US4668366A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Optical figuring by plasma assisted chemical transport and etching apparatus therefor
Assignee: ASML Holding NV
•
Filing: 1985-10-23
•
Granted: 1987-05-26
•
Expires: 2005-10-23
Abstract
Abstract The present invention is directed to method and apparatus for figuring a surface by plasma assisted chemical transport by means of mounting the surface to be processed on at least one electrode of an R.F. driven reactor having two parallel plate electrodes; passing reactive gas through the reactor to establish gas discharge by the R.F. power; while controlling the ion energies of the reactive gas; and while controlling the removal rate of different areas of the surface by using a substantially smaller surface area electrode than said surface area so that varying the amount of time the small surface area electrode spends at each region shapes the surface. According to one aspect of the invention optical measurement of said surface is affected in quasi real time.
Inventors
- 👤 Charles B. Zarowin
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 17:00
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01J; H01J37/00; H01J37/32; H01J37/32009; H01J37/32082; H01J37/32366; H01J37/32431; H01J37/32697; H01J37/32917; H01J37/32935; H01J37/3299; H01J2237/00; H01J2237/32; H01J2237/33; H01J2237/334
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
127 words
A process for figuring a surface by plasma assisted chemical transport comprising the steps of: mounting the surface to be processed on at least one electrode of an R.F. driven reactor having two substantially parallel plate electrodes; passing reactive gas through said reactor to establish gas discharge by the R.F. power to thereby break down said reactive gas into ions, electrons and neutral atoms or molecules; while controlling the ion energies of said ions; and while controlling the removal rate of different areas of said surface to be processed by using a substantially smaller surface area electrode than said surface to be processed so that varying the amount of time said substantially smaller surface area electrode spends at each different area shapes the surface to be processed.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
127 words
A process for figuring a surface by plasma assisted chemical transport comprising the steps of: mounting the surface to be processed on at least one electrode of an R.F. driven reactor having two substantially parallel plate electrodes; passing reactive gas through said reactor to establish gas discharge by the R.F. power to thereby break down said reactive gas into ions, electrons and neutral atoms or molecules; while controlling the ion energies of said ions; and while controlling the removal rate of different areas of said surface to be processed by using a substantially smaller surface area electrode than said surface to be processed so that varying the amount of time said substantially smaller surface area electrode spends at each different area shapes the surface to be processed.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
15 words
A process according to claim 1 wherein the surface is maintained at substantially room temperature.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
22 words
A process according to claim 1 further comprising the step of simultaneously optically measuring and monitoring said surface in quasi real time.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
13 words
A process according to claim 1 wherein said surface is an optical surface.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
18 words
A process according to claim 1 further comprising the step of simultaneously controlling the pressure in said reactor.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
127 words
Apparatus for figuring a surface by plasma assisted chemical transport comprising: means for mounting the surface to be processed on at least one electrode of an R.F. driven reactor having two substantially parallel electrodes; means for passing reactive gas through said reactor to establish gas discharge by the R.F. power to thereby break down said reactive gas into ions, electrons and neutral atoms or molecular; means for controlling the ion energies of said ions; and means for controlling the removal rate of different areas of said surface to be processed including a substantially smaller surface area electrode than said surface to be processed so that varying the amount of time said substantially smaller surface area electrode spends at each different area shapes the surface to be processed.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
127 words
Apparatus for figuring a surface by plasma assisted chemical transport comprising: means for mounting the surface to be processed on at least one electrode of an R.F. driven reactor having two substantially parallel electrodes; means for passing reactive gas through said reactor to establish gas discharge by the R.F. power to thereby break down said reactive gas into ions, electrons and neutral atoms or molecular; means for controlling the ion energies of said ions; and means for controlling the removal rate of different areas of said surface to be processed including a substantially smaller surface area electrode than said surface to be processed so that varying the amount of time said substantially smaller surface area electrode spends at each different area shapes the surface to be processed.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
15 words
Apparatus according to claim 6 comprising means for maintaining the surface at substantially room temperature.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
17 words
Apparatus according to claim 6 further comprising laser means for optically measuring said surface in real time.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
12 words
Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said surface is an optical surface.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
15 words
Apparatus according to claim 6 further comprising means for controlling the pressure in said reactor.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4349409A
Cited
US4442338A
Cited
US4422407A
Cited
US4384918A
Cited
US4351697A
Cited
US4439294A
Cited
US4437966A
Cited
US4416725A
Cited
US4482419A
Cited
US4473437A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1990-05-25 | 1990-11-24 | 1991-05-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1994-05-25 | 1994-11-24 | 1995-05-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1998-05-25 | 1998-11-24 | 1999-05-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |