Manufacturing method of replica template, manufacturing method of semiconductor device, and master template

1. A method of manufacturing a replica template, the method comprising:

forming a first mask pattern in a resist film on a patterning surface of a substrate by an imprint process, the patterning surface being on an upper surface of a first protruding portion of the substrate, the first protruding portion protruding from a first surface of the substrate, the first mask pattern on the upper surface of the first protruding portion comprising:

a convex portion having a width less than a width of the patterning surface and a first thickness,

a residual layer portion on the patterning surface adjacent to and surrounding the convex portion, the residual portion having a second thickness less than the first thickness, and

a predetermined pattern on an upper surface of the convex portion;

removing a portion of the first protruding portion corresponding in position to the residual layer portion by using the first mask pattern as an etch mask to form a second protruding portion directly adjacent to the first protruding portion, the second protruding portion having a height from the first surface different from a height of the first protruding portion from the first surface; and

transferring a pattern to the substrate by etching the pattern into the patterning surface, the pattern being in a position on the patterning surface corresponding to the convex portion of the first mask pattern.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein

the first mask pattern is formed by imprinting a resist disposed on the patterning surface of the substrate using a master template.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising: forming a hardmask layer over the patterning surface before the forming of the first mask pattern.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein a pattern corresponding to the pattern transferred to the substrate by etching is formed in the hardmask layer.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein a portion of the hardmask layer underlying the residual layer portion of the first mask pattern is removed in a etch process prior to the removing of the portion of the first protruding portion correspond in position to the residual layer portion.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second protruding portion surrounds the first protruding portion.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the height of the second protruding portion is further different from a height of the predetermined pattern from the first surface.

8. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device comprising:

manufacturing an imprint template by:

forming a first mask pattern in a resist film on a patterning surface of an imprint template substrate by an imprint process, the patterning surface being on an upper surface of a first protruding portion of the imprint template substrate, the first protruding portion protruding from a first surface of the imprint template substrate, the first mask pattern on the upper surface of the first protruding portion comprising:

a convex portion having a width less than a width of the first protruding portion and a first thickness,

a residual layer portion on the patterning surface adjacent to and surrounding the convex portion, the residual portion having a second thickness less than the first thickness, and

a predetermined pattern on an upper surface of the convex portion;

removing a portion of the first protruding portion corresponding in position to the residual layer portion by using the first mask pattern as an etch mask to form a second protruding portion directly adjacent to the first protruding portion, the second protruding portion having a height from the first surface different from a height of the first protruding portion from the first surface, and

transferring a pattern to the imprint template substrate by etching the pattern into the patterning surface, the pattern being in a position on the patterning surface corresponding to the convex portion of the first mask pattern;

forming a film on a semiconductor substrate;

placing a mask precursor material on the film;

placing the manufactured imprint template in contact with the mask precursor material to form a pattern in the mask precursor material; and

processing the film using the pattern formed in the mask precursor material as a pattern transfer mask.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the first mask pattern is formed by imprinting a resist disposed on the patterning surface of the imprint template substrate using a master template.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein, manufacturing the imprint template further comprises: forming a hardmask layer over the patterning surface before forming the first mask pattern.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein a pattern corresponding to the pattern transferred to the imprint template substrate by etching is formed in the hardmask layer.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein a portion of the hardmask layer underlying the residual layer portion of the first mask pattern is removed in a etch process prior to the removing of the portion of the first protruding portion correspond in position to the residual layer portion.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein the second protruding portion surrounds the first protruding portion.

14. The method of claim 8 , wherein the height of the second protruding portion is further different from a height of the predetermined pattern from the first surface.