The present subject matter provides a high-speed nanopatterning method and apparatus of two-color super-resolution photolithography. According to the present subject matter, a high-speed nanopatterning apparatus of two-color super-resolution photolithography comprises: a first light source for outputting photochemical reaction initiation light of a first wavelength causing a photochemical reaction to occur in an illuminated area of a photoresist; a first lens for enlarging a beam size of the photochemical reaction initiation light; a second light source for outputting inhibition light of a second wavelength suppressing the photochemical reaction in the illuminated area of the photoresist; a second lens for enlarging a beam size of the inhibition light; and a digital micromirror device including a plurality of micromirrors controlled at a first angle and a second angle and for reflecting a portion of the photochemical reaction initiation light output from the first light source or the inhibition light output from the second light source toward the photoresist through the plurality of micromirrors.

An optical device includes a plurality of laser light sources, an output module having an optical modulator, and a time divider that is disposed between the plurality of laser light sources and the output module and that is configured to divide laser beams emitted from the plurality of laser light sources in time.

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide improved photolithography systems and methods using a solid state emitter array. The solid state emitter array comprises solid state emitter devices arranged in rows and columns, wherein each solid state emitter device comprises two or more subpixels. Each solid state emitter device comprises one program gate which may transmit a voltage to a state storage node. The state storage node is in electrical communication with a drive gate. The drive gate is in communication with two or more solid state emitter subpixels. The arrangement of a plurality of subpixels in communication with a single drive gate allows more than one pulse to be delivered to the drive gate, resulting in illumination of more than one subpixel at each drive gate. The redundancy results in improved data efficiency.

An optical device includes a plurality of laser light sources, an output module having an optical modulator, and a time divider that is disposed between the plurality of laser light sources and the output module and that is configured to divide laser beams emitted from the plurality of laser light sources in time.

An exposure apparatus is provided. The exposure apparatus includes a stage for a wafer, a first light source generating a first light beam, an exposure optical system to receive the first light beam and to direct the first light beam as an exposure light beam onto an exposure area in a field of the wafer, and a heating unit including a second light source, which generates second light, and heating the exposure area by applying the second light to the exposure area.

A purge system includes a purge gas distribution manifold that includes at least one port through which light beam from an optical metrology or inspection head is transmitted. The purge gas distribution manifold includes a bottom surface having one or more apertures through which purge gas is expelled. The bottom surface is held in close proximity to the top surface of the substrate and the apertures may be distributed over the bottom surface of the purge gas distribution manifold so that purge gas is uniformly distributed over the entirety of the top surface of the substrate at all measurement positions of the substrate with respect to the optical metrology or inspection head.

A method for exposing a light-sensitive layer to light using an optical system, wherein at least one light beam is generated by respectively at least one light source and pixels of an exposure pattern grid are illuminated by at least one micro-mirror device with a plurality of micro-mirrors. An affine distortion takes place, in particular a shearing, of the exposure pattern grid.

Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to apparatuses and systems for performing photolithography processes. More particularly, compact apparatuses for projecting an image onto a substrate are provided. In one embodiment, an image projection apparatus includes a light pipe coupled to a first mounting plate, and a frustrated prism assembly, one or more digital micro-mirror devices, one or more beamsplitters, and one or more projection optics, which are coupled to a second mounting plate. The first and second mounting plates are coplanar, such that the image projection apparatus is compact and may be aligned in a system having a plurality of image projection apparatuses, each of which is easily removable and replaceable.

A high-intensity light source is formed by a micro array of a semiconductor light source such as a LEDs, laser diodes, or VCSEL placed densely on a liquid or gas cooled thermally conductive substrate. The semiconductor devices are typically attached by a joining process to electrically conductive patterns on the substrate, and driven by a microprocessor controlled power supply. An optic element is placed over the micro array to achieve improved directionality, intensity, and/or spectral purity of the output beam. The light module may be used for such processes as, for example, fluorescence, inspection and measurement, photopolymerzation, ionization, sterilization, debris removal, and other photochemical processes.

An exposure apparatus is provided. The exposure apparatus includes a stage for a wafer, a first light source generating a first light beam, an exposure optical system to receive the first light beam and to direct the first light beam as an exposure light beam onto an exposure area in a field of the wafer, and a heating unit including a second light source, which generates second light, and heating the exposure area by applying the second light to the exposure area.