Method of separating a template from a shaped film on a substrate

A method of separating a template from a cured layer on a substrate comprising:

• curing formable material between the template and the substrate to form the cured layer, at a first point in time;
• sending instructions, starting separation of the template from the cured layer, to a template position controller to move the template away from the cured layer at a first rate, at a second point in time during the separation, after the first point in time;
• receiving, during the separation, a first data set that describes the separation of the template from the cured layer as a function of time starting after the second point in time;
• fitting, during the separation, the first data set that describes the separation of the template from the cured layer as a function of time to a database of historical data sets that describe the separation of the template from the cured layer as a function of time;
• identifying, during the separation, a target data set in the historical data sets based on a level of the fit of the first data set that describes the separation of the template from the cured layer as a function of time and information in the target data set;
• and
• sending instructions, during the separation, to the template position controller to move the template away from the substrate at a second rate at a third point in time during the separation, after the second point in time based on the identified target data set.