Patent · US Active

Method and apparatus for reducing down time of a lithography system

US8237132B2 · kind B2 · utility

1Cited by
0References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJun 17, 2009
Grant dateAug 7, 2012
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 20, 2030

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH05G2/0086
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

An apparatus includes a radiation source that emits a radiation beam that causes substantially all of a quantity of material to evaporate; and structure having first and second surface portions, a first operational mode wherein a greater quantity of a byproduct of the evaporation impinges on the first surface portion, and a second operational mode wherein a greater quantity of the byproduct impinges on the second surface portion. A different aspect involves emitting a radiation beam toward a quantity of material, the radiation beam causing substantially all of the quantity of material to evaporate; operating a structure having first and second surface portions in a first operational mode wherein a greater quantity of a byproduct of the evaporation impinges on the first surface portion; and thereafter operating the structure in a second operational mode wherein a greater quantity of the byproduct impinges on the second surface portion.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.