Method and system for reducing and monitoring precipitated defects on masking reticles
AssigneeTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
InventorYi-Ming Dai
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and system is disclosed for reducing and monitoring precipitated defects on mask reticles. A predetermined gas is provided into an environment surrounding the reticle assembly for reducing a formation of the precipitated defects around the mask reticle caused by photolithography under a light source having a small wavelength.
Claims25
A method for reducing precipitated defect formation within a sealed mask reticle assembly containing a mask reticle, the method comprising:
- providing a mask reticle assembly having a sealed pellicle frame defining an enclosed volume and including at least one mask reticle therein, the pellicle frame including a transparent pellicle film spaced apart from the mask reticle assembly by solid side support frames attached to outer edges of the mask reticle by a gas permeable adhesive, wherein the reticle is sealed inside the pellicle frame;
- providing a predetermined gas into an environment surrounding the sealed pellicle frame;
- diffusing the predetermined gas through the adhesive into the enclosed volume of the sealed pellicle frame;
- and
- diffusing chemical contaminants out from the sealed pellicle frame through the adhesive with the predetermined gas into the environment to reduce the formation of precipitated defects.
A method for reducing precipitated defect formation within a sealed mask reticle assembly in applying a photolithography process using a deep ultraviolet (DUV) light source to a semiconductor wafer using a mask reticle assembly the method comprising:
- enclosing a mask reticle in a mask reticle assembly having a sealed pellicle frame defining an enclosed volume, the pellicle frame including a transparent pellicle film aligned parallel to and spaced apart from the mask reticle by solid side support frames attached to outer edges of the mask reticle by a gas permeable adhesive, wherein the reticle is sealed inside the pellicle frame;
- applying the DUV light source to the mask reticle assembly on a wafer stage;
- and
- providing a predetermined gas to an environment of the wafer stage surrounding the mask reticle assembly,
- wherein the predetermined gas diffuses into the mask reticle assembly through the adhesive to drive out chemical contaminants through the adhesive for reducing the formation of precipitated defects caused by the chemical contaminants trapped in the mask reticle assembly around the mask reticle.
A method for reducing precipitated defects in a sealed mask reticle assembly comprising:
- establishing a confined environment around a mask reticle assembly defining an enclosed region having a mask reticle disposed therein, the mask reticle assembly including a sealed pellicle frame including a transparent pellicle film spaced apart from the mask reticle by solid side support frames attached to outer edges of the mask reticle by a gas permeable adhesive, wherein the reticle is sealed inside the pellicle frame;
- flowing a predetermined gas into the confined environment;
- diffusing the predetermined gas through the adhesive into the enclosed region of the mask reticle assembly;
- and
- diffusing chemical contaminants trapped in the mask reticle assembly from the assembly into the confined environment through the adhesive.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.