Photolithographic technique and illuminator using real-time addressable phase shift light shift
First Claim
1. An optical lithography system for projecting an image onto a target, said lithography system comprising:
- a light source for projecting a beam of light along a light path;
a phase modulator disposed along said light path for imparting a phase modulation pattern transverse said beam of light, Wherein said phase modulation pattern is determined by at least one electrical control signal;
a lithography mask disposed along said light path for spatially modulating said beam of light to produce said image, said lithography mask comprised of at least two regions, a first region for preventing incident light from continuing along said light path, and a second region for allowing incident light to continue along said light path, wherein portions of said beam of light are diffracted by a boundary between said first region and said second region; and
wherein said phase modulation pattern maximizes a destructive interference among said diffracted portions of said beam of light.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A phase shift illuminator (700) is comprised of a light source (704) and a phase modulator (716), typically a flexure beam micromirror array, which transversely modulates the incident light beam. When a flexure beam micromirror array is used as the phase modulator (716) a polarizing beam splitter (712) and a quarter-wave plate (714) are used to separate the incident and reflected light beams. The phase modulated light beam (720) from the optical illuminator may be used in optical lithography by passing the light beam through a lithography mask (724), typically after the light beam is phase modulated, and focusing the light beam onto a target wafer (726).
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. An optical lithography system for projecting an image onto a target, said lithography system comprising:
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a light source for projecting a beam of light along a light path; a phase modulator disposed along said light path for imparting a phase modulation pattern transverse said beam of light, Wherein said phase modulation pattern is determined by at least one electrical control signal; a lithography mask disposed along said light path for spatially modulating said beam of light to produce said image, said lithography mask comprised of at least two regions, a first region for preventing incident light from continuing along said light path, and a second region for allowing incident light to continue along said light path, wherein portions of said beam of light are diffracted by a boundary between said first region and said second region; and wherein said phase modulation pattern maximizes a destructive interference among said diffracted portions of said beam of light. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method of exposing a light sensitive material, said method comprising:
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transversely phase modulating a beam of light in response to at least one electrical control signal; spatially modulating said beam of light; and focusing said phase and spatially modulated beam of light onto said light sensitive material, wherein said step of transversely phase modulating maximizes a destructive interference among portions of said phase and spatially modulated beam of light. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A lithographic illuminator which comprises:
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means for providing a beam of light; a spatial light modulator for receiving and then reflecting said beam of light, wherein said spatial light modulator transversely phase modulates said beam of light in response to at least one electrical control signal; and means for spatially filtering said beam of light. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification