Rotating Arm Scanning Architecture for Large Substrates
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing scanning technologies for large flat substrates face challenges with mechanical complexity, vibration issues, and reduced throughput due to the use of heavy, stiff stages and traditional x-y stage movement, which are unsuitable for fast and accurate scanning of large, thin, and easily deformed materials.
Innovation Solution
A rotating arm scanning architecture with relay optics maintains a constant azimuthal orientation of the image as it sweeps across the workpiece, allowing for high-speed scanning with reduced mechanical overhead and improved accuracy, using a stationary optical device to form or collect image information and relay it through rotating arms, enabling contiguous image stitching and efficient data handling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If traditional x-y stage movement is used for scanning, then mechanical stability is maintained, but scanning speed and throughput are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a rotating arm mechanism that sweeps an arc across the workpiece rather than traditional linear x-y stage movement. This curved scanning path enables higher scanning speeds while reducing mechanical complexity by eliminating the need for heavy, stiff stages required for linear motion control.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces the traditional mechanical x-y stage system with a rotating arm mechanism. This substitution eliminates the need for complex stage positioning systems and heavy machinery, achieving faster scanning speeds with reduced mechanical overhead and vibration.
2Measurement precision
If heavy scanning stages are used to maintain stability, then positioning accuracy is improved, but acceleration and deceleration forces increase
Solution Approach 1:
The scanning system is divided into separate functional components: a stationary optical image device and a rotating arm mechanism. This segmentation allows the heavy optical components to remain stationary (maintaining precision) while the lightweight rotating arm provides the scanning motion (reducing acceleration forces).
Solution Approach 2:
The rotating arm mechanism enables the scanning system to operate at high speeds without requiring large acceleration forces. The continuous rotational motion avoids the start-stop acceleration requirements of linear stage movement, maintaining positioning accuracy while reducing mechanical stress.
3Productivity
If fast scanning is implemented, then throughput is improved, but mechanical vibrations increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a dynamic rotating arm mechanism that maintains constant azimuthal orientation during rotation. This dynamic approach allows fast scanning throughput while the continuous rotational motion and optical relay system minimize mechanical vibrations compared to reciprocating linear stage movement.
4Productivity
If traditional scanning architectures are used, then mechanical simplicity is maintained, but scanning throughput is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The invention transitions from two-dimensional linear x-y stage movement to three-dimensional rotating arm motion. This dimensional change enables the scanning system to achieve higher throughput by sweeping arcs across the workpiece, while the optical relay system manages the added complexity through image relaying and orientation maintenance.
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 provides a high-throughput, cost-effective scanning system capable of writing or reading patterns on large substrates with line widths less than 15 microns, reducing vibrations, and maintaining image orientation, thus overcoming the limitations of traditional x-y stage systems.
Implementation Method 1
relay the image information along optics of at least one rotating arm between the stationary optical image device and a surface of the workpiece
Implementation Method 2
relay the image information along optics of at least one rotating arm
Data Source
AI summary
The technology disclosed relates to scanning of large flat substrates for reading and writing images. Examples are flat panel displays, PCB's and photovoltaic panels. Reading and writing is to be understood in a broad sense: reading may mean microscopy, inspection, metrology, spectroscopy, interferometry, scatterometry, etc. of a large workpiece, and writing may mean exposing a photoresist, annealing by optical heating, ablating, or creating any other change to the surface by an optical beam. In particular, we disclose a technology that uses a rotating or swinging arm that describes an arc across a workpiece as it scans, instead of following a traditional straight-line motion.