Abstract: According to one embodiment, an imprint apparatus including multiple types of imprint units and a conveyor to convey a substrate is provided. Each of the imprint units includes a suction mechanism configured to hold the substrate with multiple suction portions on a substrate holder, and a template having an imprint surface on which a concavo-convex pattern is formed on one face of a template substrate and having a recessed region in the other face, the recessed region corresponding to the imprint surface. The imprint units have different depths of the recessed regions in the templates and different arrangements of the suction portions in the suction mechanisms depending on the types.

Abstract: Reticle marks are arranged at a plurality of places in a kerf region of a reticle, the area of a polygon with apexes at arrangement positions of the reticle marks is calculated, and the arrangement positions of the reticle marks are decided based on results of calculation of the area of the polygon.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a substrate holding apparatus includes a main unit and a plurality of first support units. The main unit has a major surface. The main unit has a plate configuration. The first support units are disposed on the major surface. Each of the first support units includes a suction-holding unit capable of holding a substrate by suction. The suction-holding unit is movable along a first direction perpendicular to the major surface and a second direction parallel to the major surface.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an imprint device includes a holding unit, a mounting unit, a moving unit, a curing unit, a pressing portion, and a detecting portion. The holding unit holds template having a pattern portion pressed onto a transfer portion provided on a substrate. The mounting unit mounts the substrate. The moving unit is provided on at least either the holding unit or the mounting unit. The moving unit moves the holding unit and the mounting unit in directions approaching each other or directions away from each other. The curing unit cures the transfer portion onto which the pattern portion of the template is pressed. The pressing portion pushes the template pressed onto the transfer portion in a direction intersecting a pressing direction of the template. The detecting portion detects a position of the template pushed by the pressing portion.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a pattern formation method includes forming a first mask layer including a first and a second concave pattern on a first surface of a substrate. The method can include providing a protection film in the first concave pattern. The method can include providing a self-assembling material in the second concave pattern. The method can include forming a first and a second phase in the second concave pattern by phase-separating the self-assembling material. The method can include removing the protection film together with the first phase to form a second mask layer having the first concave pattern and a third concave pattern. The third concave pattern is provided in the second concave pattern, and has an opening width narrower than an opening width of the second concave pattern. The method can include processing the substrate using the second mask layer as a mask.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an imprint method is provided. In the imprint method, minute objects adhering to a shot of a substrate, on which imprinting is next performed, are removed after delivering the substrate to the interior of an imprint apparatus and before dropping a resist onto the substrate. Thereafter, a resist is dropped onto the shot. Further, a template that is an original plate having a concave-convex pattern is brought into contact with the resist to form a resist pattern on the substrate according to the concave-convex pattern.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus according to an embodiment controls the positioning between layers using an alignment correction value calculated on the basis of lower layer position information of a lower-layer-side pattern and upper layer position information of an upper-layer-side pattern. The lower layer position information includes alignment data, a focus map, and a correction value which is set on the basis of the previous substrate. The upper layer position information includes alignment data, a focus map, and a correction value which is a correction value for the positioning and is used when the upper-layer-side pattern is transferred.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a pattern formation method includes preparing a mold including a first pattern, preparing a substrate including a second pattern, coating a photosensitive resin onto the substrate, bringing the mold into contact with the photosensitive resin, determining whether or not the photosensitive resin is filled between the first pattern and the second pattern, performing an alignment of the first pattern and the second pattern according to a first reference in the case where the photosensitive resin is filled between the first pattern and the second pattern, and performing the alignment of the first pattern and the second pattern according to a second reference different from the first reference in the case where the photosensitive resin is not filled between the first pattern and the second pattern, curing the photosensitive resin, and releasing the mold from the photosensitive resin.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a pattern formation method includes forming a first mask layer including a first and a second concave pattern on a first surface of a substrate. The method can include providing a protection film in the first concave pattern. The method can include providing a self-assembling material in the second concave pattern. The method can include forming a first and a second phase in the second concave pattern by phase-separating the self-assembling material. The method can include removing the protection film together with the first phase to form a second mask layer having the first concave pattern and a third concave pattern. The third concave pattern is provided in the second concave pattern, and has an opening width narrower than an opening width of the second concave pattern. The method can include processing the substrate using the second mask layer as a mask.