US3742229A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Soft x-ray mask alignment system
Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
•
Filing: 1972-06-29
•
Granted: 1973-06-26
•
Expires: 1992-06-29
Abstract
Abstract An alignment system for a soft X-ray lithographic system for aligning a mask with a substrate to be printed with a pattern including a first registration means on the mask and second registration means on the substrate; one of the registration means being a first soft X-ray absorber means of a predetermined form; the other registration means being a second soft X-ray absorber means having a space in it with the same predetermined form, and one of the registration means being carried over a soft X-ray transparent registration window on the mask, the other registration means being carried over a soft X-ray transparent registration window on the substrate.
Inventors
- 👤 H Smith
- 👤 D Spears
- 👤 E Stern
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 20:15
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10P; H10P95/00; G; G03; G03F; G03F9/00; G03F9/70; G03F9/7073; G03F9/7076; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S430/00; Y10S430/167; Y10S430/168
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
124 words
An alignment system for a soft X-ray lithographic system including a registration system for registering a mask with a substrate to be printed with a pattern comprising a first registration means on said mask and second registration means on said substrate, one of said registration means being a first soft X-ray absorber means of a predetermined form, the other of said registration means being a second soft X-ray absorber means having a space in it of said predetermined form and one of said registration means being carried over a soft X-ray transparent registration window on said mask, the other registration means being carried over a soft X-ray transparent registration window on said substrate, one of said registration means being the obverse of the other.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
124 words
An alignment system for a soft X-ray lithographic system including a registration system for registering a mask with a substrate to be printed with a pattern comprising a first registration means on said mask and second registration means on said substrate, one of said registration means being a first soft X-ray absorber means of a predetermined form, the other of said registration means being a second soft X-ray absorber means having a space in it of said predetermined form and one of said registration means being carried over a soft X-ray transparent registration window on said mask, the other registration means being carried over a soft X-ray transparent registration window on said substrate, one of said registration means being the obverse of the other.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
15 words
The alignment system of claim 1 in which said predetermined form includes four salient portions.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
The alignment system of claim 2 in which said salient portions are arranged in spaced pairs on transverse axes.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
65 words
The alignment system of claim 1 further including a soft X-ray detector for detecting soft X-rays passing about said first soft X-ray absorber means and through the space in said second soft X-ray absorber means, and a first null detector means for determining when said first absorber means blocks the space in said second absorber means indicating that said mask and substrate are in registration.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
38 words
The alignment system of claim 4 further including a piezoelectric positioning device responsive to said first null detector means for moving said mask and substrate relative to one another to provide proper registration of said first registration means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
26 words
The aLignment system of claim 1 in which there are at least two sets of first and second registration means on each mask and substrate respectively.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
49 words
The alignment system of claim 1 further including a benchmark system for properly positioning each pattern, on each mask in a set of masks, relative to the corresponding patterns on the other masks of the set, said benchmark system including a benchmark of predetermined form defined in first material.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
17 words
The alignment system of claim 7 in which said benchmark of predetermined form includes four salient portions.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
19 words
The alignment system of claim 8 in which said salient portions are arranged in spaced pairs on transverse axes.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
21 words
The alignement system of claim 7 in which said predetermined form is defined by a space surrounded by a first material.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
123 words
An alignment system for a soft X-ray lithographic system comprising: a master mask having at least a first registration means of a first form in soft X-ray absorber material carried on a soft X-ray transparent portion of said master mask; a number of pattern masks each having on a soft X-ray transparent portion one second registration means for each of said first registration means, said second registration means including a second form similar to said first form in soft X-ray absorber material; and a substrate to be exposed through said pattern mask and having one third registration means for each of said second registration means, said third registration means including a third form obverse to said second form in soft X-ray absorber material.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
123 words
An alignment system for a soft X-ray lithographic system comprising: a master mask having at least a first registration means of a first form in soft X-ray absorber material carried on a soft X-ray transparent portion of said master mask; a number of pattern masks each having on a soft X-ray transparent portion one second registration means for each of said first registration means, said second registration means including a second form similar to said first form in soft X-ray absorber material; and a substrate to be exposed through said pattern mask and having one third registration means for each of said second registration means, said third registration means including a third form obverse to said second form in soft X-ray absorber material.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
51 words
The alignment system of claim 11 further including a soft X-ray detector for detecting soft X-rays passing about said second and third registration means, and null detector means for determining when said second and third registration means block transmission of soft X-rays indicating that said mask and substrate are in registration.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
85 words
The alignment system of claim 11 further including a benchmark system for properly positioning each pattern, on each mask in a set of masks, relative to the corresponding patterns on the other masks of the set, said benchmark system including a plurality of first benchmark means, one for each pattern to be exposed, carried on said master mask on a soft X-ray transparent portion, and a plurality of second benchmark means, one for each pattern to be exposed, carried on each of said pattern masks.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
109 words
A method of producing a soft X-ray alignment system for alignment of a soft X-ray mask and substrate comprising: on a soft X-ray transparent portion of a master mask generating a first registration means of a first form in soft X-ray absorber material; generating from said master mask on each of a plurality of pattern masks a second registration means of a second form similar to said first form in soft X-ray absorber material on a soft X-ray transparent portion; and generating on a substrate third registration means obverse to said second form for alignment with respective ones of said second forms on successive ones of said pattern masks.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
109 words
A method of producing a soft X-ray alignment system for alignment of a soft X-ray mask and substrate comprising: on a soft X-ray transparent portion of a master mask generating a first registration means of a first form in soft X-ray absorber material; generating from said master mask on each of a plurality of pattern masks a second registration means of a second form similar to said first form in soft X-ray absorber material on a soft X-ray transparent portion; and generating on a substrate third registration means obverse to said second form for alignment with respective ones of said second forms on successive ones of said pattern masks.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
128 words
A method of producing a soft X-ray alignment system for alignment of a soft X-ray mask and substrate comprising: generating on a soft X-ray transparent portion of a master mask a first registration means of a first form in soft X-ray absorber material; generating on a soft X-ray transparent portion of a master mask a first benchmark means of a second form in soft X-ray absorber material; generating from said master mask on each of a plurality of pattern masks second registration means of a third form similar to said first form in soft X-ray absorber material on a soft X-ray transparent portion; generating from said master mask on each of said plurality of pattern masks second benchmark means of a fourth form similar to said second form.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
128 words
A method of producing a soft X-ray alignment system for alignment of a soft X-ray mask and substrate comprising: generating on a soft X-ray transparent portion of a master mask a first registration means of a first form in soft X-ray absorber material; generating on a soft X-ray transparent portion of a master mask a first benchmark means of a second form in soft X-ray absorber material; generating from said master mask on each of a plurality of pattern masks second registration means of a third form similar to said first form in soft X-ray absorber material on a soft X-ray transparent portion; generating from said master mask on each of said plurality of pattern masks second benchmark means of a fourth form similar to said second form.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-06-25 | 1976-12-25 | 1977-06-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-06-25 | 1980-12-25 | 1981-06-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-06-25 | 1984-12-25 | 1985-06-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |