Patent ID: 6295332
Filing Date: 2001-09-25
Classification: G03F,G21K,Y10S

Abstract:
A method of improving x-ray lithography in the sub 100 nm range to create high quality semiconductor devices, for use in the manufacturing of commercial and military semiconductor devices used in phased array radar, missile seeking devices, direct broadcast satellite television receivers, wide band wireless systems, global positioning satellite receivers and cellular telephones, and other equipment said method comprising the steps of:providing for the use and development of horizontal beams from a synchrotron or point source of x-ray beams;preparing of submicrometer, transverse horizontal and vertical stepper stages and frames;providing a stepper base frame for the proper housing and mating of the x-ray beam;minimizing the effects of temperature and airflow control by means of an environmental chamber;transporting, handling and prealigning wafers and other similar items for tight process control;improving the control and sensing of positional accuracy through the use of differential variable reluctance transducers;controlling the continuous gap and all six degrees of freedom of the wafer being treated with a multiple variable stage control;incorporating alignment systems using unambiguous targets to provide data to align one level to the next;using beam transport, shaping or shaping devices to include x-ray point sources;using an inline collimator or concentrator for collimating or concentrating the x-ray beams; andimaging the mask pattern at the precise moment for optimum effectiveness.