Pattern generator apparatus

Claim 2

Pattern generator apparatus for projecting from means for determining a pattern, a corresponding light image onto a sensitive surface, said apparatus comprising: a. a light source; b. means for disposing the pattern determining means into the path of said light source to provide a light image corresponding to the pattern; and c. optical lens means including a varifocal lens for varying the degree of magnification of the light image and a reducing lens for directing and reducing the light image of varied magnification onto the sensitive surface whereby the surface is sensitized with a patterned image of reduced size with respect to the pattern of the pattern determining means.

Claim 3

Pattern generator apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein there further is included means for positioning the sensitized surface at the focal plane of said optical lens means.

Claim 4

Pattern generator apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein there further is included filter means disposed in the path of the light derived from said light source to provide light of one of the following ranges of wavelengths: h-ray, e-ray or g-ray.

Claim 5

Pattern generator apparatus for projecting from means for determining a pattern, a corresponding light image onto a sensitive surface, said apparatus comprising; a light source; means for disposing the pattern determining means into the path of said light source to provide a light image corresponding to the pattern; optical lens means including a varifocal lens for varying the degree of magnification of the light image and a reducing lens for directing and reducing the light image of varied magnification onto the sensitive surface whereby the surface is sensitized with a patterned image of reduced size with respect to the pattern determining means; and focal position detecting means including first and second half mirrors disposed between said variable focal lens and said reducing lens, means for projecting a pattern onto said first half mirror whereby the projected pattern is reflected and refracted to be focused into an image on the sensitive surface, and means for receiving reflected light from said sensitive surface that is reflected and refracted by said second half mirror, measuring means responsive to and producing an output indicative of the projected pattern being in focus on the sensitive surface, said receiving means including condenser lens means for condensing the reflected and refracted light image onto said measuring means, and means for energizing said light source in response to an output indication of said measuring means that the projected patter is in focus on the sensitive surface.

Claim 6

Pattern generator apparatus for projecting from means for determining a pattern, a corresponding light image onto a sensitive surface, said apparatus comprising; a light source; means for disposing the pattern determining means into the path of said light source to provide a light image corresponding to the pattern; optical lens means including a varifocal lens for varying the degree of magnification of the light image and a reducing lens for directing and reducing the light image of varied magnification onto the sensitive surface whereby the surface is sensitized with a patterned image of reduced size with respect to the pattern determining means; and focal position detecting means including first and second half mirrors disposed between said variable focal lens and said reducing lens, means for projecting a pattern onto said first half mirror whereby the projected pattern is reflected and refracted to be focused into an image on the sensitive surface, and means for receiving reflected light from said sensitive surface that is reflected and refracted by said second half mirror, measuring means responsive to and producing an output indicative of the projected pattern being in focus on the sensitive surface, said receiving means including condenser lens means for condensing the reflected and refracted light image onto said measuring means, and means for energizing said light source in response to an output indication of said measuring means that the projected patter is in focus on the sensitive surface.

Claim 7

Pattern generator apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein there is included means for vibrating the sensitive surface.

Claim 8

Pattern generator apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein therE is included means for vibrating said measuring means.

Claim 9

Pattern generator apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein there is included means for vibrating with variable amplitude at least one of said variable focus lens and said reducing lens.

Claim 10

Pattern generator apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the pattern determining means comprises a master reticle.

Claim 11

Pattern generator apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the pattern determining means comprises means for forming variable apertures through which the light is directed.

Claim 12

Pattern generator apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein there is included means for supporting said master reticle comprising a plurality of first tables, each for receiving and supporting thereon a pattern of said master reticle and a second table for rotatably supporting said plurality of first tables, and means for selectively disposing one of the plurality of patterns as supported upon said first tables into the light path, comprising an indexing table rotatably coupled to said second table and means for rotating said first tables to select a predetermined position of the pattern.

Claim 13

Pattern generator apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein there is included means for simultaneously actuating said master reticle selecting means and said first table rotating means.

Claim 14

Pattern generator apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein there is included master reticle support means comprising a magazine for receiving a plurality of patterns of the master reticle, and there further is included means for selectively disposing said magazine so that the selected pattern may be extracted from said magazine and disposed at a position within the light path, and means for rotating the extracted, selected pattern.

Claim 15

Pattern generator apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein said variable aperture means comprises a plurality of adjustable diaphragm blades and electromagnetic means for actuating said plurality of diaphragm blades to provide a variable aperture through which the light image is directed.

Claim 16

Pattern generator apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein there is included a second light source and means for providing an aperture of variable configuration through which the light beam from said second light source is directed, and wherein said optical lens means includes prisms for directing the light images from said first-mentioned and said second light sources onto a condensing lens for directing the combined light images onto said variable focal length lens.

Claim 17

Pattern generator apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein there further is included means for forming and directing a beam of electrons onto the sensitized surface and means for selectively moving the beam of electrons to form a pattern on the sensitized surface whereby a composite pattern is formed by the electron beam and by the optical image derived from said optical lens means.