Cleaning equipment for photomask pasted with Pellicle film

Abstract

The invention discloses cleaning equipment for a photomask pasted with a Pellicle film, which comprises a gripper module, an air needle module, a movable base module, a rotary gripper module, an air knife purging module, a back washing module and a bar code area cleaning module, all the modules are mutually matched, the Mask gripper module accurately grabs and releases the photomask, the movable base module realizes transfer among stations, and the bar code area cleaning module is used for cleaning the photomask pasted with the Pellicle film. The air needle module, the air knife purging module, the back washing module, the Barcode cleaning module and the rotary gripper module aim at different parts (Pellicle side, Glass side, Barcode and the like) respectively, nitrogen purging, ultrapure water cleaning, dust-free cloth assisting and other modes are adopted according to the characteristics of the parts, the cleaning effect of all the parts of the photomask is guaranteed from different dimensions, many defects of traditional manual cleaning are overcome, and the cleaning efficiency of the photomask is improved. And the efficient, accurate and comprehensive cleaning of the photomask with the Pellicle film is realized.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of semiconductor photolithography, and in particular to a cleaning device for a photomask with a Pellicle film. Background Art

[0002] The photomask (or reticle) is a core tool in the semiconductor manufacturing photolithography process. Its cleanliness determines the accuracy and yield of the lithography pattern. Contamination can cause chip failure and reduce the yield rate of the fab. The photomask consists of a substrate (ultra-flat, high-quality quartz glass, which is almost completely transparent during deep ultraviolet / extreme ultraviolet lithography, called the "glass side") and a light-shielding layer (a light-shielding material such as chromium deposited on the substrate surface, where the circuit pattern is engraved, called the "pattern"). Driven by Moore's Law, process requirements have increased, and photomask manufacturing is sensitive. Before shipment, the "pattern" is covered with a transparent protective film (Pellicle). This is widely used in IC manufacturing, packaging, LEDs, and other fields. To prevent particles from affecting wafer yield and barcode reading, fabs must remove particles from the glass side, Pellicle side, and both sides of the photomask.

[0003] The traditional dust removal method in Fab plants is to simply blow with a high-purity nitrogen air gun, which has many problems: It is difficult to remove dust particles smaller than 50um manually, and the removal rate of small particles is low; Static electricity dust is difficult to remove with an air gun; The Pellicle film is thin and fragile, and can be easily damaged by manual blowing. The blowing time is uncertain, and the removal rate is difficult to guarantee. The structure of the mask with the Pellicle film is very complex. Due to the different material properties at different positions, it is impossible to use one method to deeply clean the three parts of the Glass side / Pellicle side / Barcode side. For example, the Pellicle side film is very thin and cannot be washed with water, so it can only be removed with an air knife. The Barcode and the Pellicle side are on the same side, and the positions of the two are very close. If pure water is used to clean the Barcode side, it is difficult to protect the Pellicle side from being splashed with water due to the structural design. Only the Glass side can be deeply cleaned with pure water. How to accurately control the blowing angle, distance, gas pressure, flow rate and other parameters of the Pellicle surface to prevent damage to the film, how to use "water washing + dust-free cloth" to indirectly wash the two sides of the Barcode without affecting the Pellicle side film, and how to accurately control the water channel surface to form a uniform water film to clean the Glass side are all problems that need to be solved by the present invention. When returning the mask to the manufacturer for deep cleaning and repair, the general process is to remove the protective film (Pellicle), clean the mask (excluding Pellicle), perform AOI inspection, and then re-apply the protective film (Pellicle). This not only reduces FAB efficiency but also incurs a significant expense. In addition, the acid cleaning at the mask manufacturer affects the pattern, thereby shortening the life of the mask. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In response to the shortcomings of the existing technology, the present invention provides a cleaning equipment for a photomask with a Pellicle film. The modules cooperate with each other. The mask gripper module accurately grabs and releases the photomask, and the mobile base module realizes the transfer between various workstations. The air needle module, air knife blowing module, back washing module, barcode cleaning module, and rotating gripper module are respectively targeted at different parts (Pellicle side, Glass side, Barcode, etc.). According to their characteristics, nitrogen blowing, ultrapure water cleaning, dust-free cloth assistance, etc. are adopted to ensure the cleaning effect of various parts of the photomask from different dimensions, solve the many disadvantages of traditional manual cleaning, and realize efficient, precise and comprehensive cleaning of the photomask with a Pellicle film.

[0005] To achieve the above object, the present invention adopts the following technical solutions: A cleaning device for photomasks with Pellicle film attached includes a mask gripper module, an air needle module, a mobile base module, a rotary gripper module, an air knife purge module, a backwash module, and a barcode cleaning module. After a person or a robot places the photomask on the rotary gripper module, the mask gripper module grabs the workpiece. The mobile base module controls the displacement of the photomask, driving it sequentially or selectively through each functional module to complete precise cleaning of the three key areas of the photomask: the glass side, the Pellicle side (protective film surface), and the barcode area. The cleaning process for each area is as follows: Glass side cleaning: The mask gripper module grabs the photomask and places the glass side facing down. The mobile base module drives it through the back wash module (ultrapure water cleaning) and the air knife blowing module (blowing away water stains) to achieve a clean and dry glass surface.

[0006] Pellicle side cleaning: The mask gripper module grasps the photomask with the plench side facing upward, and the mobile base module drives it to the rotating gripper module. The rotating gripper module rotates the photomask, and the air needle module uses high-purity nitrogen to purge in a targeted manner to remove impurities from the protective film surface.

[0007] Barcode cleaning: The mask gripper module grabs the photomask and places the plecle side facing downward. The mobile base module drives it to the barcode cleaning module (where the barcode area is cleaned with a dust-free cloth moistened with ultrapure water), and then to the air needle module (where high-purity nitrogen is blown specifically to the barcode area, while the non-barcode area is kept clear of air), achieving "water washing + air blowing" coordinated cleaning to avoid damaging the plecle film.

[0008] Further preferably, the Mask gripper module is composed of a Mask, a Mask clamping plate, a Mask clamping seat, a clamping seat connecting plate, a coupling, a reducer mounting seat, a cover plate, a planetary reducer, a servo motor, a contact sensor, a finger flange plate, a gripper base plate, a ball guide sleeve, a compression spring, a guide shaft, a finger adapter block, a finger connecting pin, a finger connecting rod, and a shaft seat; the servo motor transmits power through the planetary reducer, the coupling, and the connecting shaft to drive the finger flange plate and the connecting rod mechanism to convert the motor rotational motion into finger linear motion; the Mask clamping plate is linked through the clamping seat and the guide shaft to achieve self-centering grasping around the circumferential array of the connecting shaft; the pin connection gap of the finger connecting rod is eliminated by the compression spring, and the Mask is fixed by the spring force when the power is off to prevent it from falling and being damaged.

[0009] Furthermore, the air needle module consists of an air duct bracket, an air duct adjustment bracket, an air duct cover, a split needle, an air duct, and a split air pipe joint. The air duct cover and the air duct form a sealed structure to ensure stable transmission of high-purity nitrogen. The air duct adjustment bracket can flexibly adjust the direction of the air needle to achieve precise blowing of specific areas such as the plench side and barcode area, preliminarily removing large particles of impurities and neutralizing static electricity. The mobile base module further comprises a base plate, servo motor, mobile upright, motor bracket, coupling, screw bearing housing, guide rail slider, ball screw, mobile connecting plate, drag chain, drag chain bracket, screw nut connector, linear guide, mobile plate, and limit sensors. The servo motor drives the ball screw through the coupling. Combined with the guidance and degree of freedom constraints of the guide rail slider, it converts rotational motion into linear motion, enabling submillimeter precision displacement of the Mask gripper module between various functional modules, ensuring process connection accuracy.

[0010] The rotary gripper module further comprises a direct-drive motor, base plate, motor, column, screw, upper plate, limiter foot, upper support plate, pin pins, pin support plate, lower plate, linear bearings, and guide shafts. The direct-drive motor drives the lower plate to rotate, while the motor-screw-guide shaft mechanism enables lifting and lowering, adjusting the photomask's posture (e.g., rotating the plenum side facing upward). The air needle module cooperates with the air blower module to achieve full-circle, seamless purge of the protective film surface.

[0011] Furthermore, the air knife blowing module is composed of a three-way air pipe joint, an air pipe joint, an air knife fixing block, an air knife, and a knife cover. The air knife is connected to the fixing block, and the three-way air pipe joint realizes the air path separation; the air knife cover fixes the air flow direction, quickly blows away water stains on the glass side to avoid residue, and at the same time protects the operator and equipment.

[0012] The backwash module further comprises a water pipe connector, contact sensor, pressure plate jaws, cleaning nozzle, dust-free cloth, pressure plate, pressure plate jaw shaft, nozzle base plate, nozzle bracket, adjustment screws, and a liquid collection box. The cleaning nozzle is fixed to the base plate, and the pressure plate jaws are linked by a shaft, working in conjunction with the contact sensor to ensure a tight fit between the dust-free cloth and the nozzle. Ultrapure water flows through the nozzle and dust-free cloth to form a uniform water film, deeply cleaning the glass side. The liquid collection box collects excess water to prevent contamination.

[0013] The barcode cleaning module, further comprising the barcode, a dust-free cloth, and an ultrapure water channel, wets the dust-free cloth with ultrapure water and then stops flowing. The mobile base module then drives the mask back and forth, washing the barcode area with water. The air needle module then provides targeted nitrogen purges (no air flow in the non-barcode area), completing a coordinated "water wash + air purge" cleaning process to prevent damage to the Pellicle film.

