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Stage apparatus, exposure apparatus, and semiconductor device manufacturing mehtod

a semiconductor device and stage technology, applied in the direction of photomechanical devices, instruments, printers, etc., can solve the problems of difficult to ensure the reproducibility of the surface of the substrate holding unit on different stages without changing the surface of the substrate holding uni

Inactive Publication Date: 2006-01-26
CANON KK
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention aims to improve the throughput of a stage apparatus by improving the holding and positioning of a substrate during processing. The invention provides a stage apparatus with a substrate holding unit and a fixing member that fixes the substrate holding unit to a flat surface. The substrate holding unit is supported while the distal end of the projection support is in contact with the flat surface and the remaining portion of the substrate holding unit is not in contact with the flat surface. The fixing member applies no moment force to the projection support and the recess in the substrate holding unit is preferably a V-shaped groove. The stage apparatus can be used in an exposure apparatus for manufacturing semiconductor devices. The technical effects of the invention include improved holding and positioning of the substrate, reduced processing time, and improved manufacturing efficiency.

Problems solved by technology

In general, however, when the substrate holding unit and a support surface for it are to be brought into total contact with each other, it is difficult to stationarily hold the substrate holding unit on the support surface or to remove it from the support surface instantaneously.
In a conventional exposure system, however, when the substrate holding unit is to be moved between the stages or is to be stationarily held on or removed from the support surface for it instantaneously, it is difficult to ensure the reproducibility of the surface of the substrate holding unit on different stages without changing the surface of the substrate holding unit.

Method used

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  • Stage apparatus, exposure apparatus, and semiconductor device manufacturing mehtod
  • Stage apparatus, exposure apparatus, and semiconductor device manufacturing mehtod
  • Stage apparatus, exposure apparatus, and semiconductor device manufacturing mehtod

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first embodiment

[0047] A stage apparatus according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail.

[0048]FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing the stage apparatus according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. This stage apparatus has a flat surface 13 for driving a substrate holding unit (wafer chuck) 9 within a predetermined plane, and a fixing member 14 for fixing a projection support 11 formed on the substrate holding unit 9 onto the flat surface 13. The substrate holding unit 9 is supported while the distal end of the projection support 11 is in contact with a recess (V-groove) 12 of the flat surface 13 and the main body of the substrate holding unit 9 is not in contact with the flat surface (wafer chuck support surface) 13. With this arrangement, the stage apparatus according the preferred embodiment of the present invention drives the substrate holding unit 9 which chucks and holds a substrate.

[0049] The wafer chuck 9 has a pin-shaped pr...

second embodiment

[0054] A stage apparatus according to the second preferred embodiment of the present invention is characterized in the following respects. Namely, as shown in FIG. 3, in an X-Y stage apparatus including a wafer chuck 9, which chucks and holds a wafer 8 by suction, caused by a negative pressure or a Coulomb force, the surface of the wafer chuck 9 is supported on a wafer chuck support surface 13 at three points, so that the surface of the wafer chuck 9 is supported stably.

[0055] The wafer chuck 9 has three projection supports 11. As shown in FIG. 3, V-grooves 12 for receiving the respective projection supports 11 are arranged on the wafer chuck support surface 13 in three directions at an angular interval of about 1200. The position of the wafer chuck 9 is uniquely determined by its own weight. Hence, an abutment which is indispensable for positioning becomes unnecessary, and the reproducibility of the support position can be increased. When the wafer chuck 9 is supported and retaine...

third embodiment

[0059] A stage apparatus according to the third preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a wafer chuck 9, which chucks and holds a wafer 8 with suction caused by a negative pressure or the Coulomb force, as shown in FIG. 4. A projection support 11, which supports the wafer chuck 9 and comes into contact with a V-groove 12, forms one component together with a fixing member 14. The projection support 11 to come into contact with the V-groove 12 is not limited to the one which forms one component together with the fixing member 14. For example, as shown in FIG. 5, the projection support 11 may be fixed to a fixing member 14 as a separate component.

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Abstract

A stage apparatus has a substrate holding unit which chucks and holds a substrate, and includes a flat surface having a recess where the substrate holding unit is to be mounted. A fixing member fixes a projection support provided to the substrate holding unit onto the flat surface. The substrate holding unit is supported by the fixing member while a distal end of the projection support is in contact with the recess of the flat surface and the remaining portion of the substrate holding unit is not in contact with the flat surface.

Description

[0001] This application is a continuation application of copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10 / 704,638, filed Nov. 12, 2003.FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention relates to a stage apparatus, an exposure apparatus, and a semiconductor device manufacturing method. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] In recent years, the semiconductor industry has been changing and progressing very fast. Accordingly, a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus that can further shrink the feature size and improve the throughput of elements has been sought. To meet the demand for a smaller element feature size, the numerical aperture (NA) of the projection lens has been increased. To manufacture high-performance elements with high productivity, an increase in the diameter of the substrate and the like have been performed. [0004] For example, currently, an exposure system having two stages has been proposed to improve the throughput and alignment accuracy. This is an exposure system that...

Claims

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Application Information

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Patent Type & Authority Applications(United States)
IPC IPC(8): G03B27/58H01L21/027H01L21/683H01L21/68H01L21/687
CPCH01L21/68Y10T279/23H01L21/68792H01L21/68785G03F7/707G03F7/70716
Inventor MUTO, YASUYOIWAMOTO, KAZUNORITAKABAYASHI, YUKIOMEGURO, TAKASHI
Owner CANON KK