Imprint apparatus and imprint method

Abstract

An imprint apparatus includes a moveable substrate support configured to hold a substrate having a transfer target material thereon, a template holder configured to hold a template in which a pattern, which is to be transferred to the transfer target material, is formed, a light source configured to emit light at different selectable intensities toward the transfer target material, and a controller. The controller includes a processing unit and a storage unit, and is configured to retrieve exposure conditions for the transfer target material and control the intensity, and timing of initiation, of the light output by the light source, based on the retrieved exposure conditions, such that the transfer target material is subjected to main curing after undergoing temporary curing.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An imprint apparatus, comprising:
 a moveable substrate support configured to hold a substrate having a transfer target material thereon;   a template holder configured to hold a template in which a pattern, which is to be transferred to the transfer target material, is formed;   a light source configured to emit light at different selectable intensities toward the transfer target material; and   a controller including a processing unit and a storage unit, wherein   the controller is configured to retrieve exposure conditions for the transfer target material and control the intensity, and timing of initiation, of the light output by the light source, based on the retrieved exposure conditions, such that the transfer target material is subjected to main curing after undergoing temporary curing.   
     
     
         2 . The imprint apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
 determine a location on the substrate with respect to other locations on the substrate; and   position the substrate on the support to locate a transfer target material thereon in rough alignment with template holder; and   control the intensity of light from the light source based on the location on the substrate at which the transfer target material is located.   
     
     
         3 . The imprint apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the controller is configured to control the intensity of light from the light source based on at least one of plurality of exposure conditions associated with a plurality of regions of the substrate. 
     
     
         4 . The imprint apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein one of the plurality of exposure conditions comprises ramping the light intensity from a low value to a higher main curing value. 
     
     
         5 . The imprint apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the light intensity during the ramping increases linearly. 
     
     
         6 . The imprint apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the light intensity during the ramping increases non-linearly. 
     
     
         7 . The imprint apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein at least one of the exposure conditions includes a time lapse from the beginning of alignment of the substrate with the template holder before beginning illumination at the main intensity value of the light source. 
     
     
         8 . The imprint apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the controller controls the substrate support such that the substrate is aligned with the template while temporary curing of the transfer target material occurs. 
     
     
         9 . The imprint apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein at least one of the exposure conditions includes increasing the intensity of the light to a value greater than the intensity for main curing of the transfer target material and thereafter reducing the intensity of the light to zero, before executing the main curing of the transfer target material. 
     
     
         10 . An imprint method, comprising:
 aligning a substrate having a transfer target material thereon with a template in which a pattern to be transferred to the transfer target material is formed; and   emitting light toward the transfer target material and executing main curing thereof after executing temporary curing thereof to transfer the pattern from the template thereto, wherein   the intensity of the light is controlled based on an exposure condition in which a time and control information for controlling the intensity of the light are associated with each other.   
     
     
         11 . The imprint method according to  claim 10 , further comprising linearly increasing the light intensity during the temporary curing. 
     
     
         12 . The imprint method according to  claim 10 , further comprising non-linearly increasing the light intensity during the temporary curing. 
     
     
         13 . The imprint method according to  claim 10 , further comprising:
 supplying a light intensity greater than the light intensity during the main curing during the temporary curing.   
     
     
         14 . The imprint method according to  claim 13 , further comprising:
 decreasing the light intensity to zero after supplying the light intensity greater than the light intensity during the main curing.   
     
     
         15 . The imprint method according to  claim 10 , further comprising:
 maintaining the light intensity during the temporary curing at a value less than the intensity value during the main curing.   
     
     
         16 . The imprint method according to  claim 10 , wherein the illumination control information includes at least first control information related to a first location on a substrate and second control information related to a second location on a substrate. 
     
     
         17 . An imprint apparatus, comprising:
 a moveable substrate support configured to hold a substrate having a transfer target material thereon;   a template holder configured to hold a template in which a pattern, to be transferred to a transfer target material, is formed;   a light source configured to emit light at different selectable intensities toward a transfer target material to cure the transfer target material; and   an aligner configured to align the template with a location on the substrate where the transfer target material is present by moving at least one of the template and the substrate to achieve desired alignment while the light source emits light to partially cure the transfer target material.   
     
     
         18 . The imprint apparatus according to  claim 17 , further comprising:
 a controller comprising a processing unit and a storage unit, wherein   the controller is configured to retrieve exposure conditions for the transfer target material and control the intensity, and timing of initiation, of the light output by the light source, based on the retrieved exposure conditions.   
     
     
         19 . The imprint apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the exposure conditions include linearly increasing the light output intensity during partial curing of the transfer target material. 
     
     
         20 . The imprint apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the exposure conditions include non-linearly increasing the light output intensity during partial curing of the transfer target material.