JP2006292961A - Reticle inspection apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an inspection apparatus capable of easily inspecting a reticle and also sequentially transferring the reticle from a delivery case to an exposure case. <P>SOLUTION: The inspection apparatus is equipped with a loading unit 12, a lid opening unit 15, an inspection stage 10, a first transferring unit 16, a second transferring unit 17, and an exposure case set unit 14. An inspection table 23 of the inspection stage 10 can be varied in the posture so as to visually check foreign matter. A reticle R moves along the path from the loading unit 12 (delivery case 11), through the first transferring unit 16, the inspection stage 10, the first transferring unit 16, the second transferring unit 17, to the exposure case set unit 14 (exposure case 13). <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  In the present invention, if a foreign substance such as dust or dust is attached to a reticle for manufacturing a semiconductor (including a mask) for forming a fine circuit on a substrate such as a silicon wafer, it adheres to this. The present invention relates to an inspection apparatus to be removed.

  When the reticle is loaded into the exposure apparatus (stepper), the reticle is stored in a dedicated exposure case, and the reticle is automatically removed from the exposure case and set in a predetermined part of the optical system. (For example, refer to Patent Documents 1 and 2 for the structure of the exposure case and refer to Patent Documents 3 and 4 for the exposure apparatus, for example). If foreign matter such as dust or dust adheres to the front or back surface of the reticle, the product (semiconductor) is likely to be defective. Therefore, it is necessary to completely remove the foreign matter from the reticle.

Therefore, for example, in Patent Document 5, for the purpose of finding and removing a minute foreign object having a size of 100 nm or less, an exposure apparatus that exposes a circuit pattern by irradiating an electron beam onto a reticle and projecting the reticle, It is described that a visible light image forming unit that visualizes an enlarged image of a circuit pattern and a foreign matter removing unit are provided.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-10705 JP-A-10-116785 JP 05-13299 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-163094 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-40477

  By the way, in the reticle, adhesion of minute foreign matters that cannot be seen with the naked eye is a problem, but adhesion of foreign matters having a size that can be visually recognized with the naked eye is a larger problem. Although the apparatus of Patent Document 5 can detect and remove foreign objects having a size that can be visually recognized by the human eye, large-sized dust and dust can easily fall from the reticle. It is also conceivable that dust and dust fall from being taken out and set in the optical system, float in the exposure apparatus, and adhere to the reticle, lens, and the like again.

  Therefore, it is necessary to remove foreign matter adhering to the reticle as much as possible before storing it in the case and loading it into the exposure apparatus. In this regard, as a process before loading into the exposure apparatus, for example, the high-pressure gas is uniformly blown onto the reticle in the vacuum container in which the exposure apparatus is disposed, and then the foreign matter is blown away, and then automatically stored in the exposure case. It is conceivable that the outer surface of the reticle is photographed with a camera, and if there is a foreign object, it is blown off with gas and then automatically stored in the exposure case. That is, it is conceivable to provide an unmanned automatic detection and removal device.

  However, these unmanned devices are large and complex, so they may be effective for fully automated semiconductor manufacturing facilities, but are not applicable to facilities that are difficult to fully automate, such as high-mix low-volume production facilities. There is a problem that it is difficult. Further, there is a possibility that foreign matters are not removed by only one gas ejection.

  The main object of the present invention is to improve the current situation. By the way, the reticle is stored in a special case and set in the exposure apparatus. When the reticle is delivered to a semiconductor manufacturer after being manufactured, it is generally stored in a simple delivery case for delivery at a semiconductor manufacturer's factory. The case has been transferred to the exposure case. However, it is troublesome to manually perform the transfer, and an expensive reticle may be dropped and damaged during the transfer operation, and a method of transferring safely and reliably has been demanded. The present invention also aims to meet this need.

  The present invention relates to an inspection apparatus in which a person visually finds and removes foreign matters attached to a reticle used for manufacturing a semiconductor.

  The inspection apparatus according to claim 1 is provided with a main body provided with a peeping portion through which the inspection space can be seen from the outside, and an inspection stage portion that holds the reticle inside the main body in a state that a human can visually recognize from the peeping portion. An exposure case set provided in the main body so that a gas jetting means for removing foreign matter from the reticle held on the inspection stage unit and an exposure case used for transferring the reticle to the exposure apparatus can be loaded. And a transfer means capable of transferring the reticle inspected by the inspection stage unit to the exposure case of the exposure case setting unit.

  The inspection stage unit may or may not include a posture changing mechanism that can change the posture of the reticle to a horizontal posture, tilt, or change the posture, and may be held in the inspection stage unit inside the main body. A reticle that is illuminated may or may not have a light that illuminates the reticle.

  The inspection apparatus according to claim 2 corresponds to a type in which the reticle is stored and shipped in a delivery case different from the exposure case after the reticle is manufactured. That is, in claim 1, the exposure case set part is arranged on the right side or the left side of the inspection stage part with reference to a person facing the inspection stage part, while the inspection stage is inside the main body. A receiving part where the delivery case is set is provided on the opposite side of the exposure case setting part across the part, and the reticle can be taken out from the delivery case in the receiving part by the transfer means. It has become.

  In the present invention, since a person (operator: operator) visually confirms the foreign matter, it is not necessary to automate excessively, and therefore it is possible to contribute to the suppression of the manufacturing cost and the avoidance of the enlargement. Moreover, since it is sufficient to inject gas until it is removed when the foreign matter is hard to fall off, the certainty of removing the foreign matter is high.

  Foreign matter adhering to a flat surface may be easily visible or difficult to see depending on the viewing direction and how the light strikes the foreign matter, but in the present invention, changing the posture of the reticle on the inspection table and providing a light By adding, foreign substances can be inspected evenly in a state where they are most easily visible, and there is an advantage that the certainty of finding and removing foreign substances becomes higher. Furthermore, since the reticle is automatically stored in the exposure case, no new foreign matter is attached after the inspection.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, the reticle can be transferred from the delivery case to the exposure case and the inspection / removal of foreign matter can be performed as a set with a single device, so that the reticle can be transferred from the delivery case to the exposure case. There is an advantage that it is possible to save the trouble of transferring and to transfer safely and reliably without incurring a reticle dropping accident.

  Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. 1 to 8 show the first embodiment, and FIGS. 9 to 10 show the second embodiment. First, the first embodiment will be described.

(1). Overview FIG. 1A is a perspective view showing an appearance of an inspection apparatus. As can be understood from this figure, the inspection apparatus has a peripheral wall, a ceiling portion, and a bottom portion (the bottom portion is not shown in the figure). And a cubic device main body 1 having an inspection space. The inspection space is kept in a clean state in which foreign matter is sucked and removed by dust suction means (not shown) (for example, a suction fan with a filter).

  A transparent door 2 that is openable and closable as an example of a peeping part is arranged at a height position substantially the same as the face of a general adult sitting on a chair in the front surface of the apparatus body 1 and at a substantially middle part on the left and right. An entrance 3 is opened on the left side of the transparent door 2, and an exit 4 is opened on the right side of the transparent door 2. In addition, an operation unit 5 is provided below the transparent door 2 so as to protrude forward. The operation unit 4 is provided with a display 6 with a touch panel, an operation handle 7, and an emergency stop button 8.

  Although the transparent door 2 of this embodiment is a horizontal rotation type, it can be a fixed transparent plate or an opening hole. In the case of a transparent door, a shutter system that moves up and down, a sliding door system that slides left and right, and the like can be used. It is also possible to provide doors for closing the entrance 3 and the exit 4. In the present embodiment, the upper part of the transparent door 2 in the front surface of the apparatus main body 1 is configured by the transparent plate 9 (may be covered by an opaque plate).

  1B is a perspective view schematically showing the layout of devices provided inside the apparatus main body 1, FIG. 2A is a schematic plan view of the inside of the apparatus main body 1, and FIG. It is BB sectional drawing of (A).

  An inspection stage unit (inspection unit) 10 is provided behind the transparent door 2 in the space inside the apparatus main body 1, and a delivery case 11 is provided on the left side of the inspection stage unit 10 via the warehousing port 3. A warehousing part 12 that can be taken in and out is arranged, and an exposure case setting part 14 that can take in and out the exposure case 13 through the shed 4 is arranged on the right side of the inspection stage part 10. The warehousing part 12 is movable back and forth, and a lid opening mechanism 15 is disposed above the part that has been retracted.

  A first transfer unit 16 is disposed behind the inspection stage unit 10 so as to be movable left and right and back and forth, and a second transfer unit 17 is disposed behind the exposure case set unit 14 so as to be movable back and forth. Has been. In the present embodiment, the first transfer unit 16 and the second transfer unit 17 constitute transfer means described in the claims. Further, an irradiation / removal unit 18 that irradiates light and gas toward the inspection stage unit 10 is disposed obliquely behind the inspection stage unit 10.

  The delivery case 11 and the exposure case 13 are formed in a square shape in plan view, and both have main bodies 11a and 13a and lids 11b and 13b. In the present embodiment, two exposure cases 13 having different structures can be set in the exposure case setting section 14 in a state where they are separated from each other in the vertical direction. This is because the specification of the exposure case 13 differs depending on the manufacturer of the exposure apparatus.

  In the present embodiment, the reticle R inside the delivery case 11 has the same posture as the delivery case 11, and the four corners of the reticle R are supported by the receiving portion 11c. The receiving portion 11 c is higher than the peripheral wall of the apparatus body 1.

  In inspecting the reticle R, as a preparation, the exposure case 13 is set in the exposure case setting unit 14 and the delivery case 11 is set in the warehousing unit 12. The processing system then opens the delivery case 11 in accordance with a routine process incorporated in the control device → transfers the reticle R from the delivery case 11 to the first transfer unit 16 → from the first transfer unit 16. Transfer of reticle R to inspection stage 10 → Inspection / foreign matter removal by operator → Transfer of reticle R from first transfer unit 16 to second transfer unit 17 → Case for exposure from second transfer unit 17 The exposure case 13 storing the inspected reticle R is manually taken out of the inspection apparatus. Details of each part will be described below.

(2) Delivery case set unit The warehousing unit 12 includes a first lifting platform 20 driven by a lifting mechanism (not shown) such as an air cylinder, and the first lifting platform 20 has a delivery case. A group of lower clamp bodies 21 that move forward and backward toward the side surface of the apparatus main body 1 is arranged. The first lifting platform 20 is attached to a base (not shown) that can be moved back and forth to be movable up and down. The delivery case 11 is supported by receiving projections (not shown) provided on the first lifting platform 20, but can also be supported by the lower clamp body 21.

  Although not shown in the figure, the lower clamp bodies 21 are driven all at once by one actuator such as a cylinder or an electromagnetic solenoid. Includes an interlocking member that converts the movement of the actuator into the movement of each lower clamp body 21 (of course, each clamp body 21 may be driven individually).

  The open lid 15 includes a group of upper clamp bodies 22 that move forward and backward toward the outer peripheral surface of the lid 11a in the delivery case 11, and the group of upper clamp bodies 22 is attached to a frame body (not shown). The group of the upper clamps 22 is simultaneously driven by one actuator via an interlocking member (not shown). In addition, it is also possible to make the opening part 15 into a liftable type.

  The first lifting platform 20 is retracted with the apparatus main body 1 of the delivery case 11 clamped, and then the first lifting platform 20 is lifted with the upper clamp body 22 of the opening lid 15 being moved backward, and then The lid 11b is removed from the apparatus main body 1 of the delivery case 11 by the movement of moving the upper clamp body 22 of the opening lid 15 forward and then lowering the first lifting platform 20.

  When the lid 11b of the delivery case 11 is removed, the first lifting platform 20 moves forward. After the reticle R is removed from the main body 11a of the delivery case 11, the lid 11b is attached to the main body 11a of the delivery case 11 by an operation reverse to the opening process, and the empty delivery case 11 is manually inserted into the warehousing port. 3 is taken out. The delivery case 11 is provided with a latch device (not shown) that holds the lid 11b so that it cannot be removed, and the latch is released by the pressing action of the upper clamp 22 or the dedicated member in the lid opening process.

(3). Inspection Stage Unit Next, the inspection stage unit 10 will be described with reference to FIGS. 3A is a front view of the inspection stage unit 10, and FIG. 3B is a partially enlarged sectional view of FIG.

  The inspection stage unit 10 includes an inspection table 23 on which the reticle R cannot be laterally displaced. The reticle R has two side edges extending in parallel by a group of pin-like supports 24 protruding upward from the inspection table 25. The part is supported. The group of support bodies 24 is arranged in the left-right direction. In addition, the inspection table 23 is provided with four stoppers 25 that are in close contact with or in close contact with the intermediate portions of the four sides of the reticle R in order to prevent the positioning and displacement of the reticle R. The stopper 25 is made of a metal plate.

  The inspection table 23 is attached to the first bracket 26 so as to be horizontally rotatable, and is rotated by a first motor 27 received by the first bracket 26. Although the timing belt 29 meshed with the timing gear 28 is used as the power transmission means of the first motor 27, it is also possible to transmit power with a gear or drive directly with a motor with a speed reducer.

  The first bracket 26 is attached to the second bracket 30 so as to freely rotate around a horizontal axis, and further, the second bracket 30 is attached to the second lifting platform 31 so as to be horizontally rotatable. Yes. The first bracket 26 is driven by a second motor 32 provided on the second bracket 30, and the second bracket 30 is driven by a third motor 33 provided on the second lifting platform 31. In the present embodiment, the inspection table 23, the first bracket 26, and the second bracket 30 constitute an attitude changing mechanism individually or in cooperation.

  The second elevator 31 is attached to a guide member (not shown) so as to be movable up and down, and is moved up and down by an actuator such as an air cylinder. Although the timing belt 29 and the timing gear 28 are used as power transmission means for the second motor 32 and the second motor 33, other means may be used as in the case of the first motor 27. Further, instead of the motors 27, 32, 33, other types of actuators may be used.

  As can be understood, the reticle R can be changed to various postures by rotating the inspection table 23 and the brackets 26 and 30. Further, by rotating the second bracket 30 horizontally, the reticle R can be moved left and right or moved back and forth. Since the posture and position of the reticle R can be freely changed, the operator can view the reticle R from various directions. As a result, the foreign matter can be clearly seen.

  As shown in FIG. 3 (B), the support 24 provided on the inspection table 23 opens upward and has a suction hole 34, and the suction hole 34 is connected to a vacuum source via a passage. For this reason, the reticle R is adsorbed by the support 24 and does not fall off even if the posture is greatly changed.

(4) Irradiation / removal unit As shown in FIG. 4, the irradiation / removal unit 18 includes an elevating body 37 driven by an elevating actuator 36 such as an air cylinder or an electromagnetic cylinder. In order, the ion gas ejection nozzle 38, the illumination light 39, and the removal gas ejection nozzle 40 are attached. The ion gas ejection nozzle 38 makes the reticle R difficult to adhere to dust and dust. For example, nitrogen gas is used as the foreign matter removing gas, but carbon dioxide gas or compressed air may be used.

  The ion ejection nozzle 38 and the light 39 are attached to a common third bracket 41. The third bracket 41 swings up and down around a support shaft 42 extending in the left-right direction when the apparatus body is viewed from the front. It attaches to the raising / lowering body 37 so that it may get. Therefore, the ejection direction of the ion gas and the irradiation angle of the light 39 can be changed.

  The gas ejection nozzle 40 is attached to the lifting body 37 via a fourth bracket 43, and the fourth bracket 43 is also swung up and down around a support shaft 44 extending in the left-right direction when the apparatus main body 1 is viewed from the front. It is attached to the raising / lowering body 37 so that it may move. Therefore, the gas ejection direction by the gas ejection nozzle 40 can be changed independently. The third bracket 41 and the fourth bracket 43 are each driven by an actuator (not shown) such as a motor or an air cylinder.

  The lifting / lowering body 37 is rotatably attached to the lifting / lowering actuator 36, or the lifting / lowering actuator 36 is horizontally attached to the base body so that the entire irradiation / removal unit 18 can be rotated horizontally. Is also possible. Further, the nozzles 38 and 40 and the light 39 may be attached to the lifting body 37 so that they can be individually horizontally swung in addition to being swung and swung. In addition, as shown by a one-dot chain line in FIG. 2A, when the mirror 45 is disposed behind the inspection stage unit 10, there is an advantage that foreign matters attached to the reticle R can be easily found.

(5). First Transfer Unit Next, the first transfer unit 16 will be described with reference to FIG. 5 in addition to FIGS. 5A is a plan view, FIG. 5B is a separated plan view of some members, and FIG. 5C is a sectional view taken along the line CC of FIG. 5A (provided that (C) is displayed vertically. is doing.).

  The first transfer unit 16 includes a base 47 that can move left and right and move back and forth in front view of the apparatus main body 1. A clamp mechanism 50 is attached to two bearing members 48 and 49 that are erected on the base 47. It is attached so that it can freely rotate around an axis extending in the front-rear direction. In FIG. 1B and FIG. 2A, only the rear bearing member 49 is shown.

  In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2 (B), as a means for moving the first transfer unit 16 back and forth, a linear rail device in which a female slider 52 is mounted on a male rail 51 is employed. As a means for moving the first transfer unit 16 to the left and right, a base 53 to which the male rail 51 is attached is movably supported by a plurality of guide shafts 54, and a screw shaft 55 driven by a motor is provided. The base 53 is screwed. Various other mechanisms can be employed for the guide means and the drive means.

  The clamp mechanism 50 includes a cylindrical rotor 56 that is rotatably attached to the bearing members 48 and 49, a motor 57 that is attached to the rear bearing member 49 via a bracket plate to rotate the rotor 56, and an internal portion of the rotor 56. The cylinder 58 of an air type or the like that is mounted in a relatively non-rotatable manner, a casing 59 that is fixed to the front portion of the rotor 56 in a non-rotatable manner, and disposed inside the casing 59 and moved back and forth by the air cylinder 58. An operating body 60 and a clamp base 61 mounted on the left and right sides of the inside of the casing 59 so as to be able to approach and separate from each other are provided.

  Clamp arms 62 positioned on the left and right outer sides of the reticle R are fixed to the left and right clamp bases 61. The cylinder 58 rotates together with the rotor 56, and the rear part thereof is rotatably supported by a reinforcing member 63.

  The operating body 60 and the left and right clamp bases 61 are connected by pins or the like so as to move relative to each other in a direction inclined in a plan view. When the operating body 60 moves forward by a wedge action, the left and right clamp bases 61 move toward each other. When the operating body 60 moves backward, the left and right clamp bases 61 move away from each other.

  A front and rear claw body 64 is attached to the clamp arm 62 so as to move left and right by a plurality of front and rear pins 65 in order to sandwich the reticle R, and the claw body 64 is covered with the pin 65. The spring 66 is urged in the forward direction by the fitted spring 66. The nail body 64 is provided with two front and rear grip portions 64a formed in a U shape in front view so as to be fitted to the reticle R from the left and right outer sides. The gripping part 64 a is disposed at a position where it does not interfere with the receiving part 11 c of the delivery case 11 and the stopper 25 of the inspection stage part 10.

  In a state where the left and right clamp arms 62 are close to each other, the claw body 64 is set back against the spring 66, and some dimensions are set such that there is a margin to move back. That is, the reticle R is clamped by utilizing the elastic force of the spring 66, and therefore the reticle R is not damaged. Needless to say, the driving means of the clamp arm 62 and the driving means of the rotor 56 are not limited to those shown in the figure, and other mechanisms such as an electromagnetic solenoid can be employed.

  As shown by the alternate long and short dash line in FIG. 2A, the reticle R may be stored in the delivery case 11 in a posture rotated 90 degrees. What is necessary is just to comprise so that the warehousing part 12 can be turned horizontally about the response | compatibility to this point.

(6). Second Transfer Unit Next, the second transfer unit 17 will be described mainly based on FIG. 6A is a perspective view seen from the rear side, and FIG. 6B is a partially broken side view. The second transfer unit 17 includes a plate-like lifting body 68 that is driven up and down by a lifting actuator (not shown) such as an air cylinder, a front and rear longitudinal fixed rail 69 fixed to the lifting body 68, and a fixed rail 69. The slider 70 is mounted so as to be movable back and forth, and a receiving arm 72 fixed to the side surface of the slider 70 via a spacer portion 71 is provided.

  The receiving arm 72 is provided with a pair of left and right support bars 73 on which the left and right side edges of the reticle R are placed. The support bar 73 is formed with a plurality of front and rear projections 73a for supporting the reticle R. The projection 73a has a suction hole 74 for holding the reticle R so that it cannot be detached by vacuum suction. Yes. Needless to say, the suction hole 74 is connected to a vacuum source.

  The reticle R is set so as to be placed on the support bar 73 in a state where the reticle R protrudes to a certain extent on the front side. The protrusion 73 a of the support bar 73 is formed at a position where it does not interfere with the grip 62 a of the clamp arm 62 in the first transfer unit 16. For this reason, when the reticle R is transferred, the clamp arm 62 and the support bar 73 do not interfere with each other.

  The elevating body 68 is arranged close to the right side in the front view of the apparatus main body 1, and the receiving arm 72 is formed in an L shape in the plan view. For this reason, the casing 59 of the first transfer unit 16 and the receiving arm 72 of the second transfer unit 17 do not interfere with each other. The reticle R is moved to the first transfer unit 16 by a combination of moving the clamp arm 62 close to and away from the first transfer unit 17 in the state where the first transfer unit 17 has moved to the right and lifting and lowering the second transfer unit 17. To the second transfer unit 17. Note that the second transfer unit 17 is not necessarily configured to be liftable.

(7) Exposure Case Setting Unit Next, the exposure case setting unit 14 will be described mainly with reference to FIGS. 7, (A) is a front view, (B) and (C) are diagrams for showing movement, and (A) is a view as seen from the BB viewing direction and the CC viewing direction. FIG.

  The exposure case setting unit 14 includes a third lifting / lowering base 77 that is attached to a guide member 76 so as to be movable up and down. A receiver 79 is provided, and a temporary table 81 is provided via a support 80. The temporary placement table 80 is disposed above the case receiver 79 and constitutes the upper surface of the exposure case setting section 14.

  In the present embodiment, the upper case receiver 79 is loaded with the exposure case 13 from which the lid 13b can be removed from the main body 13a, and the lower case receiver 79 is rotatably attached to the main body 13a. Case 13 (the type of Patent Document 1) is loaded. The exposure case 13 can be manually attached / detached to / from the case receiver 79 by hand, and when loaded, the exposure case 13 is held in place by a holding means using a spring. .

  In the upper exposure case, the lid 13b is opened and closed by a lid opening / closing device 82 driven by an actuator (not shown) such as an air cylinder. The lower exposure case 13 is also opened and closed by an opening / closing device (not shown) driven by an actuator such as an air cylinder or electromagnetic solenoid. In any case, the reticle R is exposed from the second transfer unit 17 for exposure by combining the back-and-forth movement of the second transfer unit 17 and the up-and-down movement of the exposure case setting unit 14 with the lid 13b opened. The case 13 can be transferred.

  The exposure case 13 is also provided with a latch device that holds the lid 13b in a closed state, and the latch device is automatically released and locked by the movement of the lid opening / closing device 82. The main body 13a of the exposure case 13 is provided with a receiving body 13c that holds the reticle R so that it cannot be displaced, and the lid 13b is provided with a presser 13d.

  The temporary placement table 81 is used when the exposure case 13 is different from the predetermined case, when there is some problem with the reticle R and cannot be stored in the exposure case 13 as it is, or when the exposure case set unit 14 has an exposure case. Used when 13 is not set.

  The temporary placing table 81 includes a front receiving body 83 that holds the reticle R so as not to move forward, a support pin 84 that supports the reticle R at the rear, and a rear receiving body 85 that holds the reticle R so that it cannot move backward. And a left and right receiving body 85 that holds the reticle R so as not to move left and right. The left and right receiving bodies 85 have inclined surfaces that guide the downward movement of the reticle R. Needless to say, each receptacle is disposed at a position where it does not interfere with the support bar 73 of the second transfer unit 17.

  In the present embodiment, by changing the height of the exposure case setting section 14, the exposure case 13 can be selected and transferred to the temporary placement table 81, the upper exposure case 13, and the lower exposure case 13. However, it is also possible to select the transfer height position by raising and lowering only the second transfer unit 17 as a fixed type in which the exposure case setting unit 14 does not move up and down. Further, it is possible to set only one exposure case 13 in the exposure case setting section 14 or to set three (three types) or more exposure cases 13.

(8) Summary As described above, after setting the empty exposure case 13 in the exposure case setting unit 14 and setting the delivery case 11 containing the exposure case 13 in the storage unit 12, By operating the system, the inspected reticle R is automatically stored in the exposure case 13 through visual inspection and foreign matter removal of the reticle R. That is, the inspection of the reticle R and the transfer from the delivery case 11 to the exposure case 13 can be performed in a series of operations.

  In the inspection of the reticle R, the fact that the attitude of the reticle R can be freely changed and the attitude of the light 39 and the nozzles 38 and 40 can be changed freely can ensure the detection and removal of foreign matters. it can. In the present embodiment, the reticle R can be inverted 180 degrees in the first transfer unit 16, so that the reticle R can inspect not only the front surface but also the back surface.

  The posture of the inspection table 23 and the posture change of the irradiation / removal unit 18 are preferably set so as to be sequentially changed according to a preset program. If the operator finds an abnormality, the automatic control can be interrupted and the inspection table 23 can be switched to the manual mode in which the posture can be changed by operating the handle 7. It is also possible to manually operate the entire system. In this case, the operation is performed by touching a display group on the display.

  When the delivery case 11 is set, the inspection time is not necessary in the first place, such as when the reticle R is damaged, when a defect is found by the inspection, or by changing the semiconductor manufacturing process. It may be necessary to shift later. In such a case, the reticle R inside the apparatus main body 1 may be returned to the delivery case 11 by the first transfer unit 16. Thus, it is also an advantage of this embodiment that the reticle R taken out from the delivery case 11 can be returned to the delivery case 11 again.

  When there is an abnormality that can be corrected only by hand, such as when the reticle R is not properly placed on the inspection table 23 in the inspection stage unit 10, the operator can open the transparent door 2 to correct the abnormality.

  In some cases, the inspection process is unnecessary and only the transfer of the reticle is desired, but in response to this request, a work mode including the inspection process and a work mode without the inspection process are prepared in the control mode. In this case, it is preferable that the operator can select (the selection is performed by the operation unit 5).

(9). Second Embodiment Next, a second embodiment disclosed in FIGS. 9 and 10 will be described. FIG. 9 is a schematic perspective view of the apparatus, and FIG. 10 is a plan view showing the arrangement of main members. Unlike the first embodiment, the present embodiment does not include a delivery case set portion, and therefore does not include an opening cover portion for the delivery case.

  An exposure case set unit 14 is disposed in the middle of the left and right sides of the apparatus main body 1, and a second transfer unit 17 is disposed on the right side of the exposure case set unit 14. The inspection stage unit 10 is provided so as to overlap the exposure case set unit 14.

  In the present embodiment, the inspection stage unit 10 also serves as the first transfer unit 16 (that is, the inspection stage unit 10 forms part of the transfer means described in the claims), and the first embodiment. The first transfer unit 16 in FIG. For this reason, the same reference numerals as those in the first embodiment are used to omit the description.

  The clamping mechanism unit 50 of the inspection stage unit 10 is located above the exposure case setting unit 14. Further, the inspection stage unit 10 can move horizontally to the back side of the apparatus main body 1 by a certain angle (for example, about 30 degrees) around the center of the exposure case set unit 14. .

  On the other hand, the second transfer unit 17 has the same structure as in the first embodiment. However, the second transfer unit 17 of the present embodiment is arranged so that the support bar 73 moves in the left-right direction. Therefore, the exposure case 13 is 90 degrees horizontal compared to the first embodiment. It is set in the exposure case setting section 14 in a swung attitude.

  A light 39 is attached to the rear portion of the apparatus main body 1 so as to be rotatable up and down and horizontally. In the present embodiment, a manual gas ejection gun 88 is used as the gas ejection means for removing the foreign matter adhering to the reticle R. In the present embodiment, the front surface of the inspection space is left open or covered with a transparent plate, so that the entire front surface of the inspection space is a peeping portion.

  The inspection space can be left open at the front and the upper part around the space, and the left and right side portions, the back portion, and the upper portion can be surrounded by a non-transparent plate. The front plate of the apparatus main body 1 is provided with a notch 89 for taking in and out the exposure case 13. The inside of the apparatus main body is maintained in a negative pressure state by a dust suction device.

  In the present embodiment, the reticle R taken out from the delivery case is set on the temporary placement table 81 of the exposure case setting unit 14. Then, the reticle R of the temporary placement table 81 is gripped by the clamp mechanism 50 of the inspection stage unit 10, and is inspected visually by being tilted or inverted. When the inspection is completed, the reticle R is returned to the temporary placement table 81, and then the exposure case set unit 14 is lowered and transferred to the second transfer unit 17, and then the exposure case set unit 14 is raised to a predetermined value. Are stored in the exposure case 13. The temporary placing table 81 is provided with a receiving body 90 for the reticle R.

  As a method of using the apparatus of this embodiment, the reticle taken out from the delivery case is temporarily stored in the exposure case 13, and the exposure case 13 containing the reticle is set in the exposure case setting unit 14. It is also possible to take out the reticle R by the transfer unit 17 and transfer it to the temporary table 81. In this embodiment, since a part of the transfer means also serves as the inspection stage unit, there is an advantage that the structure is simplified accordingly.

  It is also possible to adopt a configuration in which the clamp mechanism 50 of the inspection stage unit can be raised and lowered or (and) vertically swung. Further, it is possible to adopt a configuration in which the reticle is transferred to the exposure case 13 by the inspection stage unit (therefore, the second transfer unit 17 is unnecessary in this case). In this case, the reticle is transferred to the inspection stage unit. The mounting means is completely shared.

(Ten). Others The present invention can be embodied in various ways other than the above-described embodiment. For example, the specific structure of the transfer means may be designed as necessary, and the specific structures of the delivery case set part and the exposure case set part can also be designed according to the case style. It is also possible to integrate the apparatus of the present invention with an exposure apparatus and automatically convey the exposure case storing the inspected reticle to the exposure apparatus by the relay conveyance apparatus.

  As described above, in the first embodiment, the reticle can be transferred from the delivery case to the exposure case together with the inspection process. However, the present specification does not include an inspection device and is used for delivery. A configuration that can only be automatically transferred from the case to the exposure case, i.e., the warehousing part where the delivery case is set, the delivery part where the exposure case is set, and the reticle from the delivery case to the exposure case. A configuration of a transfer device including a transfer device is also disclosed, and only this configuration can be defined as an independent claim. In this case, the lids of both cases may be opened and closed by a transfer device, or another lid opening mechanism may be provided.

1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment. (A) is a plan view and (B) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line BB of (A). It is a figure which shows an inspection stage part. It is a side view of an irradiation / removal unit. It is a figure which shows a 1st transfer unit. It is a figure which shows a 2nd transfer unit. It is a figure which shows the case set part for exposure. It is a perspective view of the temporary placement stand of the case set part for exposure. It is a schematic perspective view of 2nd Embodiment. It is a schematic plan view of 2nd Embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

R reticle 1 device main body 2 transparent door as an example of a peeping part 5 operation part 10 inspection stage part 11 delivery case 12 delivery case set part 13 exposure case 14 exposure case set part 16 first transfer unit 17 second Transfer unit 18 Illumination / removal unit 23 Inspection table

Claims (2)

An apparatus for visually detecting and removing foreign matter adhering to a reticle used in semiconductor manufacturing,
A main body provided with a peeping portion through which the inspection space can be seen from the outside, an inspection stage portion that holds the reticle inside the main body in a state that a person can visually recognize from the peeping portion, and held by the inspection stage portion A gas ejection means for removing foreign matter from the reticle, an exposure case set portion provided in the main body so that an exposure case used for transferring the reticle to the exposure apparatus can be loaded, and the inspection stage portion. A transfer means capable of transferring the inspected reticle to the exposure case of the exposure case setting section;
The inspection stage unit has or is not provided with a posture changing mechanism that can change the posture of the reticle to a horizontal posture, tilt it, or change its posture, and is further held inside the main body by the inspection stage unit. With or without light to illuminate the reticle
Reticle inspection device. Since the reticle is manufactured, it is stored in a delivery case different from the exposure case and shipped.
The exposure case set portion is arranged on the right side or the left side of the inspection stage portion with reference to the person facing the inspection stage portion, and the exposure case sandwiching the inspection stage portion in the main body In the part opposite to the set part, a storage part in which the delivery case is set is provided, and the reticle can be taken out from the delivery case in the storage part by the transfer means.
The reticle inspection apparatus according to claim 1.

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