# US 10,871,710 B2 · Imprint apparatus, imprint method, and article manufacturing method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,871,710 B2 - Document ID: US10871710B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/906,286 - Filed: 2018-02-27 - Published: 2018-09-06 - Granted: 2020-12-22 - Earliest claimed: 2017-03-03 - Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Yuji Sakata - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10871710B2 ## CPC - G03F 7/0002: {Lithographic processes using patterning methods other than those involving the exposure to radiation, e.g. by stamping} - B29C 35/08: by wave energy or particle radiation {(B29C64/00, B29C71/04 take precedence)} - B29C 59/002: {Component parts, details or accessories; Auxiliary operations} - B29C 59/026: {of layered or coated substantially flat surfaces} - B29L 2031/3406: {Components, e.g. resistors} - G03F: PHOTOMECHANICAL PRODUCTION OF TEXTURED OR PATTERNED SURFACES, e.g. FOR PRINTING, FOR PROCESSING OF SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; MATERIALS THEREFOR; ORIGINALS THEREFOR; APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED THEREFOR; (phototypographic composing devices B41B; photosensitive materials or processes for photographic purposes G03C; electrophotography, sensitive layers or processes therefor G03G) - B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00) - B29L: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES ## Abstract An imprint apparatus performs imprint processing of supplying a second composition having a property of being cured onto a substrate to which a first composition not having a property of being cured in an uncured state is supplied, bringing a mold into contact with a mixed layer of the first composition and the second composition, which is formed by the supplying, curing the mixed layer, separating the mold from the cured mixed layer, and forming a pattern on the mixed layer. When unloading the substrate outside the apparatus before completion of the imprint processing for all shot regions of the substrate, the apparatus supplies the second composition to a portion on the substrate in which the first composition is in an uncured state and performs curing processing of curing the mixed layer formed in the portion before the unloading. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An imprint apparatus that performs imprint processing for forming a pattern of an imprint material on a substrate by bringing a mold into contact with the imprint material, curing the imprint material, and separating the mold from the cured imprint material, the apparatus comprising: a supply unit configured to supply a second composition having a curable property onto a shot region of the substrate to which a first composition having no curable property in an uncured state is supplied in advance, wherein the first composition and the second composition merge, and as a result, the imprint material, which has a curable property in an uncured state, is created; a curing unit configured to cure the imprint material; and a controller configured to control the supply unit and the curing unit, wherein in a case where the substrate is to be unloaded to outside the imprint apparatus before completion of the imprint processing for all shot regions of the substrate, the controller controls the supply unit and the curing unit to supply the second composition onto a portion of the substrate in which the first composition is in an uncured state to create a material having a curable property in an uncured state by the first composition and the second composition being merged, and perform curing processing of curing the material formed on the portion before the unloading. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller performs the curing processing without bringing the mold into contact with the material formed on the portion. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the supply unit comprises a first supply unit configured to supply the second composition for the imprint processing, and a second supply unit configured to supply the second composition for the curing processing. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller performs the curing processing for each shot region having the portion. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller collectively performs the curing processing for all shot regions each having the portion. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller performs the curing processing when an error that disables continuation of the imprint processing is detected before completion of imprint processing for all the shot regions. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The imprint apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller performs the curing processing when an operation instruction to stop processing from a user is detected before completion of imprint processing for all the shot regions. ### Claim 8 An imprint method using an imprint apparatus that forms a pattern on a substrate by using a mold, the method comprising: loading the substrate on which a first composition having no curable property in an uncured state is supplied and causing a substrate holder to hold the substrate; supplying a second composition having a curable property onto a shot region of the substrate held by the substrate holder, wherein the first composition and the second composition merge, and as a result, the imprint material, which has a curable property in an uncured state, is created; performing imprint processing of curing the imprint material on the shot region while the imprint material is in contact with the mold, and separating the mold from the cured imprint material; and supplying, in a case where the substrate is to be unloaded to outside the imprint apparatus before completion of the imprint processing for all shot regions of the substrate, the second composition onto a portion of the substrate in which the first composition is in an uncured state to create a material having a curable property in an uncured state by the first composition and the second composition being merged, and curing the material formed on the portion before the unloading. ### Claim 9 An article manufacturing method comprising: forming a pattern on a substrate by using an imprint apparatus; processing the substrate on which the pattern has been formed in the forming; and manufacturing an article from the substrate processed in the processing, wherein the imprint apparatus performs imprint processing for forming a pattern of an imprint material on a substrate by bringing a mold into contact with the imprint material, curing the imprint material, and separating the mold from the cured imprint material, the imprint apparatus comprises: a supply unit configured to supply a second composition having a curable property onto a shot region of the substrate to which a first composition having no curable property in an uncured state is supplied in advance, wherein the first composition and the second composition merge, and as a result, the imprint material, which has a curable property in an uncured state, is created; a curing unit configured to cure the imprint material; and a controller configured to control the supply unit and the curing unit, wherein in a case where the substrate is to be unloaded to outside the imprint apparatus before completion of the imprint processing for all shot regions of the substrate, the controller controls the supply unit and the curing unit to supply the second composition onto a portion of the substrate in which the first composition is in an uncured state to create a material having a curable property in an uncured state by the first composition and the second composition being merged, and perform curing processing of curing the material formed on the portion before the unloading.