Method and apparatus for maskless photolithography

A method for maskless photolithography for photoforming photosensitive materials using gray scale photolithography comprising:

• a. receiving mask pattern information corresponding to a desired pattern to be created on the photosensitive material;
• b. generating mask patterns based on received said mask pattern information;
• c. receiving gray scale information corresponding to a desired gray scale pattern to be created on the photosensitive material;
• d. generating gray scaled mask patterns based on said mask pattern information and said gray scale information, wherein generating gray scaled mask patterns comprises applying a time modulation scheme to the mask patterns;
• d. providing said gray scale mask patterns to a patterned light generator;
• e. generating a gray scale patterned light beam;
• f. directing said gray scale patterned light beam onto the photosensitive material;
• and
• g. exposing the photosensitive material to said gray scale patterned light beam, wherein said gray scaled patterned light beam is time modulated.

A computer system for maskless photolithography for photoforming photosensitive materials using gray scale photolithography comprising:

• a. a computing device comprising a display, a central processing unit (CPU), operating system software, memory for storing data, a user interface, and input/output capability for reading and writing data;
• said computing device operably connected to and operating in conjunction with a maskless patterned light generator;
• b. computer program code for:
• 1) receiving mask pattern information corresponding to a desired pattern to be created on an object;
• 2) generating said mask patterns based on received mask pattern information;
• and
• 3) providing said mask patterns to a gray scale mask pattern controller, wherein the gray scale mask pattern controller modulates said mask patterns using time modulation;
• whereby said computing device operates in conjunction with said maskless photolithography system and executes said computer code to provide mask patterns to said gray scale mask pattern controller.

A computer program product recorded on computer readable medium for a maskless photolithography system comprising:

• a. computer readable medium for receiving mask pattern information corresponding to a desired pattern to be created on the photosensitive material;
• b. computer readable medium for generating mask patterns based on received said mask pattern information;
• c. computer readable medium for receiving gray scale information corresponding to a desired gray scale pattern to be created on the photosensitive material;
• d. computer readable medium for generating gray scaled mask patterns based on said mask pattern information and said gray scale information;
• d. computer readable medium for providing said gray scale mask patterns to a patterned light generator;
• e. computer readable medium for generating a gray scale patterned light beam, wherein the gray scale patterned light beam is time modulated;
• f. computer readable medium for directing said gray scale patterned light beam onto the photosensitive material;
• and
• g. computer readable medium for exposing the photosensitive material to said gray scale patterned light beam.

A computer program product recorded on computer readable medium for a maskless photolithography system comprising:

• a. computer readable medium for receiving mask pattern information and alignment information corresponding to a desired pattern to be created on the photosensitive material;
• b. computer readable medium for generating mask patterns based on received mask pattern information and alignment information;
• c. computer readable medium for providing said mask patterns to a patterned light generator;
• d. computer readable medium for generating a patterned light beam;
• e. computer readable medium for directing said patterned light beam onto a first exposure area of the photosensitive material;
• f. computer readable medium for exposing the first exposure area of the photosensitive material to said gray scale patterned light beam, wherein said gray scale patterned light beam is time modulated;
• g. computer readable medium for providing relative movement of the photosensitive material and the maskless photolithography system to allow exposure of a second exposure area;
• and
• h. computer readable medium for repeating steps a–g to sequentially expose the entire surface of the photosensitive material;
• wherein said patterned light beam incident on the photosensitive material photosculpts the photosensitive material to create contiguous patterns by sequential exposure corresponding to said patterned light beam.

A maskless photolithography system for photoforming photosensitive materials using gray scale photolithography comprising:

• a. a computer system for generating mask patterns and alignment instructions;
• b. a gray scale mask pattern controller, operably connected to said computer system, for receiving said mask patterns from said computer system and modulating said mask patterns using intensity modulation to provide a gray scale mask pattern;
• and
• c. a gray scale patterned light generator, operably connected to said gray scale pattern controller, for receiving said gray scale mask patterns and radiating a gray scaled patterned light beam;
• wherein the photosensitive material is exposed to said gray scaled patterned light beam, wherein said gray scaled patterned light beam is intensity modulated.

A method for maskless photolithography for photoforming photosensitive materials using gray scale photolithography comprising:

• a. receiving mask pattern information corresponding to a desired pattern to be created on the photosensitive material;
• b. generating mask patterns based on received said mask pattern information;
• c. receiving gray scale information corresponding to a desired gray scale pattern to be created on the photosensitive material;
• d. generating gray scaled mask patterns based on said mask pattern information and said gray scale information, wherein generating gray scaled mask patterns comprises applying an intensity modulation scheme to the mask patterns;
• d. providing said gray scale mask patterns to a patterned light generator;
• e. generating a gray scale patterned light beam;
• f. directing said gray scale patterned light beam onto the photosensitive material;
• and
• g. exposing the photosensitive material to said gray scale patterned light beam, wherein said gray scaled patterned light beam is intensity modulated.

A computer system for maskless photolithography for photoforming photosensitive materials using gray scale photolithography comprising:

• a. a computing device comprising a display, a central processing unit (CPU), operating system software, memory for storing data, a user interface, and input/output capability for reading and writing data;
• said computing device operably connected to and operating in conjunction with a maskless patterned light generator;
• b. computer program code for:
• 1) receiving mask pattern information corresponding to a desired pattern to be created on an object;
• 2) generating said mask patterns based on received mask pattern information;
• and
• 3) providing said mask patterns to a gray scale mask pattern controller, wherein the gray scale mask pattern controller modulates said mask patterns using intensity modulation;
• whereby said computing device operates in conjunction with said maskless photolithography system and executes said computer code to provide mask patterns to said gray scale mask pattern controller.

A computer program product recorded on computer readable medium for a maskless photolithography system comprising:

• a. computer readable medium for receiving mask pattern information corresponding to a desired pattern to be created on the photosensitive material;
• b. computer readable medium for generating mask patterns based on received said mask pattern information;
• c. computer readable medium for receiving gray scale information corresponding to a desired gray scale pattern to be created on the photosensitive material;
• d. computer readable medium for generating gray scaled mask patterns based on said mask pattern information and said gray scale information;
• d. computer readable medium for providing said gray scale mask patterns to a patterned light generator;
• e. computer readable medium for generating a gray scale patterned light beam, wherein the gray scale patterned light beam is intensity modulated;
• f. computer readable medium for directing said gray scale patterned light beam onto the photosensitive material;
• and
• g. computer readable medium for exposing the photosensitive material to said gray scale patterned light beam.

A computer program product recorded on computer readable medium for a maskless photolithography system comprising:

• a. computer readable medium for receiving mask pattern information and alignment information corresponding to a desired pattern to be created on the photosensitive material;
• b. computer readable medium for generating mask patterns based on received mask pattern information and alignment information;
• c. computer readable medium for providing said mask patterns to a patterned light generator;
• d. computer readable medium for generating a patterned light beam;
• e. computer readable medium for directing said patterned light beam onto a first exposure area of the photosensitive material;
• f. computer readable medium for exposing the first exposure area of the photosensitive material to said gray scale patterned light beam, wherein said gray scale patterned light beam is intensity modulated;
• g. computer readable medium for providing relative movement of the photosensitive material and the maskless photolithography system to allow exposure of a second exposure area;
• and
• h. computer readable medium for repeating steps a–g to sequentially expose the entire surface of the photosensitive material;
• wherein said patterned light beam incident on the photosensitive material photosculpts the photosensitive material to create contiguous patterns by sequential exposure corresponding to said patterned light beam.