Fine motion stage and photolithography machine

Abstract

A micro-stage and a lithography machine are disclosed, relating to the field of semiconductor manufacturing equipment technology. The micro-stage is used on the coarse stage of a lithography machine. The micro-stage includes a moving part, a fixed part, and a driving part. The fixed part is connected to the coarse stage, and the moving part is movably disposed on top of the fixed part. The top surface of the moving part has a substrate for supporting a wafer. The driving part has a first driving member and a second driving member for relative motion. The first driving member is disposed on the side of the moving part facing the fixed part, and the second driving member is disposed on the side of the fixed part facing the moving part, so as to drive the moving part to move relative to the fixed part through the first driving member. A measurement mating part is integrally formed on the surface of the moving part, which is used to cooperate with an external measuring device to obtain the relative distance between the moving part and the fixed part. This micro-stage has a compact structure and high integration, improving space utilization and facilitating lightweighting and miniaturization.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of semiconductor manufacturing equipment technology, and more specifically, to a micro-stage and a lithography machine. Background Technology

[0002] Photolithography machines are core equipment in semiconductor chip manufacturing. The stage within the machine is used to hold the wafer and perform high-precision positioning. The stage typically includes a coarse stage and a fine stage positioned above it, with the top of the fine stage supporting the wafer. The coarse stage enables large-stroke movement of the wafer in the horizontal plane, while the fine stage performs fine-tuning of the wafer's position to compensate for errors and ensure accurate wafer exposure and overlay.

[0003] In existing microstages, the driving components used to drive their movement and the position feedback components used to measure their position are usually arranged as separate parts. This dispersed arrangement results in low integration, loose structure, and low space utilization of the microstage, which is not conducive to the development of lithography machines towards integration and lightweight design. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a micro-stage and a lithography machine, which have a compact structure, high integration, improved space utilization, and are conducive to achieving lightweighting and miniaturization.

[0005] The embodiments of the present invention are implemented as follows: In one aspect, the present invention provides a micro-stage for mounting on a coarse stage of a lithography machine. The micro-stage includes a moving part, a fixed part, and a driving part. The fixed part is connected to the coarse stage, and the moving part is movably mounted on the top of the fixed part. The top surface of the moving part has a substrate for supporting a wafer. The driving part has a first driving member and a second driving member that move relative to each other. The first driving member is disposed on the side of the moving part facing the fixed part, and the second driving member is disposed on the side of the fixed part facing the moving part, so as to drive the moving part to move relative to the fixed part through the first driving member. A measuring mating part is integrally formed on the surface of the moving part, which is used to cooperate with an external measuring device to obtain the relative distance between the moving part and the fixed part.

[0006] Optionally, the measuring mating part includes a coated reflective area formed on the surface of the moving part, the coated reflective area being used to reflect the measuring beam emitted by the external measuring device.

[0007] Optionally, the drive unit includes a horizontal voice coil motor and a vertical voice coil motor; the first driving component of the horizontal voice coil motor is a horizontal voice coil motor mover, which is disposed on the lower surface of the moving part; the second driving component of the horizontal voice coil motor is a horizontal voice coil motor stator, which is disposed on the upper surface of the fixed part; the horizontal voice coil motor stator can drive the horizontal voice coil motor mover to move, thereby causing the moving part to move horizontally relative to the fixed part; the first driving component of the vertical voice coil motor is a vertical voice coil motor mover, which is disposed on the lower surface of the moving part; the second driving component of the vertical voice coil motor is a vertical voice coil motor stator, which is disposed on the upper surface of the fixed part; the vertical voice coil motor stator can drive the vertical voice coil motor mover to move, thereby causing the moving part to move vertically relative to the fixed part.

[0008] Optionally, the fixing part includes a base plate, on which the vertical voice coil motor stator is mounted; the micro-motion stage also includes a motor support plate and a motor locking device, on which the horizontal voice coil motor stator is mounted, and the motor support plate is fixed to the base plate by the motor locking device; the motor locking device has an operating end and a locking end, the line connecting the operating end and the locking end being parallel to the base plate; the operating end is used to receive external driving force and to move the locking end along the connecting line to press the motor support plate onto the base plate.

[0009] Optionally, the motor locking device includes a drive block, a push rod, a locking pin, and a clamping member; the motor support plate has a mounting hole, the clamping member is inserted vertically into the mounting hole, and the upper end of the clamping member is provided with a limiting part for abutting against the upper surface of the motor support plate; the end of the clamping member away from the limiting part is connected to the drive block; the drive block has a drive hole along the movement direction of the locking end; the push rod is slidably mounted on the base plate, one end of the locking pin is connected to the push rod, and the other end is provided with a guide slope; when the push rod is driven to move axially, it drives the locking pin to insert or retract from the drive hole; when the locking pin is inserted into the drive hole, the guide slope abuts against the inner wall of the drive hole, pushing the drive block to move to one side of the base plate, so as to press the motor support plate onto the base plate by the clamping member.

[0010] Optionally, the motor locking device also includes a threaded locking bolt and a nut; the nut is located on the base plate, the locking bolt is located at the end of the push rod away from the locking pin, and the axis of the locking bolt extends along the moving direction of the push rod; when the locking bolt is rotated, the locking bolt rotates relative to the nut and moves axially, thereby pushing the push rod to move along its moving direction.

[0011] Optionally, the motor locking device also includes an anti-loosening bolt; the locking bolt has a through hole along its axial direction, and the end of the push rod facing the locking bolt has a threaded hole; the anti-loosening bolt passes through the through hole and is threadedly connected to the threaded hole to lock the position of the locking bolt relative to the push rod.

[0012] Optionally, the micro-stage also includes a wafer transfer device; the wafer transfer device includes multiple ejector pins, which are disposed on the fixed part; a suction cup is provided on the substrate of the moving part, which is used to pick up the wafer; the suction cup has multiple clearance holes along the thickness direction of the substrate, and the positions of the clearance holes correspond one-to-one with the ejector pins; when the moving part moves vertically relative to the fixed part to a preset position, the ejector pins pass through the clearance holes and protrude from the bearing surface of the suction cup to lift the wafer.

[0013] Optionally, an eddy current displacement sensor is provided on the fixed part. The eddy current displacement sensor includes a sensing end and a signal output end. The sensing end faces the moving part and is used to sense the relative distance between the moving part and the fixed part. The signal output end outputs a feedback signal corresponding to the relative distance. The feedback signal is used to control the coarse stage of the lithography machine to drive the fixed part to follow the moving part.

[0014] In another aspect, the present invention provides a lithography machine, including a workpiece stage and a micro-motion stage; a coarse motion stage is provided on the workpiece stage, and the micro-motion stage includes a fixed part and a moving part disposed on the fixed part; the micro-motion stage is fixedly connected to the coarse motion stage through the fixed part.

[0015] The beneficial effects of this invention include: This application provides a micro-stage for mounting on the coarse stage of a lithography machine. The micro-stage includes a moving part, a fixed part, and a driving part. The fixed part is connected to the coarse stage, and the moving part is movably mounted on top of the fixed part. This arrangement allows the moving part to perform multi-degree-of-freedom micro-motion with the support of the fixed part, while the fixed part serves as a stable mounting reference fixed to the coarse stage, ensuring the independence and precision of motion adjustment. The top surface of the moving part has a substrate for supporting the wafer. The driving part has a first driving member and a second driving member for relative motion. The first driving member is located on the side of the moving part facing the fixed part, and the second driving member is located on the side of the fixed part facing the moving part, so that the moving part is driven to move relative to the fixed part by the first driving member. This design eliminates the need for additional connectors to install the drive module, significantly reducing overall size and weight. Furthermore, since the drive component acts directly on the moving part without an intermediate transmission chain, it improves response speed and positioning accuracy. A measuring mating part is integrally formed on the surface of the moving part. This mating part interacts with an external measuring device to obtain the relative distance between the moving and fixed parts. No additional connectors are needed to independently install the measuring mating part, and since it is directly integrated into the surface of the moving part, no additional fasteners or calibration processes are required. This not only further reduces the cumulative assembly error of the moving part but also ensures long-term stability of position feedback by preventing relative drift during long-term use, as the measuring mating part and the moving part body are a single entity. Simultaneously, obtaining the relative distance between the moving and fixed parts ensures accurate positioning of the moving part relative to the fixed part, improving displacement accuracy. The aforementioned micro-motion stage has a compact structure and high integration, improving space utilization and facilitating lightweighting and miniaturization. Attached Figure Description

[0016] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. It should be understood that the following drawings only show some embodiments of the present invention and should not be regarded as a limitation on the scope. For those skilled in the art, other related drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0017] Figure 1 This is one of the structural schematic diagrams of the micro-motion stage provided in the embodiments of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a second schematic diagram of the micro-motion stage provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 This is the third schematic diagram of the micro-stage provided in the embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 This is the fourth schematic diagram of the micro-motion stage provided in the embodiments of the present invention; Figure 5 This is the fifth schematic diagram of the micro-motion stage provided in the embodiments of the present invention; Figure 6 This is the sixth schematic diagram of the micro-motion stage provided in the embodiment of the present invention; Figure 7 The seventh schematic diagram of the micro-motion stage provided in the embodiment of the present invention.

[0018] Icons: 100-Micro stage; 110-Moving part; 111-Base; 112-Suction cup; 113-Allowing hole; 120-Fixing part; 121-Base plate; 131-Horizontal voice coil motor stator; 132-Horizontal voice coil motor mover; 133-Vertical voice coil motor stator; 140-Measuring mating part; 150-Motor locking device; 151-Locking bolt; 152-Nut; 153-Locking pin; 154-Push rod; 155-Horizontal guide block; 1551-Horizontal guide hole; 156-Horizontal guide pin; 157-Clamping part; 1571-Limiting part; 158-Drive block; 1581-Drive hole; 159-Anti-loosening bolt; 161-Ejector pin; 162-Ejector pin mounting base; 170-Eddy current displacement sensor; 180-Motor support plate; 181-Motor mounting edge; 182-Fixing edge; 1821-Mounting protrusion; 183-Mounting hole. Detailed Implementation

[0019] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. The components of the embodiments of the present invention described and shown in the accompanying drawings can generally be arranged and designed in various different configurations.

[0020] Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of the invention provided in the accompanying drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the claimed invention, but merely to illustrate selected embodiments of the invention. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the invention without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of the invention.

[0021] It should be noted that similar labels and letters in the following figures indicate similar items. Therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it does not need to be further defined and explained in subsequent figures.

[0022] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that the terms "center," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, or the orientation or positional relationship commonly used when the product of this invention is in use. They are only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this invention. In addition, the terms "first," "second," "third," etc., are only used to distinguish descriptions and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0023] Furthermore, terms such as "horizontal" and "vertical" do not imply that components must be absolutely horizontal or suspended, but rather that they can be slightly tilted. For example, "horizontal" simply means that its direction is more horizontal than "vertical," and does not mean that the structure must be completely horizontal, but can be slightly tilted.

[0024] In the description of this invention, it should also be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "set," "install," "connect," and "link" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0025] Please refer to Figure 1This embodiment provides a micro-stage 100 for mounting on the coarse stage of a lithography machine. The micro-stage 100 includes a moving part 110, a fixed part 120, and a driving part. The fixed part 120 is connected to the coarse stage, and the moving part 110 is movably mounted on the top of the fixed part 120. The top surface of the moving part 110 has a substrate 111 for supporting a wafer. The driving part has a first driving member and a second driving member that move relative to each other. The first driving member is located on the side of the moving part 110 facing the fixed part 120, and the second driving member is located on the side of the fixed part 120 facing the moving part 110, so that the moving part 110 is driven to move relative to the fixed part 120 by the first driving member. A measurement mating part 140 is integrally formed on the surface of the moving part 110. The measurement mating part 140 is used to cooperate with an external measuring device to obtain the relative distance between the moving part 110 and the fixed part 120.

[0026] Specifically, such as Figure 1 As shown, the fixing part 120 includes a base plate 121, and the driving part and the moving part 110 are both disposed on the base plate 121. The moving part 110 includes a base 111, which has a cover structure and a receiving cavity on the side facing the base plate 121. The base 111 can cover the base plate 121 to cover the driving part inside the receiving cavity, thereby providing a certain degree of protection for the components of the micro-stage 100. The top surface of the base 111 is used to support the wafer. In order to improve the wafer support stability, a suction cup 112 is provided in the middle of the top surface of the base 111. The suction cup 112 is connected to the vacuum system through a pipeline and is used to adsorb and fix the wafer to the top surface of the base 111.

[0027] The first driving member of the driving unit is disposed on the lower surface of the moving part 110, i.e., inside the accommodating cavity of the substrate 111; the second driving member is disposed on the upper surface of the fixing part 120 and faces the accommodating cavity of the substrate 111. The first and second driving members cooperate with each other so that the first driving member drives the moving part 110 to move relative to the fixing part 120 within a small stroke, thereby realizing nanometer-level position adjustment of the wafer. The coarse stage of the lithography machine is connected to the micro stage 100 through the fixing part 120. The coarse stage can drive the micro stage 100 to achieve a larger stroke movement to perform coarse position adjustment of the wafer.

[0028] like Figure 2 As shown, the measuring mating part 140 is integrally formed on at least one surface of the moving part 110. This measuring mating part 140 is used to cooperate with an external measuring device to obtain the relative distance between the moving part 110 and the fixed part 120 in real time. Optionally, the external measuring device can be a laser interferometer, a grating ruler reading head, etc., and this application does not limit its specific type.

[0029] The micro-stage 100 also includes a controller. The signal output terminal of the external measuring device is electrically connected to the controller of the micro-stage 100, and the controller is electrically connected to the drive unit. The controller receives the relative distance signal output by the external measuring device, compares it with the target position, generates a drive signal based on the deviation value, and controls the drive unit to drive the motion unit 110 to move, thereby adjusting the relative distance between the motion unit 110 and the fixed unit 120, and realizing high-precision closed-loop position adjustment.

[0030] Since the measuring mating part 140 and the moving part 110 are the same solid structure, there is no need for additional connecting parts to install the measuring mating part 140 independently. This avoids the long-term drift problem caused by assembly gaps, bonding aging, etc. of independent mounting parts, further improving the position feedback accuracy and the displacement accuracy of the micro stage 100 driving the wafer to move.

[0031] In one possible embodiment of this application, the measuring mating part 140 includes a coated reflective area formed on the surface of the moving part 110, the coated reflective area being used to reflect the measuring beam emitted by an external measuring device.

[0032] Specifically, such as Figure 2 As shown, measuring mating parts 140 are provided on opposite sides of the base 111 of the moving part 110. For example, measuring mating parts 140 are provided on opposite sides of the base 111 along the X direction or on opposite sides of the base 111 along the Y direction. Of course, measuring mating parts 140 can also be provided on opposite sides of the base 111 along the X direction and on opposite sides of the base 111 along the Y direction.

[0033] In a preferred embodiment of this application, the measuring mating part 140 is a reflector integrally formed on the side of the substrate 111. The surface of the reflector is coated with a reflective film layer with high reflectivity, such as a silver layer or an aluminum layer, to improve the reflectivity of the measuring beam.

[0034] During the measurement process, a measurement beam is emitted from the light source inside the laser interferometer. This beam is split into two paths by a beam splitter: one path serves as the measurement beam, exiting the laser interferometer and striking the coated reflective area on the surface of the moving part 110. After reflection from the coated reflective area, it returns to the beam splitter of the laser interferometer. The other path serves as the reference beam, striking a fixed reference mirror inside the laser interferometer and returning to the beam splitter after reflection from the reference mirror. The two returning beams converge at the beam splitter, interfering with each other. The resulting interference light illuminates a photodetector. The photodetector converts the received interference light signal into an electrical signal, and the laser interferometer can calculate the displacement of the moving part 110 in that direction based on the change in this electrical signal.

[0035] Since the coating reflective area is located directly on the surface of the moving part 110, there is no need for additional connectors to independently install the measuring mating part 140. Furthermore, the measuring mating part 140 is directly integrated into the surface of the moving part 110, eliminating the need for additional fasteners and calibration processes. This not only further reduces the cumulative assembly error of the moving part 110, but also ensures long-term stability of the position feedback because the measuring mating part 140 and the moving part 110 body are the same entity and will not experience relative drift during long-term use.

[0036] In one possible embodiment of this application, the driving unit includes a horizontal voice coil motor and a vertical voice coil motor; the first driving component of the horizontal voice coil motor is a horizontal voice coil motor mover 132, which is disposed on the lower surface of the moving part 110; the second driving component of the horizontal voice coil motor is a horizontal voice coil motor stator 131, which is disposed on the upper surface of the fixed part 120; the horizontal voice coil motor stator 131 can drive the horizontal voice coil motor mover 132 to move, thereby driving the motion. The moving part 110 moves horizontally relative to the fixed part 120; the first driving member of the vertical voice coil motor is a vertical voice coil motor mover, which is disposed on the lower surface of the moving part 110; the second driving member of the vertical voice coil motor is a vertical voice coil motor stator 133, which is disposed on the upper surface of the fixed part 120; the vertical voice coil motor stator 133 can drive the vertical voice coil motor mover to move, thereby causing the moving part 110 to move vertically relative to the fixed part 120.

[0037] Specifically, the horizontal voice coil motor mover 132 is a coil assembly with a rectangular frame structure, fixedly mounted on the surface of the base 111 of the moving part 110 facing the fixed part 120. The horizontal voice coil motor stator 131 is a permanent magnet assembly, including a magnet and a yoke; in this embodiment, as... Figure 4 As shown, the horizontal voice coil motor stator 131 is mounted on the motor support plate 180, and the motor support plate 180 is fixed to the corresponding position on the upper surface of the base plate 121 by the motor locking device 150. When the horizontal voice coil motor stator 131 is energized, it drives the horizontal voice coil motor mover 132 to produce a horizontal displacement, thereby causing the moving part 110 to move relative to the fixed part 120 in the horizontal plane.

[0038] like Figure 3 As shown, in this embodiment, three horizontal voice coil motors are provided. The three horizontal voice coil motors are arranged at equal angular intervals along the circumference of the moving part 110, and the included angle between two adjacent horizontal voice coil motors is 60 degrees. The three horizontal voice coil motors coordinate their actions through a controller, which can drive the moving part 110 to achieve translation along the X-axis, translation along the Y-axis, and rotation around the Z-axis.

[0039] The vertical voice coil motor mover is also a coil assembly, fixedly mounted on the lower surface of the base 111 of the moving part 110 facing the fixed part 120. The vertical voice coil motor stator 133 is a permanent magnet assembly, fixedly mounted on the corresponding position on the upper surface of the base plate 121. When the vertical voice coil motor stator 133 is energized, it drives the vertical voice coil motor mover to produce a vertical displacement, thereby causing the moving part 110 to move vertically relative to the fixed part 120.

[0040] like Figure 1 As shown, in this embodiment, three vertical voice coil motors are provided, and the three vertical voice coil motors are evenly spaced along the circumference to form an equilateral triangle distribution. Through coordinated operation, the three vertical voice coil motors can drive the moving part 110 to achieve translation along the Z-axis, rotation around the X-axis, and rotation around the Y-axis.

[0041] In this application, as Figure 1 As shown, multiple horizontal and vertical voice coil motors are provided. Through coordinated control, multiple sets of horizontal and vertical voice coil motors can achieve precise positioning of the moving part 110 in six degrees of freedom, namely, driving the micro stage 100 and the wafer supported on it to translate along the X-axis, translate along the Y-axis, move up and down along the Z-axis, rotate around the X-axis, rotate around the Y-axis, and rotate around the Z-axis, so as to further improve the positional accuracy and multi-degree-of-freedom motion control of the micro stage 100.

[0042] In one possible implementation of this application, such as Figure 3 As shown, the fixing part 120 includes a base plate 121, and a vertical voice coil motor stator 133 is disposed on the base plate 121; the micro-motion stage 100 also includes a motor support plate 180 and a motor locking device 150, and a horizontal voice coil motor stator 131 is disposed on the motor support plate 180. The motor support plate 180 is fixed to the base plate 121 by the motor locking device 150; the motor locking device 150 has an operating end and a locking end, and the line connecting the operating end and the locking end is parallel to the base plate 121; the operating end is used to receive external driving force and to move the locking end along the connecting line direction to press the motor support plate 180 onto the base plate 121.

[0043] Specifically, such as Figure 5As shown, the motor support plate 180 has a regular hexagonal structure, with three motor mounting edges 181 and three fixed edges 182 arranged alternately along the circumference. Three horizontal voice coil motor stators 131 are respectively fixedly mounted on the three motor mounting edges 181, with one horizontal voice coil motor stator 131 mounted on the side of each motor mounting edge 181 facing away from the base plate 121. Each fixed edge 182 has a mounting protrusion 1821 at the center of its side facing the base plate 121. The mounting protrusion 1821 has a mounting hole 183, and a clamping member 157 passes through the mounting hole 183. Under the drive of the motor locking device 150, the clamping member 157 presses the motor support plate 180 against the upper surface of the base plate 121.

[0044] like Figure 3 As shown, the motor locking device 150 is radially mounted on the base plate 121, with its operating end exposed on the side of the base plate 121. Maintenance personnel can operate it using tools from the side of the micro-motion table 100, locking or releasing the motor support plate 180 without disassembling the moving part 110 or other components. The locking end of the motor locking device 150 moves horizontally under the drive of the operating end, pressing the motor support plate 180 against the upper surface of the base plate 121 through the clamping member 157, thereby fixing the horizontal voice coil motor stator 131.

[0045] In traditional designs, the horizontal voice coil motor stator 131 is typically fixed directly to the base plate 121 with screws, or it is mounted as a single embedded component. The fixing screws are located at the top or bottom of the base plate 121 and are obscured by the moving part 110. When the motor stator needs to be disassembled or replaced, the moving part 110 and numerous surrounding components must be removed before the screws can be accessed. This is not only time-consuming and labor-intensive, but it also disrupts the calibrated optical references and mechanical alignment, severely impacting the equipment's usability and maintenance efficiency.

[0046] This application, by placing the operating end of the motor locking device 150 on the side of the base plate 121, allows maintenance personnel to apply driving force directly from the side of the equipment, achieving rapid locking and releasing of the motor support plate 180 without disassembling the moving part 110 or other surrounding components. This structure effectively avoids interference from the disassembly and assembly of surrounding precision components caused by traditional screw fixing methods, protects the calibrated optical reference and mechanical alignment of the micro-stage 100, significantly simplifies maintenance procedures, and shortens equipment downtime.

[0047] It should be noted that this application does not impose any limitation on the specific number of motor locking devices 150. Preferably, the specific number and setting position of motor locking devices 150 correspond one-to-one with the specific number and setting position of horizontal voice coil motor stator 131. That is, one motor locking device 150 is set at the mounting protrusion 1821 of each fixed side 182, which further improves the flexibility of maintenance and the reliability of locking.

[0048] In one possible implementation of this application, such as Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, the motor locking device 150 includes a drive block 158, a push rod 154, a locking pin 153, and a clamping member 157; the motor support plate 180 has a mounting hole 183, the clamping member 157 is vertically inserted into the mounting hole 183, and the upper end of the clamping member 157 is provided with a limiting part 1571 for abutting against the upper surface of the motor support plate 180; one end of the clamping member 157 away from the limiting part 1571 is connected to the drive block 158; the drive block 158 has a drive mechanism along the movement direction of the locking end. Hole 1581; push rod 154 is slidably mounted on base plate 121, one end of locking pin 153 is connected to push rod 154, and the other end is provided with guide slope; when push rod 154 is driven to move axially, it drives locking pin 153 to insert or withdraw from drive hole 1581; when locking pin 153 is inserted into drive hole 1581, guide slope abuts against inner wall of drive hole 1581, pushing drive block 158 to move to one side of base plate 121, so as to press motor support plate 180 onto base plate 121 through clamping member 157.

[0049] Specifically, please combine Figure 5 and Figure 6 The motor support plate 180 has a mounting protrusion 1821 along the middle of its fixed edge 182, and a mounting hole 183 extending vertically through the mounting protrusion 1821. A clamping member 157 is inserted vertically into this through hole, and a radially protruding limiting part 1571 is provided at the upper end of the clamping member 157. This limiting part 1571 abuts against the upper surface of the mounting protrusion 1821 to prevent the clamping member 157 from dislodging from the through hole. In this embodiment, the clamping member 157 is preferably a bolt, and the limiting part 1571 can be a nut located on the top of the bolt.

[0050] The clamping member 157 has an external thread at one end away from the limiting part 1571 for threaded connection with the drive block 158. The drive block 158 has a rectangular block structure, and a drive hole 1581 is opened in the middle along the horizontal direction. The cross-sectional shape of the drive hole 1581 is adapted to the tapered guide surface of the locking pin 153.

[0051] The push rod 154 is long and is slidably mounted on the base plate 121 via a linear guide rail. The direction of movement of the push rod 154 is parallel to the base plate 121. Specifically, the linear guide rail is fixed to the upper surface of the base plate 121, and the push rod 154 is fixedly connected to the slider that is slidably mounted on the linear guide rail to ensure that the push rod 154 has good linearity and stability when moving horizontally.

[0052] The locking pin 153 is columnar, and one end of it can be fixedly connected to the end of the push rod 154 by means of threaded connection or integral molding. The other end of the locking pin 153 is provided with a tapered guide slope, which makes the outer diameter of the end of the locking pin 153 gradually decrease from the end closer to the push rod 154 to the end farther away from the push rod 154.

[0053] When the push rod 154 is driven to move towards the side closer to the drive block 158 along its direction of movement, the push rod 154 drives the locking pin 153 to move together, and the tapered guide slope of the locking pin 153 gradually inserts into the drive hole 1581 on the drive block 158. As the locking pin 153 continues to be inserted, the tapered guide slope abuts against the inner wall of the drive hole 1581 and generates a wedge-shaped pressing action. This pressing action generates a component force perpendicular to the direction of movement of the push rod 154, which pushes the drive block 158 to move towards the base plate 121, that is, pushes the drive block 158 to move vertically downward. When the drive block 158 moves downward, it drives the clamping member 157 to move downward together through the threaded connection with the lower end of the clamping member 157. Since the limiting part 1571 at the upper end of the clamping member 157 is blocked by the upper surface of the mounting protrusion 1821, when the clamping member 157 moves downward, its limiting part 1571 applies downward pressure to the mounting protrusion 1821, thereby pressing the motor support plate 180 against the upper surface of the base plate 121.

[0054] The above structure cleverly transforms the horizontal thrust of the push rod 154 into the vertical downward pull of the drive block 158 by the wedge-shaped engagement between the tapered guide slope of the locking pin 153 and the inner wall of the drive hole 1581. Then, the motor support plate 180 is pressed onto the base plate 121 by the clamping member 157, thereby realizing the vertical clamping and fixing by horizontal operation from the side. This solves the problem that the micro-motion stage 100 has a small internal space and cannot be directly locked from top to bottom, thus improving the reliability of locking.

