Noncontact Substrate Holder for Flat-Panel Display Exposure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing exposure apparatuses for manufacturing flat-panel displays face challenges in efficiently exchanging glass substrates during the lithography process, which hampers throughput and precision in scanning exposure techniques.
Innovation Solution
The exposure apparatus employs a substrate stage device with a noncontact holder and substrate carrier that moves in a scanning direction, allowing for simultaneous movement of the substrate and mask relative to the optical system, enabling efficient scanning exposure by integrating the substrate carrier with the noncontact holder for precise positioning and flatness correction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a substrate exchange device is used to sequentially exchange glass substrates on the substrate stage device, then multiple substrates can be exposed, but the throughput is reduced due to sequential processing
Solution Approach 1:
The substrate stage device is divided into multiple independent substrate holders (first substrate holder, second substrate holder, etc.), each capable of holding and exposing substrates independently. This segmentation allows parallel processing of multiple substrates, thereby increasing throughput without sacrificing exposure quality.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple substrate holders are integrated into a single substrate stage device, combining their exposure functions under one optical system. This merging enables simultaneous or rapid sequential exposure of multiple substrates, improving productivity while maintaining precision.
2Manufacturing precision
If the substrate carrier and noncontact holder are integrated for precise positioning, then positioning accuracy is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The substrate carrier is designed to serve multiple functions: it acts as both the mounting structure for substrates and the noncontact holder for precise positioning during exposure. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components, thereby improving positioning accuracy without proportionally increasing device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The substrate carrier incorporates self-positioning mechanisms that automatically align and position substrates with high precision during the exposure process, reducing the need for complex external positioning systems and manual adjustments.
3Speed
If the substrate carrier moves independently from the noncontact holder, then exposure speed is improved, but positioning precision may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The substrate carrier is designed with dynamic movement capabilities, allowing it to move independently at high speeds while maintaining positioning precision through real-time control systems. The noncontact holder provides stable reference points that ensure precision even during rapid movements.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates feedback mechanisms that continuously monitor the position and movement of the substrate carrier, making real-time adjustments to maintain positioning precision during high-speed exposure operations. This feedback control ensures that speed improvements do not compromise manufacturing precision.
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid crystal exposure apparatus that moves a substrate supported in a noncontact manner by a noncontact holder to a projection optical system, and performs scanning exposure to the substrate equipped with: holding pads that hold a part of the substrate located at a first position above the noncontact holder; adsorption pads that hold another part of the substrate; a first drive section moves the holding pads from below the substrate direction intersecting a vertical direction, where the substrate is located at the first position held by the adsorption pads; and a second drive section that moves the adsorption pads holding the substrate, to a second position where the substrate is supported in a noncontact manner by the noncontact holder, wherein the scanning exposure, the second drive section moves the adsorption pads holding the substrate supported in a noncontact manner by the noncontact holder to the projection optical system.