Abstract: A processing method for transferring a relief pattern of a mold to a resist includes the steps of compressing the mold having the relief pattern against the resist on a substrate, irradiating an exposure light onto the resist through the mold, vibrating the mold and the substrate relative to each other during the irradiating step, and releasing the mold from the resist.

Abstract: An imprint method for imprinting an imprint pattern provided to a mold onto a pattern forming layer formed on a substrate is constituted by a first step of effecting alignment between the substrate and the mold with feedback control; a second step of bringing the mold and the pattern forming layer into contact with each other; a third step of curing the pattern forming layer; and a fourth step of increasing a gap between the substrate and the mold. The imprint method further includes a step of stopping the feedback control between the first step and the second step and/or between the second step and the third step.

Abstract: A processing apparatus for transferring a relief pattern on a mold to a resist on a substrate through a compression of the mold against the resist, includes a supplier for supplying the resist between the substrate and the mold, and an illumination optical system for illuminating ultraviolet light onto the resist via the mold so as to cure the resist.

Abstract: An imprinting machine that brings a mold having a pattern into contact with an object and transfers the pattern onto the object includes a measurement unit that measures a position of the mold when the mold contacts the object.

Abstract: A processing method for forming a first pattern on a substrate to which a resist is applied includes the steps of pressing an original having a second pattern that has a relief reverse to that of the first pattern, against the resist on the substrate, and irradiating light onto the resist via the original, wherein a size of a concave of the second pattern is greater than a size of a convex of the first pattern corresponding to the concave of the second pattern, and a size of a convex of the second pattern is smaller than a size of a concave of the first pattern corresponding to the convex of the second pattern.

Abstract: A processing apparatus for transferring a relief pattern on a mold to a resist on a substrate through a compression of the mold against the resist, and an irradiation of light for exposing the resist onto the resist includes a mold chuck for holding the mold and for compressing the mold against the resist, and a deformation reducing part for reducing a deformation of the mold when the mold chuck applies a compression force to the mold.

Abstract: A processing apparatus configured to transfer a pattern of a mold onto a target member by pressing the mold against a resin applied to the target member includes a driver configured to move the mold and the target member relative to each other, and a controller configured to control the driver so that a changing rate of a load generated between the mold and the resin in a first state is smaller than that in a second state, and the first state being a state in which the mold that adheres to the resin starts moving in a direction separating from the resin, and the second state being a state in which the mold that moves in the direction separating from the resin is about to separate from the resin.

Abstract: An imprinting machine that brings a mold having a pattern into contact with an object and transfers the pattern onto the object includes a measurement unit that measures a position of the mold when the mold contacts the object.

Abstract: One object of the present invention is to provide a pattern transferring mold which can provide a starting area of mold release easily and certainly and a pattern transferring apparatus with the same. A pattern transferring mold is disclosed which is used in a pattern transferring apparatus that brings the mold into contact with a photo-curing resin on a substrate and cures the photo-curing resin by light irradiation to transfer a pattern formed on the mold onto the photo-curing resin. The mold comprises a bottom face which contacts the photo-curing resin, the bottom face portion including a first area in which the pattern is formed and a second area formed outside the first area. The mold has a mold-releasing shape in the second area, the mold-releasing shape providing a starting area of mold release from the cured photo-curing resin.

Abstract: An imprint apparatus molds resin dispensed on a shot region of a substrate with a mold and forms a pattern of resin on the shot region. The apparatus includes a mold stage configured to hold the mold, a substrate stage configured to hold the substrate, a drive mechanism configured to change a relative positional relationship between the mold stage and the substrate stage in an X-Y plane that defines a coordinate of the shot region and a Z-axis direction perpendicular to the X-Y plane, and a controller. The controller is configured to control the drive mechanism so that the mold and the shot region perform relative vibration, in the X-Y plane, with respect to a relative position where the mold and the shot region align, and a distance between the mold and the shot region decreases in the Z-axis direction in parallel with the vibration, and the resin is molded by the mold.

Abstract: An imprint apparatus is configured to mold a resin on a substrate by using a mold and to form a pattern of the resin on the substrate. The imprint apparatus includes a holder configured to hold the substrate, the holder having a groove, an exhaust device configured to exhaust a gas in the groove so that the hold can hold the substrate by setting a pressure in the groove to a negative pressure, a supply device configured to supply the gas to the groove, and a controller configured to control the supply device so as to set the pressure in the groove to a positive pressure during molding.

Abstract: The imprint apparatus presses resin disposed on a substrate and a mold to each other to form a resin pattern on the substrate. The apparatus includes a driving device configured to move the mold and the substrate relatively to apply a pressing force between the mold and the resin, a measuring device configured to measure a position of at least one of the mold and the substrate, a detector configured to detect the pressing force, and a controller configured to control the driving device. The controller is configured to control the driving device using the position as a controlled variable in a first period, and to control the driving device using the pressing force as a controlled variable in a second period after the first period.

Abstract: There is provided an imprint apparatus configured to perform an imprint in which a resin on a substrate is molded using a mold and a pattern is formed on the substrate. The apparatus includes a press unit configured to press the resin on the substrate and the mold to each other, a cure unit configured to irradiate light to the resin molded by the mold to cure the resin, and a movement unit configured to move the mold and the substrate, from a position at which the press is performed by the press unit to a position at which the light is irradiated by the cure unit, and from the position at which the light is irradiated by the cure unit to a position at which the mold is released.

Abstract: A pattern forming apparatus maintaining alignment between a mold and a substrate. The pattern forming apparatus includes a press pressing the mold against the substrate in a pressing direction, and a mechanism to maintain orientation of the mold and the substrate perpendicular to the pressing direction.

Abstract: A processing apparatus for transferring a relief pattern on a mold to a resist on a substrate through a compression of the mold against the resist, includes a supplier for supplying the resist between the substrate and the mold, and a recovery unit for recovering the resist.

Abstract: A load-lock apparatus has a housing to enclose a first space and to accommodate a substrate, an exhaust pipe to exhaust a gas in the first space, a first gate valve provided in the housing to openably close to separate the first space and a second space, outside the housing, and a second gate valve provided in the housing to openably close to separate the first space and a third space, outside the housing. Pressure in the third space is lower than that in the second space. A capacity changing system moves a first portion of the housing to change capacity of the housing so that the capacity when gas in the first space is exhausted through the exhaust pipe is smaller than the capacity when the substrate is conveyed from the second space to the first space through the first gate valve.

Abstract: A processing apparatus for transferring a relief pattern on a mold to a resist on a substrate through a compression of the mold against the resist, includes a supplier for supplying the resist between the substrate and the mold, and a recovery unit for recovering the resist.

Abstract: A processing apparatus configured to transfer a pattern of a mold onto a target member by pressing the mold against a resin applied to the target member includes a driver configured to move the mold and the target member relative to each other, and a controller configured to control the driver so that a changing rate of a load generated between the mold and the resin in a first state is smaller than that in a second state, and the first state being a state in which the mold that adheres to the resin starts moving in a direction separating from the resin, and the second state being a state in which the mold that moves in the direction separating from the resin is about to separate from the resin.

Abstract: A method of exhausting a gas in a chamber of a load-lock system having a first valve defining an opening for supplying a gas and a second valve defining an opening for conveyance of an article. The method includes a gas supplying step for supplying a gas heated by a heater into the chamber through the first valve, while the first valve and the second valve are kept open, a conveying step for conveying the article into the chamber while the second valve is kept open, and an exhausting step to be carried out after the gas supplying step and the conveying step are executed and the first and second valves are closed, to exhaust the gas inside the chamber while the first valve and the second valve are kept closed.

Abstract: Disclosed is a load-lock system, an exposure apparatus having the same, and a load-lock method. In one preferred form, the load-lock system includes a chamber housing, and a capacity changing system for changing the capacity of the chamber housing. The load-lock method includes the steps of conveying an object into a chamber housing, reducing the capacity of the chamber housing after the conveying step, and reducing the pressure inside the chamber housing after the capacity reducing step.