Imprint Mold Conveyance Mechanism Thickness Compensation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge in the imprint apparatus is accurately transferring molds of varying thicknesses between the mold driving and conveyance mechanisms, as existing methods struggle to account for differences in mold thickness, leading to potential misalignment and reduced driving range limitations.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a mold conveyance mechanism that uses thickness information to adjust the handover position of the mold between the mold driving and conveyance mechanisms, ensuring accurate alignment and handling regardless of the mold's thickness by controlling the position based on the distance between the peripheral and held regions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the mold conveyance mechanism positions the lower surface of the mold at a predetermined height, then the handover position is fixed, but the position of the upper surface changes depending on mold thickness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the positioning parameter from the lower surface height to the upper surface height. The mold conveyance mechanism now positions the upper surface of the mold at a predetermined height, which serves as the reference for handover to the mold driving mechanism. This parameter change ensures that regardless of mold thickness variations, the upper surface (which includes the pattern region) is always at the correct position for accurate imprinting and handover.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the mold driving mechanism has a large stroke to accommodate various mold thicknesses, then it can handle different mold types, but the driving accuracy becomes more difficult to maintain
Solution Approach 1:
The mold conveyance mechanism performs preliminary positioning of the mold upper surface at a predetermined height before the mold driving mechanism takes over. This preliminary action ensures that the mold is already at the correct position and height when transferred to the mold driving mechanism, eliminating the need for the driving mechanism to compensate for thickness variations through large strokes, thereby maintaining high driving accuracy.
3Device complexity
If the mold conveyance mechanism holds the lower surface of the mold, then the holding structure is simple, but the upper surface position varies with mold thickness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the holding and positioning parameter from the lower surface to the upper surface of the mold. The mold conveyance mechanism is designed to hold and position the upper surface at a predetermined height, ensuring consistent positioning accuracy for molds of various thicknesses while maintaining a relatively simple structure through the use of a chucking mechanism.
Data Source
AI summary
An imprint apparatus forms a pattern on a substrate by bringing a pattern region of a mold into contact with imprint material on the substrate and curing the imprint material. The mold has first and second surfaces. The first surface includes the pattern region and a peripheral region surrounding the pattern region. The second surface includes a held region. The imprint apparatus includes a mold driving mechanism to hold the held region of the mold and drive the mold, a mold conveyance mechanism to hold the peripheral region of the mold and convey the mold, and a controller to control the mold conveyance mechanism based on thickness between the peripheral region and the held region.