Nikon Corporation

Nikon Research Corporation of America

Michael B Binnard

Douglas C Watson

Daniel Gene Smith

Bausan Yuan

Pai-Hsueh Yang

Andrew J Hazelton

Scott Coakley

David Michael Williamson

Toshio Ueta

Paul Derek Coon

Jean-Marc Gery

Donis George Flagello

Stephen P Renwick

W Thomas Novak

Alton Hugh Phillips

Kazuhiro Hirano

Jonathan Kyle Wells

Matthew Parker-McCormick Bjork

Yoon Jung Jeong

Eric Peter Goodwin

Chetan Mahadeswaraswamy

Hideaki Sakamoto

Shane Roy Palmer

Ting-Chien Teng

Neyram Hemati

Matthew Rosa

Johnathan Marquez

Shiang-Lung Koo

Brett William Herr

Wen-Hou Ma

Keiichi Tanaka

Martin E Lee

Kazuya Ono

Hiroto Horikawa

Christopher S Margeson

Steven Douglas Slonaker

Michel Pharand

Michael Kovalerchik

Patrick S Chang

Motofusa Ishikawa

Kazuo Masaki

Ruslan Kurdyumov

Yoshifumi Nakakoji

Tsutomu Ogiwara

Matthew D Rosa

Xiao-Feng Yang

Yoichi Arai

Kirk Lok

Alton H Phillips

Ed Reynolds

Robert Martinek

J Kyle Wells

Heather Lynn Durko

Collection reflectors with multiple reflector elements defined on a curved surface are used to collect EUV optical radiation from an EUV emitting area. Each of the reflector elements can image the emitting area at or near a corresponding reflective element of a second multi-element reflector that overlaps radiation from each of the multiple reflector element of the collection reflector to illuminate a grating reticle. Systems with such a collection reflector can use fewer optical elements. In addition, grating reticles are defined on a curve substrate an include a plurality of grating phase steps so that the grating reticle provides phase curvature along two axes but with physical curvature along a single axis. Methods of producing varying duty cycle 1D patterns are also disclosed.

Curved reticle by mechanical and phase bending along orthogonal axes

A processing machine () for building an object () from a material () includes a build platform (), a platform mover assembly (), a material supply (), an irradiation device (), and an analyzer system (). The platform mover assembly () moves the build platform () about a platform movement axis (X) and along the platform movement axis (X). The material supply () supplies material () to build the object () on the build platform (). The irradiation device () irradiates at least a portion of the material () with an energy beam (A) to form the object () from the material () on the build platform (). The analyzer system () is configured to monitor the energy beam (A). The analyzer system () includes an alignment component () that rotates concurrently with the build platform () about the platform movement axis (X), but that is inhibited from moving concurrently with the build platform () along the platform movement axis (X).

Analyzer system for aligning and focusing an energy beam in a three-dimensional printer

3D metrology techniques are disclosed for determining a changing topography of a substrate processed in an additive manufacturing system. Techniques include fringe scanning, simultaneous fringe projections, interferometry, and x-ray imaging. The techniques can be applied to 3D printing systems to enable rapid topographical measurements of a 3D printer powder bed, or other rapidly moving, nearly continuous surface to be tested. The techniques act in parallel to the system being measured to provide information about system operation and the topography of the product being processed. A tool is provided for achieving higher precision, increasing throughput, and reducing the cost of operation through early detection and diagnosis of operating problems and printing defects. These techniques work well with any powder bed 3D printing system, providing real-time metrology of the powder bed, the most recently printed layer, or both without reducing throughput.

Metrology for additive manufacturing

A vibration reduction system includes a base, a carrier element, and a plurality of actuator systems extending between the base and the carrier element, the plurality of actuator systems arranged to apply forces to the carrier element in multiple axes to reduce vibration of the carrier element, each actuator system of the plurality of actuator systems including a pneumatic actuator and an electric actuator.

Vibration reduction system for precision robotics applications

Positioning assemblies for use with a robot include a gimbal assembly having a gimbal's rotational center is positioned directly above a center of gravity of a payload. One or more linear counter masses and/or one or more rotating masses (flywheels) can be provided, and each can include an actuator or brake to control forces acting between the counter masses and/or flywheels and the payload and stabilize the payload during and after movement of the payload with the robot.

Balanced active stabilizers

Apparatus include a reaction mass and an actuator coupled to the reaction mass. The actuator is configured to couple to a payload and to move the reaction mass in response to a movement error of the payload to reduce the movement error of the payload. Robotic systems using actuated reaction masses, as well as related methods of reducing movement errors, are also disclosed.

Vibration isolation systems with reaction masses and actuators

A method for measuring a spatial distortion of a target surface (110) of a workpiece (110A). Light is transmitted twice through a reference pattern-generator (104) and impinged upon a workpiece pattern-generator (108). Then, with an optical detector (116), first and second beams formed by the light as a result of interaction with two pattern- generators (104) (106) is acquired to produce a signal characterizing geometry of interference fringes formed at the detector (116) by the first and second beams. Indicia representing at least one of a type and a value of spatial distortion of the target surface (110) is generated and recorded. A system embodying the implementation of the method.

Measurement of a change in a geometrical characteristic and/or position of a workpiece

A catoptric system having a reference axis and including a reflective pattern-source (carrying a substantially one-dimensional pattern) and a combination of two optical reflectors disposed sequentially to transfer EUV radiation incident onto the first optical component to the pattern-source the substantially one-dimensional pattern of which is disposed in a curved surface. In one case, such combination includes only two optical reflectors (each may contain multiple constituent components). The combination is disposed in a fixed spatial and optical relationship with respect to the pattern-source, and represents an illumination unit (IU) of a 1D EUV exposure tool that additionally includes a projection optical sub-system configured to form an optical image of the pattern-source on an image plane with the use of only two beams of radiation. These only two beams of radiation originate at the pattern-source from the EUV radiation transferred onto the pattern-source.

Illumination system with curved 1d-patterned mask for use in EUV-exposure tool

Extreme ultra-violet (EUV) lithography ruling engine specifically configured to print one-dimensional lines on a target workpiece includes source of EUV radiation; a pattern-source defining 1D pattern; an illumination unit (IU) configured to irradiate the pattern-source; and projection optics (PO) configured to optically image, with a reduction factor N&#x3e;1, the 1D pattern on image surface that is optically-conjugate to the 1D pattern. Irradiation of the pattern-source can be on-axis or off-axis. While 1D pattern has first spatial frequency, its optical image has second spatial frequency that is at least twice the first spatial frequency. The pattern-source can be flat or curved. The IU may include a relay reflector. A PO's reflector may include multiple spatially-distinct reflecting elements aggregately forming such reflector. The engine is configured to not allow formation of optical image of any 2D pattern that has spatial resolution substantially equal to a pitch of the 1D pattern of the pattern-source.

Euv lithography system for dense line patterning

A method for moving a stage includes coupling a stage mover to the stage, and directing current to the stage mover with a control system. The stage mover includes a magnet array and a conductor array positioned adjacent to the magnet array. The conductor array includes a first layer of coils and a second layer of coils, with the first layer of coils being closer to the magnet array than the second layer of coils. The control system directs current to the first layer of coils and the second layer of coils independently. Further, the control system directs more current to the first layer of coils than the second layer of coils during a movement step to reduce the power consumption.

Power minimizing controller for a stage assembly

An extreme ultraviolet lithography system () that creates a new pattern () having a plurality of densely packed parallel lines () on a workpiece (), the system () includes a patterning element (); an EUV illumination system () that directs an extreme ultraviolet beam (B) at the patterning element (); a projection optical assembly () that directs the extreme ultraviolet beam diffracted off of the patterning element () at the workpiece () to create a first stripe () of generally parallel lines () during a first scan (); and a control system (). The workpiece () includes an existing pattern () that is distorted. The control system () selectively adjusts a control parameter during the first scan () so that the first stripe () is distorted to more accurately overlay the portion of existing pattern () positioned under the first stripe ().

Dense line extreme ultraviolet lithography system with distortion matching

A position encoder for monitoring position of an object includes a target pattern, an illumination system, an image sensor, and a control system. The illumination system generates (i) a first illumination beam that is directed toward and impinges on the target pattern, the first illumination beam having a first beam characteristic; and (ii) a second illumination beam that is directed toward and impinges on the target pattern, the second illumination beam having a second beam characteristic that is different than the first beam characteristic. The image sensor is coupled to the object and is spaced apart from the target pattern. The image sensor senses a first set of information from the first illumination beam impinging on the target pattern and senses a second set of information from the second illumination beam impinging on the target pattern. The control system analyzes the first set of information and the second set of information to monitor the position of the object.

High-resolution position encoder with image sensor and encoded target pattern

EUV lithography system for dense line patterning

A stage assembly for positioning a device along a first axis, the stage assembly comprising: a base; a stage that retains the device and moves above the base; a mover assembly that moves the stage along the first axis relative to the base; a first sensor system that monitors the movement of the stage along the first axis, the first sensor system generating a first signal, the first sensor system having a first sensor accuracy; a second sensor system that monitors the movement of the stage along the first axis, the second sensor system having a second sensor accuracy that is different from the first sensor accuracy of the first sensor system, the second sensor generating a second signal; and a control system that controls the mover assembly using at least one of the first sensor and the second signal.

Positioning system using surface pattern recognition and interpolation

An extreme ultraviolet lithography system () that creates a pattern () having a plurality of densely packed parallel lines () on a workpiece () includes a patterning element (); an EUV illumination system () that directs an extreme ultraviolet beam (A) at the patterning element (); a projection optical assembly () that directs the extreme ultraviolet beam diffracted off of the patterning element () at the workpiece (); and a pattern blind assembly () positioned in a beam path () of the extreme ultraviolet beam (A). The pattern blind assembly () shapes the extreme ultraviolet beam (A) so that an exposure field () on the workpiece () has a polygonal shape.

Extreme ultraviolet lithography system that utilizes pattern stitching

Growing community of inventors

Belmont, CA, United States of America

Michael B Binnard