Radiation modulator for a lithography apparatus, a lithography apparatus, a method of modulating radiation for use in lithography, and a device manufacturing method
First Claim
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1. A radiation modulator for a lithography apparatus, the radiation modulator comprising:
- a plurality of waveguides supporting propagation therethough of radiation having a wavelength less than 450 nm, wherein the modulator is configured such that each waveguide of the plurality of waveguides is dedicated to a different radiation source of a plurality of radiation sources;
a modulating section configured to receive radiation from the inputs of the plurality of waveguides and to individually modulate radiation from the respective inputs prior to propagation of the modulated radiation toward outputs of the waveguides in order to provide a modulated plurality of output beams; and
a control system configured to cause at least one of the radiation sources to modulate its radiation output and to control modulation, by the modulating section, of radiation from the inputs of the plurality of waveguides.
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Abstract
A radiation modulator for a lithography apparatus, a lithography apparatus, a method of modulating radiation for use in lithography, and a device manufacturing method is disclosed. The radiation modulator for a lithography apparatus may have a plurality of waveguides supporting propagation therethough of radiation having a wavelength less than 450 nm; and a modulating section configured to individually modulate radiation propagating in each of the waveguides in order to provide a modulated plurality of output beams.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A radiation modulator for a lithography apparatus, the radiation modulator comprising:
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a plurality of waveguides supporting propagation therethough of radiation having a wavelength less than 450 nm, wherein the modulator is configured such that each waveguide of the plurality of waveguides is dedicated to a different radiation source of a plurality of radiation sources; a modulating section configured to receive radiation from the inputs of the plurality of waveguides and to individually modulate radiation from the respective inputs prior to propagation of the modulated radiation toward outputs of the waveguides in order to provide a modulated plurality of output beams; and a control system configured to cause at least one of the radiation sources to modulate its radiation output and to control modulation, by the modulating section, of radiation from the inputs of the plurality of waveguides. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. A lithography apparatus, comprising:
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a programmable patterning device configured to provide a plurality of individually controllable radiation beams, the programmable patterning device comprising a radiation modulator, the radiation modulator comprising; a plurality of waveguides supporting propagation therethough of radiation, wherein the radiation modulator is configured such that each waveguide of the plurality of waveguides is dedicated to a different radiation source of a plurality of radiation sources, and a modulating section configured to receive radiation from the inputs of the plurality of waveguides and to individually modulate radiation from the respective inputs prior to propagation of the modulated radiation toward outputs of the waveguides in order to provide the plurality of individually controllable radiation beams; and a projection system configured to project each of the radiation beams onto a respective location on a target. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method of modulating radiation for use in lithography, the method comprising:
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providing a plurality of waveguides for supporting propagation therethrough of radiation having a wavelength less than 450 nm; causing at least one radiation source of a plurality of radiation sources to modulate its radiation output; providing radiation to the input of each waveguide from the plurality of radiation sources, wherein each waveguide of the plurality of waveguides is dedicated to a different radiation source of the plurality of radiation sources; receiving radiation to a modulator from the inputs of the plurality of waveguides; and individually modulating, by the modulator, radiation from the respective inputs prior to propagation of the modulated radiation toward outputs of the waveguides in order to provide a modulated plurality of output beams.
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21. A device manufacturing method, comprising:
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providing a plurality of waveguides; causing at least one radiation source of a plurality of radiation sources to modulate its radiation output; providing radiation to the input of each waveguide from the plurality of radiation sources, wherein each waveguide of the plurality of waveguides is dedicated to a different radiation source of the plurality of radiation sources; receiving radiation to a modulator from the inputs of the plurality of waveguides; individually modulating, by the modulator, radiation from the respective inputs prior to propagation of the modulated radiation toward outputs of the waveguides in order to provide a plurality of individually controllable radiation beams; and projecting each of the radiation beams onto a respective location on a target.
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Specification