Uniform background radiation in maskless lithography
AssigneeASML Netherlands B.V.
InventorsPaul Antoon Cyriel Desmedt, Patricius Aloysius Jacobus Tinnemans, Minne Cuperus
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Abstract
A device manufacturing method comprising applying patterns to a plurality of arrays of individually controllable elements, such that they modulate a beam of radiation, and projecting the modulated beam of radiation onto a substrate. The patterns applied to the arrays of individually controllable elements are arranged such that pre-determined amounts of background radiation are included in the modulated beam of radiation. The pre-determined amounts of background radiation being different for different locations on the arrays.
Claims20
A device manufacturing method, comprising:
- applying patterns to a plurality of arrays, each of the arrays comprising individually controllable elements such that the arrays modulate a beam of radiation;
- and
- projecting the modulated beam of radiation onto a substrate,
- wherein the patterns applied to the arrays are arranged such that pre-determined amounts of background radiation are included in the modulated beam of radiation, the pre-determined amounts of background radiation being different for different locations on the arrays,
- wherein each of the arrays further comprise a static border that does not include individually controllable elements.
A lithographic apparatus, comprising:
- a plurality of arrays comprising individually controllable elements arranged to be patterned, such that the arrays modulate a beam of radiation;
- a projection system arranged to project the modulated beam of radiation onto a substrate;
- and
- a controller arranged to control patterns provided on the arrays, wherein:
- the controller is arranged to apply patterns to the arrays,
- the patterns being configured such that pre-determined amounts of background radiation are included in the beam of radiation as modulated by the arrays,
- the arrays further comprise a static border that does not include individually controllable elements, and
- the pre-determined amounts of background radiation being different for different locations on the arrays.
A device manufacturing method, comprising:
- modulating a beam of radiation using a plurality of arrays comprising individually controllable elements;
- and
- projecting the modulated beam of radiation onto a substrate to form a plurality of patterned regions on the substrate,
- wherein the arrays further comprise a static border that does not include individually controllable element, and
- wherein positions of the patterned regions are staggered, such that there are no locations on the substrate that receive more than three patterned regions.
A lithographic apparatus, comprising:
- a plurality of arrays comprising individually controllable elements arranged to be patterned, such that the arrays modulate a beam of radiation;
- a projection system arranged to project the modulated beam of radiation onto a substrate;
- and
- a controller arranged to control patterns provided on the arrays,
- wherein the arrays are not aligned in a direction transverse to a scanning direction of the lithographic apparatus, but instead have a separation in the scanning direction, the separation being a non-integer multiple of a length of an active part of one of the arrays of individually controllable elements in the scanning direction, and
- wherein the arrays further comprise a static border that does not include individually controllable elements.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.