US3820894A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus and method for producing high registration photo masks
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1972-04-13
•
Granted: 1974-06-28
•
Expires: 1992-04-13
Abstract
Abstract A system is provided for producing high registration photooptical masks. A control system generates signals to a step and repeat contact printing machine that exposes many prints of the master die images on a photographic film, where these prints have a high registration characteristic.
Inventors
- 👤 G Hyatt
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 20:54
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60R; B60R16/00; B60R16/02; B60R16/037; B60R16/0373; F; F21; F21V; F21V23/00; G; G01; G01S; G01S15/00; G01S15/88; G01S15/89; G01S15/8906; G01S15/8965; G01S15/897; G01S15/8977; G01S7/00; G01S7/52; G01S7/52017; G01S7/52023; G01S7/52025; G01S7/52026; G02; G02F; G02F1/00; G02F1/01; G02F1/13; G02F1/133; G02F1/13306; G02F1/13318; G03; G03F; G03F9/00; G03F9/70; G03F9/7049; G03F9/7088; G04; G04G; G04G99/00; G04G99/006; G05; G05B; G05B19/00; G05B19/02; G05B19/18; G05B19/19; G05B19/33; G05B19/35; G05B19/351; G05B19/408; G05B19/4083; G05B19/4086; G05B19/409; G05B19/4093; G05B19/414; G05B19/4142; G06; G06J; G06J1/00; G07; G07G; G07G1/00; G07G1/12; G10; G10L; G10L19/00; G11; G11C; G11C11/00; G11C11/56; G11C11/565; G11C16/00; G11C16/02; G11C16/06; G11C16/34; G11C16/3418; G11C16/3431; G11C19/00; G11C19/28; G11C19/287; G11C19/34; G11C19/36; G11C27/00; G11C27/04; G05B2219/00; G05B2219/30; G05B2219/33; G05B2219/33182; G05B2219/34; G05B2219/34023; G05B2219/34098; G05B2219/34471; G05B2219/34472; G05B2219/35; G05B2219/35262; G05B2219/35263; G05B2219/35373; G05B2219/35431; G05B2219/35436; G05B2219/35453; G05B2219/35472; G05B2219/35554; G05B2219/36; G05B2219/36152; G05B2219/36333; G05B2219/36366; G05B2219/36379; G05B2219/36503; G05B2219/36546; G05B2219/41; G05B2219/41021; G05B2219/42; G05B2219/42237; G05B2219/45; G05B2219/45214; G05B2219/45215; G05B2219/49; G05B2219/49221; G05B2219/50; G05B2219/50047; G05B2219/50048; G05B2219/50083; G05B2219/50151; G11C7/00; G11C7/16; Y; Y02; Y02P; Y02P90/00; Y02P90/02
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 63
Claim 1
Independent Claim
131 words
A system for generating good registration exposures, said system comprising: control means for providing control signals; a machine for providing a plurality of contact exposures of a master image means on an illumination sensitive medium in response to the control signals; master image means for selectively exposing the illumination sensitive medium, said master image means including a plurality of spaced apart master images for exposing a plurality of arrays of image exposures having good registration between the plurality of arrays wherein each array of image exposures corresponds to a spaced apart master image; and illumination sensitive medium operationally connected for receiving the selective exposures and for providing a plurality of exposure arrays each having a plurality of exposures of a corresponding spaced apart master image and each having good registration therebetween.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
131 words
A system for generating good registration exposures, said system comprising: control means for providing control signals; a machine for providing a plurality of contact exposures of a master image means on an illumination sensitive medium in response to the control signals; master image means for selectively exposing the illumination sensitive medium, said master image means including a plurality of spaced apart master images for exposing a plurality of arrays of image exposures having good registration between the plurality of arrays wherein each array of image exposures corresponds to a spaced apart master image; and illumination sensitive medium operationally connected for receiving the selective exposures and for providing a plurality of exposure arrays each having a plurality of exposures of a corresponding spaced apart master image and each having good registration therebetween.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
41 words
The system as set forth in claim 1 above, further comprising contact exposure means for providing the plurality of contact exposures wherein each of the plurality of contact exposures generates a corresponding image in each of the plurality of exposure arrays.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
52 words
The system as set forth in claim 1 above, further comprising translation means for providing positional translation between the illumination sensitive medium and the master image means wherein the registration precision between the plurality of arrays is substantially better than the positional accuracy between the exposed images in each of said arrays.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
38 words
The system as set forth in claim 1 above, wherein the plurality of master images are spaced apart from each other on said master image means by distances related to the desired spacing between said plurality of arrays.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
44 words
The system as set forth in claim 1 above, wherein each of the arrays of exposed images is related to a corresponding one of the master images and wherein each of the arrays has good registration in relation to each of the other arrays.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
123 words
The system as set forth in claim 1 above, wherein said system is a photographic mask making system for making a plurality of integrated circuit masks having good registration, said system further comprising: translation means for providing translation between said master means and said illumination sensitive medium for controlling position therebetween; and contact exposure means for exposing the illumination sensitive medium with the master image means at a plurality of different positions for generating an array of exposures including a plurality of exposed images related to a corresponding master image, wherein each of the plurality of master images generates a corresponding array and wherein each image in one of the arrays is related to each corresponding image in each of the other arrays.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
94 words
