Pellicle frame and process for producing same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9581897-B2
Application number	US-201315026901-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 23, 2013
Priority date	Oct 23, 2013
Publication date	Feb 28, 2017
Grant date	Feb 28, 2017

Abstract

The present invention provides a pellicle frame that can prevent generation of haze and reduces a surface glittering defect under irradiation with collected light, and a method of manufacturing the pellicle frame. Specifically, provided are a pellicle frame, including: an aluminum frame material formed of aluminum or an aluminum alloy; and an anodic oxide film on a surface of the aluminum frame material, in which the anodic oxide film includes a film formed by using an alkaline anodic oxidation solution and a film formed by using an acid anodic oxidation solution, and a method of manufacturing the pellicle frame.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A pellicle frame, comprising:
an aluminum frame material formed of aluminum or an aluminum alloy; and
an anodic oxide film on a surface of the aluminum frame material,
wherein the anodic oxide film comprises a film formed by using an alkaline anodic oxidation solution and a film formed by using an acid anodic oxidation solution.

2. A pellicle frame according to claim 1 , wherein the anodic oxide film is substantially free of an intermetallic compound having a maximum length of 5 μm or more.

3. A pellicle frame according to claim 1 , wherein the alkaline anodic oxidation solution comprises an inorganic alkaline solution containing any one or more kinds of inorganic alkaline components selected from the group consisting of sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, lithium hydroxide, calcium hydroxide, strontium hydroxide, rubidium hydroxide, sodium carbonate, and sodium hydrogen carbonate.

4. A pellicle frame according to claim 1 , wherein the alkaline anodic oxidation solution comprises an alkaline mixed solution containing any one or more kinds of salts of organic acids selected from the group consisting of tartaric acid, citric acid, oxalic acid, and salicylic acid and any one or more kinds of inorganic alkaline components selected from the group consisting of sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, lithium hydroxide, calcium hydroxide, strontium hydroxide, rubidium hydroxide, sodium carbonate, and sodium hydrogen carbonate.

5. A pellicle frame according to claim 1 , wherein the acid anodic oxidation solution comprises an acid solution containing any one or more kinds selected from the group consisting of maleic acid, phosphoric acid, oxalic acid, and chromic acid.

6. A pellicle frame according to claim 1 , wherein the aluminum or aluminum alloy comprises an Al—Zn—Mg-based aluminum alloy.

7. A pellicle frame according to claim 1 , wherein the anodic oxide film is blackened through dyeing treatment with a black dye or electrolytic deposition treatment so as to have a lightness index L* value of 40 or less.

8. A pellicle frame according to claim 1 , wherein the pellicle frame has concentrations of ions to be eluted in 100 ml of pure water per 100 cm 2 of a surface area of the pellicle frame in an ion elution test for measuring concentrations of ions eluted after immersion in pure water at 80° C. for 4 hours of: 0.2 ppm or less for an acetate ion; 0.06 ppm or less for a formate ion; 0.01 ppm or less for an oxalate ion; 0.01 ppm or less for a sulfate ion; 0.02 ppm or less for a nitrate ion; 0.02 ppm or less for a nitrite ion; 0.02 ppm or less for a chlorine ion; and 0.01 ppm or less for a phosphate ion.

9. A method of manufacturing a pellicle frame comprising: an aluminum frame material formed of aluminum or an aluminum alloy; and an anodic oxide film on a surface of the aluminum frame material,
the method comprising the steps of, when forming the anodic oxide film:
perfoiining anodic oxidation treatment using an alkaline anodic oxidation solution; and
performing anodic oxidation treatment using an acid anodic oxidation solution.

10. A method of manufacturing a pellicle frame according to claim 9 , wherein the anodic oxide film is substantially free of an intermetallic compound having a maximum length of 5 μm or more.

11. A method of manufacturing a pellicle frame according to claim 9 , wherein the alkaline anodic oxidation solution comprises an inorganic alkaline solution containing any one or more kinds of inorganic alkaline components selected from the group consisting of sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, lithium hydroxide, calcium hydroxide, strontium hydroxide, rubidium hydroxide, sodium carbonate, and sodium hydrogen carbonate.

12. A method of manufacturing a pellicle frame according to claim 9 , wherein the alkaline anodic oxidation solution comprises an alkaline mixed solution containing any one or more kinds of salts of organic acids selected from the group consisting of tartaric acid, citric acid, oxalic acid, and salicylic acid and any one or more kinds of inorganic alkaline components selected from the group consisting of sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, lithium hydroxide, calcium hydroxide, strontium hydroxide, rubidium hydroxide, sodium carbonate, and sodium hydrogen carbonate.

13. A method of manufacturing a pellicle frame according to claim 9 , wherein the acid anodic oxidation solution comprises an acid solution containing any one or more kinds selected from the group consisting of maleic acid, phosphoric acid, oxalic acid, and chromic acid.

14. A method of manufacturing a pellicle frame according to claim 9 , wherein the aluminum or aluminum alloy comprises an Al—Zn—Mg-based aluminum alloy.

15. A method of manufacturing a pellicle frame according to claim 9 , the method further comprising blackening the anodic oxide film through dyeing treatment with a black dye or electrolytic deposition treatment so as to have a lightness index L* value of 40 or less.

16. A method of manufacturing a pellicle frame according to claim 9 , wherein the pellicle frame has concentrations of ions to be eluted in 100 ml of pure water per 100 cm 2 of a surface area of the pellicle frame in an ion elution test for measuring concentrations of ions eluted after immersion in pure water at 80° C. for 4 hours of: 0.2 ppm or less for an acetate ion; 0.06 ppm or less for a formate ion; 0.01 ppm or less for an oxalate ion; 0.01 ppm or less for a sulfate ion; 0.02 ppm or less for a nitrate ion; 0.02 ppm or less for a nitrite ion; 0.02 ppm or less for a chlorine ion; and 0.01 ppm or less for a phosphate ion.

Assignees

• Nippon Light Metal Co

Inventors

• Yamaguchi Takayuki
• Taguchi Yoshihiro

Classifications

• G03F1/64 Primary

  characterised by the frames, e.g. structure or material, including bonding means therefor · CPC title

• G03F1/62

  Pellicles, e.g. pellicle assemblies, e.g. having membrane on support frame; Preparation thereof · CPC title

• G03F1/66

  Containers specially adapted for masks, mask blanks or pellicles; Preparation thereof · CPC title

• G03F7/0043

  Chalcogenides; Silicon, germanium, arsenic or derivatives thereof; Metals, oxides or alloys thereof (G03F7/0044 takes precedence) · CPC title