Imprint Lithography Apparatus with Swapping Substrate Tables
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current lithographic techniques face limitations in achieving high resolution and precision due to diffraction barriers, material transparency issues, and the need for complex optics and expensive materials, while imprint lithography is restricted by template resolution and prone to pattern distortion from temperature and pressure variations.
Innovation Solution
The development of an imprint lithography apparatus with movable substrate tables and dual imprintable medium dispensers allows for efficient swapping positions and simultaneous imprinting on multiple substrates, enabling improved resolution and throughput by reducing mechanical deformation and temperature-related distortions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If optical lithography uses shorter wavelength radiation to achieve higher resolution, then resolution is improved, but material transparency becomes very poor and complex optics are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the optical system with a mechanical imprinting system. Instead of using light to transfer patterns, a physical template is pressed against the substrate to mechanically transfer the pattern, eliminating the need for complex optics and illumination sources while achieving sub-100 nm resolution
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a physical template that contains a copy of the desired pattern. This template is directly pressed onto the substrate to transfer the pattern, replacing the optical copying process with a mechanical copying process that avoids diffraction limitations and material transparency issues
2Productivity
If imprint lithography uses a single substrate table, then device complexity is reduced, but productivity decreases due to sequential processing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple substrate tables into a single integrated table that can hold multiple substrates simultaneously. This allows parallel processing of multiple substrates while maintaining a relatively simple device structure, improving throughput without proportionally increasing complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from processing substrates sequentially in one dimension to processing multiple substrates simultaneously by adding spatial arrangement in another dimension. Multiple substrates are positioned at different locations on the same table, enabling parallel imprinting operations
3Manufacturing precision
If imprint lithography uses traditional heating and pressing methods, then pattern transfer is achieved, but temperature and pressure variations cause pattern distortion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical state of the imprintable medium from solid to liquid, allowing pattern transfer at lower temperatures and pressures. The liquid state enables better template contact and pattern transfer without the thermal expansion and pressure-induced distortion that affect solid materials
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes the phase transition properties of the imprintable medium, maintaining it in a liquid state during imprinting. This phase state allows the medium to flow and conform to the template pattern accurately, then solidify after imprinting to preserve the pattern without distortion from excessive heating or pressing
Data Source
AI summary
A lithographic apparatus is disclosed that has a first substrate table arranged to hold a substrate and a second substrate table arranged to hold a substrate, an imprint template holder arranged to hold an imprint template, and an imprintable medium dispenser, wherein the first substrate table is moveable between a first position located at or adjacent to the imprintable medium dispenser, and a second position located at or adjacent to the imprint template holder, and the second substrate table is moveable between the first and second positions, such that the first and second substrate tables swap positions.