P
USRE46191EActiveUtilityPatentIndex 51

Imprint pattern forming method

Assignee: TOSHIBA KKPriority: Mar 25, 2009Filed: May 20, 2015Granted: Nov 1, 2016
Est. expiryMar 25, 2029(~2.7 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:TOKUE HIROSHIYONEDA IKUOINANAMI RYOICHI
B29C 43/021B82Y 10/00B29C 33/00B29C 2043/3488B29C 2043/5808B29C 2043/3233B29C 2043/025B82Y 40/00G03F 7/0002
51
PatentIndex Score
0
Cited by
12
References
30
Claims

Abstract

An imprint pattern forming method includes contacting a template with a pattern in a front surface with an imprint material formed in a substrate to fill the imprint material into the pattern, curing the imprint material filled in the pattern to form an imprint material pattern, and after forming the imprint material pattern, separating the template from the imprint material pattern while applying pressure to the back surface of the template.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An imprint pattern forming method comprising:
 contacting a template with a pattern in a front surface with an imprint material formed in a substrate to fill the imprint material into the pattern, wherein the template protrudes toward the front surface when applying pressure to a back surface of the template; 
 curing the imprint material filled in the pattern to form an imprint material pattern; 
 after forming the imprint material pattern, separating the template from the imprint material pattern while applying pressure to the back surface of the template, wherein while the template is being separated from the imprint material pattern, the substrate does not protrude and only the template protrudes; and 
 determining a timing for applying the pressure to the back surface of the template, by performing a simulation of a separation between the template and the imprint material, with a design data of the template, wherein the applying the pressure to the back surface of the template is based on the timing, and wherein while the template is being separated from the imprint material pattern, the pressure applied to the back surface of the template is changed. 
 
     
     
       2. An imprint pattern forming method comprising:
 contacting a template with a pattern in a front surface with an imprint material formed in a substrate to fill the imprint material into the pattern, wherein the template protrudes toward the front surface when applying pressure to a back surface of the template; 
 curing the imprint material filled in the pattern to form an imprint material pattern; 
 after forming the imprint material pattern, separating the template from the imprint material pattern while applying pressure to the back surface of the template, wherein while the template is being separated from the imprint material pattern, the substrate does not protrude and only the template protrudes; 
 while the template is being separated from the imprint material pattern, observing a separated area or a non-separated area; and 
 determining a timing for applying the pressure to the back surface of the template based on a result of the observation and a design data of the template, wherein the applying the pressure to the back surface of the template is based on the timing, and wherein while the template is being separated from the imprint material pattern, the pressure applied to the back surface of the template is changed. 
 
     
     
       3. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein while the template is being separated from the imprint material pattern, the pressure applied to the back surface of the template is changed depending on a force required to separate the template. 
     
     
       4. The method according to  claim 3 , wherein the pressure applied to the back surface of the template is increased when the force has at most a first value and is reduced when the force has at least a second value. 
     
     
       5. The method according to  claim 3 , wherein the pressure is applied using gas. 
     
     
       6. The method according to  claim 3 , wherein the force is measured by a measuring section connected to the back surface of the template. 
     
     
       7. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein while the template is being separated from the imprint material pattern, the pressure applied to the back surface of the template is changed depending on a separation speed of the template. 
     
     
       8. The method according to  claim 7 , wherein the pressure applied to the back surface of the template is increased when the separation speed has at least a third value and is reduced when the force has at most a fourth value. 
     
     
       9. The method according to  claim 7 , wherein the pressure is applied using gas. 
     
     
       10. The method according to  claim 7 , wherein the separation speed is measured by irradiating the template and the substrate with a laser beam. 
     
     
       11. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the applying the pressure to the back surface of the template includes applying a higher pressure when an area of low pattern density is separated and applying a lower pressure when an area of higher density is separated. 
     
     
       12. The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the pressure applied to the back surface of the template is increased when the density has at most a first value and is reduced when the density has at least a second value. 
     
     
       13. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the pressure is applied using gas. 
     
     
       14. An imprint pattern forming method comprising:
 contacting a template with a pattern in a front surface with an imprint material formed in a substrate to fill the imprint material into the pattern;   curing the imprint material filled in the pattern to form an imprint material pattern;   after forming the imprint material pattern, separating the template from the imprint material pattern while applying pressure to the back surface of the template;   while the template is being separated from the imprint material pattern, observing a separated area or a non-separated area; and   determining a timing for applying the pressure to the back surface of the template based on a result of the observation, wherein the applying the pressure to the back surface of the template is based on the timing, and wherein while the template is being separated from the imprint material pattern, the pressure applied to the back surface of the template is changed.   
     
     
       15. The method according to claim 14, wherein while the template is being separated from the imprint material pattern, the pressure applied to the back surface of the template is changed depending on a force required to separate the template. 
     
     
       16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the pressure applied to the back surface of the template is increased when the force is below or is equal to a first value and is reduced when the force exceeds or equals to a second value. 
     
     
       17. The method according to claim 15, wherein the force is measured by a measuring section connected to the back surface of the template. 
     
     
       18. The method according to claim 14, wherein while the template is being separated from the imprint material pattern, the pressure applied to the back surface of the template is changed depending on a separation speed of the template. 
     
     
       19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the pressure applied to the back surface of the template is increased when the separation speed has exceeds or equals to a first value and is reduced when the force is below or equal to a second value. 
     
     
       20. The method according to claim 18, wherein the separation speed is measured by irradiating the template and the substrate with a laser beam. 
     
     
       21. The method according to claim 14, wherein the applying the pressure to the back surface of the template includes applying a higher pressure when an area of low pattern density is separated and applying a lower pressure when an area of higher density is separated. 
     
     
       22. The method according to claim 21, wherein the pressure applied to the back surface of the template is increased when the density has at most a first value and is reduced when the density has at least a second value. 
     
     
       23. The method according to claim 14, wherein the result of the observation includes a measurement of a size of the separated area or a size of the non-separated area. 
     
     
       24. The method according to claim 23, wherein the pressure is determined based on a speed of change in the measured sizes of the separated area or the non-separated area. 
     
     
       25. The method according to claim 14, wherein the imprint material is assimilated with the template when the imprint material is filled into the pattern. 
     
     
       26. The method according to claim 14, wherein the pressure is applied using a piezoelectric element. 
     
     
       27. The method according to claim 14, wherein the pressure is applied using liquid. 
     
     
       28. The method according to claim 14, wherein the pressure is applied using gas. 
     
     
       29. The method according to claim 14, wherein the template protrudes toward the front surface when applying pressure to a back surface of the template. 
     
     
       30. The method according to claim 14, wherein while the template is being separated from the imprint material pattern, the substrate does not protrude and only the template protrudes.

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