3. Accommodating larger plates with the Multi-Lens Projection System

The LCD stepper/scanner produces an LCD by etching circuits that will become switches onto a glass plate. As these glass plates become larger each year, allowing a larger number of screens to be cut from them, it becomes necessary to increase productivity so that circuits over a wider area can be etched with a single projection of light. Larger lenses and larger LCD steppers/scanners are required to achieve this productivity.
Making larger lenses is, however, technically difficult, and this is compounded by difficulties that arise when the larger equipment requires more installation space and maintenance. Thus, Nikon developed the Multi-Lens Projection System based on its unique technologies as the solution to this problem. To efficiently project light onto a large glass plate, Nikon arranges multiple lenses in two rows that cover a large area for projecting light. The FX-101S, the latest Nikon LCD stepper/scanner, has as many as 14 lenses arranged in rows that are precision controlled to project light like one giant lens.