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US 6,556,280 B1Granted
Period reconfiguration and closed loop calibration of an interference lithography patterning system and method of operation
AssigneeOptical Switch Corporation
InventorsAdam F. Kelsey, Mark A. Leclerc
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A lithographic tool system for generating an interferometric pattern of light using a plurality of exposure beams includes a processor coupled to a positioning device. The processor receives a selected period for the interferometric pattern of light, and generates an angular control signal and a translational control signal in response to the selected period. The positioning device translates an exposure beam in response to the translational control signal, and rotates the exposure beam in response to the angular control signal.
Claims41
A lithographic tool system for generating an interferometric pattern of light using a plurality of exposure beams, the system comprising:
- a processor operable to:
- receive a selected period for the interferometric pattern of light;
- generate an angular control signal based at least in part upon the selected period;
- and
- generate a translational control signal based at least in part upon the selected period;
- and
- a positioning device coupled to the processor and comprising:
- a carriage device operable to translate a fiber in response to the translational control signal, the fiber emitting an exposure beam;
- and
- a rotary stage coupled to the carriage device and operable to rotate the fiber in response to the angular control signal.
7 more elements
A method for generating an interferometric pattern of light using a plurality of exposure beams, comprising:
- receiving a selected period for the interferometric pattern of light;
- determining a propagation angle for an exposure beam based at least in part upon the period of the interferometric pattern of light and the wavelength of the exposure beam;
- emitting the exposure beam using a fiber having one end that is positioned a first distance from a recording plane where the interferometric pattern of light is generated;
- determining a second distance based at least in part upon the first distance and the propagation angle for the exposure beam;
- generating an angular control signal based at least in part upon the second distance;
- generating a translational control signal based at least in part upon the propagation angle for the exposure beam;
- translating the exposure beam in response to the translational control signal;
- and
- rotating the exposure beam in response to the angular control signal.
6 more elements
A lithographic tool system for generating an interferometric pattern of light using a plurality of exposure beams, the system comprising:
- a processor operable to:
- receive a selected period for the interferometric pattern of light;
- generate an angular control signal based at least in part upon the selected period;
- and
- generate a translational control signal based at least in part upon the selected period;
- a positioning device coupled to the processor and operable to:
- translate an exposure beam in response to the translational control signal;
- and
- rotate the exposure beam in response to the angular control signal;
- a first refractive medium coupled to a workpiece upon which the interferometric pattern of light is generated;
- and
- a second refractive medium coupled to the first refractive medium.
9 more elements
A lithographic tool system for generating an interferometric pattern of light using a plurality of exposure beams, the system comprising:
- a processor operable to:
- receive a selected period for the interferometric pattern of light;
- generate an angular control signal based at least in part upon the selected period;
- and
- generate a translational control signal based at least in part upon the selected period;
- and
- a positioning device coupled to the processor and operable to:
- translate an exposure beam in response to the translational control signal;
- and
- rotate the exposure beam in response to the angular control signal;
- wherein:
- the positioning device comprises a camera operable to measure an intensity distribution associated with the exposure beam;
- and
- the processor is further operable to:
- determine the peak of the intensity distribution;
- determine the deviation of the peak from the center of a workpiece upon which the interferometric pattern of light is generated;
- and
- generate the angular control signal in response to the deviation.
15 more elements
A lithographic tool system for generating an interferometric pattern of light using a plurality of exposure beams, the system comprising:
- a processor operable to:
- receive a selected period for the interferometric pattern of light;
- generate an angular control signal based at least in part upon the selected period;
- and
- generate a translational control signal based at least in part upon the selected period;
- a positioning device coupled to the processor and operable to:
- translate an exposure beam in response to the translational control signal;
- and
- rotate the exposure beam in response to the angular control signal;
- a fiber positioning stage coupled to a fiber that emits the exposure beam, the fiber having a first position with respect to a light source and a second position with respect to the light source, and wherein:
- the positioning device comprises a camera operable to measure a first intensity distribution associated with the exposure beam when the fiber is placed in the first position, and further operable to measure a second intensity distribution associated with the exposure beam when the fiber is placed in the second position;
- the processor is further operable to generate a position control signal based upon the maximum of the first intensity distribution and the second intensity distribution;
- and
- the fiber positioning stage is operable to place the fiber in one of the first position or the second position in response to the position control signal.
11 more elements
A lithographic tool system for generating an interferometric pattern of light using a plurality of exposure beams, the system comprising:
- a processor operable to:
- receive a selected period for the interferometric pattern of light;
- generate an angular control signal based at least in part upon the selected period;
- and
- generate a translational control signal based at least in part upon the selected period;
- and
- a positioning device coupled to the processor and operable to:
- translate a first exposure beam in response to the translational control signal;
- and
- rotate the first exposure beam in response to the angular control signal;
- wherein:
- the positioning device comprises a camera operable to measure a first intensity distribution associated with the first exposure beam, and further operable to determine a second intensity distribution associated with a second exposure beam;
- the processor is further operable to determine a beam balance control signal based upon the difference between the first intensity distribution and the second intensity distribution;
- and
- the system further comprising a beam splitter operable to split a light source into a first light source and a second light source in response to the beam balance control signal, the first light source for a first fiber that emits the first exposure beam and the second light source for a second fiber that emits the second exposure beam.
12 more elements
A lithographic tool system for generating an interferometric pattern of light using a plurality of exposure beams, the system comprising:
- a processor operable to:
- receive a selected period for the interferometric pattern of light;
- generate an angular control signal based at least in part upon the selected period;
- and
- generate a translational control signal based at least in part upon the selected period;
- and
- a positioning device coupled to the processor and operable to:
- translate an exposure beam in response to the translational control signal;
- rotate the exposure beam in response to the angular control signal;
- wherein:
- the positioning device comprises a camera operable to measure a power density associated with the exposure beam;
- and
- the processor is further operable to receive a selected exposure dose for the exposure beam and to determine an exposure time for the exposure beam based upon the power density associated with the exposure beam and the selected exposure dose.
10 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.