US 5,610,754 A · Method and apparatus for photolithography by rotational scanning

Abstract

A photolithography method copies a pattern plane onto a working plane by a rotating imaging system. The pattern plane is parallel to the working plane. At a given instance, the imaging system images a small region of the pattern plane to the working plane. The imaging system rotates around a fixed axis perpendicular to the pattern plane and on each pass copies a circular arc shaped region from the pattern plane to the working plane. Synchronized translation of the pattern plane and working plane in conjunction with rotation of the imaging system allows the entire pattern plane to be copied to the working plane. The photolithography method can achieve high resolution over a large field-of-view with high write speed and can include an autofocus system to account for variation in the flatness of the working plane. This photolithography method can be used in the visible, UV, IR or x-ray wavebands.

Claims17

Dependent claims

A photolithography device comprising:

an illumination system comprising a light emitting source and a rotating projection unit including lenses and reflectors, whereby light from said emitting source is focused and projected to a pattern plane fed in a predetermined direction;
a rotating imaging system for imaging the illuminated spot of said pattern plane onto a planar recording medium approximately parallel to said pattern plane and fed in a predetermined direction;
whereby the photolithography is completed when each part of said pattern is progressively projected onto said recording medium with the rotation of said projection unit and said imaging system, wherein the scanning traces are circular arcs across the width of said recording medium.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and apparatus for photolithography by rotational scanning

Life of this patent

Method and apparatus for photolithography by rotational scanning

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims17