KR20060027648A - Device for removing particle by static electricity & exposure apparatus for manufacturing semiconductor using the same - Google Patents

Abstract

An apparatus for removing particles using static electricity and an exposure apparatus for manufacturing a semiconductor having the same are provided. An apparatus for removing particles using static electricity includes an air supply that floats particles on a reticle by air blowing, and an air that is charged through static electricity and is supplied through the air supply. It includes a dust collector for collecting the particles suspended by the electrostatic force.

Semiconductors, Static Electricity, Particles, Air, Inert Gases, Reticles, Exposure Equipment

Description

Particle removal apparatus using static electricity and exposure apparatus for manufacturing semiconductor having same {Device for removing particle by static electricity & Exposure apparatus for manufacturing semiconductor using the same}

1 is a block diagram showing an apparatus for removing particles using static electricity according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram illustrating an exposure apparatus for manufacturing a semiconductor including a particle removing device using static electricity of FIG. 1.

<Explanation of symbols on main parts of the drawings>

100: light source 101: condenser lens

103: reticle stage 105: projection lens

107: wafer 109: wafer stage

110: reticle 120: air supply

130: dust collector

The present invention relates to an apparatus for removing particles using static electricity and an exposure apparatus for manufacturing a semiconductor having the same, and more particularly, to an apparatus for removing particles using static electricity, which enables to remove particles more quickly and conveniently by an automatic method. It relates to an exposure apparatus for manufacturing a semiconductor.

It is well known that the manufacture of semiconductor devices is accomplished by repetition of processes such as photo, deposition, etching and diffusion. The photo-lithography process is a process of projecting a semiconductor circuit pattern formed on a photomask such as a reticle onto a wafer, and determines the miniaturization and integration of the circuit in the overall semiconductor manufacturing process. Building is a key process.

The photo process may be further classified into detailed processes such as coating, exposing, developing and baking. Equipment for performing such a detailed process is largely an exposure apparatus for an exposure process. And step devices for other processes.

The exposure process performed by the exposure apparatus is a process of forming a predetermined circuit pattern on the wafer by projecting a pattern formed on the reticle onto the wafer. In such an exposure process, particle contamination check on the reticle that proceeds before the start of the full process, that is, before loading the reticle into the reticle stage, is one of the essential process steps.

Conventionally, when a particle having a reference value or more is detected in such a contamination check step, the reticle is taken out of the process chamber and cleaned by a reticle cleaner. The cleaned reticle was brought back to the process chamber to restart the process starting from the contamination check step.

However, such a conventional reticle contamination checking and cleaning method is time-consuming and cumbersome, and may cause a process delay when the process manager is not resident.

Therefore, there is a need for a method for more quickly and easily performing particle removal.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in an effort to provide an particle removing device using static electricity and an exposure device for manufacturing a semiconductor using the same, which can remove particles more quickly and easily in an automatic manner.

The objects of the present invention are not limited to the above-mentioned objects, and other objects which are not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description.

In order to achieve the above object, the particle removal device using the static electricity according to an embodiment of the present invention, the air supply and the static electricity is charged to the air supply (particle) on the particles on the reticle by air blowing (air blowing) It includes a dust collector for collecting the particles suspended by the air supplied through the air supply using an electrostatic force.

Specific details of other embodiments are included in the detailed description and drawings.

Advantages and features of the present invention and methods for achieving them will be apparent with reference to the embodiments described below in detail with the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below, but may be embodied in various forms, and the present embodiments are merely provided to make the disclosure of the present invention complete and the general knowledge in the art to which the present invention belongs. It is provided to fully inform the person having the scope of the invention, the invention is defined only by the scope of the claims. Like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is a block diagram showing an apparatus for removing particles using static electricity according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, the particle removing apparatus using static electricity according to an embodiment of the present invention includes an air supply unit 120, a dust collector 130, and the like.

The air supplier 120 functions to float particles on the surface of the reticle 110 by injecting air into the reticle 110. In this case, the air may be stored in the air supply 120 or may be generated by itself, but may be introduced from an external air tank or an air generator (not shown), or simply transferred / supplied by the air supply 120. have.

Here, in order not to affect the semiconductor manufacturing process (exposure process) which is going to be carried out, the main component of the introduced air is preferably an inert gas such as argon (Ar).

The dust collector 130 functions to adsorb particles suspended in the chamber by using electrostatic force. Therefore, the particles on the reticle 110 suspended by the air injected by the air supply 120 is adsorbed by the electrostatic force on the surface of the dust collector 130, so that the same effect as cleaning the surface of the reticle 110 can be obtained. Will be.

At this time, the static electricity generated on the surface of the dust collector 130 may be made by any known method.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an exposure apparatus for manufacturing a semiconductor including an apparatus for removing particles using static electricity according to an embodiment of the present invention. Particle removal using static electricity according to an embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. The exposure apparatus for semiconductor manufacture which employ | adopted the apparatus is shown.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, an exposure apparatus for manufacturing a semiconductor including an apparatus for removing particles using static electricity according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a light source 100, a projection lens 101, and a reticle stage 103. And a condenser lens 105, a wafer stage 109, an air supply 120, a dust collector 130, and the like.

The light source 100 performs a function of providing illumination light to the exposure apparatus of the present invention, and the light provided from the light source 100 generally has a wavelength in the ultraviolet or vacuum ultraviolet region.

The condenser lens 101 focuses the light provided by the light source 100.                     

The reticle 110 has a pattern formed therein to selectively transmit the light focused by the condenser lens 101 according to the shape of the pattern.

The reticle stage 103 supports the reticle 110 and includes a transmission region for transmitting light transmitted through the reticle 110 and a blocking region for blocking light irradiated to a region other than the reticle 110. .

The projection lens 105 scales down the pattern image of the reticle 110 onto the wafer 107.

A photoresist film or the like is formed on the upper surface of the wafer 107, and the wafer 107 is exposed to have a predetermined circuit pattern by light that is reduced and projected by the projection lens 105.

The wafer stage 109 is mounted on the wafer 107 and moves and fixes / holds the position of the wafer so that the wafer 107 can be accurately exposed to the light projected by the projection lens 105.

The air supplier 120 functions to float the particles on the surface of the reticle 110 by injecting air to the reticle 110, and the dust collector 130 is suspended by the air injected by the air supply 120. By adsorbing the particles on the 110 by the electrostatic force of the surface performs a function of cleaning the surface of the reticle 110.

At this time, the air supply 120 and / or dust collector 130 is formed on the outer wall of the process chamber as shown in Figure 2 by using the opening (형성된 口) formed toward the inside of the chamber to supply air or adsorb the suspended particles It may be made to, but may be installed in a predetermined position inside the process chamber.                     

When the air supply unit 120 and / or the dust collector 130 are installed at a predetermined position inside the chamber, the air supply unit 120 and the dust collector 130 may face in the opposite or vertical direction based on the reticle 110. Placed to retain will be more efficient at removing particles from the reticle 110 surface.

In this case, the air supplied by the air supply 120 may be stored in the air supply 120 or may be generated by itself, but may be introduced from an external air tank or an air generator (not shown), or the like. It may be simply to be delivered / supplied by), in order to have a chemical effect on the process to be carried out, it is preferred that the inert gas such as argon is the main component thereof.

In addition, the generation of static electricity on the surface of the dust collector 130 may be made by any known method, as described above.

Although embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings, those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains may implement the present invention in other specific forms without changing the technical spirit or essential features thereof. I can understand that. Therefore, the embodiments described above are to be understood in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive.

According to the particle removal apparatus using the static electricity of the present invention as described above and the exposure apparatus for semiconductor manufacturing using the same, the particle removal process can be performed more quickly and simply by an automatic method, and thus the advantages of shortening the process time are provided. have.

Claims (3)

An air supply that floats particles on the reticle by air blowing; And An electrostatic particle removal device comprising a dust collector that is charged with static electricity, and collects particles suspended by air supplied through the air supply using an electrostatic force. The method of claim 1, Air supplied by the air supply is a particle removal device using static electricity is an inert gas. The exposure apparatus for semiconductor manufacturing containing the particle removal apparatus using the static electricity of Claim 1 or 2.

Images