Exposure machine clamp

Abstract

The utility model provides a clamp of an exposure machine. The clamp comprises a clamp body, the supporting body is arranged on the top surface of the clamp body, a plurality of exhaust holes are formed in the working surface of the supporting body, and the exhaust holes are configured to jet vertically upward airflow to form an air film layer for supporting a substrate; the flow guide assembly is annularly arranged on the outer periphery of the supporting body, the flow guide assembly comprises a flow guide plate which is obliquely arranged, and an included angle is formed between the flow guide plate and the exhaust hole in the edge of the supporting body and used for changing the horizontal direction component of edge jet airflow; and the negative pressure recovery assembly comprises an annular recovery groove formed in the circumferential direction of the clamp body, a recovery pipeline communicating with the recovery groove and a negative pressure pump connected to the recovery pipeline, the recovery groove and the exhaust holes form a communicating loop through a flow guide channel, non-contact fixing of the base plate is achieved, and the cleanliness is improved. And scratches and indentations caused by vacuum adsorption are avoided.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model belongs to the field of semiconductor manufacturing technology, and specifically relates to an exposure machine fixture. Background Technology

[0002] In semiconductor manufacturing, display panel processing, and precision optical component production, the exposure machine is a core piece of equipment. Its function is to precisely transfer micro- and nano-patterns from a reticle or film to the surface of a substrate coated with a photosensitive material (such as photoresist) using an optical projection system. To achieve high-precision pattern transfer, the substrate must be stably fixed during the exposure process and maintain strict alignment with the optical system. Therefore, the design of the exposure machine fixture directly affects the process yield and equipment performance.

[0003] Traditional exposure machine fixtures generally employ a combination of vacuum suction and mechanical positioning pins for fixation: an array of vacuum suction holes is set on the fixture surface, using negative pressure to adhere the substrate to the fixture's working surface, while mechanical positioning pins provide coarse positioning. Although this technology offers advantages such as simple structure and low cost, it suffers from the following significant drawbacks in practical applications:

[0004] Contact friction debris: Physical contact between mechanical positioning pins and the edge of the substrate can easily generate metal or polymer debris (typically 0.1-10μm in size). These particles are carried by the vacuum adsorption airflow to diffuse to the substrate surface, causing pattern defects.

[0005] Vacuum pores adsorb environmental particles: During long-term use, vacuum adsorption pores easily adsorb pollutants such as dust and detached photoresist fragments from the environment, forming a secondary pollution source. Utility Model Content

[0006] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this utility model provides an exposure machine fixture to solve the problems described in the background section.

[0007] This utility model provides the following technical solution: an exposure machine fixture, comprising:

[0008] Fixture body;

[0009] A support body is disposed on the top surface of the fixture body, and its working surface is provided with a plurality of exhaust holes, which are configured to spray vertically upward airflow to form an air film layer supporting the substrate.

[0010] A flow guiding assembly is arranged around the periphery of the support body. The flow guiding assembly includes an inclined flow guiding plate. The flow guiding plate forms an angle with the exhaust hole at the edge of the support body to change the horizontal component of the edge jet airflow.

[0011] The negative pressure recovery assembly includes an annular recovery groove arranged circumferentially along the clamp body, a recovery pipeline communicating with the recovery groove, and a negative pressure pump connected to the recovery pipeline. The recovery groove forms a communication loop with the exhaust hole through a flow guide channel.

[0012] Compared with existing technologies, the beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: the exposure machine fixture is configured with several exhaust holes to spray vertically upward airflow to form an air film layer supporting the substrate; the guide plate is used to change the horizontal component of the edge-jet airflow; and the synergistic effect of the negative pressure recovery component recovering gas achieves non-contact fixation of the substrate, improving cleanliness. It also avoids scratches and indentations caused by vacuum adsorption.

[0013] Furthermore, the exhaust holes of the support are distributed in a concentric ring shape, and the distance between two adjacent exhaust holes increases gradually from the center of the circle away from the center.

[0014] Furthermore, the recycling pipeline is equipped with a filtration unit.

[0015] Furthermore, the guide vane has an inclination angle of 20°-25°, and the end of the guide vane is provided with a Venturi contraction section.

[0016] Furthermore, the flow channel is connected to a circulation pump.

[0017] Furthermore, the top of the clamp body is provided with a receiving groove, the support body is disposed in the receiving groove, and the edge of the support body forms a gap with the inner wall of the receiving groove.

[0018] Furthermore, the exhaust port is connected to the flow guide channel via a diffuser.

[0019] Furthermore, the annular recycling tank includes a plurality of annular recycling ports spaced apart and a negative pressure cavity connected to all of the annular recycling ports. Attached Figure Description

[0020] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the exposure machine fixture of this utility model;

[0021] Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional view of the exposure machine fixture of this utility model;

[0022] Figure 3 This utility model is represented as such. Figure 2 Enlarged diagram of point A in the middle.

