Air floatation vibration isolation system and exposure equipment

Abstract

The utility model provides an air floatation vibration isolation system and exposure equipment. The air floatation vibration isolation system comprises a frame unit, an air floatation unit and an exhaust unit, the frame unit comprises a main frame and a reference frame which make contact with each other, and a supporting plate is further arranged at the end, away from the main frame, of the reference frame. An air floatation cavity is formed between the supporting plate and the main frame; the air floating unit comprises an air bearing arranged in the air floating cavity, compressed air is sprayed out from the air bearing, and the air bearing is in contact with the supporting plate, so that air cushions are formed between the air bearing and the main frame as well as between the reference frame and the main frame; and the exhaust unit partially extends into the air floatation cavity and is used for sucking compressed air to the outside. According to the configuration, the exhaust unit is additionally arranged and extends into the air floatation cavity, so that when the air floatation vibration isolation system is maintained and overhauled, compressed air in the air floatation cavity can be rapidly exhausted, the shutdown waiting time is shortened, and the productivity of the exposure equipment is further improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of semiconductor manufacturing, and in particular to an air-bearing vibration isolation system and an exposure device. Background Technology

[0002] In the exposure process of semiconductor manufacturing, in order to ensure the stability of equipment support and reduce the impact of external vibration on the precision operation of the lithography machine, AM (Air Mount) is required. By injecting compressed air into the system, an air cushion is formed between the equipment and the ground or supporting structure, thereby achieving the function of isolating vibration and supporting load.

[0003] In the existing technology, when AM-related inspections or component replacements are required, the compressed dry air (CDA) in the AM needs to be purged. Otherwise, the equipment will be in an unsafe state due to the presence of the air cushion. However, each purging requires an additional 10-minute shutdown, which seriously affects the production capacity of the exposure equipment.

[0004] Therefore, how to reduce the waiting time for emptying the compressed space has become a technical problem that needs to be solved by those skilled in the art. Utility Model Content

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide an air-float vibration isolation system and an exposure device to solve the problem that the waiting time for venting compressed air in the prior art is too long, which seriously affects the production capacity of the exposure device.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, this utility model provides an air-bearing vibration isolation system, comprising: a frame unit, an air-bearing unit, and an exhaust unit;

[0007] The frame unit includes a main frame and a reference frame that are in contact with each other, wherein a support plate is provided at the end of the reference frame away from the main frame; an air flotation cavity is formed between the support plate and the main frame;

[0008] The air flotation unit includes an air bearing placed in the air flotation cavity and a gas supply assembly connected to the air bearing. The gas supply assembly is used to supply compressed air to the air bearing. The compressed air is ejected from the air bearing. The air bearing contacts the support plate to form an air cushion between the air bearing and the main frame, and between the reference frame and the main frame.

[0009] The exhaust unit extends into the air flotation chamber to draw compressed air to the outside.

[0010] Optionally, the exhaust unit includes a suction pump and a suction pipeline;

[0011] The suction pump is located outside the air flotation chamber, one end of the suction pipeline is connected to the suction pump, and the other end extends into the air flotation chamber.

[0012] Optionally, the suction pump is normally closed; when the air flotation vibration isolation system is being maintained or repaired, the suction pump is in the open state to draw in the compressed air.

[0013] Optionally, the reference frame includes an integrally formed contact section and a connecting section;

[0014] One end of the contact segment is in contact with the main frame, and the other end is connected to the connecting segment;

[0015] The support plate is disposed on the connecting section.

[0016] Optionally, the contact segment and the connecting segment are set at an angle.

[0017] Optionally, the contact section is connected to the end of the connecting section, and the other end of the connecting section forms an opening of the air flotation cavity between the connecting end and the main frame, and the suction pipe extends into the air flotation cavity from the opening.

[0018] Optionally, the suction line extends into the region of the air flotation chamber near the opening and is positioned close to the air bearing.

[0019] Optionally, vibration damping plates are provided between the air bearing and the main frame, and between the reference frame and the main frame.

[0020] Optionally, when the air cushion is not formed, the air bearing is located on the main frame and spaced apart from the support plate.

[0021] To achieve the above objectives, this utility model embodiment also provides an exposure device, including: an exposure unit and the air-bearing vibration isolation system as described above;

[0022] The exposure unit is disposed on the reference frame, and an air cushion is formed between the reference frame and the main frame to isolate vibration between the reference frame and the main frame.

[0023] Compared with existing air-bearing vibration isolation systems, the air-bearing vibration isolation system and exposure equipment provided in this application have the following advantages:

[0024] The air flotation vibration isolation system provided in this application adds an exhaust unit that extends into the air flotation cavity. This allows for the rapid extraction of compressed air from the air flotation cavity during maintenance and repair of the air flotation vibration isolation system, thereby reducing downtime and further increasing the production capacity of the exposure equipment. Attached Figure Description

[0025] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an existing air-float vibration isolation system when no air cushion is formed.

[0026] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an existing air-float vibration isolation system during the formation of an air cushion.

[0027] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the structure of the air-bearing vibration isolation system provided in this embodiment of the utility model;

[0028] Figure 4 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of the air-bearing vibration isolation system provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0029] The explanations of the reference numerals in the accompanying drawings are as follows:

[0030] 1-Frame unit; 10-Main frame; 11-Base frame; 12-Support plate; 110-Contact section; 111-Connection section;

[0031] 2-Air flotation unit; 20-Air bearing;

[0032] 3-Exhaust unit; 30-Suction pump; 31-Suction pipeline;

[0033] 4-Air flotation chamber; 5-Vibration damping plate. Detailed Implementation

[0034] To make the objectives, advantages, and features of this utility model clearer, the present utility model 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 objectives of the embodiments of this utility model. Furthermore, the structures shown in the drawings are often only a region of the actual structure. In particular, different drawings may emphasize different aspects and sometimes use different scales.

[0035] As used herein, 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. “One end” and “the other end,” as well as “proximal end” and “far end,” generally refer to two corresponding regions, including not only endpoints. The terms “installed,” “connected,” and “joined” should be interpreted broadly; for example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal connection of two elements or the interaction between two elements. Furthermore, as used in this specification, the phrase "one element is 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. It 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 the side of another element, unless otherwise explicitly stated. The terms "above," "below," "top," and "bottom" generally refer to relative positional relationships arranged according to the direction of gravity; the terms "vertical" or "vertical direction" generally refer to the direction of gravity, which is generally perpendicular to the ground; "horizontal" or "horizontal plane direction" generally refers to a direction parallel to the ground. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this specification according to the specific circumstances.

[0036] The purpose of this invention is to provide an air-float vibration isolation system and an exposure device to solve the problem that the waiting time for venting compressed air in the prior art is too long, which seriously affects the production capacity of the exposure device.

[0037] Please refer to Figures 1 to 2 As will be understood by those skilled in the art, an air-mount (AM) vibration isolation system is a device that isolates vibration by injecting compressed air into the air-float chamber 4 to form an air cushion between the equipment and the ground or supporting structure. The air-mount vibration isolation system mainly includes an air bearing 20, a main frame 10, a reference frame 11, etc. Figure 1 As shown, when the air-bearing vibration isolation system does not form an air cushion, the air bearing 20 is mounted on the main frame 10, and the reference frame 11 is in contact with the main frame 10; while... Figure 2In this embodiment, the air-bearing vibration isolation system forms an air cushion. Compressed air is ejected from the air bearing 20, which abuts against the reference frame 11. Simultaneously, air cushions are formed between the air bearing 20 and the main frame 10, and between the reference frame 11 and the main frame 10. This isolates the structure connected to the reference frame 11 from vibrations on the main frame 10, preventing external vibrations from affecting the photolithography process. However, in existing technologies, when maintenance or repair of the air-bearing vibration isolation system is required, the compressed air in the air-bearing cavity needs to be vented. At this time, the venting rate is slow, requiring the exposure equipment to be shut down for at least 10 minutes, resulting in a decrease in production capacity. Therefore, this embodiment adds an venting unit, extending the venting unit area into the air-bearing cavity. During maintenance or repair of the air-bearing vibration isolation system, the compressed air in the air-bearing cavity is drawn in, accelerating the venting rate, reducing downtime, and further improving the production capacity of the exposure equipment.

[0038] Please refer to Figure 3 This invention provides an air-bearing vibration isolation system, comprising: a frame unit 1, an air-bearing unit 2, and an exhaust unit 3; the frame unit 1 includes a main frame 10 and a reference frame 11 in contact with each other, wherein a support plate 12 is provided at the end of the reference frame 11 away from the main frame 10; an air-bearing cavity 4 is formed between the support plate 12 and the main frame 10; the air-bearing unit 2 includes an air bearing 20 placed in the air-bearing cavity 4, and a gas supply assembly (not shown in the figure) connected to the air bearing 20, the gas supply assembly being used to supply compressed air to the air bearing 20, the compressed air being ejected from the air bearing 20, the air bearing 20 contacting the support plate 12 to form an air cushion between the air bearing 20 and the main frame 10, and between the reference frame 11 and the main frame 10; the exhaust unit 3 partially extends into the air-bearing cavity 4 to draw compressed air to the outside during maintenance and repair of the air-bearing vibration isolation system. Optionally, the thickness of the air cushion is approximately 200 μm.

[0039] As an optional embodiment, the air bearing 20 is a high-precision mechanical device capable of forming non-contact support using compressed air. In this embodiment, please refer to... Figure 1 and Figure 3 Before the air cushion is formed, the air bearing 20 is located on the main frame 10 and spaced apart from the support plate 12. During the process of forming the air cushion, external compressed air flows from the gas supply component to the air bearing 20 and is ejected through the throttling orifice or micro-orifice array on the air bearing 20 to form an air cushion between the air bearing 20 and the main frame 10. Through the abutment between the air bearing 20 and the support plate 12, the reference frame 11 is separated from the main frame 10, forming a gap. At the same time, compressed air flows in the gap between the reference frame 11 and the main frame 10, ultimately separating the vibration of the reference frame 11 from the main frame 10 and achieving vibration isolation.

[0040] Furthermore, when the air-bearing vibration isolation system requires maintenance, the compressed air inside the air-bearing chamber 4 needs to be emptied so that the air bearing 20 and the reference frame 11 both fall back onto the main frame 10. This prevents unnecessary damage to the internal and external structures caused by the reference frame 11 remaining in an air-bearing state during maintenance. Simultaneously, since the reference frame 11 is in an air-bearing state during normal operation, the compressed gas flow rate needs to be reduced before maintenance. This causes the air cushion to gradually thin, and the air bearing 20 and reference frame 11 slowly fall until they stabilize on the main frame 10, after which the compressed gas supply is shut off. Please refer to [reference needed]. Figure 1 At this time, since the reference frame 11 is in contact with the main frame 10, the air flotation cavity 4 forms a relatively sealed space with an opening only on the left side. In the prior art, it is necessary to wait for the compressed air remaining in the air flotation cavity 4 to be further discharged from the opening, which takes at least 10 minutes. This prolongs the downtime of the exposure equipment and further affects the production capacity of the exposure equipment.

[0041] In this embodiment, by adding an exhaust unit 3 and extending the exhaust unit 3 into the air flotation cavity 4, the compressed air in the air flotation cavity 4 can be quickly extracted during the maintenance and repair of the air flotation vibration isolation system, reducing the time from the existing 10 minutes to 2 minutes, thereby reducing downtime and further improving the production capacity of the exposure equipment.

[0042] Optional, please continue to refer to Figure 3 The exhaust unit 3 includes a suction pump 30 and a suction pipe 31. The suction pump 30 is located outside the air flotation chamber 4, and one end of the suction pipe 31 is connected to the suction pump 30, while the other end extends into the air flotation chamber 4. In this embodiment, the suction pump 30 can be a centrifugal pump, vacuum pump, or other device capable of creating negative pressure to extract compressed air from the air flotation chamber 4. The suction pipe 31 can be a conventional flexible pipe such as a rubber tube or plastic tube, a corrugated pipe with a certain degree of expansion and bending capacity, or a composite pipe with a multi-layer structure. It should be noted that the end of the suction pipe 31 connected to the suction pump 30 should also be equipped with sealing measures, such as using a mechanical joint for auxiliary sealing, or wearing a sealing ring on the outside of the connection part.

[0043] Furthermore, the suction pump 30 is normally closed; when the air flotation vibration isolation system is being maintained or repaired, the suction pump 30 is in the open state to draw in compressed air. In this embodiment, the suction pump 30 is installed outside the air flotation chamber 4, and is normally closed without power supply during the operation of the air flotation vibration isolation system. Therefore, it will not generate additional external vibrations that would affect the normal operation of the exposure equipment. It is only turned on during the shutdown maintenance or repair of the exposure equipment to accelerate the evacuation of compressed air.

[0044] Please continue to refer to this. Figure 3 The reference frame 11 includes an integrally formed contact section 110 and a connecting section 111; one end of the contact section 110 contacts the main frame 10, and the other end is connected to the connecting section 111; a support plate 12 is disposed on the connecting section 111. Furthermore, the contact section 110 and the connecting section 111 are arranged at an angle. Figure 3 In the illustrated example, the reference frame 11 has a polygonal cross-sectional shape, with a contact section 110 extending vertically and a connecting section 111 extending horizontally. The contact section 110 contacts the main frame 10 when the air-bearing vibration isolation system is not in operation, forming a stable mechanical system capable of supporting the upper structure. A support plate 12 is mounted on the connecting section 111, which typically directly supports the wafer stage or mask stage and connects to other motion systems. Therefore, when the air-bearing vibration isolation system is in operation, the reference frame 11 separates from the main frame 10, and the components connected to the reference frame 11 are not affected by vibrations from the main frame 10 or the ground, thus ensuring the positioning accuracy of the exposure equipment. In other embodiments, the cross-sectional shape of the reference frame 11 may also be other irregular shapes, and the contact section 110 and the connecting section 111 may be set at other angles; this embodiment does not impose such limitations.

[0045] In an alternative embodiment, the contact section 110 is connected to the end of the connecting section 111, and the other end of the connecting end forms an opening of the air flotation cavity 4 between itself and the main frame 10. The suction pipe 31 extends into the air flotation cavity 4 from the opening. Further, the suction pipe 31 extends into the area of ​​the air flotation cavity 4 near the opening and is positioned close to the air bearing 20. It should be noted that... Figure 1 and Figure 3 For example, in Figure 1 In the middle, the contact section 110 contacts the main frame 10, and the reference frame 11 and the main frame 10 together form an air flotation cavity 4 with an opening on one side. The suction pipe 31 extends into the area near the opening of the air flotation cavity 4. Figure 3 The middle refers to the left-hand area, because Figure 3 The right-side area will be in a sealed state at the top or bottom for a certain period of time, which is not conducive to the placement of the suction pipe 31. Therefore, in this embodiment, the suction pipe 31 is preferably placed in... Figure 3 It is located in the left-hand area and close to the air bearing 20 to facilitate the accelerated extraction of compressed air.

[0046] As a preferred embodiment, please refer to Figure 4Vibration damping plates 5 are provided between the air bearing 20 and the main frame 10, and between the reference frame 11 and the main frame 10. It should be noted that while the suction pipe 31 accelerates the exhaust rate of compressed air, it also leads to uneven descent speeds between the air bearing 20 and the reference frame 11, potentially resulting in inconsistent descent speeds on the left and right sides. Furthermore, to prevent the suction pipe 31 from accelerating the exhaust of compressed air, causing the air bearing 20 and reference frame 11 to descend too quickly and ultimately collide with the main frame 10, resulting in significant vibration, vibration damping plates 5 are provided between the air bearing 20 and the main frame 10, and between the reference frame 11 and the main frame 10, to eliminate vibrations generated by collisions between the air bearing 20 and the reference frame 11 and the main frame 10. Those skilled in the art will understand that the vibration damping plate 5 is a component that suppresses or reduces vibration transmission through material properties and structural design. It is mainly made of polymers (such as rubber, silicone, polyurethane) or composite viscoelastic materials, has a high damping loss factor, and can convert the kinetic energy of mechanical vibration into heat energy. This embodiment further reduces the impact of mechanical vibration on the air bearing 20 and the reference frame 11 by adding anti-vibration pads 5, thereby extending the service life of the air bearing 20 and the reference frame 11.

[0047] In another embodiment, this utility model also provides an exposure device, including: an exposure unit and the air-floating vibration isolation system as described above; the exposure unit is disposed on a reference frame 11, and an air cushion is formed between the reference frame 11 and the main frame 10 to isolate vibrations between the reference frame 11 and the main frame 10. Those skilled in the art will understand that exposure devices typically need to achieve sub-nanometer (<1nm) positioning accuracy, while ground vibrations in semiconductor factories are typically at the micrometer level. The air-floating vibration isolation system can attenuate vibration energy, ensuring that key components such as the workpiece stage and mask stage in the exposure device are not disturbed. Simultaneously, high-speed moving parts inside the exposure device generate inertial impact forces during movement. The air-floating vibration isolation system can absorb these internal disturbances through the flexible characteristics of the air cushion, preventing vibration from being transmitted to the optical system (such as lens groups, light sources, etc.) or the reference frame 11. Therefore, in this embodiment, the exposure unit disposed on the reference frame 11 can be an optical system, a motion system, or the entire exposure device; this embodiment does not limit this.

