SBIR PHASE I: Low Cost and Ultra-High Precision Position Sensing System for Microelectronics Manufacture

这个小型企业创新研究(SBIR)第一阶段项目将研究一种用于下一代微电子生产的超高精度位置传感系统。在开发适合于商业制造的产品原型之前，必须解决与可靠性、高速能力和可制造性相关的设计问题。新系统使用扫描探针显微镜(SPM)技术和一些参考标尺，如合成光栅或原子层晶体。这种独特的组合加上同步信号检测，是超高精度位置检测领域的一项创新，这是微电子制造中高精度定位系统(XY工作台控制)的基础。在高度和横向上都证明了亚纳米精度(重复性)。第一阶段将研究系统设计，充分利用集成的微机械传感器探头和执行器，建立动力学模型。预计在商业微电子制造中有三个应用领域：1)用于X射线光刻的步进机、电子/离子束光刻系统、掩模对准器和检查系统；2)高精度X射线光学和其他高精密加工系统的检查和制造系统；以及3)用于计算机硬盘和光盘大容量存储器的伺服写入器控制系统。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will investigate an ultra high-precision position sensing system, intended for next generation microelectronics production. Before a product prototype of this system can be developed, which is suitable for rigorous use in commercial manufacturing, design issues related to reliability, high speed capability, and manufacturability must be solved. The new system uses scanning probe microscope (SPM) technology and some reference scale such as a synthetic grating or an atomic layer of crystal. This unique combination, together with synchronized signal detection, is an innovation in the area of ultra high precision position sensing, which is basic to high precision positioning systems (XY stage control) in microelectronics manufacturing. Subnanometer precision (repeatability) has been demonstrated both in the height and lateral direction. Phase I will study the system design which fully utilizes the integrated micromachined sensor probe and actuator, establishing a dynamic model. Three areas of application are anticipated in commercial microelectronics manufacturing: 1)steppers, electron/ion beam lithography systems, mask aligners, and inspection systems for X-ray lithography; 2)inspection and manufacturing systems of high-precision X-ray optics and other high precision machining systems; and 3)servo writer control systems for computer hard disk and optical disk mass memory.