US6498685B1 — Maskless, microlens EUV lithography system

Claim 1

Independent Claim 245 words

A printing exposure apparatus comprising a radiation source, an illumination system, a modulator mechanism, a printhead, and a scanning mechanism, wherein the printhead comprises a printhead aperture and an array of printer pixels distributed across the printhead aperture, each pixel comprises a sequence of corresponding microlenses, which are symbolically designated as L 1 , L 2 , . . . , L N , wherein N is an integer greater than 1, the illumination system conveys radiation from the radiation source to the printhead, whereupon the first microlens L 1 in each sequence receives illuminating radiation, each microlens L m other than the last microlens L N in the sequence focuses the illuminating radiation onto the next corresponding microlens L m+1 , the last microlens L N in each sequence focuses the illuminating radiation onto a corresponding focal point on a printing surface, the modulator mechanism modulates the radiation, whereby the focal points' exposure intensity levels are controllably varied, the modulator mechanism is a spatial light modulator comprising an array of modulator elements, each pixel further comprises one such modulator element disposed between that pixel's microlens L 1 and the printing surface, the exposure intensity at each pixel's corresponding focal point is modulated independently of other pixels, and the scanning mechanism establishes relative motion between the printing surface and the printhead in synchronization with the modulator mechanism as the printing surface is exposed, whereby a synthesized, high-resolution exposure image is formed on the printing surface.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 245 words

A printing exposure apparatus comprising a radiation source, an illumination system, a modulator mechanism, a printhead, and a scanning mechanism, wherein the printhead comprises a printhead aperture and an array of printer pixels distributed across the printhead aperture, each pixel comprises a sequence of corresponding microlenses, which are symbolically designated as L 1 , L 2 , . . . , L N , wherein N is an integer greater than 1, the illumination system conveys radiation from the radiation source to the printhead, whereupon the first microlens L 1 in each sequence receives illuminating radiation, each microlens L m other than the last microlens L N in the sequence focuses the illuminating radiation onto the next corresponding microlens L m+1 , the last microlens L N in each sequence focuses the illuminating radiation onto a corresponding focal point on a printing surface, the modulator mechanism modulates the radiation, whereby the focal points' exposure intensity levels are controllably varied, the modulator mechanism is a spatial light modulator comprising an array of modulator elements, each pixel further comprises one such modulator element disposed between that pixel's microlens L 1 and the printing surface, the exposure intensity at each pixel's corresponding focal point is modulated independently of other pixels, and the scanning mechanism establishes relative motion between the printing surface and the printhead in synchronization with the modulator mechanism as the printing surface is exposed, whereby a synthesized, high-resolution exposure image is formed on the printing surface.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 208 words

A printing exposure apparatus comprising a radiation source, an illumination system, a modulator mechanism, a printhead, and a scanning mechanism, wherein the printhead comprises a printhead aperture and an array of printer pixels distributed across the printhead aperture, each pixel comprises a sequence of corresponding microlenses, which are symbolically designated as L 1 , L 2 , . . . , L N , wherein N is an integer greater than 1, the illumination system conveys radiation from the radiation source to the printhead, whereupon the first microlens L 1 in each sequence receives illuminating radiation, each microlens L m other than the last microlens L N in the sequence focuses the illuminating radiation onto the next corresponding microlens L m+1 , the last microlens L N in each sequence focuses the illuminating radiation onto a corresponding focal point on a printing surface, the modulator mechanism modulates the radiation before it is conveyed to the printhead and all the focal points' exposure intensity levels are subjected to the same modulation, and the scanning mechanism establishes relative motion between the printing surface and the printhead in synchronization with the modulator mechanism as the printing surface is exposed, whereby a synthesized, high-resolution exposure image is formed on the printing surface.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 208 words

A printing exposure apparatus comprising a radiation source, an illumination system, a modulator mechanism, a printhead, and a scanning mechanism, wherein the printhead comprises a printhead aperture and an array of printer pixels distributed across the printhead aperture, each pixel comprises a sequence of corresponding microlenses, which are symbolically designated as L 1 , L 2 , . . . , L N , wherein N is an integer greater than 1, the illumination system conveys radiation from the radiation source to the printhead, whereupon the first microlens L 1 in each sequence receives illuminating radiation, each microlens L m other than the last microlens L N in the sequence focuses the illuminating radiation onto the next corresponding microlens L m+1 , the last microlens L N in each sequence focuses the illuminating radiation onto a corresponding focal point on a printing surface, the modulator mechanism modulates the radiation before it is conveyed to the printhead and all the focal points' exposure intensity levels are subjected to the same modulation, and the scanning mechanism establishes relative motion between the printing surface and the printhead in synchronization with the modulator mechanism as the printing surface is exposed, whereby a synthesized, high-resolution exposure image is formed on the printing surface.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 182 words

A printing exposure apparatus comprising: a radiation source; a printhead comprising a printhead aperture and an array of printer pixels distributed across the printhead aperture, wherein each pixel comprises a sequence of corresponding microlenses including at least first and last microlenses, and a modulator element disposed between the first microlens and the printing surface; an illumination system that conveys radiation from the radiation source to the printhead, whereupon for each pixel in the printhead the first microlens in the sequence receives illuminating radiation, each microlens other than the last microlens in the sequence focuses received illuminating radiation onto the next corresponding microlens, and the last microlens in the sequence focuses received illuminating radiation onto a corresponding focal point on a printing surface; a modulator control mechanism that controls the modulators in the printhead independently of each other so that the exposure intensity at each pixel's corresponding focal point is modulated independently of other pixels; and a scanning mechanism that establishes relative motion between the printing surface and the printhead in synchronization with the modulator control mechanism as the printing surface is exposed.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 182 words

A printing exposure apparatus comprising: a radiation source; a printhead comprising a printhead aperture and an array of printer pixels distributed across the printhead aperture, wherein each pixel comprises a sequence of corresponding microlenses including at least first and last microlenses, and a modulator element disposed between the first microlens and the printing surface; an illumination system that conveys radiation from the radiation source to the printhead, whereupon for each pixel in the printhead the first microlens in the sequence receives illuminating radiation, each microlens other than the last microlens in the sequence focuses received illuminating radiation onto the next corresponding microlens, and the last microlens in the sequence focuses received illuminating radiation onto a corresponding focal point on a printing surface; a modulator control mechanism that controls the modulators in the printhead independently of each other so that the exposure intensity at each pixel's corresponding focal point is modulated independently of other pixels; and a scanning mechanism that establishes relative motion between the printing surface and the printhead in synchronization with the modulator control mechanism as the printing surface is exposed.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 169 words

A printing exposure apparatus comprising: a radiation source; a printhead comprising a printhead aperture and an array of printer pixels distributed across the printhead aperture, wherein each pixel comprises a sequence of corresponding microlenses including at least first and last microlenses, and an illumination system that conveys radiation from the radiation source to the printhead, whereupon for each pixel in the printhead the first microlens in the sequence receives illuminating radiation, each microlens other than the last microlens in the sequence focuses received illuminating radiation onto the next corresponding microlens, and the last microlens in the sequence focuses received illuminating radiation onto a corresponding focal point on a printing surface; a modulator mechanism that modulates the radiation before it is conveyed to the printhead so that the exposure intensity at each pixel's corresponding focal point is subjected to the same modulation; and a scanning mechanism that establishes relative motion between the printing surface and the printhead in synchronization with the modulator control mechanism as the printing surface is exposed.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 169 words

A printing exposure apparatus comprising: a radiation source; a printhead comprising a printhead aperture and an array of printer pixels distributed across the printhead aperture, wherein each pixel comprises a sequence of corresponding microlenses including at least first and last microlenses, and an illumination system that conveys radiation from the radiation source to the printhead, whereupon for each pixel in the printhead the first microlens in the sequence receives illuminating radiation, each microlens other than the last microlens in the sequence focuses received illuminating radiation onto the next corresponding microlens, and the last microlens in the sequence focuses received illuminating radiation onto a corresponding focal point on a printing surface; a modulator mechanism that modulates the radiation before it is conveyed to the printhead so that the exposure intensity at each pixel's corresponding focal point is subjected to the same modulation; and a scanning mechanism that establishes relative motion between the printing surface and the printhead in synchronization with the modulator control mechanism as the printing surface is exposed.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 27 words

The exposure apparatus of claim 1 or 2 or 3 or 4 , wherein the radiation comprises EUV radiation in the 10 to 15 nanometer wavelength range.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 17 words

The exposure apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the radiation source is a xenon laser-produced plasma source.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 28 words

The exposure apparatus of claim 1 or 2 or 3 or 4 , wherein the radiation source is a synchrotron and the radiation is EUV or x-ray radiation.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 28 words

The exposure apparatus of claim 1 or 2 or 3 or 4 , wherein at least one of each pixel's corresponding microlenses is a singlet, continuous-profile lens element.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 45 words

The exposure apparatus of claim 5 , wherein at least one of each pixel's corresponding microlenses is a singlet, continuous-profile meniscus lens element composed of an optical material whose complex refractive index has a real part less than 1 over the operating EUV wavelength range.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 24 words

The exposure apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the singlet element is composed of one of the materials molybdenum, niobium, ruthenium, rhodium, or yttrium.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 22 words

The exposure apparatus of claim 1 or 2 or 3 or 4 , wherein each pixel's last microlens is a multiple-element lens.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 28 words

The exposure apparatus of claim 5 , wherein each pixel's last microlens is a triplet lens comprising two continuous-profile, meniscus elements with a convex spacer element between them.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 27 words

The exposure apparatus of claim 1 or 2 or 3 or 4 , wherein at least one of each pixel's corresponding microlenses is a phase Fresnel lens.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 27 words

The exposure apparatus of claim 1 or 2 or 3 or 4 , wherein at least one of each pixel's corresponding microlenses is a Fresnel zone plate.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 27 words

The exposure apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each pixel further comprises a micromechanical actuation mechanism for fine-adjusting the lateral position of the pixel's corresponding last microlens.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 20 words

The apparatus of claim 1 or 2 or 3 or 4 wherein the number of microlenses per pixel is two.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 52 words

The apparatus of claim 1 or 2 or 3 or 4 , further comprising at least one additional printhead to define a plurality of printheads that define a wafer print module, wherein the printing surface is on a semiconductor wafer, and the printheads simultaneously expose a common printing surface on the wafer.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 21 words

The exposure apparatus of claim 1 or 2 or 3 or 4 , wherein each modulator element comprises a micromechanically-actuated shutter.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 43 words

The exposure apparatus of claim 1 or 2 or 3 or 4 , wherein each modulator element is a grating modulator comprising two proximate, lamellar transmission gratings, one of which is micromechanically actuated to modulate the gratings' combined transmittance in the zero order.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 55 words

The exposure apparatus of claim 1 or 2 or 3 or 4 , wherein the printhead further comprises a position sensor system that detects the printhead's position relative to the printing surface, and wherein the detected positional information is used to accurately control the relative alignment between the printing surface and the printhead while scanning.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 41 words

The exposure apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the illumination system comprises collection optics that produce a collimated radiation beam of substantially uniform irradiance, and distribution optics that efficiently partition the collimated beam into individual illumination zones covering individual printhead apertures.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 51 words

The exposure apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the collection optics comprises a condenser mirror and collimator mirror, and wherein the mirrors' surface shapes are configured to simultaneously satisfy the collimation and uniformity conditions, taking into account the radiation source's angular emission distribution and the mirror's reflectivity dependence on incidence angle.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 62 words

The exposure apparatus of claim 21 , wherein the collection optics comprises a condenser mirror and collimator mirror, the mirrors comprise reflective coatings, the collimator is spherical, and the mirrors' surface shapes and reflective coatings are configured to simultaneously satisfy the collimation and uniformity conditions, taking into account the radiation source's angular emission distribution and the mirror's reflectivity dependence on incidence angle.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 76 words

The exposure apparatus of claim 21 , wherein the distribution optics comprise two sets of flat, terraced fold mirrors, including a first set of fold mirrors that partition the collimated beam from the collection optics into a set of first reduced-aperture collimated beams, and a second set of fold mirrors that partition each first reduced-aperture beam into a set of second reduced-aperture collimated beams, wherein each second reduced-aperture collimated beam illuminates a particular corresponding printhead aperture.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 56 words

The exposure apparatus of claim 24 , wherein the radiation comprises EUV radiation in the 10 to 15 nanometer wavelength range, the radiation source is a xenon laser-produced plasma source, and the fold mirrors comprise reflective coatings whose reflectivities counterbalance and compensate for exposure illumination variations between printheads due to EUV absorption by ambient xenon gas.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 28 words

The exposure apparatus of claim 1 or 2 or 3 or 4 , wherein the scanning mechanism translates the printhead relative to a stationary printing surface during exposure.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 30 words

The exposure apparatus of claim 26 , wherein the printing surface is exposed through multiple exposure scans and is stepped between scans so that the printhead raster-scans multiple exposure fields.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 45 words

The exposure apparatus of claim 1 or 2 or 3 or 4 , wherein the scanning mechanism translates the printing surface during exposure, while the printhead remains substantially stationary except for small positional corrections to maintain accurate positional alignment between the printhead and printing surface.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 57 words

The exposure apparatus of claim 1 or 2 or 3 or 4 , wherein the scanning motion interleaves or overlaps exposure patterns from different pixels so that any typical exposure point on the printing surface receives exposure energy from multiple pixels, whereby the resulting exposure image is not significantly affected by isolated pixel defects or nonfunctional pixels.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 34 words

The apparatus of claim 3 , further comprising at least one additional wafer print module to define a plurality of wafer print modules, wherein the modules simultaneously expose different print surfaces on separate wafers.

Claim 35

Dependent Claim 15 words

The exposure apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the meniscus elements are made of molybdenum.

Claim 36

Dependent Claim 14 words

The exposure apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the spacer is made of beryllium.

Claim 37

Dependent Claim 14 words

The exposure apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the spacer is a vacuum space.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2005-12-23	2006-06-24	2006-12-24	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2009-12-23	2010-06-24	2010-12-24	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2013-12-23	2014-06-24	2014-12-24	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Maskless, microlens EUV lithography system

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