Deep ultraviolet unit-magnification projection optical system and projection exposure apparatus
Granted: March 8, 2005
Patent Number:
6863403
A 1X projection optical system for deep ultra-violet (DUV) photolithography is disclosed. The optical system is a modified Dyson system capable of imaging a relatively large field at high numerical apertures at DUV wavelengths. The optical system includes a lens group having first and second prisms and four lenses having a positive-negative-positive negative arrangement as arranged in order from the prisms toward the mirror. A projection photolithography system that employs the…
Method and system for laser thermal processing of semiconductor devices
Granted: January 18, 2005
Patent Number:
6844250
Methods and systems for performing laser thermal processing (LTP) of semiconductor devices are disclosed. The method includes forming a dielectric cap atop a temperature-sensitive element, and then forming an absorber layer atop the dielectric layer. A switch layer may optionally be formed atop the absorber layer. The dielectric cap thermally isolates the temperature-sensitive element from the absorber layer. This allows less-temperature-sensitive regions such as unactivated source and…
Macroencapsulation container having both releasable and permanent sealing means
Granted: January 4, 2005
Patent Number:
6838617
A macroencapsulation container having in combination an inner container member with an inner lid member and an inner body member, and an outer container member with an outer lid member and an outer body member, the inner container member being composed of a thermoplastic polymer material that can be thermo-welded or thermo-bonded to itself by melting. The outer container is composed of a metal. At least one electric resistance wire is embedded in or mounted onto the inner lid member…
Computer architecture for and method of high-resolution imaging using a low-resolution image transducer
Granted: December 21, 2004
Patent Number:
6833908
Architecture and method to transfer data in generation, display or printing high edge placement accuracy images from multiple exposure of plurality of predefined patterns with lower edge placement accuracy. A pattern is laid out on a grid finer or different from grid size of image transducer pixel size, overlaid by transducer grid and converted to n patterns compatible with transducer grid. When combined by partial exposures weighting patterns unevenly, the n patterns generate an image…
Methods for annealing a substrate and article produced by such methods
Granted: November 30, 2004
Patent Number:
6825101
A method of this invention includes annealing at least one region of a substrate with a short pulse of particles. The particles can be electrons, protons, alpha particles, other atomic or molecular ions or neutral atoms and molecules. The substrate can be composed of a semiconductor material, for example. The particles can include dopant atoms such as p-type dopant atoms such as boron (B), aluminum (Al), gallium (Ga), or indium (In), and n-type dopant atomic species including arsenic…
Curb guard filter
Granted: November 2, 2004
Patent Number:
6811708
An adjustable curb guard filter apparatus for filtering liquid flowing into a curbside drain and method for deploying the same. In accordance with one embodiment, the adjustable curb guard filter apparatus includes a filter sheet disposed between an upper and a lower of a pair of support bar members. The curb guard filter apparatus is deployed onto the curbside drain such that the ends of each of the support bar members exert an outwardly directed pressure against the inner lateral…
Variable numerical aperture large-field unit-magnification projection system
Granted: November 2, 2004
Patent Number:
6813098
An optical system for projection photolithography is disclosed. The optical system is a modified Dyson system capable of imaging a large field over both a narrow and a broad spectral range. The optical system includes a positive lens group having a positive subgroup of elements that includes at least a plano-convex element and a negative subgroup that includes at least a negative meniscus element. The lens subgroups are separated by a small air space. The positive and negative subgroups…
Apparatus and methods for thermal reduction of optical distortion
Granted: October 26, 2004
Patent Number:
6809888
Apparatus and methods for reducing optical distortion in an optical system by thermal means are disclosed. The apparatus includes a heating/cooling system spaced apart from and in thermal communication with an internally reflecting surface of a refractive element in the optical system. The heating/cooling system is adapted to create a select temperature distribution in the refractive optical element near the internally reflecting surface to alter the refractive index and/or the surface…
Method for semiconductor gate doping
Granted: August 17, 2004
Patent Number:
6777317
A method of forming a doped polycrystalline silicon gate in a Metal Oxide Semiconductor (MOS) device. The method includes forming first an insulation layer on a top surface of a crystalline silicon substrate. Next, an amorphous silicon layer is formed on top of and in contact with the insulation layer and then a dopant is introduced in a top surface layer of the amorphous silicon layer. The top surface of the amorphous silicon layer is irradiated with a laser beam and the heat of the…
Magnetic levitation stage apparatus and method
Granted: August 17, 2004
Patent Number:
6777833
A magnetic levitation (maglev) stage apparatus and method is disclosed. The maglev stage includes a movable platen having an upper surface capable of supporting a workpiece. A set of magnet arrays is arranged on the bottom surface of the platen, and first and second side magnet arrays are arranged on opposite sides of the platen. A support frame at least partially surrounds the platen on the first and second sides and the bottom surface. A plurality of motor coils is arranged on the…
Lithography system and method for device manufacture
Granted: June 22, 2004
Patent Number:
6753947
A lithography system and method for cost-effective device manufacture that can employ a continuous lithography mode of operation is disclosed, wherein exposure fields are formed with single pulses of radiation. The system includes a pulsed radiation source (14), an illumination system (24), a mask (M), a projection lens (40) and a workpiece stage (50) that supports a workpiece (W) having an image-bearing surface (WS). A radiation source controller (16) and a workpiece stage position…
Laser scanning apparatus and methods for thermal processing
Granted: June 8, 2004
Patent Number:
6747245
Apparatus and methods for thermally processing a substrate with scanned laser radiation are disclosed. The apparatus includes a continuous radiation source and an optical system that forms an image on a substrate. The image is scanned relative to the substrate surface so that each point in the process region receives a pulse of radiation sufficient to thermally process the region.
