Method for imaging a mask layer and associated imaging system
AssigneeXsys Prepress NV
InventorsFrederik DEFOUR, Dirk Ludo Julien DE RAUW
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for imaging a mask layer includes reading imaging data for a sequence of at least (C1+C2) pixels, at a first moment, using a group of C1 first imaging beams for imaging substantially simultaneously a first group of C1 pixels of said sequence in accordance with the imaging data, at a second moment, using a group of C2 second imaging beams for imaging substantially simultaneously a second group of C2 pixels of said sequence in accordance with the imaging data, repeating the reading of imaging data, the using of a group of C1 first imaging beams for imaging at a first moment, and the using of a group of C2 second imaging beams for imaging at a second moment for a next sequence of at least (C1+C2) pixels.
Claims26
A method for imaging a mask layer, comprising the steps:
- providing a mask layer,
- providing a plurality of at least (C1+C2) imaging beams arranged next to each other, said plurality of imaging beams comprising a first group of C1 imaging beams (L1) and a second groups of C2 imaging beams (L2);
- reading imaging data for a sequence of at least (C1+C2) pixels, C1 and C2 being integers greater than or equal to 1,
- at a first moment in time, using the first group of C1 first imaging beams (L1) for imaging substantially simultaneously a first group of C1 pixels of said sequence in accordance with the read imaging data,
- at a second moment in time, using the second group of C2 second imaging beams (L2) for imaging substantially simultaneously a second group of C2 pixels of said sequence in accordance with the read imaging data,
- optionally, at one or more subsequent moments in time, using a subsequent group of imaging beams (L3) for imaging substantially simultaneously a subsequent group of pixels in accordance with the read imaging data, said pixels of said subsequent group being different from the pixels of the first and second group, and
- repeating the reading of imaging data, the using of the first group of C1 first imaging beams (L1) for imaging at a first moment in time, the using of the second group of C2 second imaging beams (L2) for imaging at a second moment in time, and optionally the using of a subsequent group of imaging beams (L3) for imaging at one or more subsequent moments in time, for a next sequence of at least (C1+C2) pixels.
A method for imaging a mask layer, comprising the steps:
- providing a mask layer,
- providing a look-up table with a plurality of imaging settings in function of bit sequences,
- reading imaging data comprising a bit sequence for a plurality of pixels;
- obtaining an imaging setting from the look-up table based on said bit sequence;
- wherein each imaging setting specifies a value which is representative for a size and/or shape of an imaged spot corresponding with an imaging pixel;
- and
- using a plurality of imaging beams (L1, L2, L3) for imaging substantially simultaneously the plurality of pixels in accordance with the obtained imaging setting.
A method for imaging a mask layer, comprising the steps:
- providing a mask layer,
- reading imaging data for a plurality of pixels, said imaging data comprising a sequence of bit values comprising at least two bit values for every pixel of said plurality of pixels;
- wherein the at least two bit values indicate if the pixel is an imaging pixel in a solid area, an imaging pixel in a halftone area, or a non-imaging pixel;
- obtaining an imaging setting based on said sequence of bit values;
- and
- using a plurality of imaging beams (L1, L2, L3) for imaging substantially simultaneously the plurality of pixels in accordance with the obtained imaging setting.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.