JPS6220845Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] The present invention relates to a holder for a photomask, reticle, etc.

Photomasks and reticles are used to manufacture products with precision patterns such as integrated circuits and various optical components, and demand for them has increased in recent years with the development of precision electronic industries such as computers and robots. This is what we are doing.
Many products with precision patterns have a multi-layered structure, in which case a photomask or reticle is required for each layer, and when operating one precision part, approximately 5 to 20 sheets with patterns are mutually required. It is not uncommon for different photomasks to be required.

Whenever a set of multiple photomasks with different patterns is required, this set is related to manufacturing one precision part.
The patterns of each photomask must satisfy a certain positional relationship in a microscopic field of view. For example, if the pattern of a certain mask in a group of photomasks is shifted beyond the allowable range, this photomask becomes a defective product.

Therefore, it is important to compare and check the positional relationship between patterns on a photomask or the like.

However, on the other hand, as a recent trend, it has become common to form many identical patterns on a single transparent substrate such as glass or quartz, which is called multi-sided printing. When comparing and considering the pattern of a photomask, which only has a pattern of
A difficult problem arose.

To explain this point based on Figure 1 of the drawings,
A comparison photomask 1 with multiple sides attached is mounted within the frame of a mask holder 2 by tightening with fixing screws 3, and is placed on a comparison mask stage 4. On the other hand, the reference photomask 5 on which only one pattern is formed is similarly fixed in the mask holder 6 and placed on the comparative mask stage 4'. The comparison mask stage 4 is normally movably mounted on the stage 7. Although the moving knobs 8 and 8' are used for this purpose, the movable range of the comparison mask stage 4 is usually only about ±5 mm at most.

In the state shown in FIG. 1, in order to compare and check the patterns of the comparative photomask 1 and the reference photomask 5,
5 must be placed on the same optical axis in the field of view of the microscope.

However, as is clear from the figure, when the optical axis () is aligned with the pattern 5a of the reference photomask 5, it goes without saying that the optical axis () does not align with the patterns 1a to 1d of the comparison photomask. As mentioned earlier, the comparison mask stage 4 is
Since it can only move ±5mm in the XY directions, if the pattern size is, for example, 10mm square or more, or if the number of multi-sided patterns is large,
It can be said that it is difficult to bring the left and right patterns on the same optical axis.

The present invention has devised a holder for photomasks, reticles, etc. suitable for solving the above-mentioned problems. To explain in detail based on the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 of the drawings, the holder of the present invention has three basic components: an outer frame 9, a middle frame 10, and an inner frame 11. The inner frame 11 is attached to the inner frame 10 so as to be slidable in the longitudinal direction. To do this, as shown in the embodiment of FIG.
Shelf-like steps 12, 12' are provided inside the outer frame 9 at opposing positions, and reverse steps 13, 13' that can be exactly engaged with the steps 12, 12' are provided on the inner frame 1.
There is a method of providing it outside of 0. It is preferable to provide shelf-like steps 14, 14' on the inside of the middle frame 10, and to form reverse steps 15, 15' on the inner frame in the same relationship as described above. It goes without saying that mounting each frame in a slidable manner is not limited to the example using steps as described above, and that various other forms are possible.

The inner frame 11 is provided with a shelf 16 and a presser spring 17 on the inside to attach a photomask or reticle. A cylindrical bottom 1 is placed on the shelf 16.
8 may be formed, and a photomask or reticle may be placed on this.

In the holder of the present invention, the sliding direction of the middle frame 10 with respect to the outer frame 9 is not limited to the horizontal direction, and of course, sliding the inner frame 11 in the vertical direction perpendicular to the outer frame 9 is just one embodiment. In short, if the inner frame 11 can slide in a direction different from the sliding direction of the middle frame 10, two-dimensional movement is possible within that range, and the holder of the present invention can be used.

The holder for a photomask, reticle, etc. of the present invention is as described above, and according to the present invention, even in the situation shown in FIG. 1, if the reference photomask 5 is held with the holder of the present invention, , the pattern 5a can be moved so as to match the position of any of the patterns 1a to 1d of the multifaceted comparison photomask 1. Since the stage 7 on which all the articles shown in FIG. 1 are placed can move within a considerable range in the X and Y directions, the stage 7
It is easy to move the pattern 5a and any one of the patterns 1a to 1d in the field of view of the left and right optical axes ()(') by moving the pattern 5a with respect to the optical axis ()('). It is something.

The feature of the holder for photomasks, reticles, etc. of this invention is that the position of the pattern can be moved two-dimensionally, and there is no doubt that it will be useful for various purposes in addition to the advantages mentioned above. .

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a comparative inspection of patterns on left and right photomasks, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of the holder of the present invention. 9... Outer frame, 10... Middle frame, 11
...Inner frame, 12,14...Step, 13,1
5... Reverse step, 16... Shelf, 17... Presser spring, 18... Cylindrical bottom.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] This holder for a photomask, a reticle, etc., is characterized in that an intermediate frame, which is slidable in a certain direction, is attached to an outer frame, and an inner frame, which is slidable in a direction different from the sliding direction, is attached to the intermediate frame, and a photomask, a reticle, etc. can be attached to the inner frame.