Imprint Mold Separation Pressure Control for Pattern Accuracy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing imprint technologies face issues with nonuniform stress and distortion during mold separation due to differences in mold and substrate deformation, leading to increased pattern defects.
Innovation Solution
An imprint apparatus with mold and substrate deformation mechanisms, measurement units, and a control unit to adjust pressures based on deformation amounts, ensuring the difference between mold and substrate deformation falls within an allowable range during separation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the mold and substrate are separated by lifting the head holding the mold, then the mold separation step is performed, but nonuniform stress and distortion are generated in the contact region due to deformation differences between mold and substrate
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies pressure to the back surface of the mold and/or substrate to control their deformation amounts during separation. By adjusting the pressure parameter, the deformation of mold and substrate is controlled to maintain their difference within an allowable range, preventing nonuniform stress and distortion while enabling successful mold separation.
2Manufacturing precision
If pressure is applied to the back surface of the mold and substrate to control deformation, then nonuniform stress and distortion are reduced, but the device complexity increases due to additional pressure control mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The invention utilizes the back surfaces of the mold and substrate themselves as the application surfaces for pressure control. By applying pressure directly to these existing surfaces, the invention avoids the need for additional complex control mechanisms while still achieving precise deformation control to maintain pattern accuracy.
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 reduces pattern defects by minimizing nonuniform stress and distortion, enabling high-accuracy pattern formation on substrates.
Implementation Method 1
a mold deformation mechanism configured to deform the mold into a convex shape toward a side of the substrate by applying a pressure to the mold
Implementation Method 2
a substrate deformation mechanism configured to deform the substrate into a convex shape toward a side of the mold by applying a pressure to the substrate
Data Source
AI summary
An imprint apparatus including a mold deformation mechanism configured to deform a mold by applying a pressure to the mold, a substrate deformation mechanism configured to deform the substrate by applying a pressure to the substrate, a measurement unit configured to measure a deformation amount of the mold and a deformation amount of the substrate during separating the mold from the cured imprint material on the substrate, and a control unit configured to control, during the separating, a pressure to be applied to the mold by the mold deformation mechanism and a pressure to be applied to the substrate by the substrate deformation mechanism based on the deformation amounts measured by the measurement unit such that a difference between the deformation amount of the mold and the deformation amount of the substrate falls within an allowable range.