Imprint Gap Control for Stable Gas Concentration and Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing imprint technologies face challenges in maintaining the concentration of a predetermined gas in the space between a mold and a substrate, which affects the curing process and alignment accuracy, leading to defects in the pattern formed on the substrate due to changes in distance caused by thickness variations between individual molds and substrates.
Innovation Solution
An imprint apparatus that includes a measuring unit to measure the distance between the mold and substrate, and a controller to adjust the driving units to maintain a consistent distance and gas concentration by controlling the mold and substrate positioning, ensuring the gas concentration is reproducible across multiple substrates.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the concentration of predetermined gas in the process space is increased to improve curing efficiency, then curing speed is improved, but alignment accuracy between mold and substrate deteriorates due to premature curing before alignment is completed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by supplying the predetermined gas to the process space before the substrate is positioned under the mold and during the alignment process. This ensures that when alignment is completed and molding begins, the gas concentration is already optimized for curing, eliminating the need to balance between alignment time and curing speed. The gas supply starts in advance (preliminarily) to prepare the environment for subsequent high-speed curing.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the distance between mold and substrate is reduced to maintain gas concentration, then gas concentration stability is improved, but adaptability to thickness variations between different molds and substrates deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the distance between the mold and substrate adjustable rather than fixed. The apparatus can dynamically change the spacing between mold and substrate to accommodate thickness variations of different components while maintaining appropriate gas concentration for curing. This dynamic adjustment capability allows the system to adapt to different mold and substrate thicknesses without compromising gas concentration stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies parameter changes by adjusting the distance parameter between mold and substrate based on the specific thickness of each mold and substrate combination. By changing this spatial parameter, the system maintains optimal gas concentration conditions while adapting to variations in component dimensions, thus resolving the contradiction between stability and adaptability.
3Ease of operation
If air is drawn into the process space during substrate movement to enable material supply, then material arrangement is facilitated, but gas concentration in the process space deteriorates due to dilution with air
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies continuity of useful action by maintaining continuous supply of the predetermined gas to the process space throughout the entire operation, including during substrate movement and material arrangement. This continuous supply compensates for any air that may be drawn into the process space, ensuring that the gas concentration remains stable and effective for curing throughout the complete process sequence without interruption or significant dilution.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach ensures consistent gas concentration in the process space, improving curing efficiency and alignment accuracy, thereby reducing defects and enhancing the reproducibility of the pattern transfer process.
Implementation Method 1
a measuring unit configured to measure, for each of a plurality of substrates loaded into the imprint apparatus, a distance between the mold held by the mold holder and the substrate held by the substrate holder
Implementation Method 2
a controller configured to, in a state in which a predetermined gas is being supplied to a space under the mold held by the mold holder, control the driving unit based on the distance measured by the measuring unit such that the distance is an equal distance between the plurality of substrates
Implementation Method 3
filling the process space with a permeable gas and dissolving or diffusing the permeable gas remaining in the imprint material or the mold, thereby quickly decreasing the residual gas
Implementation Method 4
filling the process space with a permeable gas and dissolving or diffusing the permeable gas remaining in the imprint material or the mold
Implementation Method 5
a photo-curing method. The photo-curing method is a method of curing the imprint material by irradiating it with light in a state in which the imprint material arranged on the substrate is in contact with the mold
Data Source
AI summary
An imprint apparatus including a driving unit configured to relatively drive a mold and a substrate, a measuring unit configured to measure, for each of a plurality of substrates loaded into the imprint apparatus, a distance between the mold and the substrate, and a controller configured to, in a state in which a predetermined gas is being supplied to a space under the mold, control the driving unit based on the distance measured by the measuring unit such that the distance is an equal distance between the plurality of substrates until the substrate is driven from a first position for arranging an imprint material on the substrate to a second position where the imprint material on the substrate faces the mold.