Digital photolithography system, components thereof and related methods - Patents.com

Abstract

The embodiments of the present disclosure relate to digital lithography systems and components thereof. The digital lithography system may include a rotation assembly for the exposure units, including a kinematic socket configured to support the exposure units, the kinematic socket having a socket seat and a sphere received in the socket seat, the socket seat configured to support the load of the exposure units during translational motion, and the sphere being a pivot point for tip-and-tilt motion, and a motor configured to rotate one or more exposure units via the kinematic socket. The rotation assembly may provide a contact point for the exposure units, along with two additional contact points that stabilize the movement of the exposure units. Methods of preparation and use of such systems and components are also disclosed.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure generally relates to the manufacture of electronic devices. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to a digital photolithography system and one or more components of such a system (e.g., a mounting assembly for tip, tilt, Z, and rotation adjustment of one or more exposure units). Also disclosed are methods of manufacturing and using such components and systems. [Background technology]

[0002] Photolithography is used in the manufacture of semiconductors and display devices, such as flat panel display devices. Examples of flat panel display devices include thin film display devices, such as liquid crystal display (LCD) devices and organic light emitting diode (OLED) display devices. Large area substrates can be used to manufacture flat panel display devices for use with computers, touch panel devices, personal digital assistants (PDAs), mobile phones, television monitors, and the like. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The following is a simplified summary of the disclosure to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the disclosure. This summary is not an extensive overview of the disclosure. It is not intended to identify key or critical elements of the disclosure, nor to delineate the scope or claims of particular embodiments of the disclosure. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts of the disclosure in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.

[0004] According to various embodiments, a rotation assembly for an exposure unit is disclosed, the rotation assembly comprising: a kinematic socket configured to support an exposure unit, the kinematic socket comprising a socket seat and a sphere received in the socket seat, the socket seat configured to support the load of the exposure unit during translational motion and the sphere being a pivot point for tip-and-tilt motion; and a motor configured to rotate one or more exposure units via the kinematic socket.

[0005] In a further embodiment, a photolithography system is disclosed comprising one or more exposure units configured to be rotated by a rotating assembly; and a platform spaced from the one or more exposure units and configured to move in x, y, and z directions relative to the one or more exposure units, the rotating assembly comprising a kinematic socket configured to support the one or more exposure units, the kinematic socket comprising a socket seat and a sphere received in the socket seat, the socket seat configured to support the load of the one or more exposure units during translational motion and the sphere being a pivot point for tip-and-tilt motion; and a motor configured to rotate the exposure units via the kinematic socket, the rotating assembly being attached to the photolithography system by at least three contact points.

[0006] Further disclosed herein is a method for positioning one or more exposure units in a photolithography system, the method including: moving a stage in at least one of an x-direction, a y-direction, or a z-direction relative to the one or more exposure units; and rotating the one or more exposure units by a rotation assembly of the photolithography system to align the one or more exposure units with the stage.

[0007] The present disclosure is illustrated by way of example, and not by way of limitation, in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which like reference numerals refer to like elements. It should be noted that different references to "an" or "one" embodiment in the present disclosure are not necessarily to the same embodiment, and such references mean at least one. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a digital photolithography system in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 2A] FIG. 1 is a side view of a digital lithography system in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 2B] FIG. 1 is a side view of a digital lithography system in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 2C] FIG. 1 is a side view of an embodiment of a digital lithography system in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 2D] FIG. 2 is a front view of an exposure unit of a digital lithography system in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 3A] FIG. 1 illustrates a front perspective view of a motorized rotation assembly of a digital lithography system in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 3B] FIG. 2 illustrates a rear perspective view of a motorized rotation assembly of a digital lithography system in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 3C] FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of a motorized rotation assembly of a digital lithography system in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 3D] FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of a contact mechanism of a motorized rotation assembly of a digital lithography system in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 3E] FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of a contact mechanism of a motorized rotation assembly of a digital lithography system in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 3F]FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of a motorized rotation assembly of a digital lithography system in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 3G] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a motorized rotation assembly of a digital lithography system in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 4A] 1 illustrates an embodiment of a ball mechanism of a kinematic socket of a digital lithography system in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 4B] 1 illustrates an embodiment of a kinematic socket of a digital lithography system in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 4C] 1 illustrates an embodiment of a kinematic socket of a digital lithography system in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 4D] 1 illustrates an embodiment of a kinematic socket of a digital lithography system in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 5A] 1 is an embodiment of a contact mechanism for an EYE of a digital lithography system in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 5B] 1 is an embodiment of a contact mechanism for an EYE of a digital lithography system in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 6] FIG. 1 is a diagram of a digital lithography system according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure showing contact points for stabilizing the EYE. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a method for positioning an exposure unit in a photolithography system in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] Digital lithography can be used to generate digitally aligned etch masks on the substrate surface without the need for a mask (e.g., maskless lithography). Digital lithography techniques (e.g., Texas Instruments® programmable light steering technology, etc.) enable high-speed and high-resolution maskless lithography solutions for printed circuit board (PCB) patterning, solder masks, flat panel displays, laser marking, and other digital exposure systems that benefit from high speed and high precision. Digital lithography is used to directly expose patterns onto photoresist films without the use of contact masks (e.g., photomasks). This reduces material costs, improves production speed, and allows for rapid changes of patterns. Direct exposure increases productivity compared to narrow laser beam or mask systems. An advantage of digital lithography is the ability to change lithography patterns from run to run without the cost of generating new photomasks. As an example, digital lithography can be used to perform large area patterning during the manufacture of electronic devices.

[0010] Multiple digital lithography exposure units ("exposure units") can be used to increase the throughput of a digital lithography tool. A conventional exposure unit can print or expose a rectangular non-overlapping area or clipping layer. The clipping layer can act as a filter that informs the layout processing software to keep the pattern printed by a particular exposure unit on the clipping layer associated with that exposure unit. Each of the multiple exposure units can be responsible for a portion of the print area and a different clipping layer.

[0011] A digital lithography system may include one or more (e.g., an array) precision optical modules or exposure units mounted on an optical support structure or bridge structure. Conventionally, angle setting operations for the optical modules (i.e., clocking of the projected image about the z-axis) are performed manually and may have limited resolution. Such manual operations create maintenance challenges in repeatedly setting the tip, tilt, and focus of the projected image about the z-axis.

[0012] The embodiments of the present disclosure address these and other shortcomings of the existing technology by providing a motorized rotation assembly for an optical device of a digital photolithography system that adjusts the image plane of the projection system on a moving substrate. The motorized rotation assembly can also control the angle of the projected image relative to the z-axis. According to one or more embodiments herein, the motorized rotation assembly allows for setting of individual angles of the projected images in a multi-projection system. The ability to control this angle allows for the use of common system parameters within a digital lithography system. The addition of the motorized rotation assembly provides a rotational (or fourth) degree of freedom, which allows for adjustment of rotation parameters that affect the multiplicity (M), green dot pattern (GDP), and image stability (IS) stage speed in a safe manner. The angular variation may be less than about 5 μrad, less than about 3 μrad, about 0.5 μrad to about 5 μrad, or any individual value or subrange within these ranges.

[0013] One or more exposure units (also called EYEs or exposure units) in a photolithography system can digitally pattern light onto a display substrate moving beneath it. A motorized rotation assembly as described herein may be coupled to and mounted together with the exposure unit in the photolithography apparatus. The bridge structure described above provides a secondary structure located above the moving display and helps maintain its stability. Conventionally, a set of mechanical stages with three-dimensional (3D) motion axes are mounted on the exposure unit. The xy motors for tip-and-tilt manipulation are mounted together above the z motor that provides focus manipulation. According to one or more embodiments herein, a motorized device is mounted within the lithography system to rotate the disclosure unit about the z axis.

[0014] In at least one embodiment, the motorized rotation assembly described herein provides high resolution rotation control of a densely packed projection system without affecting the tip, tilt, and focus operations of the image. The motorized rotation assembly allows the clocking of the projected image to be set to 3 microradian resolution during setup of the digital lithography system without entering the processing equipment. The mechanisms described herein also provide automatic control of image clocking and do not rely on manual clocking as in conventional systems. The image clocking operations of the motorized rotation assembly described herein do not interfere with the tip, tilt, and focus operations of the image of the lithography system. The mechanical design of the motorized rotation assembly according to one or more embodiments also improves vibration (dynamic) stability of the image plane. The motorized rotation assembly provides optical focus across the entire image projected onto the substrate below.

[0015] In addition to improved focus, the design of the motorized rotation assembly improves image stability. When the assembly includes an EYE with a high aspect ratio, where the center of gravity of the EYE is off-center toward the top end of the EYE, the kinematic support structure does not overly constrain the tip-and-tilt capabilities of the EYE, while also being adjustable in four degrees of freedom, improving the stability of one or more exposure units. The term "high aspect ratio" as used herein may be understood as inserting an optical module into an imaginary rectangular box, where the length of the box may be in the Z direction, the width may be in the X direction, and the height may be in the Y direction, and the high aspect ratio of the length / width may be greater than about 2.0, and the width / height may be greater than about 1.5.

[0016] The systems and components described herein provide a fourth degree of freedom for the movement of one or more exposure units. In particular, the described systems and components can add rotation to the tip, tilt and vertical movement of one or more exposure units. This rotational degree of freedom can unify the field angles projected from adjacent optical modules. The four degree of freedom mechanism also ensures the rigidity of the optical modules in both the X and Y directions, thereby improving the image stability of the optical modules compared to lithography systems and components known in the art.

[0017] FIG. 1 is a top view of a digital lithography system ("system") 100 according to some embodiments. As shown, the apparatus 100 includes a stage assembly 110 including a base (e.g., a granite base), a stage, and a substrate disposed on the stage. The substrate may be a glass plate, a wafer, a PCB, or other type of substrate. The substrate may correspond to or be disposed in a digital lithography printing area or scanning area having several scanning areas including scanning areas 112-1 to 112-4. A left portion of the stage assembly 110 corresponds to a first bridge 114-1 above the stage assembly 110, and a right portion of the stage assembly 110 corresponds to a second bridge 114-2 above the stage assembly 110. As described in more detail below, the bridges 114-1, 114-2 are mounted with exposure units. In some embodiments, the length of each bridge 114-1 and 114-2 may range from about 500 (millimeter) mm to about 1000 mm. For example, the length of each bridge 114-1 and 114-2 may be approximately 750 mm.

[0018] The substrate may include a photoresist material disposed on the material to be etched. The photoresist material may be a positive photoresist material (i.e., a portion of the photoresist material that is exposed to light becomes soluble to a photoresist developer) or a negative photoresist material (i.e., a portion of the photoresist material that is exposed to light becomes insoluble to a photoresist developer). Thus, a photoresist pattern may be formed by removing designated portions of the photoresist material. In some embodiments, the material to be etched is a conductive material (e.g., a metal). For example, the conductive material may be molybdenum. After the designated areas of the photoresist material are removed, the now exposed material may be etched according to the photoresist pattern. For example, wiring may be formed during the etching process. Alternatively, the patterned material may itself be photosensitive, allowing a subsequent etching process to be performed without the need for an additional photoresist layer.

[0019] To perform photoresist patterning, the apparatus 100 further includes a first row of digital lithography exposure units ("exposure units") suspended from the first bridge 114-1 and a second row of exposure units suspended from the second bridge 114-2. For example, the first row of exposure units includes exposure units 1-11, and the second row of exposure units includes exposure units 12-22. Thus, in this illustrative example, a total of 22 exposure units are shown. However, the number of exposure units shown in FIG. 1 should not be considered limiting, and the system 100 may include any suitable number of exposure units according to embodiments described herein.

[0020] Each exposure unit may include a lens assembly capable of projecting an image onto the photoresist material of the substrate. Each lens assembly is shown adjacent the lower right corner of its associated scan region. For example, lens assembly 120 of exposure unit 1 is associated with scan region 112-1. In some embodiments, each lens assembly is approximately 4 mm in height and approximately 3 mm in width. However, each lens assembly may have any suitable dimensions in accordance with embodiments described herein.

[0021] During the digital lithography process, each exposure unit is moved relative to the substrate to expose an area (e.g., a rectangular area) of the substrate to electromagnetic radiation such as light (e.g., ultraviolet light, near-ultraviolet light, etc.). This may include moving the exposure unit and / or moving the substrate. During scanning, the exposure units expose their respective scan areas according to a programmed scan path. Instead of moving the exposure units above the stage assembly 110, the stage assembly 110 can move in the XY direction below the exposure units according to a programmed scan path. Because the field of view of a lens assembly (e.g., lens assembly 120) may be smaller than its associated scan area (e.g., scan area 112-1), the stage assembly 110 may have to move back and forth repeatedly until the entire scan area (e.g., scan area 112-1) is printed. The lens assembly 120 is projected to scan the scan area 112-1, except for the first and last scans, where trimming may occur based on the definition of the scan area 112-1. A larger number of exposure units allows for fewer scans, which can correspond to a higher throughput.

[0022] Each exposure unit may be responsible for a different scanning area, which may or may not overlap with adjacent scanning areas of other exposure units. To avoid an abrupt transition from a first scanning area to a second scanning area adjacent to the first scanning area (mounted either on the same bridge or on a different bridge), the exposure unit corresponding to the first scanning area may enter the second scanning area. Similarly, the exposure unit corresponding to the second scanning area may enter the first scanning area. For example, exposure unit 1 may enter scanning area 112-2 and / or scanning area 112-3, and exposure unit 2 may enter scanning area 112-1 and / or scanning area 112-4.

[0023] As an example, a path 130 of the exposure unit 120-1 is illustratively shown. The path 130 proceeds in a snake-like shape. More specifically, during scanning, the stage assembly 110 moves in the X direction (i.e., from right to left) across the scan region 120-1 while the exposure unit 120-1 patterns a line across the scan region 120-1. When the stage assembly 110 reaches the left end of the scan region 112-1, it moves in the Y direction (i.e., up) and then moves in the X direction (i.e., from left to right) to pattern another line across the scan region 120-1. The path 130 proceeds in this snake-like shape until it reaches the opposite end of the scan region 120-1 at which point a complete image is patterned on the substrate. The image can then be developed for substrate etching. The distance of stage movement "Y1" in the Y direction during scanning can be any suitable distance according to the embodiments described herein. In some embodiments, Y1 can range from about 150 mm to about 180 mm. For example, Y1 can be about 164 mm. The scanning distance in the X direction of each exposure unit corresponds to the length of bridges 114-1 and 114-2 in the embodiment. The overall width of the scanning area "Y2" can be any suitable width according to the embodiments described herein. In some embodiments, "Y2" can range from about 1600 mm to about 2000 mm. For example, Y2 can be about 1800 mm. The travel distance (e.g., in the X direction) of each scan can be different due to differences in substrate size. For example, in some embodiments, the substrate comprises an 8-inch circular wafer. As another example, in some embodiments, the substrate comprises a 12-inch circular wafer.

[0024] 1 can be used, in embodiments, to create a display (e.g., a flat panel display). In some embodiments, the display is a liquid crystal display (LCD).

[0025] According to one or more embodiments, disclosed herein is a digital lithography system that includes one or more exposure units (i.e., EYEs), a movable platform located below the exposure units and moving in the x, y and z directions (relative to the one or more exposure units), and a movable support (i.e., rotation assembly) to which one or more of the exposure units are attached and that adjusts the angle of the exposure units relative to the platform (rotation is about the z axis). The system is configured to rotate the EYEs such that the angle of the mirror array of the EYEs matches the angle of the platform. In at least one embodiment, each EYE has its own rotation device to match the rotation of the EYEs so that they all share the same parameter set, instead of having different patterning parameter sets for each of the EYEs.

[0026] FIG. 2A illustrates a side view of a digital lithography system ("system") 200 according to one or more embodiments. The system 200 includes at least three contact points to stabilize one or more exposure units of the system. As illustrated, the system 200 includes an x-motor 202 and a y-motor 204 mounted on a bridge structure 206. An optical module 208 in communication with the x-motor 202 and the y-motor 204 includes one or more exposure units (or EYEs or exposure units), an EYE cable strain relief assembly, an EYE stiffener base plate, an EYE controller box, multiple bridges, and multiple EYE bracket beams or tubes spanning each bridge. According to an embodiment, the x-motor 202 and the y-motor 204 may each be a piezoelectric motor, a stepper motor, a rotary air motor, or other motor that controls planar movement of a stage on which one or more substrates rest. The one or more exposure units may be a digital micromirror device (DMD) configured to focus patterned light onto the substrate (e.g., pixel by pixel). The rotation assembly 218 may be configured to rotate one or more exposure units between two positions to match the angle between the exposure unit and the stage moving in the x- and / or y-directions (relative to the exposure unit or units) below, as described in more detail below. The EYE cable strain relief assembly effectively damps the vibration of the EYE cable coming to the bridge to reduce or eliminate the vibration transmitted to the EYE via the cable. The EYE stiffener base plate provides support for the cable channels used for the EYE stiffener pneumatic lines and sensors. The line contacts 210 are placed between the contact mechanism 209, which is composed of a sphere and two cylinders, and facilitate the connection between the x-motor 202 and the y-motor 204 and the optical module 108. One embodiment of the contact mechanism 209 is shown in Figures 5A and 5B. The x-motor 202 and the y-motor 204 may be supported by a structure 228. The xy-stage top plate is positioned relative to the bottom stack of the xy-stage (not shown).

[0027] The system 200 further includes a z-motor 214 in communication with the optical module 208. The z-motor 214 controls the up and down movement of the stage in the z-direction relative to the one or more exposure units 205a, 205b. The x-motor 202, y-motor 204, and z-motor 214 together control the three-dimensional position of the stage (and one or more substrates thereon) in the reactor space. The z-motor 214 is configured to adjust the position of the stage in the z-direction to focus light emitted from the one or more exposure units 205a, 205b onto the at least one substrate. Accurate positioning and alignment of the at least one substrate under the patterned light can reduce processing defects of devices formed on the substrate.

[0028] The structural cover 212 protects and contains the internal components during operation and movement of the system 200. The lower lens cage 216 similarly provides a support structure surrounding one or more exposure units 205a, 205b. The lower lens cage 216 has an internal lens Y-contact 220 coupled to it. According to an embodiment, the lower lens cage 216 and structural cover 212 can be adjusted when the z-stage is assembled to provide an EYE alignment station interface.

[0029] The system 200 further includes a rotation assembly 218 (i.e., a motorized rotation assembly) that is comprised of tip, tilt, and Z (TTZ) functional components, rotation components, and EYE parts including the cover and lens cage. The rotation assembly 218 is configured to rotate one or more exposure units 205a, 205b (see FIG. 2D). When multiple exposure units 205a, 205b are present, the rotation assembly 218 is configured to rotate the exposure units 205a, 205b independently or together. The minimum clearance between adjacent exposure units that reaches the rotation hard stop may be about 1 mm to about 10 mm, about 4 mm to about 8 mm, or any individual value or subrange within these ranges. In some embodiments, the photolithography system 200 includes about 10 to about 40 exposure units arranged in two rows. As shown in FIG. 2A-FIG. 2D, the rotation assembly 218 further includes an EYE rotation (DMD corner) point contact 222 that connects the rotation assembly 218 to the lower lens cage 216. According to various embodiments, one or more exposure units 205a, 205b may be configured to rotate at a nominal angle of about 70.0° to about 120.0°, about 80.0° to about 110.0°, about 90.0° to about 100.0°, about 91.1° to about 99.9°, or any individual value or subrange within these ranges.

[0030] The rotating assembly 218 may be mounted in the system 200 via a kinematic socket 224. The kinematic socket 224 has the advantage of supporting three contact points and not overly constraining the EYE during tip-and-tilt movements. One contact point is at the junction between the rotating motor and the optical module, the other two contact points are two "hinges", the bottom hinge may be a socket, and the top hinge may be two Hertzian contacts and a spring plunger contact separated in the Y direction. The rotating assembly 218 described herein may be mounted, for example, as a projection system of a digital lithography system 200 using a kinematic mount at the following three support positions: 1) the primary load point (z socket 224) provides kinematic support (three point contacts) and the z stage sets image focus, 2) the top pivot provides kinematic support (two line contacts 210) and the xy stage introduces image tip-and-tilt, and 3) the projection system rotates (one point contact 220) and tilts the projection system linear stage introduces image clocking. An embodiment of the kinematic socket is shown in Figures 4A-4D.

[0031] 3A-3G illustrate an embodiment of the rotating assembly 218. The rotating assembly 218 can include a contact mechanism 309 configured to stabilize an exposure unit of a digital lithography system. The contact mechanism 309 can be a spring and pad assembly including a rotating pad 330 disposed opposite a preloaded contact pad 332 mounted within a housing structure 334. As shown in FIGS. 3C-3E, the EYE rotating pad 330 is configured to contact an EYE rotating pad 336. The EYE rotating pad 330 can be formed of tungsten carbide, and the EYE rotating pad 336 can be constructed of hardened stainless steel with a chrome plating. In one or more embodiments, the radius of the contact side of the EYE rotating pad 336 can be about 50 mm to about 150 mm, about 75 mm to about 125 mm, about 90 mm to about 100 mm, or any individual value or subrange within these ranges. 3C-3E, the EYE preload contact pad 332 is configured to contact a bias spring pad 338 coupled to a bias spring 340. The bias spring 340 may be configured to provide a force on the EYE preload contact pad of about 1 N to about 20 N, about 5 N to about 15 N, about 8 N to about 10 N, or any individual value or subrange within these ranges. The linear movement within the rotating assembly 218 may be along a line 342, as shown in FIG. 3E.

[0032] The rotational movement of the rotation assembly 318 to match the angle between one or more exposure units and the stage is shown in FIG. 3F. The right hard stop 342 for rotation of the DMD may be an angle of about 0.40° to about 0.50°, about 0.43° to about 0.48°, or any individual value or subrange within these ranges. The right switch limit 344 may be an angle of about 0.70° to about 0.80°, about 0.72° to about 0.75°, or any individual value or subrange within these ranges. The nominal center position 346 may be located midway between the rotation limit of the right hard stop 342 and the rotation limit of the left hard stop 352. The nominal center position 346 may be about 0.95° to about 1.5°, about 0.98° to about 1.1°, or any individual value or subrange within these ranges. Homing may be achieved with one or more optical switches located in the midrange. The home position 348 may be located at about 0.8° to about 0.9°, or any individual value or subrange within this range. The left switch limit 350 may be at an angle of about 1.20° to about 1.30°, about 1.22° to about 1.25°, or any individual value or subrange within these ranges. The left hard stop 352 may be at an angle of about 1.30° to about 1.40°, about 1.32° to about 1.36°, or any individual value or subrange within these ranges. The hard contact 354 may be located near the base of the rotating assembly 218, as shown in FIG. 3E.

[0033] 3G, the rotating assembly 218 may further include one or more angular contact ball bearings with a moderate preload, which may be provided by compression springs 356, 358 applied around a lead screw 360.

[0034] According to one or more embodiments, the x positional accuracy of a photolithography system 200 having a motorized rotation assembly described herein may be about ±0.01 mm to about ±0.5 mm, about ±0.1 mm to about ±0.25 mm, or any individual value or subrange within these ranges. The y positional accuracy may similarly be about ±0.01 mm to about ±0.5 mm, about ±0.1 mm to about ±0.25 mm, or any individual value or subrange within these ranges. The motorized rotation assembly in the photolithography system may provide a rotational range of about ±0.01° to about ±0.5°, about ±0.1° to about ±0.25°, or any individual value or subrange within these ranges. The motorized rotation assembly in the photolithography system may provide a resolution of less than about ±1 μrad, less than about ±2 μrad, less than about ±3 μrad, or any individual value or subrange within these ranges to support a rotational angular accuracy of ±3 μrad. Photolithography systems with internal motorized rotation assemblies can have an x-range of motion (chip) of about ±1.0 mrad to about ±10 mrad, about ±2.0 mrad to about ±5.0 mrad, about ±3.0 mrad to about ±4.3 mrad, or any individual value or subrange within these ranges. The x-resolution (chip) of the combined system can be about 50 μrad to about 100 μrad, about 60 μrad to about 90 μrad, about 70 μrad to about 83 μrad, or any individual value or subrange within these ranges. Photolithography systems with internal motorized rotation assemblies can have a y-range of motion (tilt) of about ±1.0 mrad to about ±10 mrad, about ±2.0 mrad to about ±5.0 mrad, about ±3.0 mrad to about ±4.3 mrad, or any individual value or subrange within these ranges. The y-resolution (tilt) of the combined system may be from about 1 μrad to about 50 μrad, from about 10 μrad to about 40 μrad, from about 25 μrad to about 30 μrad, or any individual value or subrange within these ranges.A photolithography system having an internal motorized rotation assembly can have a z-range of motion of about ±0.10 mm to about ±1.0 mm, about ±0.20 mm to about ±0.90 mm, about ±0.30 mm to about ±0.75 mm, or any individual value or subrange within these ranges. The z-resolution of the combined system can be about 1 μm to about 10 μm, about 2 μm to about 9 μm, about 5 μm to about 8 μm, or any individual value or subrange within these ranges.

[0035] A digital photolithography system 200 having a motorized rotation assembly according to embodiments herein can provide a static stability angle (θ) of about ±0.1 μrad to about ±5.0 μrad, about ±0.5 μrad to about ±2.5 μrad, about ±0.1 μrad to about ±5.0 μrad, or any individual value or subrange within these ranges. z). The dynamic stability (X) [i.e., the displacement of the lens relative to the granite base (@CV)] may be about ±1 nm to about ±10 nm, about ±2 nm to about ±9 nm, about ±5 nm to ±8 nm, or any individual value or subrange within these ranges. The dynamic stability (Y) [i.e., the displacement of the lens relative to the granite base (@CV)] may be about ±1 nm to about ±8 nm, about ±2 nm to about ±7 nm, about ±3 nm to ±6 nm, or any individual value or subrange within these ranges. The dynamic stability (Z) [i.e., the displacement of the lens relative to the granite base (@CV)] may be about ±1 nm to about ±50 nm, about ±5 nm to about ±40 nm, about ±10 nm to ±25 nm, or any individual value or subrange within these ranges. The first natural frequency (nat The frequency (i.e., with respect to image plane displacement) may be at least about 100 Hz, at least about 150 Hz, at least about 200 Hz, at least about 250 Hz, or any individual value or subrange within these ranges. In at least one embodiment of a digital photolithography system having a motorized rotation assembly described herein, the X non-uniformity drift since last calibration (i.e., layer-to-layer comparison, with respect to the same stage XY coordinates) may be from about 10 nm to about 50 nm, from about 15 nm to about 40 nm, from about 15 nm to about 30 nm, or any individual value or subrange within these ranges. Similarly, ,Y non-uniformity drift since the last calibration (i.e., layer-to-layer comparison, with respect to the same stage XY coordinates) may be about 10 nm to about 50 nm, about 15 nm to about 40 nm, about 15 nm to about 30 nm, or any individual value or subrange within these ranges. Tip / tilt / Z / DMD rotation stability during photolithography system maintenance should maintain the position of the EYE within the required accuracy after application (and relaxation) of forces in XYZ (applied to the top interface panel) of about 1 N to about 50 N, about 5 N to about 25 N, about 10 N to about 20 N, or any individual value or subrange within these ranges.

[0036] An embodiment of the kinematic socket 224 is shown in Figures 4A-4D. The kinematic socket 224 provides a second contact point in the digital lithography system for stabilizing the movement of one or more exposure units. The kinematic socket 224 can include a sphere mechanism 460 having three sections 460a, 460b, 460c, where the sphere 460 is located inside the socket seat 462 such that the load of the corresponding exposure unit is mostly on the kinematic socket 224. That is, the load of the exposure unit is supported by the socket seat 462, and the center of the sphere 460 provides a pivot point for tip and tilt functions when the X-stage and Y-stage translate in the X-direction and Y-direction. The sections 460a, 460b, 460c provide the contact points and allow for a kinematic joint that is not overly constrained. In some embodiments, the components of the kinematic socket 224 are constructed of metal, such as stainless steel material, particularly BK17 stainless steel.

[0037] An embodiment of a third contact mechanism 209 for stabilizing the movement of one or more exposure units is shown in Figures 5A and 5B. As shown, the contact mechanism 209 is comprised of a line contact 210 attached to a wall structure 271. The line contact 210 includes a cylindrical portion 280 that extends through a flange 282 of the support structure 211 to form an eccentric cylindrical configuration. The cylindrical portion 280 has a smaller diameter than the flange 282 to create a gap 286 (e.g., an air gap) between the two components. The cylindrical portion 280 has a bore 284 disposed laterally therethrough that is configured for the spring plunger 270 to be disposed therein. Although the embodiment shown in Figures 5A and 5B shows a spring plunger, it will be understood that other mechanisms for creating contact (e.g., solid cylinder, foam, polymer, etc.) may be used. The end of the spring plunger 270 that contacts the inner surface of the flange 282 at the contact point 278 may have a spherical shape. The contact between the base portion 284 and the spring plunger 270 forms a contact point 278 between the spring plunger 270 and the inner surface of the flange 282. This configuration stabilizes the movement of the cylindrical portion 280 within the flange 282 and forces the mechanical contact of the cylindrical portion 280 at the desired points. The cylindrical portion 280 is configured to contact the inner surface of the flange 282 at three points: 278, 279, and 281. The configuration of the contact mechanism 209 allows the cylindrical portion 210 to rotate about its axis and also allows controlled tip, tilt, and vertical movement providing four degrees of freedom TTZ and rotation of the exposure unit connected thereto. The third contact mechanism 209, together with the contact mechanisms 309 and 224, can control the movement of the exposure unit within the nanometer range.

[0038] FIG. 6 illustrates a diagram 600 of a digital lithography system according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, showing contact points for stabilizing the exposure unit 606. The diagram 600 illustrates three contact points 209, 224, 309 of the exposure unit 606 in the digital lithography system. As illustrated in FIG. 6, there may be six contact points on the planes 602, 604, 608, 610, 612, 614, five of which may be fixed and do not move. When in contact with the planes 602, 604, the exposure unit 606 is not constrained to rotate in the θX, θY, and θZ directions, and is not constrained to slide in the Z direction. The plane 608 constrains the rotation of the exposure unit 606 in the θZ direction. A movement of the plane 608 in the Y direction causes a rotation around the Z axis, adjusting the angle of the exposure unit 606. When the planes 610, 612, 614 move in the Z direction (to adjust the height of the exposure unit 606), the structure is free to slide in the Z direction. The planes 610, 612, 614 constrain the θX and θY rotations, but allow the θZ rotation. The digital lithography system described herein with contact points 209, 224, 309 provides four degrees of freedom (tip, tilt, vertical, rotation) for the movement of the exposure unit therein.

[0039] One embodiment of a method 700 for positioning one or more exposure units in a photolithography system is shown in FIG. The method 500 includes, at block 702, moving a stage in at least one of an x-direction, a y-direction, or a z-direction relative to the one or more exposure units. In at least one embodiment, the stage may be positioned below the one or more exposure units. The x-direction or y-direction movement of the stage is transverse to the one or more exposure units. The z-direction movement of the stage is perpendicular to the one or more exposure units.

[0040] At block 704, the method 700 includes rotating one or more exposure units with a rotating assembly (as described herein) of the photolithography system to align the one or more exposure units with the stage. The rotating assembly is configured to rotate the one or more exposure units relative to the stage about the z-axis. The z-axis is defined by two hinges. The rotation of the one or more exposure units aligns the EYEs with each other and with the stage (and any substrate thereon) below. In at least one embodiment, the rotation of the one or more exposure units includes adjusting the angle of the one or more exposure units about the z-axis. In at least one embodiment, the system includes multiple exposure units, and the rotating assembly rotates all of the units to adjust their angle with the z-axis to align them with each other and with the stage. The system can then use a single set of parameters for all the exposure units. The parameters include, but are not limited to, exposure multiplicity and GDP. The angular variation of the one or more exposure units is less than about 5 μrad, or less than about 3 μrad.

[0041] The foregoing description sets forth many specific details, such as examples of specific systems, components, methods, and the like, to provide a good understanding of some embodiments of the present disclosure. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that at least some embodiments of the present disclosure may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known components or methods have not been described in detail or have been presented in simple block diagram form to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the present disclosure. Thus, the specific details described are merely illustrative. Particular embodiments may differ from these illustrative details and still be contemplated as being within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0042] As used herein, the singular forms "a," "an," and "the" include plural references unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, reference to a "precursor" includes a single precursor as well as mixtures of two or more precursors, reference to a "reactant" includes a single reactant as well as mixtures of two or more reactants, etc.

[0043] Throughout this specification, reference to "one embodiment" or "an embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. Thus, the appearances of the phrases "in one embodiment" or "in an embodiment" in various places throughout this specification do not necessarily all refer to the same embodiment. In addition, the term "or" is intended to mean an inclusive "or" rather than an exclusive "or". When the term "about" or "approximately" is used herein, this is intended to mean that the nominal value presented is accurate to within ±10%, for example, "about 10" includes 9 to 11.

[0044] The term "at least about" in relation to a measured quantity refers to normal variations in the measured quantity that would be expected by one of skill in the art when making the measurement, with a level of care commensurate with the purpose of the measurement and the precision of the measuring device, and higher. In certain embodiments, the term "at least about" includes the stated number minus 10% and any higher quantity, such that "at least about 10" includes 9 and anything greater than 9. The term can also be expressed as "about 10 or more." Similarly, the term "less than about" typically includes the stated number plus 10% and any lower quantity, such that "less than about 10" includes 11 and anything less than 11. The term can also be expressed as "less than about 10."

[0045] The description of ranges of values ​​herein is intended to serve merely as a shorthand method of individually referring to each individual value falling within the range, unless otherwise stated herein, and each individual value is incorporated herein as if it were individually stated herein. All methods described herein may be performed in any suitable order, unless otherwise stated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context. Any and all examples provided herein, or the use of exemplary language (e.g., "etc.") are intended merely to highlight particular materials and methods, and are not intended to limit the scope. No language in this specification should be construed as indicating any non-claimed element as essential to the practice of the disclosed materials and methods.

[0046] Although the operations of the methods herein are shown and described in a particular order, the order of operations of each method may be changed such that certain operations may be performed in reverse order or such that certain operations may be performed at least in part concurrently with other operations. In alternative embodiments, instructions or sub-operations of separate operations may be performed intermittently and / or alternatingly.

[0047] It is to be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative, and not limiting. Many other embodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the above description. The scope of the present disclosure should therefore be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.

Claims

1. 1. A rotating assembly for an exposure unit, comprising: a kinematic socket configured to support the exposure unit, the kinematic socket comprising a socket seat and a sphere received in the socket seat, the socket seat configured to support the load of the exposure unit during translational motion, the sphere being a pivot point for tip-and-tilt motion; a motor configured to rotate the one or more exposure units via the kinematic socket; A rotating assembly comprising:

2. The rotating assembly of claim 1 , wherein the exposure unit comprises a digital micromirror device (DMD).

3. The rotating assembly of claim 1 , wherein the sphere comprises a plurality of sections configured to rotate within the socket seat.

4. The rotating assembly of claim 1 , wherein the rotation of the exposure unit includes an angular variation of less than about 5 μrad, or less than about 3 μrad.

5. The rotating assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a rotating pad configured to receive a force from the motor.

6. The rotating assembly of claim 5 , wherein the motor comprises a bias spring configured to apply the force to the rotating pad to rotate the exposure unit about a pivot point.

7. The rotating assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a support assembly configured to maintain stability of the one or more exposure units.

8. one or more exposure units configured to be rotated by a rotation assembly; a platform spaced apart from the one or more exposure units and configured to move in x, y, and z directions relative to the one or more exposure units; 1. A photolithography system comprising: The rotating assembly includes: a first contact mechanism configured to stabilize movement of the one or more exposure units, the first contact mechanism comprising: a kinematic socket configured to support the one or more exposure units, the kinematic socket comprising a socket seat and a sphere received in the socket seat, the socket seat configured to support the load of the one or more exposure units during translational movement, the sphere being a pivot point for tip-and-tilt movement; a motor configured to rotate the exposure unit via the kinematic socket; Equipped with the rotating assembly is attached to the photolithography system by at least three contact points; Photolithography system.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein the rotation of the exposure unit includes an angular variation of the one or more exposure units of less than about 5 μrad.

10. a second contact mechanism configured to stabilize movement of the one or more exposure units, the second contact mechanism comprising a spring and pad assembly; a third contact mechanism configured to stabilize a movement of the one or more exposure units, the third contact mechanism comprising an eccentric cylindrical arrangement in which an inner cylindrical portion contacts an inner wall of an outer cylindrical portion at at least three contact points; The system of claim 7 further comprising:

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the exposure unit comprises a digital micromirror device (DMD).

12. The system of claim 10 , further comprising a support assembly configured to maintain stability of the one or more exposure units.

13. 1. A method for positioning one or more exposure units in a photolithography system, comprising: moving a stage in at least one of an x-direction, a y-direction, or a z-direction relative to the one or more exposure units; rotating the one or more exposure units by a rotation assembly of the photolithography system to align the one or more exposure units with the stage; A method comprising:

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein moving the stage comprises aligning the stage with the one or more exposure units.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein rotating comprises adjusting an angle of the one or more exposure units about a z-axis.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the angular variation of the one or more exposure units is less than about 5 μrad, or less than about 3 μrad.

17. The method of claim 13 , wherein the photolithography system comprises a plurality of exposure units.

18. The method of claim 13 , wherein rotating comprises aligning the multiple exposure units with respect to each other and to the stage.

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising using a single parameter set for the multiple exposure units.

20. 12. The method of claim 11, wherein the rotation assembly comprises: a kinematic socket configured to support the exposure unit, the kinematic socket comprising a socket seat and a sphere received in the socket seat, the socket seat configured to support the load of the exposure unit during translational motion, the sphere being a pivot point for tip-and-tilt motion; and a motor configured to rotate the one or more exposure units via the kinematic socket.

Images