Damping device, worktable system and lithography apparatus

Abstract

The application provides a damping device, a workpiece table system and a lithography machine device. The damping device comprises an inner frame, a damper, an outer frame, a balance mass and a bottom frame. The inner frame is used for setting a mask table, an objective lens unit and a workpiece table platform, and the workpiece table platform supports a fine movement part of the workpiece table. The damper is arranged on the inner frame. The outer frame is used for setting the damper and an illumination unit, and the outer frame is arranged on a foundation. The bottom frame is arranged on the foundation. The balance mass is arranged on the bottom frame. The balance mass is used for setting a coarse movement part of the workpiece table. In this way, the dynamic stability of the damping structure of the lithography machine is improved, the load requirement of the damper is reduced, and the design difficulty and cost of the damper are reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of photolithography technology, and specifically relates to a vibration damping device, a workpiece stage system, and a photolithography machine. Background Technology

[0002] Exposure apparatuses are instruments that use a workpiece stage to carry silicon wafers or glass substrates, moving synchronously with the mask stage under the objective lens to perform precise exposure work. They are complex systems integrating mechanical, electrical, optical, and pneumatic technologies, and their stringent requirements for high reliability, high precision, high speed, and high stability undoubtedly pose significant challenges to design and development. Therefore, the dynamic characteristics of exposure apparatuses are one of the most important aspects of design. The dynamic performance of the entire apparatus directly affects three major indicators: the focal plane, overlay, and the actual distribution range of exposure points. The evaluation indicators for the dynamic performance of the entire apparatus mainly include frame settling time, residual acceleration, and positional stability.

[0003] As exposure machines develop towards high performance and high productivity, the requirements for the vibration reduction performance of the frame, the imaging quality of the objective lens, and the motion performance of the workpiece stage are becoming increasingly stringent. The driving acceleration and driving reaction force of the workpiece stage are also increasing, which has a greater impact on the dynamic performance of the entire machine frame.

[0004] Regarding vibration damping layout, existing technologies employ an integrated frame with long-stroke drive reaction force externally directed on one side of the workpiece stage and mask stage. The stroke guide rail is installed inside the frame, and the motor stator is mounted on the reaction force support, which is located outside the frame. However, with the development of exposure machines, the mass and motion reaction force borne by the vibration damping device are increasing. Simply externally directing the motion reaction force on one side of the workpiece stage and mask stage can only eliminate motion reaction force in one direction, and the elimination capacity is limited, which can no longer meet the dynamic performance requirements of the exposure machine's vibration damping device. In addition, existing technologies use balancing mass technology to reduce the force transmitted from the workpiece stage to the base frame. However, because the workpiece stage is located outside the frame and not in the same vibration damping unit as the exposure system, the positional stability of the workpiece stage and objective lens unit cannot be guaranteed. Furthermore, to compensate for the positional drift of the balancing mass system frame in the X, Y, and Rz directions, as well as the Z-axis fine adjustment, existing technologies have designed correction and anti-drift devices and gravity compensation devices for the workpiece stage, making the workpiece stage structure design more complex and synchronous control more difficult.

[0005] It should be noted that the information disclosed in the background section of this application is intended only to enhance the understanding of the general background of this application, and should not be construed as an admission or in any way implying that the information constitutes prior art known to those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0006] This invention provides a vibration damping device, a workpiece stage system, and a lithography machine to solve the above-mentioned technical problems.

[0007] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, according to a first aspect of the present invention, a vibration damping device is provided, comprising: an inner frame, a vibration damper, an outer frame, a balancing mass block, and a bottom frame;

[0008] The internal frame is used to set up the mask stage, objective lens unit and workpiece stage platform of the lithography machine equipment, and the workpiece stage platform supports the workpiece stage micro-motion part;

[0009] The internal frame is provided on the vibration damper;

[0010] The vibration damper is installed on the outer frame, which is also used to install the lighting unit of the lithography machine equipment, and the outer frame is used to be installed on the foundation;

[0011] The bottom frame is used to be mounted on the foundation; the balancing mass block is mounted on the bottom frame; the coarse motion part of the workpiece stage of the lithography machine is mounted on the balancing mass block.

[0012] Optionally, the bottom frame is connected to the outer frame to ensure that the position and orientation of the outer frame and the bottom frame are consistent.

