Point array maskless lithography

• US 20020097495A1
• Filed: 03/08/2001
• Published: 07/25/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Disco Corporation
• Original Assignee: Ball Semiconductor, Inc.
• Inventors: Mei, Wenhui
• Granted Patent: US 6,473,237 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/618
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/0841 the reflecting element being moved or deformed by electrostatic means
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/4222 in projection exposure systems, e.g. photolithographic systems
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/2002 with visible light or UV light, through an original having an opaque pattern on a transparent support, e.g. film printing, projection printing; by reflection of visible or UV light from an original such as a printed image
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70291 Addressable masks, e.g. spatial light modulators [SLMs], digital micro-mirror devices [DMDs] or liquid crystal display [LCD] patterning devices
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70375 Multiphoton lithography or multiphoton photopolymerization; Imaging systems comprising means for converting one type of radiation into another type of radiation
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/704 Scanned exposure beam, e.g. raster-, rotary- and vector scanning mask projection exposure involving relative movement of patterned beam and workpiece during imaging G03F7/70358
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70466 Multiple exposures, e.g. combination of fine and coarse exposures, double patterning or multiple exposures for printing a single feature stitching G03F7/70475

Abstract

A system for performing digital lithography onto a subject is provided. The system includes a noncoherent light source for producing a first light and an optical diffraction element for individually focusing the first light into a plurality of second lights. The system also includes a pixel panel for generating a digital pattern, the pixel panel having a plurality of pixels corresponding to the plurality of second lights. A lens system may then direct the digital pattern to the subject, thereby enabling the lithography.

Claims

1. A system for performing digital lithography onto a subject, the system comprising:

a light source for producing a first light;

an optical element for individually focusing the first light into a plurality of second lights;

a pixel panel for generating a digital pattern, the pixel panel having a plurality of pixels corresponding to the plurality of second lights; and

a lens system for directing the digital pattern to the subject.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the pixel panel is a transparent spatial light modulator.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the pixel panel is a reflective spatial light modulator, the system further comprising:

a beam splitter for directing the plurality of second lights to the pixel panel and for directing the digital pattern to the lens system.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the optical element is a microlens array, Fresnel ring, binary optical element, diffraction optical element, magnetic lens for e-beam, reflection micro mirror array. The optical element is conjugate to the pixel panel which generates a digital pattern.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the grating is as a shadow mask to eliminate noise light and it is conjugate to substrate.