Support frame for pellicles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9841670-B2
Application number	US-201515313918-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 11, 2015
Priority date	May 26, 2014
Publication date	Dec 12, 2017
Grant date	Dec 12, 2017

Abstract

Provided is a support frame for pellicles which includes an aluminum alloy-made frame body with a pellicle film bonded to a front surface of the frame body, and with a glass substrate bonded to a back surface of the frame body. A front-side recessed groove extending in a circumferential direction of the frame body is formed on the front surface of the frame body, and a front-side suction hole extending from an outer peripheral surface of the frame body to an inner surface of the front-side recessed groove is formed on the frame body.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A support frame for pellicles comprising:
an aluminum alloy-made frame body, with a pellicle film bonded to a front surface of the frame body, and with a glass substrate bonded to a back surface of the frame body, wherein
a front-side recessed groove extending in a circumferential direction of the frame body is formed on the front surface of the frame body, and
a front-side suction hole extending from an outer peripheral surface of the frame body to an inner surface of the front-side recessed groove is formed on the frame body.

2. The support frame for pellicles, according to claim 1 , wherein
a plurality of the front-side recessed grooves are arranged side-by-side in the circumferential direction of the frame body, and
the front-side suction hole communicates with each front-side recessed groove.

3. The support frame for pellicles, according to claim 2 , wherein
in the back surface of the frame body, a plurality of back-side recessed grooves extending in the circumferential direction of the frame body are arranged side-by-side in the circumferential direction of the frame body, and
a back-side suction hole extending from the outer peripheral surface of the frame body to an inner surface of each back-side recessed groove is formed on the frame body,
the front-side suction holes are each formed between adjacent two of the back-side recessed grooves, and
the back-side suction holes are each formed between adjacent two of the front-side recessed grooves.

4. The support frame for pellicles, according to claim 3 , wherein
blind pit holes are formed on bottom surfaces of the recessed grooves, respectively, and
the suction holes are opened in inner peripheral surfaces of the pit holes, respectively.

5. The support frame for pellicles, according to claim 4 , wherein
the pit holes are opened in one of a front side and a back side of the frame body, and
bottom surfaces of the pit holes are formed closer to another of the front side and the back side of the frame body than are the suction holes.

6. The support frame for pellicles, according to claim 2 , wherein
the suction hole communicates with a middle portion of the at least one of the recessed grooves in an extension direction of the at least one recessed groove.

7. The support frame for pellicles, according to claim 2 , wherein
through-holes extending from the outer peripheral surface to an inner peripheral surface of the frame body are formed in the frame body, and
the through-holes are each formed between adjacent two of the recessed grooves in the circumferential direction of the frame body.

8. The support frame for pellicles, according to claim 1 , wherein
a back-side recessed groove extending in the circumferential direction of the frame body is formed on the back surface of the frame body, and
a back-side suction hole extending from the outer peripheral surface of the frame body to an inner surface of the back-side recessed groove is formed on the frame body.

9. The support frame for pellicles, according to claim 8 , wherein
a plurality of the back-side recessed grooves are arranged side-by-side in the circumferential direction of the frame body, and
the back-side suction hole communicates with each front-side recessed groove.

10. The support frame for pellicles, according to claim 9 , wherein
the suction hole communicates with a middle portion of the at least one of the recessed grooves in an extension direction of the at least one recessed groove.

11. The support frame for pellicles, according to claim 9 , wherein
through-holes extending from the outer peripheral surface to an inner peripheral surface of the frame body are formed in the frame body, and
the through-holes are each formed between adjacent two of the recessed grooves in the circumferential direction of the frame body.

12. The support frame for pellicles, according to claim 1 , wherein
the suction hole is formed at a center of the frame body in a height direction of the frame body.

13. The support frame for pellicles, according to claim 1 , wherein
a plurality of the front-side suction holes are formed in each side of the frame body.

14. The support frame for pellicles, according to claim 1 , wherein
the frame body includes a pair of front and rear lateral frame portions and a pair of left and right vertical frame portions,
a plurality of jig holes are formed on the outer peripheral surface of the frame body, and
the jig holes are formed in two end portions of each of the two lateral frame portions.

15. The support frame for pellicles, according to claim 1 , wherein
a plurality of jig holes are formed on the outer peripheral surface of the frame body, and
each jig hole is an elongated hole extending in the circumferential direction of the frame body.

16. The support frame for pellicles, according to claim 1 , wherein
the frame body includes a pair of front and rear lateral frame portions and a pair of left and right vertical frame portions,
a plurality of jig holes are formed on the outer peripheral surface of the frame body,
the jig holes are formed in the two lateral frame portions, and in at least one of four corner portions of the frame body.

Assignees

• Nippon Light Metal Co

Inventors

• Kohmura Kazuo
• Ono Yosuke
• Taneichi Daiki
• Sato Yasuyuki
• Hirota Toshiaki
• Koga Kiyokazu

Classifications

• G03F7/70866

  of mask or workpiece · CPC title

• G03F7/70691

  Handling of masks or workpieces · CPC title

• G03F1/66

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

• G03F1/64 Primary

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

• G03F7/70975

  Assembly, maintenance, transport or storage of apparatus · CPC title