[0055] Optionally, such as Figure 6 As shown, the motor locking device 150 also includes a threaded locking bolt 151 and a nut 152; the nut 152 is disposed on the base plate 121, and the locking bolt 151 is disposed at the end of the push rod 154 away from the locking pin 153, and the axis of the locking bolt 151 extends along the moving direction of the push rod 154; when the locking bolt 151 is rotated, the locking bolt 151 rotates relative to the nut 152 and moves axially, thereby pushing the push rod 154 to move along its moving direction.

[0056] Specifically, the nut 152 is fixedly mounted on the base plate 121, and the axis of the nut 152 is parallel to the base plate 121. In this embodiment, the nut 152 can be fixed to the upper surface of the base plate 121 by welding, screw fixing, or integral molding, etc., and this application does not impose any restrictions on this. The locking bolt 151 is located at the end of the push rod 154 away from the locking pin 153, and the axis of the locking bolt 151 extends along the moving direction of the push rod 154. The locking bolt 151 is threadedly engaged with the nut 152, and the end of the locking bolt 151 is used to abut against the end face of the push rod 154. The head of the locking bolt 151 protrudes from the edge of the base plate 121 as an operating end for receiving the driving force of external tools.

[0057] When the operator uses a tool to rotate the locking bolt 151, the locking bolt 151 moves axially towards the push rod 154 under the constraint of the thread of the nut 152. The end of the locking bolt 151 contacts the end face of the push rod 154 and pushes the push rod 154 to move in its direction of movement. When it is necessary to release the lock, the locking bolt 151 is rotated in the opposite direction, and the locking bolt 151 moves away from the push rod 154. The push rod 154 drives the locking pin 153 out of the drive hole 1581, thereby releasing the pressure on the motor support plate 180.

[0058] Preferably, a return spring (not shown in the figure) is also provided on the base plate 121. One end of the return spring is connected to the base plate 121, and the other end abuts against the push rod 154. It is used to drive the push rod 154 to retract when the locking bolt 151 separates from the push rod 154. Specifically, when the locking bolt 151 drives the push rod 154 to move closer to the drive block 158, the push rod 154 compresses the return spring, causing the return spring to store elastic potential energy. When it is necessary to release the lock, the locking bolt 151 is rotated in the opposite direction, and the locking bolt 151 moves away from the push rod 154. The end of the locking bolt 151 gradually separates from the end face of the push rod 154. At this time, the return spring releases the stored elastic potential energy, pushing the push rod 154 to retract away from the drive block 158, thereby causing the locking pin 153 to quickly exit the drive hole 1581, so as to quickly release the pressure on the motor support plate 180, further improving the efficiency and reliability of the unlocking and clamping process.

[0059] Using the threaded locking bolt 151 and nut 152 as driving elements, the rotary motion is smoothly converted into the linear motion of the push rod 154 via helical transmission. The threaded engagement has a self-locking characteristic, maintaining the position of the push rod 154 after rotation stops, and maintaining the locked state without the need for an additional locking device. The head of the locking bolt 151 is exposed on the side of the base plate 121, allowing operators to operate directly from the side of the equipment without disassembling the moving part 110 or other peripheral components, simplifying the maintenance process and reducing equipment downtime.

[0060] Furthermore, such as Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, the motor locking device 150 also includes an anti-loosening bolt 159; the locking bolt 151 has a through hole along its axial direction, and the push rod 154 has a threaded hole at its end facing the locking bolt 151; the anti-loosening bolt 159 passes through the through hole and is threadedly connected to the threaded hole to lock the position of the locking bolt 151 relative to the push rod 154.

[0061] Specifically, the locking bolt 151 has an axial through hole, and the push rod 154 has a corresponding threaded hole. The anti-loosening bolt 159, which passes through the through hole and engages with the threaded hole, can tightly press the locking bolt 151 and the push rod 154 axially, ensuring a tight fit between their end faces. Once the locking bolt 151 is adjusted to the target position, tightening the anti-loosening bolt 159 achieves a rigid connection between the locking bolt 151 and the push rod 154, effectively preventing the locking bolt 151 from rotating due to external interference such as vibration or impact during equipment operation.

[0062] When disassembly is required, first rotate the anti-loosening bolt 159 in the reverse direction to release its locking effect on the locking bolt 151. Then rotate the locking bolt 151 in the reverse direction to move the locking bolt 151 away from the push rod 154. The end face of the locking bolt 151 separates from the end face of the push rod 154, thereby releasing the pressure on the motor support plate 180.

[0063] The above structure provides an anti-loosening effect by axially locking the locking bolt 151 and the push rod 154 with the anti-loosening bolt 159, which effectively prevents the locking bolt 151 from loosening due to long-term vibration or impact, ensures the long-term stability of the clamping force of the motor support plate 180, and improves the reliability of the micro-motion table 100.

[0064] As an optional implementation method, such as Figure 7As shown, the base plate 121 is also provided with a horizontal guide pin 156 and a horizontal guide block 155. The horizontal guide pin 156 is connected to the end of the push rod 154 away from the locking bolt 151, and the horizontal guide block 155 is fixed to the base plate 121. The extension direction of the horizontal guide pin 156 is consistent with the movement direction of the push rod 154, and the horizontal guide block 155 is provided with a horizontal guide hole 1551 consistent with the extension direction of the horizontal guide pin 156. When the push rod 154 slides linearly, the horizontal guide pin 156 guides the end of the push rod 154 away from the locking bolt 151 to move within the horizontal guide hole 1551. The horizontal guide hole 1551 serves to guide the horizontal guide pin 156 horizontally and prevents the end of the push rod 154 away from the locking bolt 151 from tilting upwards when driving the locking pin 153 to move downwards.

[0065] Optionally, the micro-stage 100 also includes a transfer plate device; such as Figure 1 As shown, the transfer piece device includes a plurality of ejector pins 161, which are disposed on the fixing part 120; as Figure 2 As shown, the base 111 of the moving part 110 is provided with a suction cup 112, which is used to adsorb the wafer. The suction cup 112 has a plurality of clearance holes 113 along the thickness direction of the base 111, and the positions of the clearance holes 113 correspond one-to-one with the ejector pins 161. When the moving part 110 moves vertically to a preset position relative to the fixed part 120, the ejector pins 161 pass through the clearance holes 113 and protrude from the bearing surface of the suction cup 112 to lift the wafer.

[0066] Specifically, such as Figure 1 As shown, a pin mounting base 162 is fixedly mounted on the base plate 121 of the fixing part 120, and a plurality of pins 161 are vertically mounted on the mounting base and extend toward the moving part 110. In this embodiment, as Figure 1 As shown, there are three ejector pins 161 arranged in a triangle to improve the stability of wafer support.

[0067] Preferably, the tip of the ejector pin 161 is spherical or flat to reduce the contact area with the back of the wafer and prevent scratching the wafer.

[0068] like Figure 2 As shown, a suction cup 112 is provided on the top surface of the base 111 of the moving part 110, and the surface of the suction cup 112 has a vacuum adsorption groove. Along the thickness direction of the suction cup 112 and the base 111, a clearance hole 113 is provided corresponding to the position of each ejector pin 161, and the diameter of the clearance hole 113 is slightly larger than the diameter of the ejector pin 161.

[0069] When the moving part 110 descends to its lowest position driven by the vertical voice coil motor, the tip of the ejector pin 161 passes through the clearance hole 113 and protrudes from the upper surface of the chuck 112. At this time, the wafer is lifted by the ejector pin 161 and separated from the chuck 112. The robotic arm of the lithography machine can then remove the wafer. When loading the wafer, the robotic arm places the wafer on the raised ejector pin 161, the moving part 110 rises, the ejector pin 161 retracts relative to the clearance hole 113, and the wafer is stably placed on the surface of the chuck 112. The vacuum system is then activated to adhere and fix the wafer.

[0070] By setting up the wafer transfer device, the wafer handling process can be made more stable and reliable, avoiding the possibility that the robot arm will have difficulty taking away the wafer or even scratch the wafer due to the suction cup 112 adsorption.

[0071] In one possible implementation of this application, such as Figure 1 As shown, an eddy current displacement sensor 170 is provided on the fixed part 120. The eddy current displacement sensor 170 includes a sensing end and a signal output end. The sensing end faces the moving part 110 and is used to sense the relative distance between the moving part 110 and the fixed part 120. The signal output end outputs a feedback signal corresponding to the relative distance. The feedback signal is used to control the coarse stage of the lithography machine to drive the fixed part 120 to follow the moving part 110.

[0072] Specifically, the sensing end of the eddy current displacement sensor 170 is fixedly mounted on the base plate 121, with its end face facing the lower surface of the base 111 of the moving part 110. It is used to sense the relative distance between the base 111 and the sensing end, and outputs a feedback signal corresponding to this relative distance through the signal output terminal. The signal output terminal is electrically connected to the coarse motion stage controller. This feedback signal serves as a control command for the coarse motion stage to follow the movement, causing the coarse motion stage to drive the fixed part 120 to move together with the moving part 110, thereby maintaining a constant gap between the first and second driving members of the drive unit.

[0073] This application uses an eddy current displacement sensor 170 to measure the relative distance between the moving part 110 and the fixed part 120 in real time, and uses this distance signal as feedback for the coarse stage movement. This allows the coarse stage to dynamically adjust its position, always maintaining the relative distance between the moving part 110 and the fixed part 120 near a preset constant value. In this way, on the one hand, it ensures that the gap between the first and second driving components of the drive unit remains within the preset interval during long-stroke movement, avoiding the risk of collision; on the other hand, it also keeps the relative position between the moving part 110 and the fixed part 120 of the micro-motion stage 100 stable, which helps improve the linearity and accuracy of the micro-motion stage 100's own drive control.

[0074] In another aspect, the present invention provides a lithography machine, including a workpiece stage and a micro-motion stage 100; a coarse motion stage is provided on the workpiece stage, and the micro-motion stage 100 includes a fixed part 120 and a moving part 110 disposed on the fixed part 120; the micro-motion stage 100 is fixedly connected to the coarse motion stage through the fixed part 120.

[0075] Specifically, the coarse stage is driven by a linear motor and can perform long-stroke movements in both the X and Y horizontal directions. The fixed part 120 of the micro stage 100 is connected to the moving part of the coarse stage via a base plate 121. During operation, the coarse stage is responsible for large-stroke displacement, moving the wafer to the vicinity of the target exposure field; the micro stage 100, based on the coarse stage, performs fine-tuning of angles in translation along the X-axis, translation along the Y-axis, lifting and lowering along the Z-axis, rotation around the X-axis, rotation around the Y-axis, and rotation around the Z-axis to compensate for residual errors and ensure exposure overlay accuracy.

[0076] The specific structure and beneficial effects of the microstage 100 have been described in detail above and will not be repeated here. Because this lithography machine uses the highly integrated microstage 100, it has a compact structure, is easy to maintain, and achieves lightweight and miniaturization.

