JP3642145B2 - Method for producing pellicle and liner for attaching pellicle to adhesive layer for attaching reticle to reticle - Google Patents

Description

注：反り量はレーザー式変位計を用いて測定した。
【００２２】
［参考例］
上記実施例と同様なペリクルを作製した。この場合、ライナーの反りが５±０．５ｍｍのものを選び、▲１▼ライナーの反りが辺中央の粘着剤層を押し付ける向きに貼り付けたもの（図２）、▲２▼ライナーの反りがコーナー部の粘着剤層を押し付ける向きに貼り付けたもの（図３）について、収納ケースに３ケ月保管したものの貼付性を比較した。結果を表２に示す。この結果より、▲１▼ではコーナー部のエアパスが発生しなかったのに対し、▲２▼では２箇所にコーナー部のエアパスが発生した。
【００２３】
【表２】

【００２４】
【発明の効果】
本発明のペリクルは、長期保管してもレチクル貼着用粘着剤層が変形なく均一厚さで安定に保持されるので、その使用時にエアパスが発生することなく密着よく良好にレチクルに貼り付けることができる。
【図面の簡単な説明】
【図１】本発明の一実施例を示すペリクルの斜視図である。
【図２】ライナーの粘着剤層への貼着状態の好適例を説明する部分断面図である。
【図３】ライナーの粘着剤層への貼着状態の他の例を説明する部分断面図である。
【符号の説明】
１ ペリクル枠
２ ペリクル膜
３ 粘着剤層
４ ライナー
４ａ プラスチックフィルム
４ｂ 離型層
４ｃ 辺中間部
４ｄ 角部[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a method for producing a pellicle useful for an exposure method using light having a wavelength of substantially 500 nm or less, which is used as a foreign matter prevention in manufacturing semiconductor devices such as LSI and VLSI, and a liquid crystal display panel. The present invention relates to a liner for sticking to a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer for attaching a pellicle to a reticle.
[0002]
[Prior art and problems to be solved by the invention]
In the manufacture of semiconductor devices such as LSI and VLSI, or liquid crystal display panels, patterning is performed by irradiating a semiconductor wafer or liquid crystal master plate with light. An exposure master plate (hereinafter referred to as a reticle) used in this case is used. If foreign matter adheres to the surface, the foreign matter absorbs light or bends the light, so the transferred patterning is deformed, the edges become rough, and the white background is stained black. As a result, the size, quality, appearance, and the like are impaired, and there is a problem in that the performance and manufacturing yield of the semiconductor device and the liquid crystal display panel are lowered.
[0003]
For this reason, these operations are usually performed in a clean room, but it is difficult to always keep the reticle clean even in the clean room. Therefore, in general, a reticle is used with a pellicle that allows the exposure light to pass therethrough in order to avoid foreign matter.
[0004]
When the pellicle is mounted, the foreign matter does not adhere directly to the surface of the reticle but adheres to the pellicle. Therefore, if exposure is performed while focusing on the reticle pattern, transfer can be performed regardless of foreign matter on the pellicle.
[0005]
Here, the pellicle stretches and bonds a transparent pellicle film made of nitrocellulose, cellulose acetate, etc. that allows light to pass well to the upper end surface of a pellicle frame made of aluminum, stainless steel, polyethylene, etc. A pressure-sensitive adhesive layer (hereinafter referred to as a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer) composed of a polybudene resin, a polyvinyl acetate resin, an acrylic resin, etc. for adhering to a reticle is formed. A liner (release layer) for protecting the adhesive surface of the agent layer is applied.
[0006]
In order to attach such a pellicle to the reticle, the liner is peeled off and the lower end surface of the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer in contact with the liner may be pressed in accordance with the fixed position of the reticle, but the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer has a precise pattern. In order to stick to the drawn reticle, it is desirable that the bonding be performed with a pressure as low as possible so as not to cause distortion in the reticle. In addition, it is essential that the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer is adhered uniformly over the entire circumference of the pellicle frame and that there is no air path serving as a ventilation source between the inside and the outside of the pellicle frame. From this point, the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer is formed to have a uniform thickness using the pressure-sensitive adhesive having an appropriate softness as described above.
[0007]
However, despite the fact that the pellicle immediately after manufacture has a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer having a uniform thickness, the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer may be deformed while it is stored in the storage case. A defect has occurred. Further, such an air path is mainly generated at the corner portion of the pellicle frame. Therefore, a pellicle that maintains the initial uniform thickness without deformation of the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer during storage and can be adhered to the reticle evenly without air path is desired.
[0008]
The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and can be held for a long period of time with a uniform thickness immediately after production without deforming the adhesive layer, and can be easily and stably attached to a reticle during use. It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for producing a pellicle that can be used and a liner used therefor.
[0009]
Means for Solving the Problem and Embodiment of the Invention
As a result of intensive studies to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present inventors have determined that the main cause of the deformation of the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer of the pellicle is that the liner attached to the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer is a plastic film stored in a roll shape. Due to the fact that it is cut and used, the curl tends to stick and warp tends to remain, so that even if it is stretched and pasted, the residual stress works and deforms the adhesive layer. I found it.
[0010]
That is, the liner is usually a plastic film typified by PET with a release agent applied and cut into a pellicle frame shape (square frame shape). The plastic film forming the liner is cut into a pellicle frame shape. Since the film is usually stored in a roll shape at the time of manufacture, the film is curled, and even after the film is cut into a pellicle frame shape, the warp caused by the curl tends to remain. Then, if this is directly adhered to the adhesive layer and stored, the residual stress acts on the adhesive layer and deforms it, which is the cause of the above-mentioned air path, and the liner When sticking to the adhesive layer, the warping direction of the liner affects the air path generation at the corners described above, and in order to maintain a good adhesive layer shape until use, the liner flatness and the liner I found it important to manage the direction of warping.
[0011]
As a result of further investigations from this point, by using a liner with a warp amount of 3 mm or less, particularly 1 mm or less, there is almost no deformation of the adhesive layer even after storage of the pellicle, and the reticle can be uniformly formed without an air path. It was found that the pellicle can be closely attached. Further, in this case, when sticking the liner to the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer, use a pellicle that warps so that the corners are separated from the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer from the middle part of each side of the square-frame-shaped liner, and stick this. In particular, it has been found that this is advantageous in preventing an air path at the corner portion, and the present invention has been made.
