US7150622B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Systems for magnification and distortion correction for imprint lithography processes
Assignee: Canon Nanotechnologies Inc
•
Filing: 2003-07-09
•
Granted: 2006-12-19
•
Expires: 2023-07-09
Abstract
Abstract The present invention is directed toward a system to vary dimensions of a template in order to attenuate if not prevent distortions in an underlying pattern formed by the template. To that end, the system features a compression device that includes a pair of spaced-apart contact members to compress a perimeter surface of the template between the pair of spaced-apart contact members. The compression device includes first and second bodies, each has a contact member and an actuator arm. One of the actuator arms is coupled to the first body to reciprocate about an axis in response to variations of a volume of a bladder disposed adjacent to the actuator arm. In this manner, the distance between the two contact members may be varied.
Inventors
- 👤 Byung-Jin Choi
- 👤 Sidlgata V. Sreenivasan
- 👤 Mario J. Meissl
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 15:40
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03F; G03F7/00; G03F7/0002; B; B29; B29C; B29C43/00; B29C43/003; B81; B81C; B81C1/00; B81C1/00436; B81C1/00444; B81C1/0046; B82; B82Y; B82Y10/00; B82Y40/00; B29C43/02; B29C43/021; B29C2043/023; B29C2043/025
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim
124 words
A system to vary dimensions of a template having opposed surfaces with a side extending therebetween defining a perimeter surface, said system comprising: first and second bodies, each of which has a contact member, defining a pair contact members, disposed opposite to each other and spaced apart a distance, with said first body including an actuator arm, and a chamber disposed adjacent to said actuator arm, with one of said pair of contact members being coupled to said actuator arm to move in response to movement of said actuator arm; and a bladder positioned within said chamber and having a variable volume, with said actuator arm coupled to said first body to move in response to variations of said volume to vary said distance.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
124 words
A system to vary dimensions of a template having opposed surfaces with a side extending therebetween defining a perimeter surface, said system comprising: first and second bodies, each of which has a contact member, defining a pair contact members, disposed opposite to each other and spaced apart a distance, with said first body including an actuator arm, and a chamber disposed adjacent to said actuator arm, with one of said pair of contact members being coupled to said actuator arm to move in response to movement of said actuator arm; and a bladder positioned within said chamber and having a variable volume, with said actuator arm coupled to said first body to move in response to variations of said volume to vary said distance.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
21 words
The system as recited in claim 1 wherein one of said pair of contact members is formed from a compliant material.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
84 words
The system as recited in claim 1 wherein said first body further includes an additional contact member, spaced apart an additional distance from said one of said pair of contact members, and an additional actuator arm, with said additional contact member being coupled to said additional actuator arm, with said bladder disposed within said chamber so that both said actuator arm and said additional actuator arm move in response to said variations of said volume to vary both said distance and said additional distance.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
94 words
The system as recited in claim 1 further including an additional bladder, having an additional volume associated therewith, with said body further including an additional contact member, spaced apart from said one of said pair of contact members an additional distance, and an additional actuator arm, with said additional contact member being coupled to said additional actuator arm, with said additional bladder being disposed within said chamber so that said additional actuator arm moves in response to said variations of said additional volume to vary said additional distance independent of variations in said distance.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
51 words
The system as recited in claim 1 wherein said actuator arm includes an actuator surface which said bladder contacts and said contact member includes a contact surface adapted to contacts said perimeter surface, with an area associated with said contact surface being less than an area associated with said actuator surface.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
30 words
The system as recited in claim 1 wherein said actuator arm attached to said first body to reciprocate about an axis that lies in a plane spaced-apart from said template.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
39 words
The system as recited in claim 1 further including a compression ring encompassing an area and having a circumferential surface facing said area, with said first and second bodies being coupled to said circumferential surface and opposite one another.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
25 words
The system as recited in claim 1 wherein said bladder is positioned within said chamber to increase said distance in response to said volume increasing.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
25 words
The system as recited in claim 1 wherein said bladder is positioned within said chamber to decrease said volume in response to said volume increasing.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
67 words
The system as recited in claim 1 further including an additional bladder having an additional volume associated therewith, with said bladder and said additional bladder defining a bladder system, with said bladder being positioned within said chamber to increase said distance in response to said volume increasing and said additional bladder being positioned within said chamber to decrease said distance in response to said additional volume increasing.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
182 words
A system to vary dimensions of a template having opposed surfaces with a side extending therebetween defining a perimeter surface, said system comprising: first and second pairs of bodies each of which includes a contact member, with the contact members associated with said first pair of bodies defining a first pair of contact members and the contact members associated with said second pair of bodies defining a second pair of contact members, with the contact members of said first pair being disposed opposite each other and the contact members of said second pair beiiig disposed opposite each other, with one body of each of said first and second pairs of bodies including an actuator arm, and a chamber disposed adjacent to said actuator arm, with one of said pair of contact members being coupled to said actuator arm to move in response to movement of said actuator arm; and a bladder positioned within said chamber and having a variable volume, with said actuator arm coupled to said first body to move in response to variations of said volume to vary said distance.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
182 words
A system to vary dimensions of a template having opposed surfaces with a side extending therebetween defining a perimeter surface, said system comprising: first and second pairs of bodies each of which includes a contact member, with the contact members associated with said first pair of bodies defining a first pair of contact members and the contact members associated with said second pair of bodies defining a second pair of contact members, with the contact members of said first pair being disposed opposite each other and the contact members of said second pair beiiig disposed opposite each other, with one body of each of said first and second pairs of bodies including an actuator arm, and a chamber disposed adjacent to said actuator arm, with one of said pair of contact members being coupled to said actuator arm to move in response to movement of said actuator arm; and a bladder positioned within said chamber and having a variable volume, with said actuator arm coupled to said first body to move in response to variations of said volume to vary said distance.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
84 words
The system as recited in claim 11 wherein said one body further includes an additional contact member, spaced apart an additional distance from said one of said pair of contact members, and an additional actuator arm, with said additional contact member being coupled to said additional actuator arm, with said bladder disposed within said chamber so that both said actuator arm and said additional actuator arm move in response to said variations of said volume to vary both said distance and said additional distance.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
60 words
The system as recited in claim 12 further including an additional bladder, having an additional volume associated therewith, to contact said additional actuator arm, with said additional bladder being disposed within said chamber so that said additional actuator arm moves in response to said variations of said additional volume to vary said additional distance independent of variations in said distance.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
26 words
The system as recited in claim 13 wherein one of said contact members of each of said first and second pairs is formed from compliant material.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
51 words
The system as recited in claim 11 wherein said actuator arm includes an actuator surface which said bladder contacts and said contact member includes a contact surface adapted to contacts said perimeter surface, with an area associated with said contact surface being less than an area associated with said actuator surface.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
30 words
The system as recited in claim 11 wherein said actuator arm attached to said first body to reciprocate about an axis that lies in a plane spaced-apart from said template.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
62 words
The system as recited in claim 11 further including a compression ring encompassing an area and having a circumferential surface facing said area, said first and second pairs of bodies being coupled to said circumferential surface, with the bodies associated with said first pair being positioned opposite one another, with the bodies associated with said first pair being positioned opposite one another.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
175 words
