Using time and/or power modulation to achieve dose gray-scaling in optical maskless lithography
First Claim
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1. A maskless lithography system, comprising:
- an illumination source configured to produce light beams;
an object configured to be exposed by the light beams;
a variable filter disposed between the illumination source and the object, and configured to change intensity transmission values based on a received signal; and
a controller, wherein the controller is configured to modulate the intensity of the light beams by sending a signal to the variable filter to change intensity transmission between exposures.
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Abstract
In lithography applications, it is desirable to control, for example, a position or width of a printed line. An effective method of controlling these patterns and their resolution is by having as many grayscale levels as possible. The present invention comprises methods of grayscaling wherein modulation of the exposure time increases the number of grayscale levels on an object. In addition, the present invention comprises methods of grayscaling wherein modulating the power of an exposure beam provides additional grayscale levels.
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Citations
9 Claims
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1. A maskless lithography system, comprising:
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an illumination source configured to produce light beams;
an object configured to be exposed by the light beams;
a variable filter disposed between the illumination source and the object, and configured to change intensity transmission values based on a received signal; and
a controller, wherein the controller is configured to modulate the intensity of the light beams by sending a signal to the variable filter to change intensity transmission between exposures. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. In a maskless lithography system having a spatial light modulator (SLM), a method of producing gray-scale on an object, the method comprising:
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(a) passing a light beam through a variable filter at a first intensity transmission value to create a light beam having a first power;
(b) exposing the object with the light beam having the first power to produce a first pattern;
(c) passing a light beam through the variable filter at a second intensity transmission value to create a light beam having a second power; and
(d) exposing the object with the light beam having the second power to produce a second pattern, such that the second pattern overlaps the first pattern and creates a range of grayscale levels on the object. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9)
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Specification