Process for producing a member having a pattern, a pattern transfer apparatus, and a mold

Abstract

A patterning process includes preparing a first mold having a first uneven pattern at a patterning surface thereof and a second mold as a peripheral shot mold having a second uneven pattern at a patterning surface thereof. A wafer includes a peripheral area along an entire peripheral edge and a non-peripheral area positioned inside the peripheral area and spaced from the edge. The first mold is used to imprint a non-peripheral pattern group completely within the non-peripheral area. The non-peripheral pattern group includes a plurality of non-peripheral pattern units each corresponding to an individual imprint of the first mold. The second mold is used to imprint a peripheral pattern positioned completely within the peripheral area. The peripheral pattern includes a shape having straight line segments corresponding to and outlining corners of a plurality of the non-peripheral pattern units and having a curved line corresponding to the peripheral edge of the wafer.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A patterning process comprising the steps of:
 preparing a first mold having a first uneven pattern at a patterning surface thereof;   preparing a second mold as a peripheral shot mold having a second uneven pattern at a patterning surface thereof;   providing a wafer comprising a peripheral area along an entire peripheral edge thereof and having a non-peripheral area positioned inside the peripheral area and spaced from the peripheral edge;   using the first mold to imprint a non-peripheral pattern group positioned completely within the non-peripheral area, the non-peripheral pattern group comprising a plurality of non-peripheral pattern units each corresponding to an individual imprint of the first mold; and   using the second mold to imprint a peripheral pattern positioned completely within the peripheral area, the peripheral pattern comprising a shape having straight line segments corresponding to and outlining corners of a plurality of the non-peripheral pattern units and having a curved line corresponding to the peripheral edge of the wafer,   wherein the peripheral area is not large enough to imprint an entire non-peripheral pattern unit.   
     
     
         2 . A process according to  claim 1 , wherein at least some of the non-peripheral pattern units are imprinted adjacent to one another. 
     
     
         3 . A process according to  claim 2 , wherein the peripheral pattern is spaced from the non-peripheral pattern group by a distance that is identical to a spacing between adjacent non-peripheral pattern units. 
     
     
         4 . A process according to  claim 1 , wherein the peripheral pattern includes a plurality of peripheral pattern units, and at least some of the peripheral pattern units are imprinted adjacent to one another. 
     
     
         5 . A process according to  claim 1 , wherein the peripheral pattern includes a plurality of peripheral pattern units, and the process further comprises rotating the wafer about a center thereof between imprints of each peripheral pattern unit. 
     
     
         6 . A process according to  claim 1 , wherein the peripheral pattern is imprinted after the non-peripheral pattern group is imprinted. 
     
     
         7 . A process according to  claim 1 , wherein the non-peripheral pattern group is imprinted after the peripheral pattern is imprinted. 
     
     
         8 . A process according to  claim 1 , wherein the wafer has a flat, plate-like shape. 
     
     
         9 . A process according to  claim 1 , wherein the wafer has a circular shape. 
     
     
         10 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein each non-peripheral pattern unit is rectangular.