US4742234A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Charged-particle-beam lithography
Assignee: Nokia Bell Labs
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Filing: 1987-05-12
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Granted: 1988-05-03
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Expires: 2007-05-12
Abstract
Abstract An elongated source of charged particles is utilized in a lithographic system to form multiple focused electron (or ion) beams arranged in a linear array. The basis for an extremely high-throughput lithographic system especially suited for direct writing applications is thereby provided.
Inventors
- 👤 Martin Feldman
- 👤 Martin P. Lepselter
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 20:25
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01J; H01J37/00; H01J37/30; H01J37/317; H01J37/3174; H01J37/3177; B; B82; B82Y; B82Y10/00; B82Y40/00; H01J37/3002; H01J37/3007
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim
183 words
Charged-particle-beam apparatus adapted to selectively expose the surface of a workpiece, said apparatus comprising elongated particle-emitting means comprising multiple spaced-apart particle-emitting elements approximately centered relative to and adapted to emit particles along multiple respective parallel longitudinal axes of said apparatus, means including an elongated apertured array responsive to charged particles for forming multiple parallel beams directed at said workpiece surface, each aperture of said array being associated with a respective one of said particle-emitting elements and being approximately centered relative to the longitudinal axis of said associated particle-emitting element, and means for establishing a substantially uniform magnetic field in the entirety of the space between the bottom of said apertured array and the surface of said workpiece in a direction perpendicular to said workpiece surface and parallel to said longitudinal axes for simultaneously controlling beams emanating from said apertures to propagate approximately along the respective longitudinal axes of said apertures during the entire extent of their propagation in said space and to be focused on the surface of said workpiece in approximate longitudinal alignment with the respective apertures from which the beams emanated.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
183 words
Charged-particle-beam apparatus adapted to selectively expose the surface of a workpiece, said apparatus comprising elongated particle-emitting means comprising multiple spaced-apart particle-emitting elements approximately centered relative to and adapted to emit particles along multiple respective parallel longitudinal axes of said apparatus, means including an elongated apertured array responsive to charged particles for forming multiple parallel beams directed at said workpiece surface, each aperture of said array being associated with a respective one of said particle-emitting elements and being approximately centered relative to the longitudinal axis of said associated particle-emitting element, and means for establishing a substantially uniform magnetic field in the entirety of the space between the bottom of said apertured array and the surface of said workpiece in a direction perpendicular to said workpiece surface and parallel to said longitudinal axes for simultaneously controlling beams emanating from said apertures to propagate approximately along the respective longitudinal axes of said apertures during the entire extent of their propagation in said space and to be focused on the surface of said workpiece in approximate longitudinal alignment with the respective apertures from which the beams emanated.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
13 words
Apparatus as in claim 1 further including means for individually blanking said beams.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
22 words
Apparatus as in claim 2 further including means for scanning said beams in unison across said workpiece surface in a specified direction.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
17 words
Apparatus as in claim 3 wherein said workpiece surface comprises the surface of a resist-coated semiconductor wafer.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
26 words
Apparatus as in claim 4 wherein said scanning means comprises means for supporting said workpiece, and means for moving said supporting means in said specified direction.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
49 words
Apparatus as in claim 3 where said elongated array includes at least one row of spaced-apart apertures disposed in the path of particles from said elongated means to permit particles that pass through said apertures to impinge upon said workpiece surface, said row(s) being orthogonal to said specified direction.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
19 words
Apparatus as in claim 6 wherein said elongated particle-emitting means is spaced apart from the entrances of said apertures.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
26 words
Apparatus as in claim 7 further including means for focusing particles from said elongated particle-emitting means and directing said particles into the entrances of said apertures.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
18 words
Apparatus as in claim 8 further including means associated with each aperture for electrostatically focusing particles propagated therethrough.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
26 words
Apparatus as in claim 9 further including means associated with each aperture for controlling whether or not particles directed therein propagate to the respective exits thereof.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
27 words
Apparatus as in claim 10 wherein said elongated particle-emitting means comprises a wire element, and means for heating said element to cause electrons to be emitted therefrom.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
56 words
Apparatus as in claim 12 wherein said focusing and directing means comprises said aforecited means for establishing a substantially uniform magnetic field, which means is also adapted to establish magnetic field lines in the space between said element and the top of said elongated apertured array in a direction perpendicular to the top of said array.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
30 words
Apparatus as in claim 12 wherein said focusing and directing means further comprises accelerating electrode means in the space between said element and the top of said elongated apertured array.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
24 words
Apparatus as in claim 13 wherein said electrode means includes an elongated slit that is approximately coextensive with the length of said wire element.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
33 words
Apparatus as in claim 6 further including means for causing said beams to impinge upon selected surface portions of said workpiece between the regions scanned by the beams in said specified scanning direction.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
49 words
Apparatus as in claim 15 wherein said impinging means comprises means for periodically establishing magnetic lines of force parallel to the surface of said workpiece in a direction orthogonal to said specified scanning direction to cause beams emanating from said apertures to be deflected to said selected surface portions.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
79 words
Apparatus as in claim 15 wherein said impinging means comprises multiple offset rows of apertures in said elongated array in the path of particles from said elongated particle-emitting means, the amount of offset from row to row being such that all surface portions of said workpiece can be impinged upon as scanning takes place in the specified direction, and means for individually controlling whether or not particles directed into said apertures emanate therefrom to impinge upon said workpiece surface.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
23 words
Apparatus as in claim 6 wherein said particle-emitting means comprises a single elongated junction, and means for biasing said junction to emit particles.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
33 words
Apparatus as in claim 6 wherein said particle-emitting means comprises multiple individual junctions respectively positioned at the entrances of said apertures, and means for individually biasing said junctions to emit particles or not.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
34 words
Apparatus as in claim 6 wherein said particle-emitting means comprises multiple individual photosensitive elements respectively positioned at the entrances of said apertures, and means for individually controlling said elements to emit particles or not.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
49 words
Apparatus as in claim 6 wherein said elongated array includes demultiplexing circuitry and interconnection circuitry formed thereon to form a unitary integrated-circuit assembly, and data processing means including a high-speed data link connected to said demultiplexing circuitry to provide blanking signals via said interconnection circuitry to said respective apertures.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
142 words
A method of making microminiature devices by directly writing on a workpiece surface with a charged-particle beam, said method comprising the steps of directing charged particles at an elongated array from a particle emitter that is at least coextensive with said array to form multiple parallel beams each being approximately centered relative to a respective longitudinal axis, individually blanking said beams, by means of a uniform magnetic field in the entirety of the space between the bottom of said array and the surface of said workpiece, projecting said parallel beams from said array to said workpiece surface substantially along respective longitudinal axes that are parallel to each other, said beams being propagated along said respective parallel longitudinal axes during the entire extent of their propagation in said space, and scanning said beams in unison across said workpiece surface in a specified direction.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
142 words
A method of making microminiature devices by directly writing on a workpiece surface with a charged-particle beam, said method comprising the steps of directing charged particles at an elongated array from a particle emitter that is at least coextensive with said array to form multiple parallel beams each being approximately centered relative to a respective longitudinal axis, individually blanking said beams, by means of a uniform magnetic field in the entirety of the space between the bottom of said array and the surface of said workpiece, projecting said parallel beams from said array to said workpiece surface substantially along respective longitudinal axes that are parallel to each other, said beams being propagated along said respective parallel longitudinal axes during the entire extent of their propagation in said space, and scanning said beams in unison across said workpiece surface in a specified direction.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
35 words
A method as in claim 22 further including the step of causing said beams to impinge upon selected surface portions of said workpiece between the regions scanned by the beams in said specified scanning direction.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1991-05-03 | 1991-11-02 | 1992-05-03 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1995-05-03 | 1995-11-02 | 1996-05-03 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1999-05-03 | 1999-11-02 | 2000-05-03 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |