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US 12,571,984 B2Granted
Light wave phase interference improvement of digital micromirror device by means of mechanically stressing the device package
AssigneeApplied Materials, Inc.
InventorsTimothy N. Thomas, Robert Jordan Lear, Douglas E. Holmgren, Assaf Kidron, Nigel Swehla
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to mount apparatuses for digital micromirror devices of digital lithography systems and methods of mounting the digital micromirror devices. The mount apparatuses described herein retain spatial light modulators, such as DMDs. The mount apparatus enables the flattening of the DMD by providing a force such that the pair of contact pads contact the DMD. The DMD is positioned in a mounting frame of the mount apparatus. Contact pads of the mounting frame are operable to apply pressure to the DMD.
Claims19
A mount apparatus, comprising:
- a mounting frame operable to retain a digital micromirror device (DMD), the mounting frame including contact pads that are operable to directly contact a DMD outer surface of the DMD;
- an interposer operable to be in contact with a mounting frame top surface;
- a printed circuit board (PCB) operable to be in contact with an interposer top surface;
- a force spreader plate operable to be in contact with a PCB top surface;
- a heat sink operable to be in contact with the force spreader plate;
- and
- a fastener system disposed through a plurality of through holes, the fastener system operable to couple the mounting frame, the interposer, the PCB, the force spreader plate, and the heat sink together, the plurality of through holes operable to be disposed through the mounting frame, the interposer, the PCB, the force spreader plate, and the heat sink,
- wherein the contact pads are operable to apply direct pressure to the DMD outer surface from the fastener system.
5 more elements
An image projection system, comprising:
- a light source operable to produce a beam;
- a digital micromirror device (DMD), wherein the light source is operable to direct the beam to the DMD;
- a mount apparatus operable to retain the DMD, the mount apparatus comprising:
- a mounting frame operable to retain a digital micromirror device (DMD), the mounting frame including contact pads in direct contact with a DMD outer surface of the DMD;
- an interposer in contact with a mounting frame top surface and a DMD top surface;
- a printed circuit board (PCB) in contact with an interposer top surface;
- a force spreader plate in contact with a PCB top surface;
- a heat sink in contact with the force spreader plate;
- and
- a fastener system disposed through a plurality of through holes, the fastener system operable to couple the mounting frame, the interposer, the PCB, the force spreader plate, and the heat sink together, the plurality of through holes disposed through the mounting frame, the interposer, the PCB, the force spreader plate, and the heat sink, wherein the contact pads are operable to apply direct pressure to the DMD outer surface from the fastener system;
- and
- a projection lens disposed below the DMD, the projection lens operable to project a plurality of write beams reflected from the DMD.
9 more elements
A method, comprising:
- positioning a digital micromirror device (DMD) in a mounting frame, the mounting frame including a contact pads;
- directly contacting a DMD outer surface of the DMD with the contact pads;
- positioning an interposer, a printed circuit board (PCB), a force spreader plate, and a heat sink in a stack over a DMD top surface of the DMD;
- installing a fastener system through a plurality of through holes to couple the mounting frame, the interposer, the PCB, the force spreader plate, and the heat sink together to form a mount apparatus, the fastener system including a plurality of screws threaded through threads disposed in the mounting frame and the plurality of through holes;
- adjusting a flatness of the DMD, the adjusting the flatness of the DMD including torqueing or loosening the plurality of screws to increase or decrease a direct pressure that is applied by the contact pads to the DMD outer surface;
- and
- annealing the mount apparatus and the DMD.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.