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:
May. 15, 2001
Filed:
May. 27, 1998
Anthony Yen, Dallas, TX (US);
Barundeb Dutta, Leuven, BE;
Texas Instruments Incorporated, Dallas, TX (US);
Abstract
An embodiment of the instant invention is an optical illumination system for illuminating the mask of an exposure apparatus for transferring the image of the pattern on the mask onto the semiconductor wafer, the optical illumination system comprising: illumination means (illumination means,of FIG.,) comprised of a plurality of light sources for emitting light beams along beam paths; and a lens system (lenses,and,of FIG.,) for focusing the light beams to the wafer, the lens system comprising at least one lens element positioned in the beams paths. Preferably, the light sources are individually addressable point like sources, and the optical illumination system further comprising a light control means for operating each of the light sources independently of the others. The plurality of light sources is, preferably, comprised of a matrix addressable array of electro-optic modulators (preferably comprised of LCD modulators); an array of semiconductor lasers (preferably an array of Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Lasers); or an array of bonded edge emitting DFB lasers.