JPH01160013A - Reduction stepper - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent adhesion of foreign particles to a reticle and an influence of the adhesion of foreign particles to a reticle fixing part on a lens distortion by standing a reticle and holding it upright to project light perpendicularly to the reticle and by refracting the penetrated light downward perpendicularly toward the semiconductor substrate in replication device set horizontally. CONSTITUTION:A circuit pattern formed in a reticle 5 is placed inside a penetration window of a supporting frame, and th supporting plate is fixed. Under this condition, the reticle 5 is aligned. After this, light from a light source 1 is made to pass a capacitor lens and is projected perpendicularly to the reticle 5. Light that has penetrated the reticle 5 is projected to a reduced projection lens by a mirror 6 to irradiate the photoresist of a wafer 8, and a circuit pattern on the reticle 5 is replicated onto the wafer 8. This eliminates adhesion of foreign particles.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a reduction projection exposure apparatus (
(hereinafter referred to as a stepper).

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, this type of stepper has a reticle placed in parallel directly above a horizontally placed semiconductor substrate (hereinafter referred to as a wafer), and light is incident on and transmitted from directly above the reticle to form a pattern on the reticle. The structure was such that the printed circuit pattern was transferred onto a wafer.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

In the conventional stepper described above, since the reticle is held in a horizontal position, dust easily adheres to the reticle, and since the fixed part of the reticle is located directly above the reduction lens, dust generated from the fixed part is easily collected. This has the disadvantage that it has a negative effect on the distortion of the lens.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a reduction projection type exposure apparatus that solves the above-mentioned problems.

[Means for solving problems]

The present invention relates to an apparatus that allows light to enter and pass through a reticle and transfers a circuit pattern formed on the reticle to a horizontally installed semiconductor substrate. Reduction projection type exposure characterized by having an optical system that makes light incident on the reticle held in a vertical position in the reticle holding mechanism at right angles, and refracts the transmitted light downward at right angles toward the semiconductor substrate. It is a device.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

In FIG. 1, 9 is a wafer stage section, on which the wafer 8 is horizontally installed,
A reduction projection lens 7 is installed directly above it.

The present invention includes a reticle holding mechanism 4 that leans a reticle 5 and holds it in a vertical position, and a reticle 5 that is held in a vertical position by the reticle holding mechanism 4. It has an optical system that refracts the light downward at right angles.

The optical system includes a resist-sensing light source 1 that emits light downward, and a heat-resistant optical mirror 2 that refracts the light from the light source 1 at right angles to the horizontal direction and makes it enter the vertically placed reticle 5 at right angles. , a condenser lens 3 , and a heat-resistant optical mirror 6 that refracts the light that has passed through the reticle 5 downward at right angles and makes it incident on the reduction projection lens 7 .

On the other hand, the reticle holding mechanism 4 includes a base 16 that rotates angularly around a support shaft 16a parallel to the optical axis L□ of the light reflected by the optical mirror 2 of the optical system, and a base 16 installed on the base 16. and a Y-axis stage 16□ that is reciprocated by a motor 14 in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis L1, and the Y-axis stage 16□.
A two-axis stage 162 is installed on the two-axis stage 162 and is driven vertically by a motor 13, and a reticle holding frame 11° is a pair of reticle holding frames that are vertically installed on the two-axis stage 162 and open and close in the front and rear directions. 11 and reticle holding frame 1
1 and a light transmission window 11a opened in the center of the holding frame 1.
1, a slider 10 that holds the reticle 5 between the pair of reticle holding frames 11 and 11 with claws 10a and takes it in and out, and a motor 15 that corrects the rotation of the reticle holding frame 11. .

In the embodiment, the paired reticle holding frames 11.1.1 are opened back and forth, and the reticle 5 is carried in by the slider 10 between them, and the reticle 5 is held in a vertical position by the reticle holding frame 11.1.1. , the circuit pattern portion formed on the reticle 5 is inserted into the transmission window 11 of the reticle holding frame 11.
a, and fix the holding frame 11 with fixing screws 12. In this state, alignment of the reticle 5 is performed. That is, the motor 13 drives the stage 162 in the vertical direction to correct the vertical position of the reticle 5 with respect to the optical axis 1.1. Also, the stage 16 is moved by the motor 14. is driven in the left-right direction to correct the position of the reticle 5 in the left-right direction relative to the optical axis. Further, the rotation of the reticle 5 is corrected by rotating the reticle holding frame 11 around the optical axis L1 by the motor 15.

After the alignment is completed, the light from the light source 1 is passed through the condenser lens by the mirror 2 and is incident on the reticle 5 in a vertical position at right angles, and the light that has passed through the reticle 5 is made to be incident on the reduction projection lens 7 by the mirror 6 and the wafer 8. The circuit pattern on the reticle 5 is transferred onto the wafer 8.

Although the structure shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 was used in the above embodiments, the reticle surface is positioned perpendicular to the wafer surface and the reticle is mechanically fixed, which is a feature of the present invention. As long as it exists, the shape of the method does not matter.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, the present invention has the effect of preventing dust from adhering to the reticle and the influence on lens distortion caused by dust adhering to the reticle fixing part by holding the reticle vertically and pressing the reticle. .

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a conceptual diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 2 is a conceptual diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a specific example of the reticle holding mechanism shown in the figure. 1... Light source for resist exposure 2, 6... Optical mirror 3
...Condenser lens 4.Reticle holding mechanism 5.
... Reticle 7 ... Reduction projection lens 8 ...
Wafer 10...Slider 11...Reticle holding frame

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) A reticle holding mechanism for leaning a reticle and holding it in a vertical position in an apparatus that allows light to enter and pass through a reticle and transfers a circuit pattern formed on the reticle to a horizontally installed semiconductor substrate; Reduction projection type exposure characterized by having an optical system that makes light incident on the reticle held in a vertical position in the reticle holding mechanism at right angles, and refracts the transmitted light downward at right angles toward the semiconductor substrate. Device.