Imprint Mold Deformation and Alignment Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing imprint technologies face challenges in accurately aligning molds and substrates due to shearing stress and positional shifts during pattern transfer, particularly when the mold is deformed into a convex shape to prevent air bubbles, making precise alignment difficult and time-consuming.
Innovation Solution
An imprint method that deforms the mold's pattern surface into a convex shape to gradually contact the substrate, while detecting mark shifts and using detection units to align the mold and substrate based on relative position data, allowing for accurate alignment even before the entire pattern is in contact with the resin.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If the mold is deformed into a convex shape to prevent air bubbles, then air bubble formation is suppressed, but the positions of marks on the mold change making accurate alignment difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs alignment operations before the mold is fully deformed into its final convex shape. By detecting mark positions at intermediate deformation stages where the pattern surface is partially deformed but not yet fully convex, the system captures mark positions that are easier to detect with higher precision while still maintaining the anti-air-bubble benefit of deformation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the detection unit continuously monitors mark positions during the deformation process. The control unit uses this feedback information to adjust the relative positions of the mold and substrate, compensating for the shifting marks caused by deformation and achieving accurate alignment despite the changing geometry.
2Stability of the object's composition
If alignment is performed after the entire pattern comes into contact with the resin, then the mold is stable, but shearing stress occurs making it difficult to change relative positions and alignment time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs alignment operations before the mold is fully deformed into its final convex shape. By detecting mark positions at intermediate deformation stages where the pattern surface is partially deformed but not yet fully convex, the system captures mark positions that are easier to detect with higher precision while still maintaining the anti-air-bubble benefit of deformation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a dynamic alignment approach where the mold deformation state is continuously adjusted during the alignment process. The control unit modulates the deformation degree to optimize the balance between mark detectability and alignment accuracy, allowing alignment to be performed more quickly by exploiting transient states rather than waiting for static conditions.
3Loss of time
If alignment is performed while the pattern surface is deformed, then alignment time is reduced, but the positions of marks on the mold change making it difficult to accurately align
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the detection unit continuously monitors mark positions during the deformation process. The control unit uses this feedback information to adjust the relative positions of the mold and substrate, compensating for the shifting marks caused by deformation and achieving accurate alignment despite the changing geometry.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the deformation parameter dynamically during the alignment process. By adjusting the degree of mold deformation and detecting mark positions at optimal intermediate states, the system finds the best compromise between alignment speed and accuracy, performing alignment faster than in fully deformed states while maintaining sufficient precision through real-time parameter adjustment.
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 method enables efficient and accurate alignment of the mold and substrate, reducing the time required for alignment and preventing pattern loss by minimizing shearing stress and air bubble formation, thereby improving the throughput and quality of the imprint process.
Implementation Method 1
a deformation step of deforming the pattern surface into a convex shape to bend toward the substrate by applying a first force to the mold
Implementation Method 2
a detection step of detecting the mark on the mold and a mark on the substrate while the pattern surface is deformed
Implementation Method 3
transferring a pattern to an imprint material on a substrate by curing the imprint material while a mold having a pattern surface on which a mark are formed is in contact with the imprint material
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides an imprint method comprising a deformation step of deforming a pattern surface of a mold so that the mold is gradually brought into contact with the imprint material outward from a central portion of the pattern surface, an obtaining step of obtaining a shift amount indicating how much a mark on the mold shifts in a direction parallel to a substrate surface due to deformation of the pattern surface, a detection step of detecting the mark on the mold and a mark on the substrate while the pattern surface is deformed, and obtaining relative positions of the mold and the substrate from a detection result, and an alignment step of aligning the mold and the substrate using the shift amount and the relative positions while the pattern surface is deformed.