Nikon Corporation

Nikon Research Corporation of America

Shane Roy Palmer

Michael B Binnard

Donis George Flagello

David Michael Williamson

Julia A Sakamoto

A method for describing an array of elements includes the steps of providing an array description system that includes a library of possible alternative designations; and describing the array of elements using at least one of the alternative designations. The library of possible alternative designations includes one or more of the following (i) a line designation, (ii) a column designation, (iii) a square designation, (iv) a rectangle designation, (v) a cross designation, (vi) a diagonal designation, (vii) a complex designation, (viii) a mosaic designation, (ix) an overlap designation, (x) a power designation, (xi) a border designation, (xii) a corner flip designation, (xiii) a mirror image designation, (xiv) a repeat designation, and (xv) a glide designation.

Array description system for large patterns

A method for transferring an actual workpiece pattern () to a workpiece () using a pixelated phase mask () includes (i) evaluating a desired workpiece pattern () to identify a desired repetitive step cell () in the desired workpiece pattern (), the desired repetitive step cell () having a desired step cell width (), and a desired step cell length (); (ii) evaluating if the desired step cell width () is equal to a first integer multiplied by a pixel width (A) and an optical adjustment factor; and (iii) evaluating if the desired step cell length () is equal to a second integer multiplied by a pixel length (B) and an optical adjustment factor.

Forced grid method for correcting mask patterns for a pattern transfer apparatus

Non-linear metallic thermal resist structure having more than two layers of different metals and effective eutectic temperature that is lower than eutectic temperature of a reference non-linear metallic thermal resist having only two layer of same different metals. Optionally, at least one the layers of such resist structure is doped with material different from host metals and/or deposited under conditions resulting in strain or stress in a layer at hand. Method of multi-exposure-based patterning of a substrate carrying such structure with laser pulses characterized by irradiance at levels equal to or below 10 mJ/cm. The sequence of steps producing the required pattern on the substrate may be explicitly lacking a step of removal of a portion of the resist structure between two consecutive exposures.

Increasing and controlling sensitivity of non-linear metallic thin-film resists

Phase conflicts in pattern transfer with phase masks can be resolve by exposing pattern features with a first pattern and a second pattern, wherein the second pattern is selected based on the phase conflicts. In scanned exposures using pulsed lasers, a number of exposures of the second pattern can be less than 20% of a total number of exposures.

Dynamic patterning method that removes phase conflicts and improves pattern fidelity and CDU on a two phase-pixelated digital scanner

An optical element assembly includes a base, and an element unit. The element unit includes (i) an optical element having an element central axis and an element perimeter; and (ii) an element connector assembly that couples the optical element to the base, the element connector assembly including a flexure assembly having an element flexure and a base flexure. A distal end of the element flexure is coupled to the optical element near the element perimeter, a distal end of the base flexure is coupled to the base, and a proximal end of the element flexure is coupled to a proximal end of the base flexure near the element central axis.

Microelectromechanical mirror assembly

A method for matching characterizing features of an optical scanner against target characterizing features is provided. The characterizing features are produced from characterizing data (also referred to as a signature characteristic) produced from a scan of a mask by the scanner against target scanner signature characteristics produced from a scan of the mask by another optical scanner that produces the target scanner signature characteristic.

Method or matching high-numerical aperture scanners

An exposure apparatus () for transferring a first mask pattern (A) from a first mask (A) and a second mask pattern (B) from a second mask (B) to a substrate () includes a first mask stage assembly (A), a second mask stage assembly (B), an illumination system (A), a substrate stage assembly (), and an optical assembly (). The first mask stage assembly (A) positions the first mask (A). The second mask stage assembly (B) positions the second mask (B). The illumination system (A) selectively generates a first illumination beam (A) that is directed at the first mask (A) to generate a first pattern beam (A), and a second illumination beam (B) that is directed at the second mask (B) to generate a second pattern beam (B). The substrate stage assembly () positions the substrate (). The optical assembly () can include a first optical inlet (A) that receives the first pattern beam (A), a spaced apart second optical inlet (B) that receives the second pattern beam (B), and an optical outlet (C) that directs and focuses the first pattern beam (A) and the second pattern beam (B) onto the substrate ().

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Oro Valley, AZ, United States of America

Shane Roy Palmer