Method and apparatus for positioning a focused beam on an integrated circuit

Claim 2

Apparatus for accurately positioning focused electromagnetic energy on a semiconductor surface comprising a beam source of electromagnetic energy, a movable platform assembly, means for moving said platform assembly in first and second directions parallel to a movement plane, a rotatable mirror means supported by said platform assembly, an optical system supported by said platform assembly for focusing an energy beam incident thereon on said semiconductor surface, means for directing said beam source of electromagnetic energy onto said mirror means, said mirror means deflecting said incident energy beam source to a direction wherein the deflected beam passes through said optical system for focusing said beam on said semiconductor surface, and a control means for controlling the position of said platform assembly and of said mirror means for accurately positioning said beam source onto said semiconductor surface as a cell of focused energy.

Claim 3

Apparatus for accurately positioning focused electromagnetic energy on a semiconductor surface comprising a beam source of electromagnetic energy, a movable first platform member, means for moving said first platform member in a first direction parallel to a movement plane, a movable second platform member supported by and movable on said first platform member, means for moving said second platform member in a second direction parallel to said movement plane, a rotatable mirror assembly supported by said second platform member, an optical system supported by said second platform member for focusing an energy beam incident thereon onto said semiconductor surface, a beam directing assembly for directing the beam source of electromagnetic energy onto said rotatable mirror assembly, said rotatable mirror assembly deflecting the energy beam incident thereon from a direction substantially parallel to the movement plane to a direction wherein said deflected beam passes through the optical system for focusing the beam onto said semiconductor surface, and a control processing means for controlling the position of the first and second platform members and of the rotatable mirror assembly for accurately positioning the beam source onto the semiconductor surface as a cell of focused energy.

Claim 4

Apparatus for accurately positioning focused electromagnetic energy on a semiconductor surface comprising a beam source of electromagnetic energy, a movable first platform member, means for moving said first platform member in a first direction parallel to a movement plane, a movable second platform member supported by and movable on said first platform member, means for moving said second platform member in a second direction parallel to said movement plane, a rotatable mirror assembly supported by said second platform member, an optical system supported by said second platform member for focusing an energy beam incident thereon onto said semiconductor surface, a beam directing assembly for directing the beam source of electromagnetic energy onto said rotatable mirror assembly, said rotatable mirror assembly deflecting the energy beam incident thereon from a direction substantially parallel to the movement plane to a direction wherein said deflected beam passes through the optical system for focusing the beam onto said semiconductor surface, and a control processing means for controlling the position of the first and second platform members and of the rotatable mirror assembly for accurately positioning the beam source onto the semiconductor surface as a cell of focused energy.

Claim 5

Apparatus for accurately positioning focused energy on a semiconductor surface comprising a beam source of electromagnetic energy, a movable first platform member, means for moving said first platform member in a first direction parallel to a movement plane, a movable second platform member supported by and movable on said first platform member, means for moving said second platform member in a second direction parallel to said movement plane, a first and a second rotatable mirror means supported by said second platform member, an optical system supported by said second platform member for focusing an energy beam incident thereon on said semiconductor surface, means for directing said beam source of electromagnetic energy onto said first mirror means, said first and second mirror means having an operational interrelationship for deflecting said incident energy beam from a direction substantially parallel to said movement plane to a direction wherein said deflected beam passes through said optical system for focusing said beam on said semiconductor surface, and a control means for controlling the position of said first and second platform members and of said first and second mirror means for accurately positioning said beam source on said semiconductor surface as a cell of focused energy.

Claim 6

Apparatus for accurately positioning focused energy on a semiconductor surface comprising a beam source of electromagnetic energy, a movable first platform member, means for moving said first platform member in a first direction parallel to a movement plane, a movable second platform member supported by and movable on said first platform member, means for moving said second platform member in a second direction parallel to said movement plane, a first and a second rotatable mirror means supported by said second platform member, an optical system supported by said second platform member for focusing an energy beam incident thereon on said semiconductor surface, means for directing said beam source of electromagnetic energy onto said first mirror means, said first and second mirror means having an operational interrelationship for deflecting said incident energy beam from a direction substantially parallel to said movement plane to a direction wherein said deflected beam passes through said optical system for focusing said beam on said semiconductor surface, and a control means for controlling the position of said first and second platform members and of said first and second mirror means for accurately positioning said beam source on said semiconductor surface as a cell of focused energy.

Claim 7

The positioning apparatus of claim 3 wherein said directing means comprises a first fixed mirror means supported by said first platform member for deflecting said beam source of energy in the direction of movement of said second platform member and onto said first rotatable mirror.