[0023] Key component symbols: 10. Fixture body; 11. Receiving groove; 12. Gap; 20. Support body; 21. Exhaust port; 22. Diffusion hopper; 30. Flow guide assembly; 31. Flow guide plate; 32. Venturi contraction section; 40. Negative pressure recovery assembly; 41. Annular recovery trough; 411. Annular recovery port; 412. Negative pressure cavity; 42. Recovery pipeline; 43. Negative pressure pump; 44. Filter unit; 45. Circulation pump.

[0024] The following detailed description, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, will further illustrate this utility model. Detailed Implementation

[0025] To facilitate understanding of this utility model, a more complete description of it will be provided below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Several embodiments of this utility model are shown in the drawings. However, this utility model can be implemented in many different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided to make the disclosure of this utility model more thorough and complete.

[0026] It should be noted that when an element is referred to as being "fixed to" another element, it can be directly on the other element or there may be an intervening element. When an element is referred to as being "connected to" another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or there may be an intervening element. The terms "vertical," "horizontal," "left," "right," and similar expressions used herein are for illustrative purposes only.

[0027] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. The term "and / or" as used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0028] Please see Figures 1 to 2 As shown, an exposure machine fixture according to Embodiment 1 of this utility model includes:

[0029] Fixture body 10;

[0030] A support body 20 is disposed on the top surface of the fixture body 10, and its working surface is provided with a plurality of exhaust holes 21. The exhaust holes 21 are configured to spray vertically upward airflow to form an air film layer supporting the substrate.

[0031] A flow guiding component 30 is arranged around the outer periphery of the support body 20. The flow guiding component 30 includes an inclined flow guiding plate 31. The flow guiding plate 31 forms an angle with the exhaust hole 21 at the edge of the support body 20 to change the horizontal component of the edge jet airflow.

[0032] The negative pressure recovery assembly 40 includes an annular recovery groove 41 arranged circumferentially along the clamp body 10, a recovery pipeline 42 communicating with the recovery groove, and a negative pressure pump 43 connected to the recovery pipeline 42. The recovery groove forms a communication loop with the exhaust hole 21 through a flow guide channel.

[0033] It is worth noting that the robotic arm moves the substrate above the fixture body, and uses optical sensors to identify the edge markings of the substrate for coarse positioning. The substrate descends to a height of 0.5-2 mm above the air film layer, entering a suspension preparation state. The micropore array (exhaust vent 21) of the air film layer begins to spray high-pressure gas, such as nitrogen or compressed air, with a pore size of 10-50 μm. The vertical airflow forms a uniform air film below the substrate, with a thickness of 5-50 μm. The air film pressure and the substrate's gravity reach equilibrium, and the substrate suspends above the air film without physical contact.

[0034] The guide plate 31 deflects the vertical airflow at the outer edge of the air film layer into a horizontal laminar flow at a velocity of 0.5-2 m / s, forming a clean air curtain flowing from the center of the substrate to the edge. This horizontal laminar flow covers the substrate surface, blocking the intrusion of external environmental particles while simultaneously carrying substrate surface particles to the edge of the fixture. An annular negative pressure recovery chamber at the edge uses a vacuum pump to draw in waste gas; the particulate-containing airflow is drawn in at a vacuum level of -5 to -20 kPa. The recovered gas is purified by a HEPA / ULPA filter (filter unit 44) and then reinjected into the air film layer, forming a closed loop.

[0035] After the substrate is suspended and stabilized, exposure is performed. After exposure, the gas jet volume is gradually reduced, and the substrate is slowly lowered to the robotic arm's pick-up position. The negative pressure recovery system continues to operate until the substrate is completely removed, ensuring no residual particles remain.

[0036] In summary, the exposure machine fixture, through several exhaust holes 21 configured to spray vertically upward airflow to form an air film layer supporting the substrate, the guide plate 31 used to change the horizontal component of the edge-sprayed airflow, and the synergistic effect of the negative pressure recovery component 40 to recover the gas, achieves non-contact fixation of the substrate, improving cleanliness and avoiding scratches and indentations caused by vacuum adsorption.

[0037] In this embodiment, the exhaust holes 21 of the support 20 are distributed in a concentric ring shape, and the distance between two adjacent exhaust holes 21 increases gradually from the center away from the center. The micropores are densely packed in the central region (0.5-1 mm spacing) and sparsely packed at the edges (2-5 mm spacing), balancing the support force and airflow recovery efficiency.

[0038] Furthermore, the recovery pipeline 42 is equipped with a filter unit 44. In this embodiment, the filter unit 44 can be a HEPA filter or a ULPA filter.

[0039] Please see Figure 3 As shown, the guide plate 31 has an inclination angle of 20°-25° and a Venturi contraction section 32 at its end, made of transparent quartz glass for easy optical alignment and observation. Through the coordinated design of the inclination angle and the Venturi contraction-expansion structure, vertical airflow is transformed into parallel laminar flow, which is essentially a fluid dynamics process of momentum redistribution and kinetic energy-pressure energy conversion. The Venturi contraction section 32 includes a contraction section, a throat, and an expansion section connected in sequence. This design is crucial in scenarios such as nanoscale lithography and high-cleanliness packaging, balancing substrate stability and process cleanliness requirements.

[0040] In this embodiment, the flow channel is connected to a circulation pump 45.

[0041] Furthermore, the top of the clamp body 10 is provided with a receiving groove 11, the support body 20 is disposed in the receiving groove 11, and the edge of the support body 20 forms a gap 12 with the inner wall of the receiving groove 11.

[0042] In this embodiment, the annular recycling tank 41 includes a plurality of annular recycling ports 411 spaced apart and a negative pressure cavity 412 connected to all the annular recycling ports 411.

[0043] The exposure clamp in the above embodiments of this utility model has the following advantages:

[0044] The robotic arm moves the substrate above the fixture body, and uses optical sensors to identify edge markings on the substrate for coarse positioning. The substrate descends to a height of 0.5-2 mm above the air film layer, entering a suspension preparation state. The micropore array (exhaust vent 21) of the air film layer begins to spray high-pressure gas, such as nitrogen or compressed air, with a pore size of 10-50 μm. The vertical airflow forms a uniform air film below the substrate, with a thickness of 5-50 μm. The air film pressure and the substrate's gravity reach equilibrium, and the substrate suspends above the air film without physical contact.

[0045] The guide plate 31 deflects the vertical airflow at the outer edge of the air film layer into a horizontal laminar flow at a velocity of 0.5-2 m / s, forming a clean air curtain flowing from the center of the substrate to the edge. This horizontal laminar flow covers the substrate surface, blocking the intrusion of external environmental particles while simultaneously carrying substrate surface particles to the edge of the fixture. An annular negative pressure recovery chamber at the edge uses a vacuum pump to draw in waste gas; the particulate-containing airflow is drawn in at a vacuum level of -5 to -20 kPa. The recovered gas is purified by a HEPA / ULPA filter (filter unit 44) and then reinjected into the air film layer, forming a closed loop.

[0046] After the substrate is suspended and stabilized, exposure is performed. After exposure, the gas jet volume is gradually reduced, and the substrate is slowly lowered to the robotic arm's pick-up position. The negative pressure recovery system continues to operate until the substrate is completely removed, ensuring no residual particles remain.

[0047] In summary, the exposure machine fixture is configured with several exhaust holes 21 to spray vertically upward airflow to form an air film layer supporting the substrate, the guide plate 31 is used to change the horizontal component of the edge spray airflow, and the negative pressure recovery component 40 recovers the gas. The synergistic effect of these features achieves non-contact fixation of the substrate and improves cleanliness.

[0048] In the description of this specification, the references to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0049] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementations of this utility model, and their descriptions are relatively specific and detailed. However, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of this utility model patent. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this utility model, and these all fall within the protection scope of this utility model. Therefore, the protection scope of this utility model patent should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. An exposure apparatus clamp characterized by comprising: include: Fixture body; A support body is disposed on the top surface of the fixture body, and its working surface is provided with a plurality of exhaust holes, which are configured to spray vertically upward airflow to form an air film layer supporting the substrate. A flow guiding assembly is arranged around the periphery of the support body. The flow guiding assembly includes an inclined flow guiding plate. The flow guiding plate forms an angle with the exhaust hole at the edge of the support body to change the horizontal component of the edge jet airflow. The negative pressure recovery assembly includes an annular recovery groove arranged circumferentially along the clamp body, a recovery pipeline communicating with the recovery groove, and a negative pressure pump connected to the recovery pipeline. The recovery groove forms a communication loop with the exhaust hole through a flow guide channel.

2. The exposure apparatus retainer according to Claim 1, wherein The exhaust holes of the support are distributed in a concentric ring shape, and the distance between two adjacent exhaust holes increases gradually from the center of the circle away from the center.

3. The exposure apparatus retainer according to Claim 1, wherein The recycling pipeline is equipped with a filtration unit.

4. The exposure apparatus retainer according to one of claims 1, wherein The guide vane has an inclination angle of 20°-25°, and the end of the guide vane is provided with a Venturi constriction section.

5. The exposure apparatus retainer according to one of claims 1, wherein The flow channel is connected to a circulation pump.

6. The exposure apparatus retainer according to one of claims 1, wherein The clamp body has a receiving groove at its top, the support body is disposed in the receiving groove, and the edge of the support body forms a gap with the inner wall of the receiving groove.

7. The exposure apparatus retainer according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein The exhaust port is connected to the flow channel via a diffuser.

8. The exposure machine fixture according to claim 1, characterized in that, The annular recycling tank includes multiple annular recycling ports spaced apart and a negative pressure cavity connected to all of the annular recycling ports.

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