Microstructure processing tool and microstructure processing method

By employing multi-layer mask positioning technology in microstructure machining fixtures, the problem of low alignment accuracy in micro-pattern machining has been solved, enabling high-precision manufacturing of multi-material microstructures.

CN117377372BActive Publication Date: 2026-04-14SHANGHAI IND U TECH RES INST
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Patent Information

Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Patents(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2022-06-27
Publication Date
2026-04-14

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

In the existing technology for micro-pattern processing, the low alignment accuracy of two or more types of materials leads to limited micro-processing accuracy and makes it difficult to achieve high-quality micro-structures.

Method used

A microstructure processing fixture is used, including a substrate carrier plate, a lower mask plate, a first upper mask plate, and a second upper mask plate. The precise positioning of the multilayer mask plate is achieved through positioning pins and alignment through holes, ensuring the alignment accuracy of micro-patterns of two or more types of materials.

Benefits of technology

It improves the alignment accuracy between micro-patterns of two or more types of materials, enhances the precision and repeatability of micro-machining, and enables the manufacturing of high-quality micro-structures.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Abstract

The present application provides a kind of microstructure processing tool, which defines the opening for forming the micro pattern of more than two kinds of material composition using the lower mask plate opposite to the substrate, determines the micro pattern of one kind of material on the substrate through the upper mask plate stacked thereon, so that the alignment error between micro patterns is mainly determined by the processing precision of the first mask plate opening, effectively improves the alignment precision between micro patterns of each kind of material, is beneficial to the miniaturization of pattern, and improves the performance of device. The present application effectively overcomes the limitations of conventional hard mask process, and can use hard mask technology to realize the micro pattern processing of more than two kinds of materials. The microstructure processing method is executed using the aforementioned microstructure processing tool, and the alignment precision between micro patterns of more than two kinds of materials is improved, so as to improve the micro processing precision and process repeatability. Through the present application, micro patterns of desired size can be obtained, which has wide application scenarios and application prospects.
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Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of semiconductor manufacturing; and more particularly to microstructure processing fixtures and methods of using them. Background Technology

[0002] In the manufacturing process of semiconductor or MEMS products, it is necessary to form microstructures of two or more types of materials on the same plane. For example, micro-refrigeration or micro-thermoelectric conversion devices require arranging micro-patterns composed of N-type and P-type thermoelectric materials on the same plane of a substrate. These micro-patterns often have a certain thickness, such as several micrometers or even tens of micrometers. Common processes for processing these micro-patterns include lift-off or dry etching. However, when the thickness of the micro-pattern exceeds 10 micrometers, lift-off or dry etching become difficult.

[0003] Furthermore, when the planar dimensions of micro-patterns increase to a certain extent, such as when the minimum planar dimension of a micro-pattern exceeds 100 micrometers, hard mask technology is often an option. However, conventional hard mask processes often lack sufficient alignment precision. Applying this hard mask process to the fabrication of microstructures using two or more materials often results in excessive alignment errors between the patterns of the two materials. For example, in the manufacturing process of micro-refrigeration or micro-thermoelectric conversion devices, after forming an N-type thermoelectric material pattern with a first hard mask, when a second hard mask is used to form the aforementioned P-type thermoelectric material pattern, the alignment methods between the first and second hard masks are limited, leading to a large alignment error between the N-type and P-type thermoelectric material patterns, often exceeding 50 micrometers. This alignment error limits the micro-machining precision of the patterns, which in turn affects the performance of the device.

[0004] Therefore, it is necessary to provide a novel microstructure processing fixture and its application method to meet the application requirements of two or more types of material patterns. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of the shortcomings of the prior art described above, the purpose of this invention is to provide a microstructure processing fixture and a micro-pattern processing method using the microstructure processing fixture, in order to solve the problems of low alignment accuracy in the process of micro-processing two or more types of material patterns, which leads to limited micro-processing accuracy and difficulty in achieving high-quality microstructures.

[0006] To achieve the above and other related objectives, the present invention provides a microstructure processing fixture, comprising:

[0007] A substrate carrier plate, wherein the main surface of the substrate carrier plate is provided with a substrate receiving portion for accommodating a substrate, two or more first positioning holes and two or more second positioning holes;

[0008] The lower mask plate is provided with a first type of patterned through hole and a second type of patterned through hole penetrating the first main surface and the second main surface, a first alignment through hole corresponding to the first positioning hole, and a second alignment through hole corresponding to the second positioning hole. The first type of patterned through hole and the second type of patterned through hole are configured to process the surface of the substrate into a microstructure.

[0009] The first upper mask plate is provided with a first type of graphic opening, a third alignment through hole, and a fourth alignment through hole penetrating its first main surface and second main surface. The first type of graphic opening is provided corresponding to the first type of graphic through hole, the third alignment through hole is provided corresponding to the first positioning hole, and the fourth alignment through hole is provided corresponding to the second positioning hole.

[0010] The second upper mask plate is provided with a second graphic opening, a fifth alignment through hole, and a sixth alignment through hole penetrating its first and second main surfaces. The second graphic opening is provided in correspondence with the second type of graphic through hole, the fifth alignment through hole is provided in correspondence with the first positioning hole, and the sixth alignment through hole is provided in correspondence with the second positioning hole.

[0011] A first positioning pin and a second positioning pin are configured such that when the substrate carrier plate, the lower mask plate, and the first upper mask plate or the second upper mask plate are stacked together, the first positioning pin passes through the fifth or third alignment through hole and the first alignment through hole to be embedded in the first positioning hole, and the second positioning pin passes through the sixth or fourth alignment through hole and the second alignment through hole to be embedded in the second positioning hole, so that the first upper mask plate is aligned with the center of the substrate carrier plate and the first type of pattern through hole is exposed through the first type of pattern opening of the first upper mask plate, or so that the second upper mask plate is aligned with the center of the substrate carrier plate and the second type of pattern through hole is exposed through the second type of pattern opening of the second upper mask plate.

[0012] Optionally, the first positioning hole and the second positioning hole are disposed at different radial positions, the first positioning hole is symmetrically distributed with respect to the center of the substrate carrier plate, and the second positioning hole is symmetrically distributed with respect to the center of the substrate carrier plate.

[0013] Optionally, the top of the second positioning pin is provided with a cap, the planar dimension of which is larger than the diameter of the fourth alignment through hole or the sixth alignment through hole, so as to prevent the first upper mask plate or the second upper mask plate from sliding in the height direction when it passes through the fourth alignment through hole or the sixth alignment through hole and the second alignment through hole and is embedded in the second positioning hole.

[0014] Optionally, the planar shape of the substrate receiving portion is approximately similar to the shape of the substrate, and when the center of the substrate coincides with the center of the substrate receiving portion, the minimum distance between the outer periphery of the substrate and the inner edge of the substrate receiving portion is less than 100 micrometers.

[0015] Optionally, the first positioning hole is a screw hole, and the first positioning pin is a threaded screw for fixing the first upper mask or the second upper mask and the lower mask; and / or the second positioning hole is a screw hole, and the second positioning pin is a threaded screw for fixing the first upper mask or the second upper mask and the lower mask.

