Lithography Substrate Chuck Cleaning with Peripheral Suction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing imprint techniques face challenges in efficiently removing particles generated during the cleaning of substrate chucks, which can lead to defective patterns or breakage due to particle attachment on substrates or molds, and existing cleaning methods struggle with effective suction of particles from narrow spaces.
Innovation Solution
A lithography apparatus with a cleaning unit that includes a supply port for gas supply and a suction port arranged peripherally around a polishing unit, allowing for efficient gas flow and particle removal between the substrate chuck and the cleaning member.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a polishing pad or substrate chuck is moved to clean foreign substances from the holding surface, then the holding surface is cleaned, but particles generated during cleaning attach to spaces between protrusions and drift onto the substrate or mold pattern portion
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and removes particles from the cleaning area by providing a suction port that actively sucks particles generated during cleaning, preventing them from attaching to the substrate or mold pattern portion
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces gas as an intermediary substance that flows from the supply port through the space between the cleaning member and substrate chuck, carrying particles to the suction port for removal
2Reliability
If one hole is used for sucking particles through negative pressure, then particles can be removed, but efficient gas flow is hard to generate in narrow space and particles at positions away from the hole cannot be effectively suctioned
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the single suction hole into multiple suction ports distributed around the periphery of the polishing unit, enabling efficient particle removal from various positions in the narrow space between the cleaning member and substrate chuck
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from a single-point suction (0D/1D) to a distributed multi-point suction system (2D arrangement), creating efficient gas flow paths across the entire cleaning area by positioning suction ports at multiple locations around the periphery
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 configuration enables effective removal of particles from the substrate chuck, preventing pattern defects and improving the cleanliness of the substrate and mold surfaces, thereby enhancing the precision and reliability of the imprint process.
Implementation Method 1
a supply port which is arranged in the polishing unit and through which gas is supplied, and a suction port which is arranged in a periphery of the polishing unit and through which gas is sucked
Data Source
AI summary
A lithography apparatus that forms a pattern on a substrate, and the lithography apparatus includes: a holding unit that holds the substrate; and a cleaning member that brings a polishing unit into contact with the holding unit to clean the holding unit, in which the cleaning member includes a supply port which is arranged in the polishing unit and through which gas is supplied, and a suction port which is arranged in a periphery of the polishing unit and through which gas is sucked.