JP4261694B2 - Exposure equipment - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an exposure apparatus that exposes a substrate using a reticle .
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, when exchanging a reticle, reticle preprocessing such as pellicle inspection, reticle transport to a reticle use position, and wafer exposure processing are performed in order at the time of replacement.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, as the number of times of reticle switching increases, the ratio of the reticle switching process, that is, the reticle pre-process and the reticle transfer process, in the entire process of exposing the wafer while exchanging the reticle increases. The ratio of the wafer exposure process decreases, and the productivity of the exposed wafer deteriorates.
[0004]
An object of the present invention is an exposure apparatus, to reduce the time required for exchange of the reticle is to improve the productivity of the exposure process.
[0005]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve this object, an exposure apparatus of the present invention includes a storage unit that stores a plurality of reticles, and a transport unit that transports the reticle between the storage unit and the reticle stage, and is provided on the reticle stage. In an exposure apparatus that exposes a wafer using a reticle, a holding unit that holds the reticle to wait in the middle of conveyance from the storage unit to the reticle stage, and a pre-process necessary for the reticle prior to use A plurality of pre-processing means, and on the basis of use schedule information including information specifying the name and necessity of pre-processing by each of the plurality of pre-processing means for each reticle to be used, A reticle is transported from the storage means to the reticle stage, and the holding means and the plurality of pretreatment hands Wherein characterized in that it comprises a control means to be on standby to transport the reticle from the storage means.
[0006]
In the configuration of the present invention, the control unit conveys one or a plurality of original plates to be used from the next time onward to the holding unit in advance and waits. Therefore, when the use of the currently used original plate is completed, the next original plate is immediately conveyed from the holding means to the use position. Therefore, the ratio of the time required for processing accompanying replacement of the original plate in the entire exposure processing is reduced. In addition, preprocessing such as pellicle inspection for original plates to be used in the future can be performed more efficiently during the current exposure process based on the information on the intended use of the original plate. Become. If there is a change in the use schedule information, based on the use schedule information after the change, by performing the batch preprocessing and transporting the original plate for standby again, following the change in the use schedule, The original plate is waited and pre-processed in advance.
[0017]
【Example】
FIG. 1 shows the configuration of a reticle transport unit of a semiconductor exposure apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the drawing, this exposure apparatus includes a library 11 for storing a plurality of reticles having a pattern to be exposed, and hands 13 and 14 for transporting the reticle between the library 11 and the reticle stage 12, and is necessary. Accordingly, exposure is performed while exchanging the reticle. Further, a relay 15 for holding the reticle in the middle of conveyance from the library 11 to the reticle stage 12 or relaying it, and one or a plurality of reticles used from the next time are relayed from the library 11 in advance by the hand 13. 15 and a control means (not shown) that is transported to 15 and waits.
[0018]
The library 11 is a storage place for reticles, and can store seven reticles. The reticle used for the exposure process is transported from the library 11 to the reticle stage 12 (reticle usage position) and used for exposure on the reticle stage 12. Since the relay 15 (reticle standby position) has three slots and can hold one reticle in one slot, a total of three reticles can be held. One of the three slots of the relay 15 is used as a relay for collecting the reticle used on the reticle stage 12 to the library 11 when the use of the reticle is completed. Thus, the remaining two slots are used to hold the next reticle that is scheduled to be used and the next reticle. The hand 13 delivers a reticle between the library 11, the relay 15, the pellicle inspection device 16 and the transmittance and diffracted light amount measuring device 17. The hand 14 transfers the reticle between the relay 15 and the reticle stage 12. The pellicle inspection apparatus 16 is an apparatus that inspects pellicle dust. Instead of the pellicle inspection apparatus 16, a reticle inspection apparatus for inspecting reticle dust may be provided. The transmittance and diffracted light amount measuring device 17 is a device for measuring the transmittance and diffracted light amount of the reticle.
[0019]
FIG. 2 shows an example of reticle use schedule information. The name of the reticle to be used in the future and the necessity / unnecessity of pellicle inspection, transmittance measurement and diffraction light quantity measurement for each reticle are specified. This use schedule information can be created by the operation unit of this semiconductor exposure apparatus. It can also be received from another apparatus or computer connected to the semiconductor exposure apparatus.
[0020]
FIG. 3 shows an operation sequence of the hand 13. When the sequence is started, first, in step S1, it is determined whether or not the used reticle is held in the relay 15. If it is determined that the used reticle is not held, the process proceeds directly to step S3. If it is determined that the reticle is held, the reticle is collected in the library 11 and stored, and then the process proceeds to step S3. In step S3, it is determined whether or not there is a notification of reticle use schedule information. If there is a notification, the process proceeds to step S4.
[0021]
In steps S4 to S7, it is determined whether or not the next reticle and the next reticle indicated in the notified reticle use schedule information have been prepared (steps S4 and S6). (Steps S5 and S7). This preparation is to carry the pellicle inspection, the transmittance measurement or the diffracted light amount measurement to the relay 15 after performing the pellicle inspection, the transmittance measurement or the diffracted light amount measurement in accordance with the designation of necessity / unnecessity of the pellicle inspection, transmittance measurement and diffracted light amount measurement in the use schedule information . At this time, if there is no empty slot in the relay 15, the reticle that is held in the relay 15 and does not fall under preparation is collected from the relay 15 to the library 11. When the preparation processes in steps S4 to S7 are completed, the process returns to step S1.
[0022]
In steps S8 to S12, for the third and subsequent reticles in the use schedule information (step S8), if there are reticles that require pellicle inspection, transmittance measurement, or diffracted light amount measurement (steps S9 and S11), these are summarized. Only pellicle inspection, transmittance measurement, or diffracted light amount measurement is completed (steps S10 and S12). When Steps S8 to S12 are completed, the process returns to Step S1.
[0023]
When the usage schedule information of the reticle is changed and new usage schedule information is notified, this is detected in step S3, the processing in steps S5 to S7 is performed again, and the processing in steps S8 to S12 is performed. It will be.
[0024]
The state of FIG. 1 shows a state in which the reticle is ready according to the operation of FIG. 3 based on the use schedule of FIG. In this state, the reticles B and C shown in the first and second use schedule information are taken out from the library 11 by the processes of steps S5 and S7, and the reticle B is subjected to pellicle inspection and transmittance measurement. After being performed, it is transported to the relay 15 and waited in the first and second slots. The third reticle D of the use schedule information is taken out from the library 11 by the processes of steps S10 and S12, and is stored in the seventh slot of the library 11 after the pellicle inspection, the transmittance measurement, and the diffracted light amount measurement are performed. . Since the fourth reticle E of the use schedule information does not require any pellicle inspection or the like, it is stored in the sixth slot of the library 11. The fifth reticle F of the use schedule information is taken out of the library 11 by the processing of steps S10 and S12, and is stored in the fifth slot of the library 11 after the pellicle inspection and the transmittance measurement are performed.
[0025]
In this way, necessary pellicle inspection, transmittance measurement, or diffracted light amount measurement is completed in advance, and reticles B and C to be used next and next are made to wait in the first and second slots of the relay 15. As a result, when the use of the currently used reticle A is finished and loaded into the third slot of the relay 15, the next reticle B can be immediately transferred onto the reticle stage 12.
[0026]
Note that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be appropriately modified and implemented. For example, in the above description, the reticle use schedule information is created by the operation unit or received from another device or computer. Instead, however, based on information on the lot processing schedule and the original plate used in each lot. You may make it produce | generate. In that case, when a change occurs in the lot processing schedule, the usage schedule information is generated again based on the information regarding the processing schedule of the lot after the change and the original plate used in each lot.
[0027]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention described above, it reduces the time required for exchange of the reticle, thereby improving the productivity i.e. throughput of the exposure process.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a reticle transport unit of a semiconductor exposure apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of reticle use schedule information in the apparatus of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an operation sequence related to the hand 13 in the apparatus of FIG. 1;
[Explanation of symbols]
11: Library, 12: Reticle stage, 13: Hand, 14: Hand, 15: Relay, 16: Pellicle inspection device, 17: Transmittance and diffracted light quantity measuring device.

