JP5401994B2 - RFID tag and photomask having RFID tag - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an RFID tag that can read and write various kinds of information attached to a photomask.

  Technology is used to read and / or write information by exchanging information by wireless communication at a short distance (several centimeters to several meters depending on the frequency band) using an electromagnetic field or radio wave from a tag in which ID information is embedded. The tag used for this is called an RFID tag.

  RFID tags have begun to be used in various scenes such as distribution, history management, and article management, and have various forms and characteristics depending on the target article and intended use. Even those that take the form of contactless IC cards, such as boarding cards, electronic money, and employee ID cards for various transportation facilities, are not limited to currently used contactless IC cards, but are used for the production, distribution, and sale of goods. The RFID tag has expanded the range of use in various fields of management.

  An application to a photomask has been proposed as an example of using an RFID tag as an article management means (Patent Document 1). Photomasks have long been used in the manufacturing process of semiconductor integrated circuits, and in recent years in the manufacturing processes of flat panel displays such as liquid crystal display elements. This is a tool for performing lithography techniques. Generally, a photomask is formed by patterning a light-shielding film material containing a metal such as chromium or molybdenum on a transparent substrate such as quartz glass, and is an original or practical version that provides a high-precision fine pattern in an exposure process. Yes, it is treated with great care as a high value-added tool. The photomask here is a general term for exposure original plates including a reticle used in a reduction projection exposure method.

In the example of using an RFID tag as a photomask management means, in addition to attaching an RFID tag to the photomask itself, a method of attaching it to a pellicle, a pellicle frame, a storage case, or particularly a method for effectively using the photomask delivery management means is proposed. (Patent Document 2).
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-91983 JP 2006-133411 A

  By using RFID tags as photomask management means, it is possible to properly manage and use photomasks, but if RFID tags can be directly attached to high-value-added photomasks themselves, they can be traced back to the source. The most reliable management can be performed.

  However, when the RFID tag is directly attached to the transparent substrate that constitutes the photomask, if the RFID tag has a large volume, it may collide with or interfere with the transfer arm that handles the photomask in the process or the chuck part for transfer. There is. Also, if the application area is large, when the photomask is cleaned with acid, the adhesive components used for application will elute and generate a large amount of gas, resulting in contamination of the photomask film surface, etc. There are concerns about adverse effects.

The present invention is proposed in view of the above-mentioned problems, and the problem to be solved by the present invention is that a part that needs to be attached to the photomask when the RFID tag is provided on the photomask substrate. In addition to minimizing the volume of the photomask, avoiding interference with various devices in the process of using the photomask, minimizing the area where the RFID tag needs to be attached to the photomask, and suppressing adverse effects due to adhesives, etc. It is to provide a means to make this possible.

The invention according to claim 1 of the present invention is an RFID tag placed on a photomask substrate, wherein a part of a light-shielding pattern including a conductive material on the photomask substrate is an antenna, and an IC chip is provided on the antenna. Is an RFID tag that is electrically connected , and a light shielding film for forming a light shielding pattern on the photomask substrate is a multi-layer including a surface layer having a low conductivity and a lower layer having a high conductivity layer The RFID tag is a film, wherein the antenna and the IC chip are electrically connected through a portion where the lower conductive layer is exposed on the surface .

Next, the invention according to claim 2 of the present invention, the IC chip is epoxy, urethane, coated with any of the resins of melamine, RFID of claim 1, wherein the sealed It is a tag.

Next, an invention according to claim 3 of the present invention is a photomask having an RFID tag, wherein a part of a light-shielding pattern including a conductive material on the photomask substrate is an RFID tag antenna, and the antenna The IC chip for the RFID tag is electrically connected to the light-shielding film for forming the light-shielding pattern on the photomask substrate, and the surface layer has a low conductivity and the lower layer has a high conductivity. The photomask is a multilayer film including layers, wherein the antenna and the IC chip are electrically connected through a portion where the lower highly conductive layer is exposed on the surface .

Next, the invention according to claim 4 of the present invention, the IC chip is epoxy, urethane, coated with any of the resins of melamine, photo of claim 3, wherein the sealed It is a mask.

  According to the first or fourth aspect of the invention, when the RFID tag is provided on the photomask substrate, the volume of the portion that needs to be attached to the photomask of the RFID tag is minimized, and the photomask is used. Thus, it is possible to avoid interference with various devices, minimize the area of the portion that needs to be attached to the photomask of the RFID tag, and suppress adverse effects due to the adhesive or the like.

  According to the second or fifth aspect of the invention, even when the surface layer of the light shielding film on the photomask substrate is formed of a low conductive layer, the lower high conductive layer is partially exposed to thereby provide an antenna. Therefore, the function of the RFID tag can be fully exhibited.

  According to the invention of claim 3 or 6, since the IC chip is covered and sealed with any one of epoxy, urethane and melamine resins having excellent acid resistance, a photomask provided with an RFID tag Even when the substrate is cleaned by acid cleaning, the IC chip itself is not damaged by the installation state on the photomask substrate. In addition, since the electrical connection portion between the antenna and the IC chip can be covered with the resin, the functions of the RFID tag can be repeatedly and stably exhibited.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective conceptual view for explaining an example of the configuration of the present invention.

  The photomask 1 is provided with a light-shielding pattern part (main part) 3 on a photomask substrate 2, and its function is to selectively expose an object in an exposure process. That is, the light uniformly exposed to the light shielding pattern portion (main portion) 3 from the light source installed on the back side of the photomask substrate 2 passes through the light transmission region in the light shielding pattern portion 3 and reaches the surface of the exposure object. The applied photosensitive resin material is selectively exposed. If the photosensitive resin material is a positive type, only the exposed portion is dissolved in the developing step, and if the photosensitive resin material is a negative type, only the exposed portion is cured to be insoluble in the developing step. The pattern on the photomask can be transferred to the object side. The material constituting the light shielding pattern is mainly a metal material in consideration of light shielding properties, ease of fine patterning, adhesion strength, etc., but metal oxides are used due to other requirements such as light reflection characteristics. It is not uncommon to have a multi-layer structure with other materials.

  In the present invention, not only the light shielding pattern is formed in the light shielding pattern part (main part) 3 but also the light shielding pattern in a region near the end of the solid frame part 3 s where the light shielding film is left on the surface peripheral part of the photomask substrate 2. A portion (antenna) 4 is provided, and a light shielding pattern is also formed on the light shielding pattern portion (antenna) 4. The light-shielding pattern portion (antenna) 4 functions as a conductive antenna, although it is in the form of a light-shielding pattern, and a part of the light-shielding pattern portion (antenna) is electrically connected to the terminal of the IC chip 5 to shield the light. It can function as an RFID tag 6 in which the pattern portion (antenna) 4 and the IC chip 5 are integrated. In addition, since the said light-shielding pattern part (antenna) 4 is provided in the area | region close | similar to the edge part of the solid frame part 3s, in the exposure process using a photomask, it excludes from an exposure effective area | region reliably, and has an optical influence. There is no effect.

  In general, an RFID tag contains an IC chip and an antenna in a single package, is attached to an object, and manages information by communicating with an external reader / writer. However, a problem with an ordinary RFID tag due to its large size as described above arises. The greatest structural reason for increasing the volume of the RFID tag and increasing the affixing area is that the antenna occupies a large area, depending on the frequency of the communication radio wave. Normally, antenna components formed by processing various types of metal foil materials such as aluminum and copper or printing conductive patterns are mounted on an IC chip and a single package, which tends to increase the size. .

  Since the antenna of the present invention is formed as a light shielding pattern portion (antenna) 4 in a partial region of the photomask substrate 2, it can be formed together with the light shielding pattern portion (main portion) 3 and the solid frame portion 3s. It is. That is, a process of forming a light shielding film on the photomask substrate 2, a process of patterning a photosensitive resin resist by photolithography, an etching process of the light shielding film and a resist stripping process are performed in a series of photomask manufacturing processes. It can be done in a batch.

  If the material of the light-shielding film includes the above-mentioned metal such as chromium or molybdenum, the light-shielding pattern portion (antenna) 4 is also formed on the photomask substrate 2 as a component having a certain conductivity. In addition, it is possible to design the material structure of the light-shielding film so as to include more material having higher conductivity than that of the conventional photomask in consideration of the conductive characteristics as an antenna. However, it is necessary to consider the above-described light-shielding properties, ease of fine patterning, adhesion strength, and the like that are required as a light-shielding film for a normal photomask. On the other hand, due to other requirements as a photomask, such as light reflection characteristics, a multilayer structure may be employed in combination with metal oxides and other low-conductivity materials.

  FIG. 2 is a conceptual cross-sectional view for explaining the connection portion of the RFID tag of the present invention, and is an example in which a multilayer structure is adopted as the light shielding film, particularly in combination with the above-described low-conductivity material.

  A partial region of the light shielding film formed on the surface of the photomask substrate 2 is collectively formed as a light shielding pattern portion (antenna) 4 together with the light shielding pattern portion (main portion) 3. Further, a part of the low conductive surface layer 41 constituting the surface layer of the light shielding film is removed for electrical connection with the terminal of the IC chip, and the end portion of the high conductive lower layer 42 of the light shielding film is removed. Once exposed. That is, a step of patterning a photosensitive resin resist by photolithography to open a window of the photosensitive resin resist at the end of the formed light shielding pattern portion (antenna) 4, and The etching process and the resist stripping process can be performed following the normal photomask manufacturing process. In addition, the low-conductivity lower layer 43 of the light-shielding film may be further below the high-conductivity lower layer 42 of the light-shielding film.

  The exposed portion of the highly conductive lower layer 42 of the light shielding film is electrically connected to the IC chip 5 as a connection portion 51 between the IC chip and the antenna. The connection portion 51 between the IC chip and the antenna can be applied by applying a normal mounting technique such as laser spot welding of solder.

  Further, the IC chip 5 is sealed on the photomask substrate 2 with an IC chip sealing resin 52. The sealing method can be performed by general potting in the semiconductor mounting field, and a normal dispensing or printing means can be used for supplying the resin liquid. The IC chip sealing resin 52 is preferably a material that is stable to acid cleaning and thermal history when using a photomask, and has good mechanical strength and adhesiveness, and therefore has a good sealing property of the IC chip. As a material suitable for the above conditions, an epoxy resin, a urethane resin, or a melamine resin is preferable among thermosetting resins. In particular, epoxy resins are most suitable for sealing according to the present invention, as with general electronic components.

  Embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the above examples, and various forms are possible. The configuration of the light shielding pattern part (main part) 3, the light shielding pattern part (antenna) 4, and the IC chip 5 shown in FIG. 1 depends largely on the arrangement of the light shielding pattern part (antenna) 4 and the IC chip 5. change.

  In particular, how to design the antenna pattern is related to the individual design of the RFID tag. Assuming a passive tag with no built-in battery, the case where the frequency of electromagnetic waves is 900 MHz or 2.54 GHz and the communicable distance is 2 to 3 m is better than the case where a lower frequency band is used. In addition to a long possible distance, a strip antenna can be employed, which is suitable for the present invention that assumes that the photomask pattern is simultaneously formed on the same surface. When the MHz band such as 13.56 MHz is used, an electromagnetic induction method using a coil antenna is used, so that there are relatively many restrictions on the method of arranging the antenna pattern on the photomask substrate.

  Further, regarding the arrangement of the IC chip 5, it is preferable that the IC chip 5 be disposed adjacent to the light shielding pattern portion (antenna) 4 as shown in FIG. 1, but is not limited thereto. Depending on the mode of operation of the apparatus that handles the photomask, it is possible to provide electrical connection from the antenna to the IC chip by taking into consideration the position to avoid collision or interference in advance, and to make a space between them. However, in that case, it is necessary to change the mounting form of the IC chip 5 as described later. As an extreme example of spacing between the antenna and the IC chip, the IC chip 5 can be provided on the back surface or the end surface of the photomask substrate 2 to maximize the area of the light shielding pattern portion (main part) 3 of the photomask. Can be effective for spreading.

  As an example of changing the mounting form of the IC chip 5, a tape carrier method or mounting by wire bonding is also possible. In order to realize a special arrangement in which the antenna and the IC chip are spaced apart from each other, various mounting forms can be considered by examining each specific design condition.

It is a perspective conceptual diagram for demonstrating an example of a structure of this invention. It is a cross-sectional conceptual diagram for demonstrating the connection part of the RFID tag of this invention.

1 ... Photomask 2 ... Photomask substrate 3 ... Shading pattern (main part)
3s ... Solid frame part 4 ... Shading pattern part (antenna)
5... IC chip 6... RFID tag 41... Low-conductive surface layer 42 of light-shielding film... High-conductive lower layer 43 of light-shielding film. ..Connecting part 52 between IC chip and antenna: IC chip sealing resin

Claims (4)

An RFID tag installed on a photomask substrate, wherein a part of a light-shielding pattern including a conductive material on the photomask substrate is used as an antenna, and an IC chip is electrically connected to the antenna. The light-shielding film for forming a light-shielding pattern on the photomask substrate is a multilayer film including a low-conductivity surface layer and a high-conductivity layer in a lower layer, the antenna and the IC chip The RFID tag is characterized in that the electrical connection is made through a portion where the lower conductive layer is exposed on the surface . The IC chip is epoxy, urethane, coated with any of the resins of melamine, RFID tag according to claim 1, wherein the sealed. A photomask having an RFID tag, wherein a part of a light-shielding pattern including a conductive material on the photomask substrate is an RFID tag antenna, and an IC chip for the RFID tag is electrically connected to the antenna. A light-shielding film for forming a light-shielding pattern on the photomask substrate is a multilayer film having a surface layer of low conductivity and a high conductivity layer in a lower layer, wherein the antenna and the IC chip The photomask is characterized in that the electrical connection is made through the exposed portion of the lower highly conductive layer on the surface . 4. The photomask according to claim 3, wherein the IC chip is coated with an epoxy resin, urethane resin, or melamine resin and sealed.