# US 12,009,246 B2 · Substrate holder and methods of use > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,009,246 B2 - Document ID: US12009246B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/481,007 - Filed: 2021-09-21 - Published: 2022-09-29 - Granted: 2024-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2021-03-26 - Assignees: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd. - Applicants: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Yu-Chi Tsai; Chueh-Chi Kuo - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12009246B2 ## CPC - H10P 72/722: {Details of electrostatic chucks} - H10P 72/78: using vacuum or suction, e.g. Bernoulli chucks - G03F 7/2041: {in the presence of a fluid, e.g. immersion; using fluid cooling means} - G03F 7/70708: {being electrostatic; Electrostatically deformable vacuum chucks} - G03F 7/70925: {Cleaning, i.e. actively freeing apparatus from pollutants, e.g. using plasma cleaning} - H10P 72/72: using electrostatic chucks - H10P 72/7614: {characterised by a plurality of individual support members, e.g. support posts or protrusions} - H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 - G03F: PHOTOMECHANICAL PRODUCTION OF TEXTURED OR PATTERNED SURFACES, e.g. FOR PRINTING, FOR PROCESSING OF SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; MATERIALS THEREFOR; ORIGINALS THEREFOR; APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED THEREFOR; (phototypographic composing devices B41B; photosensitive materials or processes for photographic purposes G03C; electrophotography, sensitive layers or processes therefor G03G) ## Abstract An electrostatic substrate holder for use in an extreme ultraviolet radiation lithography system includes a substrate receiving surface having a plurality of gas passages in fluid communication with a variable gas pressure pump. Varying the pressure in a void space between the backside of the substrate and the substrate receiving surface of the substrate holder promotes removal of non-gaseous materials within the void space between the backside of the substrate and the substrate receiving surface of the substrate holder. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method, comprising: in an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography system, generating EUV radiation; reflecting the extreme ultraviolet radiation from a mask; receiving the extreme ultraviolet radiation, reflected by the mask, at a semiconductor substrate; supporting the semiconductor substrate by a substrate holder, the substrate holder including a plurality of burls and a plurality of fluid passages in fluid communication with a substrate receiving surface of the substrate holder and in fluid communication with a source of variable gas pressure; adjusting pressure within a void between a backside of the semiconductor substrate and the substrate receiving surface; passing a non-gaseous material from the void between a backside of the substrate and the substrate receiving surface through one or more of the plurality of fluid passages; and exposing material on the semiconductor substrate to the extreme ultraviolet radiation received at the semiconductor substrate. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting pressure within the void between the backside of the semiconductor substrate and the substrate receiving surface includes reducing the pressure in the void. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting pressure within the void between the backside of the semiconductor substrate and the substrate receiving surface includes increasing the pressure in the void. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting pressure within the void between the backside of the semiconductor substrate and the substrate receiving surface includes alternatively increasing the pressure within the void and decreasing the pressure within the void. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein passing a non-gaseous material from the void through one or more of the plurality of fluid passages includes passing a solid material through one or more of the plurality of fluid passages. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein supporting the semiconductor substrate by the substrate holder includes generating an electrostatic force and applying the electrostatic force to the semiconductor substrate. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of fluid passages include a cross-sectional area that varies along a first axis, the plurality of fluid passages are arranged along a second axis transverse to the first axis. ### Claim 8 A method, comprising: in an ultraviolet (UV) lithography system, generating UV radiation; reflecting the ultraviolet radiation from an ultraviolet radiation reflecting component of the ultraviolet lithography system; receiving the ultraviolet radiation, reflected by the ultraviolet radiation reflecting component, at a semiconductor substrate supporting the semiconductor substrate by a substrate holder, the substrate holder including a plurality of support surfaces and a plurality of fluid passages in fluid communication with a substrate receiving surface of the substrate holder and in fluid communication with a source of variable gas pressure; adjusting pressure within a void between a backside of the semiconductor substrate and the substrate receiving surface; and exposing material on the semiconductor substrate to the ultraviolet radiation received at the semiconductor substrate. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the generating UV radiation includes generating extreme ultraviolet radiation. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein adjusting pressure within the void between the backside of the semiconductor substrate and the substrate receiving surface includes drawing gas into one or more of the plurality of fluid passages, the plurality of fluid passages being located between the plurality of support surfaces. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein adjusting pressure within the void between the backside of the semiconductor substrate and the substrate receiving surface includes drawing gas into one or more of the plurality of fluid passages, the plurality of fluid passages located in a support surface. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein adjusting pressure within the void between the backside of the semiconductor substrate and the substrate receiving surface includes reducing the pressure in the void. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, further comprising dislodging a non-gaseous material from one or more of the plurality of support surfaces into a trough between the support surfaces. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further comprising passing a non-gaseous material from the void between the backside of the semiconductor substrate and the substrate receiving surface through one or more of the plurality of fluid passages. ### Claim 15 A substrate holder subsystem in an ultraviolet lithography system, the ultraviolet lithography system comprising: an ultraviolet radiation source; projection optics; and the substrate holder subsystem including: a support device; a source for providing a vacuum gas pressure; a substrate holder configured to couple a substrate to the support device, the substrate holder including a plurality of support surfaces in a plurality of circles that are arranged concentrically, and a plurality of fluid passages in fluid communication with a substrate receiving surface of the substrate holder and in fluid communication with the source for providing a vacuum gas pressure, the plurality of fluid passages being located between the plurality of support surfaces; and a pedestal coupled to the support device, the pedestal including a gas flow channel in fluid communication with one or more of the plurality of fluid passages and in fluid communication with the source for providing a vacuum gas pressure. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The substrate holder subsystem of claim 15, wherein two of the plurality of support surfaces are separated by a trough and one or more of the plurality of fluid passages is located in the trough. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The substrate holder subsystem of claim 16, wherein the one or more of the plurality of fluid passages includes an opening at the bottom of the trough. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The substrate holder subsystem of claim 16, wherein the one or more of the plurality of fluid passages includes an opening at a sidewall of the trough. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The substrate holder subsystem of claim 15, wherein one or more of the plurality of fluid passages includes a longitudinal axis that forms an angle with a first axis, the plurality of fluid passages are arranged along a second axis transverse to the first axis. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The substrate holder subsystem of claim 15, wherein the source for providing a vacuum gas pressure is a vacuum pump.