# US 5,347,561 A · X-ray exposure apparatus and semiconductor-device manufacturing method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 5,347,561 A - Document ID: US5347561A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 08/168,412 - Filed: 1993-12-17 - Granted: 1994-09-13 - Earliest claimed: 1991-11-01 - Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Ryuichi Ebinuma - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5347561A ## CPC - G03F 7/70558: {Dose control, i.e. achievement of a desired dose} - G03F 7/70808: {Construction details, e.g. housing, load-lock, seals or windows for passing light in or out of apparatus} - G03F 7/70866: {of mask or workpiece} - 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 X-rays enter an airtight chamber through a beam duct, pass through a transmission window, and expose a wafer and mask disposed outside the airtight chamber. The wafer and mask are held by a wafer chuck and a mask holder, respectively. The mask holder includes a pressure sensor, which detects variations in the atmospheric pressure. An output from the pressure sensor is converted into a change in the intensity of the x-rays by an arithmetic unit, and is transmitted to a control unit, which controls a driving unit of a shutter. By thus controlling the moving speed of the shutter in accordance with variations in the atmospheric pressure, it is possible to prevent variations in the amount of x-ray exposure of the wafer. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An x-ray exposure apparatus, comprising: substrate holding means for holding a substrate in atmosphere; original holding means for holding an original having a pattern; adjustment means for adjusting an amount of x-ray exposure to the original and the substrate; pressure detection means for detecting atmospheric pressure information in the vicinity of the substrate; calculation means for calculating intensity information of the x-rays irradiating the substrate, based on a detection output from said pressure detection means; and control means for controlling said adjustment means in accordance with a result calculated by said calculation means. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the substrate held by said substrate holding means is situated outside an airtight chamber surrounding a portion of an optical path of the x-rays. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said calculation means calculates transmittance of each wavelength included in the x-rays. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a radiation source for emitting the x-rays. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said radiation source comprises a synchrotron radiation (SOR) device. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising alignment detection means for detecting the relative positional relationship between the original and the substrate. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said adjustment means comprises a shutter. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said control means controls a driving profile for driving said shutter. ### Claim 9 A semiconductor device manufactured by a method comprising the steps of: preparing a mask having a circuit pattern, and a wafer; setting the mask and the wafer at predetermined positions, wherein at least the wafer is in atmosphere; detecting atmospheric pressure information in the vicinity of the wafer; calculating intensity information of x-rays irradiating the wafer, based on a result of said detecting step; and controlling an amount of x-ray exposure in accordance with a result of said calculating step. ### Claim 10 An x-ray exposure method, comprising the steps of: setting a substrate at a predetermined position in atmosphere; detecting atmospheric pressure information in the vicinity of the substrate; calculating intensity information of x-rays irradiating the substrate, based on a result of said detecting step; and controlling an amount of x-ray exposure to the substrate in accordance with a result of said calculating step. ### Claim 11 A semiconductor-device manufacturing method, comprising the steps of: preparing a mask having a circuit pattern, and a wafer; setting the mask and the wafer at predetermined positions, wherein at least the wafer is in atmosphere; detecting atmospheric pressure information in the vicinity of the wafer; calculating intensity information of x-rays irradiating the wafer, based on a result of said detecting step; and controlling an amount of x-ray exposure in accordance with a result of said calculating step. ### Claim 12 An X-ray exposure apparatus comprising: a chuck for holding a substrate in atmosphere; adjustment means for adjusting an amount of X-ray exposure to the substrate; a detector for detecting information corresponding to atmospheric pressure of the atmosphere; and a controller for controlling said adjustment means in accordance with a detection output of said detector. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said adjustment means comprises a shutter mechanism. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) An apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said controller controls a driving profile for moving said shutter mechanism. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) An apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising a mask chuck for holding a mask having a pattern. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said mask chuck holds the mask in the atmosphere at a position proximate to the substrate. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) An apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising a radiation source for emitting the X-rays for exposure. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) An apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said radiation source comprises a synchrotron radiation (SOR) device. ### Claim 19 An X-ray exposure method comprising: holding a substrate in atmosphere; detecting information corresponding to atmospheric pressure of the atmosphere; and controlling an amount of X-ray exposure to the substrate in accordance with the atmospheric pressure information detected in said detecting step.