What is a micro lens array in lithography equipment?

Micro Lens Array (MLA) components are one of the core optical elements in lithography equipment illumination systems,

composed of hundreds, thousands, or even millions of micrometer-scale micro lenses arranged according to strict geometric patterns.

In DUV/EUV lithography systems, micro lens arrays are used to:

•  Divide uneven incident light into numerous sub-beams
• Reconstruct the intensity and angular distribution
• Form a highly uniform, controllable illumination field
• Their performance directly impacts:
• Lithography resolution
• Depth of focus (DOF)
• Line edge roughness (LER)
• Critical dimension uniformity (CD Uniformity)

Why Is It Challenging to Domesticate Microarray Lenses for Lithography Systems?

The manufacturing difficulty of microarray lenses for lithography systems lies not in producing the micro-lenses themselves, but in:
Ensuring thousands of micro-lenses across the entire array exhibit highly consistent morphology, positioning, and optical behavior while maintaining long-term stability.

Key technical challenges include:

• Aspheric Profile and Ultra-Low Surface Roughness   Custom aspheric structures: Extremely stringent requirements for profile error and surface roughness
• Array Positioning Accuracy   Minimal positional error tolerance for microlens arrays: Directly impacts illumination uniformity and angular distribution
• Material Long-Term Stability   Prolonged deep ultraviolet exposure: Risk of refractive index drift and laser damage
• High-Precision Alignment of Multi-Lens Arrays  Front-array + rear-array (Fly’s Eye) configurations: Extreme demands on assembly precision and stability
• Limitations in Inspection and Metrology Capabilities
• Conventional interferometers constrained by field-of-view and dynamic range: Inspection capabilities directly determine manufacturing feasibility

Practical Challenges in Replacing Imported Microarray Lenses

Currently, a large number of lithography machines rely on microarray lens assemblies from European and American original manufacturers. During maintenance and replacement phases, they commonly face:

• High unit cost (approximately $40,000–50,000 USD)
• Extended delivery lead times
• Unpredictable maintenance expenses

Coligh Lithography Machine Microarray Lens Domestic Replacement Solution

Coligh has successfully developed and delivered microarray lens assemblies for lithography machines, enabling in-situ replacement of imported lithography machine illumination systems.

Product Specifications:

• Form Factor: Circular
• Substrate Material: High-purity fused silica
• Array Structure:
• Square array
• Hexagonal honeycomb array
• Dimensions:
• 4 inches
• 6 inches

Core Competitive Advantages of Coligh

• Ultra-clean optical manufacturing environment
• Micro/nano-lithography and precision etching capabilities
• Large-field-of-view interferometry
• Localized AFM topography inspection
• Measured illumination uniformity and angular distribution
• System-level understanding of lithography tool illumination patterns and mask illumination matching
• Long-term process expertise ensuring stable supply

Why Choose Chinese-Made Microarray Lenses?

• Significantly lower cost than imported products
• Short delivery cycles (weeks)
• Support for small batches and customization
• Ideal for repair replacements and system upgrades

Contact Us

For technical specifications, replacement solutions, or sample information regarding lithography microarray lenses (MLA),
please contact the Coligh sales team.