Patent ID: 9616614
Date: 2017-04-11
CPC Classifications: B29C,B82Y,G03F

Claim:
1. An imprint lithography system for imprinting polymerizable material positioned between a flexible film substrate and a flat substrate, the system comprising: (a) first and second spaced-apart winding rollers configured to secure opposing ends of the flexible film substrate and to maintain a portion of the flexible film substrate wound around one or the other of the rollers; (b) one or more roller drive assemblies coupled to the first and second winding rollers, the drive assemblies configured to impart rotational force to the first and second winding rollers such that the flexible film substrate can be translated under a desired tension between the first and second winding rollers in a first direction and a second opposing direction; (c) first and second spaced apart imprint/separation rollers located proximate to first and second winding rollers, the first and second spaced apart imprint/separation rollers having parallel axes of rotation and further configured to engage and support the backside surface of a flexible film substrate as it is translated therebetween; (d) motion actuators coupled to each end of the first and second imprint/separation rollers, each motion actuator configured to provide independent movement such that that portion of the flexible film substrate supported between the first and second imprint/separation rollers can be subjected to Z, Y-tilting, X-tilting and skewing motions; (e) a motion stage having a first chuck configured to secure the flat substrate, the motion stage further configured to translate the flat substrate into superimposition with the flexible film substrate as the flexible film substrate is translated between the first and second imprint/separation rollers; (f) a fluid dispense system positioned proximate to the imprint/separation rollers and the motion stage, the fluid dispense system configured to dispense polymerizable material onto the flat substrate; (g) an energy source positioned between the imprint/separation rollers and adjacent the backside surface of the flexible film substrate, the energy source configured to provide curing energy to solidify polymerizable material positioned between the flexible film substrate and the flat substrate; (h) first and second protective film rollers positioned adjacent the first and seconding winding rollers, respectively, each protective film roller configured to overlay a protective film onto the front surface of the flexible film substrate as it is wound onto the winding roller and to retract the protective film from the front surface of the flexible film substrate as it is unwound from the winding roller; and (i) first and second electrostatic discharge devices positioned proximate the first and second protective film rollers, respectively, each electrostatic discharge device further configured to remove electrostatic charge from the front surface of the flexible film substrate as the protective film is overlayed onto or retracted from the front surface of the flexible film substrate.