Imprint Gas Supply Control for Sequential Region Patterning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing imprint devices face challenges in maintaining gas concentration during sequential imprinting on a substrate, leading to potential defects and reduced productivity due to gas depletion.
Innovation Solution
An imprint device with a gas supply unit that controls gas distribution between a mold and substrate by adjusting gas supply based on the direction change of substrate movement, using multiple gas supply paths and a control unit to ensure consistent gas concentration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If gas supply is not adjusted during sequential imprinting, then gas concentration decreases, but device complexity increases with direction-based control
Solution Approach 1:
The gas supply system dynamically adjusts gas supply based on substrate movement direction detection. The control unit receives direction information and modifies gas supply parameters accordingly, transforming a static gas supply system into a dynamic one that adapts to changing imprinting conditions to maintain optimal gas concentration
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback control by detecting substrate movement direction and using this information to adjust gas supply. The control unit continuously monitors movement direction and modifies gas supply parameters in response, creating a closed-loop control system that maintains gas concentration despite sequential imprinting operations
2Manufacturing precision
If gas supply is increased to maintain concentration, then gas consumption increases, but manufacturing precision improves by reducing defects
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies gas supply locally and selectively based on detected movement direction. Instead of uniform gas supply to all regions, the control unit directs gas supply specifically to areas where substrate movement indicates potential gas concentration depletion, optimizing gas distribution to prevent defects while minimizing overall gas consumption
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary gas supply adjustments based on predicted gas concentration changes from substrate movement. By detecting movement direction before completing the imprinting operation, the system can pre-adjust gas supply to prevent concentration depletion, avoiding defects proactively rather than reactively
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
The solution effectively maintains high gas concentration, reducing defects and enhancing productivity by stabilizing gas levels during imprinting operations.
Implementation Method 1
a gas supply unit configured to supply a gas to an imprint space between the mold and the substrate
Data Source
AI summary
A device including a mold holding unit that holds a mold, a mold driver that moves the mold holding unit, a substrate holding unit that holds a substrate, a substrate driver that moves the substrate holding unit, and a gas supply unit that supplies a gas to an imprint space between the mold and the substrate. A control unit causes an imprinting operation to be sequentially performed on a plurality of imprint regions. When a substrate moving direction is to be changed from a first to a second direction to move the substrate from a first to a second imprint region, the control unit causes the gas supply unit to supply the gas to the imprint space from the first and second directions during the imprinting operation being performed on the first imprint region and before the moving direction changes from the first to the second direction.