Illumination device using a pulsed laser source a Schlieren optical system and a matrix addressable surface light modulator for producing images with undifracted light
First Claim
1. An illumination device for producing models used for manufacturing electronic elements, or for direct illumination of wafers or substrates during photolithographic steps for producing the electronic elements, or for direct illumination of structures including light-sensitive layers, comprising:
- a pulsed laser light source;
a pattern generator;
an object onto which light emitted by said laser light source is focussed, said object being selected from the group consisting of a model, a disk, a substrate and a structure;
said pattern generator includes an optical Schlieren system and an active, matrix-addressable surface light modulator,said surface light modulator has a reflective surface having addressed surface areas which diffract incident light and non-addressed surface areas which reflect incident light,said Schlieren system comprises a Schlieren lens arranged on a side of said surface light modulator, a projection lens facing away from said surface light modulator, and a mirror device which is arranged between said Schlieren lens and said projection lens for directing light coming from said pulsed laser light source onto said reflective surface on said surface light modulator,wherein said Schlieren lens is arranged from said surface light modulator a distance less than a focal length of said Schierlen lens,focussing means for focussing the light coming from said light source in at least one point which is spaced apart from said mirror device and which is adapted to have associated therewith at least one virtual point light source by reflecting a point at said mirror device,a filter device arranged in a diffraction image plane of the virtual point light source between said Schlieren lens and said projection lens, said filter device being designed to filter out diffracted light reflected by the addressed surface areas of said surface light modulator and permit undiffracted light reflected by said non-addressed surface areas to pass through said projection lens to the model, the disk, the substrate, or the structure, and to filter out undiffracted light reflected by said non-addressed surface areas of said surface light modulator, and permit said diffracted light reflected by said addressed surface areas to pass through said projection lens to the model, the disk, the substrate, or the structure, anda displaceable positioning table capable of having the model, the disk, the substrate or the structure secured thereon in position so that a sharp image of said surface areas of said surface light modulator can be formed on the model, the disk, the substrate, or the structure,wherein said pulsed laser light source is constructed such that a pulse duration of said pulsed laser light source is shorter than a minimum structural dimension of the model, the disk, the substrate or the structure divided by a displacement rate of said positioning table, andwherein, during the displacement of said positioning table, the model, the disk, the substrate or structure are composed of a plurality of partial images by adequate addressing of said surface light modulator.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An illumination device for producing models used for manufacturing electronic elements, or for direct illumination of wafers or substrates during the photolithographic steps required for their production, or for direct illumination of structures including light-sensitive layers, comprises a pulsed laser light source and a pattern generator.
The pattern generator includes an optical Schlieren system and an active, matrix-addressable surface light modulator. The Schlieren system comprises a Schlieren lens arranged on a side of the surface light modulator, a projection lens facing away from the surface light modulator, and a mirror device which is arranged between the lenses for directing light coming from the light source onto the reflective surface on the surface light modulator. The Schlieren lens is arranged from the surface light modulator at a short distance relative to the focal length of the lens. A filter device is arranged in the diffraction image plane of the virtual point light source between the Schlieren lens and the projection lens, the filter device having a structural design of such a nature that it will either filter out the diffracted light reflected by the addressed surface areas of the surface light modulator or that it will filter out the undiffracted light. During the displacement of a positioning table, the model, the disk, the substrate or structure are composed of a plurality of partial images by adequate addressing of the surface light modulator.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. An illumination device for producing models used for manufacturing electronic elements, or for direct illumination of wafers or substrates during photolithographic steps for producing the electronic elements, or for direct illumination of structures including light-sensitive layers, comprising:
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a pulsed laser light source; a pattern generator; an object onto which light emitted by said laser light source is focussed, said object being selected from the group consisting of a model, a disk, a substrate and a structure; said pattern generator includes an optical Schlieren system and an active, matrix-addressable surface light modulator, said surface light modulator has a reflective surface having addressed surface areas which diffract incident light and non-addressed surface areas which reflect incident light, said Schlieren system comprises a Schlieren lens arranged on a side of said surface light modulator, a projection lens facing away from said surface light modulator, and a mirror device which is arranged between said Schlieren lens and said projection lens for directing light coming from said pulsed laser light source onto said reflective surface on said surface light modulator, wherein said Schlieren lens is arranged from said surface light modulator a distance less than a focal length of said Schierlen lens, focussing means for focussing the light coming from said light source in at least one point which is spaced apart from said mirror device and which is adapted to have associated therewith at least one virtual point light source by reflecting a point at said mirror device, a filter device arranged in a diffraction image plane of the virtual point light source between said Schlieren lens and said projection lens, said filter device being designed to filter out diffracted light reflected by the addressed surface areas of said surface light modulator and permit undiffracted light reflected by said non-addressed surface areas to pass through said projection lens to the model, the disk, the substrate, or the structure, and to filter out undiffracted light reflected by said non-addressed surface areas of said surface light modulator, and permit said diffracted light reflected by said addressed surface areas to pass through said projection lens to the model, the disk, the substrate, or the structure, and a displaceable positioning table capable of having the model, the disk, the substrate or the structure secured thereon in position so that a sharp image of said surface areas of said surface light modulator can be formed on the model, the disk, the substrate, or the structure, wherein said pulsed laser light source is constructed such that a pulse duration of said pulsed laser light source is shorter than a minimum structural dimension of the model, the disk, the substrate or the structure divided by a displacement rate of said positioning table, and wherein, during the displacement of said positioning table, the model, the disk, the substrate or structure are composed of a plurality of partial images by adequate addressing of said surface light modulator. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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Specification