Imprinting Device Periphery-First Mold Positioning

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Solution Overview

Problem

In the imprinting process for semiconductor devices and MEMS, the periphery portion of the substrate often experiences warping or steps, leading to incomplete contact between the resin and the mold, resulting in defects and resin transfer to subsequent imprinted areas.

Innovation Solution

An imprinting device with a control unit that adjusts the position of the mold or substrate to ensure that the mold faces the inner side of the substrate periphery during imprinting, thereby minimizing defects and resin transfer.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the periphery portion of the substrate is imprinted to improve productivity, then more patterns can be obtained on the substrate, but the substrate warping or steps cause incomplete contact between resin and mold, resulting in defects

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenumber of patterns obtainedVSAvoidcontact completeness between resin and mold

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the conventional imprinting order by processing the periphery shot region before the center shot region. This reversal allows the resin in the periphery to be imprinted when the substrate is most stable, preventing warping-induced contact defects while maintaining high productivity through efficient region sequencing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent performs preliminary imprinting of the periphery shot region before the center region. By completing the periphery imprinting in advance when substrate warping is minimal, the resin achieves complete mold contact, and any potential defects are established early when they can be controlled and managed in the subsequent center imprinting process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Productivity

If resin is applied to periphery portion and imprinted, then more patterns are formed, but resin may stick to mold due to incomplete contact and remain as defects in subsequent imprints

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepattern density on substrateVSAvoiddefect rate in subsequent imprints

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

By inverting the imprinting sequence to process periphery before center, the patent ensures that resin in the periphery region is imprinted when substrate warping is minimal. This prevents resin sticking to the mold and eliminates the risk of transferred defects affecting subsequent center region imprints, thereby maintaining high reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent performs preliminary imprinting of the periphery region to establish complete resin-mold contact before proceeding to the center region. This preliminary action prevents resin sticking and defect formation early in the process, ensuring that subsequent imprints are not compromised by residual stuck resin.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Ease of operation

If conventional imprinting order is used, then process is simple, but resin stuck to mold may be irradiated with light multiple times and cure completely, causing defects

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimprinting process simplicityVSAvoiddefect occurrence due to resin curing

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the imprinting sequence to process periphery before center, which prevents multiple light irradiations of stuck resin. By completing periphery imprinting first when the mold is most likely to be fully separated, the patent minimizes the risk of resin curing from repeated exposure, maintaining manufacturing precision without complicating the overall process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

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 effectively reduces defects caused by incomplete contact and resin transfer, improving the accuracy and productivity of the imprinting process, especially for the periphery portions of substrates.

Implementation Method 1

by irradiating the resin with light to cure the resin

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPhotopolymerisation: Photopolymerisation

Data Source

PatentUS20250172867A1Imprinting device, imprinting method, and method for manufacturing article

Publication Date: 2025.05.29 CANON KK

AI summary

Provided is an imprinting device configured to form a pattern by bringing a resin applied to a substrate into contact with a mold having a pattern and curing the resin, the device including a control unit configured to move the mold or the substrate to a next shot region so that a portion of the mold facing a periphery portion of the substrate at the time of imprinting a shot region of the periphery portion with the mold faces an inner side of the periphery portion of the substrate at the time of imprinting the next shot region.