JP3415703B2 - Pellicle frame of mask protection device and method of manufacturing the same - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention comprises a pellicle frame and a transparent thin film stretched on one side of the pellicle frame.
Frame of a mask protection device used for the purpose of preventing dust and the like from adhering to a mask or reticle (hereinafter referred to as “mask”) used in a photolithography process in a manufacturing process of an integrated circuit such as Regarding

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, a pellicle frame of a mask protection device is
An alumite-treated aluminum frame is used, but when the surface is closely observed, there are fine irregularities, and foreign matter that has entered the recesses of the recess pops out when some vibration or shock is applied to the frame. May cause dust.

In Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 64-48062, in order to prevent such dust generation from the pellicle frame, a paint or an adhesive is applied to the inner surface of the pellicle frame to form a protective film. A mask protection device capable of enclosing a foreign substance that has entered a hollow is disclosed, and spray application is disclosed as one of methods for applying a paint or an adhesive.

[0004]

Generally, the pellicle frame has chamfered edges in an R shape as shown in FIG.
When the paint or the adhesive is applied to the inner surface by spraying, the paint or the adhesive does not spread sufficiently to the edge because of its high viscosity, and the protective film 1 may not be formed completely to the edge. The adhesive 3 applied to the end face of the pellicle frame 2 on the side to be adhered to the mask may not be applied to the entire end face. Therefore, in the conventional method, the exposed portion of the frame from the edge to the paint or adhesive application area is not exposed. It may occur, and there was a risk of dust generation from this part.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a pellicle frame that is free from the risk of dust generation and a method of manufacturing the pellicle frame.

[0006]

Therefore, the pellicle frame of the present invention has a coating layer of a paint or a pressure sensitive adhesive on the inner surface of the frame, a coating layer of a surface coating material on the end face on the mask bonding side, and an adhesive layer on the coating layer. A layer is provided, and the manufacturing method is to apply a paint or an adhesive on the inner surface of the frame, then apply a surface coating material on the end surface of the mask adhesion side, and then apply an adhesive on it. In another method, after applying the surface coating material on the end surface of the frame on the mask bonding side, and then applying the adhesive agent on top of it, simultaneously or before or after this application, paint on the inner surface of the frame. Alternatively, an adhesive is applied. In order to further prevent dust generation from the pellicle frame, at the same time as or before or after applying the surface coating material to the mask adhesive side end surface, the surface coating material is also applied to the adhesive side end surface of the pellicle film. Is desirable. When applying the surface coating material, it is desirable that the surface coating material is diluted with a diluent, and the viscosity of the surface coating material solution at that time is 3 to 40 cps, preferably 5 to 15 cps. Is desirable, and more preferably, the adhesive is diluted with the surface coating material before use. When the surface coating material solution is used, it is necessary to dry the solvent after coating.

The surface coating material used in the present invention is, for example, a fluoropolymer, a styrene / ethylene / butylene / styrene (hereinafter referred to as “SEBS”) copolymer polymer used for an adhesive applied to the inner surface of the frame, an acrylic adhesive. Agent, silicone rubber, paint, etc. are used.
As a diluent for diluting up to about 40 cps, a fluorine-based solvent, SEBS-based polymer,
Toluene is used for the acrylic adhesive, and water, thinner, toluene, etc. are used for the paint depending on the type. Of these, a toluene-based material having a high volatility is particularly desirable. When toluene, thinner or the like is used, since it dries immediately at room temperature, it can be used substantially immediately after the surface coating material is applied.

[0008]

[Operation] According to the pellicle frame of the present invention, the protective film is formed from the inner side surface to the adhesive application region of the lower end surface, and the exposed portion of the aluminum frame is not generated. Further, when a low-viscosity surface coating material is dropped on the lower end surface of the frame, it quickly diffuses to the edge and beyond the edge to form a protective film.

Application of paint or adhesive to the inner surface of the frame,
The surface coating material may be applied to the lower end surface of the frame either before or after, but after applying the surface coating material,
When a paint or a pressure-sensitive adhesive is applied to the inner side surface of the frame, the end of the frame rises due to surface tension, and a step is likely to occur. On the other hand, when the surface coating material is applied afterwards, the surface coating material is stopped at the swelling portion of the end portion, and the step portion is eliminated to improve the finish.

The coating of the paint or the adhesive on the inner side surface of the frame may be carried out by spraying as in the conventional example, or, as proposed by the present applicant in Japanese Patent Application No. 6-211572, You may make it apply using the nozzle of. That is, as shown in FIG. 2, the coating nozzle 6 is pressed against the inner surface of the pellicle frame 8 while discharging the coating material or the pressure-sensitive adhesive from the discharge hole 5 of the spatula-shaped coating nozzle 6 to the inner surface of the pellicle frame, and the coating material or the pressure-sensitive adhesive is removed. Alternatively, the protective film 7 may be formed by pushing and spreading it to the edge.

