Substrate Laser Etching with Matched Imaging Light Divergence
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing substrate treating methods face challenges in precise and selective etching due to laser misalignment caused by liquid films, varying refractive indices, and mismatched divergence angles of laser and imaging light, leading to process defects in critical dimension correction.
Innovation Solution
A substrate treating apparatus and method that adjusts the divergence angles of laser and imaging light to be coaxial, using a head lens and expander to match focus and direction, allowing precise etching on specific substrate regions regardless of liquid film type.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a laser is emitted to heat the substrate through a liquid film for etching, then the substrate can be etched, but the laser is refracted by the liquid film causing misalignment and reducing etching precision
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces imaging light as an intermediary to detect the liquid film's position and thickness. By using the imaging light to capture images of the substrate through the liquid film, the system can identify the liquid film's characteristics and adjust the laser emission accordingly, thus compensating for the refraction effect and maintaining positioning accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where imaging light captures real-time images of the substrate and liquid film, and this information is used to adjust the laser emission parameters. The system continuously monitors the liquid film's position and thickness, and adjusts the laser's position and focus to compensate for refraction, ensuring precise etching despite the liquid film's presence.
2Manufacturing precision
If the divergence angle of the laser is mismatched with the imaging light, then the laser can be emitted independently, but the focus cannot be precisely aligned with the imaging position
Solution Approach 1:
The patent adjusts the divergence angle of the laser to match the divergence angle of the imaging light. By changing the laser's optical parameters (divergence angle) to be consistent with the imaging light, the system ensures that the laser focus coincides with the imaging position, enabling precise focus alignment without requiring complex additional optical components.
3Adaptability or versatility
If various treatment liquids with different refractive indices are supplied to the mask, then different etching processes can be performed, but precise laser irradiation becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses imaging light to capture real-time information about the liquid film's refractive index and thickness. This feedback information is used to dynamically adjust the laser parameters, compensating for the varying refraction effects caused by different treatment liquids. This allows the system to maintain precise laser irradiation across multiple liquid types without requiring manual recalibration for each liquid.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a method of treating a substrate, the method including: supplying a liquid to the substrate, emitting a laser to the substrate supplied with the liquid to heat the substrate, and emitting imaging light for capturing the substrate to obtain an image of the substrate including a region to which the laser is emitted, in which the laser and the imaging light are emitted to the substrate through a head lens, and a divergence angle of the laser emitted from the head lens and a divergence angle of the imaging light are matched with each other.