RETICLE CLEANING METHOD FOR A LITHOGRAPHY TOOL AND A RETICLE CLEANING SYSTEM THEREOF

• US 20110180108A1
• Filed: 04/21/2010
• Published: 07/28/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Gudeng Precision Industrial Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Gudeng Precision Industrial Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: PAN, Yung-Chin, Hsu, Hai-Ching
• Application Number:
  US12/764,197
• Publication Number:
  US 20110180108A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 134/21
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 1/66 Containers specially adapted for masks, mask blanks or pellicles; Preparation thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 1/82 Auxiliary processes, e.g. cleaning or inspecting
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67028 for cleaning followed by drying, rinsing, stripping, blasting or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67359 specially adapted for containing masks, reticles or pellicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67389 characterised by atmosphere control

Abstract

A reticle cleaning method for a lithography tool, wherein an inspection apparatus deployed in the lithography tool is used to perform the cleaning procedure on reticle in the EUV reticle pod, the reticle cleaning method comprising: transporting the EUV reticle pod to the upper chamber of the inspection apparatus; forming vacuum in the upper chamber of the inspection apparatus; transporting the inner box of the EUV reticle pod to the lower chamber of the inspection apparatus; forming vacuum in the lower chamber of the inspection apparatus; performing the cleaning process multiple times for gas filling and vacuum exhausting, wherein an inert gas is provided for the process of gas filling to be performed multiple times on the inner box to allow the particles in the inner box to be brought away by the flow field formed by the inert gas in the inner box; and transporting the inner box to a reticle library.

Claims

1. A reticle cleaning method for lithography tool, wherein an inspection apparatus deployed in a lithography tool is used to perform cleaning procedure on reticle in an EUV reticle pod, said inspection apparatus being composed of an upper chamber and a lower chamber, said reticle cleaning method comprising:

transporting said EUV reticle pod to said upper chamber of said inspection apparatus, said EUV reticle pod comprising an outer box and an inner box and said reticle being stored in said inner box;

forming vacuum in said upper chamber;

transporting said inner box of said EUV reticle pod to said lower chamber of said inspection apparatus;

performing cleaning procedure on said reticle, first vacuum exhausting said lower chamber and then filling said EUV reticle pod with gas, wherein gas to be filled is an inert gas provided for filling said inner box to form a gas flow field in said inner box that brings away particles on said reticle;

transporting said inner box to a reticle library.

2. The reticle cleaning method according to claim 1, wherein the transportation of said inner box is performed by a robot.

3. The reticle cleaning method according to claim 1, wherein said inert gas is N2 or He.

4. The reticle cleaning method according to claim 1, wherein said cleaning procedure of said reticle further comprises repeatedly performing procedures of vacuum exhausting and gas filling multiple times.

5. A reticle cleaning method for lithography tool, wherein an inspection apparatus deployed in a lithography tool is used to perform cleaning procedure on reticle in an EUV reticle pod, said inspection apparatus being composed of an upper chamber and a lower chamber, said reticle cleaning method comprising:

transporting said EUV reticle pod to said upper chamber of said inspection apparatus, said EUV reticle pod comprising an outer box and an inner box and said reticle being stored in said inner box;

forming vacuum in said upper chamber;

transporting said inner box of said EUV reticle pod to said lower chamber of said inspection apparatus;

performing cleaning procedure on said reticle, first vacuum exhausting said lower chamber and then filling said EUV reticle pod with gas, wherein said gas filling procedure comprises;

providing an ionized inert gas for being filled in said inner box, and providing an inert gas for being filled in said inner box after the filling of said ionized inert gas is completed for said ionized inert gas to form a gas flow field in said inner box that removes electric charges on said reticle and simultaneously for said inert gas to form another gas flow field in said inner box that brings away particles on said reticle;

transporting said inner box to a reticle library.

6. The reticle cleaning method according to claim 5, wherein the transportation of said inner box is performed by a robot.

7. The reticle cleaning method according to claim 5, wherein said inert gas is N2 or He.

8. The reticle cleaning method according to claim 5, wherein said cleaning procedure of said reticle further comprises repeatedly performing procedures of vacuum exhausting and gas filling multiple times.

9. A reticle cleaning method for lithography tool, wherein a cleaning system disposed in a lithography tool is used to perform cleaning procedure on reticle in an EUV reticle pod, said cleaning system being composed of a first inspection apparatus and a second inspection apparatus, and said first inspection apparatus being composed of an upper chamber and a lower chamber, said reticle cleaning method comprising:

transporting said EUV reticle pod to said upper chamber of said first inspection apparatus, said EUV reticle pod comprising an outer box and an inner box and said reticle being stored in said inner box;

forming vacuum in said upper chamber;

transporting said inner box of said EUV reticle pod to said lower chamber of said first inspection apparatus;

performing cleaning procedure on said reticle, first vacuum exhausting said lower chamber and then filling said EUV reticle pod with gas, wherein gas to be filled is an inert gas provided for filling said inner box to form a gas flow field in said inner box that brings away particles on said reticle;

transporting said inner box to a reticle library;

transporting said reticle to said second inspection apparatus, wherein said reticle is first carried out of said reticle library and then transported to said second inspection apparatus;

performing gas filling procedure for at least once, wherein said gas filling procedure is performed on said reticle in said second inspection apparatus for at least once; and

transporting said reticle to an optical system for exposure process to be performed.

10. The reticle cleaning method according to claim 9, wherein the transportation of said inner box is performed by a robot.

11. The reticle cleaning method according to claim 9, wherein said inert gas is N2 or He.

12. The reticle cleaning method according to claim 9, wherein said cleaning procedure of said reticle further comprises repeatedly performing procedures of vacuum exhausting and gas filling multiple times.

13. The reticle cleaning method according to claim 9, wherein in said cleaning procedure of said reticle, an ionized inert gas is further provided for being filled in said inner box.

14. The reticle cleaning method according to claim 9, wherein the gas filled in said second inspection apparatus is N2 or dry air.

15. A reticle cleaning system disposed in lithography tool that performs cleaning procedure on reticle in an EUV reticle pod as commanded by a controller in said lithography tool, said EUV reticle pod comprising an outer box and an inner box and said reticle being stored in said inner box, wherein said reticle cleaning system comprises:

an investigation apparatus, said inspection apparatus being composed of an upper chamber and a lower chamber isolated from each other, a base being disposed in said lower chamber and a vacuum exhausting valve and at least a gas valve being disposed on said base; and

a robot, disposed in a vacuum transportation chamber, transportation of said inner box in said EUV reticle pod being performed by said robot.

16. A reticle cleaning system disposed in lithography tool that performs cleaning procedure on reticle in an EUV reticle pod as commanded by a controller in said lithography tool, said EUV reticle pod comprising an outer box and an inner box and said reticle being stored in said inner box, wherein said reticle cleaning system comprises:

a first investigation apparatus, said first inspection apparatus being composed of an upper chamber and a lower chamber isolated from each other, a base being disposed in said lower chamber and a vacuum exhausting valve and at least a gas valve being disposed on said base;

a robot, disposed in a vacuum transportation chamber, transportation of said inner box in said EUV reticle pod being performed by said robot; and

a second investigation apparatus, said second investigation apparatus being disposed with a nozzle.