Spiral Mirror UV LED Lithography System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional optical lithography systems using UV mercury lamps are bulky, power-intensive, and costly to operate, with inefficient use of space and cooling systems, limiting their effectiveness in semiconductor fabrication and other applications.
Innovation Solution
A compact optical lithography system featuring a polygonal structure with UV light emitting diodes (LEDs) and a spiral light path created by a series of concave mirrors, reducing the physical size and power consumption while improving light homogeneity and reducing the distance light travels, thereby enhancing efficiency and cost-effectiveness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If UV mercury lamp is used as light source, then sufficient UV light is provided, but the system becomes bulky and power-intensive with inefficient space utilization
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the traditional linear optical path into a three-dimensional spiral configuration using multiple mirrors arranged in a spiral pattern. This dimensional change allows the light to traverse a longer effective path within a compact volume, achieving parallel beam output without requiring a bulky system layout. The spiral arrangement of mirrors in different spatial dimensions enables compact integration while maintaining sufficient UV light output.
Solution Approach 2:
The optical components including multiple mirrors (first mirror, second mirror, third mirror) are nested within each other in a spiral configuration. Each mirror is positioned within the spatial envelope created by the previous mirror, allowing the entire optical system to be contained within a compact volume. This nesting approach enables the system to achieve sufficient UV light output without requiring a bulky structure.
2Illumination intensity
If UV mercury lamp is used, then adequate UV illumination is achieved, but power consumption and operational costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The spiral mirror configuration enables the UV light to undergo multiple reflections in continuous sequence, maximizing the utilization of each photon's path length. This continuous useful action ensures that the UV light from the LED source is efficiently directed through the optical system to produce parallel beams, achieving adequate UV illumination with lower power consumption compared to mercury lamps.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the fundamental parameter of the light source from UV mercury lamp to UV LED, which operates at lower power consumption. The spiral mirror system compensates for the lower intensity of UV LEDs by providing multiple reflection opportunities, thereby maintaining adequate UV light output while significantly reducing power consumption and operational costs.
3Reliability
If conventional optical components are used, then lithography function is achieved, but the system requires extensive cooling infrastructure and occupies excessive space
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a three-dimensional spiral arrangement of mirrors that folds the optical path into a compact volume. This dimensional reorganization allows the lithography function to be achieved within a much smaller spatial envelope compared to conventional linear optical systems, eliminating the need for extensive cooling infrastructure and large equipment spacing.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple optical functions (light direction, parallelization, and lithography) are merged into a single integrated spiral mirror system. The first mirror, second mirror, and third mirror work together in sequence within a unified compact structure, achieving reliable lithography function without requiring separate bulky components and cooling systems.
4Manufacturing precision
If parallel beam lithography is implemented, then resolution limit of 0.5 um is achieved, but system complexity and equipment spacing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The spiral mirror configuration provides a more efficient spatial arrangement for achieving parallel beam lithography compared to conventional linear systems. By utilizing three-dimensional space, the system achieves the required 0.5 um resolution with reduced equipment spacing and simplified overall layout, thereby reducing system complexity while maintaining manufacturing precision.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system achieves a more compact and cost-effective parallel-beam lithography solution with improved light quality and reduced operational costs by utilizing UV LEDs and a spiral mirror arrangement, which minimizes space requirements and power usage.
Implementation Method 1
the first mirror receives incident light from the UV light source and reflects the incident light from the first mirror towards the second mirror, the second mirror receiving the reflected light as a second incident light and reflecting the second incident light from the second mirror towards the third mirror
Data Source
AI summary
An optical lithography system is provided, comprising: a polygonal structure having a central region and a central axis; an UV light source detachably disposed in the central region or at an end of the polygonal structure; a light parallelizer positioned in the polygonal structure for creating substantially parallel light rays from the UV light source exiting the polygonal structure before reaching a lithography target adjacent to an exit of the polygonal structure, which includes at least three mirrors arranged such that the first mirror receives incident light from the UV light source and reflects thereof from the first mirror towards the second mirror, the second mirror receiving the reflected light as a second incident light and reflecting thereof from the second mirror towards the third mirror to create a spiral light path from the UV light source to the lithography target with substantially parallel light incident on the lithography target.