Methods involving direct write optical lithography

• US 6,271,957 B1
• Filed: 05/26/1999
• Issued: 08/07/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Affymetrix, Inc. (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Affymetrix, Inc. (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Inventors: Quate, Calvin F., Stern, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Ben, Loha
• Application Number:
  US09/318,775
• Time in Patent Office: 804 Days
• Field of Search: 359/290, 359/291, 359/292, 359/293, 359/298, 359/223, 359/619, 204/157.68, 204/157.61, 204/456, 422/50, 536/25.3, 436/518
• US Class Current: 359/298
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/0046 Sequential or parallel reactions, e.g. for the synthesis of polypeptides or polynucleotides; Apparatus and devices for combinatorial chemistry or for making molecular arrays synthesis methods per se C40B50/00
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00353 Pumps
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00439 using micromirror arrays
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00527 Sheets
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00529 DNA chips
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00585 Parallel processes
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/0059 Sequential processes
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00596 Solid-phase processes
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00605 the compounds being directly bound or immobilised to solid supports
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00608 DNA chips
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00612 the surface being inorganic
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00617 by chemical means
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00626 Covalent
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00637 by coating it with another layer
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00659 Two-dimensional arrays
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00689 using computers
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00711 Light-directed synthesis
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00722 Nucleotides
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00725 Peptides
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: C40B 40/06 : Libraries containing nucleotides or polynucleotides, or derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C40B 60/14 : for creating libraries
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/704 : Scanned exposure beam, e.g. raster-, rotary- and vector scanning mask projection exposure involving relative movement of patterned beam and workpiece during imaging G03F7/70358

Abstract

An improved optical photolithography system and method provides predetemined light patterns generated by a direct write system without the use of photomasks. The Direct Write System provides predetermined light patterns projected on the surface of a substrate (e.g., a wafer) by using a computer controlled component for dynamically generating the predetermined light pattern, e.g., a spatial light modulator. Image patterns are store in computer and through electronic control of the spatial light modulator directly illuminate the wafer to define a portion of the polymer array, rather than being defined by a pattern on a photomask. Thus, in the Direct Write System each pixel is illuminated with an optical beam of suitable intensity and the imaging (printing) of an individual feature is determined by computer control of the spatial light modulator at each photolithographic step without the use of a photomask. The Direct Write System including a spatial light modulator is particularly useful in the synthesis of DNA arrays and provides an efficient element for polymer array synthesis by using spatial light modulators to generate a predetermined light pattern that defines the image patterns of a polymer array to be deprotected.

Claims

1. A method for deprotecting reaction sites on a substrate comprising the steps of:

providing a substrate having protected reaction sites;

modulating light direction with a spatial light modulator so as to generate a predetermined light pattern used for deprotecting selected portions of said protected reaction sites.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of directing light from a light source to said spatial light modulator.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of projecting said predetermined light pattern onto a surface of said substrate with a lens.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising the step of transmitting said predetermined light pattern from said lens through a micro-lens array.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of moving said substrate with a translation stage.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein said spatial light modulator is a SVGA DLP™

.

7. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of transmitting said predetermined light pattern through an array of non-imaging light concentrators.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein said spatial light modulator is a micro-mirror array.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said spatial light modulator is a DMD™

.

10. The method of claim 2, wherein said spatial light modulator is a GLV™

.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of generating a computer file that specifies, for each photolithography step, which portions of said spatial light modulator will operatively illuminate which portions of said protected reaction sites.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of programming said spatial light modulator to a desired configuration with information contained in said computer file.

13. A method of deprotecting reaction sites on a substrate comprising:

providing a substrate having protected reaction sites;

providing a light source;

providing a spatial light modulator;

orienting said substrate, said light source, and said spatial light modulator such that when said light source illuminates, intensity of illumination from said light source is modulated by said spatial light modulator and generates a predetermined light image pattern; and

illuminating said substrate with said predetermined light image pattern at said substrate so as to deprotect at least one of said protected reaction sites.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of projecting said predetermined light pattern onto a surface of said substrate with a lens.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of transmitting said predetermined light pattern from said lens through a micro-lens array.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of moving said substrate with a translation stage.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein said spatial light modulator is a SVGA DLP™

.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of transmitting said predetermined light pattern through an array of non-imaging light concentrators.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein said spatial light modulator is a micro-mirror array.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said spatial light modulator is a DMD™

.

21. The method of claim 13, wherein said spatial light modulator is a GLV™

.

22. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of generating a computer file that specifies, for each photolithography step, which portions of said spatial light modulator will operatively illuminate which portions of said protected reaction sites.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising the step of programming said spatial light modulator to a desired configuration with information contained in said computer file.