Lithography equipment detection system and detection method thereof

Abstract

The present invention discloses a photolithography equipment detection system and a detection method thereof, wherein an upper seal completely covers the central through hole of an immersion control unit from above, and a lower seal completely covers the central through hole of the immersion control unit from below, and together they enclose a central flow chamber; a lower sampling flow channel is provided in the lower seal, and both ends of the lower sampling flow channel are respectively connected to the central through hole and a cleanliness detector. The cleanliness of the immersion flow path of the assembled immersion control unit and its affiliated flow paths is detected. During the detection process, the upper and lower ends of the central through hole of the immersion control unit are closed to prevent the immersion liquid contained therein from contacting with the ambient gas, thereby accurately detecting the cleanliness of the immersion liquid to evaluate the cleanliness quality of the immersion control unit and its affiliated flow paths.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a photolithography machine technology, and in particular to a photolithography equipment detection system and a detection method thereof used for detecting cleanliness in a photolithography machine. Background Art

[0002] The photolithography machine is one of the core equipment for manufacturing VLSI. It uses an optical system to accurately project the circuit pattern on the mask onto a substrate coated with photoresist and expose and modify the photoresist, thereby leaving the circuit pattern information on the substrate. It includes a laser light source, a projection lens system, a projection mask containing the circuit pattern, and a substrate coated with photosensitive photoresist.

[0003] Compared with dry lithography machines with gas as the intermediate medium, immersion lithography equipment fills a certain high-refractive-index liquid (called immersion liquid or immersion liquid) between the last projection objective lens and the substrate, and increases the numerical aperture (NA) of the projection objective lens by increasing the refractive index (n) of the gap liquid medium, thereby improving the resolution and depth of focus of the lithography equipment. In the current mainstream lithography technology, immersion lithography is widely used because it has good inheritance compared to early dry lithography. As for the filling of immersion liquid, the currently widely used solution is the local immersion method, that is, the liquid is confined to the local area between the lower surface of the last projection objective lens and the upper surface of the substrate using an immersion control unit. The space occupied by the immersion liquid flowing between the immersion control unit, the projection objective lens and the substrate is called the immersion flow field. Maintaining the optical consistency and transparency of the immersion liquid in the exposure area is the key to ensuring the exposure quality of immersion lithography. To this end, existing technical solutions often achieve real-time updating of the immersion flow field through liquid injection and recovery, and promptly remove photochemical pollutants, local heat, micro-nano bubbles, etc. from the core exposure area to ensure the high purity and uniformity of the immersion liquid.

[0004] The immersion lithography process has very high requirements for the cleanliness of the immersion liquid, and therefore also has high requirements for the cleanliness of the immersion lithography equipment. During the integration and assembly of the immersion lithography equipment, it is necessary to inspect the cleanliness quality of its immersion liquid flow path to ensure that the immersion liquid delivered to the projection lens and the substrate has qualified cleanliness. Specifically, after the immersion control unit and its affiliated flow paths are assembled, it is necessary to conduct a trial run to provide immersion liquid, and use the detection system to detect the cleanliness of the immersion liquid it provides. If the cleanliness of the immersion control unit and its affiliated flow paths is not good, pollutants will be released during the trial run, causing the cleanliness index of the immersion liquid to deteriorate; if the immersion liquid prepared by the immersion liquid supply source is unqualified, the cleanliness index of the immersion liquid will also deteriorate. If the test finds that the quality of the immersion liquid produced by the trial run is unqualified, it is necessary to check the source of contamination and correct it. Summary of the invention

[0005] The present invention provides a lithography equipment detection system and a detection method thereof for performing cleanliness detection of an immersion liquid flow path of an assembled immersion control unit and its affiliated flow paths during the integrated assembly of the lithography equipment to evaluate the cleanliness quality of the immersion control unit and its affiliated flow paths.

[0006] The specific technical solution adopted by the present invention is: a photolithography equipment detection system, including an upper seal, a lower seal and a cleanliness detector; the upper seal completely covers the central through hole of the immersion control unit from above; the lower seal completely covers the central through hole of the immersion control unit from below; a down-sampling flow channel is provided in the lower seal, one end of the down-sampling flow channel is connected to the central through hole, and the other end of the down-sampling flow channel is connected to the cleanliness detector. By configuring the upper seal, the lower seal and the cleanliness detector, the upper and lower sides of the central through hole of the immersion control unit can be completely shielded, which can effectively limit the ambient gas located outside the immersion control unit from entering the central through hole and contacting with the immersion liquid in the central through hole during the subsequent detection process, thereby improving the accuracy of the detection results.

[0007] Preferably, the upper seal and the lower seal are used to enclose the central through hole of the immersion control unit to form a central flow chamber; the upper seal is provided with an upper guide port, and the upper guide port allows the fluid in the central flow chamber to be discharged from the upper guide port. It is possible to limit the ambient gas located outside the immersion control unit from entering the central through hole and contacting the immersion liquid in the central through hole during subsequent testing, thereby affecting the test results. The provision of the upper guide port, on the one hand, facilitates the extraction of ambient gas in the central flow chamber, thereby preventing ambient gas from being retained in the central flow chamber and forming bubbles; on the other hand, it is also convenient for the cleanliness detector to obtain immersion liquid from different positions of the central flow chamber for testing, thereby improving the accuracy of the immersion liquid cleanliness test results.

[0008] Preferably, the upper flow guide port is provided with an upper flow guide exhaust system, so that the ambient gas in the central through hole of the immersion control unit can be more effectively exhausted, thereby preventing the ambient gas from being retained and forming bubbles.

[0009] Preferably, the upper guide port is connected to a cleanliness detector, and the cleanliness detector is connected to a sampling detection system to improve the accuracy of the detection result.

[0010] Preferably, the lower seal is further provided with a liquid collecting tank, which is in an inverted cone shape, arranged directly opposite to the lower side of the central through hole of the immersion control unit and connected to the central through hole, the upper opening area of ​​the liquid collecting tank is not less than the lower opening area of ​​the central through hole, and the bottom of the liquid collecting tank is connected to the lower sampling flow channel, so as to improve the effectiveness of converging the immersion liquid located at the lower side of the central flow chamber and the pollutants contained in the immersion liquid, and improve the uneven distribution of pollutants in the immersion liquid.

[0011] Another invention object of the present invention application is to provide a method for detecting a lithography device, comprising the following detection steps:

[0012] A1. Install the upper seal and the lower seal on the immersion control unit so that the upper and lower sides of the central through hole of the immersion control unit are completely shielded and a central flow chamber is formed;

[0013] A2. Open the main pumping system and pump out the fluid from the central flow chamber through the main recovery channel;

[0014] A3. Start the main immersion liquid supply system to supply immersion liquid to the central flow chamber through the main liquid supply channel;

[0015] A4. After a delay of a first preset time, the cleanliness detector is turned on, and the immersion liquid in the central flow chamber is guided to the cleanliness detector through the downsampling flow channel to detect the cleanliness of the immersion liquid.

[0016] Another invention object of the present invention is to provide a method for detecting a lithography device, comprising the following detection steps:

[0017] B1. Install an upper seal and a lower seal on the immersion control unit so that the upper and lower sides of the central through hole of the immersion control unit are completely shielded and a central flow chamber is formed;

[0018] B2. Open the upper diversion and drainage system to extract the fluid from the central flow chamber through the upper diversion port;

[0019] B3. Open the main immersion liquid supply system to supply immersion liquid to the central flow chamber through the main liquid supply channel;

[0020] B4. After a first preset delay, the upper diversion and drainage system is closed, and the main drainage system is opened to drain the immersion liquid from the central flow chamber through the main recovery flow channel;

[0021] B5. Turn on the cleanliness detector and guide the immersion liquid in the central flow chamber to the cleanliness detector through the downsampling flow channel to detect the cleanliness of the immersion liquid.

[0022] Preferably, after executing step B5, the following execution steps are also included:

[0023] C1. Guide the immersion liquid in the central flow chamber to the cleanliness detector through the upper guide port to detect the cleanliness of the immersion liquid;

[0024] C2. If the cleanliness measurement values ​​of the immersion liquid collected through the lower sampling flow channel and the upper guide port are stable and the difference between the two is within the set range, the test result is considered valid.

[0025] Another invention object of the present invention is to provide a method for detecting a lithography device, comprising the following detection steps:

[0026] D1. Install an upper seal and a lower seal on the immersion control unit so that the upper and lower sides of the central through hole of the immersion control unit are completely shielded and a central flow chamber is formed;

[0027] D2. Open the main pumping and drainage system or the upper diversion pumping and drainage system to pump out the fluid from the central flow chamber through the main recovery flow channel or the upper diversion port;

[0028] D3. Open the main immersion liquid supply system to supply immersion liquid to the central flow chamber through the main liquid supply channel;

[0029] D4. After a delay of a first preset time, the main immersion liquid supply system is turned off, and the main pumping system or the upper diversion pumping system is turned off;

[0030] D5. After a delay of a second preset time, the cleanliness detector is turned on, and the immersion liquid in the central flow chamber is guided to the cleanliness detector through the downsampling flow channel to detect the cleanliness of the immersion liquid.

[0031] Yet another invention object of the present invention is to provide a method for detecting a lithography device, comprising the following detection steps:

[0032] E1. Install an upper seal and a lower seal on the immersion control unit so that the upper and lower sides of the central through hole of the immersion control unit are completely shielded and a central flow chamber is formed;

[0033] E2. Open the main pumping and drainage system or the upper diversion pumping and drainage system to extract the fluid from the central flow chamber through the main recovery flow channel or the upper diversion port;

[0034] E3. Open the main immersion liquid supply system to supply immersion liquid to the central flow chamber through the main liquid supply channel;

[0035] E4. Turn on the cleanliness detector, and guide the immersion liquid in the central flow chamber to the cleanliness detector through the downsampling flow channel to detect the cleanliness of the immersion liquid; and continuously monitor the changes in the cleanliness of the immersion liquid;

[0036] E5. After a delay of a first preset time, the main immersion liquid supply system is turned off, and the main pumping system or the upper diversion pumping system is turned off;

[0037] E6. Continue to use the cleanliness detector to continuously monitor the changes in the cleanliness of the immersion liquid.

[0038] The beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows: the present invention provides a lithography equipment detection system and a detection method thereof. During the integrated assembly of the lithography equipment, the cleanliness of the immersion liquid flow path of the assembled immersion control unit and its affiliated flow path is detected. During the detection process, the upper and lower ends of the central through hole of the immersion control unit are closed to prevent the immersion liquid contained therein from contacting the ambient gas, thereby accurately detecting the cleanliness of the immersion liquid to evaluate the cleanliness quality of the immersion control unit and its affiliated flow path. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0039] Figure 1 It is a structural schematic diagram of the photolithography equipment detection system of the present invention.

[0040] Figure 2 It is a schematic flow chart of an implementation scheme of the photolithography equipment detection method of the present invention.

[0041] Figure 3 It is another structural schematic diagram of the photolithography equipment detection system of the present invention.

[0042] Figure 4 It is a schematic flow chart of another implementation scheme of the photolithography equipment detection method of the present invention.

[0043] Figure 5 It is a schematic flow chart of another implementation scheme of the photolithography equipment detection method of the present invention.

[0044] Figure 6 It is a schematic flow chart of another implementation scheme of the photolithography equipment detection method of the present invention.

[0045] Figure 7 It is another structural schematic diagram of the lower sealing member in the photolithography equipment detection system of the present invention.

[0046] Figure 8 yes Figure 1 The photolithography equipment inspection system shown in the figure adopts Figure 7 Another structural schematic diagram of the lower seal is shown.

[0047] Fig. 9 yes Figure 3 The photolithography equipment inspection system shown in the figure adopts Figure 7 Another structural schematic diagram of the lower seal is shown.

[0048] Fig.10 It is a schematic diagram of the flow channel distribution structure in the immersion control unit in the existing lithography equipment.

[0049] Fig.11 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of existing lithography equipment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0050] The present invention is further described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0051] Fig.10The figure shows a schematic diagram of an existing photolithography device, wherein the main liquid supply channel 10 and the main recovery channel 12 in the immersion control unit 5, the main liquid supply channel 10 includes a main liquid supply port 27, and the main recovery channel 12 includes a main recovery port 28, the main liquid supply port 27 of the main liquid supply channel 10 and the main recovery port 28 of the main recovery channel 12 are arranged opposite to each other and are respectively located on both sides of the central through hole 51 of the immersion control unit 5, since the width of the main liquid supply port 27 and the width of the main recovery port 28 are both smaller than the diameter of the central through hole 51 on the same horizontal plane, therefore, there may be a situation where pollutants are unevenly distributed in the immersion flow field 7 formed in the immersion control unit 5 of the above-mentioned structural form; in addition, since the main liquid supply channel 10 is an irregular shape as a whole in the immersion control unit 5, therefore, the pollutants may have been unevenly distributed during the supply process of the main liquid supply channel 10, and the immersion liquid provided by the main liquid supply channel 10 aggravates the degree of uneven distribution of pollutants in the immersion flow field 7.

[0052] Fig.11 The figure shows an existing lithography device, which includes an end projection objective lens 4, an immersion control unit 5, and a main immersion liquid supply system MLS, a main pumping system VM, an auxiliary immersion liquid supply system ALS and a sealed pumping system VC used in conjunction with the immersion control unit 5.

[0053] The immersion control unit 5 has a central through hole 51 that passes through the upper and lower end surfaces, the bottom of the end projection objective lens 4 is arranged in the central through hole 51, and there is a gap between the immersion control unit 5 and the end projection objective lens 4, which can be called a first gap 17; the immersion control unit 5 and the end projection objective lens 4 are both located above the substrate 8, and the side of the immersion control unit 5 facing the substrate 8 is the bottom surface of the immersion control unit 5, and there is a gap between the bottom surface of the immersion control unit 5 and the top surface of the substrate 8, which can be called a second gap 18; a substrate table 9 for supporting the substrate 8 is arranged below the substrate 8; a flow channel system is arranged in the immersion control unit 5, and the flow channel system includes a main liquid supply channel 10, a main recovery channel 12, an auxiliary liquid supply channel 14 and a sealed pumping channel 16; the main immersion liquid supply system MLS provides immersion liquid to the space between the end projection objective lens 6 and the substrate 8 through the main liquid supply channel 10, The main pumping system VM pumps immersion liquid from the space between the end projection objective lens 6 and the substrate 8 through the main recovery channel 12; one side opening of the auxiliary liquid supply channel 14 is arranged on the bottom surface of the immersion control unit 5, and the auxiliary immersion liquid supply system ALS supplies immersion liquid to the second gap 18 through the auxiliary liquid supply channel 14 to form a liquid seal. In order to limit the immersion liquid from flowing out of the second gap 18, a sealing gas GAS is provided in the second gap 18, and the sealing gas GAS can be selected as air; one side opening of the sealed pumping channel 16 is arranged on the bottom surface of the immersion control unit 5, and the opening of the sealed pumping channel 16 is located radially outside the opening of the auxiliary liquid supply channel 14, and the sealed pumping system VC simultaneously pumps immersion liquid and sealing gas GAS in the second gap 18 through the sealed pumping channel 16; the immersion liquid continues to flow in the space between the end projection objective lens 6 and the substrate 8 to form an immersion flow field 7.

[0054] After the immersion flow field 7 is formed, part of the upper interface of the immersion flow field 7 exists in the first gap 17; since the upper interface of the immersion flow field 7 located in the first gap 17 is completely exposed to the outer area, the upper interface of the immersion flow field 7 located in the first gap 17 is a free interface, and the ambient gas in the outer area will contact the free interface of the immersion flow field 7. When the ambient gas is air and the immersion medium is ultrapure water, pollutants such as CO2, NH3, and particulate matter in the air will pass through the upper interface of the immersion flow field 7 in the first gap 17 and dissolve in or enter the immersion liquid supplied by the main liquid supply channel 10, and flow together with the immersion liquid to the bottom of the terminal projection objective lens 4, which will change the pollutant content in the immersion liquid. Subsequently, when the cleanliness of the immersion control unit and its affiliated flow paths is detected, the pollutants such as CO2, NH3, and particulate matter in the outside air will interfere with the cleanliness detection of the immersion control unit and its affiliated flow paths, so that the detection results cannot be used to determine the cleanliness of the immersion control unit and its affiliated flow paths.

[0055] Since the cleanliness of the immersion liquid below the end projection objective lens 4, that is, the cleanliness of the immersion liquid contained in the central through hole 51 of the immersion control unit 5, significantly affects the photolithography exposure quality, the cleanliness of the immersion liquid here needs to be accurately detected and controlled. Since the immersion liquid here mainly comes from the main liquid supply channel 10, the immersion liquid injected and pumped into the second gap 18 through the auxiliary liquid supply channel 14 and the sealed pumping system VC respectively has little effect on the cleanliness of the immersion liquid in the central through hole 51.

[0056] Therefore, in the present invention, the upper and lower ends of the central through hole 51 of the immersion control unit 5 are sealed to prevent the immersion liquid contained therein from contacting with the ambient gas. When detecting the cleanliness of the immersion liquid, auxiliary systems such as the auxiliary immersion liquid supply system ALS and the sealed exhaust system VC can be turned off, and then the cleanliness of the immersion liquid in the central flow chamber can be detected.

[0057] Embodiment 1:

[0058] Figure 1 The figure illustrates a photolithography equipment detection system according to an embodiment of the present invention, which comprises an upper seal 8, a lower seal 9 and a cleanliness detector SD1; the upper seal 8 is in a ring shape, fixedly arranged on the upper side of the immersion control unit 5, and completely covers and seals the upper side of the central through hole 51 of the immersion control unit 5, and a plurality of first sealing rings 19 are arranged between the upper seal 8 and the top of the immersion control unit 5, and the first sealing rings 19 can be made of a fluororubber material with corrosion resistance, and the plurality of first sealing rings 19 can be arranged in a coaxial manner to improve the sealing between the upper seal 8 and the top of the immersion control unit 5.

[0059] The lower seal 9 is ring-shaped and is fixedly arranged on the lower side of the immersion control unit 5, and completely covers and seals the lower side of the central through hole 51 of the immersion control unit 5. A second sealing ring 21 is arranged between the lower seal 9 and the bottom of the immersion control unit 5. The second sealing ring 21 can be made of corrosion-resistant fluororubber material to improve the sealing between the lower seal 9 and the bottom of the immersion control unit 5.

[0060] After the upper and lower sides of the central through hole 51 of the immersion control unit 5 are completely covered, a central flow chamber 60 formed by the central through hole 51 is formed. The upper seal 8 and the lower seal 9 can limit the ambient gas located outside the immersion control unit 5 from entering the central through hole 51 during subsequent detection and affecting the detection results.

[0061] The main liquid supply channel 10 and the main recovery channel 12 in the immersion control unit 5 are both connected to the central flow chamber 60. The outside of the immersion control unit 5 is provided with a main immersion liquid supply system MLS and a main pumping system VM used in conjunction with the immersion control unit 5; a down sampling channel 22 is provided in the lower seal 9, one end of the down sampling channel 22 is connected to the central flow chamber 60, the lowest horizontal height of this end is not higher than the lowest horizontal height of the central flow chamber 60, and the other end of the down sampling channel 22 is connected to the cleanliness detector SD1.

[0062] Figure 2 A flow chart of a method for performing inspection using the lithography equipment inspection system of the first embodiment is described. When inspecting the cleanliness of the immersion liquid, this embodiment shuts down auxiliary systems such as the auxiliary immersion liquid supply system and the sealed exhaust system, controls the main immersion liquid supply system and the main exhaust system to inject and exhaust the immersion liquid into and from the central flow chamber, respectively, and then inspects the cleanliness of the immersion liquid contained in the central flow chamber.

[0063] After the upper seal 8 and the lower seal 9 are fixedly installed on the upper and lower sides of the immersion control unit 5 respectively, so that the upper and lower sides of the central through hole 51 are completely shielded and the central flow chamber 60 is formed, the main pumping system VM is turned on, and the main pumping system VM pumps out the fluid from the central flow chamber 60 through the main recovery channel 12. During the initial pumping process, the interior of the central flow chamber 60 is filled with the ambient gas during the installation process, and the fluid pumped out by the main pumping system VM is the ambient gas; the main immersion liquid supply system MLS is turned on, and the main immersion liquid supply system MLS continuously supplies immersion liquid to the central flow chamber 60 through the main liquid supply channel 10, and the immersion liquid converges in the central flow chamber 60 to form an immersion flow field 7; after a delay of the first preset time, the fluid pumped out through the main recovery channel 12 is converted from ambient gas to immersion liquid, the ambient gas in the central flow chamber 60 is pumped out, and the central flow chamber 60 is filled with immersion liquid, so as to avoid interference of the ambient gas with the subsequent cleanliness detection of the immersion liquid, and the cleanliness is turned on. Detector SD1, the immersion liquid in the central flow chamber 60 is guided to the cleanliness detector SD1 through the downsampling flow channel 22; since the lowest horizontal height of the end portion of the downsampling flow channel 22 connected to the central flow chamber 60 is not higher than the lowest horizontal height of the central flow chamber 60, it is prevented that part of the immersion liquid stays in the local area of ​​the central flow chamber 60 for a long time and accumulates pollutants, and interferes with the cleanliness detection of the immersion liquid; after the immersion liquid is guided to the cleanliness detector SD1, the cleanliness detector SD1 is used to detect the cleanliness of the immersion liquid; more specifically, the cleanliness detector SD1 can be, for example, a detection instrument such as a pH meter, an ion detector, a particle detector, or a combination of two or more of the above detection instruments, which can detect detection indicators such as pH, ion content, and particle content in the immersion liquid; finally, the cleanliness of the immersion liquid is determined based on the multiple detection indicators detected, and then used to evaluate the cleanliness quality of the immersion control unit and its affiliated flow paths.

[0064] Embodiment 2:

[0065] Figure 3 The lithography equipment detection system of the second embodiment is illustrated, and the lithography equipment detection system includes an upper seal 8, a lower seal 9, a cleanliness detector SD1 and an upper flow guiding and exhausting system FPS. Compared with the lithography equipment detection system of the first embodiment, the lithography equipment detection system of the second embodiment provides an upper seal 8 of another structure, in which an upper flow guiding port 48 is provided, and the upper flow guiding port 48 is connected to the upper flow guiding and exhausting system FPS and the cleanliness detector SD1 through a three-way connection. The upper seal 8 is fixedly arranged on the upper side of the immersion control unit 5, and the upper side of the central through hole 51 of the immersion control unit 5 is completely covered by the seal. The lower seal 9 and the cleanliness detector SD1 in the second embodiment are the same components as those in the first embodiment. The lower seal 9 is provided with a lower sampling flow channel 22, which is connected to the cleanliness detector SD1. The lower seal 9 is fixedly arranged on the lower side of the immersion control unit 5, and completely covers and closes the lower side of the central through hole 51 of the immersion control unit 5. After the upper and lower sides of the central through hole 51 of the immersion control unit 5 are completely shielded, a central flow chamber 60 formed by the central through hole 51 is formed, and the central flow chamber 60 is connected to the upper guide port 48 and the lower sampling flow channel 22, respectively. The cleanliness detector SD1 connected to the upper guide port 48 and the lower sampling flow channel 22 can be the same or two.

[0066] Figure 4 The flowchart of the method for performing detection using the photolithography equipment detection system of the second embodiment is described. After the upper seal 8 and the lower seal 9 are fixedly installed on the upper and lower sides of the immersion control unit 5, respectively, so that the upper and lower sides of the central through hole 51 are completely shielded, and the central flow chamber 60 is formed; the upper flow guide pumping system FPS is turned on, and the upper flow guide pumping system FPS pumps out the fluid from the central flow chamber 60 through the upper flow guide port 48. At this time, the fluid pumped out by the upper flow guide pumping system FPS is the ambient gas in the central flow chamber 60; the main immersion liquid supply system MLS is turned on, and the main immersion liquid supply system MLS continuously supplies immersion liquid to the central flow chamber 60 through the main liquid supply channel 10. The liquid converges in the central flow chamber 60 to form an immersion flow field 7. As the immersion liquid continues to increase, the liquid level of the immersion flow field 7 continues to rise, and the interior of the central flow chamber 60 is gradually filled with the immersion liquid. In the above process, since the upper guide port 48 is located at the top of the central flow chamber 60, and the main exhaust system VM is not turned on during the exhaust of the upper guide exhaust system FPS, the ambient gas in the central flow chamber 60 is easy to be exhausted from the inside to the outside, and the interior of the central flow chamber 60 can be more fully filled with the immersion liquid, effectively preventing the ambient gas from being retained in the central flow chamber 60 and forming bubbles.

[0067] After delaying for the first preset time, the central flow chamber 60 is filled with immersion liquid, the upper flow guide and pumping system FPS is closed, and the main pumping system VM is opened; the main pumping system VM pumps out the immersion liquid from the central flow chamber 60 through the main recovery flow channel 12. At this time, the rate at which the main pumping system VM pumps out the immersion liquid is consistent with the rate at which the main immersion supply system MLS supplies the immersion liquid, so as to maintain the central flow chamber 60 full of immersion liquid and keep the immersion liquid in the central flow chamber 60 flowing, so that the operating state of the immersion control unit and its affiliated flow paths being tested is closer to its actual exposure operating state, and the subsequent test results are closer to the actual situation of the immersion control unit and its affiliated flow paths in the actual exposure operating state.

[0068] The cleanliness detector SD1 is turned on, and the immersion liquid in the central flow chamber 60 is guided to the cleanliness detector SD1 through the down-sampling flow channel 22 . The cleanliness detector SD1 is used to perform cleanliness detection on the immersion liquid collected through the down-sampling flow channel 22 .

[0069] In the central flow chamber, since the pollutants in the immersion liquid may contain large particles of pollutants, the pollutants in the immersion liquid may be unevenly distributed due to sedimentation, which will affect the accuracy of the detection results.

[0070] During the detection process, in order to improve the accuracy of the detection result, the upper guide port 48 is connected to the cleanliness detector SD1. While the immersion liquid collected through the lower sampling flow channel 22 is being detected, the immersion liquid in the central flow chamber 60 is guided to the cleanliness detector SD1 through the upper guide port 48, and the cleanliness detector SD1 is used to perform cleanliness detection on the immersion liquid collected through the upper guide port 48; since the lower sampling flow channel 22 and the upper guide port 48 are respectively located on the lower side and the upper side of the immersion flow field 7, the immersion liquid located at different positions in the immersion flow field 7 can be collected respectively through the lower sampling flow channel 22 and the upper guide port 48, and the cleanliness detector SD1 can be used to detect the cleanliness of the immersion liquid collected through the upper guide port 48. The above immersion liquid is tested for multiple times. If the cleanliness measurement values ​​of the immersion liquid collected through the lower sampling flow channel 22 and the upper flow guide port 48 are unstable or the difference between the two exceeds the set range, the above test results are invalid and the test is performed again. If the cleanliness measurement values ​​of the immersion liquid collected through the lower sampling flow channel 22 and the upper flow guide port 48 are stable and the difference between the two is within the set range, the above test results are valid, and the average value of the multiple measured values ​​is taken as the final test result. This test method can effectively reduce the influence of uneven distribution of pollutants on cleanliness detection, thereby accurately determining the cleanliness quality of the immersion control unit and its affiliated flow paths.

[0071] Embodiment three:

[0072] Figure 5 A flow chart of another method for testing a lithographic device is described. Figure 1 and Figure 3 The photolithography equipment detection systems shown can all be detected using the detection method; for ease of description, the photolithography equipment detection systems mentioned later are selected as Figure 1 The lithography equipment inspection system shown.

[0073] After the upper seal 8 and the lower seal 9 are fixedly installed on the upper and lower sides of the immersion control unit 5 respectively, so that the upper and lower sides of the central through hole 51 are completely shielded and a central flow chamber 60 is formed; the main pumping system VM is turned on, and the main pumping system VM pumps out the fluid from the central flow chamber 60 through the main recovery channel 12. At this time, the fluid pumped out by the main pumping system VM is the ambient gas in the central flow chamber 60; the main immersion liquid supply system MLS is turned on, and the main immersion liquid supply system MLS continuously supplies immersion liquid to the central flow chamber 60 through the main liquid supply channel 10, and the immersion liquid converges in the central flow chamber 60 to form an immersion flow field 7.

[0074] After a delay of the first preset time, the central flow chamber 60 is filled with immersion liquid, the main pumping system VM and the main immersion liquid supply system MLS are closed, and the immersion liquid filling state in the central flow chamber 60 is maintained for a second preset time, then the cleanliness detector SD1 is turned on, and the immersion liquid in the central flow chamber 60 is guided to the cleanliness detector SD1 through the downsampling flow channel 22 to detect the cleanliness of the immersion liquid.

[0075] The second preset time period can be set to 3 hours, during which the immersion liquid in the central flow chamber 60 can be guided to the cleanliness detector SD1 through the downsampling flow channel 22 every 5 minutes to detect the cleanliness of the immersion liquid at different times and record it. After completing multiple immersion detections, the long-term stability of the cleanliness of the immersion liquid flow path in the immersion control unit can be reasonably evaluated based on the multiple sets of recorded data. For example, a line graph of the related changes of pollutant indicators over time can be drawn, and a reasonable evaluation can be made based on the changing trend of the curve in the graph.

[0076] In addition, since the cleanliness requirements of the immersion liquid are very high, a high-precision cleanliness detector is often required to detect the immersion liquid during the detection process. In the detection method of the present invention, by maintaining the immersion liquid filling the inside of the immersion control unit for a long time, the concentration of pollutants in the collected immersion liquid can be increased, thereby reducing the accuracy requirements for the cleanliness detector.

[0077] Embodiment 4:

[0078] Figure 6 A flow chart of another method for testing a lithographic device is described. Figure 1 and Figure 3 The photolithography equipment detection systems shown can all be detected using the detection method; for ease of description, the photolithography equipment detection systems mentioned later are selected as Figure 1 The lithography equipment inspection system shown.

[0079] After the upper seal 8 and the lower seal 9 are fixedly installed on the upper and lower sides of the immersion control unit 5 respectively, so that the upper and lower sides of the central through hole 51 are completely shielded and a central flow chamber 60 is formed; the main pumping system VM is turned on, and the main pumping system VM pumps out the fluid from the central flow chamber 60 through the main recovery channel 12. At this time, the fluid pumped out by the main pumping system VM is the ambient gas in the central flow chamber 60; the main immersion liquid supply system MLS is turned on, and the main immersion liquid supply system MLS continuously supplies immersion liquid to the central flow chamber 60 through the main liquid supply channel 10, and the immersion liquid converges in the central flow chamber 60 to form an immersion flow field 7.

[0080] During the initial supply of immersion liquid to the central flow chamber 60 and the process of pumping fluid, the cleanliness detector SD1 is turned on, and the immersion liquid in the central flow chamber 60 is guided to the cleanliness detector SD1 through the downsampling flow channel 22 to detect the cleanliness of the immersion liquid; and the changes in the cleanliness of the immersion liquid are continuously monitored.

[0081] After the first preset delay, the central flow chamber 60 is filled with immersion liquid, the main pumping system VM and the main immersion liquid supply system MLS are turned off, and the cleanliness detector SD1 is continued to be used to detect the cleanliness of the immersion liquid; and the change of the cleanliness of the immersion liquid is continuously monitored.

[0082] In the above detection process, the cleanliness detection of the immersion liquid is continuously performed after the immersion liquid starts to be supplied to the central flow chamber 60. According to the data detected and recorded multiple times, the change of the pollutant concentration in the immersion liquid after the immersion liquid starts to be supplied can be clearly understood. In addition, in the process of initially providing immersion liquid to the central flow chamber 60 and pumping fluid, due to the influence of factors such as environmental gas, the pollutant concentration in the immersion liquid in the central flow chamber 60 is at a relatively high level at the beginning. As the immersion liquid continues to increase, the pollutant concentration in the immersion liquid tends to be stable. Therefore, the cleanliness detector SD1 is used to perform cleanliness detection and record the immersion liquid in the above initial process for many times. If the initial measurement value of the cleanliness detector SD1 is low, and the subsequent measurement value fluctuates little, and the initial measurement value curve is approximately horizontal as a whole, then the cleanliness detector SD1 is judged to be in an abnormal working state, and the detection should be suspended and replaced; if the initial measurement value of the cleanliness detector SD1 is high, and the subsequent measurement value fluctuates from large to small, and the final measurement value reaches or approaches a stable state, then the cleanliness detector SD1 is judged to be in a normal working state; this detection method can reasonably evaluate whether the cleanliness detector SD1 is in a normal working state, thereby avoiding its adverse effect on the cleanliness detection of the immersion liquid.

[0083] Embodiment five:

[0084] Figure 71 and 2 illustrate another structure of the lower seal 9, in which a liquid collecting groove 70 and a lower sampling flow channel 22 are provided. The liquid collecting groove 70 is in an inverted cone shape, and the bottom of the liquid collecting groove 70 is connected to the lower sampling flow channel 22. The lower seal 9 with the new structure can be applied to the photolithography equipment detection system in the first embodiment and the second embodiment, and the corresponding photolithography equipment detection system using the lower seal 9 is shown in FIG. Figure 8 and Fig. 9 As shown; the photolithography equipment detection system mentioned later is selected as Figure 8 The lithography equipment inspection system shown.

[0085] Figure 8 The described photolithography equipment detection system includes an upper seal 8, a lower seal 9 and a cleanliness detector SD1; the upper seal 8 is fixedly arranged on the upper side of the immersion control unit 5, and completely covers and seals the upper side of the central through hole 51 of the immersion control unit 5; the lower seal 9 is fixedly arranged on the lower side of the immersion control unit 5; the liquid collecting tank 70 in the lower seal 9 is arranged opposite to the lower side of the central through hole 51 of the immersion control unit 5 and is connected with the central through hole 51; the upper opening area of ​​the liquid collecting tank 70 is not less than the lower opening area of ​​the central through hole 51; the liquid collecting tank 70 completely covers and seals the lower side of the central through hole 51 of the immersion control unit 5. After the upper and lower sides of the central through hole 51 of the immersion control unit 5 are completely shielded, a central flow chamber 60 consisting of the central through hole 51 and the liquid collecting tank 70 is formed; the central flow chamber 60 is connected with one end of the down sampling flow channel 22; and the other end of the down sampling flow channel 22 is connected with the cleanliness detector SD1.

[0086] After the central flow chamber 60 is formed, the main pumping system VM is turned on, and the main pumping system VM pumps out the fluid from the central flow chamber 60 through the main recovery channel 12; the main immersion liquid supply system MLS is turned on, and the main immersion liquid supply system MLS continuously supplies immersion liquid into the central flow chamber 60 through the main liquid supply channel 10, and the immersion liquid gathers in the central flow chamber 60 to form an immersion flow field 7; since the liquid collecting tank 70 is in an inverted cone shape, the inclined circumferential surface of the liquid collecting tank 70 can gather the immersion liquid located at the lower side of the central flow chamber 60 and the pollutants contained in the immersion liquid, and improve the uneven distribution of pollutants in the immersion liquid.

[0087] After delaying for the first preset time, the central flow chamber 60 is filled with immersion liquid, and the cleanliness detector SD1 is turned on. The immersion liquid gathered through the inclined surface of the liquid collecting tank 70 is guided to the cleanliness detector SD1 through the downsampling flow channel 22, and the cleanliness detector SD1 is used to perform cleanliness detection on the immersion liquid, thereby improving the accuracy and stability of the immersion liquid cleanliness detection results.

[0088] Embodiment six:

[0089] Figure 71 and 2 illustrate another structure of the lower seal 9, in which a liquid collecting groove 70 and a lower sampling flow channel 22 are provided. The liquid collecting groove 70 is in an inverted cone shape, and the bottom of the liquid collecting groove 70 is connected to the lower sampling flow channel 22. The lower seal 9 with the new structure can be applied to the photolithography equipment detection system in the first embodiment and the second embodiment, and the corresponding photolithography equipment detection system using the lower seal 9 is shown in FIG. Figure 8 and Fig. 9 As shown; the lithography equipment detection system mentioned later in this embodiment is selected as Fig. 9 The lithography equipment inspection system shown.

[0090] like Fig. 9 The described lithography equipment detection system includes an upper seal 8, a lower seal 9 and a cleanliness detector SD1; the upper seal 8 is fixedly arranged on the upper side of the immersion control unit 5, and completely covers and seals the upper side of the central through hole 51 of the immersion control unit 5, and the lower seal 9 is fixedly arranged on the lower side of the immersion control unit 5, and the liquid collecting tank 70 in the lower seal 9 is arranged opposite to the lower side of the central through hole 51 of the immersion control unit 5 and is connected with the central through hole 51, the upper opening area of ​​the liquid collecting tank 70 is not less than the lower opening area of ​​the central through hole 51, and the liquid collecting tank 70 completely covers and seals the lower side of the central through hole 51 of the immersion control unit 5. After both the upper and lower sides of the central through hole 51 of the immersion control unit 5 are completely shielded, a central flow chamber 60 consisting of the central through hole 51 and the liquid collecting tank 70 is formed, and the central flow chamber 60 is connected to one end of the lower sampling flow channel 22, and the other end of the lower sampling flow channel 22 is connected to the cleanliness detector SD1. The upper sealing member 8 is provided with an upper guide port 48, and the upper guide port 48 is respectively connected to the cleanliness detector SD1 and the upper guide pumping system FPS through a three-way. The cleanliness detector SD1 connected to the upper guide port 48 and the lower sampling flow guide 22 can be the same or two.

[0091] After the upper seal 8 and the lower seal 9 are fixedly installed on the upper and lower sides of the immersion control unit 5, respectively, so that the upper and lower sides of the central through hole 51 are completely shielded, and a central flow chamber 60 is formed; the upper flow diversion and pumping system FPS is turned on, and the upper flow diversion and pumping system FPS pumps out the fluid from the central flow chamber 60 through the upper diversion port 48. At this time, the fluid pumped out by the upper flow diversion and pumping system FPS is the ambient gas in the central flow chamber 60; the main immersion liquid supply system MLS is turned on, and the main immersion liquid supply system MLS continuously supplies immersion liquid to the central flow chamber 60 through the main liquid supply channel 10. The liquid converges in the central flow chamber 60 to form an immersion flow field 7. As the immersion liquid continues to increase, the liquid level of the immersion flow field 7 continues to rise, and the interior of the central flow chamber 60 is gradually filled with the immersion liquid. In the above process, since the upper guide port 48 is located at the top of the central flow chamber 60, and the main exhaust system VM is not turned on during the exhaust of the upper guide exhaust system FPS, the ambient gas in the central flow chamber 60 is easy to be exhausted from the inside to the outside, and the interior of the central flow chamber 60 can be more fully filled with the immersion liquid, effectively preventing the ambient gas from being retained in the central flow chamber 60 and forming bubbles.

[0092] After delaying for the first preset time, the central flow chamber 60 is filled with immersion liquid, the upper flow guide and pumping system FPS is closed, and the main pumping system VM is opened; the main pumping system VM pumps out the immersion liquid from the central flow chamber 60 through the main recovery flow channel 12. At this time, the rate at which the main pumping system VM pumps out the immersion liquid is consistent with the rate at which the main immersion supply system MLS supplies the immersion liquid, so as to maintain the central flow chamber 60 full of immersion liquid and keep the immersion liquid in the central flow chamber 60 flowing, so that the operating state of the immersion control unit and its affiliated flow paths being tested is closer to its actual exposure operating state, and the subsequent test results are closer to the actual situation of the immersion control unit and its affiliated flow paths in the actual exposure operating state.

[0093] The cleanliness detector SD1 is turned on, and the immersion liquid in the central flow chamber 60 is guided to the cleanliness detector SD1 through the down-sampling flow channel 22 . The cleanliness detector SD1 is used to perform cleanliness detection on the immersion liquid collected through the down-sampling flow channel 22 .

[0094] In the central flow chamber, since the pollutants in the immersion liquid may contain large particles of pollutants, the pollutants in the immersion liquid may be unevenly distributed due to sedimentation, which will affect the accuracy of the detection results.

[0095] During the detection process, in order to improve the accuracy of the detection result, the upper guide port 48 is connected to the cleanliness detector SD1. While the immersion liquid collected through the lower sampling flow channel 22 is being detected, the immersion liquid in the central flow chamber 60 is guided to the cleanliness detector SD1 through the upper guide port 48, and the cleanliness detector SD1 is used to perform cleanliness detection on the immersion liquid collected through the upper guide port 48; since the lower sampling flow channel 22 and the upper guide port 48 are respectively located on the lower side and the upper side of the immersion flow field 7, the immersion liquid located at different positions in the immersion flow field 7 can be collected respectively through the lower sampling flow channel 22 and the upper guide port 48, and the cleanliness detector SD1 can be used to detect the cleanliness of the immersion liquid collected through the upper guide port 48. The above immersion liquid is tested for multiple times. If the cleanliness measurement values ​​of the immersion liquid collected through the lower sampling flow channel 22 and the upper flow guide port 48 are unstable or the difference between the two exceeds the set range, the above test results are invalid and the test is performed again. If the cleanliness measurement values ​​of the immersion liquid collected through the lower sampling flow channel 22 and the upper flow guide port 48 are stable and the difference between the two is within the set range, the above test results are valid, and the average value of the multiple measured values ​​is taken as the final test result. This test method can effectively reduce the influence of uneven distribution of pollutants on cleanliness detection, thereby accurately determining the cleanliness quality of the immersion control unit and its affiliated flow paths.

[0096] In the description of the positional relationship of the present invention, terms such as "inside", "outside", "up", "down", "left", "right", etc. that indicate orientation or positional relationship are based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings and are only for the convenience of describing the embodiments and simplifying the description. They do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be understood as a limitation on the present invention.

[0097] The above content and structure describe the basic principle, main features and advantages of the product of the present invention, which should be understood by those skilled in the art. The above examples and descriptions are only for explaining the principle of the present invention. Without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention, the present invention may have various changes and improvements, which are within the scope of the present invention. The scope of the present invention is defined by the attached claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A lithography equipment detection system, characterized in that: It includes an upper seal, a lower seal and a cleanliness detector; the upper seal completely covers the central through hole of the immersion control unit from above; the lower seal completely covers the central through hole of the immersion control unit from below; a down sampling flow channel is provided in the lower seal, one end of the down sampling flow channel is connected to the central through hole, and the other end of the down sampling flow channel is connected to the cleanliness detector.

2. The lithography equipment detection system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The upper seal and the lower seal are used to enclose the central through hole of the immersion control unit to form a central flow chamber; the upper seal is configured with an upper guide port, and the upper guide port allows the fluid in the central flow chamber to be discharged from the upper guide port.

3. The lithography equipment detection system according to claim 2, characterized in that: The photolithography equipment detection system also includes an upper flow guiding and exhausting system, which is connected to the upper flow guiding port.

4. The lithography equipment detection system according to claim 2, characterized in that: The upper guide port is also connected to a cleanliness detector, and the cleanliness detector is connected to a sampling detection system.

5. The lithography equipment detection system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The lower seal is also provided with a liquid collecting trough, which is in an inverted cone shape. The liquid collecting trough is arranged directly opposite the lower side of the central through hole of the immersion control unit and is connected to the central through hole. The upper opening area of ​​the liquid collecting trough is not less than the lower opening area of ​​the central through hole, and the bottom of the liquid collecting trough is connected to the lower sampling flow channel.

6. A lithography equipment detection method used in the lithography equipment detection system according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that: The detection steps include the following: A1. Install an upper seal and a lower seal on the immersion control unit so that the upper and lower sides of the central through hole of the immersion control unit are completely shielded and a central flow chamber is formed; A2. Open the main pumping system and pump out the fluid from the central flow chamber through the main recovery channel; A3. Open the main immersion liquid supply system to supply immersion liquid to the central flow chamber through the main liquid supply channel; A4. After a delay of a first preset time, the cleanliness detector is turned on, and the immersion liquid in the central flow chamber is guided to the cleanliness detector through the downsampling flow channel to detect the cleanliness of the immersion liquid.

7. A lithography equipment detection method used in the lithography equipment detection system of claim 3, characterized in that: The detection steps include the following: B1. Install an upper seal and a lower seal on the immersion control unit so that the upper and lower sides of the central through hole of the immersion control unit are completely shielded and a central flow chamber is formed; B2. Open the upper diversion and drainage system to drain the fluid from the central flow chamber through the upper diversion port; B3. Open the main immersion liquid supply system to supply immersion liquid to the central flow chamber through the main liquid supply channel; B4. After a delay of the first preset time, the upper diversion and drainage system is closed, and the main drainage system is opened to drain the immersion liquid from the central flow chamber through the main recovery flow channel; B5. Turn on the cleanliness detector and guide the immersion liquid in the central flow chamber to the cleanliness detector through the downsampling flow channel to detect the cleanliness of the immersion liquid.

8. The method for detecting lithography equipment according to claim 7, characterized in that: After executing step B5, the following execution steps are also included: C1. The immersion liquid in the central flow chamber is guided to the cleanliness detector through the upper guide port to detect the cleanliness of the immersion liquid; C2. If the cleanliness measurement values ​​of the immersion liquid collected through the lower sampling flow channel and the upper guide port are stable and the difference between the two is within the set range, the test result is considered valid.

9. A lithography equipment detection method used in the lithography equipment detection system of claim 3, characterized in that: The detection steps include the following: D1. Install an upper seal and a lower seal on the immersion control unit so that the upper and lower sides of the central through hole of the immersion control unit are completely shielded and a central flow chamber is formed; D2. Open the main pumping system or the upper diversion pumping system to extract the fluid from the central flow chamber through the main recovery channel or the upper diversion port; D3. Open the main immersion liquid supply system to supply immersion liquid to the central flow chamber through the main liquid supply channel; D4. After a delay of the first preset time, the main immersion liquid supply system is turned off, and the main pumping system or the upper diversion pumping system is turned off; D5. After a delay of the second preset time, the cleanliness detector is turned on, and the immersion liquid in the central flow chamber is guided to the cleanliness detector through the downsampling flow channel to detect the cleanliness of the immersion liquid.

10. A lithography equipment detection method used in the lithography equipment detection system of claim 3, characterized in that: The detection steps include the following: E1. Install an upper seal and a lower seal on the immersion control unit so that the upper and lower sides of the central through hole of the immersion control unit are completely shielded and a central flow chamber is formed; E2. Open the main pumping system or the upper diversion pumping system to extract the fluid from the central flow chamber through the main recovery channel or the upper diversion port; E3. Open the main immersion liquid supply system to supply immersion liquid to the central flow chamber through the main liquid supply channel; E4. Turn on the cleanliness detector and guide the immersion liquid in the central flow chamber to the cleanliness detector through the downsampling flow channel to detect the cleanliness of the immersion liquid; And continuously monitor the changes in the cleanliness of the immersion liquid; E5. After a delay of a first preset time, shut down the main immersion liquid supply system, and shut down the main extraction system or the upper diversion extraction system; E6. Continue to use the cleanliness detector to continuously monitor the changes in the cleanliness of the immersion liquid.

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