JP2010157639A - Aligner and device manufacturing method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an aligner which is advantageous in terms of safety, with respect to the aligner configured to expose a substrate. <P>SOLUTION: The aligner configured to expose the substrate (1) includes an aligner body (12), units (13, 14) which is provided on the aligner body (12) and can open and close openings (23, 24), authentication means (15, 16) which permits the units (13, 14) to open and close, and a control means (10) which inhibits some of operations for a period from when the authentication means (15, 16) permit the units to open until when the authentication means (15, 16) permit the units to close. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an exposure apparatus that exposes a substrate.

  Since the exposure apparatus is made using various technologies, it takes time to learn the entire exposure apparatus in detail. Therefore, users who only use the exposure apparatus or those who are engaged only in individual parts of the exposure apparatus. Did not require detailed proficiency. Therefore, the present situation is that the skill level of the person engaged in the exposure apparatus differs depending on the person.

  In addition, the exposure apparatus has many places that have an influence on the human body due to light from a lamp or laser, movement of the stage, etc., but it is possible to enter the exposure apparatus by opening the door. Normally, when the door is opened, an interlock is applied and the door cannot be operated, but this interlock can be disabled by setting.

According to Patent Document 1, based on information sent from industrial equipment, related data is extracted for predetermined items related to the performance of industrial equipment, and diagnosis for early diagnosis of abnormalities in industrial equipment is performed. A device has been proposed. This diagnostic device analyzes the cause of any abnormality, and notifies the diagnosis result and analysis result to the outside.
International Publication WO2002 / 061514

Although the diagnostic apparatus of Patent Document 1 diagnoses the presence or absence of an abnormality in an industrial device at an early stage, it cannot avoid human access to the inside of the exposure apparatus.
An object of the present invention is to provide an exposure apparatus advantageous in terms of safety.

An exposure apparatus of the present invention for solving the above problems is an exposure apparatus for exposing a substrate,
An exterior, a unit that can open and close an opening provided in the exterior, an authentication unit that permits opening and closing of the unit, and a period from when the opening is permitted by the authentication unit until the closing is permitted And a control means for prohibiting at least a part of the operation.

  According to the present invention, for example, an exposure apparatus that is advantageous in terms of safety can be provided.

An exposure apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention will be described with reference to the block diagram of FIG.
As shown in FIG. 1, the exposure apparatus according to the first embodiment includes a chamber 9, an illumination system 6, a reticle 3 as an original, and a projection optical system 5 mounted in an exposure apparatus body 12 (housing or exterior). And a wafer stage 2 on which a wafer 1 as a substrate is mounted. The projection optical system 5 and the alignment optical system 8 are supported by the main body structure 7. The exposure apparatus projects and exposes a circuit pattern formed on the reticle 3 onto the wafer 1, and may be a step-and-repeat projection exposure system or a step-and-scan projection exposure system.

  The illumination system 6 illuminates the reticle 3 on which the circuit pattern is formed, and includes a light source unit and an illumination optical system. The light source unit uses, for example, a laser as a light source. As the laser, an ArF excimer laser having a wavelength of about 193 nm, a KrF excimer laser having a wavelength of about 248 nm, an F2 excimer laser having a wavelength of about 153 nm, or the like can be used. However, the type of laser is not limited to an excimer laser, for example, a YAG laser may be used, and the number of lasers is not limited.

  When a laser is used as the light source, it is preferable to use a light beam shaping optical system that shapes the parallel light beam from the laser light source into a desired beam shape and an incoherent optical system that makes the coherent laser light beam incoherent. The light source that can be used for the light source unit is not limited to the laser, and one or a plurality of lamps such as a mercury lamp and a xenon lamp can be used. The illumination optical system is an optical system that illuminates the mask, and includes a lens, a mirror, a light integrator, a diaphragm, and the like.

  As the projection optical system 5, an optical system composed only of a plurality of lens elements, an optical system (catadioptric optical system) having a plurality of lens elements and at least one concave mirror, or the like can be used. Furthermore, an optical system having a plurality of lens elements and at least one diffractive optical element such as a kinoform, an all-mirror optical system, or the like can be used.

The reticle stage 4 and the wafer stage 2 can be moved by, for example, a linear motor. In the case of the step-and-scan projection exposure method, the stages 2 and 4 move in synchronization. In addition, an actuator is separately provided in at least one of the wafer stage 4 and the reticle stage 2 in order to align the pattern of the reticle 3 on the wafer 1.
Such an exposure apparatus is used for manufacturing a semiconductor device such as a semiconductor integrated circuit or a device on which a fine pattern such as a micromachine or a thin film magnetic head is formed.

  Doors 13 and 14 which are units capable of opening and closing the openings 23 and 24 are provided in the exposure apparatus main body 12. This unit may be composed of either a robot (not shown) for transferring the reticle 3 or a robot (not shown) for transferring the wafer 1 instead of the doors 13 and 14. Authentication mechanisms 15 and 16 serving as authentication means are means for permitting opening and closing of the doors 13 and 14.

  The control device 10 that is a control means is a means for prohibiting at least a part of the operation from the time when the authentication mechanisms 15 and 16 are permitted to open the doors 13 and 14 to the time when the doors are permitted to close. The control device 10 prohibits the operation by invalidating the command corresponding to the operation. A plurality of openings 23 and 24 are provided, and the control device 10 prohibits operations corresponding to the openings 23 and 24 permitted to open and close.

  The doors 15 and 16 are provided with authentication mechanisms 15 and 16 when entering an area where an object in the exposure apparatus is operated, a place where it is difficult to confirm safety, or a place where an object that should be handled with care is provided. Limit. Further, while each part of the exposure apparatus is authenticated, it is considered that a person is entering or touching at that location, and by locking a command predetermined according to the authenticated location, artificial Make no mistakes.

  As shown in FIG. 1, since the inside of the exposure apparatus of Embodiment 1 cannot guarantee safety during operation, the exposure apparatus body 12 is partitioned from the inside and outside by doors 13 and 14 and plates. The position and number of doors vary depending on each exposure apparatus, but the doors 13 and 14 are first opened in order to enter the chamber 9, the illumination system 6, the wafer stage 2, etc., or to make contact with the inside. There is a need. By attaching the authentication mechanisms 15 and 16 to the doors 13 and 14, authentication is required when entering an area where safety cannot be ensured in the exposure apparatus. If the authentication fails, the doors 13 and 14 cannot be unlocked and cannot be opened, so that it is impossible to enter a place where safety cannot be guaranteed.

  In the authentication, each worker who enters the location authenticates with the authentication function, so that even one person cannot authenticate and cannot enter an area where safety cannot be guaranteed during operation of the exposure apparatus. Is preferable. Further, when leaving the exposure apparatus, the authentication is canceled by re-authentication, and then the doors 13 and 14 are closed. Thus, by providing a function that locks the doors 13 and 14, for example, the authentication management mechanism 17 included in the second embodiment of FIG. 2 can specify a period during which a person is present in the exposure apparatus.

  The control device 10 includes an authentication mechanism 11 that is an authentication unit that authenticates an individual. In order to operate the exposure apparatus, the authentication mechanism 11 needs to receive individual authentication. If the authentication mechanism 11 does not receive authentication, it becomes impossible for the control device 10 to operate the command of the exposure apparatus. In order to enable the operation of the exposure apparatus, personal authentication is first required. In the authentication, individual and individual level classification is set in advance, and the commands that can be operated by the individual are restricted.

  Since it is the control device 10 that operates the command of the exposure apparatus, the authentication mechanism 11 is provided in the control device 10 as a preferred configuration in the first embodiment of FIG. 1, but is not limited to this location. Some devices can operate the exposure apparatus via a network. In this case, authentication may be received from a network destination.

  The authentication mechanisms 11, 15, and 16 are configured by any of the image authentication, card authentication, iris authentication, and fingerprint authentication disclosed in JP-A-60-24778 and JP-A-61-105678, or It is only necessary that individual identification is possible with a combination of

By adding an individual security information function to the authentication function of the authentication mechanism 11, the command group that can be executed in the control device 10 may be restricted by the personal security information.
First, several command groups are determined in advance, and the security information of the command group, the individual, and the personal security information are registered in the control device 10. Even if personal authentication by the authentication mechanism 11 passes, the security information of the authenticated individual is then compared with the security information of the command group. If the command to be used fails to authenticate the security of the target command group, the command cannot be used.

  As a result, even an individual who has been authenticated by the authentication mechanism 11 cannot operate other than the command group approved by the individual and the individual, and the possibility of performing an erroneous operation can be reduced. With this individual and personal security information, it is possible to prevent operations that have not been educated for the exposure apparatus and operations that are not related to the operator.

Next, with reference to FIG. 3, a sequence of operations of the exposure apparatus of the first embodiment based on personal authentication is shown.
A user who is authenticated first receives personal authentication by the personal authentication mechanism 11. (Step 101)
A user who does not pass the security authentication (step 102) disables the command operation. (Step 103)
When the security authentication is successful, the control device 10 automatically starts recording a log on the console. (Step 104)
Further, the security level of command operation is set by the control device 10 for each command group (step 105), and only the commands approved by the individual can be operated (step 106).
Commands that are not allowed by individuals or individuals will be disabled. (Step 107)
The user who has finished the operation releases the security authentication (step 108), and the log recording on the console is automatically ended. (Step 109)

  Since the individual using the exposure apparatus of the first embodiment is identified by the personal authentication mechanism 11 and the operation log is automatically saved while being authenticated, it is possible to obtain a log of who performed what operation. . This log can be used as an analysis of why something happens if something goes wrong.

Next, an exposure apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
In the exposure apparatus of the second embodiment, the authentication mechanisms 11, 15, and 16 are connected to the authentication management mechanism 17, and have a function of managing each authentication information. By connecting the authentication mechanisms 15 and 16 and the authentication management mechanism 17, the authentication information of the doors 13 and 14 of the exposure apparatus is collected and managed. When the authentication of the doors 13 and 14 is accepted, the control device 10 recognizes that there is a person inside the authenticated doors 13 and 14 and cannot operate a command related to the location. The system will be locked.

If someone remains in an area where safety cannot be guaranteed, the operation related to that part is locked, so even if an operation command is executed, the exposure apparatus will operate and harm the operator by any chance. Safety can be ensured without adding.
In this command lock, a command to be locked is determined in advance corresponding to the doors 13 and 14, and the controller 10 locks the command. Alternatively, the entire exposure apparatus may not be operated. For example, when the authentication mechanism 16 opens the door 14 and enters the chamber 9 to work, commands that are not related to the chamber 9 may be operable, and commands that are not related may be disabled. Good.

Next, operations in the exposure apparatus of the second embodiment will be described with reference to the sequence diagram of FIG.
First, in order to perform the work in the exposure apparatus of the second embodiment (step 201), authentication is performed by the authentication mechanisms 15 and 16 provided in the doors 13 and 14. (Step 202)
If the authentication fails, the doors 13 and 14 do not open, and entry into the exposure apparatus is impossible. (Step 203)
If the authentication passes, the authentication management mechanism 17 recognizes that the door that has passed the authentication has opened. Further, the control device 10 is notified, and a command lock is applied so as to disable the operation of the functions within the range in which the work can be performed inside the exposure device from the opened doors 13 and 14. (Step 204)
Thus, when the user is working in the exposure apparatus, the user is protected from the operation of the exposure apparatus by operating the exposure apparatus with human error.

When the work is completed, the user receives security authentication again, cancels the authentication, exits the exposure apparatus, and closes the door. (Step 205)
For this reason, the doors 13 and 14 are locked, and the authentication management mechanism 17 recognizes that there is no person in the exposure apparatus. Then, the command lock is released by notifying the control device 10 so that the command can be operated again. (Step 206)

  According to the first and second embodiments of the present invention described above, since there is personal authentication, it becomes impossible for the operator to perform an operation that is not educated, and human error is reduced. Further, even when a person is in a place where safety cannot be established if a person enters while the apparatus is in operation, the user does not need to check each time. In addition, since the operation relating to the part cannot be performed, safety from human error such as operation without checking whether there is a person in the apparatus is increased.

[Embodiment of Device Manufacturing Method]
Next, a method for manufacturing a device (semiconductor device, liquid crystal display device, etc.) according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described. In this method, an exposure apparatus to which the present invention is applied can be used.
A semiconductor device is manufactured through a pre-process for producing an integrated circuit on a wafer (semiconductor substrate) and a post-process for completing an integrated circuit chip on the wafer produced in the pre-process as a product. The pre-process can include a step of exposing the wafer coated with the photosensitive agent using the exposure apparatus described above, and a step of developing the wafer exposed in the step. The post-process can include an assembly process (dicing, bonding) and a packaging process (encapsulation). Moreover, a liquid crystal display device is manufactured by passing through the process of forming a transparent electrode. The step of forming the transparent electrode includes a step of applying a photosensitive agent to a glass substrate on which a transparent conductive film is deposited, a step of exposing the glass substrate on which the photosensitive agent is applied, using the above-described exposure apparatus, and the step And a step of developing the glass substrate exposed in step (b).
The device manufacturing method of this embodiment is more advantageous than the conventional one in at least one of device productivity, quality and production cost, and safety.
As mentioned above, although preferable embodiment of this invention was described, this invention is not limited to these embodiment, A various deformation | transformation and change are possible within the range of the summary.

It is a block diagram of the exposure apparatus of Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a block diagram of Embodiment 2 of this invention. It is a sequence diagram at the time of command operation in Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a sequence diagram at the time of entering work in the exposure apparatus of Embodiment 2 of the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1: Wafer 2: Wafer stage 3: Reticle 4: Reticle stage 5: Projection optical system 6: Illumination optical system 7: Main body structure 8: Alignment optical system 9: Chamber 10: Control apparatus 11: Authentication mechanism 12: Exposure apparatus main body 13: Door 14: Door
15: Authentication mechanism 16: Authentication mechanism 17 Authentication management mechanism

Claims (5)

An exposure apparatus for exposing a substrate,
The exterior,
A unit capable of opening and closing an opening provided in the exterior;
Authentication means for permitting opening and closing of the unit;
Control means for prohibiting at least a part of the operation from the time when the opening is permitted by the authentication means to the time when the closing is permitted,
An exposure apparatus comprising:   2. The exposure apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the unit is at least one of a door, a robot for transporting an original, and a robot for transporting the substrate.   The exposure apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit prohibits the operation by invalidating a command corresponding to the operation. A plurality of the openings are provided,
4. The exposure apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit prohibits the operation corresponding to the opening permitted to open and close. A step of exposing the substrate using the exposure apparatus according to claim 1;
Developing the substrate exposed in the step;
A device manufacturing method comprising:

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