A system to varying dimensions of a template having opposed surfaces with a side extending therebetween defining a perimeter surface, said system comprising: a compression device including a pair of spaced-apart contact members, to compress said perimeter surface between said pair of spaced-apart contact members, with one of said pair of spaced-apart contact members being formed from a material to comply with a shape of said perimeter surface, wherein said compression device further includes first and second bodies, each of which has a contact member, defining a pair contact members, disposed opposite to each other and spaced apart a distance, with said first body including an actuator arm, and a chamber disposed adjacent to said actuator arm, with one of said pair of contact members being coupled to said actuator arm to move in response to movement of said actuator arm and a bladder positioned within said chamber and having a variable volume, with said actuator arm coupled to said first body to move in response to variations of said volume to vary said distance.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
175 words
A system to varying dimensions of a template having opposed surfaces with a side extending therebetween defining a perimeter surface, said system comprising: a compression device including a pair of spaced-apart contact members, to compress said perimeter surface between said pair of spaced-apart contact members, with one of said pair of spaced-apart contact members being formed from a material to comply with a shape of said perimeter surface, wherein said compression device further includes first and second bodies, each of which has a contact member, defining a pair contact members, disposed opposite to each other and spaced apart a distance, with said first body including an actuator arm, and a chamber disposed adjacent to said actuator arm, with one of said pair of contact members being coupled to said actuator arm to move in response to movement of said actuator arm and a bladder positioned within said chamber and having a variable volume, with said actuator arm coupled to said first body to move in response to variations of said volume to vary said distance.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
54 words
The system as recited in claim 18 wherein said compression device further includes a generator to create a force to cause said perimeter surface to be compressed between said contact members and a force amplifier to increase an amount of said force per unit area on said one of said pair of contact members.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
51 words
The system as recited in claim 18 wherein said actuator arm includes an actuator surface which said bladder contacts and said contact member includes a contact surface adapted to contact said perimeter surface, with an area associated with said contact surface being less than an area associated with said actuator surface.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
30 words
The system as recited in claim 18 wherein said actuator arm attached to said first body to reciprocate about an axis that lies in a plane spaced-apart from said template.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
39 words
The system as recited in claim 18 further including a compression ring encompassing an area and having a circumferential surface facing said area, with said first and second bodies being coupled to said circumferential surface and opposite one another.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3783520A
Cited
DE2800476A1
Cited
US4256829A
Cited
US4326805A
Cited
US4492554A
Cited
JPH0224848B2
Cited
US4600309A
Cited
US4512848A
Cited
US4724222A
Cited
US4848911A
Cited
US4929083A
Cited
US4731155A
Cited
US5066351A
Cited
US5028366A
Cited
JPH01196749A
Cited
US5074667A
Cited
US5148037A
Cited
JPH0292603A
Cited
US5151242A
Cited
US5148036A
Cited
US5072126A
Cited
US5152949A
Cited
US5206983A
Cited
US5204739A
Cited
US5601641A
Cited
US5425848A
Cited
US5414514A
Cited
US6180239B1
Cited
US5900160A
Cited
US5776748A
Cited
US6776094B1
Cited
US5737064A
Cited
US5563684A
Cited
US5849209A
Cited
US5808742A
Cited
US6088103A
Cited
US6518168B1
Cited
US5849222A
Cited
US5633505A
Cited
US5820894A
Cited
US6309580B1
Cited
US6518189B1
Cited
US20040137734A1
Cited
US5772905A
Cited
US6809356B2
Cited
US6828244B2
Cited
US5877036A
Cited
US5669303A
Cited
US6355198B1
Cited
US20030179354A1
Cited
US5802914A
Cited
US6039897A
Cited
US6137562A
Cited
US6049373A
Cited
US6285439B1
Cited
US6295120B1
Cited
US5999245A
Cited
US5948470A
Cited
US6482741B1
Cited
WO1999005724A1
Cited
US5877861A
Cited
US6128085A
Cited
US6019166A
Cited
US6646662B1
Cited
US6150231A
Cited
US20030034329A1
Cited
US20020167117A1
Cited
US6713238B1
Cited
US20040118809A1
Cited
US20020042027A1
Cited
WO2000021689A1
Cited
US6636311B1
Cited
US6388755B1
Cited
US6334960B1
Cited
US6796784B1
Cited
WO2000062993A1
Cited
US6522411B1
Cited
US6517995B1
Cited
US6391217B2
Cited
WO2001047003A3
Cited
WO2001079933A1
Cited
WO2001090816A1
Cited
US20020018190A1
Cited
US20040086793A1
Cited
US6919152B2
Cited
US6916585B2
Cited
US20040053146A1
Cited
US20020177319A1
Cited
WO2002007199A1
Cited
US20040046288A1
Cited
US6482742B1
Cited
US20020132482A1
Cited
US20040036201A1
Cited
US20050037143A1
Cited
US20040131718A1
Cited
US20020150398A1
Cited
US6630410B2
Cited
US6696220B2
Cited
US20030092261A1
Cited
US6489068B1
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2009-12-18 | 2010-06-19 | 2010-12-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2013-12-18 | 2014-06-19 | 2014-12-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2017-12-18 | 2018-06-19 | 2018-12-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |