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  Method of operating emitter for electron-beam projection lithography systemRelated Patent Categories: Radiant Energy, Irradiation Of Objects Or Material, Irradiation Of Semiconductor DevicesThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070278425. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 0 [0001] This is a divisional application based on pending application Ser. No. 10/962,467, filed Oct. 13, 2004, the entire contents of which is hereby incorporated by reference. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. Field of the Invention [0003] The present invention relates to an electron-beam projection lithography system. More particularly, the present invention relates to an emitter for an electron-beam projection lithography system, the emitter being capable of emitting electrons only from a selected portion thereof, a manufacturing method thereof, and a method of operating the emitter. [0004] 2. Description of the Related Art [0005] In semiconductor manufacturing processes, a variety of lithography systems are used for processing a surface of a substrate into a desired pattern. Optical lithography systems using visible light have been widely employed, but these systems are limited in how narrow a line width they can realize. Accordingly, a next generation lithography (NGL) system, which allows a more finely integrated semiconductor integration circuit with a line width of on the order of nanometers to be realized, has been recently proposed. The NGL system can be divided into an electron-beam projection lithography (EPL) system, an ion projection lithography (IPL) system, an extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUVL) system, a proximity X-ray lithography (PXL) system, as well as others. [0006] The EPL system uses an electron-beam to pattern an electron-resist coated on a subject substrate. An electron beam emitter used in the EPL system can be easily realized, and the construction of the emitter is relatively simple. [0007] In FIG. 1, a cross-sectional view of a conventional electron-beam projection lithography emitter is illustrated. Referring to FIG. 1, an electron-beam projection lithography emitter 10 has a structure where an insulating layer 12 and a gate electrode layer 13 are sequentially stacked on a silicon substrate 11. The insulating layer 12 is formed of a silicon oxide film, and the gate electrode layer 13 is formed of a conductive metal such as aluminum (Al). [0008] The insulating layer 12 of the emitter 10 is patterned into a predetermined pattern including a thin portion and a thick portion. When a voltage is applied between the silicon substrate 11 and the gate electrode layer 13, electrons are emitted through the thin portion of the insulating layer 12 from the silicon substrate 11. The emitted electrons collide with an electron-resist coated on an object substrate to be processed (not shown), facing a top surface of the emitter 10. As a result, the electron-resist is patterned in the same pattern as that of the insulating layer 12. [0009] As described above, since the electrons are emitted through an entire area, the pattern image formed on the emitter 10 is projected onto the object substrate to be processed. Then, after the first patterning throughout the entire area, there may be a need to repair or further pattern a portion of the patterned electron-resist. However, the conventional emitter 10 does not permit such partial electron emission. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0010] The present invention is therefore directed to an electron-beam emitter, method of making the electron-beam emitter, and method of using the electron-beam emitter, which substantially overcome one or more of the problems due to the limitations and disadvantages of the related art. [0011] It is a feature of an embodiment of the present invention to provide an emitter for an electron-beam projection lithography system capable of partial electron emission. [0012] It is another feature of an embodiment of the present invention to provide an emitter capable of partial electron emission for a partial correction or repair after an allover first patterning. [0013] It is still another feature of an embodiment of the present invention to provide a method of operating an emitter for an electron-beam projection lithography system using partial electron emission. [0014] It is yet another feature of an embodiment of the present invention to provide a method of manufacturing the emitter capable of partial electron emission for an electron-beam projection lithography system. [0015] At least one of the above and other features and advantages of the present invention may be realized by providing an emitter for an electron-beam projection lithography system, which includes a photoconductor substrate, an insulating layer formed on a front surface of the photoconductor substrate, a gate electrode layer formed on the insulating layer, and a base electrode layer formed on a rear surface of the photoconductor substrate and formed of a transparent conductive material. [0016] The gate electrode layer may include relatively thick and thin portions. The photoconductor substrate may include at least one of a gallium arsenide (GaAs) substrate or an amorphous silicon substrate. The insulating layer may be formed of an anodized metal, e.g., anodized alumina. The gate electrode layer may be formed of a metal selected from the group of gold (Au), palladium (Pd), titanium (Ti) and aluminum (Al). The base electrode layer may be formed of indium tin oxide. [0017] At least one of the above and other features and advantages of the present invention may be realized by providing a method of operating the above emitter including applying a voltage between the base electrode and the gate electrode layer, and projecting light onto a portion of the photoconductor substrate from the rear side of the emitter to convert a part of the photoconductor substrate into a conductor such that electrons are emitted only from the portion where the light is projected. [0018] The light may be from an ultraviolet light source or a laser. The light may be projected onto an entire surface of the substrate, e.g., before projecting light onto the portion of the substrate. The portion may include more than one non-adjacent portion. At least one of an intensity and a wavelength of the light may be varied. [0019] At least one of the above and other features and advantages of the present invention may be realized by providing a method of manufacturing an emitter for an electron-beam projection lithography system, the method including preparing a photoconductor substrate, forming a base electrode layer on a rear surface of the photoconductor substrate, the base electrode layer being transparent, forming an insulating layer on a front surface of the photoconductor substrate, and forming a gate electrode layer by depositing a conductive material on the insulating layer. [0020] The forming the base electrode layer may be performed after the forming the gate electrode layer. The photoconductor substrate may be at least one of a gallium arsenide (GaAs) substrate or an amorphous silicon substrate. The base electrode layer may be formed of indium tin oxide. [0021] The gate electrode layer may be formed of a metal selected from the group of gold (Au), palladium (Pd), titanium (Ti) and aluminum (Al). Continue reading... Full patent description for Method of operating emitter for electron-beam projection lithography system Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Method of operating emitter for electron-beam projection lithography system patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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