[0016] Optionally, the opening of the first type of pattern is slightly larger than the through hole of the first type of pattern; the opening of the second type of pattern is slightly larger than the through hole of the second type of pattern.

[0017] Optionally, the diameter of the fifth alignment through hole is slightly smaller than the diameter of the first alignment through hole and slightly larger than the diameter of the first positioning hole, and the diameter of the sixth alignment through hole is slightly smaller than the diameter of the second alignment through hole and slightly larger than the diameter of the second positioning hole.

[0018] The present invention also provides a method for fabricating micro-patterns using the aforementioned micro-structure fabrication fixture, characterized in that the micro-pattern fabrication method includes:

[0019] The substrate is placed in the substrate receiving portion of the substrate carrier plate;

[0020] The lower mask and the first upper mask are sequentially placed on the main surface of the substrate carrier plate so that the lower mask and the first upper mask are respectively aligned with the center of the substrate carrier plate, including the following steps:

[0021] The lower mask is placed above the main surface of the substrate;

[0022] The first positioning pin is inserted into the first positioning hole by passing through the first alignment through hole provided in the lower mask plate, so as to determine the alignment position of the lower mask plate with respect to the substrate support plate;

[0023] The first upper mask is positioned such that the first locating pin engages with the third alignment through hole of the first upper mask, and the first upper mask is slid along the direction determined by the first locating pin until it contacts the lower mask.

[0024] The second positioning pin is inserted into the second positioning hole by passing through the fourth alignment through hole and the second alignment through hole to obtain a first combination tool for forming a first type of pattern;

[0025] The first combined tool is placed in a thin film growth apparatus, and a thin film of the first type of material is deposited on the main surface of the substrate through the first type of pattern opening and the first type of pattern through-hole to form the first type of pattern.

[0026] After removing the first assembly tool from the thin film growth equipment, positioning the second upper mask on the first main surface of the lower mask to align the second upper mask with the center of the substrate carrier plate includes the following steps:

[0027] Remove the second positioning pin and the first upper mask plate, position the second upper mask plate such that the first positioning pin can engage with the fifth alignment through hole of the second upper mask plate, and slide the second upper mask plate along the direction determined by the first positioning pin until it contacts the lower mask plate;

[0028] The second positioning pin is inserted into the second positioning hole by passing through the sixth alignment through hole and the second alignment through hole to obtain a second combination tool for forming a second type of pattern;

[0029] The second combination tool is placed in a thin film growth apparatus, and a thin film of the second type of material is deposited on the main surface of the substrate through the second type of pattern opening and the second type of pattern through hole to form the second type of pattern.

[0030] Optionally, the first type of material and the second type of material are thermoelectric materials, and the thin film deposition of the first type of material and the thin film deposition of the second type of material are performed in the same thin film growth equipment.

[0031] Optionally, the first type of material is an N-type thermoelectric material, and the second type of material is a P-type thermoelectric material.

[0032] As described above, the microstructure processing fixture and the method for manufacturing microstructures of the present invention have the following beneficial effects:

[0033] The microstructure processing fixture provided by this invention utilizes a lower mask plate fixed relative to the substrate to define an opening for forming micro-patterns composed of two or more materials. Subsequently, an upper mask plate is used to determine the formation of a micro-pattern of one of the materials on the substrate. This ensures that the alignment error between micro-patterns is mainly determined by the processing accuracy of the opening of the first mask plate. Hard mask technology can be used to process micro-patterns of two or more materials, effectively improving the alignment accuracy between micro-patterns of various materials, which is beneficial for pattern miniaturization and enhances device performance.

[0034] The method for manufacturing microstructures of the present invention uses the aforementioned microstructure processing fixture. The manufacturing method is simple to operate and improves the alignment accuracy between micro-patterns of two or more types of materials, thereby improving the micro-processing accuracy and process repeatability.

[0035] This invention effectively overcomes the limitations of conventional hard mask processes, and can obtain micro-patterns of desired size through the preparation method of this invention, which has a wide range of application scenarios and application prospects. Attached Figure Description

[0036] The accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification, are used to provide a further understanding of the embodiments of this application and to illustrate the implementation of this application, together with the textual description, to explain the principles of this application. Obviously, the drawings described below are merely some embodiments of this application.

[0037] Figure 1A The diagram shown is a bottom view of the substrate support plate of the microstructure processing fixture according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. Figure 1B for Figure 1A The diagram shows a schematic of the structure along section A-A'.

[0038] Figure 2A The image shown is a bottom view of the lower mask plate of the microstructure processing fixture according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. Figure 2B for Figure 2A The diagram shows a schematic of the structure along section B-B'.

[0039] Figure 3A The image shown is a bottom view of the first upper mask plate of the microstructure processing fixture according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. Figure 3B for Figure 3A The diagram shows a schematic of the structure along section C-C'.

[0040] Figure 4A The image shown is a bottom view of the second upper mask plate of the microstructure processing fixture according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. Figure 4B for Figure 4A The diagram shows a schematic of the structure along section D-D'.

[0041] Figure 5 shows a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the first and second positioning pins of the microstructure processing fixture according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

[0042] Figure 6 shows an operational schematic diagram of the micro-graphic processing method using a micro-structure processing fixture according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention.

[0043] Figure 7 shows a schematic diagram of each stage of the microstructure processing method using a microstructure processing fixture in Embodiment 3 of the present invention.

[0044] Component designation explanation

[0045] 100 substrate carrier board

[0046] 110 Bearing plate substrate

[0047] 120 Substrate Receiving Section

[0048] 130 First positioning hole

[0049] 140 Second positioning hole

[0050] 250 groove

[0051] 200 lower mask plate

[0052] 220a Type I patterned through hole

[0053] 220b Type II Pattern Through Hole

[0054] 230, 230a, 230b, 230c First Alignment Through Hole

[0055] 240, 240a, 240b, 240c Second Alignment Through Holes

[0056] 300 First upper mask

[0057] 320 First type of graphic opening

[0058] 330, 330a, 330b, 330c Third Alignment Through Hole

[0059] 340, 340a, 340b, 340c Fourth Alignment Through Hole

[0060] 400 Second upper mask plate

[0061] 420 Second type of graphic opening

[0062] 430, 430a, 430b, 430c Fifth Alignment Through Hole

[0063] 440, 440a, 440b, 440c Sixth Alignment Through Hole

[0064] 510, 520 First positioning pin

[0065] 530, 540 Second positioning pin

[0066] 600 substrates

[0067] Electrodes 700, 700a, 700b, 700c

[0068] 800 First type of figure

[0069] 900 Second type of graphics Detailed Implementation

[0070] The following specific examples illustrate the implementation of the present invention. Those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of the present invention from the content disclosed in this specification. The present invention can also be implemented or applied through other different specific embodiments, and various details in this specification can also be modified or changed based on different viewpoints and applications without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0071] It should be emphasized that the term "including / comprises" as used herein refers to the presence of a feature, whole, step, or component, but does not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, wholes, steps, or components.

[0072] Features described and / or illustrated for one embodiment may be used in the same or similar manner in one or more other embodiments, combined with features in other embodiments, or substituted for features in other embodiments.

[0073] In the detailed description of embodiments of the present invention, for ease of explanation, the cross-sectional views illustrating the device structure may be partially enlarged and not to scale. Furthermore, the schematic diagrams are merely examples and should not limit the scope of protection of the present invention. In actual fabrication, the three-dimensional spatial dimensions of length, width, and depth should be included.

[0074] For ease of description, spatial relation terms such as “below,” “under,” “lower than,” “below,” “above,” and “upper” may be used herein to describe the relationship between one element or feature shown in the accompanying drawings and other elements or features. It will be understood that these spatial relation terms are intended to include directions other than those depicted in the drawings for devices in use or operation. Furthermore, when a layer is referred to as being “between” two layers, it may be the only layer between the two layers, or there may be one or more layers in between.

[0075] In the context of this application, the structure described above the first feature may include embodiments in which the first and second features are formed in direct contact, or embodiments in which additional features are formed between the first and second features, such that the first and second features may not be in direct contact.

[0076] It should be noted that the illustrations provided in this embodiment are only schematic representations of the basic concept of the present invention. Therefore, the illustrations only show the components related to the present invention and are not drawn according to the actual number, shape and size of the components in the actual implementation. In the actual implementation, the form, quantity and proportion of each component can be arbitrarily changed, and the layout of the components may also be more complex.

[0077] Example 1

[0078] Referring to Figures 1 to 5, this embodiment provides a microstructure processing fixture, which includes: a substrate support plate 100, a lower mask plate 200, a first upper mask plate 300, a second upper mask plate 400, and a first positioning pin and a second positioning pin.

[0079] See Figures 1A-1B , Figure 1A The diagram shown is a bottom view of a substrate support plate of a microstructure processing fixture according to an embodiment of the present invention. The substrate support plate 100 includes: a support plate base 110, a substrate receiving portion 120, and first positioning holes 130 (including 130a, 130b, and 130c) and second positioning holes 140 (including 140a, 140b, and 140c). The substrate receiving portion 120 is disposed on a first main surface 100a of the substrate support plate 100 for receiving a substrate 600 (see reference). Figure 6A , 6B The first positioning hole 130 and the second positioning hole 140 can be disposed on the support plate substrate 110 surrounding the substrate receiving portion 120. As an example, the support plate substrate 110 comprises or is primarily composed of an elemental metal, such as aluminum, stainless steel, or a similar metal, or an alloy. The thickness t1 of the support plate substrate 110 can be determined based on factors such as mechanical strength and ease of use. The planar shape of the substrate receiving portion 120 is the same as or similar to the shape of the substrate 600. Preferably, when the center of the substrate 600 coincides with the center of the substrate receiving portion 120, the minimum distance between the outer edge of the substrate 600 and the edge of the substrate receiving portion 120 is less than 100 micrometers. The smaller this minimum distance, the higher the alignment accuracy of the center of the substrate 600 relative to the center of the substrate receiving portion 120.

[0080] The depth d of the substrate receiving portion 120 can be customized to be slightly less than the thickness t of the substrate 600, such that when the substrate 600 is placed inside the substrate receiving portion 120, the main surface 600a of the substrate 600 is not lower than the first main surface 100a of the substrate carrier plate 100. Preferably, the main surface 600a of the substrate 600 is 5 micrometers to 20 micrometers higher than the first main surface 100a of the substrate carrier plate 100. The surface of the substrate receiving portion 120 can be processed into a flat surface to facilitate the centering of the substrate 600 on the surface of the substrate receiving portion 120. If necessary, a groove 150 can be provided on the first main surface 100a of the substrate carrier plate 100 to facilitate the insertion and removal of the substrate.

[0081] As an example, the first positioning hole 130 is positioned at a distance of 5 mm or more from the edge of the substrate receiving portion 120. Specifically, there may be two or more first positioning holes 130 that are symmetrically distributed with respect to the center of the substrate receiving portion 120. For example, the first positioning holes 130a, 130b, and 130c are distributed at the three vertices of an equilateral triangle, and the equilateral triangle defined by the three first positioning holes as vertices has a centroid that coincides with the center of the substrate receiving portion 120. In an example where the substrate carrier plate is approximately circular, the first positioning holes and the second positioning holes may be located at different radial positions and have an equal number, for example, as shown in the example. Figure 1A As shown, the first positioning hole and the second positioning hole can be arranged in a row in the radial direction. The second positioning hole 140 is located outside the first positioning hole 130, on the extension line of the line connecting the first positioning hole 130 and the center of the substrate receiving portion 120. It should be noted that, although as shown... Figure 1B The first main surface 100a of the substrate carrier plate shown is provided with three first positioning holes and three second positioning holes. However, this invention does not imply that the first and second positioning holes are limited to this; the number of first and second positioning holes can be two or more, four or more, etc. The diameter of the first positioning hole 130 ranges from 1mm to 5mm, for example, 2mm. The depth of the first positioning hole 130 is not greater than the thickness t1 of the carrier plate substrate 110. In particular, the depth of the first positioning hole 130 ranges from 2mm to 10mm; for example, the depth of the first positioning hole 130 is 5mm. In some examples, the first positioning hole 130 can be a cylindrical fine hole with a smooth inner wall; in other examples, the first positioning hole 130 can be a screw hole with threads on the inner wall.

[0082] In this embodiment, the positional accuracy of the first positioning hole 130 is not less than 1 mm. The diameter accuracy of the first positioning hole 130 is not less than 50 micrometers to ensure the alignment accuracy when used with the alignment through hole. The second positioning hole 140 can be constructed and configured according to a similar technical concept to the first positioning hole 130; the specific setting of the second positioning hole will not be described in detail here.

[0083] like Figures 2A-2B , Figure 2A The diagram shown is a bottom view of the lower mask plate of the microstructure processing fixture according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2B for Figure 2AThe schematic diagram of the structure along the B-B' section shows that the lower mask plate 200 is provided with a first type of patterned through hole 220a and a second type of patterned through hole 220b penetrating its first main surface 200a and second main surface 200b, as well as a first alignment through hole 230 (including 230a, 230b and 230c) and a second alignment through hole 240 (including 240a, 240b and 240c). The first alignment through hole 230 is correspondingly provided with the first positioning hole 130 of the substrate carrier plate, and the second alignment through hole 240 is correspondingly provided with the second positioning hole 140 of the substrate carrier plate.

[0084] The lower mask 200 has a larger planar dimension than the substrate 600, so that the lower mask 200 covers the entire area of ​​the substrate 600. The lower mask 200 is composed primarily of a metallic element or alloy, such as aluminum, stainless steel, or similar metals. The lower mask 200 is a flat plate with a uniform thickness t2 of 20 micrometers to 200 micrometers. The thickness of the lower mask 200 can be determined based on the required mechanical strength, the dimensions of the microstructure to be formed, and the required processing precision.

