Modified photolithography movement system

• US 7,164,961 B2
• Filed: 06/14/2002
• Issued: 01/16/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Disco Corporation
• Original Assignee: Disco Corporation
• Inventors: Mei, Wenhui, Ishikawa, Akira
• Primary Examiner(s): CABRERA, ZOILA E
• Application Number:
  US10/064,156
• Publication Number:
  US 20030233528A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,677 Days
• Field of Search: 700120-121, 700/117, 700/95, 359/212, 359/223, 359/226, 348/743, 348/771
• US Class Current: 700/121
• 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 7/70358 Scanning exposure, i.e. relative movement of patterned beam and workpiece during imaging

Abstract

A method and system is provided for moving a substrate relative to a pixel panel in a digital photolithography system. The method can be used for performing photolithography on a substrate, the substrate having a first portion with a first design resolution and a second portion with a second design resolution. The method includes scanning the first portion of the substrate, having the first design resolution, at a first speed and scanning the second portion of the substrate, having the second design resolution, at a second speed, different from the first.

Claims

1. A method for performing digital photolithography on a substrate, the substrate having a first portion with a first design resolution and a second portion with a second design resolution, the method comprising:

scanning the first portion of the substrate at a first speed, comprising moving the substrate relative to the head at a third speed in a first direction; and

moving the head relative to the substrate at a fourth speed in the first direction while scanning the first portion of the substrate, wherein the first speed equals the sum of the third and fourth speeds; and

scanning the second portion of the substrate at a second speed different from the first speed, comprising moving the head relative to the substrate at a fifth speed in a second direction opposite to the first direction while scanning the second portion of the substrate, wherein the second speed equals the difference of the third and fifth speeds;

wherein both the first and second portions are scanned on a single pass.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the fourth and fifth speeds are the same.

3. Software for controlling the movement of a first motor for moving an image producing device during exposure of a substrate, wherein the substrate includes a plurality of circuit components arranged in rows and at least one horizontal component between consecutive rows of the circuit components, the software comprising instructions for:

moving the image producing device at a first speed and in a first direction while exposing the at least one horizontal component; and

moving the image producing device at a second speed and in a second direction opposite from the first direction while exposing the plurality of circuit components;

wherein the substrate constantly moves at a third speed in the first direction during the exposing, and the third speed is greater than the second speed.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the first speed equals the second speed and the first direction is perpendicular to the rows.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein the first speed equals zero.

6. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

providing digital data to the image producing device corresponding to the movement of the image producing device at the first and second speeds.

7. The method of claim 3 wherein the image producing device is a deformable mirror device (DMD).