[0077] The above description is merely an optional embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. For those skilled in the art, the present invention can have various modifications and variations. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

[0078] It should also be noted that the various specific technical features described in the above specific embodiments can be combined in any suitable manner without contradiction. In order to avoid unnecessary repetition, the present invention will not describe the various possible combinations separately.

Claims

1. A fine stage for setting on a coarse stage of a lithography machine, characterized in that, The micro-stage includes a moving part, a fixed part, and a driving part; the fixed part is used to connect with the coarse stage, and the moving part is movably disposed on the top of the fixed part; the top surface of the moving part has a substrate for supporting the wafer; the driving part has a first driving member and a second driving member for relative movement, the first driving member is disposed on the side of the moving part facing the fixed part, and the second driving member is disposed on the side of the fixed part facing the moving part, so as to drive the moving part to move relative to the fixed part through the first driving member; a measuring mating part is integrally formed on the surface of the moving part, and the measuring mating part is used to cooperate with an external measuring device to obtain the relative distance between the moving part and the fixed part.

2. The micromanipulation stage according to claim 1, wherein The measuring mating part includes a coated reflective area formed on the surface of the moving part, the coated reflective area being used to reflect the measuring beam emitted by the external measuring device.

3. The micro-motion stage according to claim 1, characterized in that, The drive unit includes a horizontal voice coil motor and a vertical voice coil motor; the first drive component of the horizontal voice coil motor is a horizontal voice coil motor mover, which is disposed on the lower surface of the moving part; the second drive component of the horizontal voice coil motor is a horizontal voice coil motor stator, which is disposed on the upper surface of the fixed part. The stator of the horizontal voice coil motor can drive the mover of the horizontal voice coil motor to move, thereby causing the moving part to move in the horizontal direction relative to the fixed part; The first driving component of the vertical voice coil motor is a vertical voice coil motor mover, which is disposed on the lower surface of the moving part; the second driving component of the vertical voice coil motor is a vertical voice coil motor stator, which is disposed on the upper surface of the fixed part. The stator of the vertical voice coil motor can drive the mover of the vertical voice coil motor to move, thereby causing the moving part to move relative to the fixed part in the vertical direction.

4. The micromanipulation stage according to claim 3, wherein The fixing part includes a base plate, and the vertical voice coil motor stator is disposed on the base plate; the micro-motion stage also includes a motor support plate and a motor locking device, the horizontal voice coil motor stator is disposed on the motor support plate, and the motor support plate is fixed to the base plate by the motor locking device; the motor locking device has an operating end and a locking end opposite to each other, and the line connecting the operating end and the locking end is parallel to the base plate; the operating end is used to receive external driving force and to move the locking end along the connecting line direction to press the motor support plate tightly onto the base plate.

5. The micromanipulation stage according to claim 4, wherein The motor locking device includes a drive block, a push rod, a locking pin, and a clamping member. The motor support plate has a mounting hole, and the clamping member passes through the mounting hole vertically. The upper end of the clamping member has a limiting part for abutting against the upper surface of the motor support plate. One end of the clamping member away from the limiting part is connected to the drive block. The drive block has a drive hole along the movement direction of the locking end. The push rod is slidably mounted on the base plate. One end of the locking pin is connected to the push rod, and the other end has a guide slope. When the push rod is driven to move axially, it drives the locking pin to insert into or retract from the drive hole. When the locking pin is inserted into the drive hole, the guide slope abuts against the inner wall of the drive hole, pushing the drive block to move towards one side of the base plate, so as to press the motor support plate onto the base plate by the clamping member.

6. The micromanipulation stage according to claim 5, wherein The motor locking device further includes a threaded locking bolt and a nut; the nut is disposed on the base plate, the locking bolt is disposed at the end of the push rod away from the locking pin, and the axis of the locking bolt extends along the moving direction of the push rod; when the locking bolt is rotated, the locking bolt rotates relative to the nut and moves axially, thereby pushing the push rod to move along its moving direction.

7. The micromanipulation stage according to claim 6, wherein The motor locking device also includes an anti-loosening bolt; the locking bolt has a through hole along its axial direction, and the end of the push rod facing the locking bolt has a threaded hole; the anti-loosening bolt passes through the through hole and is threadedly connected to the threaded hole to lock the position of the locking bolt relative to the push rod.

8. The micro-motion stage according to claim 1, characterized in that, The micro-motion stage also includes a wafer transfer device; the wafer transfer device includes multiple ejector pins, which are disposed on the fixed part; the substrate of the moving part is provided with a suction cup for adsorbing the wafer; the suction cup has multiple clearance holes along the thickness direction of the substrate, and the positions of the clearance holes correspond one-to-one with the ejector pins; when the moving part moves vertically relative to the fixed part to a preset position, the ejector pins pass through the clearance holes and protrude from the bearing surface of the suction cup to lift the wafer.

9. The micromanipulation stage according to claim 1, wherein An eddy current displacement sensor is provided on the fixed part. The eddy current displacement sensor includes a sensing end and a signal output end. The sensing end faces the moving part and is used to sense the relative distance between the moving part and the fixed part. The signal output end outputs a feedback signal corresponding to the relative distance. The feedback signal is used to control the coarsening stage of the lithography machine to drive the fixed part to follow the moving part.

10. A lithographic machine characterized by, The device includes a workpiece stage and a micro-motion stage as described in any one of claims 1-9; the workpiece stage is provided with a coarse-motion stage, and the micro-motion stage includes a fixed part and a moving part disposed on the fixed part; the micro-motion stage is fixedly connected to the coarse-motion stage through the fixed part.

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