[0085] First aligned with through hole 230, such as Figure 2A As shown, the lower mask 200 includes first alignment through-holes 230a, 230b, and 230c. When the lower mask 200 covers the substrate support plate 100, the centers of the first alignment through-holes 230a, 230b, and 230c should substantially coincide with the centers of the first positioning holes 130a, 130b, and 130c, respectively, to determine the alignment position of the lower mask 200 relative to the substrate support plate. The first alignment through-hole 230 has a shape substantially the same as the first positioning hole 130, and the diameter of the first alignment through-hole 230 is slightly larger than the diameter of the first positioning hole 130. In other words, the diameter of the first alignment through-hole 230 is close to and larger than the diameter of the first positioning hole 130 to allow the positioning pin to easily pass through the first alignment through-hole and to ensure the positioning accuracy of the lower mask 200 relative to the substrate support plate. As an example, the first positioning hole 130 can be cylindrical, and correspondingly the first alignment through hole 230 is also cylindrical. The diameter of the first alignment through hole 230 is 10μm-100μm larger than the diameter of the first positioning hole 130.

[0086] The second alignment hole 240, such as Figure 2AAs shown, the lower mask 200, when configured to cover the substrate support plate 100, includes second alignment vias 240a, 240b, and 240c, and its centers should substantially coincide with the centers of the second positioning holes 140a, 140b, and 140c, respectively, to assist in determining the alignment position of the lower mask 200 relative to the substrate support plate 100. The diameter of the second alignment via 240 is slightly larger than the diameter of the second positioning hole 140. For example, the diameter of the second alignment via 240 is 10μm-100μm larger than the diameter of the second positioning hole 140, and when the diameters of the first positioning hole 130 and the second alignment via 240 are approximately equal, the diameter of the second alignment via 240 can be slightly larger than the diameter of the first alignment via 230.

[0087] The first type of patterned through-hole 220a is configured with a planar shape corresponding to the first type of pattern 800 (refer to Figure 7) of the microstructure to be formed. The opening shape, size, and distribution of the first type of patterned through-hole 220a are determined based on the first type of pattern 800 of the microstructure. The second type of patterned through-hole 220b is configured with a planar shape corresponding to the second type of pattern 900 (refer to Figure 7) of the microstructure to be formed. The opening shape, size, and distribution of the second type of patterned through-hole 220b are determined based on the second type of pattern 900 of the microstructure.

[0088] The first upper mask 300 can be a type of rigid mask, such as... Figures 3A-3B As shown, the first upper mask 300 is provided with a first type of patterned opening 320a, a third alignment through-hole 330, and a fourth alignment through-hole 340 penetrating its first main surface 300a and second main surface 300b. The first type of patterned opening 320a corresponds to the first type of patterned through-hole 220a of the lower mask, the third alignment through-hole 330 corresponds to the first positioning hole 130, and the fourth alignment through-hole 340 corresponds to the second positioning hole 140. The first upper mask 300 is made of aluminum, stainless steel, or similar metallic elements or alloys. The first upper mask 300 is a flat plate with a uniform thickness t3 ranging from 20 micrometers to 200 micrometers. The thickness of the first upper mask 300 can be determined according to the required mechanical strength, the size of the microstructure to be formed, and the processing accuracy requirements.

[0089] The third alignment hole is 330, such as Figure 3AAs shown, the third alignment through-holes 330a, 330b, and 330c are correspondingly disposed with respect to the first positioning hole 120 of the substrate carrier plate, and the fourth alignment through-hole 340 includes the fourth alignment through-holes 340a, 340b, and 340c, correspondingly disposed with respect to the second positioning hole 140. When the lower mask plate 200 and the first upper mask plate 300 are sequentially positioned above the first main surface 100a of the substrate carrier plate 100, both the lower mask plate 200 and the first upper mask plate 300 can be easily positioned relative to the substrate carrier plate 100 and achieve the required positioning accuracy, so that the first type of pattern through-hole 220a is exposed through the first type of pattern opening 320a, while the second type of pattern through-hole 220b of the lower mask plate 200 is completely covered.

[0090] The first type of patterned opening 320a of the first upper mask 300 and the first type of patterned through-hole 220a of the lower mask 200 are similar in shape and matched in distribution to allow the planar shape defined by the second type of patterned through-hole to be transferred to the substrate surface to be processed. Specifically, the opening of the first type of patterned opening 320a is slightly larger than the opening of the first type of patterned through-hole 220a. Preferably, when the centers of the first type of patterned opening 320a and the first type of patterned through-hole 220a coincide, the distance between the edge of the first type of patterned opening 320a and the edge of the first type of patterned through-hole 220a is 10μm-100μm.

[0091] Based on the same technical concept and configuration as the first alignment through-hole of the lower mask 200, the third alignment through-hole 330 of the first upper mask 300, including the third alignment through-holes 330a, 330b, and 330c, can be configured such that its diameter is slightly larger than that of the first alignment through-hole 230, i.e., close to and larger than that of the first alignment through-hole 230, so as to facilitate the first upper mask being guided and placed in position via the positioning pin. Correspondingly, similar to the design concept and configuration of the second alignment through-hole of the lower mask 200, the fourth alignment through-hole of the first upper mask 300 can be configured such that its diameter is close to and larger than that of the second positioning hole 140 (including 140a, 140b, and 140c) of the substrate carrier plate 100, but smaller than and close to that of the second alignment through-hole 240 of the lower mask 200, which is beneficial for further fine-tuning the alignment position of the first upper mask relative to the substrate carrier plate 100.

[0092] Continue reading Figures 4A-4BThe second upper mask 400 can be a type of rigid mask. The second upper mask 400 is provided with a second type of patterned opening 420b penetrating its first main surface 400a and second main surface 400b, a fifth alignment through-hole 430, and a sixth alignment through-hole 440. The second type of patterned opening corresponds to the second type of patterned through-hole 220b of the lower mask. The fifth alignment through-hole 430 corresponds to the first positioning hole of the substrate carrier plate, and the sixth alignment through-hole 440 corresponds to the second positioning hole of the substrate carrier plate.

[0093] The fifth alignment through-hole 430 of the second upper mask plate 400, such as Figure 4A As shown, the fifth alignment through holes 430a, 430b, and 430c are correspondingly disposed with respect to the first positioning hole 120 of the substrate support plate. The fourth alignment through hole 340 includes fourth alignment through holes 340a, 340b, and 340c, which are correspondingly disposed with respect to the second positioning hole 140. When the lower mask plate 200 and the second upper mask plate 400 are sequentially positioned above the first main surface 100a of the substrate support plate 100, both the lower mask plate 200 and the second upper mask plate 400 can be easily positioned relative to the substrate support plate 100 and achieve the required positioning accuracy, so that the second type of pattern through hole 220b is exposed through the second type of pattern opening 320b, while the second type of pattern through hole 220b of the lower mask plate 200 is completely covered.

[0094] Based on the same technical concept and arrangement as the first alignment through-hole 230 of the lower mask 200, the fifth alignment through-hole 430 (including 430a, 430b, and 430c) of the second upper mask 400 can be configured such that its aperture is close to and larger than that of the first alignment through-hole 230. Similar to the design concept and configuration of the second alignment through-hole of the lower mask 200, the fifth alignment through-hole 430 of the second upper mask 400 can be configured such that its aperture is slightly larger than that of the second positioning hole 140 (including 140a, 140b, and 140c) of the substrate carrier plate 100, but smaller than and close to that of the second alignment through-hole 240 of the lower mask 200.

[0095] The second type of patterned opening 420b of the second upper mask 400 and the second type of patterned through-hole 220b of the lower mask 200 are similar in shape and matched in distribution to allow the planar shape defined by the second type of patterned through-hole to be transferred to the substrate surface to be processed. Specifically, the opening of the second type of patterned opening 420b is approximately larger than the opening of the second type of patterned through-hole 220b. Preferably, when the centers of the second type of patterned opening 420b and the second type of patterned through-hole 220b coincide, the distance between the edge of the second type of patterned opening 420b and the edge of the second type of patterned through-hole 220b is 10μm-100μm.

[0096] Figure 5 shows a schematic diagram of the first and second positioning pins of the microstructure processing fixture according to an embodiment of the present invention. The first and second positioning pins are configured such that when the substrate support plate 100, the lower mask plate 200, and the first upper mask plate 300 or the second upper mask plate 400 are stacked, the first positioning pin passes through the third alignment through hole 330 or the fifth alignment through hole 430 and the first alignment through hole 230 to be embedded in the first positioning hole 130, and the second positioning pin passes through the fourth alignment through hole 340 or the sixth alignment through hole 440 and the second alignment through hole to be embedded in the second positioning hole 140. This causes the first upper mask plate 300 to be aligned with the center of the substrate support plate 100 and expose the first type of pattern through hole 220a through the first type of pattern opening 320 of the first upper mask plate 300, or causes the second upper mask plate 400 to be aligned with the center of the substrate support plate 100 and expose the second type of pattern through hole 220b through the second type of pattern opening 420 of the second upper mask plate 400.

[0097] Figure 5A A cross-sectional view of the first positioning pin 510 is shown. The first positioning pin 510 is a cylindrical thin rod. The diameter of the first positioning pin 510 is smaller than and close to the diameter of the first positioning hole 130. For example, the diameter of the first positioning pin 510 is 10 micrometers to 50 micrometers smaller than the diameter of the first positioning hole 130. The length of the first positioning pin 510 can be customized so that after the first positioning pin 510 is inserted into the first positioning hole 130 through the first alignment through hole 230 and the third alignment through hole 330 or the fifth alignment through hole 430, the tip 510a of the first positioning pin 510 is relative to the surface of the first upper mask plate (e.g., ...). Figure 3B As shown, the first main surface 300a of the first upper mask 3, or the surface of the second upper mask (e.g., Figure 4B As shown, the first main surface 400a) of the second upper mask 400 is within 100 micrometers, while it is more than 100 micrometers higher than the second main surface 300b of the first upper mask 300 or the second main surface 400b of the second upper mask 400. With this arrangement, the first positioning pin 510 can be easily inserted into the first positioning hole 130 without easily falling out, allowing for precise determination of the alignment position of the lower mask 200 relative to the substrate support plate, facilitating center alignment between the lower mask 200 and the substrate, and assisting in the positioning of the first upper mask 3 or the second upper mask 400. The first positioning pin 510 can be made of a metal or alloy with high mechanical strength, such as stainless steel or a similar alloy.

[0098] As an alternative, such as Figure 5BThe cross-sectional view of the first locating pin 520 shown is provided. The first locating pin 520 is configured as a threaded rod 520b with threads 520c, for use when the first locating hole 130 is a screw hole. The nut at the top 520a of the first locating pin 520 has the same outer diameter as the threaded rod 520b. Except for the screw in the first locating pin 520, the design concept in other aspects can be referred to that of the first locating pin 510.

[0099] Figure 5C A cross-sectional view of the second locating pin 530 is shown. The second locating pin 530 can be a cylindrical thin rod, and its diameter is slightly smaller than the diameter of the second locating hole 140. That is, the diameter of the second locating pin 530 is smaller than and close to the diameter of the second locating hole 140. For example, the diameter of the second locating pin 530 is 10 micrometers to 50 micrometers smaller than the diameter of the second locating hole 140. A cap 530a may be provided at the top of the second locating pin 530. Specifically, the planar dimension of the cap 530a is larger than the planar dimension of the fourth alignment through hole 340 or the sixth alignment through hole 440. For example, the cap 530a is approximately cylindrical, and its diameter is 0.1 mm to 5 mm larger than the diameter of the fourth alignment through hole 340 or the sixth alignment through hole 440. The length of the second positioning pin 530 can be customized so that after the second positioning pin 530 passes through the second alignment through hole 240 and the fourth alignment through hole 340 or the sixth alignment through hole 440 and is inserted into the second positioning hole 140, the bottom surface of the cap 530a of the second positioning pin 530 is relative to the surface of the first upper mask plate 300 (e.g., Figure 3B As shown, the first main surface 300a of the first upper mask 3, or the surface of the second upper mask 400 (e.g., Figure 4B As shown, the first main surface 400a) of the second upper mask 4 is within 0-100 micrometers above the surface. With this arrangement, the second positioning pin 530 can be easily inserted into the second positioning hole 140 without easily falling out, thus determining the planar position of the first upper mask 3 and the second upper mask, while preventing the lower mask 200, the first upper mask 300, or the second lower mask 400 from sliding in the height direction.

[0100] Figure 5D A cross-sectional view of another configuration of the second locating pin 540 is shown. The second locating pin 540 is a cylindrical screw 540b with threads 540c and a nut 540a at its top. The second locating pin 540 is configured to engage with the second locating hole 140 when it is a screw hole. Similar to the first locating pins 510 and 520, the second locating pin can be made of a metal or alloy with high mechanical strength, such as stainless steel or a similar alloy. Apart from the threads 540c, the design concept of the second locating pin 540 can be referenced from that of the second locating pin 530.

[0101] Example 2

[0102] The specific steps for using the microstructure processing fixture described above for micro-pattern processing will then be explained in detail. For the sake of clarity in illustrating the technical concept of this application, Figure 6 only illustrates the basic elements of the invention.

[0103] Embodiment 2 of the present invention provides a method for manufacturing microstructures using the aforementioned microstructure processing fixture.

[0104] Figure 6 shows an example of microstructure processing using the microstructure processing fixture of the present invention.

[0105] First, the substrate 600 is placed inside the substrate receiving portion 120 of the substrate carrier plate 100. Specifically, as follows... Figures 6A-6B As shown, a substrate 600 is provided, wherein the substrate 600 has a first main surface 600a and a second main surface 600b opposite to each other; the substrate 600 is placed inside the substrate receiving portion 120. It is conceivable that the thickness of the substrate 600 is slightly greater than the depth of the substrate receiving portion 120, such that after the substrate 600 is placed inside the substrate receiving portion 120, the first main surface 600a of the substrate 600 is not lower than the first main surface 100a of the substrate carrier plate 100. For example, the thickness of the substrate 600 is denoted as t, and the depth of the substrate receiving portion 120 is denoted as d, satisfying the following relationship: d+50μm>t>d-10μm. As an example, the substrate 600 can be a semiconductor substrate or other suitable substrate.

[0106] Then, as Figure 6C As shown, the lower mask 200 is positioned on the first main surface 100a of the substrate support plate 100 so that the lower mask 200 is aligned with the center of the substrate 1. As an example, the lower mask 200 is placed above the first main surface 100a of the substrate support plate 100, covering the substrate 600; the alignment position of the lower mask relative to the substrate support plate is determined using a first positioning pin. Specifically, the centers of the first alignment through-hole 230 and the first positioning hole 130 of the substrate support plate 100 are substantially coincident, see [reference needed]. Figure 6C The centers of the first alignment through-hole 230a and the first positioning hole 130a are substantially coincident, and the centers of the first alignment through-hole 230a and the first positioning hole 130b are substantially coincident. After the first positioning pin 510 is inserted into the first positioning hole 130 through the first alignment through-hole 230, the top end 510a of the first positioning pin 510 is higher than the first main surface 200a of the lower mask 200. That is to say, by reasonably setting the diameters of the first positioning hole 130, the first alignment through-hole 230, and the first positioning pin 510, the alignment position of the lower mask 200 relative to the substrate carrier plate can be accurately determined. For example, the positioning accuracy of the lower mask 200 can reach 20μm.

[0107] See Figure 6DThe first upper mask 300 is positioned such that the first locating pin 510 engages with the third alignment through-holes 330 (including the third alignment through-holes 330a, 330b, and 330c), and the first upper mask 300 is slid along the direction defined by the first locating pin 510 until it contacts the lower mask 200. Since the first locating pin 510 collectively defines the positioning of the first upper mask 300, once the first upper mask 300 is in place, it is substantially very close to the alignment position of the first upper mask 300 relative to the lower mask 200. Furthermore, the second positioning pin 530 can be inserted into the second positioning hole 140 by passing through the fourth alignment through hole 340 and the second alignment through hole 240. Since the diameter of the third alignment through hole 330 is slightly larger than the diameter of the first positioning pin 510, the position of the first upper mask plate 300 can be finely adjusted by setting the second positioning pin 530 and the corresponding second and fourth alignment through holes to compensate for the fitting gap between the first positioning pin 510 on the first upper mask plate and the third alignment through hole 330, thereby improving the alignment accuracy of the first upper mask plate with respect to the substrate. That is, the center position of the fourth alignment through hole 340 (including 340a, 340b and 340c) of the first upper mask plate 300 and the center position of the second positioning hole 140 (including 140a, 140b and 140c) of the substrate carrier plate 100 approximately coincides.

[0108] As an alternative, the first positioning pin 510 is a threaded screw. Since the center of the second alignment through-hole 240 (including 240a, 240b, and 240c) of the lower mask plate 200 is substantially coincident with the center of the second positioning hole 140 of the substrate support plate 100, and the diameter of the second alignment through-hole 240 is larger than the diameter of the fourth alignment through-hole 340 and the diameter of the second positioning hole 140, the second positioning pin 540 (threaded) can be inserted into the second positioning hole 140 by passing through the fourth alignment through-hole 340 and the second alignment through-hole 240. With this arrangement, the first upper mask plate 300 and the lower mask plate 200 are fixed at the same time as the first upper mask plate 300 is positioned.

[0109] The first assembly tool 1010 described above can be used as the first assembly form of the microstructure processing fixture of the present invention for micro-patterning of one of two or more materials. For example, the first assembly tool 1010 can be placed in a thin film growth apparatus, and a thin film of the desired first type of material can be grown on the surface of the substrate 600 through the first type of pattern through-hole 220a on the lower mask 200 exposed by the first type of pattern opening 320a of the first upper mask, thus forming the first type of pattern. Here, the thin film of the first type of material can be a thin film of a single material or a composite thin film formed by stacking thin films of multiple materials.

[0110] Next, after removing the first assembly tool 1010 from the thin film growth apparatus, the second type of pattern opening 420 of the second upper mask 400 is aligned with the second type of pattern through hole 220b of the lower mask 200. Specifically, the second positioning pin 540 is removed first, and the first upper mask 300 is removed; similar to positioning the first upper mask 300, the second upper mask 400 is positioned such that the fifth alignment through hole 430 (including the fifth alignment through holes 430a, 430b, and 430c) passes through the first positioning pin 510 and slides along the direction determined by the first positioning pin 510 until it contacts the lower mask 200; finally, the second positioning pin 530 is inserted into the second positioning hole 140 through the sixth alignment through hole 440 and the second alignment through hole 240. Further, a method can be used... Figure 5D The second positioning pin 540 with cap 540a shown positions the second upper mask 400 about the substrate support plate 100, and also prevents the lower mask and the second upper mask from sliding in the height direction.

[0111] The second assembly tool 1020 described above can be used as the second assembly form of the microstructure processing fixture of the present invention. For example, the second assembly tool 1020 can be placed in a thin film growth apparatus, and a thin film of the desired second type of material can be grown on the surface of the substrate 600 through the second type of pattern through-hole 230a on the lower mask 200 exposed by the second type of pattern opening 420a of the second upper mask 400, thus forming a first type of pattern. Similarly, the thin film of the second type of material can be a thin film of a single material or a composite thin film formed by stacking thin films of multiple materials. After the thin film deposition process is completed, the second assembly tool 1020 can be disassembled sequentially to remove the substrate 600 with the desired pattern.

[0112] By repeating the steps shown in Figure 6, the microstructure processing fixture of the present invention can be used repeatedly to form the desired first and second type patterns on different substrates 600. It should be noted that the number of microstructure processing fixtures described herein is not limited, but can be appropriately adjusted according to the required pattern and material type within the scope of the technical concept provided by the present invention. Furthermore, when a certain amount of thin film is adhered to the surface of the aforementioned microstructure processing fixture, including the substrate support plate 100, lower mask plate 200, first upper mask plate 300, second upper mask plate 400, first positioning pins 510, 520, and second positioning pins 530, 540, the thin film grown on it can be removed by cleaning, thus the aforementioned microstructure processing fixture can be reused.

[0113] As described above, this embodiment provides a fixture and method for forming micro-patterns of two types of materials by combining three masks respectively. The positions of the micro-patterns of the two types of materials are defined by a common, fixed mask. The alignment accuracy of the micro-patterns of the two types of thin films can be determined by the processing accuracy of the opening of the fixed mask. This processing accuracy can be determined by photolithography technology. Therefore, the alignment accuracy between different types of patterns can be improved, which is beneficial to the miniaturization of patterns and will also improve the performance of the device.

[0114] Example 3

[0115] Referring to Figure 7, which shows a schematic diagram of each stage of the micro-patterning method using a microstructure processing fixture in Embodiment 3, the specific steps of the micro-patterning method performed in this embodiment using the aforementioned microstructure processing fixture are illustrated below. For example, the processing method can be used to fabricate micro-patterns for micro-thermoelectric devices. For the purpose of clearly describing the technical concept of this application, Figure 7 only illustrates the basic elements of the invention.

[0116] First, in step 1), a substrate 600 is provided, and an electrode 700 is formed on the main surface 600a of the substrate 600, such as... Figure 7A As shown, electrodes 700a, 700b, and 700c can be formed. Specifically, electrode 700 can be formed by elongating a metal film, photolithography, and etching, or by the hard mask technique used in this invention. Electrode 700 can be a single-layer metal composed of a single metal or alloy, or it can be a composite metal film including a main metal layer and an adhesive layer, wherein the adhesive layer is formed between the substrate 600 and the main metal layer, and between the main metal layer and the first type pattern 800 or the second type pattern 900. The main metal layer can be a metal such as Cu or Al, and the adhesive layer material can be Cr, Ti, Sn, In, or similar metals, or alloys of the above metals.

[0117] Then, as Figure 7B As shown, step 2) involves placing the substrate 600 within the substrate receiving portion 120 of the substrate carrier plate 100. After placing the substrate 600 in place in step 2), it can be combined according to Embodiment 2. Figures 6B to 6DIn the described manner, step 3) involves sequentially placing a lower mask plate 200 and a first upper mask plate 300 on the first main surface 100a of the substrate carrier plate 100 so that the lower mask plate 200 and the first upper mask plate 300 are respectively aligned with the center of the substrate carrier plate. Specifically, step 3) includes the following steps: placing the lower mask plate 200 above the main surface 600a of the substrate 600; inserting a first positioning pin 510 through a first alignment through hole 230 provided in the lower mask plate into the first positioning hole 130 to determine the alignment position of the lower mask plate 200 relative to the substrate carrier portion 100; positioning the first upper mask plate 300 such that the first positioning pin 510 can be engaged in the third alignment through hole 330 of the first upper mask plate 300, and sliding the first upper mask plate 300 along the direction determined by the first positioning pin 510 until it contacts the lower mask plate 200, thereby determining the alignment position of the first upper mask plate 300 with respect to the substrate carrier plate 100. Further, step 3) also includes: inserting the second positioning pin 540 through the fourth alignment through-hole 340 and the second alignment through-hole 240 into the second positioning hole 140 to obtain a first combination tool 1010 for forming the first type of pattern. Preferably, by aligning the first upper mask and the lower mask relative to the center of the substrate support plate, the center of the first type of pattern opening of the first upper mask plate coincides with the center of the first type of pattern through-hole of the lower mask plate, and the first type of pattern through-hole is fully exposed through the first type of pattern opening. Since the sixth alignment through-hole of the second upper mask plate is slightly smaller than the diameter of the fourth alignment through-hole but slightly larger than the diameter of the second positioning hole, inserting the second positioning pin into the second positioning hole through the sixth alignment through-hole and the fourth alignment through-hole can further assist the alignment of the first upper mask plate with respect to the substrate support plate by fine-tuning the position of the first upper mask plate.

[0118] Then, proceed to step 4): Place the first combined tool 1010 into the thin film growth apparatus, and deposit a thin film of the first type of material on the first main surface 600a of the substrate 600 through the first type of pattern opening 320 and the first type of pattern through-hole 220a to form the first type of pattern 800. As an example, the first type of material used to form the first type of pattern 800 can be a single material or multiple materials. The thin film of the first type of material can be a single-layer thin film composed of a single material or a composite film composed of multiple materials stacked together. For example, the thin film of the first type of material is a composite film composed of an N-type thermoelectric material and a conductive adhesion layer (such as Sn) stacked from bottom to top, and the thin film of the first type of material can be deposited by, for example, vacuum evaporation, sputtering deposition, or similar processes. The size and thickness of the first type of pattern 800 can be designed as needed. For example, the size of the first type of pattern 800 is between 10 micrometers and 10 centimeters, and the thickness is between 3 micrometers and 100 micrometers.

[0119] Next, after completing the thin film deposition of the first type of material in step 4), the first combined tool is removed from the thin film growth equipment, and step 5) is performed, in which the second upper mask 400 is positioned on the first main surface 200a of the lower mask 200 so that the second upper mask 400 is aligned with the center of the substrate support plate 100. Specifically, step 5) includes the following steps: removing the second positioning pin 540 and removing the first upper mask 300; positioning the second upper mask 400 such that the first positioning pin 510 can be engaged in the fifth alignment through hole 430 of the second upper mask 400, and sliding the second upper mask 400 along the direction determined by the first positioning pin 510 until it contacts the lower mask 200; inserting the second positioning pin 540 through the sixth alignment through hole 440 and the second alignment through hole 240 into the second positioning hole 140 to obtain the second combined tool 1020 for forming the second type of pattern. Preferably, by aligning the second upper mask and the lower mask with the center of the substrate carrier plate respectively, the second type pattern opening of the second upper mask coincides with the center of the second type pattern through hole of the lower mask, and the second type pattern through hole is fully exposed through the second type pattern opening.

[0120] Then, proceed to step 6): Place the second combined tool 1020 into the thin film growth apparatus. A thin film of the second type of material can be deposited on the main surface 600a of the substrate 600 through the second type of pattern opening 420 and the second type of pattern through-hole 220b to form a second type of pattern. The deposition of the second type of material can be performed in the same or different thin film growth apparatus as the deposition of the first type of material. As an example, the second type of material used to form the second type of pattern can be a single material or multiple materials, and the thin film of the second type of material can be a single-layer thin film composed of a single material or a composite film composed of multiple materials stacked together. For example, the thin film of the second type of material is a composite film composed of a P-type thermoelectric material and a conductive adhesive layer (such as Sn) stacked from bottom to top. The size and thickness of the second type of pattern 900 can be designed as needed, for example, the size of the second type of pattern 900 is between 10 micrometers and 10 centimeters, and the thickness is between 3 micrometers and 100 micrometers.

[0121] After completing the thin film deposition of the second type of material, the second assembly tool 1020 is disassembled, and the substrate 600 is removed from the substrate carrier plate, resulting in a microstructure formed on the first main surface 600a, including a first type of pattern 800 composed of an electrode 700, an N-type thermoelectric material, and a conductive adhesive layer, and a second type of pattern 900 composed of a P-type thermoelectric material and a conductive adhesive layer (such as Sn). Figure 7D As shown. Depending on the desired application requirements of the thermoelectric device, the required electrodes can be further formed on the obtained microstructure above the first type pattern 800 and the second type pattern 900.

[0122] The micro-patterning method provided in this embodiment achieves high pattern alignment accuracy with a simple method. At the same time, since the formation of micro-structures does not require the commonly used photolithography and etching processes, the processing difficulty and cost are greatly reduced.

[0123] As described above, the microstructure processing fixture of the present invention and the micro-patterning method using the aforementioned microstructure processing fixture have the following beneficial effects:

[0124] The microstructure processing fixture provided by this invention utilizes a lower mask plate fixed relative to the substrate to define an opening for forming micro-patterns composed of two or more materials. An upper mask plate stacked on top of the lower mask plate determines the formation of a micro-pattern of one of the materials on the substrate. This ensures that the alignment error between the micro-patterns is mainly determined by the processing accuracy of the opening of the first mask plate. Hard mask technology can be used to process micro-patterns of two or more materials, effectively improving the alignment accuracy between micro-patterns of various materials, which is beneficial for pattern miniaturization and enhances device performance.

[0125] The method for manufacturing microstructures of the present invention uses the aforementioned microstructure processing fixture. The manufacturing method is simple to operate and improves the alignment accuracy between micro-patterns of two or more types of materials, thereby improving the micro-processing accuracy and process repeatability.

[0126] This invention effectively overcomes the limitations of conventional hard mask processes, and can obtain micro-patterns of desired size through the preparation method of this invention, which has a wide range of application scenarios and application prospects.

[0127] Therefore, this invention effectively overcomes the various shortcomings of the prior art and has high industrial application value.

[0128] The above embodiments are merely illustrative of the principles and effects of the present invention and are not intended to limit the invention. Any person skilled in the art can modify or alter the above embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, all equivalent modifications or alterations made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and technical concept disclosed in the present invention should still be covered by the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A microstructure machining fixture, characterized in that, include: A substrate carrier plate, wherein the main surface of the substrate carrier plate is provided with a substrate receiving portion for accommodating a substrate, two or more first positioning holes and two or more second positioning holes; The lower mask plate is provided with a first type of patterned through hole and a second type of patterned through hole penetrating the first main surface and the second main surface, a first alignment through hole corresponding to the first positioning hole, and a second alignment through hole corresponding to the second positioning hole. The first type of patterned through hole and the second type of patterned through hole are provided with patterns corresponding to the microstructure to be formed. The first upper mask plate is provided with a first type of graphic opening, a third alignment through hole, and a fourth alignment through hole penetrating its first main surface and second main surface. The first type of graphic opening is provided corresponding to the first type of graphic through hole, the third alignment through hole is provided corresponding to the first positioning hole, and the fourth alignment through hole is provided corresponding to the second positioning hole. The second upper mask plate is provided with a second graphic opening, a fifth alignment through hole, and a sixth alignment through hole penetrating its first main surface and second main surface. The second graphic opening is provided in correspondence with the second type of graphic through hole, the fifth alignment through hole is provided in correspondence with the first positioning hole, and the sixth alignment through hole is provided in correspondence with the second positioning hole. A first positioning pin and a second positioning pin are configured such that when the substrate carrier plate, the lower mask plate, and the first upper mask plate or the second upper mask plate are stacked together, the first positioning pin passes through the fifth or third alignment through hole and the first alignment through hole to be embedded in the first positioning hole, and the second positioning pin passes through the sixth or fourth alignment through hole and the second alignment through hole to be embedded in the second positioning hole, so that the first upper mask plate is aligned with the center of the substrate carrier plate and the first type of pattern through hole is exposed through the first type of pattern opening of the first upper mask plate, or so that the second upper mask plate is aligned with the center of the substrate carrier plate and the second type of pattern through hole is exposed through the second type of pattern opening of the second upper mask plate.

2. The microstructure processing fixture according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first positioning hole and the second positioning hole are located at different radial positions. The first positioning hole is symmetrically distributed with respect to the center of the substrate support plate, and the second positioning hole is symmetrically distributed with respect to the center of the substrate support plate.

3. The microstructure processing fixture according to claim 1, characterized in that: The top of the second positioning pin is provided with a cap, the planar dimension of which is larger than the diameter of the fourth alignment through hole or the sixth alignment through hole, so as to prevent the first upper mask plate or the second upper mask plate from sliding in the height direction when it passes through the fourth alignment through hole or the sixth alignment through hole and the second alignment through hole and is embedded in the second positioning hole.

4. The microstructure processing fixture according to claim 1, characterized in that: The planar shape of the substrate receiving portion is the same as or similar to the shape of the substrate. When the center of the substrate coincides with the center of the substrate receiving portion, the minimum distance between the outer edge of the substrate and the inner edge of the substrate receiving portion is less than 100 micrometers.

5. The microstructure processing fixture according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first positioning hole is a screw hole, and the first positioning pin is a threaded screw for fixing the first upper mask or the second upper mask and the lower mask; and / or The second positioning hole is a screw hole, and the second positioning pin is a threaded screw for fixing the first upper mask or the second upper mask and the lower mask.

6. The microstructure processing fixture according to claim 1, characterized in that: The opening of the first type of pattern is slightly larger than the through hole of the first type of pattern; the opening of the second type of pattern is slightly larger than the through hole of the second type of pattern.

7. The microstructure processing fixture according to claim 1, characterized in that: The diameter of the fifth alignment through hole is slightly smaller than the diameter of the first alignment through hole and slightly larger than the diameter of the first positioning hole, and the diameter of the sixth alignment through hole is slightly smaller than the diameter of the second alignment through hole and slightly larger than the diameter of the second positioning hole.

8. A method for machining micro-patterns using the micro-structure machining fixture according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, The micro-pattern processing method includes: The substrate is placed in the substrate receiving portion of the substrate carrier plate; The lower mask and the first upper mask are sequentially placed on the main surface of the substrate carrier plate so that the lower mask and the first upper mask are respectively aligned with the center of the substrate carrier plate, including the following steps: The lower mask is placed above the main surface of the substrate; The first positioning pin is inserted into the first positioning hole by passing through the first alignment through hole provided in the lower mask plate, so as to determine the alignment position of the lower mask plate with respect to the substrate support plate; The first upper mask is positioned such that the first locating pin engages with the third alignment through hole of the first upper mask, and the first upper mask is slid along the direction determined by the first locating pin until it contacts the lower mask. The second positioning pin is inserted into the second positioning hole by passing through the fourth alignment through hole and the second alignment through hole to obtain a first combination tool for forming a first type of pattern; The first combined tool is placed in a thin film growth apparatus, and a thin film of the first type of material is deposited on the main surface of the substrate through the first type of pattern opening and the first type of pattern through-hole to form the first type of pattern. After removing the first assembly tool from the thin film growth equipment, positioning the second upper mask on the first main surface of the lower mask to align the second upper mask with the center of the substrate carrier plate includes the following steps: Remove the second positioning pin and the first upper mask plate, position the second upper mask plate such that the first positioning pin can engage with the fifth alignment through hole of the second upper mask plate, and slide the second upper mask plate along the direction determined by the first positioning pin until it contacts the lower mask plate; The second positioning pin is inserted into the second positioning hole by passing through the sixth alignment through hole and the second alignment through hole to obtain a second combination tool for forming a second type of pattern; The second combination tool is placed in a thin film growth apparatus, and a thin film of the second type of material is deposited on the main surface of the substrate through the second type of pattern opening and the second type of pattern through hole to form the second type of pattern.

9. The micro-patterning method according to claim 8, characterized in that: The first type of material and the second type of material are thermoelectric materials, and the thin film deposition of the first type of material and the thin film deposition of the second type of material are performed in the same thin film growth equipment.

10. The micro-patterning method according to claim 8, characterized in that: The first type of material is an N-type thermoelectric material, and the second type of material is a P-type thermoelectric material.

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