Patent US4711568A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
← Back to Patent Explorer
US4711568A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Exposure apparatus

Assignee: Canon Inc
•
Filing: 1986-03-05
•
Granted: 1987-12-08
•
Expires: 2006-03-05
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract An exposure apparatus and method for irradiating a mask having a circuit pattern with light emitted from an intermittently emitting type light source so that the mask pattern is photolithographically transferred onto a semiconductor wafer, wherein the output of the intermittent-emission type light source is detected prior to the photolithographic transfer of the mask pattern onto the wafer and, in accordance with the result of such detection, the amount of exposure of the wafer to the light beam from the mask is controlled.

Inventors

  • 👤 Makoto Torigoe
  • 👤 Akiyoshi Suzuki
  • 👤 Terumasa Sakai

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-01 11:29
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03F; G03F7/00; G03F7/70; G03F7/70483; G03F7/7055; G03F7/70558

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim 135 words
An exposure apparatus for exposing a first object to light passed through a second object having a pattern to transfer the pattern of the second object onto the first object, said apparatus comprising: an intermittently emitting type light source for intermittently emitting a pulse of light to intermittently irradiate the second object with the pulse of light; first means operative on said light source to cause the same to emit one or more pulses of light for the detection of the quantity of light from said light source; means for detecting the quantity of light of said one or more pulses from said light source; and second means responsive to said detecting means to adjust the quantity of light to be incident on the first object, in accordance with the detection by said detecting means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 135 words
An exposure apparatus for exposing a first object to light passed through a second object having a pattern to transfer the pattern of the second object onto the first object, said apparatus comprising: an intermittently emitting type light source for intermittently emitting a pulse of light to intermittently irradiate the second object with the pulse of light; first means operative on said light source to cause the same to emit one or more pulses of light for the detection of the quantity of light from said light source; means for detecting the quantity of light of said one or more pulses from said light source; and second means responsive to said detecting means to adjust the quantity of light to be incident on the first object, in accordance with the detection by said detecting means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 55 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said second means comprises at lest one of adjusting means for changing the output of said light source, filter means disposed in a path of light from said light source and aperture means having a variable-diameter aperture and disposed in the path of light from said light source.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 30 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said light source is arranged to emit one pulse of light to transfer the pattern of the second object onto the first object.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 30 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein exposure of the first object to the pulse of light from said light source during the detection by said detecting means is prevented.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 37 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said detecting means is displaceable to a position at which said detecting means does not interfere with the transfer of the pattern of the second object onto the first object.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 15 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said light source comprises an ultraviolet laser device.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 124 words
An exposure apparatus for exposing a first object to light passed through a second object having a pattern to transfer the pattern of the second object onto the first object, said apparatus comprising: an intermittently emitting type light source for intermittently emitting a light beam to intermittently irradiate the second object with the light beam; means for detecting the quantity of the light beam from said light source, said detecting means including a silicon photodiode adapted to produce an output having a peak which is substantially proportional to the quantity of light beam from said light source; and means for controlling the irradiation of the second object with the light beam from said light source in accordance with the output of said detecting means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 124 words
An exposure apparatus for exposing a first object to light passed through a second object having a pattern to transfer the pattern of the second object onto the first object, said apparatus comprising: an intermittently emitting type light source for intermittently emitting a light beam to intermittently irradiate the second object with the light beam; means for detecting the quantity of the light beam from said light source, said detecting means including a silicon photodiode adapted to produce an output having a peak which is substantially proportional to the quantity of light beam from said light source; and means for controlling the irradiation of the second object with the light beam from said light source in accordance with the output of said detecting means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 107 words
An exposure apparatus for exposing a first object to light passed through a second object having a pattern to transfer the pattern of the second object onto the first object, said apparatus comprising: an intermittently emitting type light source for intermittently emitting a light beam to intermittently irradiate the second object with the light beam, wherein said light source comprises an ultraviolet laser device; and means for detecting the quantity of the light beam from said light source, said detecting means including a silicon photodiode adapted to produce an output having a peak which is substantially proportional to the quantity of light beam from said light source.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 107 words
An exposure apparatus for exposing a first object to light passed through a second object having a pattern to transfer the pattern of the second object onto the first object, said apparatus comprising: an intermittently emitting type light source for intermittently emitting a light beam to intermittently irradiate the second object with the light beam, wherein said light source comprises an ultraviolet laser device; and means for detecting the quantity of the light beam from said light source, said detecting means including a silicon photodiode adapted to produce an output having a peak which is substantially proportional to the quantity of light beam from said light source.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 128 words
An exposure appartus for exposing a first object to light passed through a second object having a pattern to transfer the pattern of the second object onto the first object, said apparatus comprising: an intermittently emitting type light source for intermittently emitting a light beam to intermittently irradiate the second object with the light beam; and means for detecting the quantity of the light beam from said light source, said detecting means including a silicon photodiode adapted to produce an output having a peak which is substantially proportional to the quantity of light beam from said light source, and wherein said detecting means detects the quantity of light beam from said light source prior to the transfer of the pattern of the first object onto the second object.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 128 words
An exposure appartus for exposing a first object to light passed through a second object having a pattern to transfer the pattern of the second object onto the first object, said apparatus comprising: an intermittently emitting type light source for intermittently emitting a light beam to intermittently irradiate the second object with the light beam; and means for detecting the quantity of the light beam from said light source, said detecting means including a silicon photodiode adapted to produce an output having a peak which is substantially proportional to the quantity of light beam from said light source, and wherein said detecting means detects the quantity of light beam from said light source prior to the transfer of the pattern of the first object onto the second object.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4541715A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1990-12-07 1991-06-08 1991-12-08 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1994-12-07 1995-06-08 1995-12-08 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1998-12-07 1999-06-08 1999-12-08 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag