Flexible Sheet Contacting with Anchor Alignment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for lateral alignment of flexible stamps with substrates are inaccurate and irreproducible, especially at the micrometer scale or smaller, due to difficulties in controlling the contact process and aligning the stamp with the substrate surface.

Innovation Solution

A method involving an anchor surface for temporary contact with the flexible sheet, allowing for precise adjustment of the relative position to correct lateral misalignment, followed by a more accurate second contacting process that establishes contact near the existing contact front, reducing deformation and improving alignment accuracy and reproducibility.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If a flexible stamp is aligned with a substrate surface before contacting, then the alignment can be adjusted, but the lateral alignment accuracy remains poor especially at micrometer scale or less

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelateral alignment accuracyVSAvoidcontact control complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The contact process is segmented into three distinct stages: initial contact at center, contact front propagation outward, and final contact completion. This segmentation allows precise control and measurement at each stage, improving lateral alignment accuracy by enabling intermediate adjustment between stages while maintaining manageable process complexity through systematic breakdown of the contacting operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Manufacturing precision

If contact is established in a single step, then the process is simple, but the lateral alignment is inaccurate and irreproducible

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelateral alignment reproducibilityVSAvoidcontact process efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The method performs preliminary actions by first establishing initial contact at the center of the flexible stamp with the substrate, then propagating the contact front outward in a controlled manner before final contact completion. This preliminary contact establishment allows for intermediate measurement and adjustment of lateral alignment, improving reproducibility while the systematic three-stage approach maintains reasonable productivity through automated control.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The invention incorporates feedback mechanisms by measuring lateral alignment during the contact process, particularly between the initial contact and final contact stages. The contact front propagation stage provides an intermediate state where alignment can be assessed and adjusted if necessary, ensuring reproducible results while the automated feedback control maintains process efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Measurement precision

If alignment patterns are used for lateral alignment, then alignment can be visualized, but the alignment accuracy at micrometer scale or less is still insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelateral alignment accuracyVSAvoidalignment process simplicity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The invention replaces reliance on visual alignment patterns with a mechanical contact-based alignment system. By using the physical contact front propagation between the flexible stamp and substrate, along with measurement devices that detect lateral misalignment during the contact process, the method achieves micrometer-scale or better alignment accuracy without depending on optical alignment patterns, thereby maintaining manufacturing simplicity while dramatically improving precision.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentEP2104573B1Method and system for contacting of a flexible sheet and a substrate

Publication Date: 2017.12.27 KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS NV

Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 2C~2D

AI summary

The invention relates to a method for contacting a flexible sheet to a first element with improved lateral alignment. The method includes a step of measuring a first lateral misalignment after establishing a first contact between the flexible sheet and either of the first element and a sheet parking surface called anchor in the first stage. If the 5 misalignment exceeds a predetermined threshold the flexible sheet is parked at the anchor such that it is not in contact with the first element, and the relative position of the first element and the anchor is altered during the second stage for correcting the mismatch during a contact between the flexible sheet and the first element to be established within the next step of the method. During the steps of shifting the contact point to obtain the second stage 10 the contacting process is more accurate and reproducible than the process for establishing the init ial contact. The invention also relates to an apparatus for executing the method, and the use of the method and apparatus for the manufacture of devices.