Method and apparatus for applying a sheet to a substrate
US9440254B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 3, 2007 |
| Grant date | Sep 13, 2016 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 13, 2032 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG03F7/0002
- WIPO fieldSurface technology, coating
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
The invention provides a method and apparatus for laminating a sheet to a substrate in a stress free and distortion-less manner. The method comprises providing the sheet and substrate such that an attractive force between them exists that is capable of bringing the sheet and surface together at least when their distance is shorter than a critical distance. The method creates these conditions by locally making an initial contact between the sheet and substrate such that at a contact front, being the boundary between areas where the substrate and sheet are in contact and those where they are not in contact, these conditions exist. In a further step the sheet and substrate are allowed to gradually make contact such that the contact front advances along either of the substrate or sheet surface therewith increasing the contacting area between the substrate and the sheet. The method is advantages when used during imprint lithography or embossing processes or other processes where feature patterns need to be transferred from the substrate to the surface or vice versa.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.