Extreme ultraviolet lithography system that utilizes pattern stitching

An extreme ultraviolet lithography system that creates a pattern having a plurality of parallel lines on a workpiece, the lithography system comprising:

• a workpiece stage mover assembly that retains and moves the workpiece relative to a patterning element along a scan axis;
• an EUV illumination system that directs an extreme ultraviolet beam at the patterning element that defines a pattern of substantially parallel lines;
• a projection optical assembly that forms an image of the patterning element on the workpiece to create the plurality of parallel lines on the workpiece;
• and
• a pattern blind assembly positioned in a beam path of the extreme ultraviolet beam, the pattern blind assembly shaping the extreme ultraviolet beam so that an exposure field created by the extreme ultraviolet beam on the workpiece has a polygonal shape, allowing overlapping scanning exposures to maintain a substantially uniform exposure dose;
• wherein the exposure field has a first axis field width measured parallel to the scan axis, a second axis field width measured perpendicular to the scan axis, and a pair of opposed distal second axis vertices;
• wherein the first axis field width tapers near the distal second axis vertices.

A method for creating a pattern having a plurality of densely packed parallel lines on a workpiece comprises:

• providing a patterning element;
• moving the workpiece relative to the patterning element along a scan axis with a workpiece stage mover assembly;
• directing an extreme ultraviolet beam at the patterning element with an EUV illumination system;
• directing the extreme ultraviolet beam diffracted off of the patterning element at the workpiece with a projection optical assembly to create the plurality of parallel lines on the workpiece;
• and
• positioning a pattern blind assembly in a beam path of the extreme ultraviolet beam, the pattern blind assembly shaping the extreme ultraviolet beam so that an exposure field created by the extreme ultraviolet beam on the workpiece has a polygonal shape, the exposure field having a first axis field width measured parallel to the scan axis, a second axis field width measured perpendicular to the scan axis, and a pair of opposed distal second axis vertices;
• wherein the first axis field width tapers near the distal second axis vertices.

An extreme ultraviolet lithography system that creates a pattern having a plurality of parallel lines on a workpiece, the lithography system comprising:

• a workpiece stage mover assembly that retains and moves the workpiece relative to a patterning element along a scan axis;
• an EUV illumination system that directs an extreme ultraviolet beam at the patterning element that defines a pattern of substantially parallel lines;
• a projection optical assembly that forms an image of the patterning element on the workpiece to create the plurality of parallel lines on the workpiece;
• and
• a pattern blind assembly positioned in a beam path of the extreme ultraviolet beam, the pattern blind assembly shaping the extreme ultraviolet beam so that an exposure field created by the extreme ultraviolet beam on the workpiece has a polygonal shape, allowing overlapping scanning exposures to maintain a substantially uniform exposure dose;
• wherein the exposure field is plus-shaped having a first axis field width measured parallel to the scan axis, a second axis field width measured perpendicular to the scan axis, a pair of opposed distal second axis edges, and an intermediate first axis field width measured parallel to the scan axis that is linear near the distal second axis edges, the intermediate first axis field width being different than the first axis field width.