Continuous direct-write optical lithography
First Claim
1. A lithographic method, comprising the steps of:
- illuminating a spatial light modulator, said spatial light modulator comprising at least one area array of individually switchable elements;
projecting an image of said spatial light modulator on a photosensitive surface of a substrate;
moving said image across said surface of said substrate;
while said image is moving, switching said elements of said spatial light modulator, whereby a pixel on said photosensitive surface receives, in serial, doses of energy from multiple elements of said spatial light modulator, thus forming a latent image on said surface; and
blurring said image, where said blurring enables sub-pixel resolution feature edge placement.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An optical lithography system comprises a light source, a spatial light modulator, imaging optics and means for continuously moving a photosensitive substrate relative to the spatial light modulator. The spatial light modulator comprises at least one array of individually switchable elements. The spatial light modulator is continuously illuminated and an image of the spatial light modulator is continuously projected on the substrate; consequently, the image is constantly moving across the surface of the substrate. While the image is moving across the surface, elements of the spatial light modulator are switched such that a pixel on the surface of the substrate receives, in serial, doses of energy from multiple elements of the spatial light modulator, thus forming a latent image on the substrate surface. The imaging optics is configured to project a blurred image of the spatial light modulator on the substrate, enabling sub-pixel resolution feature edge placement.
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Citations
79 Claims
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1. A lithographic method, comprising the steps of:
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illuminating a spatial light modulator, said spatial light modulator comprising at least one area array of individually switchable elements;
projecting an image of said spatial light modulator on a photosensitive surface of a substrate;
moving said image across said surface of said substrate;
while said image is moving, switching said elements of said spatial light modulator, whereby a pixel on said photosensitive surface receives, in serial, doses of energy from multiple elements of said spatial light modulator, thus forming a latent image on said surface; and
blurring said image, where said blurring enables sub-pixel resolution feature edge placement. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A lithographic tool for patterning a substrate, comprising:
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a spatial light modulator, said spatial light modulator comprising at least one area array of individually switchable elements;
a light source configured to illuminate said spatial light modulator;
imaging optics configured to project a blurred image of said spatial light modulator on said substrate; and
an image movement mechanism for moving said image across the surface of said substrate. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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43. A lithographic tool for patterning a substrate, comprising:
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a spatial light modulator, said spatial light modulator comprising a multiplicity of area arrays of individually switchable elements;
a light source configured to illuminate said spatial light modulator;
a multiplicity of projection lens systems configured to project a blurred image of said spatial light modulator on said substrate; and
an image movement mechanism for moving said image across the surface of said substrate;
wherein the number of said area arrays is greater than the number of said projection lens systems. - View Dependent Claims (44)
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45. A lithographic method for a substrate, comprising the steps of:
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positioning a substrate below a spatial light modulator;
illuminating said spatial light modulator, said spatial light modulator being positioned on a stage, said stage being controlled to move in a patterning direction during exposure of said substrate, said spatial light modulator comprising at least one area array of individually switchable elements, said elements having pitch p, as measured in said patterning direction;
moving said spatial light modulator in said patterning direction at speed v over said substrate;
while said spatial light modulator is moving, projecting an image of said spatial light modulator on said substrate; and
while said image is being projected, switching said spatial light modulator at times separated by a time interval T=p/v such that a pixel on a photosensitive surface of said substrate receives, in serial, doses of energy from multiple elements of said spatial light modulator. - View Dependent Claims (46)
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47. A lithographic method for a flexible film substrate, comprising the steps of:
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moving said flexible film substrate in a patterning direction at speed v;
continuously illuminating a spatial light modulator, said spatial light modulator comprising at least one area array of individually switchable elements, said elements having pitch p, as measured in said patterning direction;
while said spatial light modulator is moving, illuminating said substrate with an image, at magnification M, of said continuously illuminated spatial light modulator; and
while said substrate is being illuminated, switching said spatial light modulator at times separated by a time interval T=pM/v such that a pixel on a photosensitive surface of said substrate receives, in serial, doses of energy from multiple elements of said spatial light modulator;
wherein said moving of said substrate is implemented by rotatable, spaced apart, axially parallel film drums, said substrate being wound around and tensioned between said drums. - View Dependent Claims (48)
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49. A lithographic method, comprising the steps of:
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(a) positioning a substrate below a spatial light modulator;
(b) illuminating said spatial light modulator, said spatial light modulator comprising at least one area array of individually switchable elements;
(c) projecting a blurred image, at magnification M, of said spatial light modulator on a photosensitive surface of said substrate;
(d) moving said image in a patterning direction at speed v across said photosensitive surface;
(e) while said image is moving, switching said spatial light modulator after a time interval of T=pM/v where p is the pitch of said elements, as measured in said patterning direction; and
(f) repeating step (e), such that pixels on said substrate receive, in serial, doses of energy from multiple elements of said spatial light modulator, until a desired latent image is formed on said photosensitive surface.
