Imaging apparatus
First Claim
1. An imaging apparatus comprising:
- a programmable patterning structure configured to pattern a beam of radiation, the programmable patterning structure including a plurality of separate patterning sub-elements, the sub-elements being configured to generate a patterned sub-beam;
a combining structure configured to combine the plurality of patterned sub-beams into a single patterned image, the combining structure including at least one of a group consisting of a reflector and a beam splitter that receive the corresponding patterned sub-beam; and
a projection system configured to project the patterned image onto a target portion of a substrate,wherein at least one of the patterned sub-beams is spatially modulated, andwherein the plurality of separate patterned sub-elements includes an array of individually controllable radiation modulating devices.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An imaging apparatus according to one embodiment of the invention includes a programmable patterning structure configured to pattern a projection beam of radiation according to a desired pattern. The programmable patterning structure includes a plurality of separate patterning sub-elements, each sub-element being configured to generate a patterned sub-beam. At least one of the separate patterning sub-elements is configured to generate a patterned sub-beam whose cross-section contains regions of different intensities. The imaging apparatus also includes a combining structure configured to combine the plurality of patterned sub-beams into a single patterned image, and a projection system configured to project the patterned image onto a target portion of a substrate.
31 Citations
39 Claims
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1. An imaging apparatus comprising:
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a programmable patterning structure configured to pattern a beam of radiation, the programmable patterning structure including a plurality of separate patterning sub-elements, the sub-elements being configured to generate a patterned sub-beam; a combining structure configured to combine the plurality of patterned sub-beams into a single patterned image, the combining structure including at least one of a group consisting of a reflector and a beam splitter that receive the corresponding patterned sub-beam; and a projection system configured to project the patterned image onto a target portion of a substrate, wherein at least one of the patterned sub-beams is spatially modulated, and wherein the plurality of separate patterned sub-elements includes an array of individually controllable radiation modulating devices. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An imaging apparatus comprising:
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a programmable patterning structure configured to pattern a beam of radiation, the programmable patterning structure including a plurality of separate patterning sub-elements, the sub-elements being configured to generate a patterned sub-beam; a combining structure configured to combine the plurality of patterned sub-beams into a single patterned image, the combining structure including at least one of a group consisting of a reflector and a beam splitter that receive the corresponding patterned sub-beam; and a projection system configured to project the patterned image onto a target portion of a substrate, wherein at least one of the patterned sub-beams is spatially modulated, and wherein at least one of the plurality of separate patterned sub-elements includes a plurality of separate arrays of radiation modulating devices. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A device manufacturing method, said method comprising:
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providing a beam of radiation; generating a plurality of patterned sub-beams based on the beam of radiation, at least one sub-beam being spatially modulated; combining the plurality of patterned sub-beams into a single patterned image; and projecting the patterned image onto a target portion of a layer of radiation-sensitive material that at least partially covers a surface of a substrate, wherein said generating the plurality of patterned sub-beams includes generating at least one of the plurality of patterned sub-beams from a plurality of separate arrays of radiation modulating devices, and wherein said combining includes directing the plurality of patterned sub-beams to corresponding ones of at least one of a group consisting of (1) a reflector that reflects at least one patterned sub-beams and (2) a beam splitter. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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Specification