System and method of generating a modulation map for a spatial light modulator to illuminate a template used in a photomechanical shaping system

A method comprising:

• receiving, with a processor, a pixelated intermediate map for a spatial light modulator including a plurality of pixels based on a distortion model and a target light pattern, wherein the pixelated intermediate map has discontinuities;
• wherein the distortion model is:
• f
• ⁡
• (
• d
• 1
• ,
• d
• 2
• ,
• d
• 3
• ,
• d
• 4
• )
• =
• {
• x
• a
• =
• x
• d
• (
• 1
• +
• d
• 1
• ⁢
• r
• 2
• +
• d
• 2
• ⁢
• r
• 4
• )
• +
• 2
• ⁢
• d
• 3
• ⁢
• x
• d
• ⁢
• y
• d
• +
• d
• 4
• (
• r
• 2
• +
• 2
• ⁢
• x
• d
• 2
• )
• y
• a
• =
• y
• d
• (
• 1
• +
• d
• 1
• ⁢
• r
• 2
• +
• d
• 2
• ⁢
• r
• 4
• )
• +
• 2
• ⁢
• d
• 4
• ⁢
• x
• d
• ⁢
• y
• d
• +
• d
• 3
• ⁢
• (
• r
• 2
• +
• 2
• ⁢
• y
• d
• 2
• )
• r
• 2
• =
• x
• d
• 2
• +
• y
• d
• 2
• }
• wherein xa is an actual x-coordinate of the distortion model;
• wherein ya is an actual y-coordinate of the distortion model;
• wherein xa is a desired x-coordinate of the distortion model;
• wherein ya is a desired y-coordinate of the distortion model;
• and
• wherein d1;
• d2;
• d3;
• and d4 are distortion coefficients of the distortion model;
• generating, with the processor, a modulation map for the spatial light modulator by filling in the discontinuities in the pixelated intermediate map;
• wherein a first predicted light intensity map on an illuminated target produced by the modulation map is a closer approximation of the target light pattern than a second predicted light intensity map on the illuminated target produced by the pixelated intermediate map;
• controlling each of the plurality of pixels of the spatial light modulator, using the modulation map that was generated with the processor to be in a state that guides actinic radiation through a template to illuminate formable material in the imprint field;
• and
• illuminating the formable material in the imprint field with the actinic radiation from the spatial light modulator controlled by the modulation map in which the discontinuities in the pixelated intermediate map are filled in.

A system comprising:

• a memory;
• and
• a processor configured to:
• receive a pixelated intermediate map for a spatial light modulator including a plurality of pixels based on a distortion model and a target light pattern, wherein the pixelated intermediate map has discontinuities;
• generate a modulation map for the spatial light modulator by filling in the discontinuities in the pixelated intermediate map, wherein both the modulation map and the pixelated intermediate map are arrays, wherein each element in each of the arrays of the modulation map and the pixelated intermediate map is respectively associated with a single position in an imprint field;
• wherein a first predicted light intensity map on an illuminated target produced by the modulation map is a closer approximation of the target light pattern than a second predicted light intensity map on the illuminated target produced by the pixelated intermediate map;
• and
• control each of the plurality of pixels of the spatial light modulator, using the modulation map that was generated with the processor to be in a state that guides actinic radiation relative to mesa sidewalls of a template to illuminate formable material in the imprint field;
• and
• illuminating the formable material in the imprint field with the actinic radiation from the spatial light modulator controlled by the modulation map in which the discontinuities in the pixelated intermediate map are filled in.