JP7619015B2 - Imprinting apparatus, imprinting method and method for manufacturing concave-convex structure - Google Patents

Description

The present disclosure relates to an imprinting apparatus, an imprinting method, and a method for manufacturing a concave-convex structure.

In recent years, pattern formation techniques using imprinting have been attracting attention as a fine pattern formation technique that can replace photolithography. The imprinting method is a pattern formation technique that uses a mold with a fine uneven structure and transfers the uneven structure to a molded object at the same size to transfer the fine structure. For example, in an imprinting method using a photocurable resin, droplets of the photocurable resin are supplied to the surface of the workpiece as the molded object, the mold with the desired uneven structure and the workpiece are brought close to each other to a predetermined distance to fill the uneven structure with the photocurable resin, and in this state, light is irradiated from the mold side to harden the photocurable resin, and then the mold is separated from the resin layer to form a pattern structure having an uneven structure (uneven pattern) that is an inversion of the unevenness of the mold (Patent Document 1).

JP 2014-41861 A

Conventional imprint devices are not designed to use multiple types of resin materials within the same imprint device, and generally have only one dispenser head. However, in recent years, there has been a demand for applying different resin materials within the same imprint device.

This embodiment provides an imprinting apparatus, an imprinting method, and a method for manufacturing a concave-convex structure, which are capable of supplying different resin materials within the same imprinting apparatus.

The imprinting apparatus according to the present embodiment is an imprinting apparatus that includes a substrate transport section that holds a substrate and transports it horizontally, a mold holding section that holds a mold, a first dispenser head that dispenses a first resin material onto the substrate held in the substrate transport section, and a second dispenser head that dispenses a second resin material onto the substrate held in the substrate transport section, the first dispenser head and the second dispenser head each being movable between a standby position and a dispensing position, and the first dispenser head and the second dispenser head being movable independently of each other.

The imprinting apparatus according to this embodiment further includes an airflow forming unit that forms an airflow from one side to the other side, the first resin material is more volatile than the second resin material, and the ejection position of the first dispenser head does not have to be located upstream of the airflow relative to the ejection position of the second dispenser head.

In the imprinting apparatus according to this embodiment, the vapor pressure of the first resin material at room temperature may be higher than the vapor pressure of the second resin material at room temperature.

In the imprinting apparatus according to this embodiment, the viscosity of the first resin material may be smaller than the viscosity of the second resin material.

In the imprinting apparatus according to this embodiment, the contact angle of the first resin material on the substrate may be smaller than the contact angle of the second resin material on the substrate.

In the imprinting apparatus according to this embodiment, the standby position of the first dispenser head and the standby position of the second dispenser head may be located on opposite sides of the flow path of the substrate transport unit.

In the imprinting device according to this embodiment, the substrate may be in sheet form.

The imprinting method according to the present embodiment is an imprinting method that includes the steps of holding a substrate by a substrate conveying unit and conveying the substrate in a horizontal direction, discharging droplets of a first resin material from a first dispenser head onto the substrate, spreading droplets of the first resin material between a mold and the substrate to form a first resin layer of the first resin material, and hardening the first resin layer to obtain the first resin layer to which the surface shape of the mold is transferred, discharging a second resin material from a second dispenser head onto the substrate, spreading droplets of the second resin material between the mold and the substrate to form a second resin layer of the second resin material, and hardening the second resin layer to obtain the second resin layer to which the surface shape of the mold is transferred, and the first dispenser head and the second dispenser head are each movable between a standby position and a discharge position, and the first dispenser head and the second dispenser head are movable independently of each other.

In the imprinting method according to this embodiment, an air flow is formed from one side to the other, the first resin material is more volatile than the second resin material, and the ejection position of the first dispenser head does not have to be located upstream of the air flow relative to the ejection position of the second dispenser head.

In the imprinting method according to this embodiment, the second resin layer may be formed on top of the first resin layer.

In the imprinting method according to this embodiment, the first resin layer and the second resin layer may be formed side by side on the substrate.

In the imprinting method according to this embodiment, the mold for forming the first resin layer and the mold for forming the second resin layer may be different from each other.

In the imprinting method according to this embodiment, the standby position of the first dispenser head and the standby position of the second dispenser head may be located on opposite sides of the flow line of the substrate transport unit.

In the imprinting method according to this embodiment, the substrate may be in the form of a sheet.

The method for manufacturing a concave-convex structure according to the present embodiment includes the steps of: preparing a substrate having a substrate body and a mask layer formed on the substrate body; discharging droplets of a first resin material from a first dispenser head onto the mask layer of the substrate; spreading the droplets of the first resin material between the mold and the substrate to form a first resin layer of the first resin material; hardening the first resin layer to obtain the first resin layer to which the surface shape of the mold has been transferred; discharging a second resin material from a second dispenser head onto the first resin layer of the substrate; spreading the droplets of the second resin material between the mold and the substrate to form a second resin layer of the second resin material; and hardening the second resin layer. The method includes the steps of: obtaining the second resin layer to which the surface shape of the mold is transferred; dry etching the second resin layer until the first resin layer is exposed; dry etching the first resin layer until the mask layer is exposed; removing the mask layer that is not covered by the first resin layer and the second resin layer; dry etching the base body using the remaining mask layer as a mask; and removing the mask layer that remains on the base body. The first dispenser head and the second dispenser head are each movable between a standby position and a discharge position, and the first dispenser head and the second dispenser head are movable independently of each other.

According to this embodiment, different resin materials can be supplied within the same imprinting device.

FIG. 1 is a side view showing an imprint apparatus according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the imprint apparatus according to an embodiment. 3(a) and (b) are diagrams showing a method for comparing the volatility of resin materials. 4A to 4D are side views showing a part of an imprint method according to an embodiment. 5(a) to 5(d) are side views showing a part of an imprint method according to one embodiment. 6(a) to 6(h) are schematic cross-sectional views showing a method for manufacturing a concave-convex structure according to one embodiment. 7A to 7D are side views showing a part of an imprint method according to a modified example. 8A to 8D are side views showing a part of an imprint method according to a modified example. FIG. 9 is a plan view showing an imprint apparatus according to a first modified example. FIG. 10 is a side view showing an imprint apparatus according to a second modified example. FIG. 11 is a plan view showing an imprint apparatus according to a second modified example. FIG. 12 is a plan view showing an imprint apparatus according to a third modified example.

Each embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings. The drawings are illustrative, and for the purpose of explanation, characteristic parts may be exaggerated and may differ from the actual product. In addition, appropriate modifications can be made without departing from the technical concept. In the following drawings, the same parts are given the same reference numerals, and some detailed explanations may be omitted.

In addition, terms such as "parallel," "orthogonal," and "same," which specify shapes, geometric conditions, and physical characteristics, as well as the extent of these, such as lengths, angles, and values of physical characteristics, used in this specification, are to be interpreted without being bound by their strict meanings, but also to include the range in which similar functions can be expected. Furthermore, in the drawings, the shapes of multiple parts that can be expected to have similar functions are shown in a regular manner for clarity, but the shapes of the parts may differ from each other as long as the functions can be expected without being bound by strict meanings. In the drawings, boundaries indicating the joint surfaces between members are shown as simple straight lines for convenience, but the shape of the boundary line is not limited to being a strict straight line, and is arbitrary as long as the desired joint performance can be expected.

