Substrate holding device, semiconductor manufacturing apparatus and device manufacturing method

• US 6,862,080 B2
• Filed: 03/06/2001
• Issued: 03/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Matsui, Shin
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Henry Hung
• Application Number:
  US09/799,060
• Publication Number:
  US 20010033369A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,456 Days
• Field of Search: 355/30, 355/53, 355 72- 76, 310/10, 310/12, 378/34
• US Class Current: 355/72
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/707 Chucks, e.g. chucking or un-chucking operations or structural details
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70708 being electrostatic; Electrostatically deformable vacuum chucks
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/7075 Handling workpieces outside exposure position, e.g. SMIF box
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70925 Cleaning, i.e. actively freeing apparatus from pollutants, e.g. using plasma cleaning
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67265 of substrates stored in a container, a magazine, a carrier, a boat or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67294 using identification means, e.g. labels on substrates or labels on containers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/6831 using electrostatic chucks
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/6838 with gripping and holding devices using a vacuum; Bernoulli devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/68714 the wafers being placed on a susceptor, stage or support
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/6875 characterised by a plurality of individual support members, e.g. support posts or protrusions
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/68785 characterised by the mechanical construction of the susceptor, stage or support
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2223/54493 Peripheral marks on wafers, e.g. orientation flats, notches, lot number

Abstract

A substrate holding device includes a base member capable of removably holding a plate having a contact member to come into contact with a substrate. The base member flatten-corrects the plate by suctioning the plate. The substrate holding device further includes a first attracting mechanism that attracts the substrate onto the plate in a status such that the plate is held on the base member, and a second attraction mechanism that attracts the plate onto the base member.

Claims

1. An apparatus for holding a substrate, said apparatus comprising:

a base member, which includes a plurality of projections, on which a plate is to be held, the substrate to be held on a plurality of projections of the plate;

a first attraction mechanism, which attracts the substrate toward the plate; and

a second attraction mechanism, which attracts the plate toward said base member,

wherein said projections of said base member are arranged so that the projections of the plate can be placed coaxially with said projections of said base member.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first attraction mechanism performs any one of vacuum suction, electrostatic attraction, magnetic attraction, and mechanical fixing.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said second attraction mechanism performs any one of vacuum suction, electrostatic attraction, and mechanical fixing.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said projections of said base member include at least one of a pin-shaped projection and a ring-shaped projection.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said base member is provided on a movable stage.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first attraction mechanism and said second attraction mechanism operate independently of each other.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plate is removed from said base member as a result of at least one of a contamination level, a period of use, and a history of use of the plate.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said base member further includes a channel through which a temperature-controlled medium flows.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a rigidity of said base member is greater than a rigidity of the plate.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a mark, which is used for alignment of the plate relative to said base member, is provided on the plate.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a pressure control mechanism, which controls a pressure in a gap formed between said base member and the plate.

14. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first attraction mechanism attracts the substrate placed on the plate which has been held on said base member by said second attraction mechanism.

12. A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus comprising:

a holding unit, which holds a substrate, including;

(i) a base member, which includes a plurality of projections, on which a plate is to be held, the substrate to be held on a plurality of projections of the plate;

(ii) a first attraction mechanism, which attracts the substrate toward the plate; and

(iii) a second attraction mechanism, which attracts the plate toward said base member, wherein said projections of said base member are arranged so that the projections of the plate can be placed coaxially with the projections of the base member; and

a process unit, which processes the substrate held by said holding unit.

13. A semiconductor manufacturing method comprising:

a holding step of holding a substrate using an apparatus including;

(i) a base member, which includes a plurality of projections, on which a plate is to be held, the substrate to be held on a plurality of projections of the plate;

(ii) a first attraction mechanism, which attracts the substrate toward the plate; and

(iii) a second attraction mechanism, which attracts the plate toward said base member, wherein said projections of the base member are arranged so that the projections of the plate can be placed coaxially with the projections of the base member; and

a process step of processing the substrate being held in the holding step.

15. An apparatus for holding a substrate, said apparatus comprising:

a base member having plurality of projections;

a plate having a plurality of projections on which the substrate is to be held;

a transfer system which transfers said plate onto said base member so that said projections of said plate are placed coaxially with said projections of said base member; and

a fixing system which fixes said plate, transferred by said transfer system, onto said base member.

16. An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the projections of said base member include at least one of a pin-shaped projection and a ring-shaped projection.

17. An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said base member is arranged on a movable stage.

18. An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said plate is removed from said base member based on at least one of a contamination level, a period of use, and a history of use, of said plate.

19. An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said base member further includes a channel through which a temperature-controlled medium flows.

20. An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein a rigidity of said base member is greater than a rigidity of said plate.

21. An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein a mark, which is used for alignment of said plate relative to said base member, is arranged on the plate.

22. An apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising a pressure control mechanism which controls a pressure in a gap between said base member and said plate.

23. A device manufacturing apparatus comprising an apparatus as defined in claim 15.

24. A device manufacturing method comprising a step of using an apparatus as defined in claim 15.

25. An exposure apparatus for exposing a substrate to a pattern, said apparatus comprising an apparatus as defined in claim 15.

26. A device manufacturing method comprising:

a step of exposing a substrate to a pattern using an exposure apparatus as defined in claim 25.