Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an apparatus and method that more efficiently and effectively performs maskless lithography. SOLUTION: The apparatus and method comprise a projection system, a patterning device, a low-pass filter, and a data manipulation device. The projection system projects a beam of radiation onto the substrate as an array of sub-beams of radiation. The patterning device modulates the sub-beams of radiation to substantially generate a requested dose pattern on the substrate. The low-pass filter operates on pattern data derived from the requested dose pattern in order to form a frequency-clipped target dose pattern that includes only spatial frequency components below a selected threshold frequency. The data manipulation device generates a control signal comprising spot exposure intensities to be generated by the patterning device, based on a direct algebraic least-squares fit of the spot exposure intensities to the frequency-clipped target dose pattern. COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a substrate table of an immersion lithographic apparatus, which is so configured as to prevent contamination with immersion liquid. SOLUTION: A substrate table WT is provided with a drainage ditch, namely, a barrier 40 surrounding an outer peripheral edge of a substrate W, and a barrier 100 surrounding another object 20 like a sensor existing on practically the same plane as an upper face of the substrate W. Since the barriers 40 and 100 can collect any liquid spilt from a liquid supply system during exposure of the substrate W, the risk of contamination of delicate components of a lithographic projection apparatus is reduced. COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a substrate table of an immersion lithographic apparatus which is configured to prevent contamination with immersion liquid. SOLUTION: The substrate table WT is provided with a drainage ditch or barrier 40 surrounding an outer circumferential edge of the substrate W and a barrier 100 surrounding other objects 20 like sensors positioned in the same plane substantially the upper surface of the substrate W. The barriers 40 and 100 are configured to collect all of liquid spilled from a liquid supply system while the substrate W is exposed, so thereby reducing the risk of contamination of fine components in the lithographic projection apparatus. COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a substrate table of an immersion lithographic apparatus configured to prevent contamination with immersion liquid. SOLUTION: The substrate table WT includes a drainage groove, i.e. a barrier 40 which surrounds an outer peripheral edge of the substrate W and a barrier 100 which surrounds another object 20 like a sensor present on substantially the same plane with a top surface of the substrate. The barriers 40 and 100 can collect any liquid which is spilt from the liquid supply system while the substrate W is exposed to reduce the risk of contamination of delicate components of the lithographic projection apparatus. COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To independently control multiple parameters of a patterned beam. SOLUTION: The present invention provides a patterning device configured to pattern a beam of radiation comprising a controller and an array of stepped mirrors. The array comprises a plurality of sets of four of the stepped mirrors that are controlled with respect to each other by the controller. Adjacent ones of the stepped mirrors in each of the sets have perpendicular axes of rotation and perpendicular steps. In one example, the patterning device is used to pattern the beam of radiation, which patterned beam is projected onto an object. For example, the object can be a substrate (e.g. semiconductor substrate or flat panel display substrate) or a display device. COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce focal plane errors of a projected beam onto a substrate in beam scanning exposure. SOLUTION: Focal plane errors across the field of an array of focusing elements are reduced by using a non-planar correction surface 15, shaped such that focal points 13' of the focusing elements lie closer to a single plane than they would if the correction surface were planar. For example, the correction surface is shaped so as to minimize the average distance between the focus and a given plane. COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an improved system and a method for lithographic illumination that provides a projection beam with a desired output. SOLUTION: The device and the method for the lithographic illumination include steps of: receiving radiation beams of a plurality of radiation sources from a plurality of corresponding radiation sources; deflecting the radiation beams of the plurality of radiation sources along a common beam path; thereby generating a projection beam of radiation; providing the projection beam of radiation with a cross-section pattern; and projecting the patterned projection beam of radiation to a target portion of a substrate. COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a lithographic apparatus capable of moving a substrate in a different direction without switching the direction of a liquid flowing between a projection system of the lithographic apparatus and the substrate, in the lithography apparatus having a liquid supplying system. SOLUTION: This lithographic apparatus has an input port for supplying the liquid to a space between the projection system of the lithography apparatus and the substrate, and an output port for removing at least one part of the liquid. The lithographic apparatus has a liquid supplying system for rotating any one or both of the input port and output port around an axis line substantially perpendicular to an exposure plane of the substrate. COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a lithography projection device and a device manufacturing method using the same. SOLUTION: The lithography projection device has a measurement system which measures changes of the projection system aberration with time, and a prediction/control system which predicts changes of the projection system aberration with time based on a parameter and generates a control signal to compensate characteristics of the device changing with time, such as OLV values and FOC values of lenses of the projection system. An in-line model identification system is provided to predict model parameter errors based on projection system aberration values provided by the prediction/control system and measured projection system aberration values provided by the measurement system. A replacement system replaces the model parameter of the prediction/control system by utilizing the model parameter errors to keep the characteristics changing with time in the range of an allowable performance standard. COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a lithography projector which reduces the number of man-hours required to exchange a reticle with a pellicle, with a reticle without a pellicle. SOLUTION: In the present projection system, the pattern surface on the reticle is lightened so that a projected image that focuses on an image-forming surface can be obtained. If a pellicle exists in an optical path, a substantial shift occurs in the position of the pattern surface of the reticle. It is necessary to adapt the image-forming surface of the projected image for a proper focus depending on the presence or absence of the pellicle. A corrector moves the position of the pattern surface, thereby the substantial shift of the pattern surface due to the pellicle is removed. COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO&NCIPI