Abstract: An optical microspectrometer comprises a grism to disperse the spectra in a line object. A single optical microspectrometer can be used to sequentially scan a planar object, such as a dye-tagged microchip. Because the optical microspectrometer is very compact, multiple optical microspectrometers can be arrayed to provide simultaneous readout across the width of the planar object The optical microspectrometer can be fabricated with lithographic process, such as deep X-ray lithography (DXRL), with as few as two perpendicular exposures.

Abstract: A condenser for a photolithography system, in which a mask image from a mask is projected onto a wafer through a camera having an entrance pupil, includes a source of propagating radiation, a first mirror illuminated by the radiation, a mirror array illuminated by the radiation reflected from said first mirror, and a second mirror illuminated by the radiation reflected from the array. The mirror array includes a plurality of micromirrors. Each of the micromirrors is selectively actuatable independently of each other. The first mirror and the second mirror are disposed such that the source is imaged onto a plane of the mask and the mirror array is imaged into the entrance pupil of the camera.

Abstract: A programmable optical filter for use in multispectral and hyperspectral imaging employing variable gain time delay and integrate arrays. A telescope focuses an image of a scene onto at least one TDI array that is covered by a multispectral filter that passes separate bandwidths of light onto the rows in the TDI array. The variable gain feature of the TDI array allows individual rows of pixels to be attenuated individually. The attenuations are functions of the magnitudes of the positive and negative components of a spectral basis vector. The spectral basis vector is constructed so that its positive elements emphasize the presence of a target and its negative elements emphasize the presence of the constituents of the background of the imaged scene. This system provides for a very efficient determination of the presence of the target, as opposed to the very data intensive data manipulations that are required in conventional hyperspectral imaging systems.

Abstract: A condenser for a photolithography system, in which a mask image from a mask is projected onto a wafer through a camera having an entrance pupil, includes a source of propagating radiation, a first mirror illuminated by the radiation, a mirror array illuminated by the radiation reflected from said first mirror, and a second mirror illuminated by the radiation reflected from the array. The mirror array includes a plurality of micromirrors. Each of the micromirrors is selectively actuatable independently of each other. The first mirror and the second mirror are disposed such that the source is imaged onto a plane of the mask and the mirror array is imaged into the entrance pupil of the camera.

Abstract: A modified beam splitter that has a hole pattern that is symmetric in one axis and anti-symmetric in the other can be employed in a mask-to-wafer alignment device. The device is particularly suited for rough alignment using visible light. The modified beam splitter transmits and reflects light from a source of electromagnetic radiation and it includes a substrate that has a first surface facing the source of electromagnetic radiation and second surface that is reflective of said electromagnetic radiation. The substrate defines a hole pattern about a central line of the substrate. In operation, an input beam from a camera is directed toward the modified beam splitter and the light from the camera that passes through the holes illuminates the reticle on the wafer. The light beam from the camera also projects an image of a corresponding reticle pattern that is formed on the mask surface of the that is positioned downstream from the camera.

Abstract: Microoptical systems with clear aperture of about one millimeter or less are fabricated from a layer of photoresist using a lithographic process to define the optical elements. A deep X-ray source is typically used to expose the photoresist. Exposure and development of the photoresist layer can produce planar, cylindrical, and radially symmetric micro-scale optical elements, comprising lenses, mirrors, apertures, diffractive elements, and prisms, monolithically formed on a common substrate with the mutual optical alignment required to provide the desired system functionality. Optical alignment can be controlled to better than one micron accuracy. Appropriate combinations of structure and materials enable optical designs that include corrections for chromatic and other optical aberrations. The developed photoresist can be used as the basis for a molding operation to produce microoptical systems made of a range of optical materials.

