Importance

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Abstract

A digital electron lithography system includes a plurality of cathodes oriented in a plane and positioned substantially parallel to a substrate surface in a vacuum chamber. The substrate surface is coated with a layer of an electron resist material and, in operation, individual cathodes in the array are selectively activated to emit electrons which alter the resist material. In order to create a predetermined pattern on the substrate, a focusing magnet is provided to direct the electrons from the respective cathodes to be focused on the substrate surface along substantially parallel electron paths. Additionally, a steering magnet is provided to change electron path directions so that electrons are steered to sequentially affect a plurality of pixels in a pixel matrix on the substrate surface. To minimize ion damage to the cathodes the electron paths are oriented at an angle to the perpendicular direction between the plane of the array and the substrate surface. Further, to compensate for defective cathodes, a preprogrammed sequence of cathode activation is accomplished whereby active cathodes affect the pixel matrices of adjacent defective cathodes.

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First Claim