US 5,675,403 AGranted

Stress-free mount for imaging mask

AssigneeWisconsin Alumni Research Foundation

InventorsFranco Cerrina, John P. Wallace

Life of this patent

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Abstract

An imaging mount and apparatus that reduces or eliminates stress induced in an imaging mask mounted thereto. The mount comprises a support block and a trio of mounting pads connected thereto. At least two of the mounting pads are connected to the support block so that their respective positions are adjustable within a predetermined plane which is preferably substantially parallel to a surface of a substrate to be imaged. Each of the mounting pads including means for securing the imaging mask generally parallel to the predetermined plane. The positions the adjustable mounting pads adjust within the predetermined plane responsive to securing of the lithography mask thereto so that the imaging mask is essentially undeflected due to the securing thereof. The absence of deformation (and, as a result, stress) in the imaging mask due to its being secured to the mount reduces the degree of distortion of radiation passing through the mask and to the imprinted surface.

Claims24

Dependent claims

An apparatus for imaging a microelectronic substrate comprising:

a radiation source which produces imaging radiation along a radiation path;
means for securing a microelectronic substrate to be imaged in said radiation path;
a support block mounted along said radiation path between said radiation source and said securing means;
a trio of mounting pads connected with said support block, at least two of said mounting pads being connected to said support block so that their respective positions are adjustable within a predetermined plane, wherein said predetermined plane is substantially parallel to the imaged surface, each of said mounting pads including means for securing a generally planar imaging mask generally parallel to said predetermined plane and further including means for providing a point load being configured to be devoid of projections beyond the plane defined by the imaging mask;
wherein the positions of said at least two adjustable mounting pads adjust solely within the predetermined plane responsive to securing of the imaging mask thereto so that essentially no stress is induced in the imaging mask due to the securing and movement of the imaging mask relative to the support block, thereby reducing distortion of radiation passing through the mask and to the imaged surface.

2 more elements

An apparatus for imaging a microelectronic substrate comprising:

a radiation source which produces imaging radiation along a radiation path;
means for securing a microelectronic substrate to be imaged in said radiation path;
a support block;
a trio of mounting pads connected with said support block, the positions of at least two of said mounting pads being adjustable within a predetermined plane, each mounting pad including means for providing a point load to an imaging mask;
and
means for securing a generally planar imaging mask to said trio of mounting pads generally parallel to said predetermined plane, said securing means being operably associated with said trio of mounting pads;
wherein, upon securing of the imaging mask to said mounting pads so that the imaging mask is supported by said means for providing a point load, the positions of said at least two adjustable mounting pads adjust solely within said predetermined plane responsive to movement of the imaging mask relative to the support block so that the imaging mask is essentially undeformed.

4 more elements

An apparatus for imaging a microelectronic substrate comprising:

a radiation source which produces imaging radiation along a radiation path;
means for securing a microelectronic substrate to be imaged in said radiation path;
a support block;
a trio of mounting pads connected with said support block, at least two of said mounting pads being connected to said support block so that their respective positions are adjustable solely within a predetermined plane, each of said mounting pads including means for securing a generally planar imaging mask generally parallel to said predetermined plane, each of said mounting pads further including means for providing a point load to the imaging mask;
wherein, upon securing of the imaging mask to said mounting pads supported by said means for providing a point load, the positions of said at least two adjustable mounting pads adjust within the predetermined plane responsive to movement of the imaging mask relative to the support block so that the mask is essentially undeformed, thereby reducing distortion of radiation passing through the mask.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 08/654,062Filed 28 May 1996 · division
Priority: 22 Nov 1994
Granted: 7 Oct 1997
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification7 codes

G03F 1/22
Originals for photomechanical production of textured or patterned surfaces, e.g., masks, photo-masks, reticles; Mask blanks or pellicles…
G03F 7/707
Handling of masks or workpieces: chucks, e.g. chucking or un-chucking operations or structural details
Y10T 279/11
Chucks or sockets: vacuum
Y10T 428/24777
Structurally defined web or sheet [e.g., overall dimension, etc.]: edge feature