Method and apparatus for maskless photolithography
First Claim
1. A maskless photolithography system for large area photoforming of photosensitive materials comprising:
- a. a computer system for generating mask patterns and alignment instructions;
b. a maskless patterned light generator, operably connected to said computer system, for receiving said mask patterns and alignment instructions, radiating a patterned light beam directed at the photosensitive material, wherein said patterned light beam is generated in conjunction with said alignment instructions; and
c. a movable mount to provide relative movement of said maskless patterned light generator and the photosensitive material exposed to said patterned light,wherein the pattern of said patterned light beam is generated in conjunction with the relative movement of said maskless patterned light generator and the photosensitive material to provide large area photoforming of the photosensitive material, wherein the movable mount is an automatically controlled alignment mount, wherein the alignment mount is movable in coplanar first and second dimensions, and in a third dimension direction substantially perpendicular to the first and second coplanar dimensions and substantially parallel to the patterned light beam;
the mount providing three dimensional alignment, wherein the alignment mount is moved in three dimensions in response to alignments instruction provided by the computer system.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus to create two dimensional and three dimensional structures using a maskless photolithography system is provided. In an embodiment, the pattern generator comprises a micromirror array wherein the positioning of the mirrors in the micromirror array and the time duration of exposure can be modulated to produce patterns to photoform photosensitive material. The desired pattern can be designed and stored using conventional computer aided drawing techniques and can be used to control the positioning of the individual mirrors in the micromirror array to reflect the corresponding desired pattern. A fixture for mounting of the substrate can be incorporated and can allow the substrate to be moved three dimensions. The fixture can be rotated in one, two, or three directions.
-
Citations
17 Claims
-
1. A maskless photolithography system for large area photoforming of photosensitive materials comprising:
-
a. a computer system for generating mask patterns and alignment instructions; b. a maskless patterned light generator, operably connected to said computer system, for receiving said mask patterns and alignment instructions, radiating a patterned light beam directed at the photosensitive material, wherein said patterned light beam is generated in conjunction with said alignment instructions; and c. a movable mount to provide relative movement of said maskless patterned light generator and the photosensitive material exposed to said patterned light, wherein the pattern of said patterned light beam is generated in conjunction with the relative movement of said maskless patterned light generator and the photosensitive material to provide large area photoforming of the photosensitive material, wherein the movable mount is an automatically controlled alignment mount, wherein the alignment mount is movable in coplanar first and second dimensions, and in a third dimension direction substantially perpendicular to the first and second coplanar dimensions and substantially parallel to the patterned light beam;
the mount providing three dimensional alignment, wherein the alignment mount is moved in three dimensions in response to alignments instruction provided by the computer system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
-
-
13. A maskless photolithography method for large area photoforming of photosensitive materials comprising:
-
a. receiving mask pattern information and alignment information corresponding to a desired pattern to be created on the photosensitive material; b. generating mask patterns based on received mask pattern information and alignment information; c. providing said mask patterns to a patterned light generator; d. generating a patterned light beam; e. directing said patterned light beam onto a first exposure area of the photosensitive material; f. exposing the first exposure area of the photosensitive material to said patterned light beam; g. providing relative movement of the photosensitive material and the maskless photolithography system to allow exposure of a second exposure area; and h. repeating steps a-g to sequentially expose the entire surface of the photosensitive material; wherein said patterned light beam incident on the photosensitive material photosculpts the photosensitive material to create contiguous patterns by sequential exposure corresponding to said patterned light beam, wherein providing relative movement of the photosensitive material and the maskless photolithography system to allow exposure of a second exposure area comprises providing relative movement of the photosensitive material and the maskless photolithography system in coplanar first and second dimensions and providing relative movement of the photosensitive material and the maskless photolithography system in a third dimension direction substantially perpendicular to the first and second coplanar dimensions, and substantially parallel to the patterned light beam. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
-
Specification