# US 8,541,149 B2 · Method of adhering lithographic pellicle and adhering apparatus therefor > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,541,149 B2 - Document ID: US8541149B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/297,944 - Filed: 2011-11-16 - Published: 2012-05-24 - Granted: 2013-09-24 - Earliest claimed: 2010-11-19 - Assignees: Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Yuichi Hamada - Inventors: Yuichi Hamada - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8541149B2 ## CPC - G03F 1/64: characterised by the frames, e.g. structure or material, including bonding means therefor - 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 A method of adhering a lithographic pellicle includes steps of pressing the pellicle frame 6 toward the exposure stencil 5 by a pressure plate 2 via a bag 3 containing a low viscosity liquid being mounted on the surface of the pressure plate 2 facing the pellicle frame 6 so as to be along sides of the pellicle frame 6 and face the pellicle frame 6, the compressively deformable member being easily deformable when a pressure is applied thereonto. According to the thus constituted method of adhering a pellicle, it is possible to uniformize a pressure applied onto an exposure stencil 5 such as a photomask, a reticle or the like via a pellicle frame 6 when a pellicle is adhered onto the exposure stencil 5. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of adhering a pellicle for lithography comprising a step of adhering a frame-like shaped pellicle frame onto an exposure stencil, the method further comprising a step of pressing the pellicle frame toward the exposure stencil by a pressure plate via a compressively deformable member mounted on the surface of the pressure plate in such a manner that it can meet the sides of the pellicle frame, the frame-like shaped compressively deformable member being easily deformable when a pressure is applied thereto. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A method of adhering a pellicle for lithography in accordance with claim 1, wherein the frame-like shaped compressively deformable member is constituted so that the amount of deformation thereof depends upon a pressure applied thereto. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) A method of adhering a pellicle for lithography in accordance with claim 2, wherein the frame-like shaped compressively deformable member is constituted so that the amount of deformation thereof is substantially proportional to a pressure applied thereon. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) A method of adhering a pellicle for lithography in accordance with claim 2, wherein the frame-like shaped compressively deformable member is constituted by a bag containing a low viscosity liquid. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) A method of adhering a pellicle for lithography in accordance with claim 2, wherein the frame-like shaped compressively deformable member is formed of a resin having a low elasticity. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) A method of adhering a pellicle for lithography in accordance with claim 2, wherein the frame-like shaped compressively deformable member is constituted by a plurality of unit compressively deformable members aligned to meet the sides of the pellicle frame. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) A method of adhering a pellicle for lithography in accordance with claim 6, wherein the center-to-center distance of neighboring unit compressively deformable members measured along the pellicle frame is equal to or shorter than 5 (five) mm. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) A method of adhering a pellicle for lithography in accordance with claim 7, wherein the unit compressively deformable member is constituted of a spring member and the frame-like shaped compressively deformable member is constituted as the plurality of spring members aligned to meet the sides of the pellicle frame and having the same spring coefficient. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) A method of adhering a pellicle for lithography in accordance with claim 6, wherein the unit compressively deformable member is constituted of a spring member and the frame-like shaped compressively deformable member is constituted as the plurality of spring members aligned to meet the sides of the pellicle frame and having the same spring coefficient. ### Claim 10 (depends on 2) A method of adhering a pellicle for lithography in accordance with claim 2, wherein a load pressing the pressure plate is equal to or smaller than 10 kg. ### Claim 11 (depends on 2) A method of adhering a pellicle for lithography in accordance with claim 2, wherein a flatness of the pellicle frame is equal to or lower than 30 μm. ### Claim 12 (depends on 2) A method of adhering a pellicle for lithography in accordance with claim 2, wherein a thickness of the pellicle frame is equal to or thinner than 4 mm. ### Claim 13 An adhering apparatus for a pellicle for lithography comprising a pressure plate for pressing a frame-like shaped pellicle frame of a pellicle toward an exposure stencil, wherein a frame-like shaped compressively deformable member easily deformable when being pressed is mounted on the surface of the pressure plate facing the pellicle frame aligned to meet the sides of the pellicle frame. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) An adhering apparatus for a pellicle for lithography in accordance with claim 13, wherein the frame-like shaped compressively deformable member is constituted so that the amount of deformation thereof depends upon a pressure applied thereto. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) An adhering apparatus for a pellicle for lithography in accordance with claim 14, wherein the frame-like shaped compressively deformable member is constituted so that the amount of deformation thereof is substantially proportional to a pressure applied thereon. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) An adhering apparatus for a pellicle for lithography in accordance claim 14, wherein the frame-like shaped compressively deformable member is constituted of a bag containing a low viscosity liquid. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) An adhering apparatus for a pellicle for lithography in accordance with claim 14, wherein the frame-like shaped compressively deformable member is formed of a resin having a low elasticity. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) An adhering apparatus for a pellicle for lithography in accordance with claim 14, wherein the frame-like shaped compressively deformable member is constituted of a plurality of unit compressively deformable member aligned to meet the sides of the pellicle frame. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) An adhering apparatus for a pellicle for lithography in accordance with claim 18, wherein a center-to-center distance of neighboring unit compressively deformable member measured along the pellicle frame is equal to or shorter than 5 (five) mm. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) An adhering apparatus for a pellicle for lithography in accordance with claim 18, wherein the unit compressively deformable member is constituted of a spring member and the frame-like shaped compressively deformable member is constituted of a plurality of spring members aligned to meet the sides of the pellicle frame and having the same spring coefficient.