Process and apparatus for cleaning imprinting molds, and process for manufacturing imprinting molds

A process for cleaning an imprinting mold including a release layer coupled via siloxane bonds to a substrate of the imprinting mold, comprising:

• performing a first cleaning step that includes treating the release layer so as to cleave water repellent groups contained in a surface of the release layer,
• measuring an angle of contact with water of the surface of the release layer with a measuring unit,
• judging with a judgment unit whether or not the angle of contact with water of the surface of the release layer measured by the measuring unit is not greater than a first reference value so as to judge whether or not the surface of the release layer has been sufficiently treated to proceed to a second cleaning step,
• wherein the first cleaning step is repeated if the judging indicates that the surface of the release layer has not been sufficiently treated to proceed to the second cleaning step, and wherein if the judging indicates that the surface of the release layer has been sufficiently treated to proceed to the second cleaning step, then
• performing the second cleaning step that includes bringing an alkali cleaning agent in contact with the release layer that has been subjected to the first cleaning step,
• measuring an angle of contact with water of a surface of the imprinting mold with the same or different measuring unit, and
• judging with the same or different judgment unit whether or not the angle of contact with water of the surface of the imprinting mold measured bv the same or different measuring unit is not greater than a second reference value that is set less than the first reference value so as to judge whether or not the release layer has been removed,
• wherein the second cleaning step is repeated if the judging indicates that the release layer has not been removed.

A process for manufacturing an imprinting mold comprising a substrate, an uneven structure positioned on one surface of the substrate, and a release layer coupled via siloxane bonds to the substrate in such a way as to cover at least the uneven structure, comprising:

• performing a first cleaning step that includes treating the release layer so as to make a surface of the release layer hydrophilic,
• measuring an angle of contact with water of the surface of the release layer with a measuring unit,
• judging with a judgment unit whether or not the angle of contact with water of the surface of the release layer measured by the measuring unit is not greater than a first reference value so as to judge whether or not the surface of the release layer has been sufficiently treated to proceed to a second cleaning step,
• wherein the first cleaning step is repeated if the judging indicates that the surface of the release layer has not been sufficiently treated to proceed to the second cleaning step, and wherein if the judging indicates that the surface of the release layer has been sufficiently treated to proceed to the second cleaning step, then
• performing the second cleaning step that includes bringing an alkali cleaning agent in contact with the release layer that has been subjected to the first cleaning step,
• measuring an angle of contact with water of a surface of the imprinting mold with the same or different measuring unit, and
• judging with the same or different judgment unit whether or not the angle of contact with water of the surface of the imprinting mold measured by the same or different measuring unit is not greater than a second reference value that is set less than the first reference value so as to judge whether or not the release layer has been removed,
• wherein the second cleaning step is repeated if the judging indicates that the release layer has not been removed.

A process for manufacturing an imprinting mold comprising a substrate, an uneven structure positioned on one surface of the substrate, and a release layer coupled via siloxane bonds to the substrate in such a way as to cover at least the uneven structure, comprising:

• removing the release layer, and
• reforming a fresh release layer coupled via siloxane bonds to the substrate in such a way as to cover at least the uneven structure,
• wherein removal of the release layer comprises:
• performing a first cleaning step that includes treating the release layer so as to reduce an angle of contact with water of a surface of the release layer,
• measuring the angle of contact with water of the surface of the release layer with a measuring unit,
• judging with a judgment unit whether or not the angle of contact with water of the surface of the release layer measured by the measuring unit is not greater than a first reference value so as to judge whether or not the surface of the release layer has been sufficiently treated to proceed to a second cleaning step,
• wherein the first cleaning step is repeated if the judging indicates that the surface of the release layer has not been sufficiently treated to proceed to the second cleaning step, and wherein if the judging indicates that the surface of the release layer has been sufficiently treated to proceed to the second cleaning step, then
• performing the second cleaning step that includes bringing an alkali cleaning agent in contact with the release layer that has been subjected to the first cleaning step,
• measuring an angle of contact with water of a surface of the imprinting mold with the same or different measuring unit, and
• judging with the same or different judgment unit whether or not the angle of contact with water of the surface of the imprinting mold measured by the same or different measuring unit is not greater than a second reference value that is set less than the first reference value so as to judge whether or not the release layer has been removed,
• wherein the second cleaning step is repeated if the judging indicates that the release layer has not been removed.

A process for manufacturing an imprinting mold comprising a substrate, an uneven structure positioned on one surface of the substrate, and a release layer coupled via siloxane bonds to the substrate in such a way as to cover at least the uneven structure, comprising:

• removing the release layer, and
• reforming a fresh release layer coupled via siloxane bonds to the substrate in such a way as to cover at least the uneven structure,
• wherein removal of the release layer comprises:
• a first cleaning step that includes treating the release layer so as to cleave water repellent groups contained in a surface of the release layer,
• measuring an angle of contact with water of the surface of the release layer with a measuring unit,
• judging with a judgment unit whether or not the angle of contact with water of the surface of the release layer measured by the measuring unit is not greater than a first reference value so as to judge whether or not the surface of the release layer has been sufficiently treated to proceed to a second cleaning step,
• wherein the first cleaning step is repeated if the judging indicates that the surface of the release layer has not been sufficiently treated to proceed to the second cleaning step, and wherein if the judging indicates that the surface of the release layer has been sufficiently treated to proceed to the second cleaning step, then
• performing the second cleaning step that includes bringing an alkali cleaning agent in contact with the release layer that has been subjected to the first cleaning step,
• measuring an angle of contact with water of a surface of the imprinting mold with the same of different measuring unit, and
• judging with the same or different judgment unit whether or not the angle of contact with water of the surface of the imprinting mold measured by the same or different measuring unit is not greater than a second reference value that is set less than the first reference value so as to judge whether or not the release layer has been removed,
• wherein the second cleaning step is repeated if the judging indicates that the release layer has not been removed.