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Title: Method and system for gas flow mitigation of molecular contamination of optics

Patent ·
OSTI ID:1417885
; ; ; ; ; ; ;

A computer-implemented method for determining an optimized purge gas flow in a semi-conductor inspection metrology or lithography apparatus, comprising receiving a permissible contaminant mole fraction, a contaminant outgassing flow rate associated with a contaminant, a contaminant mass diffusivity, an outgassing surface length, a pressure, a temperature, a channel height, and a molecular weight of a purge gas, calculating a flow factor based on the permissible contaminant mole fraction, the contaminant outgassing flow rate, the channel height, and the outgassing surface length, comparing the flow factor to a predefined maximum flow factor value, calculating a minimum purge gas velocity and a purge gas mass flow rate from the flow factor, the contaminant mass diffusivity, the pressure, the temperature, and the molecular weight of the purge gas, and introducing the purge gas into the semi-conductor inspection metrology or lithography apparatus with the minimum purge gas velocity and the purge gas flow rate.

Research Organization:
Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
DOE Contract Number:
AC04-94AL85000
Assignee:
National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC (Albuquerque, NM)
Patent Number(s):
9,874,512
Application Number:
14/466,516
OSTI ID:
1417885
Resource Relation:
Patent File Date: 2014 Aug 22
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

References (14)

Discharge source with gas curtain for protecting optics from particles patent March 2004
Lithographic projection apparatus, device manufacturing method, device manufactured thereby and gas composition patent June 2004
Apparatus for controlling flow rate of gases used in semiconductor device by differential pressure patent February 2008
Systems and methods that mitigate contamination and modify surface characteristics during ion implantation processes through the introduction of gases patent March 2009
System managing gas flow between chambers of an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) photolithography apparatus patent October 2010
Method of cleaning optical surfaces of an irradiation unit in a two-step process patent December 2011
Self-cleaning optic for extreme ultraviolet lithography patent-application July 2002
Optical device, method of cleaning the same, projection aligner, and method of producing the same patent-application January 2004
Nozzle assembly, system and method for wet processing a semiconductor wafer patent-application April 2004
Vacuum UV based optical measuring method and system patent-application April 2005
Molecular airborne contaminants (MACs) film removal and wafer surface sustaining system and method patent-application May 2005
Inert-gas purge method, exposure apparatus, device fabrication method and devices patent-application June 2005
Extreme Ultraviolet Light Source With A Debris-Mitigated And Cooled Collector Optics patent-application February 2012
Method For Minimizing Contamination In Semiconductor Processing Chamber patent-application January 2013

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