Protective ring structure for vacuum interface and method of using the same
AssigneeTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
InventorsMing-Hsun Tsai, Yu-Fa Lo, Shang-Chieh Chien
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Abstract
An assembly for use with an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) chamber, along with methods of using such, are described. The assembly includes a ring structure. The ring structure includes an outer ring and an inner ring disposed radially inward of the outer ring. The assembly also includes a vacuum interface to be attached and in contact with the inner ring, wherein the inner ring has an opening that is size adjustable to allow a device to pass through and into the vacuum interface.
Claims13
An extreme ultraviolet (EUV) chamber, comprising:
- a chamber body;
- a vacuum port disposed at a side of the chamber body;
- a vacuum interface to be provided to the vacuum port;
- and
- a ring structure to be attached to the vacuum interface, the ring structure comprising:
- an inner ring comprising a plurality of overlapping blades, the plurality of overlapping blades being operated to move towards or away from a center of the inner ring to vary a size of an opening of the inner ring;
- and
- an outer ring disposed around the inner ring, the outer ring having a first portion and a second portion protruding from the first portion, the first portion and the second portion being in contact with the inner ring, wherein the inner ring is in contact with a portion of the vacuum interface.
A method for connecting a device to a vacuum interface, comprising:
- providing a ring structure comprising an inner ring and an outer ring disposed around the inner ring, the inner ring comprising a plurality of overlapping blades defining a boundary of an opening of the inner ring;
- securing the ring structure to a portion of the vacuum interface so that the portion of the vacuum interface is in contact with the inner ring;
- providing the vacuum interface to a vacuum port disposed at a side of an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) chamber;
- inserting the device through the ring structure, the vacuum interface, and into the vacuum port to perform a preventive maintenance in the EUV chamber;
- and
- operating the plurality of overlapping blades to move towards or away from a center of the inner ring to vary a size of the opening in accordance with a profile of the device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.