount of oxygen which does not cause curing reaction of the imprinting material9so that the imprinting material9can be managed. Further, it is preferable that a material which does not cause particles or chemical impurities to be mixed into the imprinting material9be used as the material of the container19. The discharge unit20includes, for example, a piezo-type discharge mechanism (i.e., ink-jet head) having a plurality of discharge ports. An application amount (discharge amount) of the imprinting material9can be adjusted in a range between 0.1 pL/droplet to 10 pL/droplet, and the application amount is normally set to approximately 1 pL/droplet. An entire application amount of the imprinting material9is determined according to the density of the pattern portion7aand desired thickness of the residual film. The applying unit5disperses and applies the imprinting material9to a shot area as droplets and controls the application position or the application amount based on an operation instruction from the control unit6described below.

An alignment measurement unit21measures an alignment mark formed on the substrate10. Further, the imprinting apparatus1includes a platen22on which the substrate stage4is placed and which forms a reference plane, a bridge platen23for fixing the mold holding unit3, and a supporting post25extending from the platen22, which supports the bridge platen23via a vibration isolator24for eliminating vibrations from a floor face. The imprinting apparatus1may further include a mold conveyance unit which takes in and out the mold7between an external portion of the imprinting apparatus1and the mold holding unit3, and a substrate conveyance unit which takes in and out the substrate10between the external portion of the imprinting apparatus1and the substrate stage4, although both of them are not illustrated.

The control unit6is configured of at least one computer including a central processing unit (CPU) or a memory. The control unit6is connected to the respective constituent elements of the imprinting apparatus1via a line, and controls operation or adjustment of the respective constituent elements of the imprinting apparatus1according to a program stored in the memory. Further, the control unit6may be arranged in a common housing integrated with the other components of the imprinting apparatus1, or may be arranged in a different housing separately from the other components of the imprinting apparatus1.

An imprinting method (imprinting processing) executed by the imprinting apparatus1will be described. First, the control unit6controls the substrate conveyance unit to place and fix the substrate10on the substrate stage4. The control unit6sequentially measures the alignment mark on the substrate10through the alignment measurement unit21while driving the stage driving mechanism16and changing the position of the substrate10as appropriate, and detects the position of the substrate10with high precision. Then, the control unit6calculates each transfer coordinate from the detection result, and sequentially molds a pattern at a predetermined shot area based on the calculation result (i.e., step-and-repeat). As a flow of pattern molding with respect to one shot area, firstly, the control unit6controls the stage driving mechanism16to adjust an application position on the substrate10(i.e., a specific position of the shot area) to be under the discharge port of the discharge unit20. Thereafter, the applying unit5applies the imprinting material9to the shot area on the substrate10through application processing. Next, the control unit6controls the stage driving mechanism16to move the substrate10and adjust a position thereof such that the shot area is positioned at an imprinting position just below the pattern portion7a. Then, the control unit6executes positional adjustment of the pattern portion7aand a substrate pattern on the shot area or magnification correction of the pattern portion7aby a magnification correction mechanism. Thereafter, the control unit6drives the mold moving mechanism12to imprint the pattern portion7aon the imprinting material9on the shot area (mold pressing processing). Through this imprinting, the imprinting material9is filled in the concavo-convex pattern of the pattern portion7a. The control unit6determines completion of imprinting using a load sensor (not illustrated) arranged inside the mold holding unit3. In the above state, through curing processing, the irradiation unit2emits light8from a rear face (upper face) of the mold7for a predetermined period of time to cure the imprinting material9with light8passing through the mold7. Then, after the imprinting material9is cured, the control unit6drives the mold moving mechanism12again to pull the pattern portion7aaway from the substrate10through mold releasing processing. Through the above processing, a three-dimensional pattern (layer) of the imprinting material9showing the concavo-convex pattern of the pattern portion7ais molded on the surface of the shot area on the substrate10. By driving the substrate stage4, the above-described series of imprinting processing is executed for a plurality of times while changing the shot area, so that the imprinting apparatus1can mold a plurality of imprinting material patterns on a single substrate10.

Further, when the imprinting material9is filled in the pattern portion7aby imprinting the mold7on the imprinting material9on the substrate10, the air existing in a space between the mold7and the substrate10may enter the pattern portion7ato cause defects in the molded pattern after the curing. Therefore, gaseous matter having one of the characteristics of high fusibility and high diffusivity may be supplied to the imprinting material9existing in a space between the mold7and the substrate10.

Further, the imprinting apparatus1includes a first gaseous matter supplying unit26and the second gaseous matter supplying unit27which supply the gaseous matter (both of them are not illustrated inFIG.1). The first and the second gaseous matter supplying units26and27will be described with reference toFIG.2.FIG.2is a diagram illustrating the first gaseous matter supplying unit26and the second gaseous matter supplying unit27. The first gaseous matter supplying unit26supplies the gaseous matter (hereinafter, referred to as “first gaseous matter30”) having one of the characteristics of high fusibility and high diffusivity from a gaseous matter supplying source (not illustrated) via a pipe. The first gaseous matter supplying unit26supplies the first gaseous matter30to a space between the mold7and the substrate10from a supply port arranged in a periphery of the mold7. The supplied first gaseous matter30has a characteristic of fusing or diffusing with respect to at least any one of the mold7, the imprinting material9, and the substrate10. The first gaseous matter30may include helium or carbon dioxide. However, the first gaseous matter30is not limited thereto.

The first gaseous matter supplying unit26supplies the first gaseous matter30to a periphery of the mold7. Thus, the concentration of the first gaseous matter30is increased in the periphery of the mold7, so that the concentration of the first gaseous matter30is increased in a space between the mold7and the substrate10because of a diffusion effect of the first gaseous matter30. Further, by moving the substrate stage4along the X-Y plane, the concentration of the first gaseous matter30in the space between the mold7and the substrate10can be increased in a short time through a so-called Coanda effect.

Herein, by taking into consideration an error which occurs when the substrate10is conveyed to the substrate chuck14, the auxiliary member15is arranged such that an interval between the substrate10held by the substrate chuck14and the auxiliary member15is approximately 0.5 mm to 2.0 mm. More preferably, the auxiliary member15should be arranged such that an interval between the substrate10and the auxiliary member15is approximately 1.0 mm to 1.1 mm. With this configuration, a space28surrounded by the substrate10, the substrate chuck14(substrate stage4), and the auxiliary member15is provided. The gaseous matter (hereinafter, referred to as “second gaseous matter”) such as air, having none of the characteristics of high fusibility and high diffusivity, exists in the space28. Therefore, the first gaseous matter30is not sufficiently supplied to the space28through the diffusion effect of the first gaseous matter30, so that the concentration of the first gaseous matter30is not sufficiently increased in the space28. Further, the concentration of the first gaseous matter30is not sufficiently increased in the space28because of the movement of the substrate stage4. Further, if the imprinting processing is executed on the imprinting material9in the shot area in the periphery of the substrate10in a state where the second gaseous matter exists in the space28, the second gaseous matter enters the space between the mold7and the substrate10from the space28, so that the second gaseous matter remains as air bubbles which cause a defect.

Therefore, the imprinting apparatus1according to the present exemplary embodiment includes a second gaseous matter supplying unit27arranged on the auxiliary member15, which supplies the first gaseous matter30to the space28. Similar to the first gaseous matter supplying unit26, the second gaseous matter supplying unit27supplies the first gaseous matter30from the gaseous matter supplying source (not illustrated) via a pipe. The second gaseous matter supplying unit27includes a supply port which supplies the first gaseous matter30to the space28from a side face of the auxiliary member15which faces the side face of the substrate10. By supplying the first gaseous matter30to the space28from the second gaseous matter supplying unit27, the concentration of the first gaseous matter30can be increased in the space28. With this configuration, occurrence of a defect in the peripheral shot area can be reduced. Further, a porous member or a mesh-like member may be arranged on the supply port of the second gaseous matter supplying unit27in order to prevent flying of foreign particles or to reduce regional pressure rise when the first gaseous matter30is supplied thereto.

FIG.3A or3Bis a cross-sectional diagram illustrating the second gaseous matter supplying unit27viewed from the upper side of a plane taken along a line A-A′ inFIG.2. The second gaseous matter supplying unit27inFIG.3Ahas a supply port at one position on the side face of the auxiliary member15. However, the second gaseous matter supplying unit27inFIG.3Bhas a plurality of supply ports on the side face of the auxiliary member15. With this configuration, in comparison to the second gaseous matter supplying unit27inFIG.3A, the second gaseous matter supplying unit27inFIG.3Bcan increase the concentration of the first gaseous matter30in the space28in a shorter time. Further, the second gaseous matter supplying unit27inFIG.3Bmay supply the first gaseous matter30by switching the supply ports of the second gaseous matter supplying unit27according to the position of the shot area where imprinting processing is executed. Thus, an amount of the first gaseous matter30supplied from the second gaseous matter supplying unit27can be reduced. Further, as illustrated inFIG.3B, dividing members29for dividing the space28may be arranged thereon. The dividing members29are arranged to divide the space28into spaces of a number corresponding to the supply ports of the second gaseous matter supplying unit27. With this configuration, the concentration of the first gaseous matter30in the space28can be increased in a much shorter time.

Next, a supply method of the first gaseous matter30in the imprinting processing will be described with reference toFIGS.4A to4CandFIG.5.FIG.4A to4Care diagrams illustrating the processing executed by the substrate stage4, the first gaseous matter supplying unit26, and the second gaseous matter supplying unit27.FIG.5is a flowchart illustrating the processing executed by the substrate stage4, the first gaseous matter supplying unit26, and the second gaseous matter supplying unit27. First, in step S501, the control unit6moves the substrate stage4to a position where a shot area of the substrate10faces the discharge unit20(applying unit5). Then, in step S502, the control unit6controls the applying unit5to supply the imprinting material9to the shot area of the substrate10through the discharge unit20(seeFIG.4A). Then, in step S503, the control unit6controls the first gaseous matter supplying unit26to supply the first gaseous matter30(seeFIG.4B). Further, the control unit6controls the second gaseous matter supplying unit27to supply the first gaseous matter30(seeFIG.4B). At this time, the control unit6controls the second gaseous matter supplying unit27to supply the first gaseous matter30from the supply port placed in a vicinity of the shot area where the imprinting material9is supplied. Then, in step S504, the control unit6moves the substrate stage4to a position where the shot area to which the imprinting material9is supplied faces the mold7(mold holding unit3) (seeFIG.4C). At this time, the first gaseous matter30is supplied to a space between the substrate10and the mold7and to the space28, and the concentration of the first gaseous matter30is increased sufficiently in the respective spaces. Then, in step S505, the control unit6controls the first gaseous matter supplying unit26and the second gaseous matter supplying unit27to stop supplying the first gaseous matter30. Then, in step S506, mold pressing, curing, and mold releasing are executed with respect to the shot area to which the imprinting material9is supplied. Herein, in a case where the imprinting processing is executed on a plurality of shot areas of the substrate10, the processing in steps S501to S506is executed repeatedly for a predetermined number of times. Further, in a case where the imprinting processing is executed on a shot area other than a peripheral shot area, the first gaseous matter30does not have to be supplied from the second gaseous matter supplying unit27to reduce the supply amount of the first gaseous matter30.

Through the above-described processing, the imprinting apparatus1of the present exemplary embodiment can reduce a defect in the peripheral portion of the substrate10.

Next, an imprinting apparatus according to a second exemplary embodiment will be described. A configuration which is similar to the configuration described in the first exemplary embodiment will not described hereinafter.

FIG.6is a diagram illustrating the first gaseous matter supplying unit26and the second gaseous matter supplying unit27according to the present exemplary embodiment. Similar to the first exemplary embodiment, the first gaseous matter supplying unit26is arranged in a periphery of the mold7, and supplies the first gaseous matter30to a space between the mold7and the substrate10. Different from the first exemplary embodiment, the second gaseous matter supplying unit27is arranged on the substrate stage4(substrate chuck14). Further, the supply port of the second gaseous matter supplying unit27is arranged on the upper face of the substrate stage4(substrate chuck14) between the side face of the substrate10and the auxiliary member15. The second gaseous matter supplying unit27supplies the first gaseous matter30to the space28, so that the concentration of the first gaseous matter30in the space28can be increased. With this configuration, a defect in the peripheral shot area can be reduced. Further, a porous member or a mesh-like member may be arranged on the supply port of the second gaseous matter supplying unit27in order to prevent foreign particles from flying, or to reduce regional rise of pressure when the first gaseous matter30is supplied thereto. Furthermore, similar to the first exemplary embodiment, more than one supply port of the second gaseous matter supplying unit27or dividing members29for dividing the space28may be arranged thereon.

Further, when a diameter of the supply port of the second gaseous matter supplying unit27is approximately 1 mm to 2 mm, the auxiliary member15may be arranged to make an interval between the substrate10held by the substrate chuck14and the auxiliary member15approximately 3.0 mm to 4.0 mm. More preferably, the auxiliary member15should be arranged to make the interval between the substrate10and the auxiliary member15approximately 1.1 mm to 2.1 mm.

As described above, the imprinting apparatus1according to the present exemplary embodiment can reduce a defect in the periphery portion of the substrate10.

Next, an imprinting apparatus according to a third exemplary embodiment will be described. A configuration which will not be described hereinafter has the configuration described in the first or the second exemplary embodiment.

FIG.7is a diagram illustrating the first gaseous matter supplying unit26and the second gaseous matter supplying unit27according to the present exemplary embodiment. Similar to the first exemplary embodiment, the first gaseous matter supplying unit26is arranged in a periphery of the mold7, and supplies the first gaseous matter30to a space between the mold7and the substrate10. Similar to the second exemplary embodiment, the second gaseous matter supplying unit27is arranged on the substrate stage4(substrate chuck14). Further, the supply port of the second gaseous matter supplying unit27is arranged on the upper face of the substrate stage4(substrate chuck14) between the side face of the substrate10and the auxiliary member15. The second gaseous matter supplying unit27supplies the first gaseous matter30to the space28, so that the concentration of the first gaseous matter30in the space28can be increased. Further, a shielding member31is arranged on the auxiliary member15to cover the upper side of the supply port of the second gaseous matter supplying unit27. The shielding member31shields the airflow of the first gaseous matter30supplied from the second gaseous matter supplying unit27, so that flying and scattering of foreign particles in the air above the upper face of the auxiliary member15which are caused by the airflow of the first gaseous matter30can be prevented and they do not adhere to the substrate10or the mold7. Further, arranging the shielding member31is effective in that the concentration of the first gaseous matter30supplied from the second gaseous matter supplying unit27can be increased in a short time. With this configuration, a defect in the peripheral shot area can be reduced. Further, a porous member or a mesh-like member may be arranged on the supply port of the second gaseous matter supplying unit27in order to prevent foreign particles from flying or to reduce regional rise of pressure when the first gaseous matter30is supplied thereto.

Further, similar to the second exemplary embodiment, it is preferable that the auxiliary member15be arranged to make an interval between the substrate10held by the substrate chuck14and the auxiliary member15approximately 3.0 mm to 4.0 mm. Further, it is preferable that the shielding member31be arranged to make an interval between the substrate10held by the substrate chuck14and the shielding member31approximately 1.0 mm to 1.1 mm.

Further, similar to the second exemplary embodiment, in the present exemplary embodiment, the supply port of the second gaseous matter supplying unit27is arranged on the substrate stage4. However, in a configuration described in the first exemplary embodiment in which the supply port of the second gaseous matter supplying unit27is arranged on the auxiliary member15, the shielding member31according to the present exemplary embodiment may be also arranged.

Thus, the imprinting apparatus1according to the present exemplary embodiment can reduce a defect in the peripheral portion of the substrate10.

<Method of Manufacturing Article>

A pattern of the cured material molded by the imprinting apparatus is permanently used for at least a part of various articles, or temporarily used when various articles are manufactured. The articles may be an electric circuit element, an optical element, micro-electro mechanical systems (MEMS), a recording element, a sensor, and a mold. The electric circuit element may be a volatile or non-volatile semiconductor memory such as a dynamic random access memory (DRAM), a static random access memory (SRAM), a flash memory, a magnetic random access memory (MRAM), or may be a semiconductor element such as a large-scale integrated circuit (LSI), a charge coupled device (CCD), an image sensor, or a field programmable gate array (FPGA). The mold may be a mold used for imprinting.

A pattern of the cured material may be directly used as at least a part of the constituent elements of the above-described articles, or may be temporarily used as a resist mask. The resist mask is removed after etching or ion implantation is executed in the course of processing the substrate.

Next, a method of manufacturing an article will be described specifically. As illustrated inFIG.8A, a substrate1zsuch as a silicon wafer which includes a processing material2zsuch as an insulating material molded on its surface is prepared, and an imprinting material3zis applied to a surface of the processing material2zthrough an ink-jet method. InFIG.8A, a plurality of droplets of imprinting material3zis applied to the substrate1z.

As illustrated inFIG.8B, an imprinting mold4zis arranged opposite to the substrate1z, with a side of a concavo-convex pattern facing the imprinting material3zon the substrate1z. As illustrated inFIG.8C, the substrate1zon which the imprinting material3zis applied and the mold4zare brought into contact, and pressure is applied thereto. The imprinting material3zis filled to a gap between the mold4zand the processing material2z. In this state, when light serving as curing energy is emitted through the mold4z, the imprinting material3zis cured.

As illustrated inFIG.8D, after the imprinting material3zis cured, the mold4zis pulled away from the substrate1z, so that a pattern of the cured imprinting material3zis molded on the substrate1z. The pattern of the cured material is formed into a shape in which a convex portion of the cured material corresponds to the concave portion of the mold4zand a concave portion thereof corresponds to the convex portion of the mold4z. In other words, the concavo-convex pattern of the mold4zis transferred to the imprinting material3z.

As illustrated inFIG.8E, when etching is carried out using the pattern of the cured material as an etching resistance mask, a portion on the surface of the processing material2zwhere the cured material does not remain or slightly remains is removed, so that a groove5zis formed. As illustrated inFIG.8F, when the pattern of the cured material is removed, an article which includes the groove5zmolded on a surface of the processing material2zcan be acquired. In the above-described manufacturing method, the pattern of the cured material has been removed. However, the pattern of the cured material may not be removed after the processing but may be used as a constituent member of the article, e.g., an interlayer insulation film included in a semiconductor device.

Although a mold having a concavo-convex pattern which is used for transferring a circuit pattern has been described as an example of the mold4z, the mold4zmay be a mold having a planar face portion, which does not have a concavo-convex pattern (i.e., blank template). The blank template is used for a planarizing apparatus (molding apparatus) which executes planarizing processing (molding processing) for planarizing and molding a composition on a substrate with the planar face portion. The planarizing processing includes processing for curing the composition through irradiation of light or application of heat in a state where the planar portion of the blank template is in contact with the composition supplied on the substrate.

Although the exemplary embodiments have been described, the present disclosure is not limited to the above exemplary embodiments, and many variations and modifications are possible within the scope of the present disclosure.

Although the imprinting apparatus which executes pattern molding on a substrate by shaping (molding) the imprinting material on the substrate with a mold has been described as an example of the molding apparatus, the molding apparatus is not limited to the imprinting apparatus. The molding apparatus may be a planarizing apparatus which executes planarizing processing (molding processing) for planarizing and molding a composition on a substrate by using a mold having a planar face portion, which does not have a concavo-convex pattern (i.e., blank template) as a mold.

Further, the first to the third exemplary embodiments may be implemented independently, or may be implemented by combining with each other.

According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a molding apparatus, a molding method, and a manufacturing method of an article configured to reduce a defect in a periphery of a substrate.

This application claims the benefit of Japanese Patent Application No. 2018-085318, filed Apr. 26, 2018, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.