[0013] Optionally, the internal frame is provided with a mask stage support, the mask stage support is used to set the mask stage, and the bottom of the internal frame is provided with a hanging frame, the hanging frame is used to set the workpiece platform; the internal frame, the mask stage support and the hanging frame together form a vibration damping unit.

[0014] Optionally, the center of mass of the vibration damping unit is close to or coincides with the geometric center of the vibration damping unit, and the center of mass of the vibration damping unit is at the same height as the motor on the vibration damper.

[0015] Optionally, the vibration damping device further includes a vibration isolation and damping structure that supports the bottom frame to the foundation.

[0016] Optionally, the vibration isolation and damping structure includes a plurality of airbags, which are evenly distributed at the bottom of the bottom frame.

[0017] Optionally, the balancing mass block is supported on the bottom frame by air flotation, and / or the workpiece stage micro-motion part is supported on the workpiece stage platform by air flotation.

[0018] Optionally, the outer frame is supported on the foundation by a leveling device, which can level both the outer frame and the bottom frame simultaneously.

[0019] Optionally, the leveling device includes a plurality of adjusting shims, which are evenly distributed at the bottom of the outer frame.

[0020] Optionally, the external frame supports the lighting unit via a lighting bracket, which is connected to the lighting unit via an adjustment interface that can adjust the position and orientation of the lighting unit.

[0021] Optionally, the bottom frame and the outer frame are connected via a positioning mounting interface.

[0022] Optionally, the internal frame is also used to house a measurement unit of the lithography machine, which is used to measure the position of the micro-motion part of the workpiece stage.

[0023] Furthermore, according to a second aspect of the present invention, a workpiece stage system is provided, comprising a workpiece stage platform of a lithography machine, a workpiece stage micro-motion portion and a workpiece stage coarse-motion portion, and further comprising the vibration damping device described in any one of the claims.

[0024] Furthermore, according to a third aspect of the present invention, a lithography machine is also provided, comprising a mask stage, an objective lens unit, a measurement unit, an illumination unit, a workpiece stage platform, a workpiece stage micro-motion portion and a workpiece stage coarse-motion portion, and a vibration damping device as described in any one of the claims.

[0025] In the vibration damping device, workpiece stage system, and lithography equipment provided by this invention, the workpiece stage micro-motion part and the workpiece stage coarse-motion part are designed separately, so that the objective lens unit, mask stage, and workpiece stage micro-motion part are located in the same vibration damping unit. The workpiece stage coarse-motion part is supported on the foundation by a balancing mass block and a bottom frame, which reduces the motor reaction force acting on the internal frame. Furthermore, balancing mass technology is also used to offset the driving reaction force of the workpiece stage coarse-motion part through the balancing mass block, further reducing the impact of the workpiece stage coarse-motion part on the internal frame. Ultimately, this reduces residual acceleration, lowers the internal stiffness requirements of the vibration damper, and enables the low-stiffness vibration damper to have a higher transmission rate, thereby making the entire device more effective in eliminating the driving reaction force of the workpiece stage coarse-motion part.

[0026] In the vibration damping device, workpiece stage system, and lithography equipment provided by this invention, the illumination unit is arranged on the outer frame, which avoids the influence of the illumination unit on the dynamic performance of the entire device. This not only ensures the dynamic stability between the field of view of the illumination unit and the objective lens unit, but also reduces the mass load of the internal frame, improves the mass-to-strength ratio of the internal frame, reduces the load requirements of the vibration damper, and reduces the design difficulty and cost of the vibration damper.

[0027] In the vibration damping device, workpiece stage system and lithography machine equipment provided by the present invention, the bottom frame is preferably connected to the outer frame, thereby realizing the synchronous adjustment of the outer frame and the bottom frame of the vibration damping device, so that the entire vibration damping device can maintain relative stability, greatly reducing the integration and debugging difficulty, and improving the dynamic stability of the entire device. Attached Figure Description

[0028] The accompanying drawings are provided to better understand the invention and are not intended to unduly limit the scope of the invention. Wherein:

[0029] Figure 1 This is a structural diagram of a conventional lithography machine.

[0030] Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional view of a vibration damping device provided according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 3 This is a front view schematic diagram of the vibration damping unit provided by the present invention according to an embodiment, where the center of mass of the vibration damping unit and the motor on the vibration damper are at the same height level; wherein, F represents the output direction of the motor on the vibration damper, the black dot represents the output point of the motor on the vibration damper, the red dot represents the geometric center of the vibration damping unit, and the green dot represents the center of mass of the vibration damping unit.

