Canon aligners have large full-field exposure

The mirror projection aligners from Canon Inc. is claimed has the world's largest full-field exposure size of 1,870-by-2,200mm.

Facilitating the efficient volume production of large-format LCDs of up to 48-inches in size for widescreen TV monitors, the MPA-8500 and the MPA-8500CF use the mirror-projection exposure method. They feature the 1:1 projection optical system, which is employed in lithography tools for the production of semiconductors as well as LCDs.

The devices incorporate a high-precision, large-diameter projection mirror approximately twice the diameter of previous models, and a large-size substrate stage that moves at around 1.5 times the speed realized by conventional systems. Its large-mirror projection system combines with a high-speed high-precision synchronized scanning system, which scans panels and masks separately and a bright illumination system to realize high throughput rates of up to 1,620 plates per hour for 17-inch panels, 810 plates per hour for 27-inch panels, 320 plates per hour for 37-inch panels and 270 plates per hour for the production of 47-inch wide panels.

The systems also offer a mask selection function, which automatically loads the correct mask - standard (850-by-1,200mm) or short (850-by-1,000mm) - for the required panel size, contributing to reduced mask costs.