Holographic patterning method and tool for production environments
AssigneeOptical Switch Corporation
InventorDouglas S. Hobbs
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A high resolution, high-throughout, large field size, production environment, lithographic tool system and method includes an interferometric pattern generator utilizing three or four mutually coherent optical beams organized in a flexible beam expansion, filtering, aperturing, and delivery system, large area pattern uniformity is attained via optimized illumination beam positioning and shaping. A passive stabilization system achieves fully modulated interferometric patterns in high mechanical and acoustical vibration manufacturing environments.
Claims28
A holographic lithography system for generating an interference pattern suitable for selectively exposing a photosensitive material, comprising:
- a platform for mounting a workpiece having a photosensitive surface;
- and
- a beam delivery system configured to direct a plurality of illuminating beams toward said platform in an overlapping manner to form an optical interference pattern in the vicinity of the workpiece, said beam delivery system including:
- a plurality of optical fibers having transmissive ends from which the illuminating beams respectively emanate divergently;
- and
- a support structure on which the transmissive ends of the optical fibers are mounted, the transmissive ends being positioned and angled on said support structure such that the illuminating beams overlap to form the optical interference pattern that selectively exposes the photosensitive surface of the workpiece.
A method of performing holographic lithography for generating an interference pattern suitable for selectively exposing a photosensitive material, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) mounting a workpiece having a photosensitive surface on a platform;
- (b) transmitting a plurality of divergent illuminating beams from transmissive ends of a plurality of optical fibers, the transmissive ends of the optical fibers being mounted on a support structure such that the illuminating beams are directed toward said platform in an overlapping manner to form an optical interference pattern in the vicinity of the workpiece;
- and
- (c) exposing the photosensitive material with the optical interference pattern formed by the illuminating beams.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.