JP2007019485A - Separating device and separating method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a separating device that separates two objects mutually attached by a sandwich structure as a stamp and a substrate mutually pressurized in an imprint process and a separating method. <P>SOLUTION: The separating device is provided with: a support structure 1; a first fixing means 2 that is supported by the support structure, and has a reference surface 3 and a first grip means that supports and grips a first object 28; a second fixing means 6 that is supported by the support structure, is disposed at a position opposed to the first fixing means, and has a second grip means that supports the second object 27; and tensile strength mechanisms 25, 26 that are supported by the support structure, and generate tensile strength at a predetermined angle with respect to a vertical direction of the reference surface 3, in order to mutually separate the two grip means. Preferably, the second object is gripped at a circumference, and the tensile strength is slanted from the circumference to an internal direction. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a means for separating two objects attached to each other by a sandwich structure. The present invention is particularly suitable for separating a stamp from a substrate, and these objects are attached to each other on an intermediate layer of resist material in a lithographic process such as an imprint process.

  Like micromechanical engineering, the trend of microelectronics is always in a smaller direction. Some of the most interesting microstructure and sub-microstructure assembly techniques involve different types of lithography.

  Photolithography typically involves coating a substrate with a photoresist material to form a resist layer on the substrate surface. The resist layer is then exposed to radiation at selected locations, preferably using a mask. Next, the resist portion is removed in the development step, thereby forming a resist pattern corresponding to the mask. Removal of the resist location exposes the substrate surface, which is treated, for example, by etching, doping, or metallization. For detailed replication, photolithography is limited by diffraction, which depends on the wavelength of radiation used. In order to manufacture a structure having a scale of less than 50 nm, such a short wavelength is required, so that the material requirement for the optical system becomes important.

  Another technique that replaces this is the imprint technique. In the imprint lithography process, the substrate to be patterned is covered with a moldable layer. The pattern to be transferred to the substrate is predefined in three dimensions on a stamp or template. The stamp is contacted with a moldable layer, which is preferably softened by heat. The stamp is then pressed into the softened layer, thereby creating an imprint of the stamp pattern in the moldable layer. This layer is cooled until it cures sufficiently to separate and remove subsequent stamps. Another method is to attach a radiation curable polymer resin as a moldable layer on the substrate. Such materials are typically liquid at room temperature and are stretched on the substrate surface. The stamp is placed in contact with the moldable layer to imprint the same, and then the radiation curable layer is a stamp or substrate at least one of which is transparent to ultraviolet light, typically by ultraviolet radiation. Exposure through either of these. Once this layer is cured, the stamp is separated from the substrate in a subsequent substrate process.

  In imprint lithography, two objects that are attached to each other by a sandwich structure are typically manually separated by inserting a cutting edge into the peripheral portion of the sandwich structure between the stamp and the substrate. The

Summary of the Invention

  The object of the present invention is to provide a reliable solution for the separation of objects attached to each other by a sandwich structure. This object is solved by the devices and methods listed in the appended claims.

  More specifically, according to the first aspect, an object of the present invention is to provide a support structure and a support structure, in a separation apparatus for separating two objects attached to each other by a sandwich structure. A first fixing means having a reference plane and a first gripping means for supporting and gripping the first object; a second fixing means supported by the support structure; and provided at a position facing the first fixing means; A second fixing means having a second gripping means for supporting the object and a tension supported at a predetermined angle with respect to the normal direction of the reference plane so that the two gripping means supported by the support structure are separated from each other. This is solved by a separating device comprising a pulling force mechanism for generating a force.

  In one embodiment, the separating apparatus places the sandwich structure in the separating apparatus so that the second fixing means is oriented in a direction in which the second object is engaged and gripped at a peripheral edge of the second object. Is further provided, and the tensile force mechanism is inclined inward from the peripheral edge of the second object.

  In one embodiment, the separation device further includes a cutting mechanism capable of inserting a blade edge between the objects.

  In one embodiment, the cutting mechanism is connected to the positioning mechanism so that the cutting edge is disposed so that the cutting edge is inserted between objects close to the peripheral edge.

  In an embodiment, each of the first gripping means and the second gripping means is disposed inside a seal portion and inside the seal portion, and is connected to a vacuum supply system for gripping the surface of an object by suction. And an opening.

  In one embodiment, one of the first fixing means and the second fixing means is disposed above the other means, and the seal portion of the upper gripping means is narrower than the seal portion of the lower gripping means. A common vacuum decompression unit is connected to both of the openings so as to surround the region.

  According to a second aspect, an object of the present invention is to provide a separation method for separating two objects attached to each other by a sandwich structure, wherein the first object is moved relative to a reference plane by means of a first fixing means. In order to separate the two gripping means from each other, the step of gripping and supporting, the step of gripping the second object by the means of the second fixing means provided at a position facing the first fixing means, And a step of applying a tensile force at a predetermined angle with respect to the normal direction of the surface.

  In one embodiment, the separation method includes the step of positioning the sandwich structure by means of a positioning mechanism to align the orientation of the peripheral edge of the second object relative to the second fixing means; The method further includes gripping the second object at the peripheral edge and applying a tensile force by inclining inward from the peripheral edge of the second object.

  In one embodiment, the separation method further includes a step of inserting the blade edge between objects close to the peripheral edge.

  In one embodiment, in the separation method, each of the first fixing means and the second fixing means has a seal portion and an opening disposed inside the seal portion, and the outer side of each sandwich structure. In order to grip the surface of the object, a step of supplying a vacuum suction force to the opening is further provided.

  In one embodiment, the separation method is such that one of the first fixing means and the second fixing means is disposed above the other means, and the sealing portion of the means of the upper fixing means is fixed downward. The method further comprises the step of enclosing a region narrower than the seal portion of the means and applying the same vacuum suction force to both the openings.

  FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the separation device according to the invention. This device comprises a housing or support structure 1 to which a first fixing means 2 is connected. The first fixing means 2 is formed in a horizontal first base surface 3, a sealing recess 4 provided for accommodating an O-ring (not shown), and a first base surface inside the sealing recess 4. And an opening 5. An air pressure supply system (not shown) is connected to the opening 5, which supplies a pressure below atmospheric pressure, which is expressed as a vacuum. A first base surface 3 with an O-ring supports and holds a flat object there. A second fixing means 6 is provided on the opposite side of the first fixing means 2, and the second fixing means 6 has a second base surface 7. Similar to the first fixing means 2, a seal (not shown) is arranged on the second base surface to form an engaging edge. However, as will be described in more detail later, the seal provided on the second fixing means is not stiffer than the O-ring of the first fixing means, and this seal can also be bent. Even though 6 is inclined with respect to the first fixing means 2, contact is maintained. The opening is formed inside the engagement edge of the seal, and an air pressure supply system is connected to the opening. Preferably, the same pneumatic supply system is used for both fixing means 2, 6. As will be described later, the fixing means 2, 6 are applied to attach and grip both surfaces of two stacked objects arranged in the separation device by vacuum suction, and then pull to two objects. Let things separate.

  Preferably, the same air pressure is supplied to each opening of both support surfaces 3 and 7, while the surface covered in the O-ring arranged in the sealing recess 4 is attached to the second fixing means 6. Larger than the surface covered within the engaging edge of the seal. Thus, even if the pulling force at any point in the next pulling step exceeds the suction force generated by the vacuum supplied by the fixing means 2, 6, the second fixing of the upper object of the sandwich structure will leave. It will be the gripping force of the means 6. As a result, when the vacuum is weakened or extinguished, there will be no risk that the sandwich structure will accompany the upper securing means 6 and then fall and break.

