Tim, I found more info on the Hitachi connection. Took me several hours of searching on the web. This is really an exciting area. Here is what I found:
Paper #: 2992-16
spie.org
Excimer ablation lithography (EAL) for TFT-LCD, pp.98-107
Author(s): Kenkichi Suzuki, Hitachi, Ltd., Chiba, Japan; Masaaki Matsuda, Hitachi, Ltd., Chiba, Japan; Toshio Ogino, Hitachi, Ltd., Chiba, Japan; Nobuaki Hayashi, Hitachi, Ltd., Tokyo, Japan; Takao Terabayashi, Hitachi, Ltd., Yokohama, Japan; Kyouko Amemiya, Hitachi, Ltd., Yokohama, Japan.
Abstract: The excimer ablation lithography (EAL) is a process of
direct patterning and removal of a resist polymer film
by photo-decomposition ablation. Comparing to the
conventional photolithography, EAL does not need the
development process and realizes a non-vacuum dry
removal of resist. The main equipment for the new
processes is a kind of aligner- exposure for the resist
patterning and the removal, which reduce the cost of
the clean room and the equipments considerably. This is
very attractive for TFT-LCD manufacturing, as it is
required to reduce the cost severely. The large area
patterning and high throughput are essential for
TFT-LCD applications. To prove the feasibility, we
fabricated an experimental equipment for ablation
patterning. It is equipped with the high precision 300
$MUL 300 mm X-Y stages and a N.A. 0.1 image lens which
enable to explore the problems inherent to TFT panel of
a real size. In addition, two substantial technologies
were developed. One is a dielectric multilayer mask on
8 inch quartz substrate with precision enough for TFT
patterns. The other is high ablation rate resist
polymer. With these technologies, A4 size TFT laser was
fabricated by step and scan method. The results show
that EAL is in a good prospect for a new TFT
manufacturing technology. !4
Here are a couple of papers published by the head of JMAR Technology, Harry Shields, the same person doing the paper on flat panel LCD with Hitachi:
High-average-power picosecond-pulse excimer laser system for x-ray
generation
Powers, Michael F.; Shields, Harry A(JMAR Technology Co.)
Journal: Proc. SPIE Vol. 2992, p. 45-50, Excimer Lasers, Optics, and Applications, Harry Shields; Peter E. Dyer; Eds.
Publication Date: 03/1997
Origin: SPIE
perl.spie.org
High-power excimer laser-generated plasma source for x-ray microlithography
Authors:Shields, Harry; Powers, Michael F.; Turcu, I. C. Edmund; Ross, Ian N.; Maldonado, Juan R.; Burkhalter, Philip G.; Newman, D. A.
Publication Date: 09/1995
perl.spie.org
Excimer laser technology for soft x-ray generation
Authors: Powers, Michael F.; Shields, Harry
Publication Date: 06/1994
perl.spie.org
X-ray preionization technology for high pressure gas-discharge lasers
Authors: Shields, Harry
Publication Date: 04/1989
perl.spie.org |
