Line imaging systems and methods for laser annealing
US8014427B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | May 11, 2010 |
| Grant date | Sep 6, 2011 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 11, 2030 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01L21/268
- WIPO fieldMachine tools
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
The line imaging system includes a laser, first and second cylindrical optical systems with a first spatial filter disposed therebetween, a knife-edge aperture, a cylindrical relay system, and a cylindrical focusing lens. The first spatial filter is configured to truncate a line focus within the central lobe to form a first light beam. The second cylindrical lens system is arranged in the far field and is configured to perform spatial filtering to pass central intensity lobes of the first light beam while blocking outlying intensity lobes. The resultant twice-filtered light beam is has a relatively flat-top intensity distribution associated with the long direction of the line image so that subsequent truncation by the knife-edge aperture transmits more light than conventional line imaging systems. A laser annealing system that employs the line imaging system is also disclosed.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.