Variable lens and exposure system

• US 7,460,309 B2
• Filed: 04/25/2007
• Issued: 12/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ASML Netherlands BV (ASML Holding NV)
• Original Assignee: ASML Netherlands BV (ASML Holding NV)
• Inventors: Venema, Willem J.
• Primary Examiner(s): SCHWARTZ, JORDAN MARC
• Application Number:
  US11/740,121
• Publication Number:
  US 20070253070A1
• Time in Patent Office: 587 Days
• Field of Search: 359665-666, 359/619, 359/626
• US Class Current: 359/666
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/005 based on electrowetting
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/0012 characterised by the manufacturing method
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/0056 arranged along two different directions in a plane, e.g. honeycomb arrangement of lenses G02B3/0043 takes precedence; miniaturised objectives for electronic devices employing wafer level optics G02B13/0085
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/14 of variable focal length
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70266 Adaptive optics, e.g. deformable optical elements for wavefront control, e.g. for aberration adjustment or correction
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70275 Multiple projection paths, e.g. array of projection systems, microlens projection systems or tandem projection systems

Abstract

A lithography apparatus comprising variable lenses is described. These variable lenses are included in a microlens array. At least some of the lenses have two or more immiscible liquids whose optical properties can be varied, for example, by an application of a voltage.

Claims

1. A microlens array, comprising:

a matrix of lenses arranged in rows and columns; and

a first liquid and a second liquid associated with the matrix of lenses, wherein a focal position of respective lenses in the microlens array is controlled by applying a voltage to the lenses using address/data lines coupled to respective ones of the lenses of the microlens array using a data/address scheme, and

wherein the first liquid and the second liquid are substantially immiscible and have different refractive indices.

2. The microlens array of claim 1, wherein the first liquid is an aqueous liquid.

3. The microlens array of claim 1, wherein the second liquid is an oil.

4. The microlens array of claim 1, wherein the matrix of lenses comprises at least 100 lenses.

5. The microlens array of claim 1 included in a lithography system.

6. A lithography apparatus, comprising:

an illumination system;

a patterning device;

a projection system including a microlens array, the microlens array comprising,

a matrix of lenses arranged in rows and columns; and

a first liquid and a second liquid associated with the matrix of lenses, wherein a focal position of respective lenses in the microlens array is controlled by applying a voltage to the lenses using address/data lines coupled to respective ones of the lenses of the microlens array using a data/address scheme, and

wherein the first liquid and the second liquid are substantially immiscible and have different refractive indices.

8. The lithographic apparatus of claim 6, wherein the first liquid is an aqueous liquid.

9. The lithographic apparatus of claim 6, wherein the second liquid is an oil.

10. The lithographic apparatus of claim 6, wherein the matrix of lenses comprises at least 100 lenses.

7. A device manufacturing method, comprising:

controlling a focal position of a matrix of lenses arranged in rows and columns having a first liquid and a second liquid in a microlens array by applying a voltage to respective ones of the matrix of lenses using address/data lines coupled to respective ones of the lenses of the microlens array using a data/address scheme, and

wherein the first liquid and the second liquid are substantially immiscible and have different refractive indices; and

exposing a substrate to radiation using the microlens array.