Programmable photolithographic mask system and method

The system of 1 wherein the material with a band gap is chosen from the group consisting of GaN, AIN, sapphire, diamond, SiO2, LiF, ZnS, and ZnSe.

A system for exposing a semiconductor wafer with electromagnetic energy from a source, comprising:

• a programmable photolithographic mask comprising at least one two-dimensional array of structures disposed between the wafer and the source of electromagnetic energy, at least some of said structures within said array comprising an active region comprising a material which can be made transparent or opaque by applying a voltage to change the density of occupied initial states or the density of unoccupied final states of either the electrons or the holes;
• and
• a controller coupled to the mask, the controller controlling a voltage applied to said structures to thereby cause the structures to interact with and selectively modulate, in accordance with a programmable two-dimensional pattern, electromagnetic energy from the source so as to provide a two-dimensional programmable exposure pattern of electromagnetic energy for exposing at least part of the wafer.

A method of exposing a substrate comprising:

• placing a programmable photolithographic mask comprising at least one two-dimensional array of structures between the substrate and a source of electromagnetic energy, at least some of said structures within said array including an active region comprising a material whose light attenuation coefficient is changed by applying a voltage or current to change the density of occupied initial states or the density of unoccupied final states;
• and
• controlling a voltage or current applied to said structures to interact with and selectively modulate, in accordance with a programmable two-dimensional pattern, electromagnetic energy from the source to provide a two-dimensional programmable exposure pattern of electromagnetic energy exposing at least part of the substrate.

A method of exposing a substrate comprising:

• placing a programmable photolithographic mask comprising at least one two-dimensional array of structures between a wafer and a source of electromagnetic energy, at least some of said structures within said array comprising an active region comprising a material whose light attenuation coefficient can be changed from transparent to opaque by applying a voltage or current;
• and
• applying a controlled voltage or current to said structures to cause said structures to interact with and selectively modulate, in accordance with a programmable two-dimensional pattern, electromagnetic energy from the source so as to provide a two-dimensional programmable exposure pattern of electromagnetic energy for exposing at least part of the substrate.