Imprint Apparatus Droplet Control for Substrate Distortion
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing imprint apparatuses face challenges in forming uniform patterns on substrates with surface distortions or unevenness caused by substrate deformation or suction pressure, leading to defects in the imprint process, especially in the peripheral regions where the substrate is bent or has steps.
Innovation Solution
An imprint apparatus with a control unit that determines the position and amount of the imprint material based on surface height measurements, ensuring accurate droplet placement and mold contact to correct for substrate distortions and prevent pattern defects by adjusting the mold shape and substrate deformation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a substrate is held by a chuck with suction pressure, then the substrate can be securely held, but local distortion and surface unevenness are generated in the substrate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by measuring and compensating for surface height at specific locations (edge regions) of the substrate rather than assuming uniform flatness across the entire substrate. The control unit determines droplet supply positions and amounts based on local surface height measurements, allowing different regions of the substrate to be treated according to their specific distortion characteristics.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary action by measuring the surface height of the substrate before the imprint process and using this information to pre-determine the droplet supply parameters. This advance measurement and calculation allows the system to compensate for pre-existing distortions before the actual patterning occurs.
2Ease of manufacture
If droplet supply position is fixed without considering substrate distortion, then the supply process is simple, but pattern defects occur in peripheral regions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the droplet supply system adaptive rather than fixed. The control unit dynamically determines droplet supply positions and amounts based on real-time surface height measurement data, allowing the supply system to adjust to the actual substrate condition and compensate for distortions in peripheral regions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback by using surface height measurement data to control the droplet supply process. The control unit receives measurement information about substrate surface height, processes this feedback, and adjusts droplet supply parameters accordingly, creating a closed-loop system that compensates for substrate distortion.
3Productivity
If the imprint process is performed on deformed substrates without correction, then the process is fast, but pattern defects are generated due to improper mold contact
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by measuring substrate surface height before the imprint process and pre-calculating the appropriate droplet supply parameters. This advance preparation allows the system to compensate for substrate deformation before the actual imprinting, maintaining both speed and precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements parameter changes by adjusting droplet supply parameters (position and amount) based on measured surface height conditions. The control unit modifies these parameters to compensate for substrate distortion, ensuring proper mold contact and pattern formation even on deformed substrates.
Data Source
AI summary
An imprint apparatus that performs an imprint process of forming a pattern on an imprint material supplied on a substrate by bringing the imprint material into contact with a mold. The imprint apparatus includes a holding unit configured to hold the substrate, a supply unit configured to supply a droplet of the imprint material to the substrate in a partial region, the partial region including an edge of the substrate and with which a part of a pattern region of the mold is to come into contact in the imprint process, and a control unit configured to determine a position or an amount of the droplet of the imprint material to be supplied to the partial region, based on measurement data on a surface height of the partial region in a state in which the holding unit holds the substrate.