[0014] The present invention has the following beneficial effects: The Mask gripper module is responsible for accurately grasping and fixing the photomask, and the mobile base module acts as a displacement carrier to drive the photomask through each functional module in turn; the air needle module and the air knife blowing module provide gas blowing with different pressures and flows to remove impurities and dry different areas; the back washing module and the Barcode cleaning module use liquids and dust-free cloths to achieve deep cleaning of specific areas; the rotating gripper module adjusts the posture of the photomask to ensure cleaning coverage of each surface and area, and jointly completes the efficient and precise cleaning of multiple parts of the photomask; during the cleaning process, the Mask gripper module is used to clean the mask. The self-centering gripping and compression spring anti-drop design ensure the stability of the photomask when transferring between modules; the precise displacement control of the mobile base module, combined with the functional characteristics of each module, such as the ultra-pure water cleaning of the back wash module, the water stain drying of the air knife blowing module, and the targeted cleaning of the barcode cleaning module, form an orderly and coherent cleaning process, solving the problems of traditional manual cleaning in removing small particles and electrostatic particles, easily damaging the pellicle film, and poor cleaning adaptability of different parts, thereby improving the quality and efficiency of photomask cleaning and extending the service life of the photomask. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of a cleaning device for a photomask with a Pellicle film according to the present invention.

[0016] Figure 2 It is a structural schematic diagram of the wind needle module of the present invention.

[0017] Figure 3a It is a structural diagram of the Mask gripper module of the present invention.

[0018] Figure 3b Figure 3a A partial enlarged view of .

[0019] Figure 4 It is a structural schematic diagram of the air knife blowing module of the present invention.

[0020] Figure 5 It is a structural schematic diagram of the back wash module of the present invention.

[0021] Figure 6 It is a structural diagram of the barcode cleaning module of the present invention.

[0022] Figure 7 It is a structural schematic diagram of the mobile base module of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 8 This is a structural diagram of the rotary gripper module of the present invention.

[0024] Figure 9 It is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the Mask gripper of the present invention.

[0025] Figure 10 This is a schematic top view of the structure of a cleaning device for a photomask with a Pellicle film according to the present invention.

[0026] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the back side (explosion) of the photomask of the present invention.

[0027] Figure 12 The figure is an overall schematic diagram of the front side of the photomask of the present invention.

[0028] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of the Glass side cleaning process mentioned in the present invention.

[0029] Figure 14 This is a schematic diagram of the Pellicle side cleaning process mentioned in the present invention.

[0030] Figure 15 This is a schematic diagram of the barcode cleaning method mentioned in the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0031] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and related knowledge, and described clearly and completely. Obviously, the described applications are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, rather than all of the embodiments.

[0032] The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0033] Reference Figures 1-15 As shown, a cleaning device for a photomask with a Pellicle film is provided, comprising a gripper module, an air needle module, a movable base module, a rotating gripper module, an air knife blowing module, a backwash module, and a barcode area cleaning module; Specifically, the Mask gripper module 2 includes Mask 21, Mask clamping plate 22, Mask clamping seat 23, clamping seat connecting plate 24, coupling 25, reducer mounting seat 26, cover plate 27, planetary reducer 28, servo motor 29, contact sensor 210, finger flange plate 211, gripper base plate 212, ball guide sleeve 213, compression spring 214, special roller guide sleeve 215, guide shaft 216, finger adapter block 217, finger connecting pin 218, finger connecting rod 220, shaft seat 221, etc. Specifically, the servo motor 29 is connected to the planetary reducer 28 by grounding, fixed on the reducer mounting base 26, and transmits force to the bearing seat 221 through the coupling 25 and the connecting shaft. The finger flange plate 211 is pinned to the finger connecting rod 220, and the other end of the finger connecting rod is connected to the guide shaft 216 via the finger adapter block 217. The guide shaft slides within the ball guide sleeve 213. The rotational motion of the upper motor is transmitted through the connecting shaft, driving the finger flange plate to rotate, and the finger connecting rod converts the rotational motion into linear motion. The mask clamping plate 22 is fixed to the mask clamping seat 23, and the mask clamping seat is fixed to the guide shaft 216. The clamping seat connecting plate 24 is respectively connected to the mask clamping seat and the compression spring 214. The guide shaft makes linear motion to drive the mask clamping plate to move, and the mask clamping plates are arranged in a circular array around the connecting shaft to clamp the mask. The finger connecting rod is pin-connected with a movement gap, which is eliminated by the compression spring. When the motor is powered off, the compression spring force prevents the mask from falling.

[0034] The mask is grasped by using a servo motor + planetary reducer to drive four connecting rods, which has a self-centering function; the compression spring at the end effectively tightens the mask and can be fixed even when the equipment is powered off to protect the mask.

[0035] The air needle module 1 comprises an air duct support 11, an air duct adjustment support 12, an air duct cover 13, a minute hand 14, an air duct 15, and a branch air pipe connector 16. The air duct cover 13 and air duct 15 are fixed together to form a sealed structure. The air needle 14 is installed at the air duct outlet, and the air pipe connector 16 is installed at the air duct inlet. The air duct is connected to the air duct support 11, which in turn is connected to the air duct adjustment support 12 to adjust the air needle's direction. This forms a sealed air duct. Adjusting the support allows for flexible adjustment of the air needle's direction, providing precise nitrogen purge to specific areas of the photomask (such as the plenum side), helping to remove dust particles.

[0036] The mobile base module 6 includes a base plate, a servo motor 67, a mobile upright plate 66, a motor bracket 65, a coupling 64, a screw bearing seat 63, guide rails 62 and 615, a ball screw 61, a mobile connecting plate 620, a drag chain 619, a drag chain bracket 618, a screw nut connector 617, a linear guide 616, a mobile plate 69, a mobile upright plate 610, and limit sensors 611 and 612. The servo motor 67 drives the ball screw 61 through the coupling 64. The guide rails 62 and 615 limit the degree of freedom of the transmission, converting the screw's rotational motion into linear motion. The screw drives the mobile upright plates 66 and 610, which in turn drives the mobile plate 69. This allows precise movement of the mask gripper module and other components between different equipment stations (such as the air needle module, backwash module, air knife purge module, and barcode cleaning module), providing a displacement foundation for the orderly execution of each cleaning process and ensuring a consistent cleaning process.

[0037] The rotary gripper module 7 includes a direct-drive motor 71, a base plate 72, a motor 73, a column 74, a screw 75, an upper plate 76, a stopper 77, an upper support plate 78, a pin 79, a pin support plate 710, a lower plate 711, a linear bearing 712, and a guide shaft 713. The direct-drive motor 71, fixed to the base plate 72, drives the lower plate 711 in rotation. The motor 73, fixed to the lower plate 711, drives the screw 75. The guide shaft 713, which moves up and down on the linear bearing 712, drives the pin support plate 710 and the upper support plate 78. The stopper 77 is mounted on the upper support plate to hold the mask. This allows for mask rotation and elevation, facilitating the cleaning process of the plenum side, allowing high-purity nitrogen to be blown thoroughly and precisely across the plenum side of the minute hand module, enhancing cleaning effectiveness.

[0038] The air knife purge module 3 includes three-way air pipe joints 31 and 39, air pipe joints 32 and 38, air knife fixing blocks 33 and 37, air knives 34 and 36, and a knife separation cover 35. The air knives 34 and 36 are fixed to the air knife fixing blocks 33 and 37. The three-way air pipe joints 31 and 39 connect to the air pipe joints 32 and 38 to separate the air paths. The air knife cover 35 covers the air knives, providing safety protection and fixing the airflow direction.

[0039] It can provide a stable and directional air source for water stain treatment after glass side cleaning, quickly drying water stains to prevent residual water stains from affecting the cleanliness of the photomask. It can also assist in purging the plenum side, and the cover ensures safety and airflow direction, improving cleaning reliability.

[0040] The backwash module 4 includes a water pipe connector 41, a contact sensor 42, a pressure plate claw 43, a cleaning nozzle 44, a dust-free cloth 45, a pressure plate 46, a pressure plate claw 47, a pressure plate claw shaft 48, a nozzle base 49, a nozzle bracket 410, an adjustment screw 411, and a liquid collection box 412. The cleaning nozzle 44 is fixed to the nozzle base 49 and screwed to the nozzle base. The nozzle base fixes the pressure plate claws 43 and 47. The pressure plate claws move around the pressure plate claw shaft 48, pressing the pressure plate 46 to press the dust-free cloth 45 against the cleaning nozzle. The contact sensor 42 detects whether the pressure is tight. The water pipe connector 41 is fixed to the cleaning nozzle to connect ultrapure water, and the liquid collection box 412 collects any excess water. The adjustment screw 411 and nozzle bracket 410 are mounted on the nozzle base and fixed to the equipment. Ultrapure water cleaning of the glass side is achieved. The pressure plate, claws and other structures ensure that the dust-free cloth and the cleaning nozzle cooperate with each other. The contact sensor ensures the pressing state, and the liquid collection box prevents water overflow. It provides a stable and controllable pure water cleaning environment for deep cleaning of the glass side and improves the cleaning effect.

[0041] The barcode cleaning module 5 consists of a barcode 53, a dust-free cloth 52, and an ultrapure water channel 51. The ultrapure water channel wets the dust-free cloth above, then stops flowing. The mobile base module then drives the mask back and forth, completing the barcode cleaning process. The module then moves to the minute hand module, where high-purity nitrogen is blown through the barcode. Air is not blown through the needle in areas other than the barcode. This "water wash + dust-free cloth" indirect water washing method, combined with nitrogen purge, allows precise cleaning of both sides of the barcode while minimizing the risk of damaging the plenum membrane. This addresses the difficulty of cleaning the barcode and plenum membrane due to their proximity, ensuring accurate barcode reading.

[0042] In the present invention, the mask gripper module is rigidly connected to the mobile base module's mobile plate 69 via a mobile connecting plate 620, forming a moving unit that slides along a linear guide rail 616. The mobile base module drives a ball screw 61 via a servo motor 67, converting rotational motion into linear displacement, enabling the mask gripper module to precisely switch between cleaning stations. The gripper base plate 212 of the mask gripper module is fixedly connected to the mobile connecting plate 620 of the mobile base module via bolts.

[0043] The movable connecting plate 620 is integrated with the screw-nut connector 617, which mates with the nut pair of the ball screw 61 to transmit power. The guide rails 62 and 615 work with the linear guide 616 to ensure straightness and stability during displacement. Limit sensors 611 and 612 define travel boundaries to prevent overtravel and damage to the equipment. The mobile base module transports the mask gripper module to the top of the rotating gripper module. A positioning system using pins 79 and a pin carrier 710 ensures accurate alignment of the gripper module with the photomask.

[0044] The servo motor 29 of the mask gripper module drives the planetary reducer 28, which rotates the finger flange plate 211 through the coupling 25. The finger link 220 converts the rotational motion into linear motion of the guide shaft 216, causing the mask clamping plate 22 to retract centripetally and grasp the photomask. The compression spring 214 eliminates link play and ensures gripping rigidity. When the power is off, the spring force maintains the grip, preventing the mask from falling. The servo motor 67 of the mobile base module is activated, and through a ball screw drive, it drives the mask gripper module along the guide rail to the target workstation (such as the backwash module or air knife module). Displacement accuracy is ensured by the screw lead (typically 5mm or 10mm) and the servo motor encoder resolution, reaching ±0.05mm.

[0045] During the cleaning operation, the back wash module: The mobile base module precisely positions the mask above the cleaning nozzle, and the contact sensor 42 detects the pressing state to ensure that the dust-free cloth 45 is in full contact with the glass side surface. The air knife blowing module: The mobile base module drives the mask through the effective area of ​​the air knives 34 and 36 at a constant speed to achieve uniform drying. The barcode cleaning module: The mobile base module controls the reciprocating movement of the mask, and uses a dust-free cloth moistened with ultrapure water to complete the cleaning of the barcode area, and then accurately transfers it to the air needle module for nitrogen blowing. When the plenum side needs to be cleaned, the mobile base module transfers the mask to the rotating gripper module, which drives the mask to rotate through the direct drive motor 71, and the air needle module simultaneously performs multi-angle blowing.

[0046] In this invention, limit sensors 611 and 612 provide electrical soft limits, while mechanical stops provide physical hard limits, providing dual protection against overtravel. The mask gripper module's compression spring 214 prevents the mask from falling off during power outages. The mobile base module is equipped with an electromagnetic brake to lock the leadscrew during power outages. Through this precise coordination, the gripper module and mobile base module achieve efficient and stable transfer of photomasks between multiple workstations.

[0047] In the present invention, through the cooperation of various modules, the mask gripper module accurately grasps and releases the photomask, the mobile base module realizes the transfer between various workstations, and the air needle module, air knife blowing module, back washing module, barcode cleaning module, and rotating gripper module are respectively targeted at different parts (Pellicle side, Glass side, Barcode, etc.), and adopt nitrogen blowing, ultrapure water cleaning, dust-free cloth assistance and other methods according to their characteristics, to ensure the cleaning effect of various parts of the photomask from different dimensions, solve the many disadvantages of traditional manual cleaning, and realize efficient, accurate and comprehensive cleaning of the photomask with Pellicle film.

[0048] The mask gripper module utilizes a servo motor coupled with a planetary reducer, transmitting power through a coupling and connecting shaft to drive the finger flange and linkage mechanism. Leveraging the circular array of linkages and the linear motion of the guide shaft, the module achieves self-centering gripping of photomasks, accommodating a wide range of mask sizes and ensuring precise alignment between the gripping center and the cleaning station center, paving the way for precise operation in subsequent modules. Compression springs effectively eliminate gaps in the finger linkage pin connections, preventing transmission jams. In the event of a sudden power outage, the compression spring's continued clamping force securely secures the mask, preventing damage from falling and ensuring the mask's structural integrity and surface cleanliness throughout the cleaning process. After grasping the mask, the module coordinates the displacement commands of the mobile base module to precisely transport the mask to various functional stations, such as the air needle module and backwash module. For example, when transferring the mask to the backwash module, the mask maintains a stable glass-side-down orientation to ensure proper alignment. When grasping the mask from the rotating gripper module, the module adapts to its rotational position for smooth transfer.

[0049] In the present invention, the wind needle module forms a sealed structure with the air duct through the air duct cover, ensuring the stable transmission of high-purity nitrogen without leakage and loss; the air duct adjustment bracket can flexibly adjust the angle and height of the wind needle, and accurately and directional blow to different parts such as the Pellicle side surface and the Barcode area, effectively blowing away large particles of dust and loose impurities, and preventing nitrogen turbulence from damaging the Pellicle film. The airflow characteristics of high-purity nitrogen can be used to preliminarily remove large particles and floating dust from the surface of the mask, reducing the impurity processing load of subsequent water washing and fine cleaning modules, and improving the overall cleaning efficiency; at the same time, nitrogen blowing can neutralize some static electricity, assist in removing static-charged tiny particles, and improve the cleaning effect. In conjunction with the rotation of the rotating gripper module, the rotating Pellicle side surface is dynamically blown, covering the entire circumference, making up for the defects of manual blowing angle and distance that are difficult to control, and ensuring that impurities at all positions on the Pellicle side surface are evenly removed.

[0050] After the barcode is washed, the barcode area is precisely blown and dried to quickly remove residual moisture and prevent water stains from affecting barcode recognition. Connecting with the barcode cleaning module, it first assists in pre-blowing before washing, and then dries after washing, forming a "pre-blowing-washing-drying" barcode cleaning closed loop.

[0051] At the beginning of the cleaning process, the entire mask is preliminarily purged to reduce the amount of impurities in subsequent workstations such as the backwash module and barcode cleaning module, allowing each module to focus on deep cleaning and improve the system cleaning efficiency and effect.

[0052] In this invention, a mobile base module uses a servo motor to drive a ball screw through a coupling. Combined with the guidance and freedom constraints of the guide rail slider, the motor's rotational motion is converted into linear motion, achieving submillimeter displacement accuracy. The mask gripper module can precisely control the movement between the air needle, backwash, air knife, and barcode cleaning modules, ensuring accurate alignment of the mask at each workstation and avoiding missed, duplicated, or damaged cleaning due to displacement deviations. The linear guide and ball screw transmission combination ensures smooth operation and effectively suppresses vibration, ensuring a stable position of the mask during transfer. Surface impurities and water droplets are prevented from falling off or spreading due to shaking, preserving the results of previous cleaning processes and creating favorable conditions for subsequent module operations. The mask gripper module is driven sequentially according to a preset program, connecting the air needle module (pre-purge), backwash module (glass side water washing), air knife purge module (glass side drying), barcode cleaning module (barcode cleaning), and rotary gripper module (pleccle side purge), ensuring the orderly functional connection of each module, creating a "multi-station collaborative, full-process coverage" cleaning system. The displacement speed and start / stop timing can be precisely controlled based on the operating time and rhythm of each module. For example, the backwash module requires continuous water supply for a certain period of time, while the mobile base module remains stationary. After the air knife purge module dries, it is quickly moved to the next station, ensuring overall cleaning efficiency and avoiding waiting or conflicts between modules.

[0053] In this invention, the rotating gripper module directly drives the lower plate to rotate via a direct-drive motor, offering rapid response and precise angle control. This allows for flexible adjustment of the mask's posture, positioning the Pellicle side upward to facilitate comprehensive purge control by the wind needle module. The lifting mechanism, comprised of a motor, screw, and guide shaft, fine-tunes the mask's height to match the gripping height of the Mask Gripper module and the purge distance of the wind needle module, optimizing operating conditions. Multi-dimensional operational support: Rotation and lifting coordinate to provide a "dynamic + precise" operating environment for Pellicle side cleaning. Rotation achieves full-circle coverage, while lifting ensures a suitable purge distance, resolving the issues of thin Pellicle films and the difficulty of manual purge control, thereby improving the Pellicle side impurity removal rate.

[0054] After receiving the mask transferred by the Mask Gripper Module, it quickly adjusts its posture so that the Pellicle side faces upward and rotates to cooperate with the directional purge of the air needle module. After cleaning is completed, the posture is reset to facilitate the Mask Gripper Module to grab and transfer it again, forming a "transfer-adjustment-purge-transfer" Pellicle side cleaning sub-process with the Mask Gripper Module and the air needle module to ensure efficient and comprehensive cleaning of this surface.

[0055] The posture adjustment function creates conditions for cleaning operations on different surfaces and areas of the mask. Combined with the displacement of the mobile base module, the equipment's adaptability to cleaning multiple parts of the mask is expanded, allowing the equipment to flexibly respond to different cleaning requirements such as the glass side, plecle side, and barcode, thereby improving the system's versatility.

[0056] The air knife purge module, with its split air path design, ensures stable, simultaneous air supply from multiple air knives, uniform airflow, and controllable pressure. The air knife housing stabilizes the airflow direction, allowing the drying airflow to precisely target the glass side surfaces, quickly drying out water stains and preventing residual moisture from forming water marks and harboring microorganisms, thereby ensuring glass side cleanliness and optical performance. During the glass side cleaning process, the ultrapure water cleaning step immediately follows the back wash module, rapidly drying out water stains and consolidating the back wash module's cleaning results, forming a "wash-dry" closed loop for deep glass side cleaning. This ensures a clean and dry glass side surface, meeting the stringent substrate cleanliness requirements of photolithography processes. The module can collaborate with the mobile base module and mask gripper module to precisely dock with the glass side cleaning station, receiving the mask cleaned by the back wash module and purging along a pre-set trajectory. This ensures that the drying action is aligned with the mask's posture and position, improving system cleaning consistency.