The machine as set forth in claim 1 above, further comprising: a plurality of containing means including master containinG means for containing the master image means and medium containing means for containing the illumination sensitive medium; and contact means for providing translation between said master containing means and said medium containing means in a first direction to bring said master containing means and said medium containing means into contact for providing an exposure and in a second direction to bring said master containing means and said medium containing means apart for providing clearance therebetween.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
60 words
The machine as set forth in claim 7 above, further comprising positioning means for providing positioning translation between said master containing means and said medium containing means in a direction substantially perpendicular to the translation direction of said contact means, said positioning translation providing for changing the relative position of said master containing means and said medium containing means therebetween.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
103 words
An illumination exposure system comprising: means for generating control signals; means for containing a plurality of illumination devices, said illumination devices including an exposure responsive medium and a master image; means for exposing said exposure responsive medium with said master image; positioning means for providing positioning translation between said illumination devices; and means for providing a plurality of clearance positions between said exposure responsive medium and said master image, wherein the clearance positions include a first clearance position for providing positioning translation of the positioning means and a second clearance position for removal and replacement of at least one of the illumination devices.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
103 words
An illumination exposure system comprising: means for generating control signals; means for containing a plurality of illumination devices, said illumination devices including an exposure responsive medium and a master image; means for exposing said exposure responsive medium with said master image; positioning means for providing positioning translation between said illumination devices; and means for providing a plurality of clearance positions between said exposure responsive medium and said master image, wherein the clearance positions include a first clearance position for providing positioning translation of the positioning means and a second clearance position for removal and replacement of at least one of the illumination devices.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
49 words
A contact exposure system comprising: means for generating control signals; a machine for providing contact exposures in response to the control signals; means for generating a contact signal in response to a contact condition; and contact control means for controlling a contact condition in response to the contact signal.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
49 words
A contact exposure system comprising: means for generating control signals; a machine for providing contact exposures in response to the control signals; means for generating a contact signal in response to a contact condition; and contact control means for controlling a contact condition in response to the contact signal.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
51 words
A contact exposure system comprising: means for generating control signals; a machine for providing contact exposures in response to the control signals; a proximity sensor for generating a proximity signal in response to a contact proximity condition and proximity control means for controlling said machine in response to the proximity signal.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
51 words
A contact exposure system comprising: means for generating control signals; a machine for providing contact exposures in response to the control signals; a proximity sensor for generating a proximity signal in response to a contact proximity condition and proximity control means for controlling said machine in response to the proximity signal.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
55 words
The contact exposure system as set forth in claim 11 above, wherein said proximity control means provides for control of translation velocity, said proximity control means providing a first velocity in response to a first state of the proximity signal and providing a second velocity in response to a second state of the proximity signal.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
99 words
A contact exposure system comprising: control means for generating control signals; contact means for providing contact exposures in response to the control signals; positioning means for providing translation between a plurality of exposure positions; wherein at least one of said control signals is a contact control signal, wherein said control means generates the contact control signal at a time when said positioning means is providing positioning translation to a next exposure position, and wherein said contact means initiates contact translation in response to the contact control signal at a time when said positioning means is providing the positioning translation.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
99 words
A contact exposure system comprising: control means for generating control signals; contact means for providing contact exposures in response to the control signals; positioning means for providing translation between a plurality of exposure positions; wherein at least one of said control signals is a contact control signal, wherein said control means generates the contact control signal at a time when said positioning means is providing positioning translation to a next exposure position, and wherein said contact means initiates contact translation in response to the contact control signal at a time when said positioning means is providing the positioning translation.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
99 words
A contact exposure system comprising: control means for generating control signals; contact means for providing contact exposures in response to the control signals; positioning means for providing positioning translation between a plurality of exposure positions; wherein at least one of said control signals is a positioning control signal, wherein said control means generates the positioning control signal at a time when said contact means is providing retract translation to a retract position, and whErein said positioning means initiates positioning translation in response to the positioning control signal at a time when said contact means is providing the retract translation.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
99 words
A contact exposure system comprising: control means for generating control signals; contact means for providing contact exposures in response to the control signals; positioning means for providing positioning translation between a plurality of exposure positions; wherein at least one of said control signals is a positioning control signal, wherein said control means generates the positioning control signal at a time when said contact means is providing retract translation to a retract position, and whErein said positioning means initiates positioning translation in response to the positioning control signal at a time when said contact means is providing the retract translation.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
63 words
An illumination exposure system comprising: control means for generating control signals; containing means for containing a plurality of illumination devices, said illumination devices including an exposure responsive medium and a master image; exposure means for exposing said exposure responsive medium with said master image; and removeable means included in said containing means for providing access to at least one of said illumination devices.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
63 words
An illumination exposure system comprising: control means for generating control signals; containing means for containing a plurality of illumination devices, said illumination devices including an exposure responsive medium and a master image; exposure means for exposing said exposure responsive medium with said master image; and removeable means included in said containing means for providing access to at least one of said illumination devices.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
67 words
An illumination exposure system comprising: control means for generating control signals; containing means for containing a plurality of illumination devices, said illumination devices including an exposure responsive medium and a master image; exposure means for exposing said exposure responsive medium with said master image; and for providing a clearance position with a small distance between said exposure responsive medium and said master image for rapidly translating therebetween.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
67 words
An illumination exposure system comprising: control means for generating control signals; containing means for containing a plurality of illumination devices, said illumination devices including an exposure responsive medium and a master image; exposure means for exposing said exposure responsive medium with said master image; and for providing a clearance position with a small distance between said exposure responsive medium and said master image for rapidly translating therebetween.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
53 words
A contact exposure system comprising: control means for providing control signals; and a machine for providing contact exposures of master image means on an illumination sensitive medium in response to the control signals, said machine including orientation means for providing repeatable angular orientation between said illumination sensitive medium and said master image means.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
53 words
A contact exposure system comprising: control means for providing control signals; and a machine for providing contact exposures of master image means on an illumination sensitive medium in response to the control signals, said machine including orientation means for providing repeatable angular orientation between said illumination sensitive medium and said master image means.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
52 words
The orientation means as set forth in claim 17 above, comprising first surface means having an angular orientation related to the angular orientation of the illumination sensitive medium and second surface means having an angular orientation related to the orientation of the master image means for providing the repeatable angular orientation therebetween.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
39 words
The orientation means as set forth in claim 17 above, comprising first taper means operationally connected to the illumination sensitive medium and second taper means operationally connected to the master image means for providing the repeatable angular orientation therebetween.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
41 words
The machine as set forth in claim 17 above, wherein said orientation means is operationally connected between said master image means and said illumination sensitive medium for providing an angular orientation repeatability therebetween substantially better than an angular orientation accuracy therebetween.
Claim 30
Independent Claim
112 words
A system for making contact exposures, said system comprising: control means for providing control signals; a machine for providing contact exposures of a master image on an illumination sensitive medium in response to the control signals; positioning means for providing translation between said illumination sensitive medium and said master image, said positioning means having a first position precision characteristic; and orientation means for providing repeatable angular orientation between said illumination sensitive medium and said master image, said orientation means having a second position precision characteristic related to an angular nonrepeatability related tangential translation, said orientation means providing the second position precision characteristic with substantially greater precision than the first position precision characteristic.
