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It might help you to look up https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mimeograph https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mimeograph and possibly other copying techniques. More appr
by mjevans 3y ago
It might help you to look up https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mimeograph https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mimeograph and possibly other copying techniques. More approachable examples include CD / DVD https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compact_disc_manufacturing https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compact_disc_manufacturing or earlier vinyl record production methods.
For the case of chip lithography they'd probably make source masks, copy the first generation a time or two, and use those secondary source masks to produce consumable 'stamps' for production.
Hopefully the stamps maintain sufficient quality across at least a couple batches (50-100+?) of wafers.
- jacquesm 3y agoI highly doubt it will be that much initially. Silicon is pretty hard.
- phire 3y agoThe stamp doesn't touch the silicon or any other solid material, it hovers just above. It only touches a liquid photo-resist that is spread on the wafer. The stamp is transparent, which allows UV light to shine though and exposes the photo-resist, which solidifies into a mask matching the stamp.
- jacquesm 3y agoAh ok! I thought the two were actually in contact. Ok, in that case they might get some life out of them.