FIG. 3 shows a coating device for the surface coating material and the adhesive, and X is controlled by a control device (not shown).
A rail 11 whose movement is controlled in a direction, a rail 12 which is orthogonal to the rail 11 and whose movement is also controlled in the Y direction by the control device, a dispenser 13 for surface coating material attached to the rail 12, and an adhesive. A pellicle frame 1 having a lower end surface facing upward by controlling a moving speed in X and Y directions and a supply amount of a surface coating material and an adhesive by a control device at the time of coating.
The surface coating material can be applied to the lower end surface of the No. 5 and then the adhesive agent.

[0012]

[Example] Using the coating apparatus shown in FIG. 3, a surface coating material having a viscosity of 10 cps obtained by dissolving and diluting a SEBS adhesive in toluene was ejected from the dispenser 13 at a rate of 170 mg / min, and the moving speed of the dispenser 13 was 30 mm. / sec was set, and spray coating was applied to the lower end surface of the pellicle frame 15 to which the adhesive was applied by the conventional spray on the inner surface of the frame. After coating the surface coating material on the entire circumference of the frame 15, subsequently, hot melt (8000 cps) at 180 ° C. was similarly coated by another dispenser 14.

FIG. 4 shows the pellicle frame which has undergone the above steps. The surface coating material applied to the lower end surface of the frame extends down to the protective film 17 of the adhesive applied to the inner surface of the frame. The end face was diffused to form the coat layer 16, and the exposed portion of the aluminum frame could be eliminated. In the figure, 18 is a hot melt layer, and 19 is a pellicle film. FIG. 5 shows S
The entire pellicle frame 21 is dipped in a dilute solution of an EBS-based adhesive in toluene having a viscosity of 10 cps for a certain period of time, pulled up and dried, and an adhesive 23 is formed on the lower end face of the frame after forming a coat layer 22 on the entire surface. It is applied.

According to this method, it is possible to form a coat layer having a uniform thickness without unevenness in a short time on the entire pellicle frame 15 in a single step, and this process can be applied to a large number of pellicle frames at one time. You can do it.

[0015]

The present invention is constructed as described above and has the following effects. According to the pellicle frame of the first aspect, the protective film is formed from the inner side surface to the lower end surface, and the exposed portion of the aluminum frame is eliminated. Therefore, dust generation from the pellicle frame is prevented. According to the method of claim 2 or 3, since the surface coating material has a low viscosity, it is quickly diffused to the entire lower end surface of the frame to the protective film on the inner surface of the frame or beyond the edge portion to form the protective film. In addition, in the method according to the second aspect, a stepless and good-looking protective film is formed.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a pellicle frame according to a conventional method.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a coating method on the inner surface of the frame.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view of a coating device.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a pellicle frame according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of another embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

5 ・ ・ Discharge hole 6 ・ ・ Coating nozzle 7 ・ ・ Protective film 8 ・ ・ Pellicle frame 11, 12 ・ ・ Rail 13, 14 ・ ・ Dispenser 15, 21 ・ ・ Pellicle frame 16 ・ ・ Coat layer 17 ・ ・ Protective film 18 ..Hot melt layer

Continuation of front page (58) Fields surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G03F 1/00-1/16

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] 1. A pellicle frame and a transparent thin film stretched on one side surface of the pellicle frame, and dust or the like adheres to a mask or reticle used in a photolithography process in a manufacturing process of an integrated circuit such as an LSI. In the pellicle frame of the mask protection device used for the purpose of preventing
A pellicle frame having a coating layer of a paint or a pressure-sensitive adhesive on an inner side surface of the frame, a coating layer of a surface coating material on an end face on the mask bonding side, and an adhesive layer on the coating layer. 2. A method of applying a paint or an adhesive to the inner surface of the frame, applying a surface coating material to the end surface on the mask adhesion side, and then applying an adhesive agent onto the surface coating material. The method for manufacturing a pellicle frame according to claim 1. 3. A surface coating material is applied to the end surface on the mask adhesion side, and then an adhesive agent is applied to the surface coating material, and at the same time or before or after this application, a paint or an adhesive material is applied to the inner surface of the frame. The method for manufacturing a pellicle frame according to claim 1, wherein: 4. The application of the surface coating material according to claim 2 or 3 is performed by applying a surface coating solution adjusted to a viscosity of 3 to 40 cps with a diluent, and after application,
A method for producing a pellicle frame, which comprises drying a solvent.