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US 2026/0227703 A1Published application
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;
- an optical system configured to receive radiation from the radiation source transmitted through a patterned mask and direct it to a surface of a wafer, wherein a major patterned surface of the patterned mask has a first curvature, the first curvature having a first radius greater than zero;
- and
- a wafer chuck having a top surface with a curvature matching the first curvature, the top surface of the wafer chuck being configured to hold the wafer to have the first curvature, wherein the wafer is in physical contact with the wafer chuck.
1 more element
An apparatus comprising:
- an energy source;
- a wafer chuck for holding a semiconductor wafer, the wafer chuck having a curved top surface with a first radius of curvature, the wafer chuck configured to warp the semiconductor wafer such that the semiconductor wafer acquires a same curvature as the top surface of the wafer chuck;
- a mask chuck configured to support a photomask over the semiconductor wafer, wherein a major patterned surface of the photomask is curved and has a second radius of curvature, wherein the first radius of curvature substantially matches the second radius of curvature;
- and
- a light pipe used to direct energy from the energy source through the photomask to the wafer chuck, the light pipe being between the energy source and the photomask.
2 more elements
An apparatus comprising:
- a patterned mask configured to receive radiation from an energy source and to transmit the radiation toward a wafer, a patterned major surface of the patterned mask having a first curvature, the first curvature having a first radius of curvature greater than zero;
- a wafer chuck configured to support the wafer, the wafer chuck having a curved top surface with a second radius of curvature matching the first radius of curvature, wherein the wafer chuck is configured to warp the wafer such that the wafer acquires a same curvature as the top surface of the wafer chuck;
- and
- a translation stage configured to support the wafer chuck, wherein the translation stage comprises a motor, and wherein the translation stage and the patterned mask are configured to have their movements be synchronized to each other.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.