Optical imaging writer system

• US 8,253,923 B1
• Filed: 12/17/2008
• Issued: 08/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Pinebrook Imaging Technology, Ltd. (Applied Materials Incorporated)
• Inventors: Chen, Jang Fung, Laidig, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, HUNG
• Application Number:
  US12/337,504
• Time in Patent Office: 1,350 Days
• Field of Search: 355/53, 355/55, 355/67, 359290-292
• US Class Current: 355/53
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 27/62 Holders for the original G03B27/53 takes precedence ; for electrophotographic copiers G03G15/60
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70275 Multiple projection paths, e.g. array of projection systems, microlens projection systems or tandem projection systems
• 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 7/703 Non-planar pattern areas or non-planar masks, e.g. curved masks or substrates
• 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

Abstract

System and method for applying mask data patterns to substrate in a lithography manufacturing process are disclosed. In one embodiment, the imaging system includes a plurality of spatial light modulator (SLM) imaging units, where each of the plurality of SLM imaging units includes one or more illumination sources, one or more alignment sources, one or more projection lenses, and a plurality of micro minors configured to project light from the one or more illumination sources to the corresponding one or more projection lens. The imaging system further includes a controller configured to control the plurality of SLM imaging units, where the controller tunes each of the SLM imaging unit individually in writing a mask data to a substrate in a lithography manufacturing process.

Claims

1. A method for applying mask data patterns to substrate in a lithography manufacturing process, comprising:

providing a parallel imaging writer system, wherein the parallel imaging writer system includes a plurality of SLM imaging units arranged in one or more parallel arrays, and wherein each of the plurality of SLM imaging units includes one or more illumination sources, one or more alignment sources, one or more projection lenses, and a plurality of micro mirrors configured to project light from the one or more illumination sources to the corresponding one or more projection lens;

receiving a mask data pattern to be written to a substrate;

processing the mask data pattern to form a plurality of partitioned mask data patterns corresponding to different areas of the substrate;

assigning one or more SLM imaging units to handle each of the partitioned mask data pattern; and

controlling the plurality of SLM imaging units to write the plurality of partitioned mask data patterns to the substrate in parallel, wherein each SLM imaging unit is individually controlled.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein processing the mask data pattern comprises:

receiving a flattened mask data pattern;

dividing the flattened mask data pattern into a plurality of partitioned mask data patterns having a predetermined size; and

transmitting each of the partitioned mask data pattern to a corresponding SLM imaging unit for processing.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein assigning one or more SLM imaging units further comprises:

detecting a failed SLM imaging unit;

terminating operation of the failed SLM imaging unit; and

distributing partitioned mask data pattern associated with the failed SLM imaging unit to one of more adjacent SLM imaging units for processing.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein controlling the plurality of SLM imaging units comprises:

optimizing illumination of each SLM imaging unit in accordance with actual condition of local exposure area of the substrate.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein controlling the plurality of SLM imaging units further comprises:

optimizing focus of each SLM imaging unit in accordance with actual condition of local exposure area of the substrate.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein optimizing focus of each SLM imaging unit comprises:

applying a focus averaging scheme to uneven local exposure areas of each SLM imaging unit and its neighboring areas of the substrate.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein controlling the plurality of SLM imaging units further comprises:

optimizing illumination of entire process window using contributions from the plurality of SLM imaging units.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein controlling the plurality of SLM imaging units further comprises:

optimizing focus of entire process window using contributions from the plurality of SLM imaging units.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein controlling the plurality of SLM imaging units further comprises:

applying a parallel voting scheme to minimize processing variables that impact critical dimension uniformity of a partitioned mask data pattern, wherein the parallel voting scheme includes voting by micro-mirror pixel exposures.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the parallel voting scheme comprises at least one of:

recording contribution of each row of the partitioned mask data pattern sequentially;

recording contribution of each column of the partitioned mask data pattern sequentially;

or

recording contribution of each diagonal set of the partitioned mask data pattern sequentially.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is described as a computer program product stored in a medium comprising executable program code, which when executed, performs the method of claim 1.

12. A parallel imaging writer system, comprising:

a plurality of spatial light modulator (SLM) imaging units, wherein each of the plurality of SLM imaging units includes one or more illumination sources, one or more alignment sources, one or more projection lenses, and a plurality of micro mirrors configured to project light from the one or more illumination sources to the corresponding one or more projection lens; and

a controller configured to control the plurality of SLM imaging units, wherein the controller further includes

logic configured to receive a mask data pattern to be written to a substrate;

logic configured to process the mask data pattern to form a plurality of partitioned mask data patterns corresponding to different areas of the substrate;

logic configured to assign one or more SLM imaging units to handle each of the partitioned mask data pattern; and

logic configured to control the plurality of SLM imaging units to write the plurality of partitioned mask data patterns to the substrate in parallel, wherein each SLM imaging unit is individually controlled.

13. The parallel imaging writer system of claim 12, wherein logic configured to process the mask data pattern comprises:

logic configured to receive a flattened mask data pattern;

logic configured to drive the flattened mask data pattern into a plurality of partitioned mask data patterns having a predetermined size; and

logic configured to transmit each of the partitioned mask data pattern to a corresponding SLM imaging unit for processing.

14. The parallel imaging writer system of claim 12, wherein logic configured to assign one or more SLM imaging units further comprises:

logic configured to detect a failed SLM imaging unit;

logic configured to terminate operation of the failed SLM imaging unit; and

logic configured to distribute partitioned mask data pattern associated with the failed SLM imaging unit to one of more adjacent SLM imaging units for processing.

15. The parallel imaging writer system of claim 12, wherein logic configured to control the plurality of SLM imaging units comprises:

logic configured to optimize illumination of each SLM imaging unit in accordance with actual condition of local exposure area of the substrate.

16. The parallel imaging writer system of claim 12, wherein logic configured to control the plurality of SLM imaging units further comprises:

logic configured to optimize focus of each SLM imaging unit in accordance with actual condition of local exposure area of the substrate.

17. The parallel imaging writer system of claim 16, wherein logic configured to optimize focus of each SLM imaging unit comprises:

logic configured to apply a focus averaging scheme to uneven local exposure areas of each SLM imaging unit and its neighboring areas of the substrate.

18. The parallel imaging writer system of claim 12, wherein logic configured to control the plurality of SLM imaging units further comprises:

logic configured to optimize illumination of entire process window using contributions from the plurality of SLM imaging units.

19. The parallel imaging writer system of claim 12, wherein logic configured to control the plurality of SLM imaging units further comprises:

logic configured to optimize focus of entire process window using contributions from the plurality of SLM imaging units.

20. The parallel imaging writer system of claim 12, wherein logic configured to control the plurality of SLM imaging units further comprises:

logic configured to apply a parallel voting scheme to minimize processing variables that impact critical dimension uniformity of a partitioned mask data pattern, wherein the parallel voting scheme includes voting by micro-mirror pixel exposures.

21. The parallel imaging writer system of claim 20, wherein the parallel voting scheme comprises at least one of:

logic configured to record contribution of each row of the partitioned mask data pattern sequentially;

logic configured to record contribution of each column of the partitioned mask data pattern sequentially;

or

logic configured to record contribution of each diagonal set of the partitioned mask data pattern sequentially.