IP Library › Granted Patent US 8,047,828
Granted Patent B2
US 8,047,828 · App. 11/719,434 · Granted Nov 1, 2011

Imprint apparatus, imprint method, and mold for imprint

Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,047,828
App. No.
11/719,434
Granted
Nov 1, 2011
Kind
B2
Abstract

An imprint apparatus for imprinting a pattern provided to a mold onto a substrate or a member on the substrate includes a light source for irradiating a surface of the mold disposed opposite to the substrate and a surface of the substrate with light; an optical system for guiding the light from the light source to the surface of the mold and the surface of the substrate and guiding reflected lights from these surfaces to a spectroscope; a spectroscope for dispersing the reflected lights guided by the optical system into a spectrum; and an analyzer for analyzing a distance between the surface of the mold and the surface of the substrate. The analyzer calculates the distance between the surface of the mold and the surface of the substrate by measuring a distance between the surface of the mold and a surface formed at a position away from the surface of the mold.

Claims (15)

1. An imprint apparatus for imprinting a pattern provided to a mold onto a substrate or a member on the substrate, the imprint apparatus comprising:

a light source for irradiating a surface of the mold disposed opposite to the substrate and a surface of the substrate with light;

a spectroscope;

an optical system for guiding the light from the light source to the surface of the mold and the surface of the substrate and guiding light reflected from the surface of the mold and the surface of the substrate to the spectroscope, which disperses the reflected light guided by the optical system into a spectrum;

an image sensor for observing the light dispersed by the spectroscope;

an analyzer for analyzing a distance between the surface of the mold and the surface of the substrate based on information obtained by the image sensor,

wherein the analyzer is adapted to analyze a first distance as a distance between the surface of the mold and a surface formed at a position away from the surface of the mold based on information obtained from the light emitted from the light source and reflected by the surface of the mold and the surface formed at the position away from the surface of the mold,

wherein the analyzer is adapted to analyze a second distance as a distance between the surface formed at the position away from the surface of the mold and the surface of the substrate based on information obtained from the light emitted from the light source and reflected by the surface formed at the position away from the surface of the mold and the surface of the substrate, and

wherein the analyzer is adapted to calculate the distance between the surface of the mold and the surface of the substrate by subtracting the first distance from the second distance.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the surface formed at the position away from the surface of the mold is a back surface of the mold.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the surface formed at the position away from the surface of the mold is provided between the surface of the mold and the back surface of the mold.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the surface formed at the position away from the surface of the mold is an interface between a first member constituting the surface of the mold and a second member comprising a material different in refractive index from a material for the first member.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the surface of the mold is at the same level as a surface at which the pattern is formed.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the analyzer is adapted to analyze the first distance and the second distance with different timing.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the analyzer is adapted to analyze the first distance in a state in which a resin material is not filled between the mold and the substrate and to analyze the second distance in a state in which the resin material is filled between the mold and the substrate.

Assignments (2)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 29, 2016
From: WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: AXALTA COATING SYSTEMS IP CO. LLC (FORMERLY KNOWN AS U.S. COATINGS IP CO. LLC)
Reel/Frame 040184/0192 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 29, 2007
From: SUEHIRA, NOBUHITO; SEKI, JUNICHI; INA, HIDEKI
To: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Reel/Frame 019350/0367 →
Priority Claims (2)
JP 302679/2005 · Oct 18, 2005 · national
JP 230222/2006 · Aug 28, 2006 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20080099941A1 · May 1, 2008