Claim 31
Independent Claim
112 words
A system for making contact exposures, said system comprising: control means for providing control signals; a machine for providing contact exposures of a master image on an illumination sensitive medium in response to the control signals; positioning means for providing translation between said illumination sensitive medium and said master image, said positioning means having a first position precision characteristic; and orientation means for providing repeatable angular orientation between said illumination sensitive medium and said master image, said orientation means having a second position precision characteristic related to an angular nonrepeatability related tangential translation, said orientation means providing the second position precision characteristic with substantially greater precision than the first position precision characteristic.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
53 words
A contact exposure system comprising: control means for providing control signals; and a machine for providing contact exposures of master image means on an illumination sensitive medium in response to the control signals, said machine including contact pressure means for controlling contact pressure between said illumination sensitive medium and said master image means.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
53 words
A contact exposure system comprising: control means for providing control signals; and a machine for providing contact exposures of master image means on an illumination sensitive medium in response to the control signals, said machine including contact pressure means for controlling contact pressure between said illumination sensitive medium and said master image means.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
30 words
The machine as set forth in claim 22 above, wherein said contact pressure means includes compliance means for controlling the contact pressure with a compliance characteristic of said compliance means.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
64 words
A contaCt exposure system comprising: control means for providing control signals; a plurality of illumination devices including a master image and an illumination sensitive medium; a machine for providing contact exposures of said master image on said illumination sensitive medium in response to the control signals; said machine including means for adjusting to a thickness characteristic of at least one of said illumination devices.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
64 words
A contaCt exposure system comprising: control means for providing control signals; a plurality of illumination devices including a master image and an illumination sensitive medium; a machine for providing contact exposures of said master image on said illumination sensitive medium in response to the control signals; said machine including means for adjusting to a thickness characteristic of at least one of said illumination devices.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
80 words
A contact exposure system comprising: control means for providing control signals; and a machine for providing contact exposures of master image means on an illumination sensitive medium in response to the control signals, said machine including means for providing translation between said master image means and said illumination sensitive medium, said translation providing means having a positional accuracy characteristic substantially less precise than a desired registration precision, said machine providing the desired registration precision in response to the control signals.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
80 words
A contact exposure system comprising: control means for providing control signals; and a machine for providing contact exposures of master image means on an illumination sensitive medium in response to the control signals, said machine including means for providing translation between said master image means and said illumination sensitive medium, said translation providing means having a positional accuracy characteristic substantially less precise than a desired registration precision, said machine providing the desired registration precision in response to the control signals.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
83 words
The contact exposure system as set forth in claim 25 above, wherein said master image means includes a plurality of spaced apart images, wherein each of said spaced apart images is related to a desired cluster of images, wherein said machine provides a plurality of the contact exposures for exposing a plurality of clusters, wherein each cluster includes a plurality of exposures of a particular spaced apart image, and wherein each of said clusters provides good registration with each other of said clusters.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
33 words
The contact exposure system as set forth in claim 25 above, wherein said machine further includes orientation means for providing repeatable angular orientation between said illumination sensitive medium and said master image means.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
37 words
The contact exposure system as set forth in claim 25 above, wherein said master image means includes a plurality of spaced apart images, said translation being less than the distance between two of the spaced apart images.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
42 words
The contact exposure system as set forth in claim 25 above, wherein at least one exposure of said master image means on said illumination sensitive medium overlaps a plurality of other exposures of said master image means on said illumination sensitive medium.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
86 words
A contact exposure system comprising: control means for providing control signals; a plurality of illumination devices including a master image and an illumination sensitive medium; a machine for providing contact exposures of said master image on said illumination sensitive medium in response to the control signals; said machine including translation means for providing positioning translation between said illumination devices, detector means for generating a contact signal in response to a contact condition, and interlock means for disabling the positioning translation in response to the contact signal.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
86 words
A contact exposure system comprising: control means for providing control signals; a plurality of illumination devices including a master image and an illumination sensitive medium; a machine for providing contact exposures of said master image on said illumination sensitive medium in response to the control signals; said machine including translation means for providing positioning translation between said illumination devices, detector means for generating a contact signal in response to a contact condition, and interlock means for disabling the positioning translation in response to the contact signal.
Claim 45
Independent Claim
79 words
A system for generating a plurality of exposures having good registration therebetween, said system comprising: control means for providing a control signal; a machine for providing contact exposures of a master image means on an illumination sensitive medium in response to the control signals; said machine including positioning means for providing translation between said master image means and said illumination sensitive medium, said positioning means having a translation distance substantially smaller than the size of said master image means.
Claim 46
Independent Claim
79 words
A system for generating a plurality of exposures having good registration therebetween, said system comprising: control means for providing a control signal; a machine for providing contact exposures of a master image means on an illumination sensitive medium in response to the control signals; said machine including positioning means for providing translation between said master image means and said illumination sensitive medium, said positioning means having a translation distance substantially smaller than the size of said master image means.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
82 words
A machine system comprising: control means for providing control signals; exposure means for providing exposures of a master image means on an illumination sensitive medium in response to the control signals; master containing means for containing the master image means; means containing means for containing the illumination sensitive medium; and positioning means for providing translation between said master containing means and said medium containing means, said positioning means havinG a maximum translation distance smaller than the size of the master containing means.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
82 words
A machine system comprising: control means for providing control signals; exposure means for providing exposures of a master image means on an illumination sensitive medium in response to the control signals; master containing means for containing the master image means; means containing means for containing the illumination sensitive medium; and positioning means for providing translation between said master containing means and said medium containing means, said positioning means havinG a maximum translation distance smaller than the size of the master containing means.
Claim 49
Independent Claim
68 words
A system for generating good registration exposures, said system comprising: control means for providing control signals; a machine for providing a plurality of contact exposures of a master image on an illumination sensitive medium in response to the control signals, said machine including illumination means for providing illumination, said master image means being responsive to the illumination for exposing said illumination sensitive medium to generate the contact exposures.
Claim 50
Independent Claim
68 words
A system for generating good registration exposures, said system comprising: control means for providing control signals; a machine for providing a plurality of contact exposures of a master image on an illumination sensitive medium in response to the control signals, said machine including illumination means for providing illumination, said master image means being responsive to the illumination for exposing said illumination sensitive medium to generate the contact exposures.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
37 words
The machine as set forth in claim 33 above, further comprising positioning means for providing translation between the master image means and the illumination sensitive medium and having translation distances substantially less than the effective exposure area.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
44 words
The machine as set forth in claim 33 above, further comprising: means for providing translation between the master image means and the illumination sensitive medium; and containing means for containing the master image means having a size greater than the maximum distance of translation.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
98 words
The machine as set forth in claim 33 above, further comprising: means for providing translation between said master image means and said illumination sensitive medium to a plurality of different exposure positions spaced apart by distances less than the distances between a plurality of master images; means for providing a contact exposure of said master image means on said illumination sensitive medium at each of the exposure positions; and a plurality of master images included on said master image means for providing a corresponding plurality of exposure images on said illumination medium for each of the contact exposures.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
33 words
The illumination means set forth in claim 33 above, further comprising a plurality of spaced apart means for illuminating each of a corresponding plurality of master images included on said master image means.
Claim 55
Dependent Claim
28 words
The illumination means set forth in claim 37 above, further comprising positioning means for positioning each of the spaced apart illuminating means for illuminating a corresponding master image.
Claim 56
Dependent Claim
40 words
The system as set forth in claim 33 above, further comprising a stored program data processor means for processing digital information in response to a stored program and for generating at least one of the control signals under program control.
Claim 57
Dependent Claim
66 words
A contact exposure system comprising: a machine for providing contact exposures of a master image on an illumination sensitive medium in response to control signals; control means for providing the control signals, said control means including a stored program data processor operable under control of a stored program to generate the control signals, said data processor including a read only memory for storing the stored program.
Claim 58
Dependent Claim
66 words
A contact exposure system comprising: a machine for providing contact exposures of a master image on an illumination sensitive medium in response to control signals; control means for providing the control signals, said control means including a stored program data processor operable under control of a stored program to generate the control signals, said data processor including a read only memory for storing the stored program.
Claim 59
Dependent Claim
23 words
The control means as set forth in claim 33 above, further comprising digital means for generating at least one of the control signals.
Claim 60
Dependent Claim
29 words
The system as set forth in claim 33 above, wherein the control signals include at least one translation signal for controlling said machine means to translate between exposure positions.
Claim 61
Dependent Claim
29 words
The system as set forth in claim 33 above, wherein the control signals include at least one exposure control signal for controlling the exposure of the illumination sensitive medium.
Claim 62
Dependent Claim
60 words
The system as set forth in claim 33 above, further comprising: feedback means included in said machine means for generating a feedback signal in response to a machine condition; and feedback processing means included in said control means and operationally connected to said feedback means for generating at least one of the control signals in response to the feedback signal.
Claim 63
Dependent Claim
35 words
The control means as set forth in claim 33 above further comprising input means for providing input signals, said control means generating at least one of the control signals in response to the input signals.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-06-27 | 1977-12-27 | 1978-06-28 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-06-27 | 1981-12-27 | 1982-06-28 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-06-27 | 1985-12-27 | 1986-06-28 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |