Characterizing in-situ deformation of hard pellicle during fabrication and mounting with a sensor array

• US 20040194556A1
• Filed: 04/03/2003
• Published: 10/07/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Paul, Goutam, Shu, Emily Yixie
• Granted Patent: US 6,834,549 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/862.045
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/22 using resistance strain gauges
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 5/00 Apparatus for, or methods of, measuring force, work, mechanical power, or torque, specially adapted for specific purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 1/62 Pellicles, e.g. pellicle assemblies, e.g. having membrane on support frame; Preparation thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 1/64 characterised by the frames, e.g. structure or material, including bonding means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 1/82 Auxiliary processes, e.g. cleaning or inspecting
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70591 Testing optical components
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70983 Optical system protection, e.g. pellicles or removable covers for protection of mask

Abstract

A system comprising a reticle, a pellicle and a plurality of sensors attached to at least one of the reticle or pellicle. The sensors are configured to sense in-situ strains on the pellicle as the pellicle is mounted to the reticle or frame.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a plurality of sensors to measure surface strain of a pellicle as the pellicle is mounted to an object.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensors comprise strain gages.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensors comprise piezoelectric transducers.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensors comprise microelectromechanical systems (MEMS).

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensors are attached to the pellicle.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensors are attached proximate to an outer edge of the pellicle.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensors are used in orthogonal pairs to acquire two directional in-plane strains.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensors are attached to a reticle.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensors are attached to a frame mounted to the pellicle.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein each sensor is about two to four micrometers in thickness.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensors are adapted to measure in-situ distributed forces on the pellicle.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensors are adapted to monitor material deformation.

13. The system of claim 1, further comprising a processor coupled to the sensors and adapted to process data from the sensors.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the object is a reticle.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the object is a frame.

16. A system comprising:

a plurality of sensors to measure surface deflection of a pellicle as the pellicle is mounted to an object.

17. The system of claim 16, further comprising a processor coupled to the sensors and adapted to process deflection data from the sensors.

18. A system comprising:

a reticle;

a pellicle; and

a plurality of sensors attached to at least one of the reticle or pellicle.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the sensors are configured to sense in-situ forces on the pellicle as the pellicle is mounted to the reticle.

20. The system of claim 18, further comprising an array processor coupled to the sensors and configured to process measurements from the sensors.

21. The system of claim 20, further comprising a mounter control coupled to the array processor, the mounter control being configured to adjust a pellicle mounting process based on signals from the array processor.

22. The system of claim 18, wherein the pellicle is made of fused silica.

23. The system of claim 18, wherein the reticle is made of quartz.

24. The system of claim 18, further comprising a frame supporting the pellicle.

25. The system of claim 18, wherein the sensors are configured to measure deformation of the pellicle.

26. A method comprising:

mounting a pellicle to an object; and

sensing in-situ forces on the pellicle with a plurality of sensors during the mounting.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the object is a reticle.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein the object is a frame.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein mounting the pellicle to the object comprises applying an adhesive and applying a force to the pellicle and object.

30. The method of claim 26, further comprising processing the sensed in-situ forces to reduce deformation.

31. The method of claim 26, further comprising adjusting the mounting based on said sensed forces.

32. The method of claim 26, further comprising attaching a plurality of sensors to the pellicle before mounting.

33. The method of claim 26, further comprising attaching a plurality of sensors to the object before mounting.