Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method
First Claim
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1. A lithographic apparatus comprising:
- an illumination system for supplying a projection beam of radiation;
an array of individually controllable elements serving to impart the projection beam with a pattern in its cross-section, groups of the individually controllable elements producing respective portions of the patterned beam;
a substrate table for supporting a substrate; and
a projection system for projecting the patterned beam onto a target portion of the substrate,wherein the projection system includes an array of focusing elements, arranged such that each focusing element directs one of the respective portions of the patterned beam from one of the groups of the individually controllable elements to thereby expose an area of the substrate; and
wherein each of the individually controllable elements can be set to at least two states in which the corresponding portion of the patterned beam provides radiation at an intensity between the at least two states.
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Abstract
Provided is a method and system for facilitating use of a plurality of individually controllable elements to modulate the intensity of radiation received at each focusing element of an array of focusing elements to control the intensity of the radiation in the areas on the substrate onto which the focusing elements direct the radiation.
42 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A lithographic apparatus comprising:
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an illumination system for supplying a projection beam of radiation; an array of individually controllable elements serving to impart the projection beam with a pattern in its cross-section, groups of the individually controllable elements producing respective portions of the patterned beam; a substrate table for supporting a substrate; and a projection system for projecting the patterned beam onto a target portion of the substrate, wherein the projection system includes an array of focusing elements, arranged such that each focusing element directs one of the respective portions of the patterned beam from one of the groups of the individually controllable elements to thereby expose an area of the substrate; and wherein each of the individually controllable elements can be set to at least two states in which the corresponding portion of the patterned beam provides radiation at an intensity between the at least two states. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A device manufacturing method comprising the steps of:
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providing a projection beam of radiation using an illumination system; using an array of individually controllable elements to impart the projection beam with a pattern in its cross-section, groups of the individually controllable elements producing respective portions of the patterned beam; and using an array of focusing elements as part of a projection system to project the patterned beam onto a target portion of the substrate, wherein each of the focusing elements is arranged to direct one of the respective portions of the patterned beam from one of the groups of the individually controllable elements onto an area within the target portion, and wherein the individually controllable elements are set to a plurality of different states, wherein an intensity of radiation of each of the states is different from a desired intensity of radiation at said areas on the substrate. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10)
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11. An apparatus comprising:
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(i) a radiation source for providing a projection beam of radiation; (ii) an array of individually controllable elements to receive and pattern said projection beam of radiation; and (iii) an array of focusing elements, said array of focusing elements comprising at least two focus elements, wherein each of said focus elements is optically associated with a separate group of said individually controllable elements; wherein each of the individually controllable elements can be set to at least two states in which a corresponding portion of the patterned projection beam provides radiation at an intensity between the at least two states. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method, comprising:
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(i) providing a projection beam of radiation using a radiation source; (ii) receiving and patterning said projection beam of radiation with an array of individually controllable elements; (iii) focusing the patterned projection beam with an array of focusing elements, said array of focusing elements comprising at least two focus elements, wherein each of said focus elements is optically associated with a separate group of said individually controllable elements, and wherein each of the individually controllable elements within each group can be set to at least two states in which a corresponding portion of the patterned projection beam provides radiation at an intensity between the at least two states; and (iv) exposing a substrate to radiation by each of the separate groups of individually controllable elements.
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Specification