# US 12,117,732 B2 · Image stabilization for digital lithography > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,117,732 B2 - Document ID: US12117732B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/915,056 - Filed: 2020-04-29 - Published: 2023-05-18 - Granted: 2024-10-15 - Earliest claimed: 2020-04-29 - Assignees: Applied Materials, Inc. - Applicants: Applied Materials, Inc. - Inventors: Thomas L. Laidig; Christopher Dennis Bencher - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12117732B2 ## CPC - G03F 7/2051: {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)} - G03F 7/70508: {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} - G03F 7/70291: {Addressable masks, e.g. spatial light modulators [SLMs], digital micro-mirror devices [DMDs] or liquid crystal display [LCD] patterning devices} - G03F 7/709: {Vibration, e.g. vibration detection, compensation, suppression or isolation} - G03F: PHOTOMECHANICAL PRODUCTION OF TEXTURED OR PATTERNED SURFACES, e.g. FOR PRINTING, FOR PROCESSING OF SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; MATERIALS THEREFOR; ORIGINALS THEREFOR; APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED THEREFOR; (phototypographic composing devices B41B; photosensitive materials or processes for photographic purposes G03C; electrophotography, sensitive layers or processes therefor G03G) ## Abstract The present disclosure provides methods and systems for correcting the shooting of images from a spatial light modulator (SLM) to a substrate, when cross-scan vibrations, including sub-pixel cross-scan vibrations, are present. The methods and systems include shifting a mask pattern on an SLM rotated relative to the in-scan direction of travel on a substrate, shifting along an axis of the SLM to correct for cross-scan vibrations, and either delaying, or accelerating, the shooting of the mask pattern onto the substrate. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for image stabilization for digital lithography, comprising: providing a spatial light modulator (SLM) in an image projection system, positioned at a rotation angle relative to an in-scan direction, a comprising a plurality of SLM pixels; rasterizing a mask pattern to form a rasterized mask pattern for a projection from the SLM, the mask pattern corresponding to a first set of SLM pixels of the plurality of pixels; detecting at a controller, a cross-scan vibration between the SLM and a substrate, the cross-scan vibration causing a cross-scan deviation; and shifting the rasterized mask pattern within the SLM in the in-scan direction to a second set of SLM pixels by adjusting a timing of the projection of the rasterized mask pattern, in response to the detecting, to correct for the cross-scan deviation. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising providing radiation to the SLM for projection of the rasterized mask pattern onto a substrate, comprising one of delaying and accelerating timing providing the radiation to the SLM, based on the detecting. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising determining an amount of shifting of the rasterized mask pattern along the axis of the SLM by dividing the cross-scan deviation by the tangent of the rotation angle. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3 wherein the rotation angle is from 0.5 degrees to 26 degrees. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4 wherein the rotation angle of the SLM is approximately 1 degree. ### Claim 6 A system for digital lithography comprising a processor and a memory, the memory comprising computer readable instructions for image stabilization, the method comprising: providing a spatial light modulator (SLM) in an image projection system, positioned at a rotation angle relative to an in-scan direction, comprising a plurality of SLM pixels; rasterizing a mask pattern to form a rasterized mask pattern for a projection from the SLM, the mask pattern corresponding to a first set of SLM pixels of the plurality of pixels; detecting at a controller, a cross-scan vibration between the SLM and a substrate, the cross-scan vibration causing a cross-scan deviation; and shifting the rasterized mask pattern within the SLM in the in-scan direction to a second set of SLM pixels by adjusting a timing of the projection of the rasterized mask pattern, in response to the detecting, to correct for the cross-scan deviation. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6, the method further comprising providing radiation to the SLM for projection of the rasterized mask pattern onto a substrate, comprising one of delaying and accelerating timing providing the radiation to the SLM, based on the detecting. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6, the method further comprising determining an amount of shifting of the rasterized mask pattern along the axis of the SLM by dividing the cross-scan deviation by the tangent of the rotation angle. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8 wherein the rotation angle is from 0.5 degrees to 26 degrees. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9 wherein the angle of the SLM is approximately 1 degree. ### Claim 11 A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising computer readable instructions for a method for image stabilization for digital lithography, the method comprising: providing a spatial light modulator (SLM) in an image projection system, positioned at a rotation angle relative to an in-scan direction, comprising a plurality of SLM pixels; rasterizing a mask pattern to form a rasterized mask pattern for a projection from the SLM, the mask pattern corresponding to a first set of SLM pixels of the plurality of pixels; detecting at a controller, a cross-scan vibration between the SLM and a substrate, the cross-scan vibration causing a cross-scan deviation; and shifting the rasterized mask pattern within the SLM in the in-scan direction to a second set of SLM pixels by adjusting a timing of the projection of the rasterized mask pattern, in response to the detecting, to correct for the cross-scan deviation. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, the method further comprising providing radiation to the SLM for projection of the rasterized mask pattern onto a substrate, comprising one of delaying and accelerating timing providing the radiation to the SLM, based on the detecting. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, the method further comprising determining an amount of shifting of the rasterized mask pattern along the axis of the SLM by dividing the cross-scan deviation by the tangent of the rotation angle. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 wherein the rotation angle is from 0.5 degrees to 26 degrees. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14 wherein the angle of the SLM is approximately 1 degree.