Microlithography system for high-resolution large-area patterning on curved surfaces
US6304316A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 22, 1998 |
| Grant date | Oct 16, 2001 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 22, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG03F7/70791
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A projection microlithography system that can pattern very large, curved substrates at very high exposure speeds and any desired image resolution, the substrates being permitted to have arbitrary curvature in two dimensions. The substrate is held rigidly on a scanning stage, on which is also mounted a mask containing the pattern to be formed on the substrate. The mask is imaged on the substrate by a projection subsystem which is stationary and situated above the scanning stage. The mask is illuminated with a polygonal illumination beam which causes a patterned region of similar shape to be imaged on the substrate. Different regions of the substrate are moved in a direction parallel to the direction of the optical axis at the substrate (z-axis) by suitable amounts to keep the segment being exposed within the depth of focus of the imaging lens. The stage is programmed to scan the mask and substrate simultaneously across the polygonal regions so as to pattern the whole mask. Suitable overlap between the complementary intensity profiles produced by the polygonal illumination configuration ensures seamless joining of the scans. This microlithography system includes opto-mechanical mecha…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.