Segmented Floating Stage for Uniform Substrate Height Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
In the manufacturing of display elements like OLED and QLED, the floating stage used for substrate processing often experiences uneven distribution of floating force, leading to varying substrate heights and potential defects in the chemical solution discharge process.
Innovation Solution
An assembly for floating substrates is designed with a floating stage featuring an upper plate and a nozzle plate divided into portions, along with a floating force supply unit and an adjustment unit. This setup ensures uniform floating force distribution across the entire stage by adjusting the force based on the substrate's floating height.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single floating force supply system is used for the entire floating stage, then the structure is simple, but the floating force is unevenly distributed across different areas
Solution Approach 1:
The floating stage is divided into multiple regions (first region and second region) with separate floating force supply systems for each region. This segmentation allows independent control of floating force in different areas, resolving the contradiction by maintaining structural simplicity through modular design while achieving uniform floating force distribution across the entire stage.
Solution Approach 2:
Different floating force magnitudes are supplied to different regions of the floating stage based on their specific requirements. The first floating force supply unit and second floating force supply unit provide locally optimized floating forces, ensuring uniform distribution across the entire stage while keeping the overall system structure relatively simple.
2Device complexity
If floating force is not adjusted according to substrate position, then the control system is simple, but substrate floating height varies across different areas
Solution Approach 1:
The floating force magnitude is dynamically adjusted based on the substrate's position and floating height. The floating force adjustment units modify the floating force parameters in different regions to maintain consistent substrate floating height across the entire stage, resolving the contradiction by implementing adaptive control that responds to real-time conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses floating height detection to provide feedback for adjusting the floating force. When the substrate's floating height is detected to be non-uniform, the control system adjusts the floating force in different regions accordingly, achieving consistent substrate positioning while maintaining relatively simple control logic through feedback-based adjustment.
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
The solution effectively prevents process defects caused by uneven substrate heights, enhancing the reliability of the manufacturing process for display elements by ensuring consistent floating force across the entire floating stage.
Implementation Method 1
a floating force supply unit configured to supply a floating force for floating the substrate to the upper plate through each of the nozzle plate divided into at least two portions
Implementation Method 2
a vacuum supply unit configured to supply vacuum to the floating stage so that the substrate can float from the floating stage
Data Source
AI summary
An assembly for floating substrate includes: a floating stage including an upper plate facing a substrate and a nozzle plate provided under the upper plate to be divided into at least two portions in a same direction as a transfer direction of the substrate, a floating force supply unit configured to supply a floating force for floating the substrate to the upper plate through each of the nozzle plate divided into at least two portions, and a floating force adjustment unit configured to adjust magnitude of a floating force supplied to the at least two portions of the nozzle plate according to floating height at which the substrate is floating from the floating stage, a transfer unit configured to transfer the substrate floating on the floating stage along the floating stage, and a discharge unit configured to discharge chemical solution on the substrate transferred along the floating stage by the transfer unit.