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:
Nov. 29, 2011
Filed:
Dec. 22, 2004
Peter Dirksen, Leuven, BE;
Robert Duncan Morton, Crolles, FR;
Peter Zandbergen, Leuven, BE;
David Van Steenwinckel, Leuven, BE;
Yuri Aksenov, Leuven, BE;
Jeroen Herman Lammers, Eindhoven, NL;
Johannes Van Wingerden, Leuven, BE;
Laurent Marinier, Leuven, BE;
Peter Dirksen, Leuven, BE;
Robert Duncan Morton, Crolles, FR;
Peter Zandbergen, Leuven, BE;
David Van Steenwinckel, Leuven, BE;
Yuri Aksenov, Leuven, BE;
Jeroen Herman Lammers, Eindhoven, NL;
Johannes Van Wingerden, Leuven, BE;
Laurent Marinier, Leuven, BE;
Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V., Eindhoven, NL;
Abstract
A method of irradiating to pattern a photosensitive layer such as a resist (L) immersed in a fluid (L), involves applying a removable transparent layer (L, L), projecting the radiation onto the resist through the immersion fluid and through the transparent layer, such that imperfections in the fluid are out of focus as projected on the surface, and subsequently removing the transparent layer. The transparent layer can help distance such imperfections from the focus of the radiation on the surface and so can reduce or eliminate shadowing. Hence the irradiation can be more complete, and defects reduced. It can be particularly effective for imperfections in the form of small bubbles or particles in the immersion fluid especially at the fluid/surface interface for example. The radiation can be for any purpose including inspection, processing, patterning and so on. The removal of the transparent layer can be combined with a step of developing the resist layer.