Method and device for controlling a plurality of actuators and an illumination device for lithography

• US 8,102,506 B2
• Filed: 06/25/2008
• Issued: 01/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CARL Zeiss SMT GmbH (Carl-Zeiss-Stiftung)
• Original Assignee: CARL Zeiss SMT GmbH (Carl-Zeiss-Stiftung)
• Inventors: Rohe, Thomas, Fischer, Juergen, Bach, Florian
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, HUNG
• Application Number:
  US12/146,186
• Publication Number:
  US 20090002668A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,308 Days
• Field of Search: 355/53, 355/67, 359291-294, 345/84, 345/100
• US Class Current: 355/53
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70116 Off-axis setting using a programmable means, e.g. liquid crystal display [LCD], digital micromirror device [DMD] or pupil facets
• 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 7/70508 Data handling in all parts of the microlithographic apparatus, e.g. handling pattern data for addressable masks or data transfer to or from different components within the exposure apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70525 Controlling normal operating mode, e.g. matching different apparatus, remote control or prediction of failure

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method and a device for controlling multiple actuators with a controller and multiple actuators controllable by the controller. At least several groups of actuators are individually controllable by the controller and to each actuator or each group of actuators is assigned at least one memory storage unit, which can store at least one parameter for controlling one or more actuators. At least two parameters are assigned to each actuator or each group of actuators, with one position of the actuator(s) being assigned to each of the parameters.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a plurality of actuators;

a controller adapted to control the plurality of actuators; and

a plurality of memory storage units,

wherein;

each of the plurality of actuators is in communication with a corresponding one of the plurality of memory storage units;

each of the plurality of memory storage units is adapted to store a parameter corresponding to a position of its corresponding actuator;

during use of the system, each of the plurality of actuators is operated based on data received directly from its corresponding memory storage unit; and

the system is a projection exposure system for micro lithography.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein, for each of the plurality of memory storage units, the parameter comprises a control signal adapted to control movement of its corresponding actuator.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the system comprises a sub-controller in communication with the controller.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is in the form of a regulating unit.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller comprises an integrated circuit adapted to transmit control signals to each of the plurality of actuators.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of memory storage units is part of an integrated circuit.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein, for each of the plurality of memory storage units, the parameter stored in the memory storage unit is directly available for controlling its corresponding actuator.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of memory storage units is a plurality of non-volatile memory storage units.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of memory storage units comprises memory selected from the group consisting of RAM, SRAM, DRAM, SDRAM, ROM, EPROM, EEPROM and FLASH memory.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of actuators is in the form of an MEMS (micro-electromechanical system) unit.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the system comprises one or more wafer systems selected from the group consisting of a 1-wafer system, a 2-wafer system, a 3-wafer system, and a 4-wafer system.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of actuators is part of a manipulation system for at least one device selected from the group consisting of a projection device, a projection exposure system for micro-lithography, light modulators, spatial light modulators (SLMs), and multi-mirror arrays (MMAs).

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of actuators is capable of positioning up to 6 million mirrors.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of actuators is capable of positioning up to 4 million mirrors.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of actuators is capable of positioning from 4,000 to 1,000,000 mirrors.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of actuators is individually controllable via the controller.

17. The system of claim 1, further comprising additional memory storage units so that each of the plurality of actuators is in communication with at least two memory storage units.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of memory storage units is adapted to store a plurality of parameters corresponding to different positions of its corresponding actuator.

19. The system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of subcontrollers, each of the subcontrollers being in communication with the controller and one of the plurality of actuators.

20. The system of claim 1, further comprising an illumination optic, wherein the plurality of actuators and the plurality of memory storage units are provided in the illumination optic.

21. The system of claim 1, further comprising a projection objective, wherein the plurality of actuators and the plurality of memory storage units are provided in the projection objective.

22. The system of claim 1, further comprising an illumination device.

23. The device of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of actuators is coupled to a mirror and is capable of moving the mirror.

24. The device of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of memory storage units is adapted to store a first parameter and a second parameter, the first parameter associated with a first position of one of the plurality of actuators and the second parameter associated with a second position of one of the plurality of actuators.

25. A method comprising:

providing a projection exposure system comprising the system of claim 1;

illuminating a reticle in an object plane of the projection exposure system;

imaging the reticle onto a wafer disposed in an image plane of the projection exposure system to make semiconductor components.