DEVICES AND METHODS FOR DECREASING RESIDUAL CHUCKING FORCES
First Claim
1. A device for holding a substantially planar object, comprising:
- a chuck comprising a substantially planar object-mounting surface that receives and holds a corresponding portion of the object;
a holding actuator coupled to the object-mounting surface, the holding actuator being selectively actuated and non-actuated and, when actuated, holding the corresponding portion of the object to the object-mounting surface with a holding force; and
at least one vibration-inducing device situated relative to and sonically coupled at least to the object-mounting surface, the vibration-inducing device being selectively energized and non-energized and, when energized, producing a vibrational mode at least in the object-mounting surface sufficient to reduce the holding force.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Devices and methods are disclosed for holding a reticle or analogous object, particularly a planar object. An exemplary reticle-holding device includes a reticle chuck having a reticle-holding surface on which a reticle is placed to hold the reticle. The device includes at least one ultrasonic transducer (as an exemplary vibration-inducing device) sonically coupled to the reticle to excite, whenever the ultrasonic transducer is being energized, a vibrational mode in the reticle or reticle chuck, or both. The vibration mode is sufficient to reduce an adhesion force holding the reticle to the reticle-holding surface. Sonic coupling can be by direct contact with the transducer or across a gap.
381 Citations
43 Claims
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1. A device for holding a substantially planar object, comprising:
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a chuck comprising a substantially planar object-mounting surface that receives and holds a corresponding portion of the object; a holding actuator coupled to the object-mounting surface, the holding actuator being selectively actuated and non-actuated and, when actuated, holding the corresponding portion of the object to the object-mounting surface with a holding force; and at least one vibration-inducing device situated relative to and sonically coupled at least to the object-mounting surface, the vibration-inducing device being selectively energized and non-energized and, when energized, producing a vibrational mode at least in the object-mounting surface sufficient to reduce the holding force. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A device for holding a reticle, comprising:
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a reticle chuck having a reticle-holding surface on which a reticle is placed to hold the reticle; and at least one ultrasonic transducer sonically coupled to the reticle to excite, whenever the ultrasonic transducer is being energized, a vibrational mode in the reticle or reticle chuck, or both, the vibrational mode being sufficient to reduce an adhesion force holding the reticle to the reticle-holding surface. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A device for holding a reticle, comprising:
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a reticle stage; a reticle chuck mounted to the reticle stage, the reticle chuck having a mounting surface on which a reticle is placed to hold the reticle; and at least one ultrasonic actuator sonically coupled to the reticle chuck, the reticle, or both, the ultrasonic actuator being controllably energized to excite a vibrational mode in the reticle being held by the reticle chuck, the vibrational mode being sufficient to reduce an adhesion force holding the reticle to the mounting surface. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23)
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24. A method for releasing a reticle from a reticle chuck, comprising:
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with respect to a reticle being held by the reticle chuck, inducing an ultrasonic vibrational mode to the reticle chuck, to the reticle, or to both that is sufficient to reduce an adhesion force holding the reticle to the reticle chuck; and displacing the reticle relative to the reticle chuck. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A reticle stage, comprising:
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a base; a stage body movable in at least one direction relative to the base; a vacuum chuck coupled to the stage body, the vacuum chuck including a reticle-mounting surface that receives a corresponding region of a reticle; and at least one ultrasonic transducer sonically coupled to the vacuum chuck, to the reticle, or to both to excite, when energized, an ultrasonic vibrational mode in the vacuum chuck, in the reticle, or in both that is sufficient to reduce an adhesion force holding the reticle to the vacuum chuck. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35)
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36. A process system, comprising:
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an optical system; and a device for holding a substantially planar object relative to the optical system, the device comprising a chuck, a holding actuator, and a vibration-inducing device, the chuck comprising a substantially planar object-mounting surface that receives and holds a corresponding portion of the object, the holding actuator being coupled to the object-mounting surface and being selectively actuated and non-actuated such that, when actuated, the holding device holds the corresponding portion of the object to the object-mounting surface with a holding force, the at least one vibration-inducing device being situated relative to and sonically coupled at least to the object-mounting surface, the vibration-inducing device being selectively energized and non-energized and, when energized, producing a vibrational mode at least in the object-mounting surface sufficient to reduce the holding force. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38)
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39. A lithography system, comprising:
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an optical system; and a device for holding a reticle relative to the optical system, the device comprising a reticle chuck and at least one ultrasonic transducer, the reticle chuck having a reticle-holding surface on which a reticle is placed to hold the reticle, and the at least one ultrasonic transducer being sonically coupled to the reticle to excite, whenever the ultrasonic transducer is being energized, a vibrational mode in the reticle, in the reticle chuck, or in both, the vibrational mode being sufficient to reduce an adhesion force holding the reticle to the reticle-holding surface.
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40. A lithography system, comprising:
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an optical system; and a reticle-holding device situated relative to the optical system, the reticle-holding device comprising a reticle stage, a reticle chuck mounted to the reticle stage, and at least one ultrasonic transducer, the reticle chuck having a mounting surface on which a reticle is placed to hold the reticle, and the at least one ultrasonic actuator being sonically coupled to the reticle chuck, to the reticle, or to both, the ultrasonic actuator being controllably energized to excite a vibrational mode in the reticle being held by the reticle chuck, the vibrational mode being sufficient to reduce an adhesion force holding the reticle to the mounting surface.
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41. A lithography system, comprising:
an optical system and a reticle stage situated relative to the optical system, the reticle stage comprising a base, a stage body movable in at least one direction relative to the base, a vacuum chuck, and at least one ultrasonic transducer, the vacuum chuck being coupled to the stage body and including a reticle-mounting surface that receives a corresponding region of a reticle, and the at least one ultrasonic transducer being sonically coupled to the vacuum chuck, to the reticle, or to both to excite, when energized, an ultrasonic vibrational mode in the vacuum chuck, in the reticle, or in both that is sufficient to reduce an adhesion force holding the reticle to the vacuum chuck. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43)
Specification