Chucking system for modulating shapes of substrates

• US 7,019,819 B2
• Filed: 11/13/2002
• Issued: 03/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mii Newco, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Molecular Imprints, Inc. (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Sreenivasan, Sidlgata V., Babbs, Daniel, Watts, Michael P. C., Voisin, Ronald D., Schumaker, Norman E., Meissl, Mario J., Choi, Byung J., Bailey, Hillman
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Peter B.
• Application Number:
  US10/293,224
• Publication Number:
  US 20040090611A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,231 Days
• Field of Search: 355/53, 355/73, 355/75, 355/72, 355/76, 216/52, 216/2, 216/44, 216/67, 216/72, 438/691, 438/700, 438/735, 438/638
• US Class Current: 355/75
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2043/025 forming a microstructure, i.e. fine patterning
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2043/3233 exerting pressure on mould parts
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2043/3488 uniformly distributed into the mould
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2043/5841 for accommodating variation in mould spacing or cavity volume during moulding
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 33/20 Opening, closing or clamping
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 43/003 characterised by the choice of material
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 43/021 characterised by the shape of the surface
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 43/36 Moulds for making articles of definite length, i.e. discrete articles
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 43/58 Measuring, controlling or regulating for bank adjustment in calendering B29C43/245
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 11/00365 Production of microlenses lenticular sheets B29D11/00278
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 27/62 Holders for the original G03B27/53 takes precedence ; for electrophotographic copiers G03G15/60
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/707 Chucks, e.g. chucking or un-chucking operations or structural details
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70875 Temperature, e.g. temperature control of masks or workpieces via control of stage temperature

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a chucking system to modulate substrates so as to properly shape and position the same with respect to a wafer upon which a pattern is to be formed with the substrate. The chucking system includes a chuck body having first and second opposed sides. A side surface extends therebetween. The first side includes first and second spaced-apart recesses defining first and second spaced-apart support regions. The first support region cinctures the second support region and the first and second recesses. The second support region cinctures the second recess, with a portion of the body in superimposition with the second recess being transparent to radiation having a predetermined wavelength. The second side and the side surface define exterior surfaces. The body includes throughways placing the first and second recesses in fluid communication with one of the exterior surfaces.

Claims

1. A chucking system to hold a substrate, said chucking system comprising:

a chuck body having first and second opposed sides with an edge surface extending therebetween, said first side including first and second spaced-apart recesses defining first and second spaced-apart support regions, with said first support region cincturing said second support region and said first and second recesses, and said second support region cincturing said second recess, with a portion of said body in superimposition with said second recess being transparent to radiation having a predetermined wavelength, said portion extending from said second side and terminating proximate to said second recess, said second side and said edge surface defining exterior surfaces, with said body including a throughway extending through said body placing one of said first and second recesses in fluid communication with one of said exterior surfaces.

2. The chucking system as recited in claim 1 wherein each of said first and second support regions has a support surface associated therewith, facing away from said second side, with said support surface being formed from a material adapted to conform to a profile of said substrate.

3. The chucking system as recited in claim 1 wherein said first recess includes a plurality of spaced-apart pins extending therefrom.

4. The chucking system as recited in claim 1 wherein each of said first and second support regions has a support surface associated therewith, facing away from said second side, with said support surface being formed from a material compliant in a first direction extending between said first and second opposed sides to conform to a profile of said substrate while being resistant to movement in a direction transverse to said first direction.

5. The chucking system as recited in claim 1 further including a wall disposed within said second recess, extending between said first and second support regions to segment said first recess into a plurality of sub-chambers.

6. The chucking system as recited in claim 1 wherein said first support region is concentric about said second support region and has a shape that is selected from a set of shapes consisting of annular, polygonal and circular.

7. The chucking system as recited in claim 1 further including a means coupled to bend said substrate to curve to a desired shape.

8. The chucking system as recited in claim 1 further including a pressure control system in fluid communication with said throughway, with said substrate resting against said first and second support regions, covering said first and second recesses, with said first recess and a portion of said substrate in superimposition therewith defining a first chamber and said second recess and a portion of said substrate in superimposition therewith defining a second chamber, with said pressure control system operating to control a pressure in one of said first and second chambers.

9. The chucking system as recited in claim 1 further including providing an additional throughway, with said throughway and said additional throughway placing each of said first and second recesses in fluid communication with one of said exterior surfaces and including a pressure control system in fluid communication with both said throughway and said additional throughway, with said substrate resting against said first and second support regions, covering said first and second recesses, with said first recess and a portion of said substrate in superimposition therewith defining a first chamber and said second recess and a portion of said substrate in superimposition therewith defining a second chamber with said pressure control system operating to create a pressure differential between said first and second chambers.

