JP4608638B2 - Pellicle mounting apparatus, pellicle mounting method, and pattern substrate manufacturing method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a pellicle mounting apparatus and a pellicle mounting method for mounting a pellicle on a mask, and a pattern substrate manufacturing method using the pellicle mounting method.

  In a manufacturing process of a semiconductor device or a liquid crystal display device, there is a lithography process in which a pattern is formed by irradiating light onto a semiconductor wafer or a substrate for a liquid crystal display device. In this lithography process, for example, a pattern formed on a rectangular photomask substrate is irradiated with light, and the light transmitted through the photomask substrate is imaged on a semiconductor substrate such as a wafer, so that the pattern is formed on the semiconductor substrate such as a wafer. A predetermined pattern is transferred onto the wafer by exposing the resist agent to light.

  When the pattern transfer process is performed, if foreign matter adheres to the pattern formed on the photomask substrate, the foreign matter absorbs light or refracts light, so that an abnormality occurs in the transferred pattern. This causes defects such as wiring insulation failures and short circuits, which deteriorates the performance of semiconductor devices, liquid crystal display devices, and the like, resulting in a decrease in manufacturing yield. In order to prevent this, a method of protecting a pattern formed on a photomask substrate with a pellicle is generally employed.

  Usually, a pellicle is stretched on a pellicle frame arranged so as to surround the outside of a pattern region formed on a photomask substrate. The pellicle frame corresponds to the shape of the photomask substrate, and is provided in a frame shape having a rectangular outer periphery. The pellicle is held by a pellicle frame and stretched at a predetermined interval from the pattern formation surface of the photomask substrate. In this case, the foreign matter is caught on the pellicle film without directly adhering to the pattern surface of the photomask substrate. If the focus is set on the photomask substrate at the time of exposure, the foreign matter on the pellicle film does not form an image on the wafer, and is irrelevant to the transfer.

  A process of mounting the pellicle on the photomask will be briefly described. An adhesive layer is provided on the photomask side surface of the frame-shaped pellicle frame. Then, the pellicle frame on which the pellicle is stretched is temporarily attached to the photomask. In this state, the pellicle frame is pressed against the photomask. Thereby, the adhesive layer provided on the pellicle frame bonds the photomask. Therefore, the pellicle can be mounted on the photomask.

  In the step of mounting the pellicle, it is necessary to press the entire pellicle frame uniformly against the mask. That is, the pellicle frame is pressed against the photomask with a constant pressure. Also, a pellicle mounting device that disposes a plurality of pressures on the end face of the frame and presses the multipoint is disclosed (Patent Document 1).

  In the exposure process of a semiconductor device or a display device, a plurality of photomasks are used to form a plurality of patterns. These photomasks may differ in size and thickness. Furthermore, even if the photomask has the same outer shape, the shape of the formation pattern region may be different. Therefore, the size and thickness of the pellicle frame differ depending on the photomask.

When a pellicle is mounted on such photomasks of different sizes, a plurality of types of pressing plates are required for the pellicle mounting apparatus. Furthermore, it is necessary to replace the pressing plate for each different pellicle frame, and there is a problem that work efficiency is lowered. A pellicle sticking device for this problem is disclosed (Patent Document 2). This pellicle sticking apparatus has a changing mechanism that changes the pressing area according to the size of the rectangular frame.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 62-38468 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-90877

  However, in the above pellicle sticking device, since the pressing area is changed, there is a problem that the structure becomes complicated when the pressing area is changed in a wide range. Furthermore, in the manufacturing process of a liquid crystal display device, a photomask having a side of 1 m or more is used with the recent increase in the substrate size of the liquid crystal display device. When a pellicle is attached to such a large mask, there is a problem that the apparatus becomes large. Therefore, there is a problem that the structure of the apparatus becomes complicated as the photomask becomes larger.

As described above, the conventional pellicle mounting apparatus has a problem that the configuration of the apparatus becomes complicated and large when mounting photomasks of various sizes.
The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and even when the size of the photomask or pellicle frame is different, the pellicle mounting allows the pellicle to be mounted on the mask with a simple configuration. An object is to provide an apparatus, a pellicle mounting method, and a pattern substrate manufacturing method using the same.

  A pellicle mounting apparatus according to a first aspect of the present invention is a pellicle mounting apparatus that mounts a pellicle provided on a frame-like pellicle frame on a mask via an adhesive layer provided on the pellicle frame, A base plate, a detachable frame that is detachable from the base plate, having a shape corresponding to the pellicle frame, on which the photomask is placed, and the base plate to which the detachable frame is attached A rotating mechanism that rotates, a pressing mechanism that is disposed outside the detachable frame and that presses the pellicle frame against the mask on at least one side of the pellicle frame; and moves the pressing mechanism closer to the detachable frame And a moving mechanism. Thereby, even if the mask or pellicle frame size is different, the pellicle can be mounted with a simple configuration.

  A pellicle mounting apparatus according to a second aspect of the present invention is the pellicle mounting apparatus described above, wherein the pressing mechanism is provided for each of two opposing sides of the pellicle frame. Thereby, the mounting time of the pellicle can be shortened, and the productivity can be improved.

A pellicle mounting apparatus according to a third aspect of the present invention is the above pellicle mounting apparatus,
The pressing mechanism includes a positioning pad provided on a side surface on the side of the detachable frame, and the pressing mechanism presses the pellicle frame in a state where the positioning pad is in contact with the detachable frame. Thereby, a reliable pellicle can be mounted.

A pellicle mounting apparatus according to a fourth aspect of the present invention is the above pellicle mounting apparatus,
The pressing mechanism has a pressing block having a pressing pad that presses the pellicle frame against the mask from above the pellicle frame, and is attached to the pressing block, and is attached to the suction surface on the base plate outside the pellicle frame. A suction pad that sucks the pellicle frame, and the pressure pad presses the pellicle frame based on a pressure difference between the inside and the outside of the suction pad. As a result, the pellicle can be reliably mounted with a simple configuration.

A pellicle mounting apparatus according to a fifth aspect of the present invention is the pellicle mounting apparatus described above,
A pellicle sticking device for attaching a pellicle provided on a frame-like pellicle frame to a mask through an adhesive layer provided on the pellicle frame, comprising a base plate and a detachable frame that is detachable from the base plate A detachable frame having a shape corresponding to the pellicle frame, on which the photomask is placed, and a pressing block movably provided on the base plate, the pellicle from above the pellicle frame A pressing block having a pressing pad for pressing a frame against the mask; a suction pad attached to the pressing block and sucking against a suction surface on the base plate outside the pellicle frame; the suction pad; And an exhaust means for exhausting the space between the adsorption surface, On the basis of the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the wear pads in which the pressure pad presses the pellicle frame. Thus, even if the mask or pellicle frame size is different, the pellicle can be reliably mounted with a simple configuration.

  A pellicle mounting apparatus according to a sixth aspect of the present invention is the pellicle mounting apparatus described above, wherein a plurality of pressing blocks are arranged along a side of the pellicle frame, and a connecting member that connects the plurality of pressing blocks is further provided. It is to be prepared. Thereby, even when the thickness of the pellicle frame or the adhesive layer is not uniform, the pellicle frame and the adhesive layer can be reliably attached.

  A pellicle mounting apparatus according to a seventh aspect of the present invention is the pellicle mounting apparatus described above, wherein positioning means for positioning the desorption plate is formed on the base plate, and the positioning means performs the suction of the plurality of pressing blocks. It is provided at a corresponding position between the pads. Thereby, even when the detachable frame of various sizes is used, it is possible to prevent leakage at the suction pad, so that it can be reliably attached.

  A pellicle mounting apparatus according to an eighth aspect of the present invention is the pellicle mounting apparatus described above, wherein the pressure inside the suction pad is determined by a pressing block corresponding to a corner of the pellicle frame and another pressing block. Pressure control means for controlling the pressure differently is further provided. Thereby, since an adhesive pressure can be made constant, it can mount | wear reliably.

  A pellicle mounting apparatus according to a ninth aspect of the present invention is the pellicle mounting apparatus described above, wherein there is no pressure difference between the inside and outside of the suction pad with respect to the pressing block arranged outside the pellicle frame. The pressure control means controls the pressure. Thereby, it is possible to prevent an excessive load from being applied to the base plate.

  A pellicle mounting apparatus according to a tenth aspect of the present invention is the pellicle mounting apparatus described above, wherein the pressing pad is formed in a columnar shape along a side of the pellicle frame, and the pellicle is formed on a side surface of the columnar pressing pad. The frame is pressed, and the cross section of the pressure pad in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the columnar pressure pad is provided has an arc shape on the pellicle frame side. Thereby, generation | occurrence | production of a foreign material can be prevented and adhesion pressure can be made constant.

  A pellicle mounting apparatus according to an eleventh aspect of the present invention is the above pellicle mounting apparatus, wherein an adsorption groove for adsorbing the desorption frame to the base plate is provided on a surface of the desorption frame on the base plate side. The base plate is provided with a through-hole through which a pipe for exhausting the suction groove passes, and the pipe and the suction groove communicate with each other through a connector provided on the inner side surface of the desorption frame. Is. Thereby, it is possible to prevent foreign matter from adhering to the pellicle or mask when the detachable frame is attached or detached.

  A pellicle mounting apparatus according to a twelfth aspect of the present invention is the pellicle mounting apparatus described above, wherein the base plate is provided with an inclination of 15 ° to 30 ° with respect to the vertical direction. Thereby, the load added to an apparatus by gravity can be reduced, and an apparatus can be made a simple structure.

  A pellicle mounting apparatus according to a thirteenth aspect of the present invention is the pellicle mounting apparatus described above, further comprising a pellicle holder that holds the pellicle via the pellicle frame, and a mask placed on the detachable frame. The pellicle holder holding the pellicle is moved to an opposing position, the contact layer of the pellicle frame is brought into contact with the mask, and the pellicle frame is temporarily attached to the mask. . Thereby, the pellicle frame can be temporarily attached.

  A pellicle mounting method according to a fourteenth aspect of the present invention is a pellicle mounting method for mounting a pellicle provided on a frame-like pellicle frame on a mask via an adhesive layer provided on the pellicle frame, Attaching a desorption frame having a shape corresponding to the pellicle frame to a base plate, placing the mask on which the pellicle frame is provided on the desorption frame, and along a first side of the pellicle frame Moving the provided pressing pad to a pressing position on the first side of the pellicle frame; and pressing the pellicle frame against the mask on the first side of the pellicle frame by the pressing pad; , The second side adjacent to the first side of the pellicle frame is Rotating the base plate provided with the demounting frame to an angle along the pad to move the pressing pad to the pressing position of the second side of the pellicle frame; and by the pressing pad, the first of the pellicle frame And pressing the pellicle frame against the mask at the two sides. Even if the size of the mask or pellicle frame is different, the pellicle can be easily mounted.

  A pellicle mounting method according to a fifteenth aspect of the present invention is the above pellicle mounting method, wherein in the step of pressing the pellicle frame against the mask, the suction pad provided so as to be capable of being suctioned to the suction surface; The space between the suction surface and the suction surface is evacuated and pressed based on the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the suction pad. Thereby, reliable pellicle mounting can be easily performed.

  A pellicle mounting apparatus according to a sixteenth aspect of the present invention is the above pellicle mounting method, wherein after the step of pressing the pellicle frame against the mask on the second side, the base plate is rotated, and the pressing Moving the pad to the pressing position of the first side of the pellicle frame, and pressing the pellicle frame against the mask at the first side at a pressure higher than the first side. And the step of pressing the pellicle frame against the mask. Thereby, the pellicle can be reliably mounted.

  A pellicle attachment method according to a seventeenth aspect of the present invention is a pellicle attachment method for attaching a pellicle provided on a frame-like pellicle frame to a mask via an adhesive layer provided on the pellicle frame, A step of attaching a desorption frame having a shape corresponding to the pellicle frame to a base plate, a step of mounting the mask provided with the pellicle frame on the desorption frame, and a side of the pellicle frame A step of moving a pressing block including a pressing pad and a suction pad that sucks against the suction surface on the base plate to a pressing position; and the suction pad disposed outside the pellicle frame is sucked to the suction surface And pressing the pressure based on a pressure difference between the inside and outside of the suction pad. In which and a step of pressing the pellicle frame by the pad. Thereby, even when pellicle frames or masks of different sizes are used, reliable pellicle mounting can be easily performed.

  A pellicle mounting apparatus according to an eighteenth aspect of the present invention is the above pellicle mounting method, wherein after the step of placing the mask on the detachable frame, the step of holding the pellicle frame by a pellicle holder; Moving the pellicle holder to a position facing the detachable frame; bringing the adhesive layer of the pellicle frame into contact with the mask; and temporarily attaching the pellicle frame to the mask; and In the step of pressing the pellicle frame against the mask, the pellicle frame temporarily attached to the mask is pressed against the mask with the pressing pad. Thereby, the pellicle frame can be temporarily attached.

  A pattern substrate manufacturing method according to a nineteenth aspect of the present invention includes a step of mounting a pellicle on a mask by the above pellicle mounting method, a step of exposing a substrate using the mask on which the pellicle is mounted, and the exposure And developing the processed substrate. Thereby, productivity can be improved.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a pellicle mounting apparatus and a pellicle mounting method capable of mounting a pellicle with a simple configuration even when masks or pellicle frames have different sizes.

  Hereinafter, embodiments to which the present invention can be applied will be described. The following description is to describe the embodiment of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the following embodiment. For clarity of explanation, the following description and drawings are omitted and simplified as appropriate. Moreover, those skilled in the art can easily change, add, and convert each element of the following embodiments within the scope of the present invention. In addition, in each drawing, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the same element, and duplication description is abbreviate | omitted as needed for clarification of description.

  A pellicle mounting device according to the present invention is a device for mounting a pellicle stretched on a pellicle frame on a photomask. Usually, the pellicle frame is arranged so as to surround the outside of the pattern region formed on the rectangular photomask. The pellicle frame corresponds to the shape of the photomask substrate, and is provided in a frame shape having a rectangular outer periphery. The pellicle is held by a pellicle frame and stretched at a predetermined interval from the pattern formation surface of the photomask. An adhesive adhesive layer is provided on the lower surface of the frame-like pellicle frame, that is, the surface on the photomask side. In the pellicle mounting apparatus according to the present embodiment, the pellicle frame arranged on the photomask is pressed from above. Thereby, a photomask and a pellicle frame are affixed through an adhesion layer. Therefore, the pellicle can be attached to the photomask.

  A pellicle mounting apparatus according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 is a front view schematically showing the configuration of the pellicle mounting apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment, and FIG. 1B is a side view schematically showing the configuration of the pellicle mounting apparatus. The pellicle mounting apparatus 100 includes a gantry 1, a caster 2, a base plate 3, a detachable frame 4, a pressing mechanism 5, a pressing block 6, a positioning hole 7, a guide plate 8, a slide mechanism 9, and a rotating mechanism. 10, a connecting member 12, a levitation mechanism 14, and a slide rail 15.

  The base plate 3 is a square flat plate, for example, and has a side of about 1600 mm, for example. The base plate 3 is tilted from the vertical direction. In this pellicle mounting apparatus 100, for example, a pellicle can be mounted on a photomask having one side of 500 mm to 1500 mm. Here, the inclination angle of the base plate 3 with respect to the vertical direction is preferably 10 ° to 30 °, and more preferably 15 °. A frame-like attachment / detachment frame 4 is attached to the front side of the base plate 3. A photomask on which a pellicle frame is temporarily attached is disposed inside the desorption frame 4. For example, the photomask and the attachment / detachment frame 4 are fitted to fix the photomask. Alternatively, a photomask may be placed in the attachment / detachment frame 4 and a pellicle frame may be temporarily attached thereon. The photomask is also tilted by 15 ° to 30 ° with respect to the vertical direction. In the present invention, the attachment / detachment frame 4 having a different size is used according to the size of the photomask to which the pellicle is attached. Here, the center line in the vertical direction of the base plate 3 is set to 11. A center line 11 provided along the horizontal direction is the center height of the photomask.

  A positioning hole 7 for positioning the detachable frame 4 is formed on the front side of the base plate 3. The positioning pin provided in the detachable plate 4 and the positioning hole 7 provided in the base plate 3 are fitted to fix the detachable frame 4. Thereby, the detachable frame 4 can be arranged at an accurate position by the positioning hole 7. A plurality of positioning holes 7 are provided according to the size of the photomask. In FIG. 1, twelve positioning holes 7 are shown. Specifically, four positioning holes 7 are shown on the center line 11 of the base plate 3. Eight positioning holes 7 are shown below the center line 11. The four positioning holes 7 on the center line 11 are arranged along the horizontal direction, that is, the lateral direction. Further, four positioning holes 7 out of the eight positioning holes 7 disposed below the center line 11 are arranged along the vertical direction, that is, the vertical direction. Therefore, the positioning holes 7 are arranged in two vertical rows below the center line 11. Furthermore, the positioning hole 7 is also arranged at a position hidden by the detachable frame 4. The positioning holes 7 in each row are arranged and formed at equal intervals. Accordingly, the base plate 3 of the pellicle mounting apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment is formed with five positioning rows 7 in total for each row. As described above, in this embodiment, the base plate 3 is formed with three rows of positioning holes 7 in total, that is, two rows in the vertical direction and one row in the horizontal direction.

  Here, for the photomasks having different sizes, the detachable frames 4 having different sizes are used. That is, different detachment frames 4 are placed on the base plate 3 according to the size of the photomask. Positioning pins that fit into the positioning holes 7 are formed on the rear side of the detachable frame 4. In the present embodiment, three positioning pins are formed on the detachable frame 4. The three positioning pins are fitted into the positioning holes 7 in each row. That is, two positioning pins are formed on the lower side portion of the frame-shaped detachable frame 4 and one positioning pin is formed on the left side portion. Thereby, positioning can be performed in three places. Therefore, it is possible to accurately align the detachable frame 4. The insertion / removal frame 4 can be aligned with the base plate 3 by inserting positioning pins into the three positioning holes 7 respectively.

