US6687041B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Pattern generator using EUV
Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
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Filing: 1999-03-02
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Granted: 2004-02-03
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Expires: 2019-03-02
Abstract
Abstract The present invention relates to an apparatus for creating a pattern with extremely high resolution on a workpiece, such as a pattern on a semiconductor chip. The apparatus comprises a source for emitting electromagnetic radiation in the EUV wavelength range, a spatial modulator (SLM) having a multitude of pixels, an electronic data processing and delivery system receiving a digital description of the pattern to be written, extracting from it a sequence of partial patterns, converting said partial patterns to modulator signals, and feeding said signals to the modulator, and a precision mechanical system for moving said workpiece and/or projection system relative to each other. It further comprises an electronic control system coordinating the movement of the workpiece, the feeding of the signals to the modulator and the intensity of the radiation, so that said pattern is stitched together from the partial images.
Inventors
- 👤 Torbjorn Sandstrom
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 03:02
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03F; G03F7/00; G03F7/70; G03F7/70691; G03F7/70716; G03F7/70725; G03F7/20; B; B23; B23K; B23K26/00; B23K26/02; B23K26/03; B23K26/032; B23K26/06; B23K26/064; B23K26/0648; B41; B41J; B41J2/00; B41J2/435; B41J2/465; G02; G02B; G02B26/00; G02B26/08; G02B26/0816; G02B26/0833; G02B26/0841; G02B27/00; G02B27/0025; G02B27/0037; G02B27/0043; G02B27/42; G02B27/4205; G03F7/2022; G03F7/70008; G03F7/70041; G03F7/70216; G03F7/70283; G03F7/70291; G03F7/70383; G03F7/704; G03F7/70425; G03F7/70475; G09; G09G; G09G3/00; G09G3/20; G09G3/34; G09G3/3433; G09G3/346; H; H04; H04N; H04N1/00; H04N1/04; H04N1/19; H04N1/195; H04N5/00; H04N5/74; H04N5/7416; H04N5/7458; G09G3/2007; H04N2201/00; H04N2201/04; H04N2201/0402; H04N2201/0414
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
166 words
An apparatus for creating a pattern with extremely high resolution on a workpiece, such as a pattern on a semiconductor chip with 50 nm wide lines, comprising: a source for emitting electromagnetic radiation in the EUV wavelength range, a spatial modulator having a multitude of modulating elements (pixels), adapted to being illuminated by said radiation a projection system creating an image of the modulator on the workpiece, an electronic data processing and delivery system receiving a digital description of the pattern to be written, extracting from the digital description a sequence of partial patterns, converting said partial patterns to modulator signals, and feeding said signals to the modulator, a precision mechanical system for moving said workpiece and/or projection system relative to each other, and an electronic control system coordinating the movement of the workpiece, the feeding of the signals to the modulator and the intensity of the radiation, so that said pattern is stitched together from the partial images created by the sequence of partial patterns.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
166 words
An apparatus for creating a pattern with extremely high resolution on a workpiece, such as a pattern on a semiconductor chip with 50 nm wide lines, comprising: a source for emitting electromagnetic radiation in the EUV wavelength range, a spatial modulator having a multitude of modulating elements (pixels), adapted to being illuminated by said radiation a projection system creating an image of the modulator on the workpiece, an electronic data processing and delivery system receiving a digital description of the pattern to be written, extracting from the digital description a sequence of partial patterns, converting said partial patterns to modulator signals, and feeding said signals to the modulator, a precision mechanical system for moving said workpiece and/or projection system relative to each other, and an electronic control system coordinating the movement of the workpiece, the feeding of the signals to the modulator and the intensity of the radiation, so that said pattern is stitched together from the partial images created by the sequence of partial patterns.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
13 words
An apparatus according to claim 1 where the spatial light modulator is reflective.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
14 words
An apparatus according to claim 1 where the spatial light modulator has multivalued pixels.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
An apparatus according to claim 1 , where an optical path is built with reflecting optics.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
28 words
An apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a imaging lens, wherein the imaging lens has a ring-shaped field and the spatial light modulator has a ring-shaped aperture.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
13 words
An apparatus according to claim 1 , where an optical path is evacuated.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
14 words
An apparatus according to claim 1 where the spatial light modulator works by diffraction.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
37 words
An apparatus according to claim 1 , where the spatial light modulator is a solid plate of piezoelectric material with a reflecting front surface which deforms in response to electric addressing voltages, thereby creating a wavefront modulation.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
19 words
An apparatus according to claim 8 , where the spatial light modulator is connected to an active semiconductor chip.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
19 words
An apparatus according to claim 1 , where the radiation has an oblique angle at the spatial light modulator.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US5523193A
Cited
US5672464A
Cited
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| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2011-02-02 | 2011-08-04 | 2012-02-03 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
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