System and methods for nanoimprint lithography
AssigneeCanon Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorsXIAOMING LU, PHILIP D. SCHUMAKER, BYUNG-JIN CHOI
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An imprint lithography system that pressurizes and depressurizes an air cavity behind a retained imprint template or substrate so as to deflect the template or substrate to aid in filling the template pattern with fluid resist and/or separating the template from the cured resist on the substrate. The system includes a controller, pressure sensors, and an impedance valve for modulating the air cavity pressure so as to reduce pressure wave oscillations within the cavity that otherwise negatively impact overlay accuracy control, fluid spread control and separation control.
Claims21
An imprint lithography system comprising:
- a chuck configured to retain an imprint lithography template or substrate such that an air cavity is defined between the retained template or substrate;
- a pressurized gas supply source and associated pressure valve in fluid communication with the air cavity for supplying pressurized gas to the air cavity;
- a vacuum supply source and associated vacuum valve in fluid communication with the air cavity for applying vacuum to the air cavity;
- an impedance valve located between the air cavity and the pressurized gas supply and vacuum supply sources and in fluid communication with each, the impedance valve configured for modulating the amount of gas pressure or vacuum supplied or applied to the air cavity from the pressurized gas supply source or vacuum supply source, respectively;
- an air cavity sensor for sensing an amount of pressure or vacuum in the air cavity and providing an air cavity sensor input corresponding thereto;
- a valve sensor for sensing an amount of pressure or vacuum at the pressure valve or vacuum valve location and providing a valve sensor input corresponding thereto;
- and
- a controller configured to control the pressure valve, the vacuum valve and to receive the air cavity and valve sensor inputs and based thereon provide an output to the impedance valve, wherein in response to the output the impedance valve increases or decreases the amount of gas supplied or vacuum applied to the air cavity such that the gas pressure or vacuum pressure in the cavity is modulated to reduce pressure wave oscillations within the air cavity.
A method comprising:
- providing a chuck having a retained imprint lithography template or a substrate located thereon such that an air cavity is defined between the retained template or substrate;
- establishing pressure in the air cavity at a first steady state;
- and
- transitioning the pressure in the air cavity from a first steady state to a second steady state by applying positive pressure or vacuum pressure or both to the air cavity, and wherein the transitioning further includes modulating the amount of pressure or vacuum or applied to the air cavity so as to reduce pressure wave oscillations within the air cavity.
A method comprising:
- providing a chuck having a retained imprint lithography template or a substrate located thereon such that an air cavity is defined between the retained template or substrate;
- establishing pressure in the air cavity at a first steady state;
- and
- adjusting the pressure in the air cavity from a first steady state to a second steady state by applying positive pressure or vacuum pressure or both to the air cavity, wherein the adjusting further includes transitioning from feedforward control to feedback control, and wherein the transitioning further includes modulating the amount of pressure or vacuum or applied to the air cavity so as to reduce pressure wave oscillations within the air cavity.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.