Patent ID: 6096461
Filing Date: 2000-08-01
Classification: G03F,Y10S

Abstract:
A method of using a laser source to image a principal image, carried on a primary mask, onto an image receiving surface, said method comprising:(a) dividing said principal image, carried on said primary mask, into a two-dimensional array of cells;(b) introducing a secondary mask in a certain position between said laser source and said primary mask, said secondary mask comprising optical elements capable of concentrating light;(c) exposing an image subset onto said image receiving surface by shining light from said laser source towards said secondary mask,the position of said secondary mask causing said secondary mask to concentrate light onto a particular subset of the two-dimensional array of cells on said primary mask, and said subset of cells containing image features which are imparted onto said image subset;(d) moving said secondary mask parallel to said primary mask; and(e) repeating said exposing step (c) and said moving step (d) a plurality of times, so as to form a complete image on said image receiving surface,said complete image formed by exposing each subset of cells of the two-dimensional array of cells on the primary mask,each subset of cells forming an image subset containing the image features from the particular subset, andeach image subset combining to form a complete image on the image receiving surface.