IP Library Granted Patent US 12,372,866
Granted Patent B2
US 12,372,866 · App. 18/390,910 · Granted Jul 29, 2025

Imprint apparatus and product manufacturing method

Inventors: Kenichi Kobayashi (Utsunomiya, JP); Tatsuya Arakawa (Saitama, JP)
Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
G03F7/0002
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,372,866
App. No.
18/390,910
Granted
Jul 29, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

An imprint apparatus executes imprint processing of curing imprint material in a state in which the imprint material supplied onto a substrate and a mold are in contact with each other. The imprint apparatus includes a modulator configured to modulate incident light, a first optical system configured to guide first light from a first light source to the modulator, and second light from a second light source that has a wavelength different from that of the first light to the modulator, and a second optical system configured to guide modulated light modulated by the modulator to the substrate.

Claims (33)

1. An imprint apparatus for curing an imprint material on a substrate in a state in which the imprint material and a mold are in contact with each other comprising:

a modulator configured to modulate incident light;

a control unit configured to control the modulator;

a first optical system configured to guide first light from a first light source to the modulator, and second light from a second light source to the modulator, the second light having a wavelength different from a wavelength of the first light; and

wherein, by guiding first modulated light obtained by the modulator modulating the first light to the substrate, the substrate is deformed for alignment of the substrate and the mold,

wherein by guiding second modulated light that partially cures the imprint material and is generated by the modulator modulating the second light to the substrate, the viscosity of imprint material supplied onto the substrate is increased, and

wherein the control unit switches between a control of the modulator for forming a first light intensity distribution with the first light and a control of the modulator for forming a second light intensity distribution with the second light.

2. The imprint apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein one of the first light and the second light is selectively incident on the modulator.

3. The imprint apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the viscosity of the imprint material is increased in a period in which alignment of the mold and the substrate is executed.

4. The imprint apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising an optical element configured to guide the second light from the second light source to an optical path between the first light source and the modulator.

5. The imprint apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the optical element is a mirror.

6. The imprint apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein intensity of the first light and intensity of the second light are different from each other.

7. The imprint apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a first optical system includes an optical fiber configured to guide the first light from the first light source to the modulator.

8. The imprint apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the modulator includes a digital mirror device, and

wherein control is performed so that the period in which neither the first modulated light nor the second modulated light are emitted to the substrate is generated by turning off the digital mirror device.

9. The imprint apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a curing light source configured to cure the imprint material,

wherein the imprint material is cured by emitting light for curing the imprint material to the imprint material after the alignment is finished.

10. The imprint apparatus according to claim 9 , further comprising a compound mirror configured to transmit one of light from the curing light source and light modulated by the modulator and to reflect an other light.

11. A product manufacturing method comprising:

forming a pattern on a substrate by the imprint apparatus according to claim 1 ; and

processing the substrate on which the pattern is formed,

wherein a product is manufactured from the substrate.

12. An imprint method of curing an imprint material in a state where the imprint material supplied onto a substrate is in contact with a mold, the imprint method comprising:

deforming the substrate by guiding first modulated light obtained by modulating first light from a first light source by a modulator to the substrate;

increasing viscosity of the imprint material supplied onto the substrate by guiding second modulated light obtained by modulating second light from a second light source and having a wavelength different from that of the first light by the modulator to the substrate; and

switching between a control of the modulator for forming a first light intensity distribution with the first light and a control of the modulator for forming a second light intensity distribution with the second light.

13. The imprint method according to claim 12 , further comprising:

aligning the mold and the substrate,

wherein viscosity of the imprint material is increased in a period in which the aligning is executed.

14. The imprint method according to claim 12 , further comprising:

curing the imprint material by emitting light for curing the imprint material to the imprint material from a curing light source configured to cure the imprint material after the aligning is finished.

Priority Claims (2)
JP 2018-210917 · Nov 8, 2018 · national
JP 2018-210925 · Nov 8, 2018 · national
Continuity (3)
Continuation 17544447 · Dec 7, 2021
Continuation 16673804 · Nov 4, 2019
Related Publication 20240126165A1 · Apr 18, 2024
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