Systems and methods to shape laser light as a line beam for interaction with a substrate having surface variations
AssigneeCymer, Inc.
InventorDavid S. Knowles
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Systems and methods are disclosed for shaping laser light as a line beam for interaction with a film that may have an imperfect, non-planar surface. The system may include a beam stop that defines an edge; a sensor that measures a distance between a selected point on a surface of the film and a reference plane and generates a signal representative of the measured distance; and an actuator coupled to the beam stop and responsive to the signal to move a portion of beam stop edge. Movement of the beam stop edge portion shifts a corresponding portion of the focused line beam in a direction normal to the reference plane to produce a line beam that more closely conforms to the surface profile of the film.
Claims20
A system for shaping laser light as a line beam for interaction with a film having a non-planar surface, said system comprising:
- a beam stop defining an edge;
- a sensor measuring a distance between a selected point on a surface of said film and a reference plane and generating a signal representative thereof;
- and
- an actuator coupled to said beam stop and responsive to said signal for moving a portion of said edge relative to another portion of said edge to shift a portion of said focused line beam relative to another portion of said focused line beam in a direction normal to said reference plane.
A system for shaping laser light as a line beam for interaction with a film having a non-planar surface, said system comprising:
- a beam stop;
- a plurality of sensors measuring respective positions of respective selected points on a surface of said film and generating respective signals representative thereof;
- and
- a plurality of actuators, each actuator coupled to said beam stop and responsive to a signal from a corresponding sensor to deflect a portion of said beam stop relative to another portion of said beam stop to shift a corresponding portion of said focused line beam relative to another portion of said focused line beam and relative to said film.
A method for shaping laser light as a focused line beam for interaction with a film having a non-planar surface, said method comprising the acts of:
- providing a beam stop defining an edge;
- measuring a distance between a selected point on a surface of said film and a reference plane and generating a signal representative thereof;
- and
- moving a portion of said edge relative to another portion of said edge in response to said signal to shift a portion of said focused line beam relative to another portion of said focused line beam in a direction normal to said reference plane.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.