[0032] Figure 4 This is a top view schematic diagram of the vibration damping unit provided by the present invention when the center of mass and the geometric center are close. Detailed Implementation

[0033] To make the objectives, advantages, and features of this invention clearer, the invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. It should be noted that the drawings are all in a very simplified form and are not drawn to scale, and are only used to facilitate and clarify the explanation of the embodiments of this invention. Furthermore, the structures shown in the drawings are often part of the actual structures. In particular, different figures may emphasize different aspects and may sometimes use different scales.

[0034] As used in this invention, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural objects; the term “or” is generally used to mean “and / or”; the term “a number” is generally used to mean “at least one”; and the term “at least two” is generally used to mean “two or more”. Furthermore, the terms “first,” “second,” and “third” are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Thus, a feature defined as “first,” “second,” or “third” may explicitly or implicitly include one or at least two of that feature. Additionally, as used in this invention, the phrase “one element disposed on another element” generally only indicates that there is a connection, coupling, cooperation, or transmission relationship between the two elements, and the connection, coupling, cooperation, or transmission between the two elements can be direct or indirect through an intermediate element, and should not be construed as indicating or implying a spatial positional relationship between the two elements, i.e., one element can be located arbitrarily inside, outside, above, below, or to one side of another element, unless otherwise explicitly stated. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances. The X-axis and Y-axis described in this article represent two mutually perpendicular directions on the horizontal plane, while the Z-axis represents the vertical direction, i.e., the perpendicular direction.

[0035] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a photolithography device. (Example) Figure 1 As shown, conventional photolithography equipment currently includes: an illumination unit 1, which is used to adjust the light beam 2 to a suitable illumination beam; a mask stage 3, which is used to support the mask 4 and move the mask 4 precisely to the working position, the mask 4 being used to adjust the light beam 2 to the desired pattern; a workpiece stage 5, which is used to support the substrate 6 and move the substrate 6 precisely to the working position; and a projection lens unit 7, which is used to project the pattern of the light beam 2 onto the substrate 6.

[0036] The lighting unit 1 may include various optical elements, optomechanical components and adjustment and control mechanisms, and adjust and control the lighting beam 2 through transmission, reflection and blocking.

[0037] The mask stage 3 is used to support and clamp the fixed mask 4. The clamping method can be mechanical, vacuum adsorption, etc. Depending on the needs of the photolithography process, the mask stage 3 can be fixed or movable, and its position can be independently controlled.

[0038] Mask 4 can adjust beam 2 into the desired pattern. Mask 4 can be transmissive, reflective, or arranged in an array.

[0039] The workpiece stage 5 typically holds and fixes the substrate 6 using a vacuum adsorption method. The workpiece stage 5 is usually movable, moving to the corresponding position to complete processes such as loading / unloading the substrate 6, measurement, and photolithography.

[0040] The substrate 6 typically needs to be coated with a photosensitive material to chemically react with the light beam 2 and distinguish the patterns that need to be retained or removed. The substrate 6 can be composed of a silicon wafer or a compound material.

[0041] The projection lens unit 7 (or objective lens unit) may include various optical elements, optomechanical components, and adjustment and control mechanisms for transferring the pattern on the mask 4 onto the substrate 6. The pattern on the mask 4 may differ from the pattern on the substrate 6, and its size is typically reduced. The optical elements can project the pattern onto the substrate 6 through transmission or reflection, and the medium between the optical elements can be air, water, or other light-transmitting media.

[0042] The photolithography equipment may have two or more workpiece stages 5 to simultaneously complete multiple photolithography processes; it may have multiple illumination units 1, mask plates 4, and projection lens units 7, which are spliced ​​together to form a complete pattern.

[0043] The photolithography equipment can have at least one of two working modes; one is the stepping mode, in which the mask 4 and the substrate 6 remain stationary during pattern projection, and the beam 2 projects the pattern onto the substrate 6 in one go; the second is the scanning mode, in which the mask 4 and the substrate 6 are moved by the mask stage 3 and the workpiece stage 5 respectively during the pattern projection process, and the pattern projected at each moment is a part of the complete pattern, and a complete scan forms a complete pattern.

[0044] Research has found that in conventional photolithography equipment, the vibration damping architecture is typically a single integrated structure, consisting of objective lens unit 7, illumination unit 1, and measurement unit (…). Figure 1 (Not shown), the mask stage 3 and the workpiece stage 5 are all located on the vibration damper, which means that all the motion reaction force acts on the internal frame and is completely offset by the vibration damper. Moreover, the lighting unit 1 is also distributed on the internal frame, which increases the load-bearing capacity of the internal frame, reduces the dynamic performance of the frame, and increases the load-bearing requirements of the vibration damper, thus increasing the design difficulty and cost of the vibration damper.

[0045] Based on this, the present invention proposes a vibration reduction device applicable to lithography equipment to overcome the technical problems existing in the design of vibration reduction architecture in the prior art.

[0046] Please refer to Figures 2 to 4 The vibration damping device provided by the present invention includes an inner frame 101, a vibration damper 102, an outer frame 103, a balancing mass block 203, and a bottom frame 205.

[0047] The inner frame 101 is used to mount the mask stage 401 of the lithography machine. Optionally, the inner frame 101 is provided with a mask stage support 106, which is used to mount the mask stage 401. The inner frame 101 and the mask stage support 106 can be formed independently, or they can be formed as a single integrated structure.

[0048] The internal frame 101 is also used to set up part of the workpiece stage system of the lithography machine. Specifically, the internal frame 101 is used to set up the workpiece stage platform 206 in the workpiece stage system. The workpiece stage platform 206 directly supports the workpiece stage micro-motion part 201.

[0049] The objective lens unit 301 of the lithography machine is also mounted on the inner frame 101. Optionally, the measurement unit 204 of the lithography machine is mounted on the inner frame 101. The measurement unit 204 is used to measure the position of the workpiece stage micro-motion part 201. The position of the workpiece stage micro-motion part 201 is driven and controlled by the measurement unit 204, which eliminates the motion error of the workpiece stage caused by the vibration inconsistency between the inner frame 101 and the outer frame 103, thereby ensuring the dynamic stability between the workpiece stage micro-motion part 201, the measurement unit 204, and the objective lens unit 301. Specifically, the mask stage 401 is located above the inner frame 101, the workpiece stage micro-motion part 201 and the workpiece stage platform 206 are located below the inner frame 101, the measurement unit 204 is positioned around the workpiece stage micro-motion part 201, and the objective lens unit 301 is positioned between the mask stage 401 and the workpiece stage micro-motion part 201. Here, the workpiece stage platform 206 provides a smooth surface, currently often made of marble, but in practice, it is not limited to marble. Optionally, the workpiece stage micro-motion part 201 is suspended on the workpiece stage platform 206 by air flotation in the Z direction (i.e., the vertical direction).

[0050] It should be understood that the workpiece stage in the workpiece stage system includes a micro-motion part 201 and a coarse-motion part 202. The main function of the micro-motion part 201 is to support the substrate and perform precise adjustment and positioning of the substrate with six degrees of freedom. The coarse-motion part 202 realizes large-stroke motion. The coarse-motion part 202 is connected to the micro-motion part 201, and the two can move relative to each other. Both the micro-motion part 201 and the coarse-motion part 202 are driven by corresponding motors. Please refer to [reference needed]. Figure 2 The side of the workpiece stage micro-motion part 201 connected to the motor mover is hung on the workpiece stage coarse motion part 202, while the workpiece stage coarse motion part 202 is set on the balance mass block 203.

[0051] The balancing mass block 203 can counteract the driving reaction force of the coarse motion part 202 of the workpiece stage, reducing the impact and vibration of the coarse motion part 202 of the workpiece stage on the internal frame 101. Specifically, the balancing mass block 203 is set on the bottom frame 205; the coarse motion part 202 of the workpiece stage is set on the balancing mass block 203; optionally, the balancing mass block 203 is supported on the bottom frame 205 by air flotation 209, thus the air flotation isolates the balancing mass block 203 and the bottom frame 205, realizing vibration isolation and low friction motion; the bottom frame 205 is set on the foundation 501. Preferably, the bottom frame 205 is supported on the foundation 501 by vibration isolation and damping structure 208. While supporting the bottom frame 205, the vibration isolation and damping structure 208 also has the functions of reducing vibration, isolating vibration, and adapting to the dynamic adjustment of the external frame 103 and the bottom frame 205.

[0052] In this respect, the balancing mass 203 acts as a counterweight, capable of three degrees of freedom of motion relative to the bottom frame 205: X-axis translation, Y-axis translation, and Rz-axis rotation. Therefore, the balancing mass 203 counteracts the driving reaction force of the workpiece stage coarse motion portion 202, significantly reducing the impact of the workpiece stage coarse motion portion 202 on the internal frame 101. Understandably, the balancing mass 203 is driven by a motor to compensate for the offset of the balancing mass 203 caused by the driving reaction force of the workpiece stage coarse motion portion 202, allowing the balancing mass 203 to return to its balanced position. The presence of the vibration isolation and damping structure 208 helps the lithography machine achieve the required precision and ensures lithography quality. The vibration isolation and damping structure 208 can be implemented in various ways; optionally, it includes devices such as airbags, set screws, or adjusting shims. In a preferred embodiment, the vibration isolation and damping structure 208 includes several airbags, with at least three airbags and more preferably four airbags. The airbags are evenly distributed at the bottom of the bottom frame 205, which can achieve stable support and achieve better vibration isolation and damping effects.

[0053] Optionally, the bottom of the inner frame 101 is provided with a hanging frame 105, on which a workpiece stage platform 206 is mounted. The hanging frame 105 is directly suspended and fixed to the bottom of the inner frame 101. The inner frame 101 and the hanging frame 105 can be independently formed and then assembled and connected, or the inner frame 101 and the hanging frame 105 can be integrally formed into a single structure. This invention is not limited in this respect. The hanging frame 105 is generally U-shaped, and the workpiece stage platform 206 and the workpiece stage micro-motion part 201 are placed in its U-shaped space. Optionally, the measuring unit 204 is also located in the U-shaped space of the hanging frame 105 and is located beside the workpiece stage micro-motion part 201.

[0054] Furthermore, the inner frame 101 is mounted on the vibration damper 102, while the vibration damper 102 is mounted on the outer frame 103. Simultaneously, the illumination unit 302 in the photolithography apparatus is also mounted on the outer frame 103. Optionally, the outer frame 103 supports the illumination unit 302 via an illumination bracket 104; the illumination bracket 104 is directly fixed to the outer frame 103. Thus, both the vibration damper 102 and the illumination unit 302 are positioned on the outer frame 103. The outer frame 103 and the illumination bracket 104 can be independently formed and assembled and connected in a suitable manner, or the outer frame 103 and the illumination bracket 104 can be integrally formed as a single structure. It should be noted that the illumination unit 302 is located above the mask stage 401, and the position and orientation of the illumination unit 302 relative to the outer frame 103 can be adjusted to ensure positional stability between the illumination unit 302 and the objective lens unit 301. Optionally, the illumination unit 302 and the illumination support 104 are connected via an adjustment interface 303. The adjustment interface 303 can adjust the pose of the illumination unit 302 relative to the illumination support 104, thereby ensuring the static position requirements between the illumination unit 302 and the objective lens unit 301. The adjustment interface 303 can be implemented in various ways, and at least one can be selected. For example, the adjustment interface 303 can be various commonly used adjustment structures, such as set screws, grinding shims, or other devices capable of six-degree-of-freedom adjustment.

[0055] Preferably, the outer frame 103 is connected to the bottom frame 205 so that the outer frame 103 and the bottom frame 205 can be adjusted in position and orientation synchronously, and that the position and orientation of the bottom frame 205 and the outer frame 103 remain consistent. Optionally, the bottom frame 205 and the outer frame 103 are connected via a positioning mounting interface 207. The connection method between the outer frame 103 and the bottom frame 205 is not particularly limited and various commonly used mechanical positioning connection methods can be used. Optionally, the positioning mounting interface 207 uses a positioning pin or a recessed / protruding structure to achieve a quick connection. For example, the positioning mounting interface 207 includes a positioning recess and a positioning protrusion, with one of the outer frame 103 and the bottom frame 205 having a positioning recess and the other having a positioning protrusion that can be inserted into the positioning recess.

[0056] Therefore, in the vibration damping device provided by the present invention, the workpiece stage micro-motion part 201 is connected to the inner frame 101, and the inner frame 101 is supported by the outer frame 103. Meanwhile, the workpiece stage coarse motion part 202 is separated from the workpiece stage micro-motion part 201 and is mounted on the balance mass block 203. This achieves the separation of the workpiece stage coarse and micro-motion parts (i.e., the workpiece stage micro-motion part 201 and the workpiece stage coarse motion part 202 are designed as separate units), resulting in a smaller reaction force on the workpiece stage motion borne by the vibration damping unit 100, and the workpiece stage coarse motion part... The motion reaction force of 202 can only act on the outer frame 103, the balancing mass block 203 and the bottom frame 205, and is offset by the balancing mass block 203 and isolated and damped by the vibration damper 102. This structural design can greatly reduce the impact of the motion reaction force of the workpiece table on the inner frame 101, thereby reducing the residual acceleration and reducing the internal stiffness requirements of the vibration damper 102, so that the low stiffness vibration damper 102 has a higher transmission rate, and thus the effect of eliminating the vibration of the foundation 501 and the coarse motion driving reaction force of the workpiece table is more significant.

[0057] It should also be understood that by arranging the lighting unit 302 on the outer frame 103, and the workpiece table coarse motion part 202 on the foundation 501 through the balancing mass block 203 and the bottom frame 205, the load requirements on the vibration damper 102 are reduced, and the design difficulty and cost of the vibration damper 102 are reduced. Preferably, when the bottom frame 205 is connected to the outer frame 103, it helps to synchronize the adjustment of the outer frame 103 and the bottom frame 205, so that the position and attitude of the outer frame 103 and the bottom frame 205 are consistent, thereby enabling the entire vibration damping device to maintain relative stability, greatly reducing the difficulty of integration and debugging, and also improving the dynamic stability of the entire device.

[0058] In some embodiments of the present invention, the objective lens unit 301, the measuring unit 204, the mask stage 401, and the workpiece stage micro-motion part 201 are all located in the vibration damping unit 100. Here, the vibration damping unit 100 can be understood as the overall structure constructed by the internal frame 101. For example, in this embodiment, the internal frame 101, the mask stage support 106, and the hanging frame 105 together form the vibration damping unit 100. The entire vibration damping unit 100 is supported by the vibration damper 102, and the weight of the entire vibration damping unit 100 is relatively small. This is beneficial for maintaining the relatively stable positions of the objective lens unit 301, the measuring unit 204, the mask stage 401, and the workpiece stage micro-motion part 201. Moreover, the force acting on the vibration damping unit 100 is relatively small, enabling the objective lens unit 301 to present high imaging quality, while the vibration damping device can maintain high stability. Therefore, the vibration reduction device provided by the present invention has better vibration reduction performance, higher objective lens imaging quality, and can meet the workpiece stage with higher performance requirements. Even if the driving acceleration and driving reaction force of the workpiece stage are greater, it can still achieve better vibration reduction and isolation, and improve the dynamic stability of the entire lithography machine.

[0059] Continue to refer to Figure 2 Optionally, the outer frame 101 is supported on the foundation 501 by a leveling device 107. The leveling device 107 can simultaneously level the outer frame 103 and the bottom frame 205, specifically achieving leveling in the Z-axis (movement along the Z-axis), Rx (rotation around the X-axis), and Ry (rotation around the Y-axis). Thus, when the outer frame 103 is connected to the bottom frame 205, the leveling device 107 can be used to synchronously adjust the vibration damping unit 100, the lighting unit 302, and the bottom frame 205. The leveling device 107 should have good vibration damping performance, a certain vertical deflection, and horizontal adjustment capability. The structure of the leveling device 107 is not limited, as long as it can level the outer frame 103.

[0060] Figure 2 In the described optional embodiment, the leveling device 107 includes four adjusting shims. The four adjusting shims support the outer frame 103 at its bottom, and the outer frame 103 is connected to the bottom frame 205. Thus, while the outer frame 103 supports the lighting bracket 104 and the vibration damper 102, the height and tilt position of the vibration damping unit 100, the lighting unit 302, and the bottom frame 205 can be adjusted using the adjusting shims, ultimately achieving stable leveling and ensuring the relative positional relationship between the lighting unit 302 and the objective lens unit 301. However, it should be noted that the leveling device 107 includes, but is not limited to, adjusting shims; other leveling structures with similar or equivalent functions can also be used, such as set screws or shims.

