Asml Masktools B.v.

Applied Materials, Inc.

Microunity Systems Engineering, Inc.

Asml Masktools Netherlands B.v.

Asml Netherlands B.v.

Asml Holding N.v.

Pinebrook Imaging Technology, Ltd.

Pinebrook Imaging, Inc.

Asml Masktooks B.v.

Jang Fung Chen

Douglas Van Den Broeke

Duan-Fu Stephen Hsu

Kurt E Wampler

Thomas Laidig

Xuelong Shi

Thomas L Laidig

Tamer Coskun

Stephen Hsu

Noel Corcoran

Sangbong Park

David A Markle

Doug Van Den Broeke

James A Matthews

Markus Franciscus Antonius Eurlings

Stephen Duan-Fu Hsu

Robert John Socha

Jeffrey Kaskey

Jung Chul Park

Uwe Hollerbach

SangBong Park

John M White

Christopher Dennis Bencher

Benjamin M Johnston

John S Petersen

Roger F Caldwell

Shih-Hao Kuo

Hsiu-Jen Wang

Armin Liebchen

Chungwei Hsu

Chung-Wei Hsu

Michael Hsu

Ulrich Mueller

Gabriel Berger

Ting Chen

Ralph Schlief

Arno Jan Bleeker

Azat M Latypov

Kars Zeger Troost

Bernd Geh

Joseph Werner De Vocht

Shih-Hsien Lee

Leo Lilin Zhao

Douglas Joseph Van Den Broeke

Jungchul Park

Frederick Lie

Tingwei Chiu

Actual physical locations of dies on a substrate package may be identified without using a full metrology scan of the substrate. Instead, one or more cameras may be used to efficiently locate the approximate location of any of the alignment features based on their expected positioning in the design file for the packages are substrate. The cameras may then be moved to locations where alignment features should be, and images may be captured to determine the actual location of the alignment feature. These actual locations of the alignment features may then be used to identify coordinates for the dies, as well as rotations and/or varying heights of the dies on the packages. A difference between the expected location from the design file and the actual physical location may be used to adjust instructions for the digital lithography system to compensate for the misalignment of the dies.

Package imaging for die location correction in digital lithography

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a system, a software application, and a method of a lithography process to update one or more of a mask pattern, maskless lithography device parameters, lithography process parameters utilizing a file readable by each of the components of a lithography environment. The file readable by each of the components of a lithography environment stores and shares textual data and facilitates communication between of the components of a lithography environment such that the mask pattern corresponds to a pattern to be written is updated, the maskless lithography device of the lithography environment is calibrated, and process parameters of the lithography process are corrected for accurate writing of the mask pattern on successive substrates.

Universal metrology file, protocol, and process for maskless lithography systems

Exemplary methods of packaging a substrate may include rotationally aligning a substrate to a predetermined angular position. The methods may include transferring the substrate to a metrology station. The methods may include measuring a topology of the substrate at the metrology station. The methods may include applying a first chucking force to the substrate to flatten the substrate. The methods may include generating a mapping of a die pattern on an exposed surface of the substrate. The methods may include transferring the substrate to a printing station. The methods may include applying a second chucking force to the substrate to flatten the substrate against a surface of the printing station. The methods may include adjusting a printing pattern based on the mapping of the die pattern. The methods may include printing the printing pattern on the exposed surface of the substrate.

Advanced-packaging high-volume-mode digital-lithography-tool

Embodiments described herein relate to methods of forming layers using maskless based lithography. In these embodiments, the methods implement ladders of dose change such that a geometric shape can be divided into overlaying sections. The overlaying sections can include a different dose of each section such that taper control can be achieved. The taper can be achieved by manipulating the geometry 'mask data' into overlaying sections that are exposed by various doses controlled by pixel blending (PB) exposure techniques. To perform the methods described herein, a maskless lithography tool is used. The maskless lithography tool includes a controller that performs software based “mask data” manipulation. As such, because the methods are performed by software with no mask, there is much more flexibility to tune the taper angles and/or photoresist thickness residuals for multi-tone/gray tone mask features without any additional mask cost and fabrication time, providing advantages over conventional lithography methods using masks.

Maskless based lithography methods

The present disclosure generally relates to methods and systems for manufacturing wire grid polarizers (WGP) using Markle-Dyson exposure systems and dual tone development (DTD) frequency doubling. In one embodiment, the method includes depositing a photoresist layer over an aluminum-coated display substrate, patterning the photoresist layer by dual tone development using a Markle-Dyson system to form a photoresist pattern, and transferring the photoresist pattern into the aluminum-coated display substrate to manufacture a WGP having finer pitch, for example less than or equal to about 100 nm, and increased frequency.

Wire grid polarizer manufacturing methods using frequency doubling interference lithography

The present disclosure generally relates to systems and methods for manufacturing wire grid polarizers for LCDs using interference lithography, which are also useful for generating large-area grating patterns. In one embodiment, a method includes depositing a bottom anti-reflective coating layer over an aluminum coated flat panel display substrate, depositing a photoresist layer over the bottom anti-reflective coating layer, and exposing the photoresist layer with an image from a phase grating mask. The exposure with the phase grating mask is done by imaging the &#xb1;1 diffraction orders from the phase grating mask onto the substrate using a half Dyson optical system. A plurality of half Dyson systems are generally used in parallel to pattern fine geometry lines and spaces of a wire grid polarizer for a large area substrate. Each half Dyson system includes a primary mirror, a positive lens and a reticle.

Wire grid polarizer manufacturing method

Methods and systems are provided that, in some embodiments, print and process a layer. The layer can be on a wafer or on an application panel. Thereafter, locations of the features that were actually printed and processed are measured. Based upon differences between the measured differences and designed locations for those features at least one distortion model is created. Each distortion model is inverted to create a corresponding correction model. When there are multiple sections, a distortion model and a correction model can be created for each section. Multiple correction models can be combined to create a global correction model.

Freeform distortion correction

Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to apparatuses and systems for performing photolithography processes. More particularly, compact illumination tools for projecting an image onto a substrate are provided. In one embodiment, an illumination tool includes a microLED array including one or more microLEDs. Each microLED produces at least one light beam. The illumination tool also includes a beamsplitter adjacent the microLED array, a camera adjacent the beamsplitter, and a projection optics system adjacent the beamsplitter.

Micro LED array illumination source

In one embodiment of the invention, a method for correcting a pattern placement on a substrate is disclosed. The method begins by detecting three reference points for a substrate. A plurality of sets of three die location points are detected, each set indicative of an orientation of a die structure, the plurality of sets include a first set associated with a first dies and a second set associated with a second die. A local transformation is calculated for the orientation of the first die and the second on the substrate. Three orientation points are selected from the plurality of sets of three die location points wherein the orientation points are not set members of the same die. A first global orientation of the substrate is calculated from the selected three points from the set of points and the first global transformation and the local transformation for the substrate are stored.

Method of pattern placement correction

Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to apparatus and methods for performing photolithography processes. In one embodiment, a system including multiple interferometers for accurately measuring the location of a substrate during operation is provided. The system may include two chucks, and the two chucks are aligned in a first direction. The interferometers are placed along the first direction to measure the location of the substrate with respect to the first direction. The reduced distance between the interferometers and the chuck improves the accuracy of the measurement of the location of the substrate. In another embodiment, mask pattern data is provided to the system, and the mask pattern data is modified based on location and position information of the substrate. By controlling the mask pattern data with the location and position information of the substrate, less positional errors of the pattern formed on the substrate can be achieved.

Apparatus and methods for on-the-fly digital exposure image data modification

An illumination system and methods for controlling the illumination system are provided. In one embodiment, the method includes providing a plurality of illumination sources, monitoring optical output power of the plurality of illumination sources over a period of time, and controlling the plurality of illumination sources to maintain a predetermined level of optical output power. The method further includes compensating for degradations of one or more of the plurality of illumination sources to maintain the predetermined level of optical output power, predicting a lifetime of the illumination system based on the parameters of the plurality of illumination sources, and performing periodic maintenance of the plurality of illumination sources according to a quality control schedule.

Illumination system with monitoring optical output power

A spatial light modulator imaging system is disclosed. The system comprises an illumination module configured to provide illumination light representing data patterns to be imaged by the spatial light modulator imaging system, a projection module configured to project the illumination light to a substrate, and an illumination-projection beam separator coupled between the illumination module and the projection module, where the illumination-projection beam separator is configured to receive the illumination light along an illumination optical axis and transmit the illumination light received to the projection module along a projection optical axis, and where the illumination optical axis and the projection optical axis are substantially parallel to each other.

Optical projection array exposure system

System and method for applying mask data patterns to substrate in a lithography manufacturing process are disclosed. In one embodiment, a parallel imaging writer system comprises a plurality of spatial light modulator (SLM) imaging units, and a controller configured to control the plurality of SLM imaging units. Each of the plurality of SLM imaging units includes one or more illumination sources, one or more alignment sources, one or more projection lenses, and a plurality of micro mirrors configured to project light from the one or more illumination sources to the corresponding one or more projection lens. The controller synchronizes movements of the plurality of SLM imaging units with movement of a substrate in writing a mask data to the substrate in a lithography manufacturing process.

Optical imaging writer system

Growing community of inventors

Cupertino, CA, United States of America

Jang Fung Chen