JP2003282415A - Photomask-storing method, and photomask and container used for the same - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a photomask storing method by which a photomask in a container is not in contact with the top of a support part and a foreign material is prevented from being generated by a small impact due to vibrations, and a photomask and a container used for the storing method. <P>SOLUTION: A photomask to which magnets are fixed is stored in a container to which magnets are fixed in a state of being floated by a magnetic force and not being in contact with any inner part of the container. The photomask has fixed magnets on end faces of the four sides of the photomask in order to float the photomask in the container. The magnets to float the photomask in the container are fixed to the inner surface of the bottom of a body, the inner surface of the top of the lid, and the inner surface of the side of the body. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a photomask used for manufacturing a semiconductor integrated circuit,
The present invention relates to a method for accommodating a photomask used when moving, storing, or shipping between steps, and a photomask and a container used for the method.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art To store a photomask, a method is widely used in which the photomask is placed horizontally on a supporting component in a container for storing the photomask. For example, the photomask is placed on the support component with the pattern surface of the photomask facing downward, and the contact between the photomask and the support component is such that the photomask is contacted at the peripheral portion of the photomask at a position away from the pattern. . Then, it is locked with a cover or lid and is transported or stored.

[0003]

It has been found that there are the following problems when carrying and storing by the above storing method. That is, as a result of examining the above method, since the photomask is in direct contact with the supporting component, in particular, a slight shock acts between the photomask and the supporting component against vibration, which causes Foreign matter is generated by
Foreign matter spreads inside the container. If the foreign matter adheres to the pattern surface and the glass surface on the back side, for example, return work such as re-cleaning may occur during the photomask manufacturing process, which may lead to delay in delivery or deterioration in quality. Also, for example,
If the product is affected by vibration during shipping and transportation, foreign matter may similarly be generated, which may cause a defect during manufacturing of the semiconductor integrated circuit.

The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, and the photomask does not come into contact with the supporting parts in the container, that is, foreign matter is generated by a minute impact due to vibration. An object of the present invention is to provide a method of storing a photomask that does not do so. It is another object of the present invention to provide a photomask and a container used for the method of storing the photomask.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is a method for storing a photomask, wherein a photomask having a magnet fixed thereon is floated by a magnetic force in a container having the magnet fixed, and the photomask is placed anywhere in the container. It is a method of storing a photomask, which is stored without making contact.

Further, the present invention is the method of storing a photomask according to the above-mentioned invention, wherein the position where the magnet is fixed to the photomask is an end face portion of the four sides of the photomask. .

Further, according to the present invention, in the method of storing a photomask according to the above-mentioned invention, the position of fixing the magnet in the container is a vertical downward position corresponding to each magnet of the photomask at the position in the container of the photomask to be levitated. The inner surface of the bottom of the main body, the upper inner surface of the lid vertically above, and the inner surface of the side surface of any one of the four horizontal sides of the main body are the storage methods of the photomask.

Further, the present invention is a photomask in which magnets for floating the photomask are fixed to end faces of four sides of the photomask in a container in which the magnet is fixed.

The present invention also relates to a container for accommodating a photomask, in which magnets for floating the photomask inside the container are vertically downward corresponding to respective magnets of the photomask at positions inside the container of the photomask for floating. The container is characterized in that it is fixed to the inner surface of the bottom of the main body, the inner surface of the upper part of the vertically upper lid, and the inner surface of the side surface of any one of the four horizontal sides.

[0010]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Hereinafter, a method for accommodating a photomask according to the present invention, and a photomask and a container used for the method will be described based on its embodiments. FIG. 1 is a sectional view schematically showing an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 illustrates a holding state of a photomask in a container. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a state where the lid is removed from the main body of the container. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, magnets 2 to 5 are attached to the end faces of the four sides of the photomask. On the other hand, in the body 6B of the container, the magnets 7 to 10 are on the inner surface of the bottom, the magnets 11 to 14 are on the inner surface of the side surface, and the lid 6 of the container is
Magnets 16 to 19 are attached to the inner surface of the upper portion of A.

In order to hold the photomask 1 in the three dimensions, it is necessary to consider the arrangement of the magnetic poles of these magnets. First, in the vertical holding, the magnets 2 to 4 attached to the photomask 1 are arranged such that the lower surface portion is the S pole and the upper surface portion is the N pole, and the magnets 7 to 10 on the inner surface of the bottom portion of the main body 6B of the container are held. Then, assuming that the upper surface portion is the S pole and the lower surface portion is the N pole, the magnets 2 to 5 on the four sides of the photomask and the magnets 7 to 10 on the inner surface of the bottom portion.
Repel each other. Therefore, the photomask 1 can be floated at a fixed position by balancing the magnetic force in consideration of the weight of the photomask itself.

However, in this case, the force of repulsing the photomask 1 from above does not act, and this is not sufficient. Therefore,
When the magnets 16 to 19 are attached to the inner surface of the upper portion of the lid 6A from above, and the lid is made with the upper surface portion as the S pole and the lower surface portion as the N pole, the magnets 2 and 7 repel and also 2 and 16 repel in FIG. As a result, the photomask 1 receives repulsion from both upper and lower directions and is stable. However, in this case, the magnet 7 is required to have a sufficient force to repel all forces in consideration of the weight of the photomask and the repulsive force of the magnets 2 and 16, and the balance of the magnetic force is important.

Next, in the horizontal direction, the magnets 11 to 14 mounted on the inner surface of the side surface of the main body 6B are mounted on the photomask 1 if their upper surfaces are N poles and their lower surfaces are S poles. Magnets 2 to 5 are paired magnets 11
~ 14 and repulsive in all (eg 2 and 11,
3 and 12), there is a stable place in both the horizontal and vertical directions. If, for example, a pair of magnets come close to each other at one place due to an external pressure such as vibration, that is, if the photomask 1 is rubbed and the distance between the magnets becomes small, the repulsive magnetic force is 2 Since it increases in inverse proportion to the power, the force returned to the original position acts more strongly on the photomask 1. This is not limited to simple parallel movements in the vertical and horizontal directions, but also in the rotation movements in the horizontal plane, the force to be returned to the original position acts similarly. In this way, it can be held even in the horizontal direction. From the above, the photomask can be held three-dimensionally.

FIG. 3 is a side view showing an example of a state in which the magnets 2 to 5 are attached to the photomask 1. As shown in FIG. 3, the position where the magnet is attached to the photomask 1 is the end face portion of the four sides of the photomask which is less affected by the contact. In the conventional method, when the photomask and the supporting component are in direct contact with each other and vibration occurs, the photomask is repeatedly subjected to repeated impacts at this portion. In the present invention, the photomask is contacted at the same location, but the magnet of the contact partner is fixed, and since the magnet does not contact other portions, no foreign matter is generated due to vibrations here.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating an example of a fixing method for fixing the magnet to the photomask. Magnets 2 to 5 are fixed to a frame 20, and the frame 20 has a structure in which the photomask 1 is surrounded from four sides and clamped and fixed. The connections between the frames 20 are connected by an elastic material 21, and the degrees of freedom of each frame 20 are as great as a link mechanism. With this, when the photomask is surrounded from the periphery and clamped, the elastic material 21 acts like a pulling spring to generate tension, and the magnet has a function of sandwiching and fixing the photomask 1. In addition, frame 2
It is necessary that 0 and the elastic material 21 are materials that do not affect the magnetic field.

The positions where the magnets are attached to the photomask 1 are not limited to the end faces of the four sides of the photomask, but may be the four corners of the photomask, for example. Further, in the case of carrying or transporting to the outside, it is necessary to consider environmental measures such as covering the container with a ferromagnetic material in order to prevent disturbance, particularly disturbance of the magnetic field.

[0017]

The present invention is a method of storing a photomask in which a photomask having a magnet fixed therein is stored in a container having the magnet fixed therein while being floated by magnetic force without contacting anywhere in the container. Thus, the method of storing the photomask is such that no foreign matter is generated due to a small impact due to vibration. Therefore, improvement in yield and quality of the photomask and the semiconductor integrated circuit can be expected.

Further, the present invention is a photomask in which magnets for floating the photomask inside the container are fixed to the end faces of the four sides of the photomask. The photomask has no foreign matter.

Further, according to the present invention, the magnet for floating the photomask is fixed to the bottom inner surface of the main body, the top inner surface of the lid, and the side surface inner surface of the main body. The container does not generate foreign matter due to a small impact due to.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view schematically showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a state where the lid is removed from the main body of the container.

FIG. 3 is a side view showing an example of a state in which a magnet is attached to the photomask.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating an example of a fixing method for fixing a magnet to a photomask.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Photomask 2, 3, 4, 5 ... Magnet fixed to the photomask 6 ... Container 6A ... Container lid 6B ... Container body 7, 8, 9, 10 ... ..Magnets fixed to the inner surface of the bottom of the main body 11, 12, 13, 14 ... Magnets fixed to inner surfaces of the side surfaces of the body 16, 17, 18, 19 ... Magnets fixed to the upper inner surface of the lid 20 ... Frame 21 ... Elastic material

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Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A method of storing a photomask, wherein the photomask having a magnet fixed therein is stored in a container having the magnet fixed therein while being floated by magnetic force without contacting anywhere in the container. How to store the photo mask. 2. The method of storing a photomask according to claim 1, wherein the position where the magnet is fixed to the photomask is an end face portion of the four sides of the photomask. 3. A position for fixing a magnet in the container is a bottom inner surface of a vertically lower main body corresponding to each magnet of the photomask at a position in the container of the photomask to be levitated, a top inner surface of a lid vertically above. 3. The method for storing a photomask according to claim 1, wherein the inner surface of the side surface of the main body is one of the horizontal direction and the horizontal direction. 4. A photomask in which magnets for floating the photomask in a container in which the magnets are fixed are fixed to end faces of four sides of the photomask. 5. A container for accommodating a photomask, wherein a magnet for levitating the photomask in the container is vertically below the main body corresponding to each magnet of the photomask at the position inside the container of the photomask. A container characterized by being fixed to an inner surface, an inner surface of an upper portion of a vertically upper lid, and an inner surface of a side surface portion of one of four horizontal sides.