10. The chucking system as recited in claim 1 further including providing an additional throughway, with said throughway and said additional throughway placing each of said first and second recesses in fluid communication with one of said exterior surfaces, including a pressure control system in fluid communication with both said throughway and said additional throughway, and means, coupled to bend said substrate so as to curve opposed sides thereof, with said substrate resting against said first and second support regions, covering said first and second recesses, with said first recess and a first portion of said substrate in superimposition therewith defining a first chamber and said second recess and a second portion of said substrate in superimposition therewith defining a second chamber with said pressure control system operating to control a pressure in said second chamber to modulate a curvature of said second portion.

11. The chucking system as recited in claim 1 further including a wall disposed within said first recess, extending between said first and second support regions to segment said first recess into a plurality of sub-chambers, and a pressure control system in fluid communication with said throughway, wherein said substrate rests against said first and second support regions, covering said first recess, with said first recess and a portion of said substrate in superimposition therewith defining a first chamber with said pressure control system operating to control a pressure in said plurality of sub-chambers to create a pressure differential therebetween.

23. The chucking system as recited in claim 1 further including a means coupled to bend said substrate so as to curve to a shape of one of said first and second opposed sides.

24. The chucking system as recited in claim 1 further including a pressure control system in fluid communication with said throughway, with said substrate resting against said first and second support regions, covering said first and second recesses, with said first recess and the portion of said substrate in superimposition therewith defining a first chamber and said second recess and the portion of said substrate in superimposition therewith defining a second chamber with said pressure control system operating to control a pressure in one of said first and second chambers.

12. A chucking system to hold a substrate, said chucking system comprising:

a chuck body having first and second opposed sides with an edge surface extending therebetween, said first side including first and second spaced-apart recesses defining first and second spaced-apart support regions, with said first support region cincturing said second support region and said first and second recesses, and said second support region cincturing said second recess, with a portion of said chuck body in superimposition with said second recess being transparent to radiation having a predetermined wavelength, said portion extending from said second side and terminating proximate to said second recess, said second side and said edge surface defining exterior surfaces, with said body including first and second throughways extending through said chuck body, with said first throughway placing said first recess in fluid communication with one of said exterior surfaces and said second throughway extending through said chuck body placing said second recess in fluid communication with one of said exterior surfaces, each of said first and second support regions having a support surface associated therewith, facing away from said second side, with said support surface being formed from a material adapted to be compliant in a first direction extending between said first and second opposed sides to conform to a profile of said substrate.

13. The chucking system as recited in claim 12 further including a wall disposed within said second recess, extending between said first and second support regions to segment said first recess into a plurality of chambers.

14. The chucking system as recited in claim 12 wherein said first support region is concentric about said second support region and has a shape that is selected from a set of shapes consisting of annular, polygonal and circular.

15. The chucking system as recited in claim 12 further including a pneumatic bladder coupled to bend said substrate so as to curve opposed sides thereof.

16. The system as recited in claim 12 wherein said material is resistant to movement in a direction transverse to said first direction.

17. The chucking system as recited in claim 15 further including a pressure control system in fluid communication with said first and second throughways, with said substrate resting against said first and second support regions, covering said first and second recesses, with said first recess and a first portion of said substrate in superimposition therewith defining a first chamber and said second recess and a second portion of said substrate in superimposition therewith defining a second chamber with said pressure control system operating to control a pressure in said first chamber and second chamber, with the pressure within said second chamber established to modulate a curvature of said second portion.

18. The chucking system as recited in claim 12 wherein said first recess includes a plurality of spaced-apart pins extending therefrom.

19. A chucking system to hold a substrate, said chucking system comprising:

a chuck body having first and second opposed sides with a side surface extending therebetween, said first side including first and second spaced-apart recesses defining first and second spaced-apart support regions, with said first support region cincturing said second support region and said first and second recesses, and said second support region cincturing said second recess, said second side and edge surfaces defining exterior surfaces, with said chuck body including a throughway extending through said chuck body placing one of said first and second recesses in fluid communication with one of said exterior surfaces, said substrate resting against said first and second support regions, covering said first and second recesses, with said first recess and a portion of said substrate in superimposition therewith defining a first chamber and said second recess and a portion of said substrate in superimposition therewith defining a second chamber, with a portion of said chuck body in superimposition with said second recess being transparent to radiation having a predetermined wavelength, with said portion extending from said second side, terminating proximate to said second recess; and

a pressure control system, said first throughway placing said one of said first and second recesses in fluid communication, with said pressure control system operating to create a pressure differential between said first and second chambers to modulate a curvature of said substrate.

20. The chucking system as recited in claim 19 further including a means coupled to said body for bending said substrate so as to curve opposed sides thereof.

21. The chucking system as recited in claim 19 further including a wall disposed within said first recess, extending between said first and second support regions to segment said first recess into a plurality of sub-chambers, with said pressure control system operating to create differing pressures among said plurality of sub-chambers.

22. The chucking system as recited in claim 19 wherein said first support region is concentric about said second support region and has a shape that is selected from a set of shapes consisting of annular, polygonal and circular.