Imprinting Apparatus Resin Coating Throughput Optimization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional imprinting techniques require significant substrate movement for coating and pattern transfer, which hampers throughput due to the need for repeated movement between coating and transfer positions.
Innovation Solution
An imprinting method and apparatus that coats resin in multiple shot areas in a direction parallel to the holding and coating units, allowing for simultaneous coating and subsequent pattern transfer, with optimized positioning to minimize substrate movement by selecting distances and widths that satisfy specific conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the substrate is moved between coating position and transfer position for each shot area, then the pattern can be transferred to each shot area, but the throughput is reduced due to repeated substrate movement
Solution Approach 1:
The resin coating is performed in advance for multiple shot areas before the pattern transfer step. By pre-coating multiple shot areas, the substrate remains stationary during pattern transfer, eliminating the need to move the substrate between different shot areas and significantly reducing movement time.
Solution Approach 2:
The substrate surface is divided into multiple shot areas that can be independently coated. By segmenting the coating process to cover multiple shot areas simultaneously, the system can prepare multiple areas in advance without increasing the number of substrate movements required.
2Productivity
If the coating unit and mold are positioned far apart, then the coating process can be completed, but the substrate movement distance increases reducing throughput
Solution Approach 1:
The coating unit and mold are positioned such that their operational areas overlap or are adjacent to each other. This merging of functional zones allows the coating and pattern transfer operations to be performed with minimal substrate movement, as the substrate can be coated and then immediately transferred without traveling across the entire substrate.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes the spatial arrangement by considering the width of shot areas and the distance between coating unit and mold in a specific dimensional relationship. By selecting the distance D and shot area width W to satisfy D > (3/2 - 1/n)W, the system achieves optimal positioning that minimizes movement in the critical direction.
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 the total substrate movement, thereby enhancing the throughput of the imprinting process by allowing continuous coating and pattern transfer operations with reduced back-and-forth movement.
Implementation Method 1
a coating unit configured to coat the resin on the substrate
Implementation Method 2
the mold having the pattern is pressed against the resin coated on the substrate, and, while maintaining this state, the resin is cured thereby forming the pattern in the resin
Implementation Method 3
the resin is illuminated with light such as ultraviolet light or the like to cure the resin
Data Source
AI summary
In an imprinting method for transferring a pattern of a mold to a resin coated on a substrate by using an imprinting apparatus including a mold holding unit and a resin coating unit, the resin is coated in n shot areas arranged in a direction parallel to a direction in which the holding unit and the coating unit are arranged where n is an integer equal to or greater than 2, and the pattern is transferred to the shot areas on a one-by-one basis. A distance D between the coating unit and the mold and a width W of each shot area as seen in the direction parallel to the direction in which the holding unit and the coating unit are arranged are selected so as to satisfy a condition D>(3/2−1/n)W, and the coating and the transferring are performed repeatedly on the substrate.