  For example, the largest attachment / detachment frame 4 is used for a photomask having the largest photomask size that can be mounted by the pellicle mounting apparatus according to the present invention. The largest attachment / detachment frame 4 is positioned by the outermost three positioning holes 7. That is, the positioning hole 7 arranged on the leftmost side among the positioning pins provided on the center line 11 and the two positioning holes arranged on the lowest side among the positioning pins provided below the center line 11 7 is positioned. In other words, three positioning pins are formed at positions corresponding to the three positioning holes 7 on the back side of the largest detachable frame 4. On the other hand, the detachable frame 4 having a size corresponding to the innermost positioning hole 7 is used for the smallest photomask. In this way, by forming a plurality of positioning holes 7, the detachable frame 4 having a size corresponding to the size of the photomask can be placed on the base plate 3. That is, a plurality of positioning holes 7 are formed in the base plate 3 so that the detachable frame 4 corresponding to the assumed mask size can be mounted. The position of the positioning hole 7 is set according to the size of the photomask that can be mounted by the pellicle mounting apparatus 100. The configuration of the positioning hole 7 is not limited to the above position. Also, the number of positioning holes for one detachable frame is not limited to three. That is, the number of locations for positioning may be two or four or more.

  A guide plate 8 is provided on the back side of the base plate 3. The width of the guide plate 8 is wider than the width of the base plate 3. That is, the guide plate 8 protrudes from the left and right sides of the base plate 3. The guide plate 8 is a rectangular flat plate and is arranged in parallel with the base plate 3.

  Further, a rotating mechanism 10 for the base plate 3 is provided on the back side of the guide plate 8 in order to rotate the photomask in order to operate each side of the photomax. The rotation mechanism 10 is attached to the gantry 1 provided on the back side. The rotation axis of the rotation mechanism 10 is located at the center of the base plate 3 and is perpendicular to the front surface of the pace plate. The rotating mechanism 10 rotates the base plate 3 by at least 90 °. For example, a through-hole is provided in the central portion of the guide plate 8, and the rotation mechanism 10 is directly attached to the base plate 3. The rotation mechanism 10 includes a fixed plate fixed to the gantry 1 and a bearing disposed between the fixed plate and the base plate 3. And base plate 3 can be rotated by driving drive means (not shown), such as a motor.

  A caster 2 is attached to the gantry 1 provided with the rotation mechanism 10. Thereby, the pellicle mounting apparatus 100 can be moved freely. Thereby, the pellicle can be mounted at an arbitrary location in the building. Note that the position of the pellicle mounting apparatus 100 can be fixed by locking the caster 2.

  A pressing mechanism 5 is provided in a portion of the guide plate 8 that protrudes from the base plate 3, that is, in the left and right end regions in FIG. 2. That is, the protruding portion is a place where the pressing mechanism 5 is retracted. In other words, when the base plate 3 is rotated, the pressing mechanism 5 is retracted outward so that the pressing mechanism 5 does not interfere with the detachable frame or the like. The pressing mechanism 5 is provided on each of the left and right sides of the base plate 3. That is, the pressing mechanism 5 is disposed in the vicinity of the right end of the guide plate 8 and in the vicinity of the left end. Therefore, the detachable frame 4 is disposed between the two pressing mechanisms 5. The pressing mechanism 5 is provided along the right side and the left side of the detachable frame 4. Each of the pressing mechanisms 5 includes a plurality of pressing blocks 6 arranged along the vertical direction and a connecting member 12 that connects the plurality of pressing blocks 6. Further, the plurality of pressing blocks 6 are arranged separately from each other. The length of the pressing mechanism 5 is longer than the length of the side of the largest pellicle frame among the mountable pellicle frames. In other words, the area that can be pressed by the pressing block 6 is longer than the length of the side of the pellicle frame 41.

  In the present embodiment, each pressing mechanism 5 is provided with twelve pressing blocks 6. That is, twelve pressing blocks 6 are arranged along the vertical direction. The twelve pressing blocks 6 are connected by the connecting member 12. The connecting member 12 is, for example, a rod-shaped or plate-shaped member. The connecting member 12 connects the pressing blocks 6 so that the positions of the twelve pressing blocks 6 in the horizontal direction are the same position. Thereby, the position inside the pressing block 6 in the lateral direction, that is, the position on the side of the detachable frame 4 is constant. The plurality of pressing blocks 6 have the same configuration. Each pressing block 6 of the pressing mechanism 5 presses the pellicle frame from above. Thus, the pellicle stretched on the pellicle frame can be attached to the photomask. The configuration of the pressing block 6 will be described later.

  A slide mechanism 9 for moving the pressing mechanism 5 is provided at the upper and lower ends of the pressing mechanism 5. The slide mechanism 9 slides the pressing mechanism 5 so as to change the distance between the pressing mechanism 5 and the detachable frame 4. For example, the slide mechanism 9 is connected to the connecting member 12 of the pressing mechanism 5 via the floating mechanism 14. Further, the slide mechanism 9 is attached to the back side of the guide plate 8 via the slide rail 15. By operating the slide mechanism 9 using a driving means (not shown) such as a motor or a cylinder, the pressing mechanism 5 slides in the lateral direction. That is, the pressing mechanism 5 slides in a direction parallel to the surface of the base plate 3. Specifically, from the position shown in FIG. 1, the left pressing mechanism 5 moves to the right, and the right pressing mechanism 5 moves to the left. That is, the pressing mechanism 5 is moved in the direction approaching the detachable frame 4 by the slide mechanism 9.

  Further, the floating mechanism 14 fixed to the slide mechanism 9 can lift the pressing block 6 from the base plate 3. The pressing mechanism 5 moves while the pressing block 6 is lifted by the floating mechanism 14. Thereby, the pressing mechanism 5 slides in a state where the pressing block 6 is separated from the base plate 3. Then, when pressing by the pressing mechanism 5, the levitation by the levitation mechanism 14 is stopped and the pressing block 6 is brought into contact with the base plate 3.

  Here, FIG. 2 shows a state in which the pressing mechanism 5 has moved in the horizontal direction. FIG. 2 is a front view schematically showing the configuration of the pellicle mounting apparatus 100 in a state where the pressing mechanism 5 is moved in the horizontal direction. The pressing mechanism 5 moves to a position corresponding to the detachable frame 4 as shown in FIG. That is, the pressing mechanism 5 disposed outside the detachable frame 4 is moved so as to approach the detachable frame 4. At this time, the pressing mechanism 5 is moved by the floating mechanism 14 while the pressing block 6 is lifted. Then, when the pressing mechanism 5 is moved to the pressing position, the levitation is stopped. Thereafter, the levitation by the levitation mechanism 14 is stopped, and the pressing block 6 is brought into contact with the base plate 3. In this state, the pressing mechanism 5 performs a pressing operation on the pellicle frame. Thereby, two opposing sides of the pellicle frame, specifically, the left side and the right side can be pressed with a constant pressure.

  A procedure for mounting the pellicle using the pressing mechanism 5 will be described. First, as shown in FIG. 1, the detachable frame 4 corresponding to the photomask size is placed on the base plate 3 with the pressing mechanism 5 retracted to the outside of the base plate 3. Then, a photomask on which a pellicle frame is temporarily attached is placed on the attachment / detachment frame 4. Then, when the pressing mechanism 5 is slid inward in a state where the pressing mechanism 5 is lifted by the floating mechanism 14, the state shown in FIG. 2 is obtained. Then, the levitation by the levitation mechanism 14 is stopped, and the pressing block 6 is brought into contact with the base plate 3. In this state, the pressing operation of the pressing mechanism 5 is performed. Thereby, two opposing sides of the pellicle frame, specifically, the left side and the right side can be pressed with a constant pressure. The pellicle frame can be pressure-bonded to the photomask. When the pressing operation is completed, the pressing block 6 is lifted. In this state, the pressing mechanism 5 is moved in the horizontal direction. That is, the pressing mechanism 5 is moved in the direction away from the detachable frame 4 by the slide mechanism 9. As a result, the pressing mechanism 5 is retracted to the outside of the base plate 3, and again enters the state shown in FIG.

  In the state shown in FIG. 1, the base plate 3 is rotated by 90 °. Here, the center of the base plate 3 is rotated about the center of rotation. Further, the base plate 3 is rotated by 90 ° counterclockwise. As a result, the state shown in FIG. 3 is obtained. The positioning hole 7 arranged on the center line 11 is arranged below the center line 11, and the positioning hole 7 arranged below the center line 11 is arranged on the right half. That is, the 15 positioning holes 7 are arranged in one vertical row and two horizontal rows. Here, since the pressing mechanism 5 is retracted, even if the base plate 3 is rotated, the pressing mechanism 5 does not come into contact with the detachable frame or the like.

  In this state, the pressing mechanism 5 is moved closer to the pellicle frame. That is, the slide mechanism 9 moves the right pressing mechanism 5 to the left and the left pressing mechanism 5 to the right. As a result, the state shown in FIG. 4 is obtained. In this state, similarly to the state shown in FIG. Then, the levitation by the levitation mechanism 14 is stopped, and the pressing block 6 is brought into contact with the base plate 3. Thereafter, the pressing mechanism 5 performs a pressing operation on the pellicle frame. Thereby, two opposing sides of the pellicle frame can be pressed with a constant pressure. In the state of FIG. 2 and the state of FIG. 4, the base plate 3 is rotated by 90 °. That is, in the state shown in FIG. 2, the upper side and the lower side of the pellicle frame arranged on the upper side and the lower side are arranged on the right side and the left side in the state shown in FIG. Therefore, the two sides pressed in the state shown in FIG. 2 and the two sides pressed in the state shown in FIG. 4 are two different sides. In other words, since the base plate 3 is rotated by 90 °, the side adjacent to the pellicle frame is pressed. All four sides of the pellicle frame can be pressed by two pressing operations. Thereby, a uniform pressure can be applied to the entire circumference of the pellicle frame. Then, the pressing mechanism 5 is moved again to the state shown in FIG. Thereby, the photomask with the pellicle mounted can be taken out.

  As described above, the configuration of the apparatus can be simplified by using the configuration in which the two sides are pressed each time. In particular, it is suitable for a large photomask having one side of 1 m or more. In addition, since the photomask is bonded in an inclined state, an increase in the installation space of the apparatus accompanying an increase in the size of the photomask can be reduced.

  In order to prevent dust generation, it is preferable to fix the desorption frame 4 to the base plate 3 by vacuum suction. Thereby, contamination of the pellicle and the photomask due to dust generation at the time of fixation can be prevented. That is, when fixed by mechanical contact using a screw or the like, dust may be generated from the contact portion when the detachable frame is attached or removed. When such dust generation occurs, foreign matter adheres to the photomask and pellicle. In order to prevent this, in this embodiment, the desorption frame 4 can be fixed by vacuum suction. Moreover, the desorption time can be shortened by fixing by vacuum suction. Thereby, processing time can be shortened and productivity can be improved.

  Next, a configuration for attaching the desorption frame 4 to the base plate 3 by vacuum suction will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6. FIG. 5 is a plan view showing the configuration of the attachment / detachment frame 4 on the mounting surface side, that is, the configuration when viewed from the base plate 3 side. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the detachable frame 4 attached to the base plate 3. 21 is a positioning pin, 22 is a suction groove, 23 is an O-ring, 25 is a pipe connection part, 26 is a connection pipe, 27 is a pipe connection part, 28 is a vacuum pipe, 29 is a valve, 30 is a vacuum pump, 32 is a through hole It is.

  A suction groove 22 for performing vacuum suction is formed on the mounting surface side of the detachable frame 4. The suction grooves 22 are provided on the upper side, the lower side, the left side, and the right side of the frame-like attachment / detachment frame 4, respectively. An O-ring 23 is disposed around each suction groove 22 so as to surround the suction groove 22. The O-ring 23 is fitted into an O-ring groove provided in the detachable frame 4. The desorption frame 4 is provided with four suction grooves 22 and four O-rings 23.

  As shown in FIG. 6, a step is provided on the upper surface side of the detachable frame 4. The detachable frame 4 has a lower stage on the inside and a high stage on the outside. A photomask is placed on the lower upper surface. Therefore, the lower upper surface on the inner side becomes the mounting surface of the photomask. Further, the lateral position of the photomask is regulated by the upper side surface. That is, the position of the inner peripheral surface of the upper stage of the detachable frame 4 is set according to the size of the photomask 40. As shown in FIG. 5, the upper side surface may be tapered.

  A pipe connection portion 25 is disposed on the inner side surface of the frame-like attachment / detachment frame 4. Two pipe connection portions 25 are provided on each of the four inner side surfaces. A space between each suction groove 22 and the pipe connection portion 25 in the vicinity thereof communicates with the inside of the desorption frame. Each pipe connection portion 25 is connected to a pipe connection portion 25 on the adjacent side surface via a connection pipe 26. As a result, all of the four suction grooves 22 communicate with each other via the connection pipe 26.

  Furthermore, a pipe connection portion 27 is provided on the inner side surface of the detachable frame 4. The pipe connection portion 27 is provided on the base plate 3 side with respect to the placement surface on which the photomask is placed. Thereby, it can prevent that the pipe connection part 27 interferes with a photomask. In the inside of the detachable frame 4, the space from the suction groove 22 to the pipe connection portion 27 communicates. A vacuum pipe 28 is connected to the pipe connection portion 27. As the pipe connecting portion 27, one that can be easily attached to and detached from the vacuum pipe 28 is used. Thereby, the attachment and detachment of the vacuum piping 8 at the time of detachment | desorption of the detachable frame 4 can be performed easily. Therefore, the detachable frame 4 can be easily detached and the workability can be improved. The base plate 3 is provided with a through-hole 32 through which the vacuum pipe 28 passes. The through hole 32 is formed in the vicinity of the center of the base plate 4 and is disposed inside the detachable frame 4. Moreover, the through-hole 32 is formed in the position which becomes inside with respect to the desorption plate 4 of any magnitude | size. That is, the through hole 32 is formed inside the positioning hole 7. Further, by forming the through hole 32 near the center of the rotation shaft, it is possible to reduce the tension generated in the vacuum pipe 29 when the base plate 3 rotates. A vacuum pipe 28 can be disposed from the back side to the front side of the base plate 3. The vacuum pipe 28 that has passed through the through port 32 is connected to a vacuum pump 30 via a valve 29. By opening the valve 29, air is exhausted from the adsorption groove 22.

  The attachment / detachment procedure of the detachable frame will be described. As shown in FIG. 6, the positioning hole 7 of the base plate 3 and the positioning pin 21 provided on the back side of the detachable frame are fitted. Thereby, alignment of the detachable frame with respect to the base plate 3 is performed. A vacuum pipe 28 is attached to the pipe connection portion 27 in a state where the positioning pins 21 and the positioning holes 7 are fitted. When the vacuum pipe 28 is attached, the valve 29 is opened and the vacuum pump 30 is evacuated. Thereby, the air in the adsorption groove 22 is exhausted, and the desorption frame 4 can be adsorbed to the base plate 3. Thereby, the detachable frame 4 is fixed to the base plate 3. Then, the pellicle is mounted while adsorbed.

  When the mounting of the pellicle is completed, the valve 29 is closed to stop the suction. Then, the vacuum pipe 28 is removed from the pipe connection portion 27 with the suction groove 22 set to atmospheric pressure. Thereby, the detachable frame 4 can be detached from the base plate 3. Furthermore, when using the detachable frame 4 of a different size, the detachable frame 4 of a different size is attached in the same procedure. In this manner, the attachment / detachment frame 4 is attached / detached.

  In the present embodiment, since the adsorption grooves 22 are provided at four locations, the detachable frame 4 can be uniformly adsorbed to the base plate 3. Thereby, the mounting surface on which the photomask of the detachable frame 4 is mounted can be flattened, and the height of the pellicle frame can be made uniform. Therefore, the entire pellicle frame can be uniformly pressurized. Furthermore, by providing a through hole in the base plate 3, the vacuum pipe 28 can be passed from the back side of the photomask. Therefore, even when the vacuum pipe 28 is provided inside the detachable frame 4, the exhaust can be performed from the back side. In this configuration, since a structure for adsorbing to the front side of the pellicle is not disposed, it is possible to prevent foreign matter from adhering to the pellicle.

  Note that the positioning pin 21 is slightly smaller than the positioning hole 7 in order to prevent dust generation due to contact between the positioning pin 21 and the positioning hole 7. That is, a clearance is provided between the positioning pin 21 and the positioning hole 7. Further, a bush made of a material harder than the base plate 3 may be embedded in the positioning hole 7. Of course, the detachable frame 4 may be fixed by a configuration other than the above configuration.

  Next, the structure of the pressing block 6 provided in the pressing mechanism 5 is demonstrated using FIG.7 and FIG.8. FIG. 7 is a side sectional view showing the configuration of the pressing block 6. FIG. 7 shows a configuration when the pressing block 6 presses the pellicle frame. FIG. 7 shows a state in which the ascent by the levitation mechanism 14 is stopped. FIG. 8 is a plan view showing the configuration of the pressing block 6 on the base plate side. That is, FIG. 8 shows a configuration when the pressing block 6 is viewed from the back side.

  As described above, the detachable frame 4 is attached on the base plate 3. A photomask 40 is placed on the detachable frame 4. A pellicle frame 41 is temporarily attached to the photomask 40 on the detachable frame 4 via an adhesive layer 42. A pellicle 43 is stretched on the upper surface of the pellicle frame 41. That is, an adhesive layer 42 is provided on the lower surface of the pellicle frame 41, and a pellicle 43 is provided on the upper surface. The pellicle frame 41 is disposed outside the pattern formation region of the photomask 40.

  The pressing block 6 includes a main body block 51, a suction pad 52 fixed to the main body block 51, a fulcrum pad 53, a suction connector 54, a suction pipe 55, a suction port 56, a positioning block 58, and a positioning pad 59. The pressing pad 60 is provided.

  The main body block 51 is disposed so as to straddle over the attachment / detachment frame 4 provided outside the pellicle frame 41. That is, the main body block 51 projects inward from the outside of the detachable frame 4. A pressing pad 60 is attached to the lower side of the tip of the protruding portion of the main body block 51. That is, the pressing pad 60 is provided inside the main body block 51. The pressing pad 60 is a semi-cylindrical member made of Teflon (registered trademark), for example. Further, the pressing pad 60 can be a semi-cylindrical shape having a diameter of 10 mm. A recess for fitting the pressing pad 60 is formed below the tip of the protruding portion of the main body block 51. The pressing pad 60 is located on the pellicle frame 41. The lower surface of the pressing pad 60 is in contact with the pellicle 43 provided on the pellicle frame 41. The pressing pad 60 presses the pellicle frame 41 provided with the pellicle 43 against the photomask 40. The pressure pad 60 is about 125 mm long. That is, one pressing block 6 presses an area of about 125 mm of the pellicle frame 41. Of course, the shape of the pressing pad 60 is not limited to a semi-cylindrical shape, and may be, for example, a cylindrical shape. That is, it is only necessary that the cross section of the pressing pad 60 in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the columnar pressing pad 60 is provided has an arc shape on the pellicle frame side.

  A positioning block 58 having a positioning pad 59 is provided on the main body block 51 outside the detachable frame 41. The positioning block 58 and the positioning pad 59 are disposed below the pressing pad 60. The positioning pad 59 and the positioning block 58 are formed apart from the base plate 3. The positioning block 58 is provided so as to be located outside the detachable frame 4. The inner side surface of the positioning pad 59 is disposed so as to contact the outer side surface of the attachment / detachment frame 4. That is, the inner side surface of the positioning pad 59 is a contact surface that contacts the attachment / detachment frame 4. When the pressing mechanism 5 moves, the positioning pad 59 is moved until it comes into contact with the outer side surface of the detachable frame 4. In other words, the movement stops when the contact surface of the positioning pad 59 contacts the outer side surface of the attachment / detachment frame 4 during the movement of the pressing mechanism 5. Then, the pressing operation is performed in the contact state. Thereby, a pressing operation can be performed in a state where the pressing block 6 has been accurately positioned. That is, since the lateral distance from the contact surface of the positioning pad 59 to the pressing pad 60 is constant, the outer shape of the detachable frame 4 is set based on this distance. Thereby, the pressing pad 60 can be disposed on the pellicle frame 41. Therefore, the center in the width direction of the frame-shaped pellicle frame 41 can be pressed. The positioning pad 59 may be an elastic body such as urethane. Thereby, the positioning pad 59 functions as a cushion layer for alleviating the impact caused by the collision with the attachment / detachment frame 4.

  As described above, the position of the outer peripheral surface of the detachable frame 4 changes according to the size of the pellicle frame 41. The position of the inner peripheral surface of the detachable frame 4 changes according to the size of the photomask 40. Therefore, the pellicle frame 41 can be attached to the photomask 40 of various sizes by preparing a plurality of the detachable frames 4. Further, by changing the position of the outer peripheral surface of the detachable frame 4, the pellicle frame 41 can be attached to different positions even with the photomask 40 having the same size. That is, even if the photomask 40 has the same size, if the formation pattern is different, it is necessary to stick the pellicle frame 41 at different positions on the photomask. In this case, the outer shape of the attachment / detachment frame 4 may be made different depending on the attachment position of the pellicle frame 41. As a result, the position where the pressing block 6 stops changes, so that the distance from the edge of the photomask 40 to the pressing pad 60 changes. Therefore, the pellicle frame 41 can be attached to different positions on the photomask 40 having the same size. The width of the detachable frame 4 is changed according to the pellicle frame mounting position of the photomask 40.

  Further, since the height from the base plate 3 to the pressing pad 60 is constant, the thickness of the detachable frame 4 is changed according to the thickness of the photomask 40 and the pellicle frame 41. That is, when the sum of the thicknesses of the photomask 40 and the pellicle frame 41 is increased, the lower height of the detachable frame 4 is decreased. Thereby, the placement surface is lowered, and the height from the upper surface of the base plate 3 to the pellicle frame 41 can be made constant. Therefore, the pellicle 43 can be attached to the photomask 40 and the pellicle frame 41 having various thicknesses.

  In this way, the inner size of the detachable frame 4 is set according to the size of the photomask 40, and the outer size of the detachable frame 4 is set according to the size of the pellicle frame 41. The thickness of the detachable frame 4 is set according to the total thickness of the pellicle frame 41. As a result, the pellicle 43 can be attached to various types of photomask 40 and pellicle frame 41.

  A suction pad 52 is provided below the body block 51 outside the detachable frame 41. The suction pad 52 is located outside the positioning block 58. That is, the suction pad 52 is disposed outside the pellicle frame 41 and the detachable frame 4. The suction pad 52 is a sucker-like pad made of rubber or the like, for example. Further, the suction pad 52 can be circular with a diameter of about 110 mm. The suction pad 52 is substantially in contact with the base plate 3. A suction port 56 is provided in the main body block 51 above the suction pad 52. The suction port 56 communicates with the suction pad 52. Further, a suction connector 54 is attached on the suction port 56. The suction connector 54 is connected to the suction pipe 55. Further, the suction connector 54 is provided in an L shape in order to connect a suction pipe 55 from the outside. The suction pipe 55 is provided with a deflection so as not to hinder the movement of the pressing mechanism 5. One end of the suction pipe 55 is connected to a vacuum pump (not shown). Accordingly, the space between the suction pad 52 and the base plate 3 can be exhausted from the suction pipe 55 via the suction connector 54 and the suction port 56. As a result, the suction pad 52 is deformed and sucked to the suction surface on the base plate 3. Note that the positioning hole 7 shown in FIG. 1 is arranged between the adjacent suction pads 52. Thereby, it can prevent that the positioning hole 7 is arrange | positioned in the boundary of the area | region in which the suction pad 52 is provided, and the area | region in which it is not provided. Therefore, at the time of suction, air leakage from the positioning hole 7 can be prevented, and pressing can be performed with a predetermined pressure.

  A fulcrum pad 53 is provided below the main body block 51. That is, the fulcrum pad 53 is disposed outside the suction pad 52. That is, the suction pad 52 is disposed between the fulcrum pad 53 and the pressing pad 60. The lower surface of the fulcrum pad 53 is in contact with the base plate 3. As shown in FIG. 8, the fulcrum pads 53 are provided at two points near the corners of the main body block 51. That is, the fulcrum pads 53 are spaced apart so as to be disposed at both ends of the main body block 51. Here, the two fulcrum pads 53 and the suction pads 52 provided on the main body block 51 come into contact with the base plate 3. Further, the pressing pad 60 contacts the pellicle 43 stretched on the pellicle frame 41.

  Thus, the fulcrum pad 53, the suction pad 52, and the pressing pad 60 are arranged in this order from the outside. The lower surface of the fulcrum pad 53 and the suction pad 52 is in contact with the base plate 3, and the lower surface of the pressing pad 60 is in contact with the pellicle 43 on the pellicle frame. Here, a case where the air between the suction pad 52 and the base plate 3 is exhausted and the suction pad 52 is sucked onto the base plate 3 will be considered. A force is applied to the position of the main body block 51 on the suction pad 52 in the direction of the arrow by atmospheric pressure. Accordingly, the main body block 51 is pressed from above by the atmospheric pressure. That is, the pressing block 6 is pressed against the base plate 3.

  Here, since the height of the fulcrum pad 53 in contact with the base plate 3 is substantially constant, the position of the fulcrum pad 53 becomes the fulcrum. Since a force is applied on the suction pad 52, the position of the suction pad 52 becomes a power point. Thereby, the position of the pressing pad 60 becomes an action point. Accordingly, the pressing pad 60 generates a force for pressing the pellicle frame 41. In this way, by vacuum suction, the pellicle frame can be pressed using the force of the atmosphere. That is, pressing is performed based on the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the suction pad 52. Specifically, the outside of the suction pad 52 is at atmospheric pressure, that is, atmospheric pressure, and the inside of the suction pad 52 is in a reduced pressure state due to exhaust. Accordingly, a force is applied to the pressing pad 60 based on the pressure difference between the space between the suction pad 52 and the suction surface and the atmospheric pressure. Thus, it can press using atmospheric pressure. Therefore, a higher bonding pressure can be easily obtained as compared with the case where the pressure is pressed by compressed gas. Furthermore, the large-sized photomask 40 can be pressed with a simple configuration. Further, by providing two fulcrum pads 53, it is possible to press uniformly. For example, even when there is a step in the adhesive layer 42, it can be uniformly pressed.

  As described above, the suction pad 52 is sucked and a pressing operation is performed. When the pressing operation is completed, the suction pad 52 is returned to atmospheric pressure. Then, the pressing pad 60 is separated from the pellicle 43 and the pellicle frame 41 by the floating mechanism 14. Then, the pressing mechanism 5 is moved by the slide mechanism 9 to retract the pressing mechanism 5 to the outside of the base plate 3. Then, the base plate 3 is rotated by 90 °, and the pressing operation is similarly performed on the side adjacent to the pellicle frame 41.

  The force with which the pressing block 6 is pressed downward is determined by the size of the suction pad 52 and the pressure difference. The force with which the pressing pad 60 pushes the pellicle frame 41 varies depending on the distance from the fulcrum to the force point and the distance from the fulcrum to the action point. Furthermore, the adhesion pressure varies depending on the length and width of the pellicle frame 41 disposed below the pressing block 6. Therefore, it is designed in consideration of these values so that a desired adhesion pressure can be obtained. For example, the ratio of the distance from the fulcrum to the force point and the distance from the fulcrum to the action point is 1: 2. The pressure difference between the vacuum suction pad and the atmosphere is -90 kPa. By doing in this way, it can press with a desired pressure. Of course, the pressure and distance are not limited to the above values.

  The pressing pad 60 is in contact with the pellicle frame 41 with a semi-cylindrical side surface, that is, a curved surface with a semicircular cross section. Thereby, the pressing pad 60 can be brought into line contact with the pellicle 43. That is, the region where the pressing pad 60 and the pellicle 43 on the pellicle frame 41 come into contact with each other has a linear shape along the pressing pad 60. Furthermore, even when the adhesive layer 42 is thinned by pressing, it is pressed in line contact. That is, even when the height of the adhesive layer 42 is changed by pressing and the inclination of the main body block 51 is changed, the pressing pad 60 contacts the pellicle 43 linearly. Therefore, even when the inclination of the main body block 51 changes, the pressing pad 60 can be prevented from sliding on the pellicle 43. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the pellicle 43 from being damaged and foreign matter from adhering to the photomask 40 and the pellicle 43.

  In this way, the pellicle frame 41 is pressed by the pressing mechanism 5 segmented into 12 pressing blocks 6. Thereby, even when there is a distortion caused by the non-uniformity of the thickness of the pellicle frame or the adhesive layer, it can be easily pressed with a constant pressure.

  In the present invention, pellicle frames 41 of various sizes are pressed by the divided pressing blocks 6. Therefore, the areas pressed by the pressing block 6 are different. Therefore, in this invention, it has the structure for pressing with a different pressure for every press block 6. FIG. A configuration for this will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 9 is a diagram schematically showing the configuration of the pressure adjusting means for adjusting the pressure of the suction pad 52. 71 is a vacuum pump, 72 is a regulator, and 73 is a valve.

  In the present embodiment, the pressing mechanism 5 corresponding to one side of the pellicle frame 41 is segmented into twelve pressing blocks 6. Two exhaust lines are provided for each pressing block. That is, the suction pipe 55 is branched into the suction pipe 55a and the suction pipe 55b on the way. The suction pipe 55a is connected to the regulator 72a via the valve 73a. On the other hand, the suction pipe 55b is connected to the regulator 72b via a valve 73b. The valve 73 is, for example, an electromagnetic valve, and can be controlled to open and close independently. The regulators 72a and 72b are vacuum regulators, and can set the suction pressure to a predetermined value. The regulator 72a and the regulator 72b are set to different pressures. The regulator 72 a and the regulator 72 b are connected to the vacuum pump 71. Therefore, by switching between opening and closing of the valves 73a and 73b, suction can be performed with the pressure set by the regulator 72a or the regulator 72b.

  Here, the pressing block 6 corresponding to the corner of the pellicle frame 41 is referred to as a pressing block 6a. Moreover, the press block 6 inside the press block 6a is set as the press block 6b, and the press block 6 outside the press block 6a is set as the press block 6c. That is, the first, second, eleventh, and twelfth pressing blocks 6 from the top become pressing blocks 6c, the third and tenth pressing blocks 6 from the top become pressing blocks 6a, and the fourth to ninth pressing blocks 6 from the top press Block 6b is obtained. Below the pressing block 6b, a portion between the corners of the pellicle frame 41 is disposed. That is, a linear portion of the frame-like pellicle frame 41 is disposed under the pressing block 6b. The pellicle frame 41 is not disposed under the pressing block 6c. Since the length of the pressing mechanism 5 is longer than the largest pellicle frame among the mountable pellicle frames, a part of the pressing blocks 6 c of the pressing block 6 protrudes outside the pellicle frame 41.

  In order to press the pellicle frame 41 uniformly, the valve 73a is opened and the valve 73b is closed for the pressing block 6a. On the other hand, for the pressing block 6b, the valve 73b is opened and the valve 73a is closed. Thereby, the suction pad 52 of the pressing block 6a is sucked by the pressure set by the regulator 72a, and the suction pad 52 of the pressing block 6b is sucked by the pressure set by the regulator 72b. In the corner portion of the pellicle frame 41, the shape arranged on the lower side is different from the other portions. Therefore, the area of the pellicle frame 41 arranged on the lower side is different between the pressing block 6a and the pressing block 6b. In order to make the bonding pressure uniform, the pressing block 6a corresponding to the corner portion of the pellicle frame 41 sets a suction pressure different from that of the pressing block 6b. Thereby, the press block 6a and the press block 6b can be made into the same press. That is, the suction pressure is set separately in order to make the bonding pressure of the pressing block 6a corresponding to the corner portion the same as the bonding pressure of the pressing block 6b corresponding to the side portion. Since the pellicle frame 41 is not disposed under the pressing block 6c, the valve 73a and the valve 73b are closed with respect to the pressing block 6c. That is, the suction pad 52 provided in the pressing block 6c is at atmospheric pressure. Thereby, it is possible to prevent an excessive load from being applied to the base plate.

  Next, the setting of the pressure of the regulator 72a and the regulator 72b will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 10 is a top view schematically showing the configuration of the pressing block 6 a and the pressing block 6 b arranged on the pellicle frame 41. For example, as shown in FIG. 10, the length of the pellicle frame 41 arranged below the pressing block 6a is A, and the length of the pellicle frame 41 arranged below the pressing block 6b is B. Here, the length of the pellicle frame 41 is a length in a direction along the direction of the pellicle frame 41 arranged under the pressing block 6b. That is, the length that the pressing pad 60 of the pressing block 6 a contacts the pellicle frame 41 is A, and the length that the pressing pad 60 of the pressing block 6 b contacts the pellicle frame 41 is B.

  Here, the pressures of the regulators 72a and 72b are based on the ratio of the length A and the length B. Specifically, the differential pressure between the atmospheric pressure and the suction pipe 55b is set to be B / A times the differential pressure between the atmospheric pressure and the suction pipe 55a. Therefore, the pressure of the suction pipe 55b is set to be closer to the atmospheric pressure than the suction pipe 55a. Thereby, the pressing of the pressing block 6 can be made constant regardless of the position of the pellicle frame 41. Thus, the suction force of the suction pad 52 of the pressing block 6a corresponding to the corner of the pellicle frame 41 is made weaker than the suction force of the suction pad 52 of the other pressing block 6b, so that the two opposing pellicle frames 41 are opposed. The pressing at the side can be made uniform. Therefore, the pellicle can be securely attached.

  Furthermore, the adhesion pressure can be easily adjusted by using the regulator 72. That is, the adhesion pressure can be freely changed. Therefore, the adhesion pressure can be easily set to 0.3 MPa, for example. Furthermore, even when the material of the adhesive layer is changed, it can be bonded with an appropriate bonding pressure.

  In the present invention, it is preferable that the pressing block 6 is separated from the base plate 3 when the pressing mechanism 5 is slid. Thereby, the dust generation which arises by the sliding at the time of movement can be prevented. A configuration for this will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 11 is a side view showing the configuration of the floating mechanism 14 attached to the pressing block 6. FIG. 11A shows a state where the pressing block 6 is in contact with the base plate 3, and FIG. 11B shows a state where the pressing block 6 is lifted. In addition, about the structure of the press block 6, since it is the structure similar to what was shown in FIG.7 and FIG.8, description is abbreviate | omitted. Further, the configurations of the suction pipe 55 and the suction connector 54 are not shown.

  As shown in FIG. 11A, a parallel link mechanism 81 and a rotary cylinder 84 are provided. The parallel link mechanism 81 includes two leaf springs 82. The two leaf springs 82 are connected so as to be parallel to each other. Further, the leaf spring 82 is attached to a column 83 fixed to the upper portion of the pressing block 6. That is, a parallel link mechanism 81 is attached to the pressing block 6 via the support 83. Further, the connecting member 12 is attached to the support 83. The connecting member 12 is, for example, a columnar connecting shaft that connects the plurality of pressing blocks 6.

  A rotary cylinder 84 attached to the slide mechanism 9 is connected to the connecting member 12. The rotary cylinder 84 can rotate the connecting member 12 by a predetermined angle. For example, when the rotary cylinder 84 is rotated in the direction of the arrow, the state shown in FIG. Here, since the rotary cylinder 84 is attached to the slide mechanism 9, the distance between the surface of the base plate 3 and the rotary shaft of the rotary cylinder 84 is constant before and after the rotation. Further, the distance between the end of the leaf spring 82 opposite to the support 83 and the surface of the base plate 3 is also constant. Accordingly, when the rotary cylinder 84 is rotated, a force is applied in the upward direction, that is, in the direction away from the base plate 3. Thereby, the pressing block 6 floats from the base plate 3. That is, the fulcrum pad 53 and the suction pad 52 of the pressing block 6 are separated from the base plate 3. Furthermore, since the parallel link mechanism 81 is provided, it is parallel to the surface of the base plate 3. Thus, when the pressing mechanism 5 is moved, the pressing block 6 can be lifted from the base plate 3 by the floating mechanism 14. The configuration shown in FIG. 11 is an example of the floating mechanism 14, and the configuration for floating the pressing block 6 is not limited to the above.

  In the present embodiment, the pellicle frame 41 can be temporarily pasted on the photomask 40 placed on the detachable frame 4. That is, the pellicle frame 41 can be temporarily attached in the pellicle mounting apparatus 100 by placing the photomask 40 without the pellicle frame 41 on the detachable frame 4. A configuration for this will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing a configuration when the pellicle frame 41 is temporarily attached to the photomask 40 on the detachable frame 4 in the pellicle mounting apparatus 100 according to the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 12, the photomask 40 to which the pellicle frame 41 is not temporarily attached is placed on the attachment / detachment frame 4. A frame-like pellicle holder 91 is arranged on the upper side of the detachable frame 4. The pellicle holder 91 holds the pellicle frame 41 on which the pellicle 43 is stretched. That is, the pellicle holder 91 holds the pellicle 43 via the pellicle frame 41. The pellicle holder 91 is provided with approximately the same size as the detachable frame 4. The pellicle holder 91 includes an opening having a size corresponding to the pellicle frame 41. A pellicle frame 41 with a pellicle 43 stretched is disposed inside the opening. The frame-like pellicle holder 91 grips the side surface of the pellicle frame 41. For example, the pellicle holder 91 includes a hook or the like for insertion into a groove provided on the outer side surface of the pellicle frame 41. This hook is inserted into a groove provided on two opposite side surfaces of the pellicle frame to lock the pellicle frame. As a result, the pellicle frame 41 is held by the pellicle holder 91. Alternatively, the pellicle frame 41 may be held by providing a protrusion on the outer side surface of the pellicle frame 41 and holding the protrusion with the pellicle holder 91.

  In this state, the pellicle holder 91 is moved to a position facing the detachable frame 4. Positioning pins 92 are provided on the surface of the pellicle holder 91 on the side of the attachment / detachment plate. The positioning pins 92 are provided near the four corners of the pellicle holder 91, respectively. A positioning hole 93 is provided on the front surface side of the detachable frame 4 at a position corresponding to the positioning pin 92. That is, the positioning holes 93 are provided in the vicinity of the four corners of the detachable frame 4. By fitting the positioning hole 93 and the positioning pin 92, the pellicle holder 91 can be positioned with respect to the detachable frame 4. Thereby, the pellicle frame 41 can be moved to a position facing the photomask 40. Then, by inserting the positioning pins 92 into the positioning holes 93, the adhesive layer of the pellicle frame 41 contacts the surface of the photomask 40. Thereby, the pellicle frame 41 is temporarily attached to the photomask 40.

  Then, the pellicle frame 41 is pressed against the photomask 40 and the pellicle 40 is mounted according to the procedure described above. By making the opening of the pellicle holder 91 larger than the pellicle frame 41, the pellicle 40 can be mounted while the pellicle holder 91 is attached to the pellicle frame 41. In this case, the pellicle holder 91 is shaped so as not to come into contact with the pressing mechanism 5 or the like so as not to interfere with pressing. Note that the positioning pin 92 may be provided in the detachable frame 4 and the positioning hole 93 may be provided in the pellicle holder 91. In this manner, the positioning can be accurately performed by forming the positioning pin 92 or the positioning hole 93. Therefore, it can be temporarily attached accurately. As described above, the pellicle mounting apparatus 100 according to the present invention can perform the process from temporary sticking of the pellicle frame 41 to pressing.

  A pellicle mounting apparatus 100 according to the present invention attaches a detachable frame 4 corresponding to a photomask and a pellicle frame to a rotating base plate, and presses the pellicle frame 41 against the photomask 40 every two opposite sides by a pressing mechanism 5. ing. Therefore, the pellicle can be mounted on various types of photomasks with a simple configuration. Accordingly, it can be used not only for pellicle frames having different sizes but also for photomasks and pellicle frames having different thicknesses. Furthermore, it can utilize also when the thickness of an adhesive layer differs. That is, the shape of the detachable frame 4 may be changed according to the size of the photomask 40 and the pellicle frame 41 and the total thickness of the pellicle frame 41, the photomask 40 and the adhesive layer 42. In this way, the pellicle 43 can be mounted on various types of photomasks 40.

  Further, the pellicle mounting apparatus 100 according to the present invention includes a suction pad 52 disposed on the base plate 3. The suction pad 52 sucks air between the base plate 3 and presses the pellicle frame 41 by atmospheric force. That is, the pellicle frame 41 is pressed by the pressure difference between the atmospheric pressure and the suction pressure. Thereby, a high adhesion pressure can be obtained with a simple configuration. That is, it is possible to obtain a high adhesion pressure with a simple configuration as compared with the case where the pressure is pressed by compressed air or mechanical force. Therefore, the cost of the apparatus can be reduced.

  In the pellicle mounting apparatus 100 according to the present invention, the pellicle 43 can be mounted without manual intervention. Therefore, the number of foreign matters attached to the photomask 40 and the pellicle 43 when the pellicle is mounted can be reduced. Therefore, it is possible to prevent a decrease in productivity due to adhesion of foreign matter or the like.

  In addition, although FIG. 1 demonstrated the structure provided in the 2 sides which the press mechanism 5 opposes, this invention is not limited to this. For example, by making the base plate rotatable by 270 ° or more, the entire circumference can be pressed by one pressing mechanism 5. Of course, the pressing mechanism 5 may be provided on the upper side or the lower side of the detachable frame 4. However, it is preferable to arrange the pressing mechanism 5 in the lateral direction. That is, when the pressing mechanism 5 is moved upward, a load is applied due to gravity, so that a large driving force is required. In this case, a larger motor or the like is required to slide the pressing mechanism 5. Therefore, the cost of the apparatus can be reduced by arranging the pressing mechanism 5 in the lateral direction of the detachable frame 4 and sliding it in the horizontal direction.

  Furthermore, it is possible to divide the pressing of each side into two or more times. For example, when the desired pressing force is 0.3 MPa, in the state shown in FIG. 2, the pressure is first pressed at 0.15 MPa, and then the base plate 3 is rotated 90 ° to the state shown in FIG. 3. Then, the pressing mechanism 5 is moved to the state shown in FIG. 4 and is pressed at 0.15 MPa. As a result, the entire circumference is pressed at 0.15 MPa, which is half of 0.3 MPa. This time, pressing is performed at 0.3 MPa in the state shown in FIG. further. Pressing at 0.3 MPa in the state shown in FIG. In this way, one side is pressed as a weak adhesive pressure by the first press and as a high adhesive pressure by the second press. Thereby, the pellicle frame 41 can be pressed more uniformly. Therefore, the pellicle can be securely attached.

  In addition, by projecting the base plate 3, the projected area on the floor surface of the apparatus can be reduced. Therefore, the footprint can be reduced. Further, by tilting the base plate 3, it is possible to prevent the photomask from falling to the front side when the base plate 3 is rotated or when the photo mass 40 is placed. By tilting, the deflection of each structure due to gravity can be reduced. For example, the deflection of the connecting member 12 and the base plate 3 due to gravity is reduced. Thereby, the deformation | transformation of the apparatus by gravity can be reduced and the weight reduction and size reduction of an apparatus can be achieved.

  In the above configuration, the positioning holes 7 are provided in the base plate 3 and the positioning pins 21 are provided in the detachable frame 4 for positioning. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the positioning pin 21 may be provided on the base plate, and the positioning hole 7 may be provided on the detachable plate 4. Also in this case, the positioning pins 21 are arranged between the adjacent suction pads 52. That is, positioning means such as positioning pins and positioning holes for positioning the detachable frame 4 are arranged at corresponding positions between the suction pads 52. Thereby, the leak of the suction pad 52, the contact at the time of movement, etc. can be prevented. Therefore, it can adsorb | suck reliably and can stabilize a pressure.

  The photomask 40 with the pellicle 43 is suitable for manufacturing a pattern substrate used in a display device such as a semiconductor or a liquid crystal display device. For example, a substrate coated with a photosensitive resin is exposed using the photomask 40 with the pellicle 43 described above. Then, development is performed to pattern the photosensitive resin. Thereby, the pattern board | substrate with which the photosensitive resin pattern was formed can be manufactured. Further, the conductive layer formed below the photosensitive resin layer is etched using the photosensitive resin as a resist. Thereby, a wiring pattern can be formed. Of course, it is also possible to manufacture the pattern substrate by other known methods. Therefore, the productivity of the pattern substrate can be improved with high productivity.

It is a figure which shows the structure of the pellicle mounting apparatus concerning this invention. It is a front view which shows the structure of the pellicle mounting apparatus concerning this invention. It is a front view which shows the structure of the pellicle mounting apparatus concerning this invention. It is a front view which shows the structure of the pellicle mounting apparatus concerning this invention. It is a rear view which shows the structure of the removal | desorption frame of the pellicle mounting apparatus concerning this invention. It is side surface sectional drawing which shows the structure of the removal | desorption frame of the pellicle mounting apparatus concerning this invention. It is side surface sectional drawing which shows the structure of the press block of the pellicle mounting apparatus concerning this invention. It is a rear view which shows the structure of the press block of the pellicle mounting apparatus concerning this invention. It is a figure which shows typically the structure of the exhaust system of the press block of the pellicle mounting apparatus concerning this invention. It is a top view which shows the structure of the press block and pellicle frame of the pellicle mounting apparatus concerning this invention. It is a side view which shows the structure of the floating mechanism of the press block of the pellicle mounting apparatus concerning this invention. In the pellicle mounting apparatus according to the present invention, it is a perspective view showing a configuration when a pellicle frame is temporarily attached to a photomask on a desorption frame.

Explanation of symbols

1 frame, 2 casters, 3 base plate, 4 attachment / detachment frame, 5 pressing mechanism,
6 Pressing block, 7 Positioning hole, 8 Guide plate, 9 Slide mechanism,
11 center line, 12 connecting member, 14 levitation mechanism, 21 positioning pin, 22 suction groove,
23 O-ring, 25 Pipe connection, 26 Connection pipe, 27 Pipe connection,
28 Vacuum piping, 29 Valve, 30 Vacuum pump, 32 Through-hole,
40 photomask, 41 pellicle frame, 42 adhesive layer, 43 pellicle,
51 body block, 52 suction pad, 53 fulcrum pad, 54 suction connector,
55 suction pipe, 56 suction port, 58 positioning block, 59 positioning pad,
60 pressure pad, 71 vacuum pump, 72 regulator, 73 valve,
81 Parallel link mechanism, 82 leaf spring, 83 strut, 84 rotary cylinder 91 pellicle holder, 92 positioning pin, 93 positioning hole

Claims (19)

A pellicle mounting device for mounting a pellicle provided on a frame-shaped pellicle frame on a mask via an adhesive layer provided on the pellicle frame,
A base plate;
A detachable frame detachable from the base plate, having a shape corresponding to the pellicle frame, and a detachable frame on which the mask is placed;
A rotation mechanism for rotating the base plate to which the desorption frame is attached;
A pressing mechanism that is disposed outside the desorption frame and presses the pellicle frame against the mask on at least one side of the pellicle frame;
A pellicle mounting device comprising: a moving mechanism that moves the pressing mechanism closer to the detachable frame.   The pellicle mounting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the pressing mechanism is provided for each of two opposing sides of the pellicle frame.   3. The pressing mechanism includes a positioning pad provided on a side surface on the side of the detachable frame, and the pressing mechanism presses the pellicle frame in a state where the positioning pad is in contact with the detachable frame. The pellicle mounting device according to 1. The pressing mechanism is
A pressing block having a pressing pad for pressing the pellicle frame against the mask from above the pellicle frame;
A suction pad attached to the pressing block and sucking against a suction surface on the base plate outside the pellicle frame;
The pellicle mounting device according to claim 1, 2, or 3, wherein the pressing pad presses the pellicle frame based on a pressure difference between the inside and outside of the suction pad. A pellicle sticking device for attaching a pellicle provided on a frame-like pellicle frame to a mask via an adhesive layer provided on the pellicle frame,
A base plate;
A detachable frame detachable from the base plate, having a shape corresponding to the pellicle frame, and a detachable frame on which the mask is placed;
A pressing block movably provided on the base plate, the pressing block having a pressing pad for pressing the pellicle frame against the mask from above the pellicle frame;
A suction pad attached to the pressing block and sucked against a suction surface on the base plate outside the pellicle frame;
An exhaust means for exhausting a space between the suction pad and the suction surface;
A pellicle mounting device in which the pressing pad presses the pellicle frame based on a pressure difference between the inside and outside of the suction pad. A plurality of pressing blocks are arranged along the side of the pellicle frame,
The pellicle mounting apparatus according to claim 4 or 5, further comprising a connecting member that connects the plurality of pressing blocks. Positioning means for positioning the desorption plate on the base plate is formed,
The pellicle mounting apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the positioning means is provided at a position corresponding to the space between the suction pads of the plurality of pressing blocks.   The pellicle according to claim 6 or 7, further comprising pressure control means for controlling pressure so that the pressure inside the suction pad is different between a pressure block corresponding to a corner of the pellicle frame and another pressure block. Mounting device.   9. The pellicle mounting device according to claim 8, wherein the pressure control unit controls the pressure with respect to the pressing block disposed outside the pellicle frame so that the pressure is equal inside and outside the suction pad.   The pressing pad is formed in a columnar shape along the side of the pellicle frame, presses the pellicle frame with a side surface of the columnar pressing pad, and the pressing in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the columnar pressing pad is provided The pellicle mounting device according to any one of claims 4 to 9, wherein a cross section of the pad has an arc shape on the pellicle frame side. An adsorption groove for adsorbing the desorption frame to the base plate is formed on the surface of the desorption frame on the base plate side,
The base plate is provided with a through-hole through which a pipe for exhausting the suction groove passes.
The pellicle mounting apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the pipe and the suction groove communicate with each other via a connector provided on an inner side surface of the detachable frame.   The pellicle mounting device according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the base plate is provided with an inclination of 15 ° to 30 ° with respect to a vertical direction. A pellicle holder that holds the pellicle via the pellicle frame;
The pellicle holder holding the pellicle is moved to a position facing the mask placed on the detachable frame, the contact layer of the pellicle frame is brought into contact with the mask, and the pellicle frame is temporarily attached to the mask. The pellicle mounting device according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the pellicle mounting device is attached. A pellicle mounting method for mounting a pellicle provided on a frame-shaped pellicle frame to a mask via an adhesive layer provided on the pellicle frame,
Attaching a desorption frame having a shape corresponding to the pellicle frame to the base plate;
Placing the mask on the desorption frame;
Moving a pressing pad provided along the first side of the pellicle frame to a pressing position of the first side of the pellicle frame provided on the mask;
Pressing the pellicle frame against the mask at the first side of the pellicle frame by the pressing pad;
The base plate provided with the demounting frame is rotated until the second side adjacent to the first side of the pellicle frame is along the pressing pad, and the pressing pad is moved to the second side of the pellicle frame. Moving to a pressing position;
And a step of pressing the pellicle frame against the mask at the second side of the pellicle frame by the pressing pad.   In the step of pressing the pellicle frame against the mask, the space between the suction pad and the suction surface provided so as to be capable of being sucked with respect to the suction surface is evacuated, and based on the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the suction pad. The pellicle mounting method according to claim 14, wherein the pellicle is pressed. After pressing the pellicle frame against the mask on the second side, rotating the base plate and moving the pressing pad to a pressing position on the first side of the pellicle frame;
The step of pressing the pellicle frame against the mask at the first side with a pressure higher than the pressure at the step of pressing the pellicle frame against the mask at the first side. The pellicle mounting method described in 1. A pellicle attaching method for attaching a pellicle provided on a frame-like pellicle frame to a mask via an adhesive layer provided on the pellicle frame,
Attaching a desorption frame having a shape corresponding to the pellicle frame to the base plate;
Placing the mask provided with the pellicle frame on the desorption frame; and
Moving a pressing block comprising a pressing pad provided along a side of the pellicle frame and a suction pad that sucks against a suction surface on the base plate to a pressing position;
Adsorbing the suction pad to the suction surface outside the pellicle frame;
And a step of pressing the pellicle frame by the pressing pad based on a pressure difference between the inside and outside of the suction pad. After placing the mask on the desorption frame,
Holding the pellicle frame with a pellicle holder;
Moving the pellicle holder to a position facing the desorption frame;
Temporarily contacting the pellicle frame to the mask by bringing the adhesive layer of the pellicle frame and the mask into contact with each other;
The pellicle mounting method according to claim 14, wherein in the step of pressing the pellicle frame against the mask, the pellicle frame temporarily attached to the mask is pressed against the mask with the pressing pad. Mounting a pellicle on a mask by the pellicle mounting method according to any one of claims 14 to 18;
Exposing a substrate using a mask on which the pellicle is mounted;
And a step of developing the exposed substrate.

Images