Patent · US Active

Method of operating a microlithographic apparatus

US9612540B2 · kind B2 · utility

2Cited by
2References
22Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 23, 2015
Grant dateApr 4, 2017
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 8, 2035

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG03F7/7055
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A method of operating a microlithographic apparatus comprises the steps of providing an illumination system comprising an array of tiltable mirrors, wherein a light irradiance distribution on the array varies by at least 50% along a first line; specifying a scan integrated target angular light distribution and a target light energy for a point moving through an illumination field along a second line that extends parallel to a scan direction and is an image of the first line; determining a group of those mirrors through which the first line extends; determining tilt angles of the mirrors of the group such that a real angular light distribution and a real light energy for the point approximate the respective target values; producing the illumination field by forming an image of the array on a mask; and imaging a portion of the mask on a surface while the mask moves along the scan direction.

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