# US 11,442,358 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 11,442,358 B2 - Document ID: US11442358B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/235,086 - Filed: 2018-12-28 - Published: 2019-07-11 - Granted: 2022-09-13 - Earliest claimed: 2018-01-05 - Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Atsushi Kusaka - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11442358B2 ## CPC - G03F 7/0002: {Lithographic processes using patterning methods other than those involving the exposure to radiation, e.g. by stamping} - B29C 59/02: by mechanical means, e.g. pressing {(B29C59/007 takes precedence; embossing expanded porous articles B29C44/5627)} - 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) ## Abstract Imprint apparatus forms pattern in shot regions of substrate by bringing pattern region of mold into contact with imprint material and curing the imprint material. The apparatus includes deformation mechanism which is for deforming the pattern region and includes actuator for applying force to the mold. For each shot region, after first processing of applying first deformation amount to the mold by the actuator is executed, second processing of curing the imprint material is executed in state in which the imprint material and the pattern region are in contact with each other and second deformation amount is applied to the mold by the actuator to reduce overlay error between the shot region and the pattern region. Magnitude relationship between the first deformation amount and the second deformation amount is same in the shot regions. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An imprint apparatus that forms a pattern in a plurality of shot regions of a substrate by bringing a pattern region of a mold into contact with an imprint material and curing the imprint material, the apparatus comprising: a deformation mechanism configured to deform the pattern region, the deformation mechanism including an actuator configured to apply a force to a side surface of the mold, wherein, for each shot region, after first processing of applying a first deformation amount to the mold by applying the force to the side surface of the mold by the actuator is executed, second processing of curing the imprint material is executed in a state in which the imprint material and the pattern region are in contact with each other and a second deformation amount is applied to the mold during the second processing by applying the force to the side surface of the mold by the actuator to reduce an overlay error between the shot region and the pattern region while curing the imprint material, and wherein the first deformation amount is always larger than the second deformation amount with respect to the plurality of shot regions, or the first deformation amount is always smaller than the second deformation amount with respect to the plurality of shot regions. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first deformation amount is constant in all the plurality of shot regions on which the pattern is to be formed. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first deformation amount is determined for all the plurality of shot regions on which the pattern is to be formed such that a difference between the first deformation amount and the second deformation amount for all the plurality of shot regions on which the pattern is to be formed is constant. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a measurement device configured to measure an overlay error between each of the plurality of shot regions and the pattern region, wherein the second deformation amount is determined based on measurement by the measurement device. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising a measurement device configured to measure an overlay error between each of the plurality of shot regions and the pattern region, wherein the first deformation amount is determined based on shape information of the plurality of shot regions that is acquired in advance, and the second deformation amount is determined based on measurement by the measurement device. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein in the second processing, the second deformation amount is applied to the mold by the actuator to reduce the overlay error between the shot region and the pattern region in a state in which the imprint material and the pattern region are in contact with each other. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the overlay error includes a magnification component. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the overlay error includes a distortion component. ### Claim 9 An article manufacturing method comprising: forming a pattern on a substrate using an imprint apparatus that forms the pattern in a plurality of shot regions of a substrate by bringing a pattern region of a mold into contact with an imprint material and curing the imprint material, the imprint apparatus comprising: a deformation mechanism configured to deform the pattern region, the deformation mechanism including an actuator configured to apply a force to a side surface of the mold, wherein, for each shot region, after first processing of applying a first deformation amount to the mold by applying the force to the side surface of the mold by the actuator is executed, second processing of curing the imprint material is executed in a state in which the imprint material and the pattern region are in contact with each other and a second deformation amount is applied to the mold during the second processing by applying the force to the side surface of the mold by the actuator to reduce an overlay error between the shot region and the pattern region while curing the imprint material, and wherein the first deformation amount is always larger than the second deformation amount with respect to the plurality of shot regions, or the first deformation amount is always smaller than the second deformation amount with respect to the plurality of shot regions; performing processing of the substrate on which the pattern is formed in the forming; and manufacturing an article from the processed substrate. ### Claim 10 An imprint method of forming a pattern in a plurality of shot regions of a substrate by bringing a pattern region of a mold into contact with an imprint material and curing the imprint material, the method comprising: for each shot region, executing first processing of applying a first deformation amount to the mold by applying a force to a side surface of the mold by an actuator, and second processing of curing the imprint material after the first processing in a state in which the imprint material and the pattern region are in contact with each other and a second deformation amount is applied to the mold during the second processing by applying the force to the side surface of the mold by the actuator to reduce an overlay error between the shot region and the pattern region while curing the imprint material, wherein the first deformation amount is always larger than the second deformation amount with respect to the plurality of shot regions, or the first deformation amount is always smaller than the second deformation amount with respect to the plurality of shot regions. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) An article manufacturing method comprising: forming a pattern on a substrate using the imprint method defined in claim 10; and performing processing of a substrate on which the pattern is formed in the forming, wherein an article is manufactured from the substrate having undergone the processing.