[Imprinting device]
An imprint apparatus according to an embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 1 and Fig. 2. Fig. 1 is a side view showing the imprint apparatus according to the embodiment, and Fig. 2 is a plan view of the imprint apparatus shown in Fig. 1.

As shown in FIG. 1, the imprinting apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment includes a stage unit (substrate transport unit) 13 that holds and transports a substrate 40 for imprinting in a horizontal direction, a mold holding unit 18 that holds a mold 50, a first dispenser head 17A, and a second dispenser head 17B. The first dispenser head 17A is movable between a standby position P1b and a discharge position P1a, and the second dispenser head 17B is movable between a standby position P2b and a discharge position P2a. The first dispenser head 17A and the second dispenser head 17B are arranged spaced apart from each other in the horizontal direction (XY plane direction) and can move independently of each other.

The stage unit 13 has a substrate holding section 23 that holds the substrate 40 and transports the substrate 40 in a horizontal direction. The first dispenser head 17A dispenses a first resin material onto the substrate 40 held by the substrate holding section 23. The second dispenser head 17B dispenses a second resin material onto the substrate 40 held by the substrate holding section 23.

The stage unit 13, the mold holding part 18, the first dispenser head 17A and the second dispenser head 17B are housed in the chamber 11. A stage base 12 is fixed in the chamber 11. The stage unit 13 is disposed on the stage base 12 in the chamber 11. A support part 14 is disposed in the chamber 11, and the support part 14 is disposed above the stage unit 13.

The leveling unit 15, the alignment camera 16, the second dispenser head 17B, the first dispenser head 17A, and the mold holding unit 18 are attached and fixed to the support unit 14. The mold holding unit 18 holds the mold 50. An airflow forming unit 19 is also arranged in the chamber 11 to form an airflow F from one side to the other side (in this embodiment, from the negative side in the X-axis direction to the positive side in the X-axis direction). Furthermore, an irradiation unit 21 is provided above the mold holding unit 18 to irradiate light (e.g., ultraviolet light) toward the first resin material or the second resin material supplied on the substrate 40. A transfer unit 25 is provided below the mold holding unit 18. The transfer unit 25 is an area where the mold 50 and the substrate 40 are located when the shape of the mold 50 is transferred to the first resin material or the second resin material on the substrate 40.

As shown in FIG. 2, the mold holding unit 18, the leveling unit 15, the alignment camera 16, the second dispenser head 17B, and the first dispenser head 17A are arranged in the chamber 11. The chamber 11 also includes a load area 20, which is an area where the substrate 40 is carried in and where the substrate 40 is held on the stage unit 13. A stock unit 24 for storing the substrate 40 may be provided in the chamber 11 upstream of the mold holding unit 18 in the air flow F. Note that some elements such as the stage base 12, the support unit 14, and the irradiation unit 21 are not shown in FIG. 2.

In this embodiment, the discharge position P1a of the first dispenser head 17A is located downstream of the air flow F with respect to the discharge position P2a of the second dispenser head 17B. The discharge position P1a of the first dispenser head 17A refers to a position where the first dispenser head 17A discharges the first resin material onto the substrate 40 while stopped on the substrate 40. Similarly, the discharge position P2a of the second dispenser head 17B refers to a position where the second dispenser head 17B discharges the second resin material onto the substrate 40 while stopped on the substrate 40. As a result, even if the first resin material discharged from the first dispenser head 17A is more volatile than the second resin material discharged from the second dispenser head 17B, as described later, the volatilized components are less likely to be carried to the transfer unit 25 side. As a result, it is possible to suppress contamination of various members present in the transfer unit 25 by the volatilized components.

Also, the alignment camera 16, the leveling unit 15, the second dispenser head 17B, the first dispenser head 17A, and the load area 20 are all located downstream of the airflow F (positive side in the X-axis direction) with respect to the mold holding unit 18. This prevents foreign matter such as particles generated in the leveling unit 15, the alignment camera 16, the second dispenser head 17B, the first dispenser head 17A, or the load area 20 from being carried by the airflow F to the mold 50 side, thereby preventing the foreign matter from adhering to the mold 50.

In this specification, "member A is located on the downstream (upstream) side of the airflow relative to member B" means that "the part of member A located furthest on the upstream (downstream) side of the airflow is located downstream (upstream) of airflow F relative to the part of member B located furthest on the downstream (upstream) side of the airflow."

2, the ejection position P1a of the first dispenser head 17A is located downstream of the airflow F with respect to the ejection position P2a of the second dispenser head 17B, but this is not limited thereto. The ejection position P1a of the first dispenser head 17A does not have to be located upstream of the airflow F with respect to the ejection position P2a of the second dispenser head 17B. In other words, the ejection position P1a of the first dispenser head 17A and the ejection position P2a of the second dispenser head 17B may be located at the same position with respect to the flow direction of the airflow F. For example, in the example shown in FIG. 2, the X coordinate of the ejection position P1a of the first dispenser head 17A and the X coordinate of the ejection position P2a of the second dispenser head 17B may be the same.

2, the mold holding part 18, the discharge position P2a of the second dispenser head 17B, the discharge position P1a of the first dispenser head 17A, and the load area 20 are arranged in this order when viewed from above. In this case, the mold holding part 18, the discharge position P2a of the second dispenser head 17B, the discharge position P1a of the first dispenser head 17A, and the load area 20 are arranged in a straight line in this order. As a result, the stage unit 13 moves upstream toward the air flow F during each process before the contact process described below, and does not pass under the mold 50. As a result, foreign matter such as particles is prevented from adhering to the mold 50 due to the influence of the stage unit 13.

The following describes each element of the imprint device 10 in more detail.

(Stage unit 13)
As shown in FIG. 1, the stage unit (substrate transport unit) 13 has a moving stage 22 that moves the stage unit 13 horizontally on the stage base 12, and a substrate holding unit (chuck) 23 that is provided on the moving stage 22 and holds a substrate 40 for imprinting. The moving stage 22 transports the substrate holding unit 23 along a moving line TL (see FIG. 2) that extends in the horizontal direction (in this case, the X direction) to position the substrate 40 at a predetermined position. In addition, the moving stage 22 may have a function of adjusting (correcting) the position in the θ (rotation around the Z axis) direction, a function of adjusting the position of the substrate 40 in the Z axis direction, and a function of adjusting the inclination of the substrate 40, in addition to adjusting the XY direction position of the substrate 40. The moving stage 22 and the substrate holding unit 23 are driven by the moving stage 22 and can move horizontally together. In the present embodiment, the substrate holding unit 23 holds the substrate 40 using a holding mechanism that uses suction, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the substrate 40 may be held by, for example, a holding mechanism that uses mechanical clamping, a holding mechanism that uses static electricity, etc. The stage unit 13 may be provided with a reference mark, a mold side leveling sensor, a stage position measurement unit, etc., which are not shown.

(Substrate 40)
The substrate 40 for imprinting may be a flat substrate having a flat front surface and a flat back surface. Alternatively, the substrate 40 may be a mesa-shaped substrate having a convex step higher than the surroundings on a part of the front surface, or a concave shape cut by, for example, countersinking on a part of the back surface. The substrate 40 may be, for example, a transparent substrate made of glass such as quartz glass, silicate glass, calcium fluoride, magnesium fluoride, acrylic glass, or resin such as polycarbonate, polypropylene, polyethylene, or any of these laminated materials. In addition, as the substrate 40, a metal substrate such as nickel, titanium, or aluminum, or a semiconductor substrate such as silicon or gallium nitride may also be used. Such a substrate 40 may be, for example, a replica blank for producing a replica of the mold 50, which is a master template. Alternatively, the substrate 40 may be an optical element or a magnetic recording medium.

(Leveling section 15)
The leveling unit 15 is configured by a leveling sensor such as a laser displacement sensor, for example. The leveling unit 15 has a function of measuring the height (flatness) of the substrate 40 held by the substrate holding unit 23.

(Alignment camera 16)
The alignment camera 16 detects an alignment mark (not shown) provided on the substrate 40 to perform horizontal positioning of the substrate 40 on the stage unit 13. Specifically, the alignment camera 16 measures the alignment mark formed on the substrate 40 to obtain the horizontal positional deviation of the substrate 40 relative to the imprinting apparatus 10. Then, based on the positional deviation of the substrate 40 relative to the imprinting apparatus 10, the position of the substrate 40 is adjusted, for example, by the moving stage 22. The alignment camera 16 is provided at approximately the same position as the leveling unit 15, but is not limited thereto, and the alignment camera 16 may be provided at a position away from the leveling unit 15.

(First dispenser head 17A)
The first dispenser head 17A ejects droplets 41 of a first resin material such as a photocurable resin on a substrate 40 held by a substrate holding unit 23 in an inkjet manner. The first dispenser head 17A is, for example, an inkjet head. The first dispenser head 17A may be provided with a drive unit that enables the first dispenser head 17A to perform a desired operation, such as a horizontal operation, an ink supply unit to the first dispenser head 17A, and a control unit that controls the first dispenser head 17A, the drive unit, and the ink supply unit. In this case, the first dispenser head 17A can take an ejection position P1a (two-dot chain line in FIG. 2) where the first resin material is ejected, and a standby position P1b (solid line in FIG. 2) where the first dispenser head 17A waits until the first resin material is ejected. In this case, the first dispenser head 17A is movable in the Y direction between the ejection position P1a and the standby position P1b.

(Second dispenser head 17B)
The second dispenser head 17B ejects droplets 41 of a second resin material such as a photocurable resin on the substrate 40 held by the substrate holding unit 23 by an inkjet method. The second dispenser head 17B is, for example, an inkjet head. The second dispenser head 17B may be provided with a drive unit that enables the second dispenser head 17B to perform a desired operation, such as a horizontal operation, an ink supply unit to the second dispenser head 17B, and a control unit that controls the second dispenser head 17B, the drive unit, and the ink supply unit. In this case, the second dispenser head 17B can take an ejection position P2a (two-dot chain line in FIG. 2) where the second resin material is ejected, and a standby position P2b (solid line in FIG. 2) where the second resin material is standby until the second resin material is ejected. In this case, the second dispenser head 17B is movable in the Y direction between the ejection position P2a and the standby position P2b.

(First resin material and second resin material)
The first resin material and the second resin material are each made of, for example, a photocurable resin. The photocurable resin is generally composed of a base agent, an initiator, and a crosslinking agent, and further contains a release agent for suppressing adhesion to the mold 50 and an adhesive agent for improving adhesion to the substrate 40, as necessary. The photocurable resin used in this embodiment is not particularly limited, and can be appropriately selected from known photocurable resins according to the application, required characteristics, physical properties, etc. of the pattern structure manufactured by imprinting. For example, if the application of the pattern structure is for lithography, low etching resistance and viscosity and small residual film thickness are required, and if the application of the pattern structure is an optical member, a specific refractive index and light transmittance are required. The photocurable resin can be appropriately selected according to these requirements. However, regardless of the application, it is required to have characteristics (viscosity, surface tension, etc.) that satisfy compatibility with the inkjet head to be used. Note that the viscosity, surface tension, etc. of the liquid that is compatible with the inkjet head differs depending on its structure, material, etc. Therefore, it is possible to appropriately adjust the viscosity, surface tension, etc. of the photocurable resin, or to appropriately select an inkjet head that is suitable for the photocurable resin used.

The first resin material and the second resin material may contain different types of components, different amounts of components, or different properties. In this embodiment, the first resin material is more volatile than the second resin material. Specifically, the vapor pressure of the first resin material at room temperature (25°C) may be higher than the vapor pressure of the second resin material at room temperature, so that the volatility of the first resin material may be higher than that of the second resin material. The viscosity of the first resin material may be lower than that of the second resin material. In this case, the first resin material spreads more thinly than the second resin material, so that the volatility is higher. Alternatively, the contact angle of the first resin material to the substrate 40 may be lower than the contact angle of the second resin material to the substrate 40. In this case, the first resin material spreads more thinly on the substrate 40 than the second resin material, so that the volatility is higher. Such volatility can be adjusted, for example, by appropriately setting the components and amounts of the main agent, initiator, and crosslinking agent described above.

The volatility of resin materials can be compared, for example, as follows. As shown in FIG. 3(a), equal amounts of multiple types of resin materials (three types in this case) Ra, Rb, and Rc are dropped onto the substrate 40, and then waiting is performed. After a certain time has passed, the amounts of resin material remaining that have not volatilized are compared, and it can be determined that the less remaining amount is the more volatile the material. For example, in the example shown in FIG. 3(b), it is considered that the resin material Ra has the highest volatility, followed by the resin material Rb, and the resin material Rc has the lowest volatility.

(Ink receiving member 26)
As shown in Fig. 2, ink receiving members 26 may be provided below the standby positions of the first dispenser head 17A and the second dispenser head 17B. The ink receiving members 26 receive droplets that are periodically pre-ejected (also called "flush") at the standby positions in order to maintain the ejection performance of the first dispenser head 17A and the second dispenser head 17B, and may be, for example, a bottomed container having an opening of a desired shape. In addition, the bottom of such a bottomed container may be provided with a porous body, which improves the droplet acceptance. There is no particular restriction on the porous body, so long as it is made of a material that is not dissolved or deteriorated by the components of the droplets, such as a known inorganic or organic porous body or cloth.

(Mold holding portion 18)
The mold holding unit 18 holds the mold 50 with the surface of the mold 50 having the concave-convex pattern 51 facing the stage unit 13. The mold holding unit 18 holds the mold 50 by, for example, a holding mechanism that uses suction, a holding mechanism that uses mechanical clamping, a holding mechanism that uses static electricity, or the like, and there are no particular limitations on the specific configuration of the holding mechanism.

A height control mechanism 31 is attached to the mold holding unit 18, which allows the height (Z-axis) position of the mold 50 to be controlled or adjusted. The height control mechanism 31 drives the mold 50 downward to press the mold 50 against the photocurable resin on the substrate 40. The height control mechanism 31 also drives the mold 50 upward to peel (release) the mold 50 from the photocurable resin on the substrate 40.

(Mold 50)
The mold 50 has a fine uneven pattern 51 formed in the central region of its lower surface. The uneven pattern 51 is formed, for example, by electron beam lithography. The mold 50 is made of a material that transmits light from the irradiation unit 21, and can be, for example, quartz glass, silicate glass, calcium fluoride, magnesium fluoride, acrylic glass, or any laminate of these materials. The mold 50 also has a pattern surface on which the uneven pattern 51 to be transferred to the base material 40 is formed. The mold 50 is manufactured by applying an electron beam resist to the surface of a mold substrate, performing electron beam drawing on the electron beam resist to form a resist pattern, and etching the mold substrate using the resist pattern as an etching mask to form the uneven pattern 51. Although the uneven pattern 51 is shown in the figure, the height of the convex portion (depth of the concave portion), pitch, number, arrangement area (area occupied by the uneven pattern 51 relative to the main surface of the mold 50), and shape (line shape, dot shape (moth eye shape), etc.) of the uneven pattern 51 are not particularly limited and can be appropriately set according to the substrate to be manufactured. In addition, the dimensions of the uneven pattern 51 are not particularly limited, but for example, the width of the convex portion is 40 nm or less, preferably 10 nm or more and 30 nm or less, and the interval between adjacent convex portions is 40 nm or less, preferably 10 nm or more and 30 nm or less. The surface of the mold 50 on the stage unit 13 side may be a flat surface that does not have the uneven pattern 51. In addition, when the substrate 40 is a replica blank for producing a replica template, the mold 50 may be a master template for producing a replica template.

(Irradiation unit 21)
The irradiation unit 21 irradiates light onto the photocurable resin supplied (applied) onto the substrate 40. As described below, in the present embodiment, the first resin material and the second resin material supplied onto the substrate 40 are photocurable resins, and therefore, the photocurable resins are cured by irradiation with light from the irradiation unit 21. Note that the mold holding unit 18 is provided with an opening that allows the light from the irradiation unit 21 to pass through.

(Air flow forming unit 19)
As described above, the airflow forming unit 19 forms an airflow F from one side to the other side (from the negative side in the X-axis direction to the positive side in the X-axis direction) in the chamber 11. This airflow is blown laterally into the mold holding unit 18. The airflow forming unit 19 is disposed in the chamber 11 on the opposite side of the mold holding unit 18 from the first dispenser head 17A and the second dispenser head 17B in plan view. The airflow forming unit 19 creates a good transfer environment in the chamber 11 free from the influence of foreign matter such as particles, and may, for example, send in an airflow F made of clean air. The clean air may be taken in from the outside, and it is preferable to use, for example, filtered outside air.

(Static charge removal device 32)
1 and 2, a static eliminator 32 for eliminating static electricity from the mold 50 and the substrate 40 is provided in the chamber 11. The static eliminator 32 is for preventing the mold 50 and the substrate 40 from being charged and causing foreign matter to adhere to the mold 50 and the substrate 40. The static eliminator 32 is, for example, a soft X-ray ionizer, and specifically, may be one that irradiates soft X-rays (low-energy X-rays) to ionize gas molecules in the chamber 11 to eliminate static electricity. When a soft X-ray ionizer is used, dust is not generated and stable static elimination performance can be obtained.

The static eliminator 32 is disposed at a position that is not downstream of the airflow F relative to the mold holding unit 18. This allows the ions generated by the static eliminator 32 to be swept downstream of the airflow F by the airflow F, thereby effectively eliminating static electricity from the mold 50 and the substrate 40. Specifically, when the airflow F flows from the negative side in the X-axis direction to the positive side in the X-axis direction, it is preferable that the static eliminator 32 be disposed on the negative side in the X-axis direction relative to the mold holding unit 18, or on the positive or negative side in the Y-axis direction. In FIG. 2, the static eliminator 32 is disposed on the negative side in the X-axis direction relative to the mold holding unit 18.

[Imprinting method]
Next, an imprinting method for performing an imprinting process using the above-mentioned imprinting apparatus 10 will be described with reference to Figures 4(a)-(d) and 5(a)-(d). Figures 4(a)-(d) and 5(a)-(d) are side views showing one step of the imprinting method according to this embodiment. In Figures 4(a)-(d) and 5(a)-(d), the same parts as those in the embodiment shown in Figures 1 and 2 are denoted by the same reference numerals. In Figures 4(a)-(d) and 5(a)-(d), for the sake of convenience, some components such as the chamber 11, the leveling unit 15, the alignment camera 16, and the loading area 20 are omitted from the illustration.

Here, we will explain the case where a first photocurable resin layer (first resin layer) 42A made of a first resin material and a second photocurable resin layer (second resin layer) 42B made of a second resin material are formed on top of each other on a single substrate 40.

First, the stage unit 13 is moved to the load area 20 (see Figures 1 and 2) with no substrate 40 mounted on the substrate holder 23 (load area movement process). The stage unit 13 moves horizontally on the stage base 12 by driving the moving stage 22 (the same applies to the following processes). Next, in this load area 20, the substrate 40 is held on the substrate holder 23 of the stage unit 13 (substrate holding process). In this case, the substrate 40 may be held by suction to the substrate holder 23 by vacuum suction.

Then, the stage unit 13 is moved in the negative X-axis direction to move the substrate 40 below the leveling section 15 (see Figures 1 and 2), and the height direction position of the substrate 40 is measured in the leveling section 15 (leveling process). The stage unit 13 is then moved in the negative X-axis direction to move the substrate 40 below the alignment camera 16, and the horizontal position of the substrate 40 is adjusted using the alignment camera 16 (alignment process).

Next, the first dispenser head 17A is moved from the standby position P1b to the negative side in the Y-axis direction and stopped at the discharge position P1a (first dispenser head position moving process). In addition, the stage unit 13 is moved to the negative side in the X-axis direction, thereby moving the substrate 40 below the first dispenser head 17A (dispenser position moving process).

Next, as shown in FIG. 4(a), droplets 41 of a first resin material such as a photocurable resin are ejected from the first dispenser head 17A and supplied to the substrate 40 held by the substrate holding unit 23 (droplet supplying process). In this droplet supplying process, droplets 41 of the first resin material are ejected from the first dispenser head 17A and supplied to a desired area on the substrate 40 located below the first dispenser head 17A. Then, the first dispenser head 17A moves from the ejection position P1a to the positive side in the Y-axis direction and returns to the standby position P1b.

In addition, in Figures 4(a)-(d) and 5(a)-(d), the first dispenser head 17A at the ejection position P1a and the second dispenser head 17B at the ejection position P2a are each indicated by solid lines. Also, the first dispenser head 17A at the standby position P1b and the second dispenser head 17B at the standby position P2b are each indicated by two-dot chain lines.

In this embodiment, the airflow forming unit 19 forms an airflow F that flows from one side (negative side in the X direction) to the other side (positive side in the X direction). This prevents the volatile components and mist from the droplets 41 of the first resin material ejected from the first dispenser head 17A onto the substrate 40 from diffusing toward the transfer unit 25 and adhering to the mold 50, etc.

Next, as shown in FIG. 4(b), the stage unit 13 is moved in the negative X-axis direction to move the substrate 40 below the mold 50 held by the mold holding unit 18 (mold position movement process).

Next, as shown in FIG. 4(c), the mold 50 and the substrate 40 are brought close to each other, so that droplets 41 of the first resin material are spread between the mold 50 and the substrate 40 to form a first photocurable resin layer 42A of the first resin material (contact step). In this contact step, the height control mechanism 31 lowers the mold holding part 18, so that the mold holding part 18 and the substrate holding part 23 are brought close to each other. As a result, droplets 41 of the first resin material are spread between the mold 50 and the substrate 40, and the first photocurable resin layer 42A is formed.

Next, light is irradiated from the irradiation unit 21 to harden the first photocurable resin layer 42A. This transfers the concave-convex pattern 51 of the mold 50 to the first photocurable resin layer 42A (hardening process). In this hardening process, light is irradiated from the irradiation unit 21 located above the mold holding unit 18 while the mold holding unit 18 is lowered. This photohardens the first photocurable resin layer 42A, resulting in a first photocurable resin layer 42A to which the surface shape of the concave-convex pattern 51 of the mold 50 has been transferred.

After that, as shown in FIG. 4(d), the first photocurable resin layer 42A is separated from the mold 50 (mold release process). In this mold release process, the height control mechanism 31 raises the mold holding part 18, thereby separating the first photocurable resin layer 42A from the mold 50. As a result, the first photocurable resin layer 42A having a concave-convex pattern structure is formed on the substrate 40.

Next, the mold 50 held by the mold holding unit 18 is replaced with another mold 50A (hereinafter simply referred to as mold 50A) having a different shape from the mold 50. In this case, the other mold 50A does not have the concave-convex pattern 51, but this is not limited thereto, and the other mold 50A may have a concave-convex pattern of a different shape from the mold 50.

Next, the second dispenser head 17B is moved from the standby position P2b to the negative side in the Y-axis direction and stopped at the discharge position P2a (second dispenser head position moving process). In addition, the stage unit 13 is moved to the negative side in the X-axis direction, thereby moving the substrate 40 below the second dispenser head 17B (dispenser position moving process).

Next, as shown in FIG. 5(a), droplets 41 of a second resin material such as a photocurable resin are ejected from the second dispenser head 17B onto the substrate 40 held by the substrate holder 23 (droplet supply process). In this droplet supply process, droplets 41 of the second resin material are ejected from the second dispenser head 17B onto a desired area on the substrate 40 below the second dispenser head 17B. At this time, the droplets 41 of the second resin material are ejected onto the first photocurable resin layer 42A. After that, the second dispenser head 17B moves from the ejection position P2a to the positive side in the Y-axis direction and returns to the standby position P2b.

Next, as shown in FIG. 5(b), the stage unit 13 is moved in the negative X-axis direction to move the substrate 40 below the mold 50A held by the mold holding section 18 (mold position movement process).

Next, as shown in FIG. 5(c), the mold 50A and the substrate 40 are brought close to each other, so that droplets 41 of the second resin material are spread between the mold 50A and the substrate 40 to form a second photocurable resin layer 42B of the second resin material (contact step). In this contact step, the height control mechanism 31 lowers the mold holding part 18, so that the mold holding part 18 and the substrate holding part 23 are brought close to each other. As a result, droplets 41 of the second resin material are spread between the mold 50A and the substrate 40, and the second photocurable resin layer 42B is formed.

Next, light is irradiated from the irradiation unit 21 to harden the second photocurable resin layer 42B. This transfers the shape of the flat lower surface of the mold 50A to the second photocurable resin layer 42B (hardening process). In this hardening process, light is irradiated from the irradiation unit 21 located above the mold holding unit 18 while the mold holding unit 18 is lowered. This photohardens the second photocurable resin layer 42B, resulting in the second photocurable resin layer 42B to which the surface shape of the flat lower surface of the mold 50A has been transferred.

After that, as shown in FIG. 5(d), the second photocurable resin layer 42B and the mold 50A are separated (mold release process). In this mold release process, the height control mechanism 31 raises the mold holding part 18, thereby separating the second photocurable resin layer 42B and the mold 50A. As a result, the second photocurable resin layer 42B having a flat upper surface is formed on the substrate 40 and on the first photocurable resin layer 42A.

In addition, in Figs. 4(a)-(d) and 5(a)-(d), the first photocurable resin layer 42A made of the first resin material is formed on the substrate 40, and then the second photocurable resin layer 42B made of the second resin material is formed, but this is not limited to this. The first photocurable resin layer 42A made of the first resin material may be formed after the second photocurable resin layer 42B made of the second resin material is formed.

As described above, in this embodiment, the imprinting device 10 includes a first dispenser head 17A and a second dispenser head 17B, and the first dispenser head 17A and the second dispenser head 17B are movable independently of each other. This allows different resin materials (first resin material and second resin material) to be supplied to one substrate 40 within the same imprinting device 10. As a result, it is possible to form a plurality of resin layers (first photocurable resin layer 42A, second photocurable resin layer 42B) made of different resin materials (first resin material and second resin material) on top of each other on the substrate 40.

In addition, in this embodiment, an airflow F is formed in the chamber 11 by the airflow forming unit 19, which flows from one side to the other side (from the negative side in the X-axis direction to the positive side in the X-axis direction). In this case, the first resin material is more volatile than the second resin material, and the first dispenser head 17A is located downstream of the airflow F relative to the second dispenser head 17B. This makes it difficult for the highly volatile components of the first resin material described above to be transported to the transfer unit 25. This makes it possible to suppress contamination of various members present in the transfer unit 25 by the volatilized components.

That is, the first resin material and the second resin material are supplied as droplets of a few pL to a few tens of pL from the first dispenser head 17A and the second dispenser head 17B, respectively, by, for example, an inkjet method. Such minute droplets are highly volatile, and the volatile components are easily transported to the transfer unit 25 side. In this embodiment, as described above, the first dispenser head 17A that ejects the more volatile first resin material is disposed downstream of the airflow F from the second dispenser head 17B that ejects the less volatile second resin material. This makes it possible to prevent the volatile components of the highly volatile first resin material from moving to the transfer unit 25 side and diffusing to adhere to the mold 50, etc.

[Method of manufacturing a concave-convex structure]
Next, a method for manufacturing a concave-convex structure using the above-mentioned imprint method will be described.

First, as shown in FIG. 6(a), a substrate 40 is prepared. The substrate 40 has a substrate body 61 such as quartz glass, and a mask layer 62, which is a metal layer such as chromium, formed on the substrate body 61.

Next, as shown in FIG. 6(b), a first photocurable resin layer (first resin layer) 42A made of a first resin material having a predetermined uneven pattern is formed on the mask layer 62 of the substrate 40 using the mold 50 of the imprinting apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment. The method of forming this first photocurable resin layer 42A can be performed in a manner substantially similar to the process shown in FIGS. 4(a)-(d) described above.

Next, as shown in FIG. 6(c), a second photocurable resin layer (second resin layer) 42B made of a second resin material having a flat upper surface is formed on the first photocurable resin layer 42A using a mold 50A of the imprinting apparatus 10 according to this embodiment. The method of forming this second photocurable resin layer 42B can be performed in a manner substantially similar to the process shown in FIG. 5(a)-(d) described above.

Next, as shown in FIG. 6(d), the second photocurable resin layer 42B is etched by dry etching using a first etching gas until the first photocurable resin layer 42A is exposed on the surface. In this case, the etching rate of the first etching gas is higher for the second photocurable resin layer 42B than for the first photocurable resin layer 42A. Therefore, the second photocurable resin layer 42B is removed until it is recessed below the surface of the first photocurable resin layer 42A.

Next, as shown in FIG. 6(e), the first photocurable resin layer 42A is etched by dry etching using a second etching gas until the mask layer 62 is exposed on the surface. In this case, the etching rate of the first photocurable resin layer 42A by the second etching gas is higher than that of the second photocurable resin layer 42B. Therefore, when the mask layer 62 is exposed, the second photocurable resin layer 42B remains on the first photocurable resin layer 42A.

Next, as shown in FIG. 6(f), a part of the mask layer 62 is etched away by wet etching until the substrate body 61 is exposed on the surface. In this way, the mask layer 62 that is not covered by the first photocurable resin layer 42A and the second photocurable resin layer 42B is removed. When the substrate body 61 is exposed on the surface, a convex portion is formed on the substrate body 61, in which the mask layer 62, the first photocurable resin layer 42A, and the second photocurable resin layer 42B are layered.

Next, as shown in FIG. 6(g), a third etching gas such as CHF3 gas is used to perform dry etching, and the substrate body 61 is etched using the remaining mask layer 62 as a mask. In this case, the portions of the substrate body 61 that are not covered by the mask layer 62 are etched into a concave shape. The first photocurable resin layer 42A and the second photocurable resin layer 42B are also etched away by the third etching gas, exposing the mask layer 62 on the surface. This forms an uneven pattern on the substrate body 61.

Then, as shown in FIG. 6(h), the mask layer 62 remaining on the substrate body 61 is etched away by wet etching. In this way, a concave-convex structure 60 consisting of the substrate body 61 having a concave-convex pattern is produced. Such a concave-convex structure 60 may be used, for example, as a replica mold, a device part, etc.

[Modification of the imprint method]
Next, a modified example of the imprint method for performing the imprint process using the above-mentioned imprint apparatus 10 will be described with reference to Figures 7(a)-(d) and 8(a)-(d). Figures 7(a)-(d) and 8(a)-(d) are side views showing a step of the imprint method according to this embodiment. In Figures 7(a)-(d) and 8(a)-(d), the same parts as those in the embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 6 are denoted by the same reference numerals.

In this modified example, a first photocurable resin layer (first resin layer) 42A made of a first resin material and a second photocurable resin layer (second resin layer) 42B made of a second resin material are formed side by side on a single substrate 40.

First, in the same manner as in the above-described embodiment, the load area movement process, substrate holding process, leveling process, alignment process, first dispenser head position movement process, and dispenser position movement process are performed.

Next, as shown in FIG. 7(a), droplets 41 of a first resin material such as a photocurable resin are ejected from the first dispenser head 17A and supplied to the substrate 40 held by the substrate holding unit 23 (droplet supplying process). In this droplet supplying process, droplets 41 of the first resin material are ejected from the first dispenser head 17A and supplied to a first area A1 on the substrate 40 located below the first dispenser head 17A. Then, the first dispenser head 17A moves from the ejection position P1a to the positive side in the Y-axis direction and returns to the standby position P1b.

Next, as shown in FIG. 7(b), the stage unit 13 is moved in the negative X-axis direction to move the substrate 40 below the mold 50 held by the mold holding section 18 (mold position movement process).

Next, as shown in FIG. 7(c), the mold 50 and the substrate 40 are brought close to each other, so that a droplet 41 of the first resin material is spread between the mold 50 and the first region A1 of the substrate 40 to form a first photocurable resin layer 42A of the first resin material (contact process).

Next, light is irradiated from the irradiation unit 21 to cure the first photocurable resin layer 42A. This causes the concave-convex pattern 51 of the mold 50 to be transferred to the first photocurable resin layer 42A (curing process).

Then, as shown in FIG. 7(d), the first photocurable resin layer 42A is separated from the mold 50 (mold release process). As a result, the first photocurable resin layer 42A having a concave-convex pattern structure is formed in the first region A1 on the substrate 40.

Next, the mold 50 held by the mold holding unit 18 is replaced with another mold 50A (hereinafter simply referred to as mold 50A) having a different shape from the mold 50. In this case, the other mold 50A has a concave-convex pattern with a different shape from the mold 50.

Next, the second dispenser head 17B is moved from the standby position P2b to the negative side in the Y-axis direction and stopped at the discharge position P2a (second dispenser head position moving process). In addition, the stage unit 13 is moved to the negative side in the X-axis direction, thereby moving the substrate 40 below the second dispenser head 17B (dispenser position moving process).

Next, as shown in FIG. 8(a), droplets 41 of a second resin material such as a photocurable resin are ejected from the second dispenser head 17B and supplied to a second region A2 on the substrate 40 held by the substrate holding unit 23 (droplet supply process). The second region A2 is an area on the substrate 40 that is at a different position in the planar direction (XY plane direction) from the first region A1. Then, the second dispenser head 17B moves from the ejection position P2a to the positive side in the Y-axis direction and returns to the standby position P2b.

Next, as shown in FIG. 8(b), the stage unit 13 is moved in the negative X-axis direction to move the substrate 40 below the mold 50A held by the mold holding section 18 (mold position movement process).

Next, as shown in FIG. 8(c), the mold 50A and the substrate 40 are brought close to each other, so that droplets 41 of the second resin material are spread between the mold 50A and the second region A2 of the substrate 40 to form a second photocurable resin layer 42B of the second resin material (contact process).

Next, the second photocurable resin layer 42B is cured by irradiating it with light from the irradiation unit 21. This causes the surface shape of the concave-convex pattern of the mold 50A to be transferred to the second photocurable resin layer 42B (curing process).

Then, as shown in FIG. 8(d), the second photocurable resin layer 42B is separated from the mold 50A (mold release process). As a result, the second photocurable resin layer 42B having a concave-convex pattern structure is formed on the second region A2 of the substrate 40.

As described above, in this modified example, the imprinting apparatus 10 includes a first dispenser head 17A and a second dispenser head 17B, and the first dispenser head 17A and the second dispenser head 17B are movable independently of each other. This allows different resin materials (first resin material and second resin material) to be supplied to one substrate 40 within the same imprinting apparatus 10. As a result, it is possible to form a plurality of resin layers (first photocurable resin layer 42A, second photocurable resin layer 42B) made of different resin materials (first resin material and second resin material) side by side at different positions on the substrate 40.

[First Modification of Imprint Apparatus]
Next, a first modified example of the imprinting apparatus will be described with reference to Fig. 9. Fig. 9 is a plan view showing the first modified example of the imprinting apparatus. In the modified example shown in Fig. 9, the positional relationship between the first dispenser head 17A and the second dispenser head 17B is different, and other configurations are substantially the same as those of the above-mentioned embodiment. In Fig. 9, the same parts as those shown in Figs. 1 to 8 are given the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

In FIG. 9, the standby position P1b of the first dispenser head 17A and the standby position P2b of the second dispenser head 17B are located on opposite sides of the flow line TL of the stage unit 13. Specifically, the standby position P1b of the first dispenser head 17A is located on the negative Y-side of the flow line TL of the stage unit 13. The standby position P2b of the second dispenser head 17B is located on the positive Y-side of the flow line TL of the stage unit 13.

