TWI819840B - Clamp for photomask inner box - Google Patents

Abstract

A holder for an inner box of a photomask, including: two clamping seats and a power component. The two clamping seats face each other in a width direction. The power component adjusts the distance between the two clamping seats in the width direction. The two clamping seats The seats each include a bottom wall, two side walls, a first step and a second step. The two side walls are respectively provided at both ends of the bottom wall. The first step and the second step are sequentially arranged on the bottom wall along the width direction. The top surface of the second step is higher than the top surface of the first step, and the top surface of the first step is higher than the upper surface of the bottom wall. Each of the two holding seats further includes two eaves, and the two eaves are vertically connected to the two side walls. The eaves, side walls and bottom walls are sandwiched together to form a covered space covered on three sides. The clamp of the photomask inner box of the present invention provides a clamping device that can fasten and clamp the photomask inner box.

Description

Clamp for photomask inner box

The present invention relates to a device for clamping workpieces, and more particularly to a clamping device for a photomask inner box.

In the semiconductor industry, in order to pursue smaller critical dimensions (CD) of integrated circuits, the current trend is to use extreme ultraviolet light processes. The extreme ultraviolet light process has a dedicated extreme ultraviolet light mask and its protective box to avoid damage to the expensive mask. As for the extreme ultraviolet light mask inner box (EUV inner POD, EIP), which is used to directly contact the photomask, in addition to having to comply with quite a few standards and regulations, the photomask inner box is also afraid of dirt and wear. General automated equipment may cause various irreversible damages to the mask inner box. Therefore, there is currently a lack of equipment on the market that can securely clamp the mask inner box.

Therefore, in order to solve various problems of conventional clamps, the present invention proposes a clamp for a photomask inner box.

In order to achieve the above objects and other objects, the present invention proposes a holder for a photomask inner box, which includes: two clamping seats facing each other in a width direction; and a power component dynamically connected to at least A clamping seat to adjust the distance between the two clamping seats in the width direction, wherein each of the two clamping seats includes a bottom wall, two side walls, a first step and a second step, the bottom wall , the first step and the second step extend along a length direction perpendicular to the width direction, the two side walls are respectively provided at both ends of the bottom wall, and the first step and the second step sequentially extend along the width direction. arrangement On the bottom wall, the top surface of the second step is higher than the top surface of the first step, and the top surface of the first step is higher than the upper surface of the bottom wall, wherein each of the two clamping seats further includes Two eaves are vertically connected to the two side walls respectively, so that the eaves, the side walls and the bottom wall are sandwiched to form a covered space covered on three sides.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the first step has two interrupted sections.

In one embodiment of the present invention, each of the two clamping seats further includes a vertical wall, the first step, the second step and the vertical wall are sequentially arranged on the bottom wall along the width direction, and the top of the vertical wall The surface is higher than the top surface of the second step.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the eaves are an extension of the vertical wall.

In one embodiment of the present invention, a hollow portion is provided in the middle section of the vertical wall.

In one embodiment of the present invention, a connecting arm is further included to connect the two clamping bases.

In one embodiment of the present invention, a carrying platform is further included, which is disposed below the two clamping seats.

Thereby, the holder of the mask inner box of the present invention can not only hold the lower cover of the mask box and the upper cover of the mask box stably at the same time, or only hold one of them separately, but also can make the various components of the mask box It does not slide excessively and is controlled within the slip range of 0.3mm. In addition, the corners of the clamping base are provided with three-sided covering spaces, which are particularly suitable for covering the corners of the mask box, so that the mask box can be placed in the width direction, the length direction, and perpendicular to the width direction and Both the length direction and the height direction can be effectively and firmly clamped, so that the mask box can remain stable and not slip during the process of moving, transporting or even turning over.

