Patent · US Active

Methods and systems for printing periodic patterns

US9658535B2 · kind B2 · utility

2Cited by
3References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 18, 2014
Grant dateMay 23, 2017
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 11, 2034

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG03F7/70408
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A method for printing a periodic pattern of features into a photosensitive layer includes providing a mask bearing a periodic pattern, providing a substrate bearing the photosensitive layer, and arranging the substrate substantially parallel to the mask. A beam of collimated monochromatic light is formed for illuminating the mask pattern so that the light-field transmitted by the mask forms Talbot image planes separated by a Talbot distance. N sub-exposures of the mask with the beam are performed and the separation between sub-exposures are changed so that the relative separation during the ith sub-exposure with respect to that during the first sub-exposure is given by (mi+ni/N) times the Talbot distance. The mask pattern is exposed to the same energy density of illumination for each sub-exposure, wherein the period is selected in relation to the wavelength so that only the zeroth and first diffraction orders are transmitted by the mask.

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