Imprint Apparatus Suction Control for Mold Separation
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Solution Overview
Problem
In imprint apparatuses, the sudden separation stress between molds and cured imprint materials often leads to pattern distortion and defects, particularly when forming finer patterns, and weakening substrate suction pressure to mitigate this stress can result in reduced productivity due to substrate detachment.
Innovation Solution
An imprint apparatus with a mold holder and substrate holder that adjusts suction forces and tilts the mold during separation, weakening suction at the separation point while maintaining strength on the periphery to reduce stress and prevent substrate detachment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the suction pressure of the substrate holder is weakened to reduce separation stress during mold separation, then pattern distortion and defects are reduced, but the substrate holding force decreases causing the substrate to fall off from the substrate holder
Solution Approach 1:
The substrate holder is divided into multiple independent suction regions (first suction region and second suction region) with different suction pressures. The first suction region maintains strong holding force to prevent substrate fall-off, while the second suction region reduces holding force to allow controlled substrate rise and reduce separation stress, thus resolving the contradiction between pattern formation accuracy and substrate holding stability.
Solution Approach 2:
Different suction pressures are applied to different locations of the substrate holder. The first suction region (where the mold separates) has reduced suction pressure to minimize separation stress, while the second suction region (peripheral area) maintains strong suction pressure to prevent substrate fall-off. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction by optimizing each region's function.
2Reliability
If the suction pressure of the substrate holder is maintained strong to prevent substrate fall-off, then substrate holding stability is improved, but separation stress increases causing pattern distortion and defects
Solution Approach 1:
The substrate holder is segmented into first and second suction regions with different suction pressures. During mold separation, the first suction region reduces pressure to allow substrate rise and reduce separation stress (improving pattern accuracy), while the second suction region maintains strong pressure to prevent substrate fall-off (maintaining holding stability).
Solution Approach 2:
Local quality differentiation is applied by setting different suction pressures in different regions. The first suction region has reduced pressure locally to minimize separation stress at the mold-substrate interface, while the second suction region maintains high pressure locally to secure the substrate periphery, thus resolving the contradiction.
3Productivity
If mold separation is performed quickly to improve productivity, then production efficiency increases, but separation stress causes pattern distortion and defects
Solution Approach 1:
Before mold separation, the suction pressure in the first suction region is reduced in advance to prepare the substrate for separation. This preliminary action allows the substrate to rise slightly and reduces the adhesion between mold and substrate, enabling faster separation without causing pattern distortion, thus improving productivity while maintaining precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The suction pressure parameter is dynamically changed during the separation process. By reducing the suction pressure in the first suction region before and during separation, the stress on the pattern is reduced, allowing for faster separation speed without compromising pattern accuracy, thereby improving productivity.
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 effectively suppresses pattern distortion and defects while maintaining substrate stability, enhancing productivity by preventing substrate fall-off during mold separation.
Implementation Method 1
a substrate holder (6) including a plurality of suction regions for chucking the substrate
Data Source
AI summary
An imprint apparatus comprises a mold holder configured to move while holding the mold, and a substrate holder including a plurality of suction regions for chucking the substrate and configured to move while holding the substrate. When performing the mold separation, among the plurality of suction regions, a suction force of a suction region at a position where the mold is to be separated from the imprint material is made weaker than a suction force of a suction region on a peripheral side of the substrate than the position where the mold is to be separated, and the mold holder is tilted after at least one of the mold holder and the substrate holder is moved by a predetermined amount so as to widen a gap between the mold and the substrate.