Apparatus for enhancing the lifetime of stencil masks
US6858118B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 24, 2003 |
| Grant date | Feb 22, 2005 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 3, 2023 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01J2237/31794
- WIPO fieldMicro-structural and nano-technology
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
An apparatus for masked ion-beam lithography comprises a mask maintenance module for prolongation of the lifetime of the stencil mask. The module comprises a deposition means for depositing material to the side of the mask irradiated by the lithography beam, with at least one deposition source being positioned in front of the mask, and further comprises a sputter means in which at least one sputter source, positioned in front of the mask holder means and outside the path of the lithography beam, produces a sputter ion beam directed to the mask in order to sputter off material from said mask in a scanning procedure and compensate for inhomogeneity of deposition.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.