Systems and methods for high-throughput and small-footprint scanning exposure for lithography
US-9519225-B2 · Dec 13, 2016 · US
Illumination system of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus
US9013680B2 · US · B2
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Publication number | US-9013680-B2 |
| Application number | US-83643610-A |
| Country | US |
| Kind code | B2 |
| Filing date | Jul 14, 2010 |
| Priority date | Dec 23, 2008 |
| Publication date | Apr 21, 2015 |
| Grant date | Apr 21, 2015 |
How to read this patent
A practical reading order for non-experts. Skip the full description unless you need deep technical detail.
- Title
What the patent document calls the invention.
- Abstract
A short plain-language summary of the technical disclosure.
- Assignees and inventors
Who owns or filed the patent and who is credited as inventor.
- Key dates
Filing, priority, publication, and grant dates set the timeline.
- First independent claim
The legal scope of protection — read this for what is actually claimed.
- CPC / IPC classifications
Technology tags used to group this patent with similar filings.
- Citations and related patents
Prior art links and similar publications in this corpus.
Abstract
Official abstract text for this publication.
An illumination system of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus includes a beam deflection array including a number beam deflection elements, for example mirrors. Each beam deflection element is adapted to deflect an impinging light beam by a deflection angle that is variable in response to control signals. The light beams reflected from the beam deflection elements produce spots in a system pupil surface. The number of spots illuminated in the system pupil surface during an exposure process, during which a mask is imaged on a light sensitive surface, is greater than the number of beam deflection elements. This may be accomplished with the help of a beam multiplier unit that multiplies the light beams reflected from the beam deflection elements. In another embodiment the beam deflecting elements are controlled such that the irradiance distribution produced in the system pupil surface changes between two consecutive light pulses of an exposure process.
First claim
Opening claim text (preview).
The invention claimed is: 1. A method, comprising: providing an illumination system of a projection exposure apparatus, the illumination system comprising an array of beam deflection elements, each beam deflection element being reflective or transparent, each beam deflection element being adapted to deflect an impinging light beam by a deflection angle that is variable, and the illumination system having a pupil surface in which an irradiance distribution is produced by the array;…
Assignees
Inventors
Classifications
Physics · mapped topic
- G03F7/70208Primary
Physics · mapped topic
Patent family
Related publications grouped by family.
External sources
Next steps
Free tools are coming soon. Tell us what you want to track and we'll notify you.
Frequently asked questions
Answers are generated from the same data shown on this page.
- What does patent US9013680B2 cover?
- An illumination system of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus includes a beam deflection array including a number beam deflection elements, for example mirrors. Each beam deflection element is adapted to deflect an impinging light beam by a deflection angle that is variable in response to control signals. The light beams reflected from the beam deflection elements produce spots in…
- Who is the assignee on this patent?
- Fiolka Damian, Mueller Ralf, Major Andras G, and 1 more
- What technology area does this patent fall under?
- Primary CPC classification G03F7/70208. Mapped technology areas include Physics.
- When was this patent published?
- Publication date Tue Apr 21 2015 00:00:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time) (B2). Legal status and post-grant events are not shown on this page.
- What related patents are in patentsdb?
- We list 8 related publications on this page (citations in our corpus or others sharing the same primary CPC).