JPS6269529A - Photomask holding tool - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To hold a photomask stably and to facilitate the holding operation, by attaching a plurality of sucking pads at the lower parts of arm parts, which are extended from a handle, and changing the interval between the sucking pads. CONSTITUTION:A plurality of sucking pads 15 are attached to the lower parts of arm parts 11 and 12, which are extended from a handle 10. Both ends of an adjusting screw 14 are screwed into the arm parts 11 and 12. An opening angle can be changed. An evacuating pipe 16 is communicated to the handle 10 and communicated to a communicating hole 10a. The handle 10 is held with a hand, the pads 15 are put on the upper surface of a photomask 3, a valve 17 is turned to an evacuating position and the photomask 3 is sucked with the vacuum. The sucked photomask 3 is moved to a specified position. The evacuating operation is stopped with the valve 17, and the photomask 3 is separated from the handle 10. Thus, the photomask 3 is held stably, and the holding operation is facilitated.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a photomask holding tool used to hold a photomask used for transferring a circuit pattern onto a semiconductor wafer and to transfer the photomask to an inspection device or the like.

[Conventional technology]

A conventional photomask holding tool is shown in plan view in FIG. This holding device consists of only one
A pair of arm portions 1 are rotatably connected in an X-shape by a connecting screw 2 at an intermediate portion. An inward claw portion 1a is provided at the opposing tip of each arm, and a plurality of coupling holes 1b, lc for changing the position of the set screw 2 are bored in the middle. The material of the arm part 1 is polypropylene or Tefzel (
(trade name of DuPont, USA) and has moderate elasticity to prevent damage to the photomask.

The above-mentioned conventional holding tool holds a photomask 3 placed on a flat surface from above with both side ends held between both arms 1, and lifts it by applying both claws 1a to the lower surface. Depending on the size of the photomask 3, connect the connecting screw Wt to the connecting hole], b, l.

The opening between the tips of both arms 1 is changed.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

The conventional photomask holding tool described above only has this configuration; in order to hold the photomask 3 from both sides, a certain amount of grip force must be applied, and since it is supported at two points, it is difficult to hold it. There is a problem in that the photomask 3 becomes unstable and there is a risk that the photomask 3 may fall or be damaged.

Furthermore, the photomask 3 held and carried is attached to a photomask holder of an element size inspection machine or a defect inspection machine, but the t-t-tock photomask 3 of the inspection machine is placed horizontally, and the device The optical systems are close to each other above and below, and there is no room for conventional holding tools on either the top or bottom surface. For this reason, it was necessary to remove the photomask 3 from the holding tool, hold it by hand, and install it horizontally on the inspection machine.0 If the photomask is 102 mm square or 127 mm square, it can be held with one hand, but if it is 152 mm square or 1 '78m
When it comes to m-squares, those who can handle them are limited to experts.

In this way, holding the photomask by hand lacks stability;
There is also the problem that there is a greater possibility that the photomask will be damaged due to contact with the apparatus side.

This invention was made to solve these problems, and it uses vacuum suction at multiple locations on one side of a photomask.
The purpose of the present invention is to obtain a photomask holding tool that can be stably held, carried by an inspection machine, etc., is easy to maintain, and eliminates damage to the photomask.

[Means for solving problems]

The photomask holding i4 according to the present invention includes a plurality of suction pads attached to the lower part of the arm extending from the handle,
The spacing between both suction pads is made variable so that one side of the photomask can be vacuum suctioned by each suction pad.

[Effect]

In this invention, one side of the photomask is vacuum-suctioned by a plurality of suction pads on the arms of the holding tool, the holding tool occupies a small space from both sides of the photomask, and the photomask can be mounted on an inspection device in a horizontal state. Furthermore, by adjusting the spacing between both suction pads, various photomasks with different external shapes can be suctioned and held.

〔Example〕

1 and 2 are a plan view and a perspective view of a photomask holding tool according to an embodiment of the present invention.

10 is a handle, and a communication hole 10a for vacuuming is bored in the center. Reference numeral 11 designates one arm portion coupled to the handle IO, through which a vacuum communication hole 11a communicating with the communication hole 10a is passed. 12 is a connecting screw 13 on the base side of the arm portion 11.
The other arm rotatably connected to the communication hole 10
A vacuum communication hole 12a communicating with 5L is passed through. 14 is an adjustment screw screwed into both arms 11 and 12 at both ends to change the opening angle; 15 is a suction pad attached to the lower base and lower tip of the arm 11 and the lower tip of the arm 12; , communicate with the communication holes 11a and 12a, respectively. A vacuum tube 16 is connected to the handle 10 and communicates with the communication hole 10a, and the other end is connected to a vacuum suction source (not shown) such as a vacuum pump. The first valve is a valve that switches between evacuation and release.

The photomask is held and handled by the holding tool of the above embodiment as follows.

Holding the handle 10 of the holding tool in your hand, place each vacuum pad 15 on the top surface of the photomask 3, and set the valve 1''/ to vacuum.
The photomask 3 is vacuum-adsorbed by each vacuum pad 15 .

The photomask 3 held by suction is moved to a predetermined position, the vacuum is released by the valve 1, and the photomask 3 is separated from the holding tool. In this way, even in the case of an inspection apparatus in which the photomask 3 is mounted in a horizontal position, it can be easily moved.

Even if the external size of the photomask 3 differs, it is possible to stably hold it by suction by adjusting the opening degree of the arms 11 and 12 accordingly and by optimizing the spacing between both suction pads 15 at each tip. can.

3 and 4 are a plan view and a front view of a photomask holding tool according to another embodiment of the present invention.

One arm portion 18 is coupled to the handle IO, and is passed through a communication hole 18& that communicates with the communication hole 10a.

The arm part 18 has suction pads 15 at the lower part, at the tip and at the middle part.
is screwed and fixed, and communicates with the communication hole 18a. There are multiple mounting screw holes 18b in the middle part of the lower part of the arm part 18.
A suction pad 15 is screwed and fixed thereto, and a bFi closing plug 19 is screwed into the other screw hole to close it off from the communication hole 18a.

In this way, even with one arm portion 18, if the photomask is relatively small and lightweight, each suction pad 15 can be applied to one side of the photomask surface and held sufficiently stably. Depending on the size of the photomask, the suction pad 1 in the middle part
5 is installed by changing the position and adjusting the interval between both suction pads 15.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the suction pads 15 are attached to the arms 11 and 12 at three locations, but if the suction pads are large enough to provide sufficient suction, the suction pads 15 at the base can be omitted.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, according to the present invention, a plurality of suction pads are attached to the lower part of the arm extending from the handle, and the spacing between the suction pads can be changed, so that the photomask can be stably held and inspected. It is easy to hold the photomask when it is transferred to a machine, and damage to the photomask is eliminated, and even if the photomask has a different size, the spacing between the suction pads can be adjusted accordingly.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

1 and 2 are a plan view and a perspective view showing one embodiment of the photomask holding tool according to the present invention, and FIGS. 3 and 4 are a plan view and a perspective view showing another embodiment of the photomask holding tool according to the present invention. The front view and FIG. 5 are plan views of a conventional photomask holding tool. 3... Photomask, 10... Handle, 10a...
Communication hole, 11j12... Arm portion, 11. a, , 12
a...Communication hole, 14...Adjustment screw 1.15...Suction pad, 16...Evacuum tube, 18...Arm part, l
ea...Communication hole, 18b...Mounting screw hole Note that the same reference numerals in the drawings indicate the same or equivalent parts.

Claims (3)

[Claims] (1) A handle, an arm extending from the handle, a plurality of suction pads attached at variable intervals to the underside of the arm, and an external vacuum suction source. A photomask holding tool, characterized in that it is provided with a vacuum evacuation means that communicates with each of the suction pads through the handle and arm and causes the suction pads to perform vacuum suction and release. (2) The arm consists of two arms that are rotatably connected at the base and open at the tip, and the opening angle is variable, and a suction pad is attached to the lower surface of the tip of each arm and the lower surface of the base. 2. A photomask holding tool according to claim 1, wherein a photomask holding tool is attached. (3) One arm protrudes from the handle, and suction pads are attached to the tip and middle part of the lower surface of this arm, respectively, and both suction pads are attached at a variable distance from each other. A photomask holding tool according to claim 1, characterized in that: