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

Abstract

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.

Inventors:

Delgado, Gildardo; Johnson, Terry; Arienti, Marco; Harb, Salam; Klebanoff, Lennie; Garcia, Rudy; Tahmassebpur, Mohammed; Scott, Sarah

Issue Date:

2018-01-23

Research Org.:

Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:

USDOE

OSTI Identifier:

1417885

Patent Number(s):

9874512

Application Number:

14/466,516

Assignee:

National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC (Albuquerque, NM)

Patent Classifications (CPCs):

G - PHYSICS G01 - MEASURING G01N - INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES

G - PHYSICS G03 - PHOTOGRAPHY G03F - PHOTOMECHANICAL PRODUCTION OF TEXTURED OR PATTERNED SURFACES, e.g. FOR PRINTING, FOR PROCESSING OF SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES

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G - PHYSICS G01 - MEASURING G01N - INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES

G01N2021/151 - {Gas blown}

G - PHYSICS G03 - PHOTOGRAPHY G03F - PHOTOMECHANICAL PRODUCTION OF TEXTURED OR PATTERNED SURFACES, e.g. FOR PRINTING, FOR PROCESSING OF SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES

G03F7/705 - {Modelling and simulation from physical phenomena up to complete wafer process or whole workflow in wafer fabrication}
G03F7/70933 - {Purge}

G - PHYSICS G01 - MEASURING G01N - INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES

G01N21/15 - Preventing contamination of the components of the optical system or obstruction of the light path
G01N21/9501 - {Semiconductor wafers

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DOE Contract Number:  

AC04-94AL85000

Resource Type:

Patent

Resource Relation:

Patent File Date: 2014 Aug 22

Country of Publication:

United States

Language:

English

Subject:

42 ENGINEERING