US 2024/0393679 A1 · DEVICE AND METHOD FOR CLEANING PELLICLE FRAME AND MEMBRANE

Abstract

In pellicle cleaning, a gas is flowed on a pellicle using at least one gas nozzle. During the flowing, the pellicle is moved respective to the at least one gas nozzle. During the flowing, the pellicle is exposed to ionized gas generated by at least one alpha ionizer. Also during the flowing, an ultrasonic wave is applied to the pellicle using an ultrasound transducer or transducer array. The gas nozzle may have a nozzle aperture comprising a slit or a linear array of apertures arranged parallel with a pellicle membrane of the pellicle.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A pellicle cleaning apparatus comprising:

a pellicle holder configured to hold an associated pellicle and to move the associated pellicle held by the pellicle holder;
at least one gas nozzle arranged to flow a gas on the associated pellicle held by the pellicle holder while the pellicle holder moves the associated pellicle;
at least one alpha ionizer arranged to expose the associated pellicle held by the pellicle holder to ionized gas generated by the at least one alpha ionizer;
and
an ultrasound transducer or transducer array arranged to apply an ultrasonic wave to the associated pellicle held by the pellicle holder.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

18/788,332Filed 30 Jul 2024

Priority

15 Apr 2022

Published

28 Nov 2024

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification4 codes

G03F 1/82
Preparation processes not covered by groups G03F1/20 - G03F1/50: auxiliary processes, e.g. cleaning or inspecting
G03F 1/62
Originals for photomechanical production of textured or patterned surfaces, e.g., masks, photo-masks, reticles; Mask blanks or pellicles…
G03F 1/64
Pellicles, e.g. pellicle assemblies, e.g. having membrane on support frame; Preparation thereof: characterised by the frames, e.g. structure or…
G03F
Photomechanical production of textured or patterned surfaces

Device and method for cleaning pellicle frame and membrane

Life of this patent

Device and method for cleaning pellicle frame and membrane

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20