Claim 8

The positioning apparatus of claim 4 wherein first rotatable mirror has a single axis of rotation, said single axis being substantially normal to said movement plane, and said second rotatable mirror is capable of rotation about an axis parallel to said movement plane.

Claim 9

The positioning apparatus of claim 3 wherein said control means comprises a positioning data processor, said first platform member moving means being responsive to a first platform position control signal from the positioning data processor for moving said first platform member, said second platform member moving means being responsive to a second platform position control signal from the positioning data processor for moving said second platform member, a first mirror drive means for accurately controlling the angular position of said first rotatable mirror in response to a first mirror position control signal from the positioning data processor, and a second mirror drive means for accurately controlling the angular position of said second rotatable mirror in response to a second mirror position control signal from said positioning data processor.

Claim 10

The positioning apparatus of claim 6 further comprising means for mounting said first and second mirror drive means in a fixed position on said second platform member for movement therewith, means for mounting said first and second platform member moving means in respective fixed positions, and means for coupling a mechanical position output of said second platform member moving means to said second platform member for movement thereof.

Claim 11

The positioning apparatus of claim 1 wherein said control means further comprises means for accurately determining the position of said platform assembly relative to a fixed reference position at least along a first axis and a second axis parallel to said movement plane.

Claim 12

The positioning apparatus of claim 8 wherein said position determining means comprises first and second interferometer measuring means for determining the position of said platform assembly along said axes respectively.

Claim 13

The positioning apparatus of claim 1 wherein said optical system comprises a lens element having a field of view less than two millimeters, and a focal length less than 20 millimeters, and means for mounting said lens element with its optical axis normal to said semiconductor surface.

Claim 14

The positioning apparatus of claim 1 wherein said mirror means includes means for deflecting said incident energy beam source to a direction within a solid cone having a subtended angle less than 6 degrees of arc and having an axis normal to said semiconductor surface.

Claim 15

In an apparatus for accurately positioning a focused energy beam on a semiconductor surface, said apparatus comprising a beam source of electromagnetic energy, a platform assembly movable along first and second directions parallel to a movement plane, a rotatable mirror assembly supported by said platform assembly, an optical system supported by said platform assembly for focusing an energy beam incident thereon onto said semiconductor surface, means for directing said beam source of electromagnetic energy onto said mirror means, said rotatable mirror assembly deflecting said directed beam source to a direction wherein said mirror assembly deflected beam passes through said optical system and is focused onto said semiconductor surface, and a control means for controlling the position of the platform assembly and said mirror assembly for accurately positioning said beam source as a focused cell on said semiconductor surface, a method of accurately calibrating said rotatable mirror assembly comprising the steps of: positioning a measurement surface having defined features in the plane of focus of said optical system, measuring at least one feature of said measurement surface by moving said platform assembly while maintaining said rotatable mirror means in a fixed position relative to the optical system, measuring said at least one feature of the measurement surface by moving said rotatable mirror assembly while maintaining said platform assembly in a stationary condition, and comparing said platform assembly originated measurement with said rotatable mirror assembly originated measurement for determining the calibration of said rotatable mirror assembly.

Claim 16

In an apparatus for accurately positioning a focused energy beam on a semiconductor surface, said apparatus comprising a beam source of electromagnetic energy, a platform assembly movable along first and second directions parallel to a movement plane, a rotatable mirror assembly supported by said platform assembly, an optical system supported by said platform assembly for focusing an energy beam incident thereon onto said semiconductor surface, means for directing said beam source of electromagnetic energy onto said mirror means, said rotatable mirror assembly deflecting said directed beam source to a direction wherein said mirror assembly deflected beam passes through said optical system and is focused onto said semiconductor surface, and a control means for controlling the position of the platform assembly and said mirror assembly for accurately positioning said beam source as a focused cell on said semiconductor surface, a method of accurately calibrating said rotatable mirror assembly comprising the steps of: positioning a measurement surface having defined features in the plane of focus of said optical system, measuring at least one feature of said measurement surface by moving said platform assembly while maintaining said rotatable mirror means in a fixed position relative to the optical system, measuring said at least one feature of the measurement surface by moving said rotatable mirror assembly while maintaining said platform assembly in a stationary condition, and comparing said platform assembly originated measurement with said rotatable mirror assembly originated measurement for determining the calibration of said rotatable mirror assembly.

Claim 17

The method of claim 12 further comprising the steps of aligning said at least one feature with one movement axis of said platform assembly, measuring said feature substantially solely in said one movement axis by movement of said platform assembly, and measuring said feature substantially solely in said one movement axis by moving said rotatable mirror assembly to traverse said focused cell solely in said movement axis direction.