公开(公告)号：US20040057030A1

公开(公告)日：2004-03-25

申请号：US10635803

申请日：2003-08-05

申请人： Nikon Corporation ,  Sendai Nikon Corporation

发明人： Yukiharu Okubo ,  Hidekazu Kikuchi

IPC分类号： G03B027/42

CPC分类号： G03F1/66 ,  G03F7/70741 ,  Y10S414/11 ,  Y10S414/137

摘要： Reticle-holding devices (reticle nullpodsnull) are disclosed for holding circular reticles as used microlithography systems that use circular reticles. An exemplary reticle pod includes a base and cover. Mounted to the base are multiple (desirably three) reticle-support blocks providing three respective, equally spaced, reticle-contact surfaces that support a reticle in the peripheral nullhandling zonenull of the reticle. Mounted to the inside surface of the cover are corresponding compliant pressure-application members (desirably respective flat springs terminating with respective reticle-contact members) that apply a holding force to the reticle. A respective portion of the reticle is situated between each pressure-application member and a respective reticle-support surface. Thus, the reticle, configured as a SEMI standard wafer, is stably held at three points in the handling zone of the reticle without damaging the reticle.

摘要翻译： 公开了用于保持圆形掩模版的标线片保持装置（掩模版“荚”），这是使用环形掩模版的微光刻系统。 示例性掩模托架包括底座和盖。 安装到基座上是多个（期望地三个）掩模版支撑块，其提供三个相应的，等间隔的光罩接触表面，其支撑掩模版的外围“处理区”中的掩模版。 安装到盖的内表面的是相应的柔性压力施加构件（期望地相应于各个标线接触构件的平板弹簧），其将保持力施加到掩模版。 标线片的相应部分位于每个压力施加构件和相应的掩模版支撑表面之间。 因此，配置为SEMI标准晶片的掩模版被稳定地保持在掩模版的处理区域中的三个点处，而不会损坏掩模版。

公开(公告)号：US20040223132A1

公开(公告)日：2004-11-11

申请号：US10781661

申请日：2004-02-20

申请人： Nikon Corporation ,  Sendai Nikon Corporation

发明人： Kenji Nishi ,  Katsunobu Ogura ,  Hidekazu Kikuchi

IPC分类号： G03B027/00

CPC分类号： G03F7/70733 ,  G03F7/70741

摘要： When a reticle stage capable of moving while holding a reticle is at a predetermined unloading position, an unloading arm performs unloading of a reticle. Also, the instant or immediately after the reticle is separated from the reticle stage by the unloading arm, the reticle stage is moved to a predetermined loading position where a reticle is loaded onto the reticle stage by a loading arm. This allows the reticle to be loaded onto the reticle stage before the unloading arm completely withdraws from the unloading position, which reduces the downtime between the retile unloading and the reticle loading. Accordingly, the throughput of the exposure apparatus can be improved, since the time required for reticle exchange is reduced.

摘要翻译： 当保持掩模版时能够移动的标线片台处于预定的卸载位置时，卸载臂执行掩模版的卸载。 此外，在通过卸载臂将掩模版与刻划台分隔开之后或之后，通过装载臂将标线片载物台移动到预定的装载位置，在该装载位置将掩模版装载到标线片台上。 这样就可以在卸载臂从卸载位置完全退出之前，将掩模版加载到标线片台上，从而减少了沉淀物卸载与掩模版加载之间的停机时间。 因此，由于减少了掩模版交换所需的时间，因此能够提高曝光装置的生产量。