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Title: Apparatus and method for generating partially coherent illumination for photolithography

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 Kohler illumination image of the source in a camera entrance pupil. The light passing through the field lens illuminates a mask which interrupts the source light as either a positive or negative image of the object to be replicated. Light passing bymore » the mask is focused into the entrance pupil of the lithographic camera creating an image of the mask onto a receptive media.

Inventors:
 [1]
  1. Albuquerque, NM
Issue Date:
Research Org.:
Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), Albuquerque, NM, and Livermore, CA (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
873871
Patent Number(s):
6262845
Assignee:
Sandia Corporation (Livermore, CA)
Patent Classifications (CPCs):
G - PHYSICS G03 - PHOTOGRAPHY G03F - PHOTOMECHANICAL PRODUCTION OF TEXTURED OR PATTERNED SURFACES, e.g. FOR PRINTING, FOR PROCESSING OF SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
DOE Contract Number:  
AC04-94AL85000
Resource Type:
Patent
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
apparatus; method; generating; partially; coherent; illumination; photolithography; introduces; novel; scatter; plate; optical; path; source; light; illuminating; replicated; designed; interrupt; focused; incoming; beam; introducing; 24; diffraction; zones; blazed; surface; intercept; redirect; positions; condenser; entrance; pupil; determined; relative; orientation; spatial; frequency; grating; falling; generates; plurality; unphased; sources; seen; half; comprises; brightness; laser; creating; forming; optic; focuses; field; lens; kohler; image; camera; passing; illuminates; mask; interrupts; positive; negative; lithographic; receptive; media; source light; entrance pupil; incoming light; diffraction grating; light beam; optical path; scatter plate; light passing; lithographic camera; relative orientation; partially coherent; field lens; focuses light; novel scatter; coherent illumination; light falling; forming optic; generating partially; /359/355/

Citation Formats

Sweatt, William C. Apparatus and method for generating partially coherent illumination for photolithography. United States: N. p., 2001. Web.
Sweatt, William C. Apparatus and method for generating partially coherent illumination for photolithography. United States.
Sweatt, William C. Mon . "Apparatus and method for generating partially coherent illumination for photolithography". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/873871.
@article{osti_873871,
title = {Apparatus and method for generating partially coherent illumination for photolithography},
author = {Sweatt, William C},
abstractNote = {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 Kohler illumination image of the source in a camera entrance pupil. The light passing through the field lens illuminates a mask which interrupts the source light as either a positive or negative image of the object to be replicated. Light passing by the mask is focused into the entrance pupil of the lithographic camera creating an image of the mask onto a receptive media.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2001},
month = {Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2001}
}