System and method for high resolution, high throughput processing of conductive patterns of flexible substrates
View Patent ↗Alignment markers are added to each layer of a multiple layer substrate for proper alignment. Optical alignment markers are applied on the surface of each substrate layer. Groups of alignment markers are arranged in localized areas on each substrate layer. Each localized group of alignment markers are referred to as alignment target areas. The alignment markers in a first alignment target area on the first substrate layer are to be aligned with corresponding alignment markers in a second alignment target area on the second substrate layer. In some embodiments, the first alignment target area includes an alignment marker configured for manual alignment and another alignment marker configured for machine alignment. The second alignment target area has a corresponding manual alignment marker and machine alignment marker.
1. An alignment feedback apparatus for aligning multiple substrate layers, the apparatus comprising:
a. a first substrate layer having a first portion of an alignment target area formed on a surface, wherein the first portion of the alignment target area includes a first manual alignment marker and a first machine alignment marker, further wherein the first portion of the alignment target area further includes a registration coupon; and
b. a second substrate layer having a second portion of the alignment target area formed on a surface, the second substrate layer coupled to the first substrate layer, wherein the second portion of the alignment target area includes a second manual alignment marker and a second machine alignment marker,
wherein when the first substrate layer and the second substrate layer are properly aligned with each other, the first manual alignment marker is aligned with the second manual alignment marker, and the first machine alignment marker is aligned with the second machine alignment marker.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first and second manual alignment markers each comprise a same outer perimeter shape and the first and second machine alignment markers each comprise a same outer perimeter shape.
3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the first manual alignment marker comprises a first square and the second manual alignment marker comprises a second square, wherein the first square is smaller than the second square and the first square fits within the second square when the first substrate layer and the second substrate layer are properly aligned.
4. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the first machine alignment marker is donut-shaped having a hole and the second machine alignment marker comprises a circle, wherein the circle is smaller than the hole and the circle fits within the hole when the first substrate layer and the second substrate layer are properly aligned.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the second portion of the alignment target area further comprises an etch coupon.
6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the etch coupon comprises conductive traces formed around the second manual alignment marker and the second machine alignment marker.
7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the conductive traces comprise silver ink.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the registration coupon comprises conductive traces formed around the first manual alignment marker and the first machine alignment marker.
9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the conductive traces comprise ITO.
10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first manual alignment marker has a different shape than the first machine alignment marker, and the second manual alignment marker has a different shape than the second machine alignment marker.
11. A method of aligning multiple substrate layers, the method comprising:
a. forming a first substrate layer having a first portion of an alignment target area formed on a surface, wherein the first portion of the alignment target area includes a first manual alignment marker and a first machine alignment marker, further wherein the first portion of the alignment target area further includes a registration coupon;
b. forming a second substrate layer having a second portion of the alignment target area formed on a surface, the second substrate layer coupled to the first substrate layer, wherein the second portion of the alignment target area includes a second manual alignment marker and a second machine alignment marker; and
c. aligning the first substrate layer and the second substrate layer such that the first manual alignment marker is aligned with the second manual alignment marker, and the first machine alignment marker is aligned with the second machine alignment marker.
12. The method of claim 11 wherein the first and second manual alignment markers are each formed with a same outer perimeter shape and the first and second machine alignment markers are each formed with a same outer perimeter shape.
13. The method of claim 11 wherein forming the registration coupon comprises forming conductive traces around the first manual alignment marker and the first machine alignment marker.
14. The method of claim 11 wherein forming the second portion of the alignment target area further comprises forming an etch coupon.
15. The method of claim 11 wherein aligning the first substrate layer and the second substrate layer such that the first manual alignment marker is aligned with the second manual alignment marker comprises manually aligning the first manual alignment marker and the second manual alignment marker.
16. The method of claim 11 wherein aligning the first substrate layer and the second substrate layer such that the first machine alignment marker is aligned with the second machine alignment marker comprises machine aligning the first machine alignment marker and the second machine alignment marker.
17. The method of claim 12 wherein the first manual alignment marker is formed as a first square and the second manual alignment marker is formed as a second square, wherein the first square is smaller than the second square and the first square fits within the second square when the first substrate layer and the second substrate layer are properly aligned.