[0048] With this configuration, by placing the exposure unit on the reference frame 11, the air-bearing vibration isolation system isolates the vibration of the reference frame 11 from the vibration of the main frame 10, thereby ensuring that the operation of the entire exposure equipment is not affected by ground or external vibrations, and further improving the yield and product quality of the exposure equipment.

[0049] In summary, in the air-bearing vibration isolation system and exposure equipment provided in this embodiment of the present invention, the air-bearing vibration isolation system includes: a frame unit, an air-bearing unit, and an exhaust unit; the frame unit includes a main frame and a reference frame that are in contact with each other, wherein a support plate is provided at the end of the reference frame away from the main frame; an air-bearing cavity is formed between the support plate and the main frame; the air-bearing unit includes an air bearing placed in the air-bearing cavity, and a gas supply component connected to the air bearing, the gas supply component being used to supply compressed air to the air bearing, the compressed air being ejected from the air bearing, the air bearing being in contact with the support plate to form an air cushion between the air bearing and the main frame, and between the reference frame and the main frame; the exhaust unit partially extends into the air-bearing cavity and is used to draw compressed air to the outside.

[0050] This configuration, by adding an exhaust unit that extends into the air flotation chamber, allows for the rapid extraction of compressed air from the air flotation chamber during maintenance and repair of the air flotation vibration isolation system. This reduces downtime and further increases the production capacity of the exposure equipment.

[0051] The above description is only a description of the preferred embodiment of the present utility model and is not intended to limit the scope of the present utility model in any way. Any changes or modifications made by those skilled in the art based on the above disclosure shall fall within the protection scope of the claims.

Claims

1. An air-bearing vibration isolation system, characterized in that, include: Frame unit, air flotation unit, and exhaust unit; The frame unit includes a main frame and a reference frame that are in contact with each other, wherein a support plate is provided at the end of the reference frame away from the main frame; an air flotation cavity is formed between the support plate and the main frame; The air flotation unit includes an air bearing placed in the air flotation cavity and a gas supply assembly connected to the air bearing. The gas supply assembly is used to supply compressed air to the air bearing. The compressed air is ejected from the air bearing. The air bearing contacts the support plate to form an air cushion between the air bearing and the main frame, and between the reference frame and the main frame. The exhaust unit extends into the air flotation chamber to draw compressed air to the outside.

2. The air-bearing vibration isolation system as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The exhaust unit includes a suction pump and suction pipes; The suction pump is located outside the air flotation chamber, one end of the suction pipeline is connected to the suction pump, and the other end extends into the air flotation chamber.

3. The air-bearing vibration isolation system as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The suction pump is normally closed; when the air flotation vibration isolation system is being maintained or repaired, the suction pump is in the open state to draw in the compressed air.

4. The air-bearing vibration isolation system as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The reference frame includes an integrally formed contact section and a connecting section; One end of the contact segment is in contact with the main frame, and the other end is connected to the connecting segment; The support plate is disposed on the connecting section.

5. The air-bearing vibration isolation system as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The contact section and the connecting section are set at an angle.

6. The air-bearing vibration isolation system as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The contact section is connected to the end of the connecting section, and the other end of the connecting section forms an opening of the air flotation cavity between the main frame and the connecting section. The suction pipe extends into the air flotation cavity from the opening.

7. The air-bearing vibration isolation system as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The suction tube extends into the air flotation chamber near the opening and is positioned close to the air bearing.

8. The air-bearing vibration isolation system as described in claim 1, characterized in that, Vibration damping plates are provided between the air bearing and the main frame, and between the reference frame and the main frame.

9. The air-bearing vibration isolation system as described in claim 1, characterized in that, When the air cushion is not formed, the air bearing is located on the main frame and spaced apart from the support plate.

10. An exposure apparatus, characterized in that, include: Exposure unit and air-bearing vibration isolation system as described in any one of claims 1 to 9; The exposure unit is disposed on the reference frame, and an air cushion is formed between the reference frame and the main frame to isolate vibration between the reference frame and the main frame.

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