ADVANCED EXPOSURE TECHNIQUES FOR PROGRAMMABLE LITHOGRAPHY

摘要

Advanced techniques for programmable photolithography provide enhanced resolution and other aspects of a photolithography system. A combination of multiple exposures and movement of a substrate (W) relative to a programmable mask (M) in a photolithographic system accomplishes single shutter exposure overlaps to create features smaller than the single shutter intensity profile, i.e., sub-pixel resolution. Advanced timing adjustment capabilities are used to modulate the light (I) so that no unwanted features are created. Additionally, a library of shapes may be used, one shape on each pixel, with the small features of the shapes created by phase shifting. Patterns are built up by multiple exposures with relative movement of the mask and resist so as to place each shape from the library where it is needed on the resist. Electro-Optic phase shifting material (P) may be applied to the shutter so as to adjust the single shutter intensity profile, or to adjust the interaction of adjacent shutters. An apodizing mask (A) may be used to engineer the wavefronts of the light striking the resist in such a manner to achieve better resolution.