Pattern forming method and pattern forming apparatus in which a substrate and a mold are aligned in an in-plane direction

An apparatus for imprinting a pattern onto a material applied on a semiconductor workpiece, the apparatus comprising:

• a mold holding portion configured to hold a light transmissive mold, the mold including a first surface having a pattern to be imprinted onto the material, a second surface located opposite from the first surface, a third surface, on a stepped portion, disposed at a position inwardly away from the first surface, and such that the third surface is arranged opposite to an area, of the workpiece, subjected to dicing, the third surface having an alignment structure for alignment between the mold and the workpiece, and the third surface being disposed inwardly away from the first surface with a distance such that the alignment structure does not contact the material through the imprinting;
• a workpiece support portion configured to support the workpiece;
• a detection mechanism including an optical system and configured to detect, via the optical system, a positional deviation between the alignment structure provided at the third surface of the mold and an alignment structure provided at the area, of the workpiece, subjected to dicing, via a space without the material therein, and in a state in which the first surface of the mold is in contact with the material;
• and
• a moving mechanism configured to align the workpiece with the mold based on the positional deviation detected by the detection mechanism.