100: Clamp for the inner box of the photomask

1: connecting arm

2: Clamping seat

21:Bottom wall

211: Upper surface

22:Side wall

23:First ladder

231:Top surface

232:Side surface

233: Interrupt segment

24:Second Ladder

241:Top surface

242:Side surface

25:Eaves

26: Standing wall

261: Hollow part

3: Power components

4: Carrier stage

d:Length direction

G: Covering space

P1: Lower cover of mask box

P2: Mask box upper cover

T: guide member

W: Width direction

FIG. 1 is a schematic three-dimensional view of a holder of a photomask inner box according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional schematic view of the clamp of the photomask inner box according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of the clamping device of the photomask inner box according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In order to fully understand the present invention, the present invention is described in detail through the following specific embodiments and the accompanying drawings. Those skilled in the art can understand the purpose, features and effects of the present invention from the contents disclosed in this specification. It should be noted that the present invention can be implemented or applied through other different specific embodiments, and various details in this specification can also be modified and changed in various ways based on different viewpoints and applications without departing from the spirit of the present invention. The following embodiments will further describe the relevant technical content of the present invention in detail, but the disclosed content is not intended to limit the patentable scope of the present invention. The description is as follows: As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 , the clamp 100 of the photomask inner box according to the embodiment of the present invention includes: two clamping seats 2 and a power component 3 .

The two clamping seats 2 face each other in a width direction W. The definition of orientation is that each clamping base 2 has an opening for clamping a mask box, and the two clamping bases 2 are oriented with the openings facing each other.

The power component 3 is dynamically connected to at least one clamping seat 2 to adjust the distance between the two clamping seats 2 in the width direction W. The power component 3 is, for example, a cylinder or a motor, which provides power to move the position of the clamping base 2 . In this embodiment, the two clamping seats 2 are respectively connected to a power component 3. However, the invention is not limited thereto. In other embodiments, only one clamping seat 2 can be connected to the power component 3, and the other clamping seat 2 can be connected to a power component 3. 2 is fixed.

The detailed structure of the clamping seat 2 will be described in detail below. The structures of the two clamping seats 2 are mirror symmetrical to each other, so they are not repeatedly shown in the drawings.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 , each of the two clamping seats 2 includes a bottom wall 21 , two side walls 22 , a first step 23 and a second step 24 . The bottom wall 21 , the first step 23 and the second step 24 extend along a length direction d perpendicular to the width direction W. The bottom wall 21 must have a length that is at least longer than standard light illumination dimensions. The two side walls 22 are respectively provided at both ends of the bottom wall 21. The first step 23 and the second step 24 are sequentially arranged on the bottom wall 21 along the width direction W, wherein the top surface 241 of the second step 24 is higher than the first step. 23 , the top surface 231 of the first step 23 is higher than the upper surface 211 of the bottom wall 21 . In this way, with the gradually increasing first step 23 and the second step 24 and the two side walls 22 located at both ends of the bottom wall 21, the clamping base 2 forms the aforementioned clamping mask box in the width direction W. of opening.

As shown in FIG. 2 , when the clamp 100 of the mask inner box of the present invention performs clamping, the power component 3 outputs power to bring the two clamping seats 2 close to each other, thereby clamping the mask box. During clamping, the lower cover P1 of the mask box is carried by the bottom wall 21. The lower cover P1 of the mask box is located on the upper surface 211 of the bottom wall 21, and the first step 23 of the clamping base 2 is closely contacted by its side surface 232. Clamp the lower cover P1 of the mask box. On the other hand, the mask box upper cover P2 is carried by the mask box lower cover P1 below. If there is no mask box lower cover P1, the mask box upper cover P2 can be supported by the top surface 231 of the first step 23 instead. And regardless of whether there is a lower cover P1 of the mask box, the upper cover P2 of the mask box is tightly clamped by the side surface 242 of the second step 24, and the top surface 241 of the second step 24 can accommodate and support the upper cover P2 of the mask box. of the wings.

As shown in Figure 1, each of the two clamping seats 2 further includes two eaves 25. The two eaves 25 are respectively vertically connected to the two side walls 22, so that the eaves 25, the side walls 22 and the bottom wall 21 are sandwiched to form a three-sided covering. Covering space G. The covering space G is particularly suitable for covering and clamping the corners of the mask box, so that the mask box can be in the width direction W, the length direction d, and a height direction perpendicular to the width direction W and the length direction d. All can be effectively and firmly clamped, so that the mask box can remain stable and not slip during the process of moving, transporting or even turning over.

