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US 8,076,227 B2Granted
Electroactive polymers for lithography
AssigneeThe Invention Science Fund I, LLC
InventorsRoderick A. Hyde, Nathan P. Myhrvold
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Systems and methods for lithography include actuating an electroactive polymer member to position mask and/or substrate.
Claims50
A lithographic method, comprising:
- positioning a mask proximate to a substrate, the mask including a first mask section and a second mask section;
- and
- shifting the first mask section relative to the substrate by actuating a first electroactive polymer member;
- and
- shifting the second mask section relative to the substrate by actuating a second electroactive polymer member,
- wherein the first mask section and the second mask section are shifted asynchronously.
3 more elements
A lithography apparatus, comprising:
- a mask holder having a mask location, the mask holder being configured to hold a mask having a first mask section and a second mask section;
- a substrate holder configured to hold a substrate in a substrate location in proximity to the mask location;
- and
- a positioner configured to asynchronously shift the positions of the first mask section and the second mask section relative to the substrate by actuating an electroactive polymer.
1 more element
A lithographic apparatus, comprising:
- a mask holder having a mask location;
- a substrate holder having a substrate location;
- a monitor configured to monitor a liftoff force between a mask in the mask location and a substrate in the substrate location;
- and
- a positioner configured to shift relative positions of the mask location and the substrate location responsive to the monitored liftoff force by actuating an electroactive polymer member.
2 more elements
A controller for a lithographic system, comprising:
- a receiver that receives a liftoff force measurement signal;
- a processor that uses the liftoff force measurement signal to determine an actuation profile for an electroactive polymer member;
- and
- an output that actuates the electroactive polymer member according to the actuation profile.
1 more element
A lithographic method, comprising:
- positioning a mask proximate to a substrate;
- monitoring a liftoff force between the mask and the substrate;
- and
- shifting the mask relative to the substrate by actuating an electroactive polymer member, responsive to the monitored liftoff force.
1 more element
A lithographic method, comprising:
- monitoring a contact force between a mask and a substrate;
- and
- laterally shifting at least a portion of the mask in response to the monitored contact force, wherein shifting includes actuating an electroactive polymer member.
A lithographic apparatus, comprising:
- a mask holder having a mask location;
- a substrate holder having a substrate location;
- a monitor configured to monitor a contact force between a mask in the mask location and a substrate in the substrate location;
- and
- a positioner configured to laterally shift relative positions of at least a portion of the mask and the substrate responsive to the monitored contact force by actuating an electroactive polymer member.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.