Lithographic projection assembly, substrate handling apparatus and substrate handling method
First Claim
1. A lithographic projection assembly, comprising:
- a radiation system configured to provide a beam of radiation;
a support structure configured to support a patterning device that imparts a desired pattern onto said beam of radiation;
a substrate holder configured to hold a substrate;
at least two load locks for transferring said substrate between a first environment and a second environment, said second environment configured to have a lower pressure than said first environment;
a lithographic projection apparatus comprising a projection chamber in which said substrate is processed by projecting said patterned beam onto a target portion of the substrate; and
a substrate handler comprising a handler chamber in which said second environment prevails, said handler chamber and said projection chamber communicate via a load position for inputting said substrate from said handler chamber into said projection chamber and an unload position for removing said substrate from said projection chamber into said handler chamber, said handler chamber comprising;
a pre-processing system configured to perform pre-processing tasks on said substrate prior to being processed in said projection chamber; and
a transport system configured to transfer said substrate from said load locks to said pre-processing system, transfer said substrate from said pre- processing system to said load position, and transfer said substrate from said unload position to said load locks.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention relates to a lithographic projection assembly, comprising at least two load locks for transferring substrates between a first environment and a second environment, the second environment having a lower pressure than the first environment; a substrate handler comprising a handler chamber in which the second environment prevails; a lithographic projection apparatus comprising a projection chamber.
The handler chamber and the projection chamber communicate via, on the one hand, a load position for entering a substrate from the handler chamber into the projection chamber and, on the other hand, an unload position for removing a substrate from the projection chamber into the handler chamber. The handler chamber is being provided with: pre-processing means for pre-processing of the substrates; and transport means adapted for transferring substrates from the load locks to the pre-processing means and from the pre-processing means to the load position as well as for transferring substrates from the unload position to the load locks.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. A lithographic projection assembly, comprising:
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a radiation system configured to provide a beam of radiation;
a support structure configured to support a patterning device that imparts a desired pattern onto said beam of radiation;
a substrate holder configured to hold a substrate;
at least two load locks for transferring said substrate between a first environment and a second environment, said second environment configured to have a lower pressure than said first environment;
a lithographic projection apparatus comprising a projection chamber in which said substrate is processed by projecting said patterned beam onto a target portion of the substrate; and
a substrate handler comprising a handler chamber in which said second environment prevails, said handler chamber and said projection chamber communicate via a load position for inputting said substrate from said handler chamber into said projection chamber and an unload position for removing said substrate from said projection chamber into said handler chamber, said handler chamber comprising;
a pre-processing system configured to perform pre-processing tasks on said substrate prior to being processed in said projection chamber; and
a transport system configured to transfer said substrate from said load locks to said pre-processing system, transfer said substrate from said pre- processing system to said load position, and transfer said substrate from said unload position to said load locks. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A lithographic substrate handler assembly, comprising:
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at least two load locks for transferring a substrate between a first environment and a second environment, said second environment configured to have a lower pressure than said first environment; and
a substrate handler comprising a handler chamber in which said second environment prevails, said handler chamber and a next station communicate via a load position for inputting said substrate from said handler chamber into said next station and an unload position for removing said substrate from said next station into said handler chamber, said handler chamber comprising;
a pre-processing system configured to perform pre-processing tasks to treat said substrate prior to being processed; and
a transport system configured to transfer said substrate from said load locks to said pre-processing system, transfer said substrate from said pre- processing system to said load position, and transfer said substrate from said unload position to said load locks. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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19. A method of handling a lithographic substrate, comprising:
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a) transferring a substrate from a first environment into one of at least two load locks through an external door of said load lock;
b) closing said external door and evacuating said one load lock;
c) opening an internal door of said load lock;
d) picking said substrate from said load lock with a first manipulator and transferring said substrate with said first manipulator to a pre-processing system;
e) treating said substrate under said pre-processing system;
f) picking said substrate from said pre-processing system with said first manipulator or a second manipulator;
g) transferring said substrate picked up from said pre-processing system with said first or second manipulator to a load position;
h) treating said substrate and delivering said substrate to an unload position;
i) picking said substrate from said unload position with said first manipulator and transferring said substrate through the internal door into said load lock or an internal door of another load lock;
j) closing said respective internal door and venting said respective load lock; and
k) opening said respective load lock and removing said substrate from said respective load lock. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A method of operating a lithographic projection assembly including a substrate handler with one or more load locks, said method comprising:
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a pump down cycle in which said at least two load locks have pressure in a respective load lock reduced;
a vent cycle in which said pressure in a respective load lock is increased;
a startup mode wherein at least one of said at least two load locks performs said vent cycle without a substrate being present in the respective load lock, while the respective load lock performs the pump down cycle with a substrate being present in the respective load lock;
a normal operation mode wherein at least one of said at least two load locks performs said pump down cycle as well as said vent cycle with a substrate being present in the respective load lock;
a run empty mode wherein at least one of said at least two load locks performs said pump down cycle without a substrate being present in the respective load lock, while the respective load lock performs said vent cycle with a substrate being present in the respective load lock. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27)
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28. A lithographic projection assembly, comprising:
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one or more load locks for transferring substrates between a first environment and a second environment, said second environment having a lower pressure than said first environment, wherein at least one of said load locks is provided with a first and a second substrate support position;
a substrate handler comprising a handler chamber in which said second environment prevails;
a lithographic projection apparatus comprising a projection chamber to process said substrates;
wherein said handler chamber and said projection chamber communicate through a load position for inputting said substrates from said handler chamber into said projection chamber and an unload position for removing said substrates from said projection chamber into said handler chamber; and
wherein said handler chamber is provided with pre-processing system for treating said substrates prior to being processed in said projection chamber and a transport system configured to transfer said substrates from said load locks to said pre- processing system, from said pre-processing system to said load position, and to transfer said substrates from said unload position to said load locks.
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Specification