In summary, with the holder 100 of the mask inner box of the present invention, it can not only hold the lower cover P1 and the upper cover P2 of the mask box stably at the same time, but also hold only one of them separately. Keep the components of the mask box from sliding excessively and control them within a slip range of 0.3mm.

Further, as shown in FIG. 1 , in one embodiment, the first step 23 has two interrupted sections 233 . The interrupted section 233 is a discontinuous area of the first step 23 and can be used to accommodate the guide member T of the mask box (as shown in FIG. 2 ). The guide member T is, for example, the guide member of the Republic of China Invention Patent Publication No. I755795.

Furthermore, each of the two clamping seats 2 further includes an upright wall 26. The first step 23, the second step 24 and the upright wall 26 are sequentially arranged on the bottom wall 21 along the width direction W. The top surface of the upright wall 26 is higher than the second step. Top surface 241 of step 24 .

Furthermore, the eaves 25 are an extension of the upright wall 26, and the upright walls 26 can make the structure of the eaves 25 more stable.

Furthermore, a hollow portion 261 is provided in the middle section of the vertical wall 26 . The position of the hollow portion 261 corresponds to the wing portion of the photomask upper cover P2, so that the wing portion can extend toward the hollow portion 261 without colliding with or being worn by the vertical wall 26.

Furthermore, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 , the clamp 100 of the photomask inner box of the present invention further includes a connecting arm 1 connecting two clamping seats 2 . The connecting arm 1 can fix and limit the distance and relative position between the two clamping seats 2, and enable the power component 3 to only push the clamping seats 2 in a certain range and specific direction.

Further, as shown in FIG. 3 , the holder 100 of the photomask inner box of the present invention further includes a carrier 4 disposed below the two clamping seats 2 . The carrier 4 can carry the mask box to be clamped, and the two clamping seats 2 can easily clamp and move the mask box from the sides of the carrier 4 .

The present invention has been disclosed in the above embodiments. However, those skilled in the art should understand that the embodiments are only used to illustrate the present invention and should not be interpreted as limiting the scope of the present invention. It should be noted that any changes and substitutions that are equivalent to this embodiment should be considered to be within the scope of the present invention. Therefore, the protection scope of the present invention shall be subject to the scope of the patent application.

100: Clamp for the inner box of the photomask

1: connecting arm

2: Clamping seat

21:Bottom wall

22:Side wall

23:First ladder

233: Interrupt segment

24:Second Ladder

25:Eaves

26: Standing wall

261: Hollow part

3: Power components

d:Length direction

G: Covering space

W: Width direction

Claims (7)

A holder for a photomask inner box, which includes: two clamping seats facing each other in a width direction; and a power component that dynamically connects at least one of the clamping seats to adjust the two clamping seats. The distance between the holding seats in the width direction, wherein each of the two holding seats includes a bottom wall, two side walls, a first step and a second step, the bottom wall, the first step and the second step along the Extending in a length direction perpendicular to the width direction, the two side walls are respectively provided at both ends of the bottom wall. The first step and the second step are sequentially arranged on the bottom wall along the width direction. The second step The top surface of the ladder is higher than the top surface of the first ladder, and the top surface of the first ladder is higher than the upper surface of the bottom wall. Each of the two holding seats further includes two eaves, and the two eaves are vertical respectively. The two side walls are connected so that the eaves, the side walls and the bottom wall are sandwiched to form a covered space covered on three sides. The holder of the photomask inner box as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first step has two interrupted sections. The holder of the photomask inner box as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the two holding seats further includes a vertical wall, and the first step, the second step and the vertical wall are sequentially arranged on the bottom along the width direction. above the wall, the top surface of the vertical wall is higher than the top surface of the second step. The holder of the photomask inner box as claimed in claim 3, wherein the eaves are an extension of the vertical wall. The holder of the photomask inner box according to claim 3, wherein a hollow portion is provided in the middle section of the vertical wall. The holder of the photomask inner box as described in claim 1 further includes a connecting arm connecting the two clamping seats. The holder of the photomask inner box as described in claim 1 further includes a carrying platform disposed below the two clamping seats.

Images