JPH0318852A - Method for sticking pellicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent the deposition of foreign matter in the space enclosed by a mask, pellicle film and frame by sticking the pellicle to the mask in a chamber, the air in which is substd. with an inert gas. CONSTITUTION:Gas introducing ports 6a, 8a and gas discharge ports 6b, 8b are respectively provided in the main chamber 6 and preliminary chambers 8, 18, 28, 38. The mask 2 and the pellicle 1 are mounted to a pellicle sticking device of the one preliminary chamber 8 and a door 8c is closed. After the inside of the chamber is substd. with the inert gas, a gate valve 7 is opened and the pellicle sticking jig is put into the main chamber 6. The pellicle is then stuck to the mask 2. The mask 2 and the pellicle 1 are mounted to the pellicle sticking device successively in the preliminary chambers 18, 28, 38 and the air is substd. with the inert gas. The sticking device is then put in the main chamber 6 and the pellicle 1 is stuck to the mask 2. The deposition of the foreign matter in the space enclosed by the mask 2, the pellicle 1a and the frame 1b is prevented after the pellicle 1 is stuck to the mask 2.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Summary] This invention relates to a method for preventing foreign matter from being deposited in the space between the pellicle and the mask during use of the mask after the pellicle is attached to the mask. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a pellicle attachment method that can prevent foreign matter from depositing in a space surrounded by a mask, a pellicle membrane, and a frame. In the step of attaching a pellicle with an adhesive applied to the other surface of the mask to the mask, in a chamber equipped with an inert gas inlet and a gas exhaust outlet, and in which the air inside is replaced with the inert gas, The pellicle is configured to be attached to the mask.

[Industrial application field]

The present invention relates to a method for preventing foreign matter from being deposited in the space between the pellicle and the mask during use of the mask after the pellicle has been attached to the mask.

With the miniaturization of semiconductor device patterns in recent years, if there is a foreign object inside the pellicle attached to the mask,
When a pattern is transferred to a semiconductor wafer, defects occur in the pattern of the semiconductor element, resulting in a defect.

For this reason, long focal length inspection equipment that inspects the presence of foreign matter inside the pellicle and foreign matter inspection machines that inspect from above the pellicle are used, but foreign matter that was not present at the time of inspection is deposited inside the pellicle while the mask is in use. A fault has occurred that results in a defect.

Under the above circumstances, there is a need for a pellicle attachment method that can prevent the occurrence of foreign matter that cannot be detected during inspection but is deposited in the space between the pellicle and the mask during use.

[Conventional technology]

Figure 2 shows the conventional process of attaching a pellicle to a mask.
This will be explained in detail with reference to FIG.

FIG. 2 is a side sectional view showing the structure of the belt.

The pellicle 1 has a light-transmissive pellicle film 1a made of nitrocellulose or the like applied to the upper surface of a frame 1b made of metal such as aluminum, and a butyl rubber adhesive 1c applied to the lower surface, as shown in FIG. A pellicle 1 is attached to both sides of a mask 2 using an adhesive 1c.

In order to attach the pellicle l to the mask 2 in this way, the fourth
A pellicle pasting device, the schematic structure of which is shown in the figure, is used.

The pellicle pasting device is provided with a holding part 3 in the center that holds the mask 2 by vacuum suction, and can be moved left and right by guide rods 4 on the left and right sides, and the pellicle 1 is vacuum suctioned and mounted. A pellicle mounting section 5 is provided.

When attaching pellicle 1 to mask 2, first attach mask 2.
The packaging is removed and the mask 2 is attached to the holding part 3. Next, the packaging of the pellicle l attached to one of the pellicle mounting portions 5 is removed, and the pellicle 1 is attached to the pellicle mounting portion 5 with the adhesive 1c of the pellicle 1 facing the mask 2 as shown in the figure. Similarly, the packaging of the pellicle 1 mounted on the other pellicle mounting section 5 is removed, and the pellicle 1 is mounted on the pellicle mounting section 5.

In this way, the pellicle mounting part 5 with the two pellicles l attached thereto is moved to the center along the guide rod 4 in the direction of the arrow, and glued to both sides of the mask 2 attached to the holding part 3 in the center. A mask with a pellicle is completed by pasting the pellicle 1 with the agent 1c.

When the pellicle 1 is attached to the mask 2 in the atmosphere as described above, the mask 2. Foreign matter may be deposited in the space surrounded by the pellicle membrane 1a and the frame 1b,
When this foreign material is transferred to a resist film formed on the surface of a semiconductor substrate, a problem occurs in which a semiconductor element formed on the semiconductor substrate becomes defective.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

In the conventional pellicle pasting process described above, the pasting work is performed in the atmosphere.

For this reason, there is oxygen between the pellicle and the mask,
During use of the mask, this oxygen absorbs ultraviolet rays emitted from the light source of the exposure equipment and changes into ozone (03), which causes a chemical reaction with residual foreign matter in the pellicle and is surrounded by the mask, pellicle membrane, and frame. Even if the foreign matter is 0.5 μm or less, in 4Mega or 16Mega DRAMs, there is a problem that if this foreign matter is transferred, it will cause a failure in the semiconductor device. there were.

In view of the above-mentioned circumstances, the present invention seeks to provide a pellicle attachment method that makes it possible to prevent foreign matter from depositing in the space surrounded by the mask, pellicle membrane, and frame after the pellicle is attached to the mask. This is the purpose.

[Means to solve the problem]

The pellicle attachment method of the present invention involves attaching a pellicle membrane to one side of a frame, applying an adhesive to the other side of the frame, and attaching the pellicle to a mask. The pellicle is attached to a mask in a chamber having a mouth and in which the air inside is replaced with this inert gas.

[Effect]

That is, in the present invention, since the pellicle is attached to the mask in a chamber in which the internal air has been replaced with inert gas, the air in the space surrounded by the mask, pellicle membrane, and frame is also replaced with inert gas. Therefore, it is possible to prevent foreign matter from being deposited in the above-mentioned space during use of the mask after the pellicle has been attached to the mask.

〔Example〕

An embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to FIGS. 1 and 4.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the structure of a chamber used in an embodiment according to the present invention.

As shown in the figure, this chamber is the main chamber 6.
The main chamber 6 is connected to four preliminary chambers via gate valves 7, and each preliminary chamber is provided with a pellicle pasting device, and each pellicle pasting device alternately connects to the main chamber. It is possible to put in and take out 6.

The main chamber 6 and the preliminary chamber are each provided with a gas inlet 6a, a gas exhaust port 6b, a gas inlet, and a gas exhaust port, making it possible to replace the air in each chamber with inert gas. .

As for the work procedure, first, the mask 2 and two pellicles L are loaded on the pellicle pasting device in one preliminary room 8, the door 8c of the preliminary chamber 8 is closed, and the air in the room is replaced with inert gas.
The gate valve 7 is opened, the pellicle attachment jig is put into the main chamber 6, and the two pellicles 1 are attached to the mask 2.

In this embodiment, a mechanism for remotely controlling the movement of the pellicle mounting section 5 is provided in order to move the pellicle mounting section 5 of the pellicle sticking device shown in FIG. 4 along the guide rod 4.

During this time, the mask 2 was placed on the pellicle attachment jig in another preliminary room 18.
and the door 18c of the spare room 18 with two pellicles 1 installed.
Close the room and replace the air in the room with inert gas.

Next, the pellicle applicator that was previously placed in the main chamber 6 and completed attaching the pellicle L to the mask 2 is returned to the preliminary chamber 8, and the pellicle attacher in the preliminary chamber 18 is placed in the main chamber 6 instead, and the mask 2 Attach two pellicles to.

In this way, the mask 2 and the pellicle I are sequentially loaded onto the pellicle applicator in the preliminary chambers 28 and 38, the air in the preliminary chamber is replaced with inert gas, and the pellicle applicator is sequentially placed into the main chamber 6, and the mask 2 is loaded onto the pellicle applicator in the preliminary chambers 28 and 38. If you attach a pellicle L to the main chamber 6, air will not be brought into the main chamber 6, so use a mask.

Since the space surrounded by the pellicle membrane and the frame is free of air and can be filled with inert gas, it is possible to prevent foreign matter from depositing in this space.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As is clear from the above description, according to the present invention, by providing a main chamber and an auxiliary chamber with extremely simple structures, it is possible to prevent foreign matter from depositing in the space surrounded by the mask, pellicle membrane, and frame. It is possible to provide a pellicle attachment method that can be expected to significantly improve reliability.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a side sectional view showing the structure of the beritar, Fig. 3 is a side view showing the state in which two pellicles are attached to the mask, and Fig. 4 is 1 is a diagram showing a schematic structure of a pellicle sticking device. In the figure, 1 is the pellicle, 1a is the pellicle membrane, b is the frame, 1c is the adhesive, 2 is the mask, 3 is the holding part, 4 is the guide rod, 5 is the pellicle mounting part, 6 is the main chamber 6a is the gas introduction part 6b is a gas exhaust port, 7 is a gate valve, 8 is a preliminary chamber, 8a is a gas inlet port, and 8b is a gas exhaust port. Rito

Claims (1)

[Claims] A pellicle membrane (1a) is attached to one side of a frame (1b), and an adhesive (1c) is attached to the other side of the frame (1b).
) In the process of attaching the pellicle (1) coated with
A pellicle attaching method comprising: attaching the pellicle (1) to the mask (2) in a chamber (6) in which the air inside is replaced with the inert gas.