An apparatus for adjusting the uniformity of a slit exposure band and a lithography machine

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device and a lithography machine for adjusting the uniformity of a slit exposure band, comprising: a correction module, which is located on the opposite side of the slit exposure band measurement area from the slit exposure band, wherein the slit exposure band measurement area is located on both sides of the slit exposure band; between the correction module and the slit exposure band measurement area, there is a slit exposure band control area, and a filter plate can be moved into the slit exposure band control area; wherein, both the correction module and the filter plate are movable in the direction towards the exposure slit. By means of the movable correction module and filter plate, the filter plate is controlled to move in the slit exposure band control area to change the light intensity and focal length, thereby improving the slit uniformity and minimizing the problems caused by the change in slit uniformity. By adjusting the uniformity of the slit exposure band, the critical dimension can be finely adjusted to be consistent, thereby improving the yield of the product.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to semiconductor manufacturing equipment, and particularly to a device for adjusting slit uniformity and a lithography machine. Background Art

[0002] Due to the contamination of the surface of the optical elements (Optics Surface) inside the illuminator in the semiconductor lithography equipment or the partial damage of the surface coating (Coating), the light intensity (Intensity) and the focal length (Focusing) are changed, resulting in the change of the uniformity of the slit-type exposure band. The change in the uniformity of the slit-type exposure band will cause the image to be distorted or skewed, resulting in the inability to form a normal pattern on the wafer. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In view of the above problems, the present application provides a device for adjusting the uniformity of a slit-type exposure band, including: a correction module, which is located on the opposite side of the slit-type exposure band measurement area and the slit-type exposure band, wherein the slit-type exposure band measurement area is located on both sides of the slit-type exposure band; between the correction module and the slit-type exposure band measurement area, there is a slit-type exposure band control area, and the filter plate can be moved into the slit-type exposure band control area; wherein, the correction module and the filter plate are both movable in the direction towards the slit.

[0004] In view of the above problems, the present application provides a lithography machine, including: an illumination device, a mask stage, a stage, a lens device, a photomask and its moving device, and a device for adjusting slit uniformity.

[0005] The advantages of the present application are as follows: By means of the movable correction module and the filter plate, the filter plate is controlled to move in the slit-type exposure band control area to change the light intensity and the focal length, thereby improving the uniformity of the slit-type exposure band and minimizing the problems caused by the change in the uniformity of the slit-type exposure band. Brief Description of the Drawings

[0006] By reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, various other advantages and benefits will become clear to those of ordinary skill in the art. The drawings are only for the purpose of showing the preferred embodiments and are not considered to be a limitation of the present invention. Moreover, throughout the drawings, the same reference numerals are used to represent the same components. In the drawings:

[0007] Figure 1 A schematic diagram showing a part related to the device for adjusting the uniformity of the slit-type exposure band in the lithography machine is shown;

[0008] Figure 2 A schematic diagram showing the device for adjusting the uniformity of the slit-type exposure band according to the embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0009] Figure 3 Shows a schematic diagram of the slit exposure tape and the measurement area of the slit exposure tape according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0010] Figure 4 Shows a schematic diagram of the calibration module and the filter plate according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0011] Figure 5 Shows a schematic diagram of the light blocking rate of the filter plate according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0012] Figure 6 Shows a schematic diagram of the light transmittance of the filter plate according to an embodiment of the present application. Detailed implementation manners

[0013] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, it should be understood that these descriptions are merely exemplary and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. In addition, in the following description, descriptions of well-known structures and technologies are omitted to avoid unnecessarily confusing the concepts of the present disclosure.

[0014] Various structural schematic diagrams according to embodiments of the present disclosure are shown in the accompanying drawings. These figures are not drawn to scale, where for the purpose of clear expression, some details are enlarged and some details may be omitted. The shapes of various regions and layers shown in the figures, as well as their relative sizes and positional relationships, are merely exemplary and may deviate in practice due to manufacturing tolerances or technical limitations, and those skilled in the art can design regions / layers with different shapes, sizes, and relative positions according to actual needs.

[0015] In the context of the present disclosure, when a layer / element is referred to as being "on" another layer / element, the layer / element can be directly on the other layer / element, or there can be an intermediate layer / element between them. Additionally, if a layer / element is "on" another layer / element in one orientation, then when the orientation is reversed, the layer / element can be "under" the other layer / element.

[0016] Figure 1The figure shows a schematic diagram of a part related to the device for adjusting the uniformity of a slit exposure band in a lithography machine according to an embodiment of the present application. Among them, the light in the illumination device 50 passes through the device (UNICOM) 10 for adjusting the uniformity of the slit exposure band, and then successively passes through the reticle stage 20 and the projection lens 30, and then reaches the wafer stage 40. The lithography machine according to the embodiment of the present application further includes a reticle and its moving device. The slit (slit exposure band) is a light band formed after the light emitted by the illumination device 50 passes through the device (UNICOM) 10 for adjusting the uniformity of the slit exposure band.

[0017] As Figure 2 shown, the device for adjusting the uniformity of the slit exposure band according to the embodiment of the present application includes: a correction module 300, which is located on the opposite side of the slit exposure band measurement area 200 and the slit exposure band 100, wherein the slit exposure band measurement area 200 is located on both sides of the slit exposure band 100. There is a slit exposure band control area 400 between the correction module 300 and the slit exposure band measurement area 200. The filter plate 500 can be moved into the slit exposure band control area 400. Among them, both the correction module 300 and the filter plate 500 are movable in the direction (Y-axis) towards the slit exposure band 100. As Figure 2 shown, the correction module 300 is located outside the slit exposure band measurement area 200 on both sides of the slit exposure band 100. Two correction modules (such as correction module 300A and correction module 300B) are opposite to each other in the Y-axis direction.

[0018] There are multiple correction modules 300 on one side of the slit exposure band 100, and the movement of each correction module 300 in the direction towards the slit exposure band 100 can be controlled independently. The movable distance of the correction module 300 in the direction (Y-axis) relative to the slit exposure band measurement area 200 is 0 to 5 millimeters. The movable distance of the filter plate 500 in the direction (Y-axis) relative to the correction module is 0 to 70 millimeters.

[0019] As Figure 3 shown, the length of the slit exposure band 100 in the X-axis is 104 mm, and the width in the Y-axis is 12 mm. The length of the slit exposure band measurement area 200 in the X-axis is 104 mm, and the width in the Y-axis is 10.7 mm. The total width of the slit exposure band 100 and the two adjacent slit exposure band measurement areas 200 in the Y-axis is 33.4 mm. There are multiple correction modules 300 and multiple filter plates 500 on each side of the slit exposure band 100 with a length of 104 mm.

[0020] As Figure 4As shown, the number of light filters 500 is the same as the number of calibration modules 300. The light filters 500 are within the calibration modules 300, and a part of the light filters 500 can move out of the calibration modules 300.

[0021] The light blocking rate of the light filter 500 varies in the direction relative to the slit exposure band 100. The range of the light blocking rate is from 1% to 20%. As Figure 5 shown, the gradient direction of the light blocking rate of the light filters 500A and 500B in the Y-axis in the two opposite calibration modules 300A and 300B. The light blocking rate of the calibration module 300 is 100%. By using more than two calibration modules and arranging light filters within the calibration modules, the uniformity can be finely controlled.

[0022] As Figure 6 shown, corresponding to the light blocking rate of the light filter 500, the light filter 500 can also be a light filter 500 whose light transmittance changes in a stepped form in the Y-axis. The change steps of its light transmittance successively include 20%, 40%, 60% and 80%. The light transmittance steps of the light filter 500 can increase or decrease successively from it to the slit exposure band 100.

[0023] By arranging a plurality of calibration modules 300 and light filters 500 in the X-axis direction on each side of the slit exposure band 100, the 104-mm-long slit exposure band 100 can be divided into multiple segments, and the light intensity and focus on both sides of each segment can be adjusted through the calibration modules 300 and light filters 500, so as to make a finer adjustment to the uniformity of the slit exposure band.

[0024] The embodiment of the present application can finely control the control area of the slit exposure band through the movement of the calibration module and the light filter. By using the light filter, the light intensity and focal length can be finely adjusted, so that the uniformity of the slit exposure band can be finely adjusted, and the intensity drop is minimized. The light blocking rate of the light filter is not fixed, and according to the light transmittance of the specific area of the light filter irradiated by light, the uniformity of the slit exposure band can be further adjusted. By adjusting the uniformity of the slit exposure band, the critical dimension consistency can be finely adjusted and improved. Since the critical dimension consistency of the photomask has a great influence on the product yield, the more the critical dimension consistency is improved, the greater the contribution to the product yield, thus improving the product yield.

[0025] In the above description, technical details such as the composition and etching of each layer are not elaborated in detail. However, those skilled in the art should understand that various technical means can be used to form layers, regions, etc. of the desired shape. Additionally, in order to form the same structure, those skilled in the art can also design methods that are not exactly the same as the methods described above. Moreover, although the embodiments are described separately above, this does not mean that the measures in each embodiment cannot be used advantageously in combination.

[0026] The embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above. However, these embodiments are merely for illustrative purposes and not for limiting the scope of the present disclosure. The scope of the present disclosure is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents. Without departing from the scope of the present disclosure, those skilled in the art can make various substitutions and modifications, and these substitutions and modifications should all fall within the scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. An apparatus for adjusting the uniformity of a slit exposure band, characterized in that, Comprising: A correction module, which is located on the opposite side of the slit exposure band measurement area and the slit exposure band, wherein the slit exposure band measurement area is located on both sides of the slit exposure band; Between the correction module and the slit exposure band measurement area, there is a slit exposure band control area, and the filter plate can be moved into the slit exposure band control area; wherein, The correction module and the filter plate are both movable in the direction towards the slit; There are multiple correction modules located on one side of the slit exposure band, and the movement of each correction module in the direction towards the slit exposure band can be controlled individually.

2. The device for adjusting the uniformity of a slit exposure band according to claim 1, wherein, The movable distance of the correction module in the direction relative to the slit measurement area is 0 to 5 millimeters.

3. The device for adjusting the uniformity of a slit exposure tape according to claim 1, wherein, The movable distance of the filter plate in the direction relative to the correction module is 0 to 70 millimeters.

4. The device for adjusting the uniformity of the slit exposure tape according to claim 1, wherein The light blocking rate of the filter plate varies in the direction relative to the slit exposure band.

5. The device for adjusting the uniformity of a slit exposure tape according to claim 4, characterized in that, The range of the light blocking rate is 1% to 20%.

6. The device for adjusting the uniformity of a slit exposure tape according to claim 1, wherein, The number of the filter plates is the same as the number of the correction modules.

7. The device for adjusting the uniformity of the slit exposure band according to claim 6, wherein, The filter plate is within the correction module, and a part of the filter plate can move out of the correction module.

8. The device for adjusting the uniformity of a slit exposure band according to claim 1, wherein, The light blocking rate of the correction module is 100%.

9. A lithography machine, characterized in that, Comprising: An illumination device, a mask stage, a stage, a lens device, a photomask and its moving device, and a device for adjusting the uniformity of the slit exposure band according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

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