Method and apparatus for merging multiple geometrical pixel images and generating a single modulator pixel image

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9291902-B2
Application number	US-201314028390-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 16, 2013
Priority date	Mar 5, 2010
Publication date	Mar 22, 2016
Grant date	Mar 22, 2016

Abstract

The present invention relates to customizing individual workpieces, such as chip, flat panels or other electronic devices produced on substrates, by direct writing a custom pattern. Customization can be per device, per substrate, per batch or at some other small volume that makes it impractical to use a custom mask or mask set. In particular, it relates to customizing a latent image formed in a patterning sensitive layer over a substrate, merging standard and custom pattern data to form a custom pattern used to produce the customized latent image. A wide variety of substrates can benefit from the technology disclosed.

First claim

We claim as follows:

1. A method of forming a custom latent image in a patterning layer over a substrate, the method including:
receiving standard pattern data on first data path;
receiving custom pattern data on a second data path;
merging the standard and custom pattern data to form a merged-rasterized pattern data that represents a physical, custom latent image to be formed in a patterning layer; and
forming the custom latent image in the patterning layer from the merged-rasterized pattern data using a direct writing device.

2. The method of claim 1 , further including applying the merging to a second portion of pattern data for a particular custom latent image while a first portion of merged-rasterized pattern data is being used by the direct writing device to form a first portion of the particular custom latent image.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the substrate is any of a silicon wafer, a semiconductor wafer, a circuit board, or a flat-panel display.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the substrate is a flexible material used in roll-to-roll production.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the standard pattern data represents a pattern field that repeats at a plurality of adjoining locations sand the custom data represents a pattern edge.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the standard pattern data represents a pattern field that repeats at a plurality of adjoining locations and the custom data represents a stitching area between the adjoining locations.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the substrate is any of a silicon wafer, a semiconductor wafer, a circuit board, or a flat-panel display, further including developing the custom latent image and forming one or more electronic devices from the substrate.

8. The method of claim 1 , further including applying the receiving and forming actions one or more times, patterning layers over the substrate using the custom latent images, and forming electronic devices using the patterned layers.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the custom data is unique to a particular batch of substrates.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the custom data is unique to a particular substrate.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the custom data is unique to a particular die on a particular substrate.

Assignees

• Micronic Mydata AB
• Mycronic AB

Inventors

• Ivansen Lars
• Osterberg Anders

Classifications

• G03F7/70291 Primary

  Addressable masks, e.g. spatial light modulators [SLMs], digital micro-mirror devices [DMDs] or liquid crystal display [LCD] patterning devices · CPC title

• G03F7/70508

  Data handling in all parts of the microlithographic apparatus, e.g. handling pattern data for addressable masks or data transfer to or from different components within the exposure apparatus · CPC title

• G03F7/2051 Primary

  Exposure without an original mask, e.g. using a programmed deflection of a point source, by scanning, by drawing with a light beam, using an addressed light or corpuscular source (G03F7/70 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G03F7/70541

  Tagging, i.e. hardware or software tagging of features or components, e.g. using tagging scripts or tagging identifier codes for identification of chips, shots or wafers · CPC title

• G06F30/00

  Computer-aided design [CAD] · CPC title