Patent Number: 055915647
Section: claims

1. Semiconductor lithography apparatus, comprising: a) a source emitting gamma-radiation emissions towards a surface of a semiconductor wafer; and  b) apparatus, between said source and said wafer, for causing said gamma-radiation emissions to pattern a layer of resist material applied to the surface of said wafer.  a reflector apparatus, upstream of said source for directing said gamma-radiation emissions downstream toward said wafer.  said apparatus for directing the gamma-radiation emissions is a reflector.  apparatus, between said source and said wafer, for concentrating and intensifying said gamma radiation into a collimated intense beam.  said apparatus for concentrating and intensifying is an afocal concentrator.  a) a hollow, tapered section having a broad mouth of a first diameter at an upstream end of said tapered section, and a narrow opening of a second diameter at a downstream end of said tapered section, and a first bore extending between said broad mouth and said narrow opening;  b) a hollow cylindrical section, disposed downstream of said tapered section, having a second bore with a diameter equal to said second diameter, and formed continuously with said narrow opening at said downstream end of said tapered section; and  c) inside surfaces of said first and second bores are reflective to gamma-radiation.  the tapered section of the afocal concentrator has a conically-tapered shape.  the tapered section of the afocal concentrator is horn-shaped.  the inside surface of the bore is coated with aluminum.  the inside surface of the bore is coated with nickel.  the inside surface of the bore is coated with chromium.  the first diameter is in the range of 50-60 microns.  the second diameter is less than 0.5 microns.  apparatus, disposed between the source and the wafer, for gating the radiation source.  said apparatus for gating the radiation source is a high-speed gamma-radiation shutter.  a) a surface acoustic wave device having a planar top surface thereon, said surface acoustic wave device capable of distorting said planar top surface thereon in response to an electrical signal;  b) a reflective film disposed upon said planar top surface; and  c) a beam-stop positioned to block radiation reflected from said planar top surface at a reflection angle greater than a critical range of angles.  the beam-stop is art aperture, an opening of which is positioned to pass radiation reflected from said planar top surface at a reflection angle only within said critical range of angles.  the reflective film is aluminum.  the reflective film is nickel.  a) a semiconductor wafer;  b) a gamma-radiation source spaced from said semiconductor wafer and capable of emitting gamma-radiation emissions toward a surface of said semiconductor wafer; and  c) a patterned mask disposed between said gamma-radiation source and said surface of said semiconductor wafer. 2. Semiconductor lithography apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: 3. Semiconductor lithography apparatus according to claim 2, wherein: 4. Semiconductor lithography apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: 5. Semiconductor lithography apparatus according to claim 4, wherein: 6. Semiconductor lithography apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the afocal concentrator further comprises: 7. Semiconductor lithography apparatus according to claim 6, wherein: 8. Semiconductor lithography apparatus according to claim 6, wherein: 9. Semiconductor lithography apparatus according to claim 6, wherein: 10. Semiconductor lithography apparatus according to claim 6, wherein: 11. Semiconductor lithography apparatus according to claim 6, wherein: 12. Semiconductor lithography apparatus according to claim 6, wherein: 13. Semiconductor lithography apparatus according to claim 6, wherein: 14. Semiconductor lithography apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: 15. Semiconductor lithography apparatus according to claim 14, wherein: 16. Semiconductor lithography apparatus according to claim 15 wherein the high-speed radiation shutter further comprises: 17. Semiconductor lithography apparatus according to claim 15 wherein: 18. Semiconductor lithography apparatus according to claim 16, wherein: 19. Semiconductor lithography apparatus according to claim 16, wherein: 20. The semiconductor lithography apparatus of claim 1 wherein said apparatus between said source and said wafer for causing gamma-radiation emission to pattern a layer of resist material applied to the surface of said wafer comprises a patterned image mask disposed between said gamma-radiation source and said semiconductor wafer. 21. Apparatus for semiconductor lithography comprising: