Reduced particle contamination manufacturing and packaging for reticles

• US 20010005944A1
• Filed: 12/13/2000
• Published: 07/05/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Kuse, Ronald J., Dao, Giang T.
• Granted Patent: US 6,732,746 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 34/412
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 1/62 Pellicles, e.g. pellicle assemblies, e.g. having membrane on support frame; Preparation thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 1/66 Containers specially adapted for masks, mask blanks or pellicles; Preparation thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70741 Handling masks outside exposure position, e.g. reticle libraries
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70916 Pollution mitigation, i.e. mitigating effect of contamination or debris, e.g. foil traps
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70925 Cleaning, i.e. actively freeing apparatus from pollutants, e.g. using plasma cleaning
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70983 Optical system protection, e.g. pellicles or removable covers for protection of mask
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67359 specially adapted for containing masks, reticles or pellicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67366 characterised by materials, roughness, coatings or the like materials relating to an injection moulding process B29C45/00; chemical composition of materials C08L51/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67393 characterised by the presence of atmosphere modifying elements inside or attached to the closed carrierl

Abstract

A method of transporting a reticle is disclosed. The reticle is placed in a reticle carrier that has an ionizer. Moreover, the reticle may be attached with a pellicle. The pellicle consists of a pellicle frame and a pellicle film stretched over the pellicle frame. The pellicle frame has included within an absorbent material.

Claims

1. A method of transporting a reticle comprising:

placing said reticle in a reticle carrier having an ionizer.

2. The method of

claim 1

wherein said reticle has a chromium side and said chromium side faces downwardly in said reticle carrier.

3. An apparatus comprising:

a carrier having a chamber; and

an ionizer for generating ions for introduction into said chamber;

4. The apparatus of

claim 3

further including a first electrically charged collector placed within said chamber.

5. The apparatus of

claim 4

further including a second electrically charged collector placed within said chamber, said second electrically charged collector having an opposite electrical charge from said first electrically charged collector.

6. A method comprising:

providing a pellicle and a reticle in a process chamber;

exposing said pellicle and said reticle to a treatment designed for desorption of adsorbed or absorbed species;

introducing an optically inert gas into said process chamber; and

mounting said pellicle onto said reticle.

7. The method of

claim 6

wherein said treatment is exposure to ultraviolet radiation.

8. The method of

claim 6

wherein said treatment is exposure to plasma.

9. The method of

claim 6

wherein said treatment is exposure to heat.

10. The method of

claim 6

wherein said treatment is exposure to ozone.

11. The method of

claim 6

wherein during said treatment, said process chamber is in a vacuum state.

12. The method of

claim 6

wherein during said treatment, said process chamber is filled with said optically inert gas.

13. The method of

claim 12

wherein said optically inert gas is nitrogen.

14. The method of

claim 6

further including the step of placing said pellicle attached to said reticle in a SMIF pod.

15. A pellicle comprising:

a pellicle frame, said pellicle frame filled with an absorbent material; and

a pellicle film stretched over said pellicle frame.

16. The pellicle of

claim 15

wherein said absorbent material is a polar or hydrogen bonding absorbent.

17. The pellicle of

claim 15

further including a manifold formed within said pellicle frame.

18. The pellicle of

claim 17

further including a valve device and a particle filter coupled to said manifold, said valve device for selectively introducing a gas into said manifold.

19. A method comprising:

providing a pelliclized reticle into an evacuated process chamber;

exposing said pelliclized reticle to a treatment designed for desorption of adsorbed or absorbed species; and

introducing an optically inert gas into said process chamber.

20. The method of

claim 19

further including the step of placing said pelliclized reticle in a SMIF pod.

21. The method of

claim 19

wherein said optically inert gas is nitrogen.

22. The method of

claim 19

wherein said treatment is either exposure to ozone, heat, ultraviolet radiation, or plasma.

23. A method comprising:

providing a pelliclized reticle into a process chamber; and

flowing an optically inert gas through said process chamber while exposing said pelliclized reticle to a treatment designed for desorption of adsorbed or absorbed species.

24. The method of

claim 23

further including the step of placing said pelliclized reticle in a SMIF pod.

25. The method of

claim 23

wherein said treatment is either exposure to ozone, heat, ultraviolet radiation, or plasma.

27. The method of

claim 25

further including the step of placing said pelliclized reticle in a SMIF pod.

28. The method of

claim 25

wherein said treatment is either exposure to ozone, heat, ultraviolet radiation, or plasma.

26. A method comprising:

providing a pelliclized reticle into a process chamber, said pelliclized reticle including a pellicle comprising;

a pellicle frame, said pellicle frame having a manifold formed within said pellicle frame;

a pellicle film stretched over said pellicle frame; and

a valve device and a particle filter coupled to said manifold, said valve device for selectively introducing an optically inert gas into said manifold;

exposing said pelliclized reticle to a treatment designed for desorption of adsorbed or absorbed species; and

introducing said optically inert gas into said manifold during said treatment.