  The housing 1 has a horizontal portion, and a horizontal slide mechanism 8 is connected to this portion. The stop member 11 is fixedly connected to the slide mechanism 8 via the lever 12 in the direction of the movement axis, but is preferably rotatable around the movement axis. In the illustrated embodiment, the horizontal movement of the slide mechanism 8 has mobility by means of the rotary knob 9 of the housing. The scale 10 may also be disposed at a stationary position of the housing, and an indicator (not shown) attached to the slide mechanism 8 is moved relative to the housing 1 along the moving axis of the slide mechanism 8 at this time. Applied to move on the scale to relatively position the horizontal portion. A guide device 13 biased in one direction is also slidably attached to the housing 1, and the guide device 13 has a set of rollers.

  The housing 1 further has a vertical portion, and a vertical slide mechanism 14 is detachably connected thereto. The vertical slide mechanism can be operated in the vertical direction by means of the pneumatic control member 15, and the pneumatic control member 15 is moved downward to a lower position where the fixing screw 16 contacts the stop surface 17, and also in FIG. The vertical slide mechanism is moved upward to the upper stop position shown. The stop member control lever 18 protrudes from the vertical slide mechanism and comes into contact with the stop member 11. When the vertical slide mechanism 14 is in the upper position, the stop member 11 is held at the positive stop position shown in FIG. Yes. Preferably, the stop member control lever 18 is also configured to positively pull down the stop member 11 to a fixed position outside and below the first base surface 3 when the vertical slide mechanism is lowered to its lower position. Further details will be described later. An alternative solution is to allow the stop member 11 to simply fall to the immobile position when the support of the stop member control lever 18 is removed by lowering the stop member control lever 18. Also attached to the vertical slide member 14 is a pneumatic cylinder 19 to which a horizontally operating piston 20 is connected. A knife holder 21 is attached to the head of the piston 20, and the knife holder 21 carries a knife blade 22. The angle of the end of the knife blade is preferably about 10 degrees, and the lower end surface is substantially horizontal. Connecting the pneumatic system pressure to the cylinder 19 forces the piston 20 with the knife 22 to move a predetermined distance in the horizontal direction towards the fixing means 2, 6. Typically, the stroke of the piston 20 is in the range of 3-10 mm.

  Although the upper member of the housing 1 is not shown for the sake of clarity, it is typically fixed by screw means in the hole 23 in the vertical portion of the housing 1. In addition, only a part of the vertical support means 24 of the housing 1 is shown, and the support means 24 is a pneumatic that implements a tensile force mechanism for separating stacked objects according to the invention. The cylinder chuck 25 is transported. The chuck 25 has a movable piston 26 and carries the second fixing means 6. According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the cylinder chuck 25 and the piston 26 are arranged with an inclination of 5-15 degrees, typically 7-10 degrees, for example 8 degrees, from the vertical direction. The cylinder chuck 25 and the piston 26 are inclined in a vertical plane parallel to the moving direction of the piston 20, and the piston 26 moves downward toward the direction of the vertical slide mechanism 14.

  The operation of the separation apparatus shown and described above for the preferred embodiment is described below.

  A predetermined vacuum is supplied by operating the air pressure supply system and supplied to the fixing means 2 and 6.

  By using the system pressure of the pneumatic control system, the piston 26 is raised into the chuck cylinder 25 to open the device, as shown in FIG. Next, the two objects 27 and 28 that are joined and flatly stacked are placed in the apparatus. Typically, the object 27 is made of an imprinted stamp, and the object 28 is made of a substrate covered with a resist coating. The stamp 27 and the substrate 28 are previously pressed against each other, and are exposed to radiation by heating and cooling the resist material, or using an ultraviolet curable resist and pressing the stamp 27 and the substrate 28 together. Thus, the surface pattern on the stamp 27 is pushed into the deformable layer of resist coating on the substrate 28. In either case, the objects 27 and 28 are firmly joined to each other.

  This stacked structure consists of a relatively large object with a smaller object disposed oppositely. In practice, the upper object may be larger than the lower object, but at the point of separation, as shown, the upper object has a periphery located inside the periphery of the lower object. Should. The distance Δx between these peripheral portions is measured by a suitable measuring device, and the stop member 11 is moved to the corresponding position by means of the rotary knob 9 and the scale 10. In this operation, the position of the peripheral portion of the upper object 27 is set with respect to the upper fixing means 6 and the knife 22.

  This sandwich structure is inserted obliquely in the direction of the roller of the guide device 13 with the inner part held, and the roller of the guide device 13 is inserted inside until the peripheral edge of the lower object 28 abuts against the stop member 11. To slide. Thereafter, the stacked structures are carefully dropped, and are gripped by the first fixing means 2 using a vacuum suction force.

  Thereafter, the piston 26 is lowered so that the sealing means provided in the upper fixing means 6 is engaged with the upper object 27. A successful attempt was made with a standard suction cup, such as the seal of the product name SGR33 offered by Schmalz, which consists of a silicone seal with a diameter of 33 mm and a height of about 5 mm. Due to the height and flexibility of the silicon seal, even if it is held obliquely toward the upper surface of the object 27, it can be adapted to engagement and gripping by suction. A seal with a somewhat flexible height, at least a height position that is above the difference between the highest and lowest points of its periphery with respect to the plane of the first base surface 3, is consequently preferred, and the form described here is merely an example Only. In an alternative embodiment, the tensile force is tilted as described above, while the seal of the second fixing means 6 has a lower edge that is parallel or substantially parallel to the first base surface of the first fixing means 2. is doing.

  Once engaged, both objects are securely held by the vacuum suction force by the opposing fixing means 2,6.

  Next, the vertical slide mechanism 14 is lowered to a location where the knife 22 is just outside the periphery of the upper object. The thickness of the lower object 28 is known or has already been measured, and this information can be used to position the knife 22 on this upper surface without damaging the upper surface of the lower object. Used to set 16 appropriately. This accuracy should be in the range of a few hundredths of a millimeter. Further developments of this feature include a built-in measuring device, which has the effect of detecting the position of the upper surface of the lower object and the effect of positioning the knife 22 therewith, for example optical interference Use something like law.

  Next, a tensile force is applied to the piston 26 by means of the cylinder chuck 25 and pneumatic pressure. The system pressure of the pneumatic supply system is typically 8 bar (0.8 MPa), so that the tensile force applied to the piston 26 is slightly lower than the suction force supplied to the upper object 27 from the upper fixing means. Are actively controlled or preset. In a preferred embodiment, this pulling force is applied for a few seconds before the knife 22 is actuated, and the angle between the pulling at the periphery and the pulling force directed to lift the upper object at the engaging periphery. The results show that in about 3/4 cases, the pulling action is sufficient to separate the objects. However, the pneumatic cylinder 19 sets the maximum system pneumatic pressure in order to cause the piston 20 having the knife 22 to project toward the center of the object by a preset distance. Preferably, the horizontal slide mechanism 8 is set so that the knife protrudes a few tenths of a millimeter, typically about 0.5 mm, into the resist layer between the objects 27 and 28. As described above, the separation device may be set to protrude the knife immediately after the tensile force is supplied to the piston 26 or after a predetermined time has elapsed, and the separation has already been completed before the predetermined time has elapsed. If detected, the device control system may be adapted to retain the knife protrusion.

  If only the tensile force is not sufficient, the knife 22 protrudes into the resist layer at the peripheral point of engagement of the objects 27 and 28, thereby resisting a notch sufficient to cause separation with a minimum amount of air. The tensile force applied to the layer and then applied from the piston 26 separates the object at the position shown in FIG.

  Finally, as shown in FIG. 4, the piston 26 is retracted into the cylinder 25 and the vertical slide 14 is raised to the upper position, where the separated object is ready to be removed from the device. In a preferred embodiment, an automatic transport mechanism having a soft and clean pedestal is inserted between the objects, and then the upper object is dropped onto the pedestal and then withdrawn so that the vacuum is released. The lower object may be removed manually or with an automatic peripheral gripping device.

