Modulation of X-Ray Beam Intensity

8. The maskless x-ray lithography system of claim 1 wherein the array of 2 microlenses comprises an array of microlenses selected from Fresnel zone 3 plates, Fresnel lenses, refractive lenses, and metalenses.

9. The maskless x-ray lithography system of claim 1 wherein:

10. The maskless x-ray lithography system of claim 1 wherein:

11. An x-ray beam intensity modulator comprising:

12. The x-ray beam intensity modulator of claim 11 wherein the x-ray-2 reflective surface of each x-ray beam intensity modulator element comprises a 3 material selected from uranium, a uranium alloy, gold, cobalt, and 4 molybdenum.

13. The x-ray beam intensity modulator of claim 11 wherein each x-ray 2 beam intensity modulator element includes an actuation element, selected 3 from piezoelectric actuation elements and electrostatic actuation elements, to 4 orient the x-ray-reflective surface with respect to the input x-ray beam at an x-5 ray beam grazing angle greater than zero degrees and no larger than an 6 extinguishing grazing angle at which reflectivity is substantially zero for the 7 input x-ray beam wavelength and x-ray-reflective surface material, to produce 8 a reflected output x-ray beam having an output intensity that is a fraction of 9 input intensity of the input x-ray beam.

14. The x-ray beam intensity modulator of claim 11 wherein the x-ray-2 reflective surface of each x-ray beam intensity modulator element comprises 3 an x-ray-reflective surface having a vertically undulating surface profile with 4 periodically spaced undulations along an extent of the x-ray-reflective surface, 5 portions of the periodically spaced undulations being oriented with respect to 6 the input x-ray beam at an x-ray beam grazing angle greater than zero 7 degrees and no larger than an extinguishing grazing angle at which reflectivity 8 is substantially zero for the input x-ray beam wavelength and x-ray-reflective 9 surface material, to produce modulated output x-ray beams including at least one of a plurality of zero-order x-ray diffraction beams and a plurality of non-zero order x-ray diffraction beams, each modulated output x-ray beam having an output intensity that is a fraction of input intensity of the input x-ray beam.

15. An x-ray beam intensity modulator comprising:

16. The x-ray beam intensity modulator of claim 15 wherein the x-ray-2 reflective surface of each x-ray beam intensity modulator element comprises a 3 material selected from uranium, a uranium alloy, gold, cobalt, and 4 molybdenum.

17. A method for maskless x-ray lithographic patterning of a surface 2 comprising:

18. The method of claim 17 wherein at least two x-ray-reflective surfaces in 2 the plurality of x-ray-reflective surfaces have surface portions that are oriented 3 with respect to the input x-ray beam at x-ray beam grazing angles different 4 than that of other x-ray-reflective surfaces.

19. A method for maskless x-ray lithographic patterning of a surface 2 comprising:

20. A method for maskless x-ray lithographic patterning of a surface 2 comprising:

the source of an input x-ray beam comprises a source of a substantially 3 collimated input x-ray beam having a wavelength centered at 13.5 nm;

• and

the source of an input x-ray beam comprises a source of a substantially 3 collimated input x-ray beam having a wavelength centered at 4.5 nm;

• and

an input port oriented to accept an input x-ray beam having an x-ray 3 beam wavelength between 1 nm and 20 nm;

an input port oriented to accept an input x-ray beam having an x-ray 3 beam wavelength between 1 nm and 20 nm;

providing an input x-ray beam having a wavelength between 1 nm and 4 20 nm;

providing an input x-ray beam having a wavelength centered at 13.5 nm;

providing an input x-ray beam having a wavelength centered at 4.5 nm;

the x-ray-reflective surface of the modulator element comprises a 5 surface of a layer of molybdenum.

the x-ray-reflective surface of the modulator element comprises a 5 surface of a layer selected from uranium and a uranium alloy.

a plurality of x-ray beam intensity modulator elements, each x-ray beam 5 intensity modulator element having an x-ray-reflective surface oriented with 6 respect to the input x-ray beam at an x-ray beam grazing angle greater than 7 zero degrees and no larger than an extinguishing grazing angle at which 8 reflectivity is substantially zero for the input x-ray beam wavelength and x-ray-9 reflective surface material, to produce a plurality of output x-ray beams each having a modulated output intensity that is a fraction of input intensity of an input x-ray beam;

• and
• an output port oriented to output a plurality of intensity-modulated output x-ray beams.

a plurality of x-ray beam intensity modulator elements, each x-ray beam 5 intensity modulator element including an x-ray-reflective surface having a 6 vertically undulating surface profile with periodically spaced undulations along 7 an extent of the x-ray-reflective surface, portions of the periodically spaced 8 undulations being oriented with respect to the input x-ray beam at an x-ray 9 beam grazing angle greater than zero degrees and no larger than an extinguishing grazing angle at which reflectivity is substantially zero for the input x-ray beam wavelength and x-ray-reflective surface material, to produce modulated output x-ray beams including at least one of a plurality of zero-order x-ray diffraction beams and a plurality of non-zero order x-ray diffraction beams, each modulated output x-ray beam having an output intensity that is a fraction of input intensity of the input x-ray beam;

• and
• an output port oriented to output a plurality of intensity-modulated output x-ray beams.

directing the input x-ray beam toward a plurality of separated x-ray-5 reflective surfaces, each x-ray reflective surface comprising uranium and 6 oriented with respect to the input x-ray beam at an x-ray beam grazing angle 7 between zero degrees and no more than an extinguishing grazing angle of 13 degrees, at which reflectivity is substantially zero for the input x-ray beam 9 wavelength, to produce a plurality of modulated output x-ray beams each 10 having a modulated output intensity that is a fraction of input intensity of the 11 input x-ray beam;

• and

directing the input x-ray beam toward a plurality of x-ray-reflective 6 surfaces, each x-ray-reflective surface having a vertically undulating surface

directing the input x-ray beam toward a plurality of separated 6 molybdenum surfaces, each molybdenum surface oriented with respect to the 7 input x-ray beam at an x-ray beam grazing angle greater than zero degrees 8 and no larger than an extinguishing angle of 27 degrees, at which reflectivity is 9 substantially zero for the input x-ray beam wavelength, to produce a plurality

profile with periodically spaced undulations along an extent of the x-ray-8 reflective surface;

orienting portions of the periodically spaced undulations with respect to the input x-ray beam at an x-ray beam grazing angle greater than zero degrees and no larger than an extinguishing grazing angle at which reflectivity is substantially zero for the input x-ray beam wavelength and x-ray-reflective surface material, to produce modulated output x-ray beams including at least one of a plurality of zero-order x-ray diffraction beams and a plurality of non-zero order x-ray diffraction beams, each modulated output x-ray beam having an output intensity that is a fraction of input intensity of the input x-ray beam;

• and directing the plurality of modulated output x-ray beams to an array of microlenses oriented to focus the modulated output x-ray beams onto a surface in a lithographic pattern of intensity-modulated x-ray beams, for forming a lithographic pattern on the surface.

of modulated output x-ray beams each having an output intensity that is a 11 fraction of input intensity of the input x-ray beam;

• and

directing the plurality of modulated output x-ray beams to a plurality of 13 microlenses oriented to focus the modulated output x-ray beams onto a 14 surface in a lithographic pattern of intensity-modulated x-ray beams, for 15 forming a lithographic pattern on the surface.

directing the plurality of modulated output x-ray beams to an array of 13 microlenses oriented to focus the modulated output x-ray beams onto a 14 surface in a lithographic pattern of intensity-modulated x-ray beams, for 15 forming a lithographic pattern on the surface.