18. The method of claim 12 wherein the first machine alignment marker is formed donut-shaped having a hole and the second machine alignment marker is formed as a circle, wherein the circle is smaller than the hole and the circle fits within the hole when the first substrate layer and the second substrate layer are properly aligned.
19. The method of claim 13 wherein the conductive traces comprise ITO.
20. The method of claim 14 wherein forming the etch coupon comprises forming conductive traces around the second manual alignment marker and the second machine alignment marker.
21. The method of claim 20 wherein the conductive traces comprise silver ink.
22. An alignment feedback apparatus for aligning multiple substrate layers, the apparatus comprising:
a. a first substrate layer having a first portion of an alignment target area formed on a surface, wherein the first portion of the alignment target area includes a first manual alignment marker and a first machine alignment marker; and
b. a second substrate layer having a second portion of the alignment target area formed on a surface, the second substrate layer coupled to the first substrate layer, wherein the second portion of the alignment target area includes a second manual alignment marker and a second machine alignment marker, further wherein the second portion of the alignment target area further includes an etch coupon,
wherein when the first substrate layer and the second substrate layer are properly aligned with each other, the first manual alignment marker is aligned with the second manual alignment marker, and the first machine alignment marker is aligned with the second machine alignment marker.
23. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the first and second manual alignment markers each comprise a same outer perimeter shape and the first and second machine alignment markers each comprise a same outer perimeter shape.
24. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the first manual alignment marker comprises a first square and the second manual alignment marker comprises a second square, wherein the first square is smaller than the second square and the first square fits within the second square when the first substrate layer and the second substrate layer are properly aligned.
25. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the first machine alignment marker is donut-shaped having a hole and the second machine alignment marker comprises a circle, wherein the circle is smaller than the hole and the circle fits within the hole when the first substrate layer and the second substrate layer are properly aligned.
26. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the etch coupon comprises conductive traces formed around the second manual alignment marker and the second machine alignment marker.
27. The apparatus of claim 26 wherein the conductive traces comprise silver ink.
28. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the first manual alignment marker has a different shape than the first machine alignment marker, and the second manual alignment marker has a different shape than the second machine alignment marker.
29. A method of aligning multiple substrate layers, the method comprising:
a. forming a first substrate layer having a first portion of an alignment target area formed on a surface, wherein the first portion of the alignment target area includes a first manual alignment marker and a first machine alignment marker;
b. forming a second substrate layer having a second portion of the alignment target area formed on a surface, the second substrate layer coupled to the first substrate layer, wherein the second portion of the alignment target area includes a second manual alignment marker and a second machine alignment marker, further wherein the second portion of the alignment target area further includes an etch coupon; and
c. aligning the first substrate layer and the second substrate layer such that the first manual alignment marker is aligned with the second manual alignment marker, and the first machine alignment marker is aligned with the second machine alignment marker.
30. The method of claim 29 wherein the first and second manual alignment markers are each formed with a same outer perimeter shape and the first and second machine alignment markers are each formed with a same outer perimeter shape.
31. The method of claim 30 wherein the first manual alignment marker is formed as a first square and the second manual alignment marker is formed as a second square, wherein the first square is smaller than the second square and the first square fits within the second square when the first substrate layer and the second substrate layer are properly aligned.
32. The method of claim 30 wherein the first machine alignment marker is formed donut-shaped having a hole and the second machine alignment marker is formed as a circle, wherein the circle is smaller than the hole and the circle fits within the hole when the first substrate layer and the second substrate layer are properly aligned.
33. The method of claim 29 wherein forming the etch coupon comprises forming conductive traces around the second manual alignment marker and the second machine alignment marker.
34. The method of claim 33 wherein the conductive traces comprise silver ink.
35. The method of claim 29 wherein aligning the first substrate layer and the second substrate layer such that the first manual alignment marker is aligned with the second manual alignment marker comprises manually aligning the first manual alignment marker and the second manual alignment marker.
36. The method of claim 29 wherein aligning the first substrate layer and the second substrate layer such that the first machine alignment marker is aligned with the second machine alignment marker comprises machine aligning the first machine alignment marker and the second machine alignment marker.