Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method utilizing a datapath having a balanced calculation load
First Claim
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1. A lithography apparatus, comprising:
- a patterning device comprising an array of individually controllable elements configured to impart a pattern to a cross-section of a beam of radiation;
a projection system configured to project the patterned beam of radiation onto a target portion of a substrate;
a data processing pipeline configured to convert a first data representation of a requested dose pattern to a sequence of control data suitable for controlling respective individually controllable elements in the array of individually controllable elements to form the pattern in the beam using the patterning device, such that the requested dose pattern is formed on a substrate, the data processing pipeline comprising,a plurality of data manipulation devices, anda calculation load controller configured to divide the first data representation into a plurality of data packets, each corresponding to one of a set of sub-regions of the requested dose pattern corresponding to subsets of the individually controllable elements in the patterning device, and configured to forward each of the data packets to a respective one of the data manipulation devices,wherein the calculation load controller is configured to select the data packets to forward to each of the data manipulation devices so as to balance a total calculation load between the data manipulation devices, andwherein the calculation load controller is configured to control a size of each of the sub-regions according to at least one of a degree of pattern irregularity, a pattern entropy, and a compression ratio of the portion of the requested dose pattern corresponding to that sub-region.
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Abstract
A lithography apparatus with a data-path for converting a representation of a requested dose pattern to a sequence of control data suitable for controlling an array of individually controllable elements. The data path comprises a plurality of data manipulation devices and a calculation load controller for balancing a calculation load between the data manipulation devices. A device manufacturing method using elements of the lithography apparatus, and a flat panel display and integrated circuit device manufactured using the method.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A lithography apparatus, comprising:
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a patterning device comprising an array of individually controllable elements configured to impart a pattern to a cross-section of a beam of radiation; a projection system configured to project the patterned beam of radiation onto a target portion of a substrate; a data processing pipeline configured to convert a first data representation of a requested dose pattern to a sequence of control data suitable for controlling respective individually controllable elements in the array of individually controllable elements to form the pattern in the beam using the patterning device, such that the requested dose pattern is formed on a substrate, the data processing pipeline comprising, a plurality of data manipulation devices, and a calculation load controller configured to divide the first data representation into a plurality of data packets, each corresponding to one of a set of sub-regions of the requested dose pattern corresponding to subsets of the individually controllable elements in the patterning device, and configured to forward each of the data packets to a respective one of the data manipulation devices, wherein the calculation load controller is configured to select the data packets to forward to each of the data manipulation devices so as to balance a total calculation load between the data manipulation devices, and wherein the calculation load controller is configured to control a size of each of the sub-regions according to at least one of a degree of pattern irregularity, a pattern entropy, and a compression ratio of the portion of the requested dose pattern corresponding to that sub-region. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A lithography apparatus, comprising:
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a plurality of patterning devices, each comprising an array of individually controllable elements, wherein each patterning device is configured to impart a pattern to a cross-section of one of a plurality of beams of radiation; a projection system configured to project the plurality of patterned beams of radiation onto respective target portions of a substrate; a data processing pipeline configured to convert a first data representation of a requested dose pattern to a sequence of control data suitable for controlling respective individually controllable elements in the arrays of individually controllable elements to form the patterns in the beams using the patterning devices, such that the requested dose pattern is formed on a substrate, the data processing pipeline comprising, a plurality of data manipulation devices, and a calculation load controller configured to divide the first data representation into a plurality of data packets, each corresponding to one of a set of sub-regions of the requested dose pattern corresponding to subsets of the individually controllable elements in the patterning devices, and configured to forward each of the data packets to a respective one of the data manipulation devices, wherein the calculation load controller is configured to select the data packets to forward to each of the data manipulation devices so as to balance a total calculation load between the data manipulation devices wherein the data processing pipeline is configured to convert the first data representation of the requested dose pattern into a plurality of sequences of control data, each suitable for controlling one of the patterning devices in order together substantially to form the requested dose pattern on a substrate; and wherein each of the data manipulation devices is configured to process data packets in order to generate control data for any one of the patterning devices, and wherein a geometry of the sub-regions corresponding to any one of the data manipulation devices is uncorrelated with a geometry of variations in entropy in the requested dose pattern. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A device manufacturing method, comprising:
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using a patterning device comprising an array of individually controllable elements to impart a pattern to a cross-section of a beam of radiation; using a projection system to project the patterned beam of radiation onto a target portion of a substrate; converting a first data representation of a requested dose pattern to a sequence of control data suitable for controlling respective individually controllable elements in the array of individually controllable elements to form the pattern in the beam using the patterning device, such that the requested dose pattern is formed on a substrate; dividing the first data representation into a plurality of data packets, each corresponding to one of a set of sub-regions of the requested dose pattern, and forwarding each of the data packets to one of a plurality of data manipulation devices for the conversion; selecting the data packets to forward to each of the data manipulation devices in such a way that the total calculation load is balanced between the data manipulation devices; and controlling the size of each of the sub-regions according to at least one of a degree of pattern irregularity, a pattern entropy, and a compression ratio of the portion of the requested dose pattern corresponding to that sub-region. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification