US 12,282,251 B2
Method of shaping a surface, shaping system, and method of manufacturing an article
Seth J. Bamesberger, Austin, TX (US); Byung-Jin Choi, Austin, TX (US); and Xiaoming Lu, Cedar Park, TX (US)
Assigned to Canon Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo (JP)
Filed by CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Tokyo (JP)
Filed on Sep. 24, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/484,495.
Prior Publication US 2023/0095200 A1, Mar. 30, 2023
Int. Cl. G03F 7/00 (2006.01); H01L 21/3105 (2006.01)
CPC G03F 7/0002 (2013.01) [H01L 21/31051 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of shaping a surface, comprising:
dispensing formable material onto a substrate;
contacting a plate held by a plate chuck assembly with the formable material on the substrate held by a substrate chuck, thereby forming a film of the formable material between the plate and the substrate, wherein the plate chuck assembly holding the plate is above the substrate chuck holding the substrate, and the plate chuck assembly includes:
a flexible portion configured to have a central opening; and
a cavity formed by the flexible portion, wherein the plate is held by the flexible portion by reducing pressure in the cavity;
curing the film of the formable material to form a cured layer between the plate and the substrate;
initiating a separation front between the cured layer and the plate at an initial separation point;
tilting at least one of the plate chuck assembly and the substrate chuck in a direction away from the initial separation point while the plate is held by the flexible portion, thereby propagating the separation front circumferentially along a perimeter of the cured layer;
applying a force to at least one of the plate chuck assembly and the substrate chuck in a direction away from the other while maintaining or increasing the tilt of the at least one of the plate chuck assembly and the substrate chuck, until the separation front propagates along the entire perimeter of the cured layer; and
continuing to apply the force to at least one of the plate chuck assembly and the substrate chuck in the direction away from the other, until the plate does not contact the cured layer.