UV lithography system and method

A system for photolithographic fabrication of microstructures, the system comprising:

• a substrate mount configured to support a substrate;
• an optical assembly comprising:
• an LED light source having a luminous area configured to emit ultraviolet (UV) light along an optical path, the luminous area having an area diameter;
• and
• a light collimator disposed within the optical path and configured to receive light from the LED light source and generate a collimated light beam having a beam diameter with a spatially uniform light intensity of UV-light across the collimated light beam, wherein more than one-third of a power of the UV-light in the collimated light beam emanates from the luminous area, and wherein the area diameter is less than one-third of the beam diameter, wherein the optical assembly is configured to deliver a collimated light beam along the optical path to an illumination area proximate to the substrate mount;
• a photomask aligner disposed on the substrate mount, the photomask aligner configured to retain a patterned photomask within the optical path for projection of a pattern onto the substrate, the pattern corresponding to at least a portion of the microstructures;
• and
• a multi-axis support assembly comprising a rotating support having an axis of rotation and an adjustable angle mount, the support assembly configured for varying one or more of a direction and an angle of the collimated beam relative to the substrate on the substrate mount.