PELLICLE SUPPORT FRAME AND PRODUCTION METHOD

• US 20170343894A1
• Filed: 09/09/2015
• Published: 11/30/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nippon Light Metal Company Limited (Nippon Light Metal Holdings Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Nippon Light Metal Company Limited (Nippon Light Metal Holdings Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: ISHITO, Nobuyuki
• Granted Patent: US 10,642,151 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 20/00 Non-electric welding by applying impact or other pressure, with or without the application of heat, e.g. cladding or plating
• CPC Class Codes: C25D 11/04 of aluminium or alloys based thereon
• 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

Abstract

A pellicle support frame is provided with a frame body made of aluminum alloy and has a pellicle film bonded to the upper surface of the frame body and a transparent substrate bonded to the lower surface of the frame body. Within the frame body, a plurality of hollow portions are provided to be lined up in the circumferential direction of the frame body, and a through-hole which leads from the outer peripheral surface to the inner peripheral surface of the frame body is formed between two adjacent hollow portions. This configuration makes it possible to prevent strain from arising in the support frame and the transparent substrate after the support frame is bonded to the transparent substrate.

Claims

1. A pellicle support frame comprising:

a frame body made of aluminum alloy;

a pellicle film bonded to an upper surface of the frame body;

a transparent substrate bonded to a lower surface of the frame body;

a plurality of hollow portions that are provided within the frame body to be lined up in a circumferential direction of the frame body; and

a through-hole that is formed between two adjacent hollow portions of the plurality of hollow portions, the through-hole leading from an outer peripheral surface to an inner peripheral surface of the frame body.

2. The pellicle support frame according to claim 1, wherein

the frame body is formed of two frame members bonded together, and further comprising

a plurality of grooves that are provided to be lined up in the circumferential direction on at least one of bonding surfaces of both of the frame members, wherein

the grooves form the hollow portions.

3. A production method for a pellicle support frame composed of two frame members made of aluminum alloy, comprising:

a step of forming a groove on at least one of bonding surfaces of both of the frame members; and

a step of bonding the bonding surfaces of both of the frame members to each other to allow the groove to form a hollow portion.

4. The production method for the pellicle support frame, according to claim 3, wherein both of the frame members are subjected to solid-phase bonding.