Claims (8)

In an exposure apparatus that includes a storage unit that stores a plurality of reticles, and a transport unit that transports the reticle between the storage unit and a reticle stage, and performs exposure of a wafer using the reticle on the reticle stage.
A holding means for holding the reticle to wait in the middle of the transfer from the storage means to the reticle stage; a plurality of pre-processing means for performing necessary pre-processing on the reticle prior to use; and each reticle to be used And a transfer means for transferring the reticle from the storage means to the reticle stage by the transfer means based on the use schedule information including a name and information specifying whether or not pre-processing by each of the plurality of pre-processing means is performed , and An exposure apparatus comprising: a holding unit; and a control unit configured to convey the reticle from the storage unit to the plurality of preprocessing units and make the reticle stand by.   The conveying means includes: a first conveying means for conveying a reticle between the storage means, the holding means, and one of the plurality of preprocessing means; and a reticle between the holding means and the reticle stage. The exposure apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a second transport unit that performs transport.   When the use of the reticle on the reticle stage is completed, the control means collects the reticle from the reticle stage via the holding means to the storage means, and also puts the reticle waiting in the holding means on the reticle stage. The exposure apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the exposure apparatus transports the exposure apparatus.   4. The exposure apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising generating means for generating the use schedule information based on a lot processing schedule and information on a reticle used in each lot.   The generation means generates the use schedule information based on information on the lot processing schedule after the change and the reticle used in each lot when a change occurs in the processing schedule of the lot. The exposure apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the exposure apparatus is characterized in that: The control means is configured to, when a change occurs in the use schedule information, carry the reticle for the standby and perform the necessary pre-processing based on the use schedule information after the change. The exposure apparatus according to claim 5 . Wherein the required pretreatment, a reticle or reticle having a pellicle dust inspection of the pellicle, or of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that includes the measurement of the transmittance or diffracted light of the reticle according to any one, Exposure device. The reticle allowed to stand in the holding means, an exposure apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that said necessary preprocessing is performed.

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