Abstract: A method of calculating an aerial image of a spatial light modulator array includes calculating pair-wise interference between pixels of the spatial light modulator array; calculating effective graytones corresponding to modulation states of the pixels; and calculating the aerial image based on the pair-wise interference and the effective graytones. The graytones depend only on the modulation states of the pixels. The pair-wise interference depends only on position variables. The position variables are position in an image plane and position in a plane of a source of electromagnetic radiation. The pair-wise interference can be represented by a matrix of functions. The pair-wise interference can be represented by a four dimensional matrix. The effective graytones are approximated using sinc functions, or using polynomial functions.

Abstract: An exposure system for manufacturing flat panel displays (FPDs) includes a reticle stage and a substrate stage. A magnification ringfield reflective optical system images the reticle onto the substrate. The system may be a 2× magnification system, or another magnification that is compatible with currently available mask sizes. By writing reticles with circuit pattern dimensions that are one-half the desired size for an FPD, a 2× optical system can be used to expose FPDs. The designs for the 1.5× and larger magnification optical systems all typically have at least three powered mirrors. A corrector, positioned either near the reticle or near the substrate, can be added to the three mirror design to improve the systems optical performance. The corrector may be a reflective, or a refractive design. The corrector can have an aspheric surface, and optionally a powered surface. The corrector may be a flat glass plate, or a lens having concave-convex, concave-concave or convex-convex surfaces.

Abstract: An actuator coil with a race track winding that generates a magnetic field. A cooling tube has cooling liquid flowing therethrough and is wrapped around a periphery of the race track winding. A plurality of thermal conductive strips are arranged generally transverse to at least portions of the race track winding so as to conduct heat from the racetrack winding to the cooling tube.

Abstract: An apparatus for maintaining an optical gap between a pellicle and a reticle in a photolithography system includes a frame defining first and second opposing surfaces, a reticle mated to the first opposing surface using magnetic coupling and a pellicle mated to the second opposing surface using magnetic coupling.

Abstract: An apparatus for delivering a fluidic media to a wafer includes a housing defining a process chamber. A fluidic media delivery member is coupled to the process chamber. A rotatable chuck is positioned in the process chamber. The rotatable chuck has a wafer support surface coated with a coating material. A vacuum supply line is coupled to the rotatable chuck.

Abstract: A system for calibrating a spatial light modulator array includes an illumination system and a spatial light modulator array that reflects or transmits light from the illumination system. A projection optical system images the spatial light modulator array onto an image plane. A shearing interferometer creates an interference pattern in the image plane. A controller controls modulation of elements of the spatial light modulator array. The shearing interferometer includes a diffraction grating, a prism, a folding mirror or any other arrangement for generating shear. The shearing interferometer can be a stretching shearing interferometer, a lateral shearing interferometer, or a rotational shearing interferometer. The shearing interferometer may include a diffraction grating with a pitch corresponding to a shear of the light by an integer number of elements. The projection optics resolves each element of the spatial light modulator array in the image plane.

Abstract: The invention relates to a patterned grid polarizer for use in lithography, comprising a substrate that is transparent to ultraviolet (UV) light; and an array of elements patterned on the substrate, wherein the elements polarize UV light. The array of elements can be patterned to produce tangentially or radially polarized UV light.

Abstract: A maskless lithography tool that includes a reference reticle having reference features for tuning and calibrating the tool. The reference reticle is illuminated by a illumination source to form a reference image of the reference features. A signal is applied to an active contrast device of the tool to form a die pattern that includes the reference features. The contrast device is illuminated by the illumination source to form a die image of reference features. An image scanner captures the reference image and the die image. A comparison of the images is used to make tuning and calibrating adjustments to the tool. The reference reticle can be used to debug and characterize the tool even when the operation of the contrast device is not completely understood because the reference features of the reference reticle are independent of the tool's contrast device and pattern generating data stream.

Abstract: The present invention is directed at a coherence test reticle or lithographic plate, and a method for testing the coherence of a laser beam using the test reticle. The quality or coherence of the laser beam is measured by illuminating the test reticle and the recording and/or analyzing the optical patterns generated by the illumination. The technique was designed for, but not limited to, the characterization of laser-based systems via the detection of optical radiation modulated by transmissive, reflective and diffractive patterns printed on a reticle or lithographic plate designed specifically for this purpose. The novelty and advantages over the prior art are insensitivity to vibration, alignment, and multi-path differences of classical interferometric coherence measurement techniques. Spatial coherence and longitudinal or temporal coherence may be measured independently. Vertical and horizontal coherence may be measured independently. The technique is focus error insensitive.

Abstract: A wafer cluster tool is described which operates in a regular, periodic fashion. Embodiments of the invention have a periodicity of one sending period. The invention enables the determination of pick-up times for process chambers in the cluster tool, and embodiments of the invention allow the creation and maintenance of an updated timetable. The timetable indicates times when each of the process chambers is to be serviced. These values are updated as the process chambers receive new wafers. Robots in the cluster tool may pre-position themselves in front of modules, or process chambers, to be served. Robot pre-positioning eliminates the wait time of individual modules beyond queue times which have been pre-determined for the modules. This renders the path of the individual robots pre-deterministic, and enables the cluster tool to utilize single gripper robots.

Abstract: A system and method are used to feed a flexible substrate through a patterned beam to be exposed at target portions by the pattered beam. In one example, the flexible substrate is passed over a chuck (e.g., a vacuum chuck). In one example, the chuck can bias the flexible substrate against a chuck surface during alignment, focus, and exposure operations. By biasing the flexible substrate, the flexible substrate can continuously move while being held against the chuck. In one example, the flexible substrate is fed onto the vacuum chuck from a supply roller and fed off the chuck and wrapped on to a take-up roller. The supply and take-up rollers are rotated to follow the scanning motion, which minimizes or substantially eliminates tension on the flexible chuck during the exposure period.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and system for controlling a reticle-masking blade in a photolithography system. A reticle-masking blade is supported with a reticle-masking blade carriage assembly. The reticle-masking blade carriage assembly is levitated at a position with respect to a reference frame and at an orientation with respect to the reference frame. Preferably, the reticle-masking blade carriage assembly is electromagnetically levitated. At least one of the position and the orientation of the reticle-masking blade carriage assembly is measured. At least one of the position and the orientation of the reticle-masking blade carriage assembly is controlled. Optionally, the reticle-masking blade carriage assembly is moved within a dimension within a range defined by the reference frame. The dimension can be two dimensions. The movement of the reticle-masking blade carriage assembly can be controlled.

Abstract: A system for aligning of optical components includes an interferometer and a first diffractive alignment element. A housing is used for positioning a first optical element being aligned. A detector is used for detecting fringes produced by reflections off surfaces of the first optical element. A grating pattern on the first diffractive alignment element is designed to produce a retro-reflected wavefront or a wavefront transmitted or reflected in a predetermined direction when the first optical element is in alignment. The first diffractive alignment element includes a first region for alignment of the interferometer, a second region for alignment of one surface of the first optical element, and a third region for alignment of another surface of the first optical element. The first, second and third regions can be of any shape such as circular, rectangular, triangular, or the like.

Abstract: An actuator coil with a race track winding that generates a magnetic field. A cooling tube has cooling liquid flowing therethrough and is wrapped around a periphery of said race track winding. A plurality of thermal conductive strips are arranged generally transverse to at least portions of said race track winding so as to conduct heat from said racetrack winding to said cooling tube.

Abstract: A reaction mass apparatus for stabilizing a scanning system during lithographic processing comprises a baseframe; at least one reaction mass movably coupled to the baseframe by at least three first bearings and coupled to a stage by at least two second bearings and at least one drive; and a plurality of bellows, each bellows surrounding a corresponding first bearing, the bellows each having a first end coupled to a reaction mass and a second end coupled to the baseframe. The apparatus can comprise an enclosure, containing a controlled environment and enclosing the stage, the second bearings, the drive, and the reaction mass, wherein each bellows separates a corresponding first bearing from the controlled environment and wherein each bellows second end is coupled to the enclosure.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and system for controlling a reticle-masking blade in a photolithography system. A reticle-masking blade is supported with a reticle-masking blade carriage assembly. The reticle-masking blade carriage assembly is levitated at a position with respect to a reference frame and at an orientation with respect to the reference frame. Preferably, the reticle-masking blade carriage assembly is electromagnetically levitated. At least one of the position and the orientation of the reticle-masking blade carriage assembly is measured. At least one of the position and the orientation of the reticle-masking blade carriage assembly is controlled. Optionally, the reticle-masking blade carriage assembly is moved within a dimension within a range defined by the reference frame. The dimension can be two dimensions. The movement of the reticle-masking blade carriage assembly can be controlled.

Abstract: This invention relates to an apparatus for optical beam shaping and diffusing, a method for making the apparatus, and a method for using the apparatus. The apparatus comprises a crystalline material object shaped to fit within an optical train and with a pattern of surface texture along an optical path. Surface removal processes are applied to a portion of a surface of an object made of a crystalline material to form a surface texture pattern at that portion of the surface of the object. The surface texture pattern depends upon: (1) the identity of the crystalline material and (2) the orientation of crystal lattice axes within the object with respect to the portion of the surface of the object where the pattern of surface texture is to be formed. Processes for making the apparatus include, but are not limited to, mechanical grinding, ablating, chemical etching, plasma etching, ion milling, and combinations thereof.

Abstract: A method for improving the imaging performance in a photolithographic system having a pupil plane and using a phase shift mask. A portion of the pupil plane where a phase error portion of a light from the phase shift mask is located. An aperture is placed at the located portion of the pupil plane. Typically, the phase error portion of the light from the phase shift mask is a zero order portion of the light often referred to as “zero order leakage”. Blocking the zero order leakage significantly mitigates the variations in the intensity of the light that exposes photoresist that is above or below the nominal focal plane. This, in turn, reduces the variations in the linewidths formed on the wafer.

Abstract: The present invention is directed at a coherence test reticle or lithographic plate, and a method for testing the coherence of a laser beam using the test reticle. The quality or coherence of the laser beam is measured by illuminating the test reticle and the recording and/or analyzing the optical patterns generated by the illumination. The technique was designed for, but not limited to, the characterization of laser-based systems via the detection of optical radiation modulated by transmissive, reflective and diffractive patterns printed on a reticle or lithographic plate designed specifically for this purpose. The novelty and advantages over the prior art are insensitivity to vibration, alignment, and multi-path differences of classical interferometric coherence measurement techniques. Spatial coherence and longitudinal or temporal coherence may be measured independently. Vertical and horizontal coherence may be measured independently. The technique is focus error insensitive.

Abstract: A first set of interferometric measuring beams is used to determine a location of a patterned surface of a reticle and a reticle focus plane for a reticle that is back clamped to a reticle stage. A second set of interferometric measuring beams is used to determine a map of locations of the reticle stage during scanning in a Y direction. The two sets of interferometric measuring beams are correlated to relate the reticle focal plane to the map of the reticle stage. The information is used to control the reticle stage during exposure of a pattern on the patterned surface of the reticle onto a wafer.