[0012]
Accordingly, in the present invention, a pellicle film is stretched on the upper end surface of the pellicle frame, a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer is attached to the lower end surface, and a liner is releasably attached to the lower end surface of the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer. When manufacturing a pellicle by wearing it, the liner has a square frame shape corresponding to the adhesive layer formed on the lower end surface of the pellicle frame, the warp amount is 3 mm or less, and the middle part of each side of the square frame A pellicle manufacturing method characterized in that a pellicle film is attached to the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer in a peelable manner using a liner that is warped so that corners thereof are separated from the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer, and a pellicle film on the upper end surface of the pellicle frame And a liner that is detachably attached to the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer in the pellicle in which a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer for attaching a reticle is formed on the lower end surface, corresponding to the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer formed on the lower end surface of the pellicle frame Has a square frame A release layer is formed on the side to be adhered to the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer, the amount of warpage is 3 mm or less, the protrusion protrudes toward the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer, and the corners are the pressure-sensitive adhesive against the middle portion of each side of the square frame. Provided is a liner for sticking a pellicle to a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer for sticking a reticle, characterized by having a warp that separates from the agent layer.
[0013]
In the present invention, the amount of warpage of the liner means the maximum height (mm) from the true plane when the liner is placed on the true plane. Accordingly, even when the liner is placed on the true plane and protrudes from the true plane at a plurality of locations, the protrusion height of the maximum protrusion is defined as the amount of warpage.
[0014]
Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail.
As shown in FIG. 1, the pellicle of the present invention has a pellicle film 2 stretched on the upper end surface of a square frame-shaped pellicle frame 1 and a reticle adhering adhesive layer 3 formed on the lower end surface. The liner 4 is adhered to the lower end surface of the adhesive layer 3 to be adhered. In this case, the size of these members is the same as that of a normal pellicle, and the material thereof can be a known material as described above. The liner is usually a plastic film such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET) coated with a release agent such as a silicone release agent on one or both sides.
[0015]
Thus, in the present invention, a liner having a warp amount of 3 mm or less, particularly 1 mm or less is used. By using a liner with a warp amount of 3 mm or less, it becomes possible to prevent an air path when the reticle is stuck due to deformation of the adhesive layer, and by further reducing it to 1 mm or less, the deformation of the adhesive layer can be more reliably prevented. Therefore, it is possible to perform better sticking to the reticle.
[0016]
Here, the liner with such a small amount of warping is formed by pressing a plastic film forming the liner, or cutting the plastic film into a liner shape and placing it on a hot plate, and heating it above the glass transition temperature of the film material. Although there is a method of correcting warpage, any method may be used as long as damage to the liner release layer is small, and there is no particular limitation. However, even if the warp is temporarily corrected, the residual stress does not go away. For example, even if it is applied to the adhesive layer with the warp temporarily corrected at the time of application using a vacuum chuck, electrostatic chuck, etc. The object of the invention is not achieved, and it is preferred that the correction of warpage be made substantially permanent.
[0017]
Moreover, when sticking the said liner to an adhesive layer, as shown in FIG. 2, it has a curvature that a corner | angular part is spaced apart from the adhesive layer 3 rather than the intermediate part of each edge | side of the square frame-shaped liner 4. As shown in FIG. As described above, the liner 4 has a release layer 4b formed by applying a release agent on one surface of the plastic film 4a, and the release layer 4b is disposed on the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer 3 side. The liner 4 is attached to the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer 3, but when the intermediate part 4 c on one side of the liner 4 is attached to the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer 3, the liner 4 d and 4 d are separated from the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer 3. In use, in this state of FIG. 2, the corners 4d and 4d can be adhered to the corners of the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer 3 to reliably prevent the air path at the corners and to adhere the liner to the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer. Recommended in terms.
[0018]
【Example】
EXAMPLES Hereinafter, although an Example, a comparative example, and a reference example are shown and this invention is demonstrated concretely, this invention is not restrict | limited to the following Example.
[0019]
[Examples and comparative examples]
The surface was anodized, and an aluminum frame having a height of 6.3 mm, an outer peripheral 120 mm square and an inner peripheral 110 mm square was prepared. A pellicle film is stretched on the upper end surface of the aluminum frame, and a silicone adhesive KR-120 (manufactured by Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.) is applied to the lower end surface so as to form a tape having a thickness of 0.6 mm. The pressure-sensitive adhesive layer was formed by curing at 30 ° C. for 30 minutes. A liner in which a release agent is applied to a PET film having the same shape as the end face of the frame and having a thickness of 100 μm is adhered so that the warp of the liner presses the adhesive in the center of the side as described in FIG. Got. This pellicle was stored at room temperature for 3 months.
[0020]
Thereafter, the liner was peeled off from the pellicle and affixed to the reticle with a load of 20 kg for 1 minute, and the occurrence of an air path was evaluated according to the following criteria. The results are shown in Table 1.
Pasting result ○ Excellent (no air pass, good pasting condition)
△ Good (there is no air pass, but the affixed part is incomplete)
× Defect (Air pass generated)
[0021]
[Table 1]

