# US 12,117,726 B2 · Pellicle and pellicle assembly > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,117,726 B2 - Document ID: US12117726B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/220,799 - Filed: 2023-07-11 - Published: 2024-01-25 - Granted: 2024-10-15 - Earliest claimed: 2017-06-15 - Assignees: ASML Netherlands B.V. - Applicants: Asml Netherlands B.V. - Inventors: David Ferdinand Vles; Chaitanya Krishna Ande; Antonius Franciscus Johannes De Groot; Adrianus Johannes Maria Giesbers; Johannes Joseph Janssen; Paul Janssen; Johan Hendrik Klootwijk; Peter Simon Antonius Knapen; Evgenia Kurganova; Marcel Peter Meijer; Wouter Rogier Meijerink; Maxim Aleksandrovich Nasalevich; Arnoud Willem Notenboom; Raymond Olsman; Hrishikesh Patel; Mária Péter; Gerrit van den Bosch; Wilhelmus Theodorus Anthonius Johannes van den Einden; Willem Joan Van Der Zande; Pieter-Jan Van Zwol; Johannes Petrus Martinus Bernardus Vermeulen; Willem-Pieter Voorthuijzen; Hendrikus Jan Wondergem; Aleksandar Nikolov Zdravkov - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12117726B2 ## CPC - G03F 1/62: Pellicles, e.g. pellicle assemblies, e.g. having membrane on support frame; Preparation thereof - G03F 1/64: characterised by the frames, e.g. structure or material, including bonding means therefor - 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 A pellicle assembly includes a pellicle frame defining a surface onto which a pellicle is, or to be, attached. The pellicle assembly includes one or more three-dimensional expansion structures that allow the pellicle to expand under stress. A pellicle assembly for a patterning device, the pellicle assembly includes one or more actuators for moving the pellicle assembly towards and way from the patterning device. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A pellicle assembly comprising: a pellicle frame defining a surface onto which a pellicle is, or to be, attached, the pellicle frame comprising a first material having a first coefficient of thermal expansion and a second material having a second different coefficient of thermal expansion. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The pellicle assembly of claim 1, wherein the first material comprises silicon. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The pellicle assembly of claim 1, wherein the first material comprises a plurality of perforations and the second material is located within the plurality of perforations. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The pellicle assembly of claim 1, wherein the second material at least partially surrounds the first material. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The pellicle assembly of claim 1, wherein the second material comprises a metal. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The pellicle assembly of claim 1, wherein the pellicle frame comprises a material having a coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) which is lower than the CTE of silicon. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The pellicle assembly of claim 1, wherein the pellicle frame comprises a glass-ceramic material. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The pellicle assembly of claim 1, wherein the pellicle frame is formed in a single piece. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The pellicle assembly of claim 1, wherein the pellicle frame comprises an inert coating to reduce outgassing. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The pellicle assembly of claim 1, wherein the pellicle frame comprises at least one selected from: aluminum, titanium, beryllium, aluminum nitride, lithium-aluminosilicate glass-ceramic, silicon oxide and/or silicon carbide. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The pellicle assembly of claim 1, comprising the pellicle and wherein the pellicle comprises molybdenum disilicide and wherein an average stress within the pellicle is in a range of from 100 MPa to 250 MPa at room temperature. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The pellicle assembly of claim 1, comprising the pellicle and wherein the pellicle comprises a graphite-based material and wherein an average stress within the pellicle is in a range of from 300 MPa to 450 MPa at room temperature. ### Claim 13 A pellicle assembly, comprising: a pellicle frame defining a surface onto which a pellicle is, or to be, attached, wherein a computer readable and writable tracking device is provided on or in the pellicle frame. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The pellicle assembly of claim 13, wherein the computer readable and writable tracking device is configured to store an identifier of the pellicle and/or the pellicle assembly. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The pellicle assembly of claim 13, wherein the computer readable and writable tracking device is configured to store operational data indicating usage history of the pellicle and/or indicating pellicle specific properties. ### Claim 16 A pellicle assembly, comprising: a pellicle frame defining a surface onto which a pellicle is attached; and one or more tensile layers in mechanical communication with the pellicle and extending inwardly beyond an inner edge of the pellicle frame. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The pellicle assembly of claim 16, wherein at least one of the one or more tensile layers is provided on a top side of the pellicle such that the pellicle is positioned between the tensile layer and the frame. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The pellicle assembly of claim 16, wherein at least one of the one or more tensile layers is provided on an underside of the pellicle. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The pellicle assembly of claim 16, wherein at least one of the one or more tensile layers comprises a first portion extending inwardly from the inner edge of the pellicle frame and a second portion extending outwardly from the inner edge of the pellicle frame, wherein the second portion is longer than the first portion. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The pellicle assembly of claim 16, wherein at least one of the one or more tensile layers comprises a multi-layer structure.