Alpha-prototype system for zone-plate-array lithography

In this article, we present lithography results from a continuous-scan zone-plate-array lithography (ZPAL) system using the grating light, valve (GLV) as the multiplexing element. ZPAL is an optical-maskless-lithography technique, in which an array of diffractive lenses (e.g., zone plates) focuses incident light into an array of spots on a photoresist-coated substrate. The intensity of the light incident on each lens is controlled by the GLV. By scanning the wafer and appropriately modulating the incident light, patterns are written in a "dot-matrix" fashion. We have incorporated the elements of ZPAL into an alpha-prototype system. We describe this system and characterize its lithographic performance. (C) 2004 American Vacuum Society.