Methods and apparatus for reducing hydrogen permeation from lithographic tool
AssigneeTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
InventorsChi-Hung Liao, Po-Ming Shih
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus for reducing hydrogen permeation of a mask is provided when generating extreme ultraviolet (EUV) radiation. The apparatus includes a mask stage configured to hold the mask, a hydrogen dispensing nozzle configured to eject hydrogen below the mask, and a trajectory correcting assembly. The trajectory correcting assembly includes a correcting nozzle and a gas flow detector. The correcting nozzle is configured to dispense at least one flow adjusting gas to adjust a trajectory of the hydrogen away from the mask to reduce hydrogen permeation at an edge of the mask. The gas flow detector is configured to measure a variation of an airflow of the hydrogen adjusted by the at least one flow adjusting gas.
Claims20
An apparatus for reducing hydrogen permeation of an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) mask, the apparatus comprising:
- a mask stage configured to hold the mask;
- a hydrogen dispensing nozzle configured to eject hydrogen below the mask;
- and
- a trajectory correcting assembly including a correcting nozzle disposed between the mask stage and the hydrogen dispensing nozzle,
- wherein the correcting nozzle is configured to dispense at least one flow adjusting gas different from hydrogen to adjust a trajectory of the hydrogen away from the mask by contacting a flow the hydrogen to reduce hydrogen permeation to the mask.
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, the method comprising:
- providing a reticle on a reticle holder;
- flowing hydrogen over the reticle and reticle holder;
- providing a trajectory correcting assembly, wherein the trajectory correcting assembly includes:
- a correcting nozzle configured to dispense at least one flow adjusting gas different from hydrogen to adjust a trajectory of the hydrogen away from the reticle to reduce hydrogen permeation to the reticle;
- and
- a gas flow detector configured to measure a variation of a flow of the hydrogen adjusted by the at least one flow adjusting gas;
- and
- flowing the at least one flow adjusting gas through the correcting nozzle to adjust a trajectory of hydrogen away from the reticle by contacting the flow of the hydrogen.
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, the method comprising:
- providing extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography system, wherein the EUV lithography system includes:
- a mask stage configured to hold a mask;
- a hydrogen dispensing nozzle configured to eject hydrogen below the mask;
- a trajectory correcting assembly including:
- a correcting nozzle configured to dispense at least one flow adjusting gas to adjust a trajectory of the hydrogen away from the mask to reduce hydrogen permeation at an edge of the mask;
- and
- a gas flow detector configured to measure a variation of a flow of the hydrogen adjusted by the at least one flow adjusting gas;
- and
- a controller coupled to the trajectory correcting assembly,
- determining, by the controller, whether the variation in hydrogen flow measurement at the gas flow detector is within an acceptable range, and
- adjusting, by the controller, in response to a determination that the variation in hydrogen flow measurement is not within an acceptable range, a configurable parameter of the trajectory correcting assembly.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.