Abstract: The present invention provides a planarization apparatus that planarizes a composition on a substrate by using a member having a flat surface, the apparatus comprising: a first processing device configured to perform curing processing of curing the composition on the substrate in a contact state in which the flat surface of the member is in contact with the composition; a second processing device configured to perform separation processing of separating the member from the composition on the substrate that has undergone the curing processing by the first processing device and is in the contact state; and a conveyance mechanism configured to convey the substrate having undergone the curing processing by the first processing device to the second processing device, wherein the second processing device includes an ion generator configured to ionize a gas around the substrate in the contact state.

Abstract: A film formation apparatus that can easily control spread of an end of a film to be formed is provided. The film formation apparatus is a film formation apparatus configured to form a film of a curable composition in a space between a substrate and a mold by pressing the mold on the curable composition dispensed onto the substrate. The film formation apparatus includes: a dispenser configured to apply a liquid mixture in which the curable composition and a predetermined solvent are mixed onto the substrate or the top surface of the curable composition; and a controller configured to generate a plurality of sub spaces by dividing the space between the substrate and the mold. The controller performs control such that a first operation of applying the liquid mixture and a second operation of volatilizing the solvent included in the liquid mixture are performed in the order of the first operation and the second operation according to the number of sub spaces.

Abstract: A mold including a first part and a second part, wherein the first part includes a first surface and a second surface on an opposite side of the first surface, the second surface includes a concave portion having a concave shape, the first surface includes a convex portion and having a convex shape, the second part includes a third surface combined to the convex portion of the first part, and a fourth surface on the opposite side of the third surface, on which a pattern to be transferred to a transfer target is formed, the first part is made of a material having a first elastic modulus, and the second part is made of a material having a second elastic modulus lower than the first elastic modulus.

Abstract: A foreign substance inspection method for inspecting for a foreign substance includes bringing a first surface of a first substate into contact with a second surface of a second substrate to cause the first and second surfaces to face each other, obtaining an image of reflected light from the first and second surfaces in contact with each other, and determining, based on the obtained image, the presence of a foreign substance, or the absence of a foreign substance, or the position of a foreign substance.

Abstract: A method for removing a foreign substance includes forming a first trapping film between a plate and a first region where a foreign substance should be removed and separating the plate from the first region together with the first trapping film, forming a second trapping film between the plate holding the first trapping film and a second region where a foreign substance should be removed, and separating the plate from the second region together with the first trapping film and the second trapping film. The second region is larger than the first region. A value obtained by dividing a volume of the second trapping film by an area of the second region is larger than a value obtained by dividing a volume of the first trapping film by an area of the first region.

Abstract: A simulation apparatus that predicts a behavior of a curable composition in a film forming process includes a processor configured to execute behavior computation of the curable composition by a computational method selected from a first computational method and a second computational method which shortens a computation time as compared to the first computational method. The processor is configured to execute behavior computation of the curable composition by the second computational method while applying each of a plurality of tentative parameter sets for the film forming process, decide, from the plurality of tentative parameter sets, a parameter set that produces a result of the behavior computation satisfying a predetermined criterion for evaluation, and execute behavior computation of the curable composition by the first computational method while applying the decided parameter set.

Abstract: A simulation apparatus predicts a behavior of a curable composition in a formation process in which the curable composition arranged on a shot region of a substrate and a mold are brought into contact with each other to form a film of the curable composition on the shot region. The apparatus includes a processor configured to obtain the behavior of the curable composition by simulation computation, and output data used to display a simulation image simulating the behavior obtained by the simulation computation. The simulation image includes information of an outer periphery of the shot region and information of an edge portion of the film, which are drawn in a mode that enables visual identification of a position of the edge portion of the film with respect to the outer periphery.

Abstract: The present invention provides a simulation method of predicting a behavior of a curable composition in a process of bringing a second member into contact with a plurality of droplets of the curable composition arranged on a first member and forming a film of the curable composition on the first member, the method comprising: determining a volume used for predicting the behavior with respect to each of a plurality of specific droplets which are arranged inside a prediction target region for predicting the behavior, among the plurality of droplets, based on an index indicating a positional relationship between a boundary of the prediction target region and each specific droplet; and predicting the behavior of the curable composition inside the prediction target region based on the volume determined with respect to each of the plurality of specific droplets.

Abstract: The invention provides a simulation method that predicts a behavior of a droplet of a curable composition in a process of bringing a plurality of droplets of the curable composition arranged on a first member into contact with a second member and forming a film made of the curable composition in a space between the first member and the second member, the method including obtaining, for each of the plurality of droplets of the curable composition, gas information, which includes at least the mole of a gas trapped in a closed region formed by adjacent droplets merging with each other, based on an evaluation value for evaluating a relationship related to a degree of merging between the adjacent droplets, and displaying the gas information, obtained in the obtaining, together with information indicating a state of the droplet corresponding to the gas information.

Abstract: An ejection device is used for an imprint apparatus that presses a mold against an ejection material ejected onto a substrate to form a pattern. The ejection device includes: a housing unit having an ejection head configured to eject the ejection material onto the substrate, and housing configured to accommodate the ejection material; and a control unit configured to control processing of the ejection device. The control unit switches the processing according to a usage status of a consumable part included in the housing unit.

Abstract: Provided is an ejection apparatus including: an ejection head having an ejection opening for ejecting an ejection material in a liquid state; a storage container storing therein the ejection material and communicating with the ejection head; and a pressure control unit that maintains the pressure inside the storage container at a negative pressure. The pressure control unit generates a first pressure in the storage container in a normal operation, the first pressure being capable of forming a meniscus of the ejection material in the ejection opening. The pressure control unit drops the pressure inside the storage container to at least the first pressure in a case where the pressure inside the storage container reaches a predetermined pressure above the first pressure.

Abstract: The present invention provides a simulation method of predicting a behavior of a curable composition in a process of bringing a plurality of droplets of the curable composition arranged on a first member into contact with a second member and forming a film of the curable composition in a space between the first member and the second member, the method including determining a second range for executing second simulation for predicting the behavior with second accuracy higher than first accuracy, the second range being included in a first range for executing first simulation for predicting the behavior with the first accuracy and the second range being smaller than the first range, executing the second simulation in the second range, and displaying a result of the second simulation executed in the second range.

Abstract: A simulation method is performed for simulating a behavior of a curable composition in a film forming apparatus that brings the curable composition arranged on a first member and a second member into contact with each other, and forms a film of the curable composition on the first member. The method includes obtaining a difference between a nominal value for simulating the behavior and an actual value corresponding to the nominal value in the film forming apparatus, and simulating the behavior using, as input information, the actual value obtained from the nominal value and the difference.

Abstract: Provided is an ejection device and an imprint apparatus which can suppress ejection failures and breakage of a mold. To achieve this, a circulation mechanism including a degassing unit is provided in an ejection head.

Abstract: Provided is an ejection apparatus including: an ejection head having an ejection opening for ejecting an ejection material in a liquid state; a storage container storing therein the ejection material and communicating with the ejection head; and a pressure control unit that maintains the pressure inside the storage container at a negative pressure. The pressure control unit generates a first pressure in the storage container in a normal operation, the first pressure being capable of forming a meniscus of the ejection material in the ejection opening. The pressure control unit drops the pressure inside the storage container to at least the first pressure in a case where the pressure inside the storage container reaches a predetermined pressure above the first pressure.

Abstract: An ejection device is used for an imprint apparatus that presses a mold against an ejection material ejected onto a substrate to form a pattern. The ejection device includes: a housing unit having an ejection head configured to eject the ejection material onto the substrate, and housing configured to accommodate the ejection material; and a control unit configured to control processing of the ejection device. The control unit switches the processing according to a usage status of a consumable part included in the housing unit.

Abstract: Provided is an ejection apparatus capable of ejecting a fluid appropriately from all nozzles. The ejection apparatus includes: ejection unit having a plurality of nozzles for ejecting a fluid in a liquid state; and control unit configured to control ejection of the fluid from each of the plurality of nozzles by applying a drive signal to an ejection energy generation element included in the nozzle. The control unit has an adjustment table for adjustment of the drive signal for each of the nozzles, and adjusts ejection from each of the nozzles based on an ejection result of the nozzle obtained by obtaining unit and the corresponding adjustment table.

Abstract: An optical scanning apparatus includes a light source, a deflector, an optical member, a supporting portion, a casing, a cover member, a first air current deflecting portion configured to deflect, to a direction from the bottom toward the cover member, an air current generated by rotation of the rotatable polygonal mirror and flowing along a longitudinal direction of the optical member; and a second air current deflecting portion provided on the cover member and configured to deflect, to a direction crossing the longitudinal direction, the air current deflected by the first air current deflecting portion and flowing in the longitudinal direction.

Abstract: An optical scanning apparatus includes a light source, a deflector, an optical member, a supporting portion, a casing, a cover member, a first air current deflecting portion configured to deflect, to a direction from the bottom toward the cover member, an air current generated by rotation of the rotatable polygonal mirror and flowing along a longitudinal direction of the optical member; and a second air current deflecting portion provided on the cover member and configured to deflect, to a direction crossing the longitudinal direction, the air current deflected by the first air current deflecting portion and flowing in the longitudinal direction.

Abstract: A light scanning apparatus including: a rotary polygon mirror configured to deflect a laser beam emitted from a light source; optical elements configured to guide the laser beam to a photosensitive member; a housing having a bottom surface and a side wall portion standing from the bottom surface and intersecting with a longitudinal direction of the optical elements; and a plurality of wall portions provided on the bottom surface so as to intersect with the longitudinal direction between the bottom surface and a lens of the optical elements that is closest to the rotary polygon mirror, the plurality of wall portions forming an air flow path for guiding an air flow caused by rotation of the rotary polygon mirror from a first space in which the rotary polygon mirror is arranged to a second space opposite to the first space with respect to the lens.