Optical switching in a lithography system

Abstract

A maskless lithography system for transferring a pattern onto the surface of a target. At least one beam generator for generating a plurality of beamlets. A plurality of modulators modulate the magnitude of a beamlet, and a control unit controls of the modulators. The control unit generates and delivers pattern data to the modulators for controlling the magnitude of each individual beamlet. The control unit includes at least one data storage for storing the pattern data, at least one readout unit for reading out the data from the data storage, at least one data converter for converting the data that is read out from the data storage into at least one modulated light beam, and at least one optical transmitter for transmitting the at least one modulated light beam to the modulation modulators.

1 . A maskless lithography system for transferring a pattern onto the surface of a target ( 49 ), comprising:
 a beam generator ( 50 ) arranged to generate a beam ( 51 ), wherein said beam generator comprises an ion beam generating means or an electron beam generating means;   an optical system ( 52 ) for shaping said beam ( 51 ) into a parallel beam;   a beam splitter ( 53 ) for splitting said beam into a plurality of substantially parallel beamlets ( 22 );   a modulation means ( 24 ,  25 ) comprising a plurality of modulators ( 18 ) for modulating the magnitude of a beamlet;   wherein said system further comprises projection lenses ( 55 ) arranged to project said beamlets ( 22 ) on to said target, therein reducing the cross section of said individual beamlets ( 28 );   and wherein said beamlets ( 22 ) remain separated from each other within the system from said beam splitter ( 53 ) to said projection lenses ( 55 ).   
     
     
         2 . The system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a deflector array ( 56 ), for deflecting individual beamlets ( 28 ) in a first writing direction over said target. 
     
     
         3 . The system according to  claim 2 , in which the said deflector array ( 56 ) and said projection lenses ( 55 ) a positioned next to each other; 
     
     
         4 . The system according to  claim 2  or  3 , wherein said deflector array ( 56 ) and projection lenses ( 55 ) are positioned in the maskless lithography system next to said target surface ( 49 ). 
     
     
         5 . The system according to any one of the  claims 1  to  4 , wherein during writing, the target surface ( 49 ) moves with respect to the system in a second writing direction. 
     
     
         6 . The system according to any one of the  claims 1  to  5 , wherein said modulation means ( 24 ,  25 ) is an electrostatic modulation array which comprises an array of modulators ( 18 ), wherein each modulator ( 18 ) is adapted for either deflecting a beamlet ( 27 ) away from its optical axis or letting a beamlet ( 28 ) pass undeflected, which undeflected beamlets pass towards a deflector array ( 56 ). 
     
     
         7 . The system according to  claim 6 , wherein a deflected beamlet ( 27 ) is prevented from reaching the target ( 49 ). 
     
     
         8 . The system according to  claim 6  or  7 , further comprising a beam stop array ( 25 ) between said modulation array ( 24 ) and said deflector array ( 56 ), wherein said beam stop array ( 25 ) is arranged for stopping beamlets ( 27 ) deflected away from the optical axis. 
     
     
         9 . The system according to any one of the  claims 1  to  8 , wherein said modulation means ( 24 ,  25 ) is controlled using modulated light beams ( 8 ), wherein each light beam ( 8 ) holds part of the pattern data for controlling one or mare modulators ( 18 ). 
     
     
         10 . The system according to  claim 9 , wherein said light beams ( 8 ) are projected on said modulation array ( 24 ,  25 ) using an optical system ( 54 ). 
     
     
         11 . The system according to  claim 9  or  10 , wherein modulated light beam ( 8 ) from an optical fiber end is projected on a light sensitive element ( 11 ) of a modulator ( 18 ). 
     
     
         12 . The system according to  claim 11 , wherein said light sensitive elements ( 11 ) are integrated in the modulation array ( 24 ,  25 ), and wherein said light beams are projected onto said light sensitive elements ( 11 ). 
     
     
         13 . The system according to  claim 11 , wherein said optical fiber end is part of an optical fiber ( 4 ) for transmitting pattern data from a control unit ( 60 ) comprising said pattern data, towards said modulation array ( 24 ,  25 ). 
     
     
         14 . The system according to any of the preceding claims wherein said beamlets ( 22 ) are directed within the system from said beam splitter ( 53 ) to said projection lenses ( 55 ) without common crossover. 
     
     
         15 . A method for transferring a pattern onto the surface of a target using a lithography system according any of the  claims 1  to  13 . 
     
     
         16 . A maskless lithography system for transferring a pattern onto a surface of a target, comprising:
 a beam generator for generating a charged particle beam;   an optical system shaping said beam into a parallel beam;   a splitter for generating a plurality of individual beamlets from said beam;   which maskless lithography system comprises modulation array comprising an array of modulators, effecting an individual deflection of beamlets to the effect that these are either stopped or passed in the system;   the maskless lithography system thereto comprising a beamlet stopping means letting through or stopping such modulated beamlets, and   in which said passed beamlets are projected on to the target by means of projection lenses;   wherein said beamlet stopping means is composed as a beam stop array;   wherein said modulator array and said beam stop array are included in between said splitter and said projection lenses; and   wherein undeflected beamlets pass towards a writing deflector for deflection in a first writing direction, said writing deflector being embodied as a deflector array and, in a direction towards said target, being included between said beam stop array and said projection lenses.   
     
     
         17 . The maskless lithography system according to  claim 16 , wherein each modulator is adapted for either deflecting a beamlet away from its optical axis or letting a beamlet pass undeflected. 
     
     
         18 . The maskless Lithography system according to  claim 16 , wherein, during writing, the target surface is moved with respect to the rest of the system in a second writing direction. 
     
     
         19 . The maskless lithography system according to  claim 16 , wherein deflecting beamlets in the first writing direction results in scanning of the beamlets. 
     
     
         20 . The maskless lithography system according to  claim 16 , wherein said projection lenses comprise multiple apertures for said beamlets. 
     
     
         21 . The maskless lithography system according to  claim 16 , further comprising optical fibers and an optical system arranged for projecting modulated light beams on a light sensitive element of a modulator. 
     
     
         22 . The maskless lithography system according to  claim 21 , wherein each light beam holds a part of the pattern data for controlling one or more modulators. 
     
     
         23 . The maskless lithography system according to  claim 16 , wherein said projection lenses are positioned next to the surface of the target. 
     
     
         24 . The maskless lithography system according to  claim 16 , wherein said projection lenses are positioned next to said deflector array.