Substrate conveyor apparatus, substrate conveyance method and exposure apparatus

• US 7,483,123 B2
• Filed: 09/27/2005
• Issued: 01/27/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Hirayanagi, Noriyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Rutledge; Della J.
• Application Number:
  US11/235,130
• Publication Number:
  US 20060087638A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,218 Days
• Field of Search: 355/53, 355/72, 355/75, 378/34, 378/35, 250/548, 250/492.1
• US Class Current: 355/72
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 10/00 Nanotechnology for information processing, storage or transmission, e.g. quantum computing or single electron logic
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 40/00 Manufacture or treatment of nanostructures
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 1/24 Reflection masks; Preparation thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 1/48 Protective coatings
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 1/62 Pellicles, e.g. pellicle assemblies, e.g. having membrane on support frame; Preparation thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 1/66 Containers specially adapted for masks, mask blanks or pellicles; Preparation thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70733 Handling masks and workpieces, e.g. exchange of workpiece or mask, transport of workpiece or mask
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70741 Handling masks outside exposure position, e.g. reticle libraries
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/7075 Handling workpieces outside exposure position, e.g. SMIF box
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70908 Hygiene, e.g. preventing apparatus pollution, mitigating effect of pollution or removing pollutants from apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70916 Pollution mitigation, i.e. mitigating effect of contamination or debris, e.g. foil traps
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70983 Optical system protection, e.g. pellicles or removable covers for protection of mask
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67196 characterized by the construction of the transfer chamber
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67225 comprising at least one lithography chamber lithographic apparatuses G03F7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67742 Mechanical parts of transfer devices robots in general in B25J

Abstract

With respect to a substrate conveyor apparatus that, being a substrate conveyor apparatus that carries substrate on which patterns are formed, carries the substrate in a state protected by a protective cover when the substrate is not used, a substrate conveyor apparatus having a cover protection means that covers the inner surface of the protective cover when the substrate is used.

Claims

1. A substrate conveyor apparatus for carrying a substrate on which patterns are formed, the substrate conveyor apparatus comprising:

a substrate removing position;

a standby position; and

a protective cover comprising a first cover member and a second cover member disposed so as to cover the substrate,

wherein the protective cover protects the substrate when the substrate is covered by the protective cover, and the first cover member and the second cover member close to cover an inner surface of the protective cover when the substrate is removed from the protective cover, and

wherein the substrate conveyor apparatus is configured to, after removing the second cover member from the first cover member and after carrying the substrate with the first cover member to the substrate removing position, return the first cover member to the standby position and, together with the second cover member, hold the protective cover in a closed state.

2. The substrate conveyor apparatus described in claim 1, wherein the first cover member and the second cover member cover the inner surface of the protective cover while the substrate is used in exposure.

3. The substrate conveyor apparatus described in claim 1, wherein the closed state of the protective cover is a state in which the first cover member and the second cover member are sealed.

4. The substrate conveyor apparatus described in claim 1, wherein the standby position is in a library part that stores the substrate in an exposure environment.

5. The substrate conveyor apparatus described in claim 1, wherein the protective cover is grounded at the standby position.

6. An exposure apparatus having a substrate conveyor apparatus described in claim 1.

7. A substrate conveyor apparatus for carrying a substrate on which patterns are formed, the substrate conveyor apparatus comprising:

a standby position;

a cover member; and

a dummy member that is similar to the shape of the substrate,

wherein the substrate conveyor apparatus is configured to hold the cover member in the standby position and mount the dummy member to the cover member when the substrate is removed from the cover member.

8. The substrate conveyor apparatus described in claim 7, wherein the standby position is a position of the substrate conveyor apparatus that performs alignment of the substrate.

9. The substrate conveyor apparatus described in claim 7, wherein the standby position is in a library part that stores the substrate in an exposure environment.

10. The substrate conveyor apparatus described in claim 7, wherein the cover member is grounded at the standby position.

11. An exposure apparatus, comprising the apparatus recited in claim 7.

12. A substrate conveyor apparatus for carrying a substrate on which patterns are formed, the substrate conveyor apparatus comprising:

a standby position; and

a protective cover comprising a first cover member and a second cover member disposed so as to cover the substrate,

wherein the protective cover protects the substrate when the substrate is covered by the protective cover, and the first cover member and the second cover member close to cover an inner surface of the protective cover when the substrate is removed from the protective cover,

wherein the substrate conveyor apparatus is configured to hold the first cover member and the second cover member in the standby position when the first cover member and the second cover member are closed, and

wherein the standby position is a position of the substrate conveyor apparatus that is configured to perform alignment of the substrate.

13. An exposure apparatus, comprising the apparatus recited in claim 12.

14. A substrate conveyance method for carrying a substrate on which patterns are formed, the method comprising the steps of:

carrying a substrate in a state protected by a protective cover, the protective cover comprising a first cover member and a second cover member;

removing the second cover member from the first cover member;

carrying the substrate along with the first cover member to a substrate removal position;

removing the substrate from the first cover member; and

covering the first cover member with the second cover member after removing the substrate, thereby covering an inner surface of the protective.

15. An exposure apparatus for performing a substrate conveyance method described in claim 14.

16. The substrate conveyance method of claim 14, further comprising the steps of:

returning the substrate to the first cover member after using the substrate in an exposure position by;

removing the second cover member from the first cover member; and

mounting the substrate in the first cover member; and

re-covering the first cover member with the second cover member after returning the substrate to the first cover member, thereby returning the substrate to the state protected by the protective cover.

17. An apparatus for conveying a reticle, the apparatus comprising:

a reticle exposure position;

a standby position; and

a reticle protector comprising a first cover member and a second cover member disposed so as to cover the reticle,

wherein the reticle protector protects the reticle when the reticle is covered by the reticle protector, and the first cover member and the second cover member close to cover an inner surface of the reticle protector when the reticle is removed from the protective cover,

wherein the apparatus is configured to, after removing the second cover member from the first cover member and after carrying the reticle along with the first cover member to a reticle exposure position, return the first cover member to a standby position and, together with the second cover member, hold the protective cover in a closed state.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the first cover member and the second cover member enclose the reticle when the reticle is not in use.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the first cover member and the second cover member are sealed airtightly when the reticle is removed from the reticle protector, so as to protect the inner surface of the reticle protector.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising a dummy member having a shape similar to that of the reticle, wherein the apparatus is configured to introduce a dummy member into the reticle protector when the reticle is removed from the reticle protector, so as to protect the inner surface of the reticle protector.

21. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the reticle protector comprises a conductive layer.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the conductive layer is grounded when the reticle is removed from the reticle protector.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the conductive layer couples to a reticle conductive layer of the reticle when the reticle is held in one of the first cover member or the second cover member, and the conductive layer is grounded.

24. An exposure apparatus, comprising the apparatus recited in claim 17.

25. A cover member protection method, the method comprising:

carrying a substrate on a cover member;

removing the substrate from the cover member;

holding the cover member in a standby position; and

mounting a dummy member that is similar to the shape of the substrate to the cover member to protect a surface of the cover member.

26. An exposure apparatus for performing a cover member protection method of claim 25.