Abstract: An optical switch using Risley prisms and rotary microactuators to independently rotate the wedge prisms of each Risley prism pair is disclosed. The optical switch comprises an array of input Risley prism pairs that selectively redirect light beams from a plurality of input ports to an array of output Risley prism pairs that similarly direct the light beams to a plurality of output ports. Each wedge prism of each Risley prism pair can be independently rotated by a variable-reluctance stepping rotary microactuator that is fabricated by a multi-layer LIGA process. Each wedge prism can be formed integral to the annular rotor of the rotary microactuator by a DXRL process.

Abstract: Microoptical systems with clear aperture of about one millimeter or less are fabricated from a layer of photoresist using a lithographic process to define the optical elements. A deep X-ray source is typically used to expose the photoresist. Exposure and development of the photoresist layer can produce planar, cylindrical, and radially symmetric micro-scale optical elements, comprising lenses, mirrors, apertures, diffractive elements, and prisms, monolithically formed on a common substrate with the mutual optical alignment required to provide the desired system functionality. Optical alignment can be controlled to better than one micron accuracy. Appropriate combinations of structure and materials enable optical designs that include corrections for chromatic and other optical aberrations. The developed photoresist can be used as the basis for a molding operation to produce microoptical systems made of a range of optical materials.

Abstract: Employing a source of radiation, such as an electric discharge source, that is equipped with a capillary region configured into some predetermined shape, such as an arc or slit, can significantly improve the amount of flux delivered to the lithographic wafers while maintaining high efficiency. The source is particularly suited for photolithography systems that employs a ringfield camera. The invention permits the condenser which delivers critical illumination to the reticle to be simplified from five or more reflective elements to a total of three or four reflective elements thereby increasing condenser efficiency. It maximizes the flux delivered and maintains a high coupling efficiency. This architecture couples EUV radiation from the discharge source into a ring field lithography camera.

Abstract: A modified beam splitter that has a hole pattern that is symmetric in one axis and anti-symmetric in the other can be employed in a mask-to-wafer alignment device. The device is particularly suited for rough alignment using visible light. The modified beam splitter transmits and reflects light from a source of electromagnetic radiation and it includes a substrate that has a first surface facing the source of electromagnetic radiation and second surface that is reflective of said electromagnetic radiation. The substrate defines a hole pattern about a central line of the substrate. In operation, an input beam from a camera is directed toward the modified beam splitter and the light from the camera that passes through the holes illuminates the reticle on the wafer. The light beam from the camera also projects an image of a corresponding reticle pattern that is formed on the mask surface of the that is positioned downstream from the camera.

Abstract: An optical switch using Risley prisms and rotary microactuators to independently rotate the wedge prisms of each Risley prism pair is disclosed. The optical switch comprises an array of input Risley prism pairs that selectively redirect light beams from a plurality of input ports to an array of output Risley prism pairs that similarly direct the light beams to a plurality of output ports. Each wedge prism of each Risley prism pair can be independently rotated by a variable-reluctance stepping rotary microactuator that is fabricated by a multi-layer LIGA process. Each wedge prism can be formed integral to the annular rotor of the rotary microactuator by a DXRL process.

Abstract: A programmable optical filter for use in multispectral and hyperspectral imaging. The filter splits the light collected by an optical telescope into two channels for each of the pixels in a row in a scanned image, one channel to handle the positive elements of a spectral basis filter and one for the negative elements of the spectral basis filter. Each channel for each pixel disperses its light into n spectral bins, with the light in each bin being attenuated in accordance with the value of the associated positive or negative element of the spectral basis vector. The spectral basis vector is constructed so that its positive elements emphasize the presence of a target and its negative elements emphasize the presence of the constituents of the background of the imaged scene. The attenuated light in the channels is re-imaged onto separate detectors for each pixel and then the signals from the detectors are combined to give an indication of the presence or not of the target in each pixel of the scanned scene.

Abstract: A condenser system for generating a beam of radiation includes a source of radiation light that generates a continuous spectrum of radiation light; a condenser comprising one or more first optical elements for collecting radiation from the source of radiation light and for generating a beam of radiation; and a diffractive spectral filter for separating first radiation light having a particular wavelength from the continuous spectrum of radiation light. Cooling devices can be employed to remove heat generated. The condenser system can be used with a ringfield camera in projection lithography.

Abstract: An optical apparatus is disclosed for processing light that based on a pair of diffraction gratings operating in tandem, with one of the gratings being a fixed diffraction grating and with the other grating being electrically programmable. The combination of the fixed and electrically-programmable diffraction gratings provides a spectral resolution and dispersion higher than that of either diffraction grating when used alone. These two diffraction gratings can be formed on different substrates, or alternately be combined to form a composite diffraction grating. The electrically-programmable diffraction grating can be operated in either a singly-periodic mode or a multi-periodic mode to select particular wavelengths of the incident light for analysis and detection, or for transferring between optical fibers (e.g. wavelength division multiplexing or demultiplexing). In some cases, a prism can be substituted for the fixed diffraction grating or used in addition to the fixed grating.

Abstract: Microoptical systems with clear aperture of about one millimeter or less are fabricated from a layer of photoresist using a lithographic process to define the optical elements. A deep X-ray source is typically used to expose the photoresist. Exposure and development of the photoresist layer can produce planar, cylindrical, and radially symmetric micro-scale optical elements, comprising lenses, mirrors, apertures, diffractive elements, and prisms, monolithically formed on a common substrate with the mutual optical alignment required to provide the desired system functionality. Optical alignment can be controlled to better than one micron accuracy. Appropriate combinations of structure and materials enable optical designs that include corrections for chromatic and other optical aberrations. The developed photoresist can be used as the basis for a molding operation to produce microoptical systems made of a range of optical materials.

Abstract: An illumination system includes several discharge sources that are multiplexed together to reduce the amount of debris generated.

Abstract: Condensers having a mirror with a diffraction grating in projection lithography using extreme ultra-violet significantly enhances critical dimension control. The diffraction grating has the effect of smoothing the illumination at the camera's entrance pupil with minimum light loss. Modeling suggests that critical dimension control for 100 nm features can be improved from 3 nm to less than about 0.5 nm.

Abstract: Condenser system, for use with a ringfield camera in projection lithography, employs quasi grazing-incidence collector mirrors that are coated with a suitable reflective metal such as ruthenium to collect radiation from a discharge source to minimize the effect of contaminant accumulation on the collecting mirrors.

Abstract: The present invention introduces a novel scatter plate into the optical path of source light used for illuminating a replicated object. The scatter plate has been designed to interrupt a focused, incoming light beam by introducing between about 8 to 24 diffraction zones blazed onto the surface of the scatter plate which intercept the light and redirect it to a like number of different positions in the condenser entrance pupil each of which is determined by the relative orientation and the spatial frequency of the diffraction grating in each of the several zones. Light falling onto the scatter plate, therefore, generates a plurality of unphased sources of illumination as seen by the back half of the optical system. The system comprises a high brightness source, such as a laser, creating light which is taken up by a beam forming optic which focuses the incoming light into a condenser which in turn, focuses light into a field lens creating Köhler illumination image of the source in a camera entrance pupil.

Abstract: A photolithography system that employs a condenser that includes a series of aspheric mirrors on one side of a small, incoherent source of radiation producing a series of beams is provided. Each aspheric mirror images the quasi point source into a curved line segment. A relatively small arc of the ring image is needed by the camera; all of the beams are so manipulated that they all fall onto this same arc needed by the camera. Also, all of the beams are aimed through the camera's virtual entrance pupil. The condenser includes a correcting mirror for reshaping a beam segment which improves the overall system efficiency. The condenser efficiently fills the larger radius ringfield created by today's advanced camera designs. The system further includes (i) means for adjusting the intensity profile at the camera's entrance pupil or (ii) means for partially shielding the illumination imaging onto the mask or wafer.