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a pattern formation method includes placing a master on a substrate including a concave-convex pattern, performing alignment between the master and the substrate, curing a photosensitive resin applied onto the substrate, with the pattern brought into contact with the resin, and removing the master from the resin. The performing alignment includes measuring amount of misalignment of first marks provided at least three of four corners of the shot region and performing alignment of the corners, after the alignment of the corners, measuring misalignment of a second mark, calculating a target value of amount of movement of the corners so as to minimize the amount of misalignment of the first marks and amount of misalignment of the second mark, and performing alignment between the master and the substrate so that the amount of movement of the corners is made close to the value.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an alignment measurement system is configured to measure a position of a mark having the highest identifiability of a plurality of marks formed in a substrate. The plurality of marks are made of mutually different patterns. A device pattern is formed in the substrate using directed self-assembly after the plurality of marks is formed.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a pattern formation method includes placing a master on a substrate including a concave-convex pattern, performing alignment between the master and the substrate, curing a photosensitive resin applied onto the substrate, with the pattern brought into contact with the resin, and removing the master from the resin. The performing alignment includes measuring amount of misalignment of first marks provided at least three of four corners of the shot region and performing alignment of the corners, after the alignment of the corners, measuring misalignment of a second mark, calculating a target value of amount of movement of the corners so as to minimize the amount of misalignment of the first marks and amount of misalignment of the second mark, and performing alignment between the master and the substrate so that the amount of movement of the corners is made close to the value.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus according to an embodiment controls the positioning between layers using an alignment correction value calculated on the basis of lower layer position information of a lower-layer-side pattern and upper layer position information of an upper-layer-side pattern. The lower layer position information includes alignment data, a focus map, and a correction value which is set on the basis of the previous substrate. The upper layer position information includes alignment data, a focus map, and a correction value which is a correction value for the positioning and is used when the upper-layer-side pattern is transferred.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a substrate holding apparatus includes a main unit and a plurality of first support units. The main unit has a major surface. The main unit has a plate configuration. The first support units are disposed on the major surface. Each of the first support units includes a suction-holding unit capable of holding a substrate by suction. The suction-holding unit is movable along a first direction perpendicular to the major surface and a second direction parallel to the major surface.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an imprint method comprises coating a photo-curable organic material on a film to be processed, bringing a concave-convex pattern of a template into contact with the photo-curable organic material, applying a force to the template in such a state that the template is brought into contact with the photo-curable organic material, curing the photo-curable organic material by irradiating light onto the photo-curable organic material, in such a state that the template is brought into contact with the photo-curable organic material, and releasing the template from the photo-curable organic material after the light irradiation. The force applied to the template corresponds to a gap between a surface of the film to be processed and the template.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a nanoimprint template using a pattern transcription to a substrate by a nanoimprint technique, the template includes a transcription pattern and an alignment mark on a main surface of a main body, wherein the alignment mark comprises a polarizer.

Abstract: Lens distortion correction is characterized by obtaining a correction parameter by using the difference between the latest QC data used when exposing a overlaying layer and the latest QC data used when exposing a overlaid layer.

Abstract: The method of correcting a residual aberration of a projection optical system, which is used for projecting a pattern of a photo mask onto a photosensitive film located on a substrate, the method includes calculating an effect of a residual aberration on a given pattern on the basis of the residual aberration of the projection optical system obtained by measurement, calculating a moving amount of an adjustable aberration in the projection optical system such that the effect of the residual aberration becomes minimum in a given area, and moving the adjustable aberration in accordance with the calculated moving amount.

Abstract: Lens distortion correction is characterized by obtaining a correction parameter by using the difference between the latest QC data used when exposing a overlaying layer and the latest QC data used when exposing a overlaid layer.

Abstract: The method of correcting a residual aberration of a projection optical system, which is used for projecting a pattern of a photo mask onto a photosensitive film located on a substrate, the method includes calculating an effect of a residual aberration on a given pattern on the basis of the residual aberration of the projection optical system obtained by measurement, calculating a moving amount of an adjustable aberration in the projection optical system such that the effect of the residual aberration becomes minimum in a given area, and moving the adjustable aberration in accordance with the calculated moving amount.