Removable pellicle for lithographic mask protection and handling
Abstract
A removable pellicle for a lithographic mask that provides active and robust particle protection, and which utilizes a traditional pellicle and two deployments of thermophoretic protection to keep particles off the mask. The removable pellicle is removably attached via a retaining structure to the mask substrate by magnetic attraction with either contacting or non-contacting magnetic capture mechanisms. The pellicle retaining structural is composed of an anchor piece secured to the mask substrate and a frame member containing a pellicle. The anchor piece and the frame member are in removable contact or non-contact by the magnetic capture or latching mechanism. In one embodiment, the frame member is retained in a floating (non-contact) relation to the anchor piece by magnetic levitation. The frame member and the anchor piece are provided with thermophoretic fins which are interdigitated to prevent particles from reaching the patterned area of the mask. Also, the anchor piece and mask are maintained at a higher temperature than the frame member and pellicle which also prevents particles from reaching the patterned mask area by thermophoresis. The pellicle can be positioned over the mask to provide particle protection during mask handling, inspection, and pumpdown, but which can be removed manually ormore »
- Inventors:
-
- Dublin, CA
- Albuquerque, NM
- Oakland, CA
- Sunnyvale, CA
- Livermore, CA
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), Albuquerque, NM, and Livermore, CA (United States)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 874934
- Patent Number(s):
- 6492067
- Assignee:
- EUV LLC (Santa Clara, CA)
- Patent Classifications (CPCs):
-
G - PHYSICS G03 - PHOTOGRAPHY G03F - PHOTOMECHANICAL PRODUCTION OF TEXTURED OR PATTERNED SURFACES, e.g. FOR PRINTING, FOR PROCESSING OF SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-94AL85000
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- removable; pellicle; lithographic; mask; protection; handling; provides; active; robust; particle; utilizes; traditional; deployments; thermophoretic; particles; removably; attached; via; retaining; structure; substrate; magnetic; attraction; contacting; non-contacting; capture; mechanisms; structural; composed; anchor; piece; secured; frame; containing; contact; non-contact; latching; mechanism; embodiment; retained; floating; relation; levitation; provided; fins; interdigitated; prevent; reaching; patterned; maintained; temperature; prevents; thermophoresis; positioned; provide; inspection; pumpdown; removed; manually; robotically; lithographic mask; /430/428/
Citation Formats
Klebanoff, Leonard E, Rader, Daniel J, Hector, Scott D, Nguyen, Khanh B, and Stulen, Richard H. Removable pellicle for lithographic mask protection and handling. United States: N. p., 2002.
Web.
Klebanoff, Leonard E, Rader, Daniel J, Hector, Scott D, Nguyen, Khanh B, & Stulen, Richard H. Removable pellicle for lithographic mask protection and handling. United States.
Klebanoff, Leonard E, Rader, Daniel J, Hector, Scott D, Nguyen, Khanh B, and Stulen, Richard H. Tue .
"Removable pellicle for lithographic mask protection and handling". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/874934.
@article{osti_874934,
title = {Removable pellicle for lithographic mask protection and handling},
author = {Klebanoff, Leonard E and Rader, Daniel J and Hector, Scott D and Nguyen, Khanh B and Stulen, Richard H},
abstractNote = {A removable pellicle for a lithographic mask that provides active and robust particle protection, and which utilizes a traditional pellicle and two deployments of thermophoretic protection to keep particles off the mask. The removable pellicle is removably attached via a retaining structure to the mask substrate by magnetic attraction with either contacting or non-contacting magnetic capture mechanisms. The pellicle retaining structural is composed of an anchor piece secured to the mask substrate and a frame member containing a pellicle. The anchor piece and the frame member are in removable contact or non-contact by the magnetic capture or latching mechanism. In one embodiment, the frame member is retained in a floating (non-contact) relation to the anchor piece by magnetic levitation. The frame member and the anchor piece are provided with thermophoretic fins which are interdigitated to prevent particles from reaching the patterned area of the mask. Also, the anchor piece and mask are maintained at a higher temperature than the frame member and pellicle which also prevents particles from reaching the patterned mask area by thermophoresis. The pellicle can be positioned over the mask to provide particle protection during mask handling, inspection, and pumpdown, but which can be removed manually or robotically for lithographic use of the mask.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2002},
month = {Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2002}
}