In this case, the standby position P1b of the first dispenser head 17A is separated from the standby position P2b of the second dispenser head 17B in a direction intersecting the flow line TL (Y direction). Therefore, the volatilized components of the second resin material discharged from the second dispenser head 17B are not easily transported to the first dispenser head 17A side located downstream of the airflow F. This makes it possible to suppress contamination of the first dispenser head 17A by the volatilized components.

[Second Modification of Imprint Apparatus]
Next, a second modified example of the imprinting apparatus will be described with reference to Figures 10 and 11. Figures 10 and 11 are plan views showing the second modified example of the imprinting apparatus. The modified example shown in Figures 10 and 11 differs mainly in that a sheet-like base material 40A is used, and other configurations are substantially the same as the embodiment described above. In Figures 10 and 11, the same parts as those shown in Figures 1 to 9 are given the same reference numerals and detailed description will be omitted.

As shown in Figures 10 and 11, the imprinting apparatus 10 according to this modified example includes a conveyor (substrate transport section) 13A, a mold holding section 18A, a first dispenser head 17A, and a second dispenser head 17B. The conveyor 13A holds a sheet-shaped substrate 40A for imprinting and transports it in the horizontal direction. The mold holding section 18A holds a roll-shaped mold 55. The first dispenser head 17A and the second dispenser head 17B are arranged spaced apart from each other in the horizontal direction (XY plane direction) and can move independently of each other.

The conveyor 13A transports the sheet-shaped substrate 40A in a horizontal direction (in this case, the negative X-direction). The first dispenser head 17A dispenses a first resin material onto the substrate 40A held by the conveyor 13A. The second dispenser head 17B dispenses a second resin material onto the substrate 40A held by the conveyor 13A. The substrate 40A may be a transparent substrate made of resin such as polycarbonate, polypropylene, polyethylene, or any of these laminated materials. The substrate 40A is preferably in a sheet shape and flexible. Such a substrate 40A may be used to create an optical component, for example.

The conveyor 13A, the mold holding unit 18A, the first dispenser head 17A, and the second dispenser head 17B are housed in the chamber 11. The support unit 14 is disposed in the chamber 11, and the support unit 14 is disposed above the conveyor 13A.

A leveling unit 15, an alignment camera 16, a second dispenser head 17B, a first dispenser head 17A, and a mold holding unit 18A are attached and fixed to the support unit 14. A mold 55 is held by the mold holding unit 18A. The mold 55 is cylindrical and may have a fine uneven pattern on its surface. The mold 55 rotates relative to the mold holding unit 18A to transfer the uneven pattern to the first resin material or the second resin material on the substrate 40A.

An airflow forming unit 19 is disposed within the chamber 11 to form an airflow F flowing from one side to the other (from the negative side in the X-axis direction to the positive side in the X-axis direction in this modified example). Furthermore, an irradiation unit 21 is provided between the mold holding unit 18A and the airflow forming unit 19. A transfer unit 25 is provided below the mold holding unit 18A. The transfer unit 25 is the area where the mold 55 and the substrate 40A are located when the shape of the mold 55 is transferred to the first resin material or the second resin material on the substrate 40A.

In this modified example, the discharge position P1a of the first dispenser head 17A is located downstream of the airflow F relative to the discharge position P2a of the second dispenser head 17B. This makes it difficult for the volatilized components to be transported to the transfer unit 25 even if the first resin material discharged from the first dispenser head 17A is more volatile than the second resin material discharged from the second dispenser head 17B. This makes it possible to suppress contamination of various members present in the transfer unit 25 by the volatilized components.

An imprinting method for performing imprint processing using the imprinting device 10 shown in Figures 10 and 11 will be described.

First, the first dispenser head 17A is moved from the standby position P1b to the negative side in the Y-axis direction and stopped at the discharge position P1a (first dispenser head position movement process). Next, droplets 46A of a first resin material such as a photocurable resin are discharged and supplied from the first dispenser head 17A to the substrate 40A held by the conveyor 13A (droplet supply process). After that, the first dispenser head 17A returns from the discharge position P1a to the standby position P1b.

Next, the conveyor 13A moves the substrate 40A below the mold 55 held by the mold holding unit 18A (mold position movement process). Next, the droplets 46A of the first resin material pass through the gap between the mold 55 and the substrate 40A, spreading the droplets 46A between the mold 55 and the substrate 40A to form a first photocurable resin layer 42A of the first resin material (contact process).

Next, the first photocurable resin layer 42A is cured by irradiating it with light from the irradiation unit 21. This causes the concave-convex pattern of the mold 55 to be transferred to the first photocurable resin layer 42A (curing process).

Next, the second dispenser head 17B is moved from the standby position P2b to the negative side in the Y-axis direction and stopped at the discharge position P2a (second dispenser head position moving process). In addition, the conveyor 13A moves the substrate 40A below the second dispenser head 17B (dispenser position moving process).

Next, droplets 46B of a second resin material such as a photocurable resin are ejected from the second dispenser head 17B onto the substrate 40A held by the conveyor 13A (droplet supply process). The area to which the droplets 46B are supplied is an area on the substrate 40A that is at a different position in the planar direction (XY plane direction) from the area to which the droplets 46A are supplied. After that, the second dispenser head 17B returns from the ejection position P2a to the standby position P2b.

Next, the conveyor 13A moves the substrate 40A below the mold 55 held by the mold holding unit 18A (mold position movement process). Next, the droplets 46B of the second resin material pass through the gap between the mold 55 and the substrate 40A, spreading the droplets 46B of the second resin material between the mold 55 and the substrate 40A to form a second photocurable resin layer 42B of the second resin material (contact process).

Next, the second photocurable resin layer 42B is cured by irradiating it with light from the irradiation unit 21. This causes the concave-convex pattern of the mold 55 to be transferred to the second photocurable resin layer 42B (curing process).

As described above, in this modified example, the imprinting device 10 includes a first dispenser head 17A and a second dispenser head 17B, and the first dispenser head 17A and the second dispenser head 17B are movable independently of each other. This allows different resin materials (first resin material and second resin material) to be supplied to one sheet-like substrate 40A within the same imprinting device 10. As a result, it is possible to form a plurality of resin layers (first photocurable resin layer 42A, second photocurable resin layer 42B) made of different resin materials (first resin material and second resin material) side by side at different positions on the sheet-like substrate 40A.

In this modified example, a first photocurable resin layer (first resin layer) 42A made of a first resin material and a second photocurable resin layer (second resin layer) 42B made of a second resin material may be formed on one sheet-like substrate 40A by stacking them. In this modified example, the mold 55 that forms the first photocurable resin layer 42A and the mold 55 that forms the second photocurable resin layer 42B may be the same as each other or different from each other.

[Third Modification of Imprint Apparatus]
Next, a third modified example of the imprinting apparatus will be described with reference to Fig. 12. Fig. 12 is a plan view showing the third modified example of the imprinting apparatus. The modified example shown in Fig. 12 differs in the positional relationship between the first dispenser head 17A and the second dispenser head 17B, and other configurations are substantially the same as the imprinting apparatus 10 according to the modified example 2 described above. In Fig. 12, the same parts as those shown in Figs. 10 and 11 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

In FIG. 12, the standby position P1b of the first dispenser head 17A and the standby position P2b of the second dispenser head 17B are located on opposite sides of the movement line TL of the stage unit 13. Specifically, the standby position P1b of the first dispenser head 17A is located on the negative Y-side of the movement line TL of the stage unit 13, and the standby position P2b of the second dispenser head 17B is located on the positive Y-side of the movement line TL of the stage unit 13.

In this case, the standby position P1b of the first dispenser head 17A is separated from the standby position P2b of the second dispenser head 17B in a direction perpendicular to the flow line TL (Y direction). Therefore, the volatilized components of the second resin material discharged from the second dispenser head 17B are not easily transported to the first dispenser head 17A side located downstream of the airflow F. This makes it possible to suppress contamination of the first dispenser head 17A by the volatilized components.

The present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments and modifications, and in the implementation stage, the components can be modified to the extent that does not deviate from the gist of the disclosure. In addition, various inventions can be formed by appropriate combinations of the multiple components disclosed in the above-described embodiments and modifications. Some components may be deleted from all the components shown in each embodiment and modification.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 10 Imprinting apparatus 11 Chamber 12 Stage surface plate 13 Stage unit 14 Support section 15 Leveling section 16 Alignment camera 17A First dispenser head 17B Second dispenser head 18 Mold holding section 19 Air flow forming section 20 Load area 21 Irradiation section 23 Substrate holding section 24 Stock section 25 Transfer section 26 Ink receiving member 40 Substrate 41 Droplet 50 Mold 51 Concave-convex pattern 60 Concave-convex structure

Claims (13)

1. An imprint apparatus, comprising:
a substrate conveying section that holds the substrate and conveys it in a horizontal direction;
A mold holding portion that holds the mold;
a first dispenser head configured to dispense a first resin material onto the base material held by the base material conveying unit;
a second dispenser head that dispenses a second resin material onto the base material held by the base material conveying unit,
The first dispenser head and the second dispenser head are each movable between a standby position and a dispensing position,
The first dispenser head and the second dispenser head are movable independently of each other;
An airflow forming unit that forms an airflow from one side to the other side is further provided,
An imprint apparatus, wherein the first resin material is more volatile than the second resin material, and the ejection position of the first dispenser head is not located upstream of the airflow relative to the ejection position of the second dispenser head. The imprinting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the vapor pressure of the first resin material at room temperature is higher than the vapor pressure of the second resin material at room temperature. The imprinting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the viscosity of the first resin material is smaller than the viscosity of the second resin material. The imprinting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the contact angle of the first resin material on the substrate is smaller than the contact angle of the second resin material on the substrate. 1. An imprint apparatus, comprising:
a substrate conveying section that holds the substrate and conveys it in a horizontal direction;
A mold holding portion that holds the mold;
a first dispenser head configured to dispense a first resin material onto the base material held by the base material conveying unit;
a second dispenser head that dispenses a second resin material onto the base material held by the base material conveying unit,
The first dispenser head and the second dispenser head are each movable between a standby position and a dispensing position,
The first dispenser head and the second dispenser head are movable independently of each other;
An imprint apparatus, wherein the standby position of the first dispenser head and the standby position of the second dispenser head are located on opposite sides with respect to a flow line of the substrate transport unit. The imprinting apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the substrate is in a sheet form. 1. An imprint method comprising the steps of:
holding and transporting the substrate in a horizontal direction by a substrate transport unit;
Discharging droplets of a first resin material from a first dispenser head onto the substrate;
spreading droplets of the first resin material between the mold and the base material to form a first resin layer of the first resin material;
a step of hardening the first resin layer to obtain the first resin layer to which the surface shape of the mold has been transferred;
discharging a second resin material from a second dispenser head onto the base material;
spreading droplets of the second resin material between the mold and the base material to form a second resin layer of the second resin material;
and hardening the second resin layer to obtain the second resin layer to which the surface shape of the mold has been transferred.
The first dispenser head and the second dispenser head are each movable between a standby position and a dispensing position,
The first dispenser head and the second dispenser head are movable independently of each other;
Airflow is created from one side to the other,
An imprint method, wherein the first resin material is more volatile than the second resin material, and a discharge position of the first dispenser head is not located upstream of the airflow with respect to a discharge position of the second dispenser head. The imprint method according to claim 7 , wherein the second resin layer is formed on top of the first resin layer. The imprinting method according to claim 7, wherein the first resin layer and the second resin layer are formed side by side on the substrate. The imprint method according to claim 7 , wherein a mold for forming the first resin layer and a mold for forming the second resin layer are different from each other. 1. An imprint method comprising the steps of:
holding and transporting the substrate in a horizontal direction by a substrate transport unit;
Discharging droplets of a first resin material from a first dispenser head onto the substrate;
spreading droplets of the first resin material between the mold and the base material to form a first resin layer of the first resin material;
a step of hardening the first resin layer to obtain the first resin layer to which the surface shape of the mold has been transferred;
discharging a second resin material from a second dispenser head onto the base material;
spreading droplets of the second resin material between the mold and the base material to form a second resin layer of the second resin material;
and hardening the second resin layer to obtain the second resin layer to which the surface shape of the mold has been transferred.
The first dispenser head and the second dispenser head are each movable between a standby position and a dispensing position,
The first dispenser head and the second dispenser head are movable independently of each other;
An imprint method, wherein the standby position of the first dispenser head and the standby position of the second dispenser head are located on opposite sides with respect to a line of movement of the substrate transport section. The imprinting method according to any one of claims 7 to 10, wherein the substrate is in a sheet form. Providing a substrate having a substrate body and a mask layer formed on the substrate body;
Discharging droplets of a first resin material from a first dispenser head onto the mask layer of the base material;
spreading droplets of the first resin material between the mold and the base material to form a first resin layer of the first resin material;
a step of hardening the first resin layer to obtain the first resin layer to which the surface shape of the mold has been transferred;
discharging a second resin material onto the first resin layer from a second dispenser head onto the base material;
spreading droplets of the second resin material between the mold and the base material to form a second resin layer of the second resin material;
a step of hardening the second resin layer to obtain the second resin layer to which the surface shape of the mold has been transferred;
dry etching the second resin layer until the first resin layer is exposed;
dry etching the first resin layer until the mask layer is exposed;
removing the mask layer that is not covered by the first resin layer and the second resin layer;
dry etching the substrate body using the remaining mask layer as a mask;
and removing the mask layer remaining on the substrate body.
The first dispenser head and the second dispenser head are each movable between a standby position and a dispensing position,
The first dispenser head and the second dispenser head are movable independently of each other;
Airflow is created from one side to the other,
A method for manufacturing a concave-convex structure, wherein the first resin material is more volatile than the second resin material, and the ejection position of the first dispenser head is not located upstream of the airflow relative to the ejection position of the second dispenser head .

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