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US 12,619,157 B2Granted
Optical lithography system and method of using the same
AssigneeTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
InventorsHung-Jui Kuo, Ting-Yang Yu, Ming-Tan Lee
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In an embodiment, an apparatus includes an energy source, a support platform for holding a wafer, an optical path extending from the energy source to the support platform, and a photomask aligned such that a patterned major surface of the photomask is parallel to the force of gravity, where the optical path passes through the photomask, where the patterned major surface of the photomask is perpendicular to a topmost surface of the support platform.
Claims20
An apparatus comprising:
- a radiation source;
- a support platform for holding a wafer;
- a photomask disposed over the support platform, wherein the photomask is configured to receive radiation from the radiation source, and allow the radiation to be transmitted through the photomask and onto a surface of the wafer;
- and
- a pressurized chamber below the photomask, wherein a bottom surface of the photomask and a topmost surface of a substrate define the pressurized chamber, wherein gas in the pressurized chamber exerts a pressure on a single surface of the photomask, the pressure being an upward pressure on the bottom surface of the photomask.
2 more elements
An apparatus comprising:
- a radiation source;
- a wafer chuck for holding a wafer;
- an optical path extending from the radiation source to the wafer chuck;
- a photomask aligned over the wafer, wherein the optical path passes through the photomask and onto a surface of the wafer;
- a pressurized chamber disposed between the photomask and a substrate;
- and
- a translation stage configured to support the wafer chuck, wherein the translation stage comprises a motor, and wherein the translation stage and the photomask are configured to have their movements be synchronized to each other.
4 more elements
An apparatus comprising:
- a radiation source;
- a wafer chuck for supporting a wafer;
- a photomask disposed over the wafer chuck, wherein the photomask is configured to receive radiation from the radiation source, and allow the radiation to be transmitted through the photomask and onto a surface of the wafer;
- and
- a rigid enclosure below the photomask, wherein the rigid enclosure is disposed between the photomask and a substrate, and wherein the rigid enclosure has a pressure that is higher than atmospheric pressure.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.