The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 30, 1990
Filed:
Jun. 02, 1988
Gerhard Stengl, Wernberg, AT;
Hans Loschner, Vienna, AT;
Ernst Hammell, Vienna, AT;
Hilton F Glavish, Salem, MA (US);
Oesterreichische Investitionskredit Aktiengesellschaft, both of, AT;
IMS Ionen Mikrofabrikations Systeme Gesellschaft m.b.H., both of, AT;
Abstract
In an ion projection lithography system, apparatus and methods for positioning on a substrate or wafer at a target station an image of structures provided on a mask, wherein the mask includes reference marks to provide ion reference beams about the image field, the target station includes marks and the beam of the system is controlled to establish a coincidence of the marks on the mask with the corresponding marks at the target station. The ion projection system shown includes in this optical path an electrostatic multipole, means for rotational adjustment of the image relative to the substrate, and means for correcting the scale of the image. Embodiments are shown in which the marks at the target station are carried on the wafer or on a reference block which is positionally related to the wafer, e.g., by an interferometer. In the case of the reference block, it has an aperture corresponding in size to the mask image to be formed on the substrate so that the marks are disposed outside the optical path used to generate the image on the substrate. Detectors provided for secondary radiation emitted by the marks at the target station as a result of the ion reference beams passing through the marks on the mask produce signals that control the multipole, the means for relative rotational adjustment of the image on the substrate and the means for scale correction. Special masks are provided that enable the reference beams to reach their respective marks at the target station during blanking and unblanking of the mask, permitting operation of the alignment system at both times. The reference beams are shielded from the image beam and are scanned repeatedly over their respective marks at the target station.