[0061] Therefore, the vibration damping device provided by the present invention does not need to be directly fixed to the foundation 501. Instead, it is fixed to the foundation 501 through the corresponding leveling device 107 and vibration isolation and damping structure 208, thereby stabilizing the entire vibration damping device on the foundation 501. Furthermore, the entire vibration damping device can be simultaneously leveled by the leveling device 107, so that the relative positional relationship between the lighting unit 302, the workpiece table coarse movement part 202 and the vibration damping unit 100 does not change due to machine relocation, transportation, uneven ground, vibration of the foundation 501 and the external frame 103, thus maintaining relative stability, greatly reducing the difficulty of integration and adjustment, and improving the dynamic stability of the frame.

[0062] As mentioned above, the lighting unit 302 is positioned on the outer frame 103, rather than on the inner frame 101. This arrangement better addresses the increasing mass changes associated with the expansion of the lighting system's field of view. It should be noted that placing the lighting unit 302 on the inner frame 101 would significantly impact the dynamic performance of the entire vibration damping device. This invention, by positioning the lighting unit 302 on the outer frame 103 and employing a stiffness-damping matching design based on the lighting bracket 104, ensures dynamic stability between the field of view of the lighting unit 302 and the objective lens unit 301. It also reduces the mass load on the inner frame 101, improves its mass-to-strength ratio, and lowers the load requirements of the vibration damper 102, thus reducing the design difficulty and cost of the vibration damper 102.

[0063] Further reference Figure 3 and Figure 4 This invention also optimizes the height (Z-direction) of the vibration damper 102 and the mass distribution of the entire vibration damping unit 100. Specifically, by adjusting the horizontal and height positions of the vibration damper 102, and adjusting the mass distribution (such as the thickness and position of the stiffeners) of the internal frame 101, the hanging frame 105, and the mask table support 106, the center of mass (gravity) of the entire vibration damping unit 100 is brought close to or coincides with the geometric center of the vibration damping unit 100, and the height of the center of mass in the vibration damping unit 100 is made to be at the same height (Z-direction height) as the motor on the vibration damper 102. In this embodiment, the entire vibration damping unit 100 has a relatively small moment of inertia, which can reduce the acceleration generated by the force, greatly improve the stability of vibration damping, shorten the vibration damping stabilization time, and make the vibration damping effect more significant. It should be understood that the force provided by the motor (i.e., the vibration damping motor) on the vibration damper 102 includes a horizontal force F and a vertical force F. The point of application of these forces is at the same height as the center of mass of the vibration damping unit 100, which can improve the vibration damping efficiency and improve the vibration damping performance.

[0064] In practice, at least three vibration dampers 102 are evenly distributed at the bottom of the internal frame 101 for support, and each vibration damper 102 can provide motor forces in the X, Y, and Z directions for vibration damping. Figure 4 In the alternative embodiment described, four vibration dampers 102 are distributed at the four corners of the vibration damping unit 100, resulting in good vibration damping effect.

[0065] This invention also provides a workpiece stage system, which includes a workpiece stage platform 206, a workpiece stage micro-motion part 201, and a workpiece stage coarse motion part 202. In addition, it includes the vibration damping device provided in any embodiment of this invention. It should be noted that, to avoid the workpiece stage coarse motion part 202 affecting the internal frame 101, the workpiece stage coarse motion part 202 does not contact the hanging frame 105 or the workpiece stage platform 206. The workpiece stage micro-motion part 201 is only hung on the workpiece stage coarse motion part 202 via the side connected to the motor actuator.

[0066] Based on the same inventive concept, embodiments of the present invention also provide a lithography machine, which, in addition to the mask stage 401, objective lens unit 301, measurement unit 204, illumination unit 302, workpiece stage platform 206, workpiece stage micro-motion part 201 and workpiece stage coarse-motion part 202, also includes the vibration reduction device provided in any embodiment of the present invention.

[0067] In summary, the vibration damping device, workpiece stage system, and lithography machine equipment provided by this invention separate the coarse and fine movement parts of the workpiece stage and incorporate balanced mass technology for vibration damping, reducing the motor reaction force acting on the internal frame 101. Simultaneously, placing the lighting unit 302 on the external frame 103 and the coarse movement part 202 of the workpiece stage on the external world (i.e., the foundation 501) reduces the load-bearing requirements of the vibration damper 102, as well as the design difficulty and cost. Furthermore, connecting the coarse movement part 202 of the workpiece stage to the external frame 103 enables synchronous adjustment of the external frame 103 and the bottom frame 205, allowing the entire vibration damping device to maintain relative stability, significantly reducing integration and debugging difficulty, and improving dynamic stability.

[0068] In particular, the vibration damping device, workpiece stage system and lithography equipment provided by the present invention optimize the load-bearing mass distribution of the vibration damping device, so that not only can the center of mass of the vibration damping unit 100 be matched with the geometric center as much as possible, but also the center of mass of the vibration damping unit 100 can be at the same level as the height of the vibration damping motor. These aspects are conducive to improving the stability and efficiency of vibration damping, and further enhancing the vibration damping effect.

[0069] In summary, the vibration damping device provided by this invention is suitable for various lithography equipment. It has the advantages of low residual acceleration, high positional stability, and good vibration isolation performance. It can effectively ensure the vibration index requirements of each subsystem, and the stabilization time is short, which can improve the yield of lithography machines. Moreover, the vibration damping device provided by this invention has a simple structure and is easy to control synchronously.

[0070] While the present invention has been disclosed above, it is not limited thereto. Those skilled in the art can make various modifications and variations to the present invention without departing from its spirit and scope. Therefore, if such modifications and variations fall within the scope of the claims and their equivalents, the present invention also intends to include such modifications and variations.

Claims

1. A vibration damping device, characterized in that, include: Internal frame, shock absorbers, external frame, counterweight, and bottom frame; The internal frame is used to set up the mask stage, objective lens unit and workpiece stage platform of the lithography machine, and the workpiece stage platform supports the workpiece stage micro-motion part of the lithography machine. The internal frame is provided on the vibration damper; The vibration damper is installed on the outer frame, which is also used to install the lighting unit of the lithography machine equipment, and the outer frame is used to be installed on the foundation; The bottom frame is used to be mounted on the foundation; the balancing mass block is mounted on the bottom frame; The balancing mass block is used to set the coarse motion part of the workpiece stage of the lithography machine. The bottom frame is connected to the outer frame so that the position and orientation of the outer frame and the bottom frame are consistent.

2. The vibration damping device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The internal frame is provided with a mask stage support, on which the mask stage is mounted. The bottom of the internal frame is provided with a hanging frame, on which the workpiece platform is mounted. The internal frame, the mask stage support, and the hanging frame together form a vibration damping unit.

3. The vibration damping device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The center of mass of the vibration damping unit is close to or coincides with the geometric center of the vibration damping unit, and the center of mass of the vibration damping unit is at the same height as the motor on the vibration damper.

4. The vibration damping device according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a vibration isolation and damping structure that supports the bottom frame to the foundation.

5. The vibration damping device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The vibration isolation and damping structure includes several airbags, which are evenly distributed at the bottom of the bottom frame.

6. The vibration damping device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The balancing mass block is supported on the bottom frame by air buoyancy, and / or the workpiece stage micro-motion part is supported on the workpiece stage platform by air buoyancy.

7. The vibration damping device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The outer frame is supported on the foundation by a leveling device, which can level both the outer frame and the bottom frame simultaneously.

8. The vibration damping device according to claim 7, characterized in that, The leveling device includes several adjusting shims, which are evenly distributed at the bottom of the outer frame.

9. The vibration damping device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The external frame supports the lighting unit via a lighting bracket, which is connected to the lighting unit via an adjustment interface that allows adjustment of the position and orientation of the lighting unit.

10. The vibration damping device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The bottom frame and the outer frame are connected via a positioning and mounting interface.

11. The vibration damping device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The internal frame is also used to house the measurement unit of the lithography machine, which is used to measure the position of the micro-motion part of the workpiece stage.

12. A workpiece stage system, comprising a workpiece stage platform of a lithography machine, a workpiece stage micro-motion part, and a workpiece stage coarse-motion part, characterized in that, It also includes the vibration damping device as described in any one of claims 1-11.

13. A lithography machine, comprising a mask stage, an objective lens unit, a measurement unit, an illumination unit, a workpiece stage platform, a workpiece stage micro-motion part, and a workpiece stage coarse-motion part, characterized in that, It also includes the vibration damping device as described in any one of claims 1-11.

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