Electronically controlled universal phase-shifting mask for stepper exposure system

A dynamic mask exposure system comprising:

• a workpiece support,
• a source of a beam of exposure radiation,
• a transmissive, dynamically changing, phase-shifting (TDCPS) mask with orthogonally arranged matrices of actuator lines and binary pixel units which are opaque or transparent as a function of control inputs to the actuator lines, the transmissive dynamic mask having a top surface and a bottom surface,
• a control system connected to supply pixel control signals to the actuator lines of the TDCPS mask to form a pattern of transparent regions and opaque regions with the control signals being supplied by a computer system form a data base patterning data,
• directing means for directing the beam down onto the top surface of the TDCPS mask,
• an image detection element for detecting a pattern of radiation projected thereon located on the top surface of the workpiece support, with the beam passing through the transparent regions of the TDCPS mask and projecting a pattern from the TDCPS mask onto the workpiece support where the image detection element is located,
• means for providing signals representing the pattern to the computer system, and
• the computer system providing a comparison of the detected pattern data to the patterning data in the data base.

A dynamic mask exposure system comprising:

• a workpiece support,
• a beam of exposure radiation,
• a transmissive dynamically changing, phase-shifting (TDCPS) mask with orthogonally arranged matrices of actuator lines and binary pixel units which are opaque or transparent as a function of control inputs to the actuator lines, the transmissive dynamic mask having a top surface and a bottom surface,
• supply means for supplying pixel control signals to the actuator lines of the TDCPS mask to form a pattern of transparent regions and opaque regions, with the control signals being supplied by a computer system from a data base of patterning data,
• directing means for directing the beam of exposure radiation down onto the top surface of the TDCPS mask, and through the transparent regions of the mask and to project a pattern through the TDCPS mask onto the workpiece support,
• detection means for detecting the pattern projected onto the workpiece support and producing detected pattern data in response to the pattern projected onto the workpiece support,
• transmission means for sending the detected pattern data to the computer system, and
• comparison means for comparing the detected pattern data to the patterning data in the data base with the computer system.

A dynamic mask exposure system comprising:

• a workpiece support,
• a beam of exposure radiation,
• a transmissive dynamically changing, phase-shifting (TDCPS) mask with orthogonally arranged matrices of actuator lines and binary pixel units which are opaque or transparent as a function of control inputs to the actuator lines, the TDCPS mask having a top surface and a bottom surface,
• supply means for supplying pixel control signals to the actuator lines of the transmissive dynamic mask to form a pattern of transparent regions and opaque regions, the pixel control signals being produced by a computer which includes a data storage device which stores data base patterns,
• directing means for directing the beam of exposure radiation down onto the top surface of the TDCPS mask,
• an image detection element for detecting a pattern of radiation located on the top surface of the workpiece support,
• the image detecting element detecting portions of the beam passing through the transparent regions and
• projection means for projecting a pattern from the TDCPS mask onto the workpiece support where the image detection element is located,
• pattern data means for producing detected pattern data from the image detection element in response to the pattern projected from the TDCPS mask onto the image detection element,
• signal means for producing signals representing the detected pattern data to the control system from the image detection element, and
• comparison means for comparing the signals representing the detected pattern data to data base patterns.