US6016185A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Lens array photolithography
Assignee: Hugle Lithography
•
Filing: 1997-10-23
•
Granted: 2000-01-18
•
Expires: 2017-10-23
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus and method for photolithographic exposure of a substrate including an illumination source for providing light for producing an image on the substrate, a mask including a pattern for projection onto the substrate, a lens assembly for projecting the light through a plurality of lens channels onto the substrate and an actuator for moving the lens assembly in a plane parallel to the mask and the substrate for suppressing interference effects.
Inventors
- 👤 Elmar Cullman
- 👤 Reinhard Volkel
- 👤 Karin M. Wells
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 19:29
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03F; G03F7/00; G03F7/20; G03F7/70; G03F7/70058; G03F7/70075; G03F7/0005; G03F7/0012; G03F7/70216; G03F7/70241; G03F7/70275; G03F7/70358; G03F7/70483; G03F7/7055; G03F7/70583
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
89 words
An apparatus for photolithographic exposure of a substrate comprising: an illumination source for providing light for producing an image on the substrate; a mask including a pattern for projection onto the substrate; a lens assembly disposed between the mask and the substrate and including a plurality of parallel lens channels, the lens assembly projecting the light concurrently through the plurality of parallel lens channels onto the substrate; and an actuator for moving the lens assembly in a plane parallel to the mask and the substrate for suppressing interference effects.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
89 words
An apparatus for photolithographic exposure of a substrate comprising: an illumination source for providing light for producing an image on the substrate; a mask including a pattern for projection onto the substrate; a lens assembly disposed between the mask and the substrate and including a plurality of parallel lens channels, the lens assembly projecting the light concurrently through the plurality of parallel lens channels onto the substrate; and an actuator for moving the lens assembly in a plane parallel to the mask and the substrate for suppressing interference effects.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the actuator moves the lens assembly along a first motion path that defines a circle.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the circle has a radius of a few lens diameters.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
38 words
The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the actuator moves the lens assembly along a second motion path while generally traversing the first motion path and wherein the second motion path defines a second circle of a smaller radius.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the lens assembly includes a plurality of tiles.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the tiles are arranged to form a patterned sheet.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the patterned sheet includes joint regions disposed between tiles.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the patterned sheet is scanned to eliminate defects associated with an individual tile or joint region.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
26 words
The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the patterned sheet is moved relative to the substrate to eliminate defects associated with an individual tile or joint region.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
36 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the lens assembly includes bi-directional lens channels for projecting an image from a surface of the substrate back to a surface of the mask to align the mask and substrate.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
11 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the light is poly-chromatic light.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus of claim 11 wherein components of the poly-chromatic light produce images at different depths in the substrate.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
47 words
The apparatus of claim 1 further including a scanning mirror for reflecting light from the illumination source onto a portion of a surface of the substrate, the scanning mirror operable to move parallel to the imaging surface to allow for the illumination of the entire substrate surface.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
38 words
The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the lens assembly is attached to the scanning mirror such that as a combination of the lens assembly and scanning mirror are moved, interference effects generated on the imaging surface are averaged.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
68 words
The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the substrate being of a first size and having a first length and first breadth and wherein the lens assembly being fixed with the mask and of a second size and having a second length and a second breadth and wherein the second length and the second breadth are equal to or greater than the first length and the first breadth, respectively.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
108 words
An apparatus for photolithographic exposure of a substrate comprising: an illumination source for providing light for producing an image on the substrate; a mask including a pattern for projection onto the substrate; a lens assembly disposed between the mask and the substrate and including a plurality of parallel lens channels, the lens assembly projecting the light concurrently through the plurality of parallel lens channels onto the substrate; and a scanning mirror for reflecting light from the illumination source onto a portion of a surface of the substrate, the scanning mirror operable to move parallel to the imaging surface to allow for the illumination of the entire substrate surface.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
108 words
An apparatus for photolithographic exposure of a substrate comprising: an illumination source for providing light for producing an image on the substrate; a mask including a pattern for projection onto the substrate; a lens assembly disposed between the mask and the substrate and including a plurality of parallel lens channels, the lens assembly projecting the light concurrently through the plurality of parallel lens channels onto the substrate; and a scanning mirror for reflecting light from the illumination source onto a portion of a surface of the substrate, the scanning mirror operable to move parallel to the imaging surface to allow for the illumination of the entire substrate surface.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
38 words
The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the lens assembly is attached to the scanning mirror such that as a combination of the lens assembly and scanning mirror are moved, interference effects generated on the imaging surface are averaged.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
68 words
The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the substrate being of a first size and having a first length and first breadth and wherein the lens assembly being fixed with the mask and of a second size and having a second length and a second breadth and wherein the second length and the second breadth are equal to or greater than the first length and the first breadth, respectively.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3610752A
Cited
US4023126A
Cited
US4474459A
Cited
US4640573A
Cited
US4621892A
Cited
US4851882A
Cited
US5337097A
Cited
US5153437A
Cited
US5686960A
Cited
US5742376A
Cited
US5546139A
Cited
US5517279A
Cited
US5661546A
Cited
EP0744641A2
Cited
WO1997034171A2
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-01-17 | 2003-07-19 | 2004-01-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-01-17 | 2007-07-19 | 2008-01-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-01-17 | 2011-07-19 | 2012-01-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |