Contact or near-contact patterning device

Abstract

The utility model relates to a contact or near-contact patterning device. The patterning apparatus includes: a base stage movable in an X direction and a Y direction; a patterning member capable of moving in the Z direction and having a patterning end portion in contact or near contact with the substrate to be patterned; and the observation view field of the observation part is aligned with the patterning end part, the observation part comprises a part of or all patterning areas of the substrate to be patterned, and the observation part and the patterning part have an adjustable fixed space relationship. According to the utility model, the patterning equipment which can flexibly move in three dimensions is obtained, the initial state of contact or near-contact patterning can be observed in real time, and the patterning process is monitored.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model belongs to the technical field of patterning equipment, in particular to the technical field of patterning equipment for semiconductors, chips, etc., and specifically to a contact or near-contact patterning equipment. Background Art

[0002] Patterning can be understood as a method of obtaining a film layer that conforms to a predetermined pattern on a substrate according to a predetermined pattern. In practical applications, it usually involves the use of different patterning materials for synchronous patterning. Researchers have developed a variety of solution patterning methods, including contact or transfer printing, electrohydrodynamic jet printing and inkjet printing. The solution patterning includes contact patterning or near-contact patterning. The contact patterning method is to use a patterning device to directly write patterning on the substrate according to a predetermined pattern, which may include stamp contact printing, scraping, direct writing and other methods. The near-contact patterning is patterning by spraying and other methods at a very close distance from the substrate, which may include inkjet printing, jet printing and other methods.

[0003] However, for contact or near-contact patterning methods, conditions need to be strictly controlled in order to obtain patterns with higher pixels and precision. The field urgently needs to develop a device that can meet the requirements of contact or near-contact patterning methods to perform precise patterning, especially for patterning of semiconductors, chips, etc. Utility Model Content

[0004] In view of the shortcomings of the prior art, the purpose of the present invention is to provide a contact or near-contact patterning device, the patterning device comprising:

[0005] a substrate stage capable of movement in the X and Y directions;

[0006] a patterning member capable of moving in the Z direction and having a patterned end portion in contact or near contact with a substrate to be patterned;

[0007] An observation component has an observation field aligned with the patterned end and includes part or all of the patterned area of ​​the substrate to be patterned, and the observation component has an adjustable fixed spatial relationship with the patterned component.

[0008] In a specific embodiment, the substrate carrier includes a heat-conducting carrier surface and a heating mechanism disposed below the heat-conducting carrier surface.

[0009] Exemplarily, the heating mechanism includes any one of a heating rod, a heating plate, a heating pad, or a combination of at least two of them.

[0010] Preferably, the substrate stage is provided with a temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the substrate stage.

[0011] In a specific embodiment, a vent hole is provided on the surface of the heat conducting platform, and a negative pressure cavity is provided below the surface of the heat conducting platform, and the negative pressure cavity is used to form a negative pressure when the vent hole is covered.

[0012] In a specific embodiment, the substrate stage further includes a pressure sensor disposed at the bottom of the substrate stage for monitoring the pressure of the substrate stage.

[0013] This application does not make any specific limitations on the patterned components. As long as the patterned structure can be in contact or near contact with the substrate to be patterned, it can be used in this application. Exemplary ones may include scrapers, conical flexible fiber arrays, elastomeric microneedle arrays, threaded rods, patterned flexible stamps, injection valves, precision screw pumps, extrusion printing closed transfer heads, etc.

[0014] In a specific embodiment, the patterning component includes a liquid storage cavity for storing a dispersion of a material to be patterned, and a liquid outlet component for the dispersion of the material to be patterned connected to the liquid storage cavity, wherein the liquid outlet component is used to transfer the dispersion of the material to be patterned to the substrate to be patterned; a liquid outlet end of the liquid outlet component is in contact with or in close contact with the substrate to be patterned;

[0015] The observation field of the observation component is aligned with the liquid outlet end of the liquid storage component.

[0016] Preferably, the liquid outlet component comprises a flexible fiber bundle direct writing component, and the flexible fiber bundle direct writing component comprises at least two tapered flexible fibers;

[0017] In the flexible fiber bundle direct writing component, the tapered flexible fibers are designed so that the tapered ends can approach each other under the capillary action.

[0018] In a specific embodiment, the patterning device is provided with an X-axis translation stage on the first plane and a Y-axis translation stage on the second plane, the second plane is parallel to the first plane, and the first plane is located on the side of the second plane close to the patterned component, the substrate carrier is provided on the X-axis translation stage and moves synchronously with the X-axis translation stage along the X-axis; the X-axis translation stage is provided on the Y-axis translation stage and moves synchronously with the Y-axis translation stage along the Y-axis.

[0019] In a specific embodiment, the patterning device is provided with a Z-axis translation stage on a third plane perpendicular to the first plane, and the patterning component is provided on the Z-axis translation stage.

[0020] In a specific embodiment, a first rotation axis and a second rotation axis are provided on the Z-axis translation stage, the first rotation axis is perpendicular to the first plane, the second rotation axis is parallel to the first plane, and the second rotation axis can rotate around the first rotation axis, the second rotation plane of the second rotation axis is parallel to the third plane, the observation component is provided on the second rotation axis, and the observation route can rotate along the second rotation plane.

[0021] In view of the deficiencies in the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0022] (1) The present invention obtains a patterning device that can be flexibly moved in three dimensions by setting the moving dimensions of the substrate carrier and the patterning component. By setting an observation component with an adjustable fixed spatial relationship with the patterning component, the initial state of the contact or near-contact patterning can be observed in real time, and the patterning process can be monitored;

[0023] (2) In the preferred embodiment, by setting the first rotation axis and the second rotation axis, the patterning device has six degrees of freedom, which broadens the movement range of the patterning device and enables complex patterning in a wider range;

[0024] (3) In the preferred embodiment, by providing a pressure device, the pressure of the contact or near-contact patterning can be monitored in real time, especially for the contact patterning pressure, so as to facilitate the acquisition of a pattern with higher precision;

[0025] (4) In the preferred embodiment, by providing a temperature control component (heating mechanism and temperature sensor), the temperature of the patterned substrate in contact or near contact can be monitored in real time to adjust the appropriate deliquescence speed and improve the pattern quality of the patterned substrate;

[0026] (5) In the preferred embodiment, by providing a negative pressure chamber and vent holes, the substrate to be patterned can be more firmly loaded on the substrate stage of the patterning device, thereby improving the writing accuracy;

[0027] (5) In the preferred embodiment, the end portion of the flexible fiber bundle direct writing member is smaller in size, enabling writing of patterns with higher precision. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] Figure 1 A schematic structural diagram of a contact or near-contact patterning device provided in one embodiment;

[0029] Figure 2 A schematic structural diagram of a substrate carrier 100 of a contact or near-contact patterning device provided in one embodiment;

[0030] Figure 3A schematic cross-sectional view of a substrate carrier 100 of a contact or near-contact patterning device provided in one embodiment;

[0031] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the structure of three tapered flexible fibers 203 grouped together as a patterned component 200 storing and writing the same solution;

[0032] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the structure of the patterned component 200 with three tapered flexible fibers 203 grouped together to store and write different solutions;

[0033] Figure 6 It is a structural schematic diagram of the observation component and the Z-axis translation stage 600. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0034] The technical solution of the present invention is further explained below in conjunction with specific implementation methods. However, it should be noted that the specific implementation methods are only a concrete implementation and explanation of the essence of the technical solution of the present invention and should not be understood as a limitation on the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0035] The reagents and instruments used in the examples can all be purchased from commercial products, and the detection methods are conventional methods well known in the art.

[0036] like Figures 1 to 3 ( Figure 1 A schematic structural diagram of a contact or near-contact patterning device provided in one embodiment is shown. Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the structure of a substrate carrier 100 of a contact or near-contact patterning device provided in one embodiment. Figure 3 As shown in a cross-sectional structural diagram of a substrate carrier 100 of a contact or near-contact patterning device provided in one embodiment, the present invention provides a contact or near-contact patterning device, comprising:

[0037] A substrate stage 100 capable of moving in the X and Y directions;

[0038] a patterning member 200 capable of moving in the Z direction and having a patterned end portion in contact or near contact with a substrate to be patterned;

[0039] The observation component 300 has an observation field aligned with the patterned end and includes part or all of the patterned area of ​​the substrate to be patterned, and the observation component 300 has an adjustable fixed spatial relationship with the patterning component 200 .

[0040] The substrate stage 100 includes a heat-conducting stage surface 110 and a heating mechanism 120 disposed below the heat-conducting stage surface 110. The substrate stage 100 is also provided with a temperature sensor 130 for detecting the temperature of the substrate stage 100. The heating mechanism 120 can be any one of a heating rod, a heating plate, a heating pad, or a combination of at least two. A vent 101 is provided on the surface of the substrate stage 100, and a negative pressure chamber 140 is provided below the heat-conducting stage surface 110. The negative pressure chamber 140 is used to generate negative pressure when the vent 101 is covered. The substrate stage 100 also includes a pressure sensor 150 disposed at the bottom of the substrate stage 100 for monitoring the pressure of the substrate stage. The patterning apparatus is provided with an X-axis translation stage 400 on a first plane (parallel to the XY plane) and a Y-axis translation stage 500 on a second plane (parallel to the XY plane). The second plane is parallel to the first plane, and the first plane is located on the side of the second plane closer to the patterning component 200. The substrate stage 100 is provided on the X-axis translation stage 400 and moves synchronously with the X-axis translation stage 400 along the X-axis. The X-axis translation stage 400 is provided on the Y-axis translation stage 500 and moves synchronously with the Y-axis translation stage along the Y-axis. The pressure sensor 150 is connected to the X-axis translation stage 400 and is used to measure the pressure applied to the substrate stage 100.

[0041] In a preferred embodiment, the substrate carrier further includes a heat insulating component 160 , which circumferentially wraps the heat conducting carrier surface 110 .

[0042] In one embodiment, the patterned component 200 is capable of moving in the Z direction, such as Figure 4 、 Figure 5 ( Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the structure of three tapered flexible fibers 203 grouped together as a patterned component 200 storing and writing the same solution; Figure 5 As shown in the schematic diagram of the structure of the patterning component 200 when three tapered flexible fibers 203 are grouped to store and write different solutions, the patterning component 200 includes a liquid storage chamber 201 for storing a dispersion of the material to be patterned, and a liquid outlet component 202 for the dispersion of the material to be patterned connected to the liquid storage chamber 201. The liquid outlet component 202 is used to transfer the dispersion of the material to be patterned to the substrate to be patterned; the liquid outlet component 202 includes a flexible fiber bundle direct writing component, which includes three tapered flexible fibers 203 in a group; in the flexible fiber bundle direct writing component, the tapered flexible fibers 203 are designed to be able to approach each other through capillary action. Each group of three tapered flexible fibers 203 can store and write the same solution or different solutions. Figure 4A schematic diagram of the structure of the patterned component 200 with three tapered flexible fibers 203 in a group storing and writing the same solution is given. Figure 5 The schematic diagram of the structure of the patterned component 200 is provided when three tapered flexible fibers 203 are grouped to store and write different solutions. The observation field of the observation component 300 is aligned with the liquid outlet end 2021 of the liquid storage component 200.

[0043] In other embodiments, the flexible fiber bundle direct writing component may include more than two tapered flexible fibers 203, such as three, four, five, or more tapered flexible fibers 203. The patterning device is provided with a Z-axis translation stage 600 on a third plane perpendicular to the first plane, and the patterning component 200 is provided on the Z-axis translation stage 600.

[0044] In a specific embodiment, the observation component 300 has an observation field aligned with the liquid outlet end 2021 of the liquid outlet component 202 and includes part or all of the patterned area of ​​the substrate to be patterned, and the observation component 300 has an adjustable fixed spatial relationship with the patterning component 200. Figure 6 ( Figure 6 As shown in the structural schematic diagram of the observation component and the Z-axis translation stage 600, the Z-axis translation stage 600 is provided with an arc track 601 and a fixed axis 603 arranged at the center of the arc track 601 to match the arc track 601; the arc track 601 is provided with a first slide 604 that rotates around the fixed axis 603, one end of the first slide 604 is fixed on the fixed axis 603, and the other end slides along the arc track 601; the first slide 604 is provided with a groove 605 along the radial direction of the arc of the arc track 601, and a second slide 606 is slidably arranged in the groove 605; a telescopic axis 607 perpendicular to the XZ plane is fixedly installed on the second slide 606; a rotating axis 602 is provided on the side of the telescopic axis 607 away from the second slide 606, and the rotating axis 602 is perpendicular to the XZ plane, and the observation component 300 is provided on the rotating axis 602. The observation component 300 can rotate in the XZ plane under the rotation of the rotation axis 602 to adjust the angle between the observation route and the XY plane; the observation component 300 slides along the direction of the observation route under the action of the second slide 606 to adjust the size of the field of view; the observation component 300 can adjust the distance of the field of view from the XZ plane under the telescopic action of the telescopic shaft 607.

[0045] The working process of the contact or near-contact patterning device provided by the present invention can be:

[0046] (1) Setting a predetermined pattern, including pattern shape, line width, line spacing, etc.;

[0047] (2) preparing a dispersion of a material to be patterned; preparing a blank substrate to be patterned, and placing the blank substrate on a substrate carrier 100;

[0048] (3) Adjusting the Z-axis translation stage 600 according to the predetermined line width, line spacing, etc.;

[0049] (4) Adjust the observation component 300 (which may be the first slide 604, the second slide 606, and the rotating shaft 602) to align the observation field 301 with the liquid outlet end 2021 of the liquid outlet component 202, and ensure that the observation route is from top to bottom;

[0050] (5) The X-axis translation stage 400 and the Y-axis translation stage 500 are activated according to a predetermined pattern shape to perform patterning of the pattern shape.

[0051] In a preferred embodiment, in steps (3) and (5), the Z-axis position of the patterning component 200 during the initial or modified patterning process is set by monitoring the pressure applied to the substrate stage 100;

[0052] In a preferred embodiment, after step (2), the pressure of the negative pressure chamber 140 is first adjusted to below atmospheric pressure;

[0053] In a preferred embodiment, in steps (3) and (4), the temperature of the substrate stage 100 is monitored to set the temperature of the substrate stage during the initial or modified patterning process, so as to achieve faster and higher-quality solvent removal.

[0054] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, rather than to limit it. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the above embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that they can still modify the technical solutions described in the above embodiments, or replace some or all of the technical features therein with equivalents. However, these modifications or replacements do not deviate the essence of the corresponding technical solutions from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A contact or near-contact patterning device, characterized in that The patterning device comprises: a substrate stage capable of movement in the X and Y directions; a patterning member capable of moving in the Z direction and having a patterned end portion in contact or near contact with a substrate to be patterned; An observation component has an observation field aligned with the patterned end and includes part or all of the patterned area of ​​the substrate to be patterned, and the observation component has an adjustable fixed spatial relationship with the patterned component.

2. The patterning device according to claim 1, wherein The substrate carrier includes a heat-conducting carrier surface and a heating mechanism disposed below the heat-conducting carrier surface.

3. The patterning device according to claim 2, wherein The substrate carrier is provided with a temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the substrate carrier.

4. The patterning device according to claim 2, wherein A vent hole is provided on the surface of the heat-conducting carrier, and a negative pressure cavity is provided below the surface of the heat-conducting carrier. The negative pressure cavity is used to form a negative pressure when the vent hole is covered.

5. The patterning device according to claim 1, wherein The substrate stage further includes a pressure sensor disposed at the bottom of the substrate stage for monitoring the pressure of the substrate stage.

6. The patterning device according to claim 1, wherein The patterning component includes a liquid storage cavity for storing a dispersion of a material to be patterned, and a liquid outlet component for the dispersion of the material to be patterned connected to the liquid storage cavity, wherein the liquid outlet component is used to transfer the dispersion of the material to be patterned to the substrate to be patterned; a liquid outlet end of the liquid outlet component is in contact with or in close contact with the substrate to be patterned; The observation field of the observation component is aligned with the liquid outlet end of the liquid outlet component.

7. The patterning device according to claim 6, wherein The liquid outlet component includes a flexible fiber bundle direct writing component, and the flexible fiber bundle direct writing component includes at least two tapered flexible fibers; In the flexible fiber bundle direct writing component, the tapered flexible fibers are designed so that the tapered ends can approach each other under the capillary action.

8. The patterning device according to claim 1, wherein The patterning device is provided with an X-axis translation stage on the first plane and a Y-axis translation stage on the second plane. The second plane is parallel to the first plane, and the first plane is located on the side of the second plane close to the patterned component. The substrate carrier is provided on the X-axis translation stage and moves synchronously with the X-axis translation stage along the X-axis; the X-axis translation stage is provided on the Y-axis translation stage and moves synchronously with the Y-axis translation stage along the Y-axis.

9. The patterning device according to claim 1, wherein The patterning device is provided with a Z-axis translation stage on a third plane perpendicular to the first plane, and the patterning component is provided on the Z-axis translation stage.

10. The patterning device according to claim 9, wherein A first rotation axis and a second rotation axis are set on the Z-axis translation stage, the first rotation axis is perpendicular to the first plane, the second rotation axis is parallel to the first plane, and the second rotation axis can rotate around the first rotation axis, the second rotation plane of the second rotation axis is parallel to the third plane, the observation component is set on the second rotation axis, and the observation route can rotate along the second rotation plane.

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