Surface Microstructuring Device

Abstract

The invention concerns a device for microstructuring the surface of at least one substrate characterized in that it comprises a support frame ( 2 ) including at least means ( 6 ) for conveying the substrate (S) comprising preferably means ( 15 ) for supporting the substrate adapted to maintain the substrate in or relative to each of the modules so as to avoid any change of support when the substrate is shifted from one module to the other, a module for applying a photosensitive resin layer on the substrate, a module ( 20 ) for automatic exposure using a laser beam of the resin layer on the substrate based on a programmed scheme, a so-called developing module for removing the part of the resin layer which has been exposed of the part or the resin layer which has not been exposed, a module for chemically etching the substrate, a module for cleaning the substrate, and a control unit ( 7 ).

1 . A device for microstructuring the surface of at least one substrate (S), characterised in that it includes a support chassis ( 2 ) that in turn includes at least the following:
 resources ( 6 ) for holding the substrate,   a module ( 30 ) for the application of a layer of photosensitive resin onto the substrate,   resources ( 18 ) for curing and/or drying the resin layer,   a module ( 20 ) for automatic exposure, by means of a laser beam, of the resin layer on the substrate, in accordance with a programmed pattern,   a module ( 31 ), described as “development”, for removal of the part of the resin layer that was exposed or of the part of the resin layer that was not exposed,   a module ( 33 ) for chemical etching of the substrate,   a module ( 34 ) for cleaning the substrate,   as well as a control unit ( 7 ) which will ensure coordinated operation in an automatic or semi-automatic manner, of the manipulating resources ( 6 ) and of the different modules ( 30 ,  31 ,  33 ,  34 ), or resources ( 18 ) of the device in order to perform microstructuring of the surface of the substrate (S) in accordance with a programmed pattern.   
   
   
       2 . A microstructuring device according to claim ( 1 ), characterised in that the manipulating resources ( 6 ) of the substrate (S) include resources ( 15 ) to support the substrate, designed to hold the substrate in or in relation to each of the modules so as to prevent any change of support during the passage of the substrate from one module to the next. 
   
   
       3 . A microstructuring device according to  claim 1 , characterised in that it includes the following as the resources ( 6 ) for holding the substrate (S):
 an arm ( 10 ) which is fitted to the chassis ( 2 ) so as to be mobile at least in translation in a vertical direction (D 1 ) and an actuator ( 12 ) operated by the control unit ( 7 ) and designed to move the arm ( 10 ) in vertical translation,   a pivoting head ( 13 ) fitted onto the arm ( 10 ) so as to be mobile in rotation about a horizontal axis (D 2 ), and an actuator ( 14 ) operated by the control unit ( 7 ) and designed to cause the head to pivot ( 13 ) between two positions described as raised (C) and lowered (D),   as the means for supporting the substrate, a holder plate ( 15 ) to accommodate and fix the substrate (S), fitted onto the head ( 13 ) so that, in the raised position of the head, it is positioned to face the optical resources ( 25 ) for application of the exposure beam onto the substrate (S),   and resources ( 17 ) to drive the holder plate ( 15 ) in rotation on itself, which are operated by the control unit ( 7 ) and designed to make the holder plate turn ( 15 ) at sufficient speed to achieve centrifugal spreading of the resin on the substrate.   
   
   
       4 . A microstructuring device according to  claim 3 , characterised in that the holder plate ( 15 ) includes:
 a recess ( 16 ) for reception of the substrate,   and, as resources for curing and/or drying the photosensitive resin, electric heating resources ( 18 ) operated by the control unit ( 7 ).   
   
   
       5 . A microstructuring device according to  claim 1 , characterised in that it includes resources ( 35 ) for moving the modules. 
   
   
       6 . A microstructuring device according to  claim 5 , characterised in that it includes, as resources for moving the modules, a mobile table ( 35 ) to which are fitted at least:
 the module ( 30 ) for application of a layer of photosensitive resin onto the substrate,   the development module ( 31 ),   a first module ( 32 ) for cleaning the substrate,   the module ( 33 ) for chemical etching of the substrate,   a second module ( 34 ) for cleaning the substrate,   and resources ( 37 ) for moving the table ( 35 ), which are operated by the control unit ( 7 ) and designed to place each module in a sequential manner ( 30 ,  31 ,  32 ,  33 ,  34 ) under the holder plate ( 15 ) for reception and fixing of the substrate (S).   
   
   
       7 . A microstructuring device according to  claim 1 , characterised in that the resin application module ( 30 ) includes:
 a window ( 40 ) created in the table ( 35 ),   a reservoir ( 41 ) of resin placed under the table ( 35 ) and open at the top opposite to the window ( 40 ),   and at least one motor-driven shutter ( 45 ) for closing the window ( 40 ) and opened and closed by the control unit ( 7 ).   
   
   
       8 . A microstructuring device according to  claim 1 , characterised in that the development module ( 31 ) includes:
 a window ( 40 ) created in the table ( 35 ),   a reservoir ( 41 ) for a development solution, placed under the table ( 35 ) and open at the top opposite to the window ( 40 ),   and at least one motor-driven shutter ( 45 ) for closing the window ( 40 ) and opened and closed by the control unit ( 7 ).   
   
   
       9 . A microstructuring device according to  claim 1 , characterised in that the chemical etching module ( 33 ) includes:
 a window ( 40 ) created in the table ( 35 ),   a reservoir ( 41 ) for a chemical etching solution, placed under the table ( 35 ) and open at the top opposite to the window ( 40 ),   and at least one motor-driven shutter ( 45 ) for closing the window ( 40 ) and opened and closed by the control unit ( 7 ).   
   
   
       10 . A microstructuring device according to  claim 1 , characterised in that each cleaning module ( 32 ,  34 ) includes:
 a window ( 40 ) created in the table ( 35 ),   a reservoir ( 41 ) for a cleaning solution, placed under the table ( 35 ) and open at the top opposite to the window ( 40 ),   and at least one motor-driven shutter ( 45 ) for closing the window ( 40 ) and opened and closed by the control unit ( 7 ).   
   
   
       11 . A microstructuring device according to  claim 7 , characterised in that the reservoir ( 41 ) of each module is fitted to the table in a detachable manner so as to allow easy changing of the reservoir. 
   
   
       12 . A microstructuring device according to  claim 7 , characterised in that it includes the following as the resources ( 6 ) for holding the substrate (S):
 an arm ( 10 ) which is fitted to the chassis ( 2 ) so as to be mobile at least in translation in a vertical direction (D 1 ) and an actuator ( 12 ) operated by the control unit ( 7 ) and designed to move the arm ( 10 ) in vertical translation,   a pivoting head ( 13 ) fitted onto the arm ( 10 ) so as to be mobile in rotation about a horizontal axis (D 2 ), and an actuator ( 14 ) operated by the control unit ( 7 ) and designed to cause the head to pivot ( 13 ) between two positions described as raised (C) and lowered (D),   as the means for supporting the substrate, a holder plate ( 15 ) to accommodate and fix the substrate (S), fitted onto the head ( 13 ) so that, in the raised position of the head, it is positioned to face the optical resources ( 25 ) for application of the exposure beam onto the substrate (S),   and resources ( 17 ) to drive the holder plate ( 15 ) in rotation on itself, which are operated by the control unit ( 7 ) and designed to make the holder plate turn ( 15 ) at sufficient speed to achieve centrifugal spreading of the resin on the substrate,   and is further characterised in that:   the holder plate ( 15 ) for reception of the substrate (S) is supported by a shaft ( 47 ) so as to be placed at a distance from the pivoting head ( 13 ),   the window ( 40 ) of each module is designed to allow the passage of the holder plate ( 15 ) for reception of the substrate (s),   and the closure shutter ( 45 ) of each module ( 30 ,  31 ,  32 ,  33 ,  34 ) is designed to effect closure of the window while also allowing passage of the shaft when the holder plate ( 15 ) is placed inside the reservoir ( 41 ) while the pivoting head ( 13 ) is located outside the reservoir.   
   
   
       13 . A microstructuring device according  claim 1 , characterised in that the control unit ( 7 ) is designed so that, after the insertion of a substrate (S) on the holder plate ( 15 ), perform, it is able to perform, in a sequential automatic or semi-automatic manner, at least the following operations:
 deposition of a layer of photosensitive resin on the substrate,   drying and/or annealing of the layer of photosensitive resin,   exposure of the layer of photosensitive resin according to a programmed pattern,   development of the layer of photosensitive resin,   cleaning of the substrate and of the remaining part of the resin layer,   chemical etching of the substrate,   and removal of the part of the remaining layer of photosensitive resin and cleaning of the substrate.   
   
   
       14 . A microstructuring device according to  claim 13 , characterised in that the control unit ( 7 ) is designed to automatically execute the deposition of photosensitive resin by controlling the following operations at least:
 placement of the reception holder plate of the substrate with the recess oriented downwards,   partial immersion of the holder plate and of the substrate in the photosensitive resin,   extraction of the holder plate and of the substrate from the photosensitive resin,   rotation of the holder plate, with the recess oriented downwards, at a given speed of rotation and for a given time, in order to obtain a uniform layer of a given thickness at the surface of the substrate.   
   
   
       15 . A microstructuring device according to one  claim 1 , characterised in that the exposure module ( 20 ) includes:
 a laser source ( 21 ) emitting an exposure beam,   optical resources ( 23 ) for focusing the laser beam,   and optical resources ( 25 ) for application and automatic movement of the exposure beam on the substrate along a trajectory that is determined as a function of the programmed pattern.   
   
   
       16 . A microstructuring device according to claim ( 15 ), characterised in that the device includes resources ( 51 ) for adjusting the relative position of the resources holding the substrate and of the resources ( 25 ) for application and for moving the laser beam. 
   
   
       17 . A microstructuring device according to claim ( 16 ), characterised in that the exposure module ( 20 ) includes at least:
 resources ( 26 ) for viewing the resources to accept the substrate,   of the resources for adjusting the optical centering and the focus of the laser beam,   and resources ( 28 ) for lighting the resources holding the substrate, with a visible pattern intended to allow adjustment of the laser beam focus.