  This separation device and method of operating the separation device has proven to be highly efficient for separating firmly attached objects and is particularly useful in the post-imprinting process for separating the stamp from the substrate. It is. Other fields of application can also be predicted, for example used to separate the glued objects. Although vacuum suction means for fixing and supporting an object to be separated is shown, object grasping features may be provided by a mechanical grasping means such as a chuck jaw and the object to be separated. Depends on the form and size of the object. The invention is limited only by the appended claims.

FIG. 1 shows an outline of a separation apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 shows the apparatus of FIG. 1 when a set of separated objects to be separated is placed. FIG. 3 shows the apparatus of FIG. 1 after separation. FIG. 4 shows the separated object in the device before the object is removed from the device.

Claims (14)

In a separating device for separating two objects attached to each other by a sandwich structure,
A support structure;
A first fixing member supported by the support structure and having a reference surface and a first gripping member that supports and grips the first object;
A second grip supported by a support structure and provided at a position facing the first fixing member, and supporting the second object by adsorbing a surface of the second object opposite to the first object. A second fixing member having a member;
A separation device comprising: a tensile force mechanism that is supported by a support structure and generates a tensile force at a predetermined angle with respect to a direction perpendicular to a reference surface in order to separate the two gripping members from each other.   A tensioning mechanism for positioning the sandwich structure in the separation device so that the second fixing member is oriented in a direction in which the second object is engaged and gripped at a peripheral edge of the second object; The separation device according to claim 1, wherein the force mechanism is inclined inward from the peripheral edge of the second object.   The separation device according to claim 1, further comprising a cutting mechanism capable of inserting a blade edge between the objects.   The separation apparatus according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the cutting mechanism is connected to the positioning mechanism so that the cutting edge is arranged so that the cutting edge is inserted between objects close to the peripheral edge.   The first gripping member and the second gripping member each have a seal portion and an opening portion disposed inside the seal portion and connected to a vacuum supply system for gripping the surface of an object by suction. Item 5. The separation device according to any one of Items 1 to 4.   In the first fixing member and the second fixing member, one member is disposed above the other member, and the seal portion of the upper gripping member surrounds a region narrower than the seal portion of the lower gripping member, The separation apparatus according to claim 5, wherein a common vacuum decompression unit is connected to each of the openings.   The second fixing member is replaceably connected to the support structure via the tensile force mechanism, and the second fixing member is movable in the axial direction so as to be separated from the first fixing member at the angle. The separation device according to claim 1.   The tensile force mechanism connects the second fixing member to the support structure and has a cylinder and a piston connected to the cylinder, the piston being fixed at the second angle at the angle in the cylinder. The separation device of claim 1, wherein the separation device is operative to move the member axially.   The seal portion of the second gripping member has a suction cup having a flexible wall portion that can be bent by the angle, and the seal portion of the second gripping member grips the surface when bent by the angle. The separation device according to claim 5. In a separation method for separating two objects attached to each other by a sandwich structure,
Holding and supporting the first object with respect to the reference plane by means of the first fixing member;
Adsorbing the surface of the second object opposite to the first object and gripping the second object by means of a second fixing member provided at a position facing the first fixing member;
Applying a tensile force at a predetermined angle with respect to a direction perpendicular to the reference surface in order to separate the two gripping members from each other. Positioning the sandwich structure by means of a positioning mechanism in order to align the direction of the peripheral edge of the second object relative to the second fixing member;
Gripping the second object at the peripheral edge;
The separation method according to claim 10, further comprising a step of applying a tensile force by inclining inward from a peripheral edge of the second object.   The separation method according to claim 11, further comprising the step of inserting the blade edge between objects close to the peripheral edge. Each of the first fixing member and the second fixing member has a seal portion and an opening disposed inside the seal portion,
The separation method according to claim 10, further comprising a step of supplying a vacuum suction force to the opening to grip an object surface outside each sandwich structure. In the first fixing member and the second fixing member, one member is disposed above the other member, and the sealing portion of the means of the upper fixing member surrounds a region narrower than the sealing portion of the lower fixing member,
The separation method according to claim 13, further comprising the step of applying the same vacuum suction force to both the openings.