[0057] In the present invention, the backwash module, through the cooperation of the pressure plate claw and the contact sensor, ensures that the dust-free cloth is tightly attached to the cleaning nozzle. Ultrapure water evenly penetrates the dust-free cloth through the nozzle, forming a stable and uniform water film. This water film can deeply penetrate the glass side surface, dissolving and entraining particulate impurities, achieving a dual chemical and physical cleaning of the glass side surface, effectively removing tiny particles, organic residues, etc., and improving the cleanliness of the substrate. The liquid collection box collects overflowing ultrapure water to prevent water contamination of the equipment interior and other modules, ensuring a clean operating environment for the equipment. The adjustment screws and nozzle bracket can fine-tune the module position and angle to adapt to the glass side cleaning of different specifications of mask plates, improving the module's versatility. It can cooperate with the mobile base module and the mask gripper module. After receiving the mask, it uses ultrapure water and dust-free cloth cleaning to deeply treat impurities on the glass side. This provides the prerequisite for the subsequent drying operation of the air knife blowing module, establishing a complete "clean-dry" glass side cleaning process to ensure the cleaning quality of this surface. The water-washable feature of the glass side complements the functions of other modules (such as air needle blowing for the plenum side and water + air cleaning for the barcode), dividing the work to process different parts of the mask and improving the equipment's cleaning coverage of the entire surface of the mask.

[0058] In the present invention, the barcode cleaning module uses an indirect water washing method of "ultrapure water moistening a dust-free cloth" to avoid direct ultrapure water spraying that would damage the Pellicle side film. At the same time, the physical wiping effect of the dust-free cloth is used to effectively remove particles and stains in the barcode area. The subsequent targeted nitrogen purge of the air needle module quickly dries the barcode area, performs a secondary clean, and prevents water stains from remaining, ensuring that the barcode is clear and readable, thus solving the technical problem of the difficulty in cleaning the barcode and the Pellicle side. The layout of the ultrapure water channel and the dust-free cloth accurately covers the barcode area, and there is no water intervention in the non-barcode area to avoid affecting other parts. When the air needle module is purging, the air needles in the non-barcode area are not ventilated, focusing on the dry cleaning of the barcode area, achieving precise operation on a specific area. In collaboration with the mobile base module and the mask gripper module, the mask is first received to complete water washing, and then transferred to the air needle module to complete the purge, forming a "water washing-air blowing" barcode cleaning sub-process. In cooperation with the air needle module, the wet cleaning and dry cleaning of the barcode area are divided into two parts to improve the cleaning effect of this area.

[0059] Although some embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and variations may be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the present invention, and all of these should fall within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A cleaning device for a photomask with a Pellicle film, characterized in that: The invention comprises a gripper module (2), an air needle module (1), a movable base module (6), a rotating gripper module (7), an air knife blowing module (3), a back washing module (4), and a barcode area cleaning module (5); a photomask is placed on the rotating gripper module (7), the gripper module (2) grabs the photomask, and the gripper module (2) is driven to move by the movable base module (6), and passes through the air needle module (1), the back washing module (4), the air knife blowing module (3), and the barcode area cleaning module (5) in sequence or selectively, to complete the cleaning of the glass surface, the protective film surface, and the barcode area of ​​the photomask, wherein: when the glass surface is cleaned, the gripper module (2) grabs the photomask so that the glass surface faces downward, and the movable base module (6) drives it to move to the back washing module (4). The glass surface is cleaned with ultrapure water and then moved to the air knife blowing module (3) to blow away water stains on the glass surface; when the protective film surface is cleaned, the gripper module (2) grabs the photomask so that the protective film surface faces upward, and the movable base module (6) drives it to move to the rotating gripper module (7), and the rotating gripper module (7) drives the photomask to rotate, and the air needle module (1) is aligned with the protective film surface for high-purity nitrogen blowing; when the barcode area is cleaned, the gripper module (2) grabs the photomask so that the protective film surface faces downward, and the movable base module (6) drives it to move to the barcode area cleaning module, and the barcode area cleaning module first uses ultrapure water to wet the dust-free cloth to wash the barcode area, and then moves to the air needle module (1), and the air needle module (1) blows nitrogen to the barcode area in a targeted manner.

2. The cleaning device for a photomask with a Pellicle film according to claim 1, characterized in that: The gripper module (2) includes a clamping plate (22), a clamping seat (23), a clamping seat connecting plate (24), a coupling (25), a reducer mounting seat (26), a cover plate (27), a planetary reducer (28), a servo motor (29), a contact sensor (210), a finger flange plate (211), a gripper base plate (212), a ball guide sleeve (213), a compression spring (214), a ball guide sleeve (215), a guide shaft (216), a finger adapter block (217), a finger connecting pin (218), a finger connecting rod (220), and a shaft seat (221); the servo motor (29) is fixed to the reducer mounting seat (220) by connecting to the planetary reducer (28). 6), force transmission is performed on the bearing seat (221) through the coupling (25) and the connecting shaft; the finger flange plate (211) is fixed to the finger connecting rod (220) by pins, and the other end of the finger connecting rod is connected to the guide shaft (216) through the finger adapter block (217), and the guide shaft slides in the ball guide sleeve (213). The rotational motion of the upper motor is transmitted through the connecting shaft, driving the finger flange plate to rotate, and the rotational motion is converted into linear motion through the finger connecting rod; the clamping plate (22) is fixed to the clamping seat (23), and the clamping seat is fixed to the guide shaft (216), and the clamping seat connecting plate (24) is connected to the clamping seat and the compression spring (214) respectively.

3. The cleaning device for a photomask with a Pellicle film according to claim 1, characterized in that: The wind needle module (1) comprises an air duct bracket (11), an air duct adjustment bracket (12), an air duct cover (13), a minute needle (14), an air duct (15), and a minute air pipe joint (16); the air duct cover (13) and the air duct (15) are fixed to form a sealing structure, the wind needle (14) is installed on the air duct outlet, the air duct air pipe joint (16) is installed on the air inlet of the air duct, the air duct is connected to the air duct bracket (11), and the air duct bracket is connected to the air duct adjustment bracket (12), and is used to adjust the direction of the wind needle so that high-purity nitrogen can accurately blow a specific area of ​​the photomask.

4. The cleaning device for a photomask with a Pellicle film according to claim 1, wherein: The mobile base module (6) includes a base plate, a servo motor (67), a mobile vertical plate (66), a motor bracket (65), a coupling (64), a screw bearing seat (63), a guide rail slider (62, 615), a ball screw (61), a mobile connecting plate (620), a drag chain (619), a drag chain bracket (618), a screw nut connecting seat (617), a linear guide (616), a mobile plate (69), a mobile vertical plate (610), and a limit sensor (611, 612); the servo motor (67) drives the ball screw (61) through the coupling (64), the guide rail slider (62, 615) limits the transmission freedom, converts the rotational motion of the screw into linear motion, and the screw drives the mobile vertical plates (66, 610), thereby driving the mobile plate (69) to move.

5. The cleaning device for a photomask with a Pellicle film according to claim 1, wherein: The rotary gripper module (7) comprises a direct drive motor (71), a base plate (72), a motor (73), a column (74), a screw (75), an upper plate (76), a limit foot block (77), an upper support plate (78), a PIN needle (79), a PIN support plate (710), a lower plate (711), a linear bearing (712), and a guide shaft (713); the direct drive motor (71) is fixed on the base plate (72) and drives the lower plate (711) to rotate; the motor (71) is fixed on the base plate (72) and drives the lower plate (711) to rotate; The machine (73) is fixed on the lower plate (711), the motor (73) drives the screw (75), and the guide shaft (713) is limited as a degree of freedom to perform lifting motion on the linear bearing (712), thereby driving the PIN support plate (710) to move up and down, and the guide shaft (713) drives the upper support plate (78). The limit foot block (77) is installed on the upper support plate (78) for placement, so that the photomask can be rotated when the protective film surface is cleaned, and cooperates with the wind needle module to achieve comprehensive blowing.

6. The cleaning device for a photomask with a Pellicle film according to claim 1, wherein: The air knife blowing module (3) comprises a three-way air pipe joint (31, 39), an air pipe joint (32, 38), an air knife fixing block (33, 37), an air knife (34, 36), and a knife separation cover (35); the air knife (34, 36) is fixed to the air knife fixing block (33, 37), the three-way air pipe joint (31, 39) is respectively connected to the air pipe joint (32, 38) to realize air path separation, and the air knife cover (35) covers the air knife to play a role of safety protection and air flow direction fixing. After cleaning the glass surface, water stains can be quickly blown away to avoid residue.

7. The cleaning device for a photomask with a Pellicle film according to claim 1, wherein: The backwash module (4) includes a water pipe joint (41), a contact sensor (42), a pressure plate claw (43), a cleaning nozzle (44), a dust-free cloth (45), a pressure plate (46), a pressure plate claw (47), a pressure plate claw rotating shaft (48), a nozzle base plate (49), a nozzle bracket (410), an adjustment screw (411), and a liquid receiving box (412); the cleaning nozzle (44) is fixed to the nozzle base plate (49) by screws, and the nozzle base plate is fixed with pressure plate claws (43, 47), the pressure plate claws The pressure plate (46) moves around the pressure plate claw shaft (48), pressing the dust-free cloth (45) onto the cleaning nozzle, and the contact sensor (42) detects whether it is pressed tightly; the water pipe joint (41) is fixed on the cleaning nozzle to connect ultrapure water, and the liquid receiving box (412) collects the water overflowing from the cleaning nozzle; the adjustment screw (411) and the nozzle bracket (410) are installed on the nozzle base plate and fixed to the equipment to provide a stable ultrapure water cleaning environment for the glass surface, and the dust-free cloth is used to assist in cleaning to improve the cleanliness of the glass surface.

8. The cleaning device for a photomask with a Pellicle film according to claim 1, wherein: The barcode area cleaning module (5) includes a dust-free cloth (52) and an ultrapure water channel (51); water is passed through the ultrapure water channel, and the ultrapure water stops passing after wetting the upper dust-free cloth, and the mobile base module drives the reciprocating movement, and the barcode area is washed. Then, the mobile base module drives the gripper module to move to the air needle module, and the air needle module blows high-purity nitrogen to purge the barcode area.

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