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50. A lithographic method, comprising the steps of:
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illuminating a spatial light modulator using a light source, said spatial light modulator comprising at least one area array of individually switchable elements;
projecting an image of said spatial light modulator on a photosensitive surface of a substrate;
moving said image across said surface of said substrate;
while said image is moving, switching said elements of said spatial light modulator at times separated by a time interval;
controlling passage of light along a light path, said light path going from said light source to said spatial light modulator and ending at said substrate; and
blurring said image, where said blurring enables sub-pixel resolution feature edge placement. - View Dependent Claims (51, 52, 53, 54)
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55. A lithographic method, comprising the steps of:
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illuminating a spatial light modulator using a light source, said spatial light modulator comprising at least one area array of individually switchable elements;
projecting an image of said spatial light modulator on a photosensitive surface of a substrate;
moving said image across said surface of said substrate;
while said image is moving, switching said elements of said spatial light modulator at times separated by a time interval; and
controlling passage of light along a light path, said light path going from said light source to said spatial light modulator and ending at said substrate;
wherein passage of light is controlled by a light switching mechanism, said mechanism being operated at the same frequency as, and out of phase with, said elements of said spatial light modulator. - View Dependent Claims (56)
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57. A lithographic method, comprising the steps of:
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illuminating a spatial light modulator using a light source, said spatial light modulator comprising at least one area array of individually switchable elements;
projecting an image of said spatial light modulator on a photosensitive surface of a substrate;
moving said image across said surface of said substrate;
while said image is moving, switching said elements of said spatial light modulator at times separated by a time interval; and
controlling passage of light along a light path, said light path going from said light source to said spatial light modulator and ending at said substrate;
wherein passage of light is allowed for a time span which is a fraction of said switching time interval, said image moving a single pixel'"'"'s length on said substrate surface during said time span. - View Dependent Claims (58)
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59. A lithographic method, comprising the steps of:
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illuminating a spatial light modulator using a light source, said spatial light modulator comprising at least two area arrays of individually switchable elements;
projecting images of said area arrays on a photosensitive surface of a substrate;
moving said images across said surface of said substrate; and
while said images are moving, switching said elements of said area arrays, whereby a pixel on said photosensitive surface receives, in serial, doses of energy from multiple elements of said spatial light modulator, thus forming a latent image on said surface;
wherein at least two of said projected images of said area arrays overlap on said substrate. - View Dependent Claims (60, 61, 62)
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63. A lithographic tool for patterning a substrate, comprising:
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a spatial light modulator, said spatial light modulator comprising at least one area array of individually switchable elements;
a light source configured to illuminate said spatial light modulator;
imaging optics configured to project a blurred image of said spatial light modulator on said substrate;
a light switching mechanism positioned on a light path, said light path going from said light source to said spatial light modulator and ending at said substrate, said light switching mechanism being configured to control passage of light along said light path; and
an image movement mechanism for moving said image across the surface of said substrate. - View Dependent Claims (64, 65, 66)
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67. A lithographic tool for patterning a substrate, comprising:
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a first spatial light modulator, said first spatial light modulator comprising at least one area array of individually switchable elements;
a light source configured to illuminate said first spatial light modulator;
imaging optics configured to project an image of said first spatial light modulator on said substrate;
a second spatial light modulator positioned on a light path, said light path going from said light source to said first spatial light modulator and ending at said substrate, said second spatial light modulator being configured to control passage of light along said light path; and
an image movement mechanism for moving said image across the surface of said substrate.
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68. A lithographic tool for patterning a substrate, comprising:
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a spatial light modulator, said spatial light modulator comprising at least two area arrays of individually switchable elements;
a light source configured to illuminate said area arrays;
imaging optics configured to project images of said area arrays on said substrate, at least two of said images of said area arrays overlapping in register; and
an image movement mechanism for moving said images across the surface of said substrate.
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69. A lithographic method, comprising the steps of:
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(a) positioning a substrate below a spatial light modulator;
(b) illuminating said spatial light modulator, said spatial light modulator comprising at least one area array of individually switchable elements;
(c) projecting an image, at magnification M, of said spatial light modulator on a photosensitive surface of said substrate;
(d) switching said elements of said spatial light modulator at times separated by a time interval T;
(e) while said elements are switching, moving said image in a patterning direction across said photosensitive surface at speed v=npM/T where p is the pitch of said elements, as measured in said patterning direction, and n is an integer; and
(f) controlling passage of light along a light path, said light path going from said light source to said spatial light modulator and ending at said substrate, where passage of light is controlled by a light switching mechanism, said mechanism being operated at the same frequency as said elements of said spatial light modulator and shifted out of phase with said elements of said spatial light modulator by a time shift T(1−
1/n). - View Dependent Claims (70, 71, 72)
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73. A lithographic method, comprising the steps of:
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(a) positioning a substrate below a spatial light modulator;
(b) illuminating said spatial light modulator, said spatial light modulator comprising at least one area array of individually switchable elements;
(c) projecting an image, at magnification M, of said spatial light modulator on a photosensitive surface of said substrate;
(d) switching said elements of said spatial light modulator at times separated by a time interval T;
(e) while said elements are switching, moving said image in a patterning direction across said photosensitive surface at speed v=npM/T where p is the pitch of said elements, as measured in said patterning direction, and n is a constant; and
(f) controlling passage of light along a light path, said light path going from said light source to said spatial light modulator and ending at said substrate, where passage of light is controlled by a light switching mechanism, said mechanism being operated to allow the passage of light for a time span T/n. - View Dependent Claims (74, 75, 76, 77)
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78. A lithographic method, comprising the steps of:
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illuminating a spatial light modulator using a light source, said spatial light modulator comprising at least one area array of individually switchable elements;
projecting an image of said spatial light modulator on a photosensitive surface of a substrate;
moving said image across said surface of said substrate; and
while said image is moving, switching said elements of said spatial light modulator;
wherein the direction of movement of said image is not parallel to columns of pixels in said projected image of said spatial light modulator. - View Dependent Claims (79)
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Specification