System and method for reducing colinearity effects in manufacturing microdevices
Granted: May 4, 2004
Patent Number:
6731376
Systems and methods for reducing colinearity effects in the formation of microdevices are disclosed. A mask with at least one column of microdevice cells is illuminated with pulses of radiation such that only a single column is illuminated. Images of the column are used to form adjacent columnar exposure fields on a workpiece. The columnar exposure fields so formed each have a width much less than that of the full exposure field capable of being formed by the projection lens. One method…
Method and apparatus for mechanically masking a workpiece
Granted: January 20, 2004
Patent Number:
6680774
A method of, and apparatus for, mechanically masking a workpiece to form exposure exclusion regions is disclosed. The apparatus includes a mask that is arranged atop the photosensitive surface of the workpiece. The mask is opaque to the wavelength of radiation that activates the photosensitive workpiece surface. The mask is placed onto the workpiece prior to lithographic exposure of the workpiece so that the photosensitive material (e.g., negative acting photoresist) can be removed from…
Method of and apparatus for defining disk tracks in magnetic recording media
Granted: December 30, 2003
Patent Number:
6671235
A method of, and apparatus for, defining disk tracks in magnetic recording media. The track-writing apparatus (20) is capable of forming tracks (340) with a track width (TW) and track spaces (350) with a space width (SW) on a magnetic media disk (70) having an upper surface (70S), wherein the disk comprises a magnetic medium with a thermal diffusion length (X). The apparatus comprises, in order along an optical axis (A1), a laser light source (30) capable of providing a pulsed laser…
Selective absorption process for forming an activated doped region in a semiconductor
Granted: November 11, 2003
Patent Number:
6645838
A process for activating a doped region (80) or amorphized doped region (34) in a semiconductor substrate (10). The process includes the steps of doping a region of the semiconductor substrate, wherein the region is crystalline or previously amorphized. The next step is forming a conformal layer (40) atop the upper surface (11) of the substrate. The next step is performing at least one of front-side and backside irradiation of the substrate to activate the doped region. The activation…
Method for annealing using partial absorber layer exposed to radiant energy and article made with partial absorber layer
Granted: October 21, 2003
Patent Number:
6635541
A method of the invention comprises forming a partial absorber layer (PAL) over at least one integrated transistor device formed on a semiconductor substrate, and exposing the PAL to radiant energy. A first portion of the radiant energy passes through the PAL and is absorbed in the source and drain regions adjacent a gate region of the integrated transistor device and in the semiconductor substrate underneath the field isolation regions of the integrated device. A second portion of the…
Method for laser thermal processing using thermally induced reflectivity switch
Granted: October 21, 2003
Patent Number:
6635588
Method for controlling heat transferred to a workpiece (W) process region (30) from laser radiation (10) using a thermally induced reflectivity switch layer (60). A film stack (6) is formed having an absorber layer (50) atop the workpiece with a portion covering the process region. The absorber layer absorbs and converts laser radiation into heat. Reflective switch layer (60) is deposited atop the absorber layer. The reflective switch layer comprises one or more layers, e.g. thermal…
Cigarette butt receptacle
Granted: October 7, 2003
Patent Number:
D480504
Imaging stabilization apparatus and method for high-performance optical systems
Granted: September 9, 2003
Patent Number:
6617555
An image stabilization apparatus and method for stabilizing the imaging of a high-performance optical system prone to imaging instabilities from thermal effects. Thermal instabilities within the lens, such as convection, can result in image placement errors in a high-performance optical system. The apparatus includes a heating element arranged on the upper surface of the optical system to provide heat to one or more gas-filled spaces in the optical system. An insulating blanket covers a…
