Alignment of a patterned electron beam with a member by electron backscatter

Claim 3

A method of aligning a patterned electron beam generated by a photocathode source with selected areas of a major surface of a member with a high degree of precision as set forth in claim 1 wherein: the detector marks are formed of narrow, elongated planes positioned in closely spaced, substantially parallel array, said planes elongated in a direction generally toward the corresponding detector means.

Claim 4

A method of aligning a patterned electron beam generated by a photocathode source with selected areas of a major surface of a member with a high degree of precision as set forth in claim 2 wherein: said detector marks are formed in widely spaced apart pairs with the detector marks of each pair closely spaced and the narrow, elongated planes of the detector marks of each pair substantially perpendicular to the narrow, elongated planes of the other detector mark of said pair of marks.

Claim 5

A method of aligning a patterned electron beam generated by a photocathode source with selected areas of a major surface of a member with a high degree of precision as set forth in claim 1 wherein: steps F and G are automatically performed by elEctrically processing said electrical signal on oscillation of movement of the alignment beam portions over the corresponding detector marks, and steps F and G are automatically terminated on optimum alignment of the alignment beam portions and the corresponding detector marks.

Claim 6

A method of aligning a patterned electron beam generated by a photocathode source with selected areas of a major surface of a member with a high degree of precision as set forth in claim 1 wherein: each detector mark is of substantially the same predetermined shape as the predetermined cross-sectional shape of the corresponding alignment beam portion of the patterned electron beam.

Claim 7

Apparatus for selectively irradiating precisely located areas of the major surface of a member comprising: A. a photocathode source for generating a patterned beam of electrons including at least one alignment beam portion of predetermined cross-sectional shape; B. a member positioned with a major surface thereof in spaced relation with the photocathode source generating the patterned electron beam; C. at least one detector mark corresponding to said alignment beam portion positioned adjacent said major surface of the member and capable of producing electron backscatter on irradiation by the patterned electron beam, each said detector mark being of a predetermined shape; D. means for applying a potential between the member and the photocathode source whereby electrons from the photocathode source are directed to and selectively irradiate portions of said major surface of the member; E. electromagnetic means for directing the patterned beam of electrons from the photocathode source to irradiate selected portions of said major surface of the member close to the selected areas, where each alignment beam portion is directed to irradiate selected portions of said major surface close to the corresponding detector mark; F. detector means corresponding to the detector marks positioned adjacent periphery portion of the member and capable of detecting backscattered electrons produced by the detector mark and producing electrical signals corresponding to the areas of the corresponding detector marks irradiated by the alignment beam portions; and G. electrical means for moving the patterned beam of electrons relative to the member responsive to said electrical signals from said detector means to cause the alignment beam portions to substantially align with the respective detector marks, whereby the patterned beam of electrons from the photocathode is located and oriented relative to the member so that precisely located areas of the major surface of the member can be selectively irradiated with the patterned electron beam.

Claim 8

Apparatus for selectively irradiating precisely located areas of the major surface of a member comprising: A. a photocathode source for generating a patterned beam of electrons including at least one alignment beam portion of predetermined cross-sectional shape; B. a member positioned with a major surface thereof in spaced relation with the photocathode source generating the patterned electron beam; C. at least one detector mark corresponding to said alignment beam portion positioned adjacent said major surface of the member and capable of producing electron backscatter on irradiation by the patterned electron beam, each said detector mark being of a predetermined shape; D. means for applying a potential between the member and the photocathode source whereby electrons from the photocathode source are directed to and selectively irradiate portions of said major surface of the member; E. electromagnetic means for directing the patterned beam of electrons from the photocathode source to irradiate selected portions of said major surface of the member close to the selected areas, where each alignment beam portion is directed to irradiate selected portions of said major surface close to the corresponding detector mark; F. detector means corresponding to the detector marks positioned adjacent periphery portion of the member and capable of detecting backscattered electrons produced by the detector mark and producing electrical signals corresponding to the areas of the corresponding detector marks irradiated by the alignment beam portions; and G. electrical means for moving the patterned beam of electrons relative to the member responsive to said electrical signals from said detector means to cause the alignment beam portions to substantially align with the respective detector marks, whereby the patterned beam of electrons from the photocathode is located and oriented relative to the member so that precisely located areas of the major surface of the member can be selectively irradiated with the patterned electron beam.

Claim 9

Apparatus for selectively irradiating precisely located areas of a major surface of a substrate as set forth in claim 6 wherein: said detector means are substantially planarly aligned with the said major surface of the member.

Claim 10

Apparatus for selectively irradiating precisely located areas of a major surface of a member as set forth in claim 6 wherein: each detector mark is of substantially the same predetermined shape as the predetermined cross-sectional shape of a corresponding alignment beam portion.

Claim 11

Apparatus for selectively irradiating precisely located areas of a major surface of a member as set forth in claim 6 wherein: each detector mark comprises a plurality of narrow elongated angular planes in a closely spaced, substantially parallel array with the angular planes elongated in a direction generally toward a detector means.

Claim 12

Apparatus for selectively irradiating precisely located areas of a major surface of a member as set forth in claim 9 wherein: said detector marks are positioned in widely spaced pairs with the detector marks of each pair closely spaced and the angular planes of each detector mark of each pair substantially perpendicular to the planes of the other detector mark of said pair.

Claim 13

Apparatus for selectively irradiating precisely located areas of a major surface of a member as set forth in claim 9 wherein: each alignment beam portion of the patterned electron beam consists of a plurality of closely spaced, substantially parallel and narrow beam portions oriented in the same direction as the angular planes of the corresponding detector marks.

Claim 14

Apparatus for selectively irradiating precisely located areas of a major surface of a member as set forth in claim 9 wherein: the patterned beam of electrons generated by the photocathode source includes at least two relatively widely spaced apart alignment beam portions of predetermined cross-sectional shape.

Claim 15

Apparatus for selectively irradiating precisely located areas of a major surface of a member as set forth in claim 9 wherein: the electrical means includes modulation means for oscillating movement of each alignment beam portion over the corresponding detector mark, phase detection means for detecting along orthogonal axis the error from alignment of the alignment beam portions and the corresponding detector marks and outputting an electrical signal corresponding thereto, and actuating means for changing the electrical input to the electromagnetic means responsive to the electrical signals from the phase detector means to bring the alignment beam portions and the detector marks into alignment.