| AVS 60th International Symposium and Exhibition | |
| Vacuum Technology | Tuesday Sessions |
| Session VT+EN+TF-TuA |
| Session: | Vacuum for Industrial Processing |
| Presenter: | R. Versluis, TNO Technical Sciences, Netherlands |
| Authors: | R. Versluis, TNO Technical Sciences, Netherlands E.C. Fritz, TNO Technical Sciences, Netherlands W.E. Crowcombe, TNO Technical Sciences, Netherlands |
| Correspondent: | Click to Email |
In lithography processes handling of reticles and reticle blanks is a very critical step. Defects (particles, scratches, pits and bumps) in a reticle will lead to printed defects on the wafer which is a very important cost and throughput driver. Particles on reticle blanks that are processed in a deposition are also critical. With decreasing node values particle size requirements are going down to values less than 50 nm and the requirements on allowed added particles per reticle pass (PRP) are going down to PRP<0.1 for reticle handlers. These values must be met for both atmospheric handlers and vacuum handlers. Currently there are no qualified atmospheric or vacuum robots and handlers that can meet this requirement.
Therefore TNO is initiating a Shared Research Development program on contamination control of ultra-clean electronics manufacturing to increase productivity, performance and lifetime of manufacturing equipment for the high tech electronics industry. One of the ongoing projects is the development of an ultraclean modular EUV reticle handling system consisting of a robot with a dual end effector, a DualPod opener and a reticle flip unit that will meet the industry requirements with respect to particle free handling.
In this talk we will show the design of the reticle handler, the design rules for meeting the PRP requirements both for an atmospheric handler and a vacuum handler and the issues involved with the qualification of such a machine. Given the total time needed for performing a full reticle pass (opening of DualPod, atmospheric transport of InnerPod, Evacuating LoadLock, Opening InnerPod inside vacuum, Transport of reticle in vacuum, flipping the reticle etc.) , the low number of particles that is allowed to be added per pass and the qualification time needed to measure the added particles, system qualification is a complicated process. The system is currently being built and qualified at TNO with our own in-house built particle scanner. After qualification the system can be added to any reticle processing system that meets SEMI standards and can also be used to qualify sub-modules, such as load locks, robots, flipping unit, etc.