Methods and systems for improved mask processing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10199256-B2
Application number	US-201414499121-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 27, 2014
Priority date	Sep 28, 2013
Publication date	Feb 5, 2019
Grant date	Feb 5, 2019

Abstract

In some embodiments, methods and systems are provided for improved handling of lithography masks including loading a mask via a first load port from a first carrier; inverting the mask using a first contact pad; cleaning the mask; inverting the mask using a second contact pad; and unloading the mask via a second load port into a second carrier. Numerous other aspects are provided.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of operating a system for cleaning masks, comprising:
providing the system for cleaning masks, the system comprising a dry clean tool, a wet clean chamber, and a mask inverter having one or more actuators, a first contact pad configured to engage with at least one of the one or more actuators, and a second contact pad configured to engage with at least one of the one or more actuators;
loading an uncleaned mask via a first load port of the system from a first carrier to the mask inverter, wherein the first load port is dedicated to uncleaned masks;
inverting the uncleaned mask using the first contact pad of the mask inverter, wherein the first contact pad is dedicated to uncleaned masks;
performing a dry cleaning operation on the uncleaned mask in the dry clean tool to produce a dry cleaned mask;
performing a wet cleaning operation on the dry cleaned mask in the wet clean chamber to produce a cleaned mask;
inverting the cleaned mask using the second contact pad of the mask inverter, wherein the second contact pad is dedicated to cleaned masks;
unloading the cleaned mask via a second load port into a second carrier, wherein the second load port is dedicated to cleaned masks;
detecting a system fault at any stage during the dry cleaning operation and the wet cleaning operation;
transferring the uncleaned mask or the dry cleaned mask to the first load port if the system fault is detected prior to completion of the dry cleaning operation and the wet cleaning operation; and
transferring the cleaned mask to the second load port if the system fault is detected after the mask has completed both the dry cleaning operation and the wet cleaning operation;
wherein the at least one actuator of the one or more actuators inverts the first contact pad and the second contact pad concurrently.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising handling the uncleaned mask using a first portion of an atmospheric dual blade robot that is dedicated to handling uncleaned masks, and handling the cleaned mask using a second portion of the atmospheric dual blade robot that is dedicated to handling cleaned masks,
wherein the dry cleaning operation comprises removing oxidation from the uncleaned mask.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising transferring the uncleaned mask using a first mask handoff buffer station and transferring the cleaned mask using a second mask handoff buffer station;
wherein the first mask handoff buffer station is dedicated to uncleaned masks, and the second mask handoff buffer station is dedicated to cleaned masks,
wherein the dry clean tool comprises an etch process tool.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising handling the uncleaned mask using a first portion of an atmospheric dual blade robot that is dedicated to handling uncleaned masks, and handling the cleaned mask using a second portion of the atmospheric dual blade robot that is dedicated to handling cleaned masks.

5. A method of operating a system for cleaning masks, comprising:
providing the system for cleaning masks, the system comprising a dry clean tool, a wet clean chamber, and a mask inverter having one or more actuators, a first contact pad configured to engage with at least one of the one or more actuators, and a second contact pad configured to engage with at least one of the one or more actuators;
loading an uncleaned mask via a first load port of the system from a first carrier to the mask inverter, wherein the first carrier is dedicated to uncleaned masks;
inverting the uncleaned mask using the first contact pad of the mask inverter;
performing a dry cleaning operation on the uncleaned mask in the dry clean tool to produce a dry cleaned mask;
performing a wet cleaning operation on the dry cleaned mask in the wet clean chamber to produce a cleaned mask;
inverting the cleaned mask using the second contact pad of the mask inverter;
unloading the cleaned mask via a second load port into a second carrier dedicated to cleaned masks;
detecting a system fault at any stage during the dry cleaning operation and the wet cleaning operation;
transferring the uncleaned or dry cleaned mask to the first carrier at the first load port if the system fault is detected prior to completion of the dry cleaning operation and the wet cleaning operation; and
transferring the cleaned mask to the second carrier of the second load port if the system fault is detected after the mask has completed both the dry cleaning operation and the wet cleaning operation;
wherein the first contact pad and the second contact pad are inverted concurrently.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising handling the uncleaned mask using a first portion of an atmospheric dual blade robot that is dedicated to handling uncleaned masks, and handling the cleaned mask using a second portion of the atmospheric dual blade robot that is dedicated to handling cleaned masks.

7. The method of claim 5 further comprising transferring the uncleaned mask using a first mask handoff buffer station, and transferring the cleaned mask using a second mask handoff buffer station;
wherein the first mask handoff buffer station is dedicated to uncleaned masks and the second mask handoff buffer station is dedicated to cleaned masks.

8. A method of operating a system for cleaning masks, comprising:
providing the system for cleaning masks, the system comprising a dry clean tool, a wet clean chamber, and a mask inverter having one or more actuators, a first contact pad configured to engage with at least one of the one or more actuators, and a second contact pad configured to engage with at least one of the one or more actuators;
loading, by a first dual blade robot, an uncleaned mask via a first load port from a first carrier to the mask inverter, wherein the first load port is dedicated to uncleaned masks;
inverting the uncleaned mask using the first contact pad of the mask inverter, wherein the first contact pad is dedicated to uncleaned masks;
performing a dry clean operation on the uncleaned mask in the dry clean tool to produce a dry cleaned mask;
performing a wet cleaning on the dry cleaned mask in the wet clean chamber to produce a cleaned mask;
inverting the cleaned mask using the second contact pad of the mask inverter, wherein the second contact pad is dedicated to cleaned masks;
unloading, by the first dual blade robot, the cleaned mask via a second load port of the system into a second carrier, wherein the second load port is dedicated to cleaned masks;
detecting a system fault at any stage during the dry cleaning operation and wet cleaning operation;
transferring the uncleaned or dry cleaned mask to the first load port if the system fault is detected prior to completion of the dry cleaning operation and the wet cleaning operation; and
transferring the cleaned mask to the second load port if the system fault is detected after the mask has completed both the dry cleaning operation and the wet cleaning operation;
wherein the one or more actuators invert the first contact pad and the second contact pad independently of each other.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising:
transferring, by a second dual blade robot, the uncleaned mask using a first mask handoff buffer station and transferring, by the second dual blade robot, the cleaned mask using a second mask handoff buffer station;
wherein the first mask handoff buffer station is dedicated to uncleaned masks, and the second mask handoff buffer station is dedicated to cleaned masks.

Assignees

• Applied Materials Inc

Inventors

• Ng Edward
• Hudgens Jeffrey C
• Majumdar Ayan
• Koshti Sushant S

Classifications

• H10P72/3411

  involving loading and unloading of wafers · CPC title

• H10P72/0474

  comprising at least one lithography chamber · CPC title

• H10P72/0414

  using mainly spraying means, e.g. nozzles · CPC title

• H10P72/7602 Primary

  the wafers being placed on a robot blade or gripped by a gripper for conveyance · CPC title

• H01L21/67778

  Electricity · mapped topic