Lithography apparatus, method for lithography and stage system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9632437-B2
Application number	US-201313942854-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 16, 2013
Priority date	Oct 23, 2012
Publication date	Apr 25, 2017
Grant date	Apr 25, 2017

Abstract

Provided are a lithography apparatus, a method for lithography and a stage system. The lithography apparatus includes a reticle stage having a reticle, at least one nozzle on at least one surface of the reticle stage and configured to allow shielding gas to flow to a surface of the reticle to form an air curtain, and a gas supply unit configured to supply the nozzle with the shielding gas.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A lithography apparatus, comprising:
a reticle stage having a reticle that is an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) mask;
a plurality of nozzles on at least one surface of the reticle stage and configured to direct shielding gas to flow to a surface of the reticle to form an air curtain, one of the plurality of nozzles and another one of the plurality of nozzles being configured to direct the shielding gas to flow in an orthogonal direction with respect to each other, and in parallel with the surface of the reticle, the plurality of nozzles being configured to move together with the reticle stage, and the shielding gas protecting the surface of the reticle; and
a gas supply unit configured to supply the plurality of nozzles with the shielding gas.

2. The lithography apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of nozzles is configured to direct the shielding gas to flow while rotating, forming the air curtain in a fan shape.

3. The lithography apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a backfill gas of the reticle stage is the same as the shielding gas.

4. The lithography apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the shielding gas is hydrogen (H 2 ) gas.

5. The lithography apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the reticle is fixed on the reticle stage by an electrostatic force.

6. The lithography apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a source configured to supply exposure light;
at least one illumination system reflection mirror configured to reflect the exposure light to the reticle stage;
at least one projection optics reflection mirror configured to project the reflected exposure light onto a wafer; and
a wafer stage on which the wafer is fixed.

7. The lithography apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the exposure light is extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light.

8. The lithography apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
an illumination system included in a first chamber and configured to reflect an exposure light to the reticle stage; and
a projection system included in a second chamber and configured to project the reflected exposure light onto a wafer.

9. The lithography apparatus of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first chamber and the second chamber includes a vacuum.

10. A stage system, comprising:
a reticle stage having a reticle that is an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) mask; and
first and second nozzles on a surface of the reticle stage and configured to direct shielding gas to flow to a surface of the reticle to form an air curtain, the first and second nozzles being configured to direct the shielding gas to flow in an orthogonal direction with respect to each other, and in parallel with the surface of the reticle, the first and second nozzles being configured to move together with the reticle stage, and the shielding gas protecting the surface of the reticle.

11. The stage system of claim 10 , further comprising:
an illumination system included in a first chamber and configured to reflect an exposure light to the reticle stage; and
a projection system included in a second chamber and configured to project the reflected exposure light onto a wafer.

12. The stage system of claim 10 , wherein at least one of the first chamber and the second chamber includes a vacuum.

13. A lithography apparatus, comprising:
a reticle stage having a reticle that is an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) mask;
one or more nozzles on at least one surface of the reticle stage and configured to direct a shielding gas to a surface of a reticle, the one or more nozzles being configured to direct the shielding gas to flow in an orthogonal direction with respect to each other, and in parallel with the surface of the reticle, and being configured to move together with the reticle stage, and the shielding gas protecting the surface of the reticle;
a gas supply unit configured to supply the one or more nozzles with the shielding gas;
a source configured to supply exposure light;
at least one illumination system reflection mirror configured to reflect the exposure light to the reticle stage;
at least one projection optics reflection mirror configured to project the reflected exposure light onto a wafer; and
a wafer stage on which the wafer is fixed.

14. The lithography apparatus of claim 13 , wherein a first portion of the one or more nozzles direct the shielding gas in a first direction and a second portion of the one or more nozzles direct the shielding gas in a second direction, the first portion of the one or more nozzles alternatingly spaced with the second portion of the one or more nozzles.

15. The lithography apparatus of claim 13 , wherein a first portion of the one or more nozzles direct the shielding gas in a first direction and a second portion of the one or more nozzles direct the shielding gas in a second direction opposite to the first direction, the first portion of the one or more nozzles and the second portion of the one or more nozzles opposing each other.

16. The lithography apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the one or more nozzles are configured to supply the shielding gas while rotating, forming an air curtain in a fan shape.

17. The lithography apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the one or more nozzles include a first nozzle and a second nozzle, the second nozzle forming the air curtain in the fan shape opposite the first nozzle.

18. The lithography apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the exposure light is extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light.

19. The lithography apparatus of claim 13 , further comprising:
an illumination system included in a first chamber and configured to reflect an exposure light to the reticle stage; and
a projection system included in a second chamber and configured to project the reflected exposure light onto a wafer.

20. The lithography apparatus of claim 13 , wherein at least one of the first chamber and the second chamber includes a vacuum.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Park Jin-Hong
• Yeo Jeong-Ho
• Park Joo-On
• Park Chang-Min

Classifications

• G03F7/70916 Primary

  Pollution mitigation, i.e. mitigating effect of contamination or debris, e.g. foil traps · CPC title

• G03F7/70741

  Handling masks outside exposure position, e.g. reticle libraries · CPC title

• G03F7/70858

  Environment aspects, e.g. pressure of beam-path gas, temperature (pollution aspects G03F7/70916) · CPC title

• G03F7/20

  Exposure; Apparatus therefor (photographic printing apparatus for making copies G03B27/00) · CPC title

• H10P76/2042 Primary

  using lasers · CPC title