Abstract: In one embodiment, an imprint apparatus includes a template holding part configured to hold a template for imprint. The apparatus further includes a template moving part configured to move the template to press the template onto a light curing resin on a transfer target substrate or to demold the template from the light curing resin. The apparatus further includes a light source configured to irradiate the light curing resin with light to cure the light curing resin. The apparatus further includes a demold control part configured to control a demold speed or a demold angle of the template, based on a position of a shot region from which the template is to be demolded, when demolding the template from the light curing resin.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus includes a substrate stage, a transfer unit, and a control unit. A substrate is settable on the substrate stage. The transfer unit is configured to transfer a pattern having an uneven configuration onto a major surface of the substrate by attachably and removably holding a template. The pattern is provided in the transfer surface. The control unit is configured to acquire information relating to a number of foreign objects on the major surface prior to the transferring of the pattern. The control unit adds the number for a plurality of the substrates including the pattern transferred by the transfer unit. The control unit causes the transfer unit not to implement the transferring of the pattern in the case where the sum has reached the upper limit.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a pattern forming method using a template containing a pattern that has at least one recess section or protrusion section to transfer the shape of the pattern to a resin layer on a substrate, is provided. The method includes a process for coating the resin on the substrate, a process for making the hardness of the first portion as a portion of the resin higher than the hardness of the second portion as the portion other than the first portion, and a process in which the portion other than the pattern of the template makes contact with the first portion, in a state where a gap is maintained between the template and the resin, the shape of the pattern is transferred to the second portion, and the resin is cured. Embodiments of an apparatus for pattern forming are also provided.

Abstract: According to the embodiments, a distribution of a recess portion shape is calculated based on a result obtained by measuring the recess portion shape of a first projection and recess pattern formed on a surface of a template. Next, a distribution of an application amount of a curing agent to a processing target layer is calculated based on the distribution of the recess portion shape, and the curing agent is applied to the processing target layer based on this distribution of the application amount of the curing agent. Next, a second projection and recess pattern is formed by transferring the first projection and recess pattern onto the curing agent by causing the curing agent to cure in a state where the first projection and recess pattern is in contact with the curing agent.

Abstract: In an imprint method according to one embodiment, a template on which a template pattern is formed is pushed against resist on a substrate to be transferred while the resist is cured in this state. The template is subsequently separated from the cured resist. The template is then degassed from the template pattern surface side between after the template is separated from the cured resist and till the template is pushed against resist at the next shot.

Abstract: A control method for a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, comprising: generating, as log data, a history of operation states of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus when a wafer is processed by the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus; specifying, based on the log data, processing results in which operation states of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus are abnormal states out of processing results after the processing of the wafer processed by the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus as abnormal processing results; creating control data for the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus based on the processing results and the abnormal processing results; and controlling the processing by the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus using the control data.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a fine processing method includes determining a resist amount required for each first region of a pattern formation surface and a total amount of resist. The method include dividing the total amount of resist by a volume of one resist drop to determine the resist drops total number. The method include determining a provisional position for the resist drop of the total number. The method include assigning the each first region to nearest one resist drop, and partitioning again the pattern formation surface into second regions assigned to the each resist drop. The method include determining a divided value by dividing the volume of the one resist drop by the required total amount of resist determined. The method include finalizing a final position of the each resist drop, if a distribution of the divided value in the pattern formation surface falls within a target range.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an imprint apparatus includes a template holding part configured to hold a template for imprint. The apparatus further includes a template moving part configured to move the template to press the template onto a light curing resin on a transfer target substrate or to demold the template from the light curing resin. The apparatus further includes a light source configured to irradiate the light curing resin with light to cure the light curing resin. The apparatus further includes a demold control part configured to control a demold speed or a demold angle of the template, based on a position of a shot region from which the template is to be demolded, when demolding the template from the light curing resin.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a pattern formation method is disclosed. The method can place a liquid resin material on a workpiece substrate. The method can press a template against the resin material and measuring distance between a lower surface of a projection of the template and an upper surface of the workpiece substrate. The template includes a pattern formation region and a circumferential region around the pattern formation region. A pattern for circuit pattern formation is formed in the pattern formation region and the projection is formed in the circumferential region. The method can form a resin pattern by curing the resin material in a state of pressing the template. In addition, the method can separate the template from the resin pattern.

Abstract: According to the embodiments, a distribution of a recess portion shape is calculated based on a result obtained by measuring the recess portion shape of a first projection and recess pattern formed on a surface of a template. Next, a distribution of an application amount of a curing agent to a processing target layer is calculated based on the distribution of the recess portion shape, and the curing agent is applied to the processing target layer based on this distribution of the application amount of the curing agent. Next, a second projection and recess pattern is formed by transferring the first projection and recess pattern onto the curing agent by causing the curing agent to cure in a state where the first projection and recess pattern is in contact with the curing agent.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an imprint method is disclosed. The method can include forming a liquid droplet of a transfer material with a volume greater than a predetermined reference volume by dropping the transfer material onto a major surface of a processing substrate. The method can include reducing the volume of the liquid droplet to be less than the reference volume by volatilizing the liquid droplet. In addition, the method can include filling the transfer material into a recess provided in a transfer surface of a template by bringing the liquid droplet having the volume reduced to be less than the reference volume into contact with the transfer surface of the template.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a pattern formation method is disclosed. The method can place a liquid resin material on a workpiece substrate. The method can press a template against the resin material and measuring distance between a lower surface of a projection of the template and an upper surface of the workpiece substrate. The template includes a pattern formation region and a circumferential region around the pattern formation region. A pattern for circuit pattern formation is formed in the pattern formation region and the projection is formed in the circumferential region. The method can form a resin pattern by curing the resin material in a state of pressing the template. In addition, the method can separate the template from the resin pattern.

Abstract: In a photomask in which a device pattern, an alignment mark and a superimposition inspection mark are formed on a light transmitting base, each of the alignment mark and the superimposition inspection mark includes a main mark portion, and first and second auxiliary pattern portions. The main mark portion is constituted of one of a space pattern and a line pattern, the pattern having a linear width to be resolved on a photosensitive film formed on a semiconductor wafer, and each of the first and second auxiliary pattern portions includes an auxiliary pattern constituted of one of a repeated pattern of a space pattern and a repeated pattern of a line pattern, the repeated pattern having a linear width not to be resolved on the photosensitive film. The pitch of the repeated pattern is equal to the minimum pitch of the device pattern.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an exposure apparatus is configured to irradiate a mask with illumination light and to irradiate a wafer with light from the mask irradiated with the illumination light. The apparatus includes an information acquisition unit configured to acquire use history information that is information regarding a use history of the mask. The apparatus further includes a condition derivation unit configured to derive a setting value or a change amount of an optical setting condition of the exposure apparatus, based on the acquired use history information and correspondence information that indicates a correspondence between the use history of the mask and the optical setting condition of the exposure apparatus. The apparatus further includes an exposure unit configured to set the optical setting condition of the exposure apparatus to an optical setting condition specified by the derived setting value or change amount, and to expose the wafer under the set optical setting condition.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device using a template on which a pattern is formed beforehand is disclosed. An error between a position of the pattern formed on the template and a reference position where the pattern is to be formed is obtained. An outer shape of the template is processed in accordance with the obtained error. The error of the template is corrected by distorting the template through application of pressure to a side face of the template whose outer shape is processed. The pattern is transferred onto a transfer layer formed on a semiconductor substrate by using the template in which the error is corrected.

Abstract: A substrate holding member according to an embodiment includes an opening having a minimum internal diameter lager than a diameter of a space in which a substrate to be exposed on a substrate stage is disposed, wherein an inner peripheral surface of the opening has a shape expanding toward a lower surface at least partly.

Abstract: A control method for a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, comprising: generating, as log data, a history of operation states of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus when a wafer is processed by the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus; specifying, based on the log data, processing results in which operation states of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus are abnormal states out of processing results after the processing of the wafer processed by the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus as abnormal processing results; creating control data for the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus based on the processing results and the abnormal processing results; and controlling the processing by the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus using the control data.

Abstract: An immersion lithography method includes preparing an exposure tool having an exposure stage, a projection lens having an immersion head movable on the stage and used to form an immersion region and an illumination light source provided on the projection lens via a mask, placing a to-be-exposed substrate on the stage, supplying a liquid by use of the immersion head and forming the immersion region disposed between a surface portion of the substrate and a lower end portion of the projection lens, and relatively moving the stage and projection lens while holding the immersion region and exposing a region of the substrate covered with the immersion region. A first distance between the projection lens and the substrate is kept unchanged and a second distance between the immersion head and substrate is changed according to an exposure sequence.

Abstract: A method for testing leakage of a pipe passage employs a flow rate of gas used in testing supplied to the inside of a pipe passage undergoing testing hermetically sealed on one side while detecting flow rate with a flow measuring device and pressure with a pressure detector, and detecting temperature of the gas used, and inputting the detected values of pressure, flow rate and temperature into a computation treatment apparatus, and internal capacity VL of the pipe passage is computed as VL=(supplied flow rate Q×pressure applied time ?t)/(pressure rise value ?P2), and next, the volume QL leaked from the pipe passage is computed as QL=(pressure drop value ?P2?×internal capacity VL)/(pressure drop time ?t?).

Abstract: In a photomask in which a device pattern, an alignment mark and a superimposition inspection mark are formed on a light transmitting base, each of the alignment mark and the superimposition inspection mark includes a main mark portion, and first and second auxiliary pattern portions. The main mark portion is constituted of one of a space pattern and a line pattern, the pattern having a linear width to be resolved on a photosensitive film formed on a semiconductor wafer, and each of the first and second auxiliary pattern portions includes an auxiliary pattern constituted of one of a repeated pattern of a space pattern and a repeated pattern of a line pattern, the repeated pattern having a linear width not to be resolved on the photosensitive film. The pitch of the repeated pattern is equal to the minimum pitch of the device pattern.