Imprint apparatus, and article manufacturing method using same

Abstract

The imprint apparatus of the present invention molds and cures a resin on a substrate using a mold to thereby form a pattern of the cured resin on the substrate. In this case, the resin is a mixture of an ultraviolet curable resin that is cured by receiving ultraviolet light and a luminescent material that fluoresces or phosphoresces by receiving ultraviolet light. The imprint apparatus further includes a light-emission detecting unit configured to detect light emitted from the luminescent material. After the mold is released from the ultraviolet curable resin, which is mixed with the luminescent material, on the substrate, the light-emission detecting unit detects light emitted from a residual resin that remains in a concave and convex portion of the pattern formed on the mold.

1 . An imprint apparatus that molds and cures a resin on a substrate using a mold to thereby form a pattern of the cured resin on the substrate, the imprint apparatus comprising:
 a light-emission detecting unit configured to detect light emitted from a luminescent material,   wherein the resin is a mixture of an ultraviolet curable resin that is cured by receiving ultraviolet light and the luminescent material that fluoresces or phosphoresces by receiving ultraviolet light, and   wherein, after the mold is released from the ultraviolet curable resin, which is mixed with the luminescent material, on the substrate, the light-emission detecting unit detects light emitted from a residual resin that remains in a concave and convex portion of the pattern formed on the mold.   
     
     
         2 . The imprint apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a control unit configured to control a processing operation including at least one of the display of a result of the inspection, exchange of the mold, or cleaning of the mold,   wherein the control unit determines whether or not the residual resin is present in the concave and convex portion based on an inspection result by the light-emission detecting unit, and controls a processing operation regarding the mold.   
     
     
         3 . The imprint apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the light-emission detecting unit is an imaging element, and the control unit determines whether or not the residual resin is present in the concave and convex portion based on an image output from the imaging element. 
     
     
         4 . The imprint apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the mold has an ultraviolet light transmission property, and the imaging element is disposed above the irradiation axis of ultraviolet light that is illuminated onto the mold. 
     
     
         5 . The imprint apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the light-emission detecting unit is a light receiving sensor, and the control unit determines whether or not the residual resin is present in the concave and convex portion based on a light receiving signal obtained from the light receiving sensor. 
     
     
         6 . The imprint apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein the light receiving sensor is disposed at a position opposite to the pattern formed on the mold. 
     
     
         7 . The imprint apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the light receiving sensor is disposed at a driving unit configured to change the relative position with the mold. 
     
     
         8 . The imprint apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the light receiving sensor is disposed on a substrate stage that holds the substrate and allows it to be movable. 
     
     
         9 . The imprint apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an optical filter configured to distinguish light-emission wavelengths,   wherein, when the ultraviolet curable resin is mixed with a mold release agent-labeling material or a stress luminescent material in addition to the luminescent material, the luminescent material is a material having a light-emission wavelength different from that of the mold release agent-labeling material or the stress luminescent material.   
     
     
         10 . The imprint apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a mixing unit configured to mix the ultraviolet curable resin and the luminescent material.   
     
     
         11 . An article manufacturing method comprising the steps of:
 forming, in a pattern forming step, a pattern of a cured resin on a substrate by molding and curing the resin on the substrate using an imprint apparatus; and   processing the substrate on which the pattern has been formed in the pattern forming step;   wherein the imprint apparatus comprises a light-emission detecting unit configured to detect light emitted from a luminescent material,   wherein the resin is a mixture of an ultraviolet curable resin that is cured by receiving ultraviolet light and the luminescent material that fluoresces or phosphoresces by receiving ultraviolet light, and   wherein, after the mold is released from the ultraviolet curable resin, which is mixed with the luminescent material, on the substrate, the light-emission detecting unit detects light emitted from a residual resin that remains in a concave and convex portion of the pattern formed on the mold.