Note: The amount of warpage was measured using a laser displacement meter.
[0022]
[Reference example]
A pellicle similar to the above example was produced. In this case, select one with a liner warp of 5 ± 0.5 mm, and (1) the liner warp was applied in a direction to press the adhesive layer at the center of the side (Fig. 2), and (2) the liner warped The sticking property of the one that was stuck in the direction in which the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer in the corner portion was pressed (FIG. 3) was stored in the storage case for 3 months. The results are shown in Table 2. From this result, in (1), no corner air path was generated, whereas in (2), there were two corner air paths.
[0023]
[Table 2]

[0024]
【The invention's effect】
In the pellicle of the present invention, even when stored for a long time, the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer to be stuck to the reticle is stably held at a uniform thickness without deformation, so that it can be well adhered to the reticle without causing an air path during use. it can.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a pellicle showing an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view illustrating a preferred example of a state where a liner is attached to an adhesive layer.
FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view illustrating another example of a state where a liner is attached to an adhesive layer.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 Pellicle frame 2 Pellicle film 3 Adhesive layer 4 Liner 4a Plastic film 4b Release layer 4c Side intermediate part 4d Corner part

Claims (4)

  A pellicle film is stretched on the upper end surface of the pellicle frame, a pressure sensitive adhesive layer is attached to the lower end surface, and a liner is peelably attached to the lower end surface of the pressure sensitive adhesive layer to produce a pellicle. In doing so, the liner has a square frame shape corresponding to the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer formed on the lower end surface of the pellicle frame, the amount of warpage is 3 mm or less, and the corners are the above relative to the middle part of each side of the square frame. A method for producing a pellicle, characterized in that it is peelably attached to the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer using a liner warped so as to be separated from the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer.   The method for producing a pellicle according to claim 1, wherein a liner having a warp amount of 1 mm or less is used.   A pellicle film is stretched on the upper end surface of the pellicle frame, and a liner that is releasably attached to the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer of the pellicle in which a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer is attached to the lower end surface. It has a square frame shape corresponding to the formed pressure-sensitive adhesive layer, a release layer is formed on the side to be bonded to the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer, the amount of warpage is 3 mm or less, and protrudes toward the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer side. A liner for sticking a pellicle to a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer for sticking a reticle, wherein a corner of the square frame has a warp such that a corner is separated from the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer.   The liner according to claim 3, wherein the amount of warpage is 1 mm or less.

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