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. 13, 1998
Filed:
Nov. 12, 1992
Douglas Seymore Goodman, Yorktown Heights, NY (US);
Charles Albert Rudisill, Apex, NC (US);
Daniel John Whittle, Apex, NC (US);
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US);
Abstract
The photolithography tool of the present invention in its simplest embodiment includes an afocal lens system and a three-dimensional master or mask. The three-dimensional mask is located within the object space of the afocal lens system and is imaged onto a three-dimensional circuit carrier or substrate located within the imaging space of the afocal lens system. By using an afocal lens, with which persons skilled in instrumental optics are familiar, a system can be designed for which the object space is identical to the imaging space for unity magnification. As a result, a mask can be used in which the surface contour and pattern to be imaged is identical to the desired substrate surface and pattern, thereby simplifying mask design.