Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an imprint apparatus, and an article manufacturing method.
Description of the Related Art
There are imprint techniques that mold an imprint material on a substrate to form a pattern on the substrate. One example of such imprint techniques includes a photo-curing method. An imprint apparatus using the method brings a mold into contact with an imprint material on a substrate so as to fill the imprint material into the mold. The imprint material is cured by irradiation of light, and then the mold is released from the cured imprint material to thereby form a pattern on a substrate. Here, if foreign matters are deposited on a substrate or a mold, defects may occur on the pattern or may cause damage to the mold.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2014-56854 discloses an imprint apparatus that reduces foreign matters within the imprint region by surrounding (sealing) the imprint region with a gas curtain.
However, the imprint apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2014-56854 may be disadvantageous for accurately supplying the imprint material to the imprint region if a gas stream caused by the gas curtain occurs beneath the imprint material supplying device.