Imprinting Apparatus Flexible Member Strain Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current imprinting technologies face challenges in achieving high overlaying accuracy and maintaining precise alignment between substrates and molds, particularly due to deformation and vibration caused by external forces, which affects the superposition accuracy and requires advanced control mechanisms for pressing forces.
Innovation Solution
The proposed imprinting apparatus includes a flexible member connecting the mold holding unit to a movable base, with a control unit that measures strain or deformation and adjusts the driving mechanism accordingly, ensuring precise alignment and maintaining high rigidity to prevent distortion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a mold is pressed against an imprinting material on a substrate using a driving mechanism, then the imprinting process can be performed, but deformation and vibration from external forces cause mismatch in relative positions between holding members, decreasing superposition accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
A sensor detects the actual pressing force applied by the mold to the imprinting material, and this detection value is fed back to a control unit. The control unit compares the detected force with a target pressing force and adjusts the driving mechanism to correct any deviation, thereby maintaining high superposition accuracy despite external disturbances
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses its own sensor to automatically detect and measure the pressing force, eliminating the need for external measurement devices. The control unit automatically adjusts the driving mechanism based on the sensor feedback, enabling self-correction of positioning errors without manual intervention
2Manufacturing precision
If the pressing force of the mold is controlled using driving output of the actuator, then the imprinting process can be managed, but changes in thrust constant due to aging degradation or heat cause the relation between driving output and pressing force to change, decreasing superposition accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of relying on the potentially drifting relationship between driving output and pressing force, the system directly measures the actual pressing force using a sensor and feeds this information back to the control unit. This direct feedback approach compensates for changes in thrust constant due to aging or heat, maintaining accurate pressing force control over time
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces reliance on mechanical actuator characteristics (which degrade over time) with a sensor-based measurement and control system. The sensor directly measures the pressing force, and the control unit adjusts the actuator based on this measurement, substituting mechanical precision requirements with electronic control and sensing
3Manufacturing precision
If alignment marks are superimposed to achieve horizontal alignment, then positioning can be performed, but alignment errors cause shift or deviation in rotational component, requiring high precision
Solution Approach 1:
The system measures the actual pressing force and uses this feedback to adjust the alignment, providing an additional degree of freedom for correction. This feedback mechanism helps compensate for alignment errors in both horizontal and vertical directions, reducing the sensitivity to initial alignment precision requirements
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 solution enhances the superimposition accuracy by minimizing alignment errors and maintaining precise control over the pressing force, even under conditions of deformation or vibration, thereby improving the overall precision of pattern formation on substrates.
Implementation Method 1
a first measurer configured to measure a strain amount or a deformation amount of the second flexible member
Data Source
AI summary
An imprinting apparatus that brings a mold with a pattern into contact with an imprinting material applied to a substrate and forms the pattern of the imprinting material on the substrate is provided. The imprinting apparatus includes: an imprinting head including a fixing unit, a movable unit base that is connected via a first flexible member from the fixing unit, a mold holding member that holds the mold, and a second flexible member that connects the movable unit base to the mold holding member; a first driving mechanism configured to drive the imprinting head to bring the mold held by the mold holding member into contact with the imprinting material on the substrate held by a substrate holding unit; a control unit configured to control the first driving mechanism; and a first measurer configured to measure a strain amount or a deformation amount of the second flexible member, or a relative position of the mold holding member or the mold to the movable unit base.