Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method

• US 20050190354A1
• Filed: 02/27/2004
• Published: 09/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ASML Netherlands BV (ASML Holding NV)
• Original Assignee: ASML Holding NV
• Inventors: de Jager, Pieter Willem Herman
• Granted Patent: US 7,016,014 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 355/67
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70283 Mask effects on the imaging process
• 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

Abstract

A diffractive optical MEMS device includes a plurality of parallel planar reflective surfaces and an actuator system. The actuator system is used to adjust the position of each of the planar reflectors in a direction perpendicular to the planar reflectors to change characteristics (e.g., phase, intensity, etc.) of light interacting with the device.

Claims

1. A system for patterning a beam of radiation, the system comprising a plurality of individually controllable elements that each comprise:

a row of substantially parallel planar reflectors; and

an actuator system that moves a position of the reflectors in an actuation direction that is substantially perpendicular to the reflectors,

wherein the actuator system moves a first group of one or more reflectors in the actuation direction to a respective one of a first plurality of distances from a base of the system, and

wherein the actuator system moves a second group of one or more reflectors in the actuation direction, independently of the first group, to a respective one of a second plurality of distances from the base.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein:

the first group of reflectors comprises alternatively spaced reflectors in the row; and

the second group of reflectors includes the remaining reflectors in the row.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second pluralities of distances comprises at least three distances.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second pluralities of distances comprises a continuous range of values between first and second distances.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the actuator system moves each of the reflectors in at least one of the first and second groups in the actuation direction, independently of the other reflectors in the group, to a desired one of a plurality of distances from the base.

6. A lithographic apparatus, comprising:

an illumination system that supplies a beam of radiation;

a patterning array that patterns the beam of radiation, the patterning array including a plurality of individually controllable elements that each include,

a row of substantially parallel planar reflectors, and

an actuator system that moves a position of the reflectors in an actuation direction that is substantially perpendicular to the reflectors,

wherein the actuator system moves a first group of one or more reflectors in the actuation direction to a respective one of a first plurality of distances from a base of the patterning array,

wherein the actuator system moves a second group of one or more reflectors in the actuation direction, independently of the first group, to a respective one of a second plurality of distances from the base;

a substrate table that supports a substrate; and

a projection system that projects the patterned beam onto a target portion of the substrate.

7. The lithographic apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising:

an array of focusing elements each of which focuses a portion of the beam onto the planar reflectors of an associated one of the individually controllable elements in the patterning array.

8. The lithographic apparatus according to claim 7, wherein each focusing element collects the radiation that has one of reflected or diffracted from the associated individually controllable element and directs it into the projection system.

9. A device manufacturing method, comprising:

patterning a beam of light from an illumination source using a patterning array to impart the beam with a pattern in its cross-section using a plurality of individually controllable elements having a row of substantially parallel planar reflectors and an actuator system that sets the position of the reflectors in an actuation direction substantially perpendicular to the reflectors;

projecting the patterned beam of radiation onto a target portion of a substrate,

using the actuator system to move a first group of one or more reflectors in the actuation direction to a desired one of a first plurality of distances from a base of the patterning array; and

using the actuator system to move a second group of one or more reflectors in the actuation direction, independently of the first group, to a desired one of a second plurality of distances from the base.