A fixing device for photomask inspection
By using a transparent intermediate fixing component to hold the blank substrate during photomask inspection, the shadows caused by mechanical fixing components blocking the light path are eliminated, improving the accuracy of photomask inspection and reducing the false judgment rate, thus achieving a low-cost improvement effect.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- SHAOXING XINLIAN SEMICON TECH CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2025-09-25
- Publication Date
- 2026-07-03
Smart Images
Figure CN224457213U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This utility model mainly relates to processing equipment for semiconductor devices, and more specifically, it relates to a fixing device for photomask inspection. Background Technology
[0002] In semiconductor photolithography, the photomask is the core template that carries the chip circuit pattern. Its surface is engraved with circuit structures, and the pattern is accurately transferred to the silicon wafer through the exposure process, which directly determines the yield and performance of the chip. The pellicle frame is a key protective component of the photomask. It is usually a rectangular rigid frame, which together with the ultra-thin transparent pellicle film forms a protective system. It is fixed to the surface of the photomask to prevent dust and particles from contaminating the pattern area of the photomask. The pellicle frame supports the pellicle film to maintain its suspended state, ensuring that dust only falls on the pellicle film and does not affect the imaging.
[0003] In the photomask production and inspection process, the adhesive width of the protective film frame (i.e., the width of the adhesive layer connecting the protective film frame and the photomask) and its appearance are core quality inspection items, requiring scanning and interpretation using optical inspection equipment. However, existing technologies for photomask inspection have limitations: to prevent photomask displacement during inspection, traditional solutions use mechanical fasteners made of metal materials such as aluminum alloy and stainless steel for direct fixation. These mechanical fasteners obstruct the inspection optical path, creating noticeable shadows in the scanned images. When the equipment performs binary conversion on the scanned images to measure the adhesive width or identify appearance defects, the shadows are easily mistaken for adhesive layer edges or defects, affecting automatic judgment during measurement and leading to misjudgments and omissions, thus significantly impacting inspection accuracy. Furthermore, modifying the light source, optical path, or algorithm of the inspection equipment to avoid shadows would substantially increase equipment modification costs and would be difficult to adapt to existing production lines. In addition, the published patent JP4961615B2 proposes an inspection method and device that can inspect the surface of the photomask protective film and the outer area of the protective film frame. However, this patent mainly relates to the inspection method of the photomask protective film frame and does not address the issues of fixing the photomask and eliminating shadows during the inspection process, thus failing to solve the measurement interference in the inspection scenario.
[0004] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a low-cost fixing device that does not require major equipment modifications and can effectively eliminate inspection shadows at the clamping edges during photomask inspection. Utility Model Content
[0005] Based on existing technology, the objective of this utility model is to propose a fixing device for photomask inspection that can eliminate the inspection shadows at the clamping edges of traditional fixing devices without requiring significant modifications to the equipment.
[0006] According to the present invention, the above-mentioned problem is solved by a fixing device for photomask inspection.
[0007] This utility model proposes a fixing device for photomask inspection, comprising:
[0008] Mechanical fasteners, configured to clamp blank substrates; and
[0009] An intermediate fixing member is arranged between the mechanical fixing member and the blank substrate, such that the mechanical fixing member and the blank substrate are spaced apart from each other.
[0010] Furthermore, the mechanical fastener abuts against a first side of the intermediate fastener, and the second side of the intermediate fastener opposite to the first side abuts against the blank substrate; and / or
[0011] The thickness of the intermediate fixing member is less than or equal to the thickness of the blank substrate and / or the thickness of the mechanical fixing member.
[0012] Furthermore, the intermediate fixing member includes:
[0013] The first intermediate fixing member abuts against the first side of the blank substrate and the second side adjacent to the first side;
[0014] The second intermediate fixing member abuts against the third side of the blank substrate opposite to the first side; and
[0015] The third intermediate fixing member abuts against the fourth side of the blank substrate opposite to the second side.
[0016] Furthermore, the mechanical fastener includes:
[0017] The first mechanical fastener abuts against the first intermediate fastener;
[0018] The second mechanical fastener abuts against the second intermediate fastener; and
[0019] The third mechanical fastener abuts against the third intermediate fastener.
[0020] Furthermore, the first intermediate fastener and the first mechanical fastener are configured to have a bent structure.
[0021] Furthermore, the intermediate fixing member is transparent.
[0022] Furthermore, the intermediate fastener is made of at least one of the following materials: polymethyl methacrylate, silicon dioxide, and / or polycarbonate.
[0023] Furthermore, the mechanical fastener is made of metal, and its material includes at least one of the following: aluminum alloy, stainless steel and / or titanium alloy.
[0024] Furthermore, the intermediate fixing member is configured to clamp the blank substrate and such that no shadows are generated at the clamping points between the mechanical fixing member and the intermediate fixing member and the blank substrate during scanning.
[0025] Furthermore, the mechanical fastener and the intermediate fastener are connected by adhesive bonding.
[0026] This invention proposes a fixing device for photomask inspection, which has at least the following advantages: By setting a transparent, colorless intermediate fixing component between the mechanical fixing component and the blank substrate in traditional equipment, this invention completely eliminates the shadows that may be caused by the mechanical fixing component blocking the light path, without significant modifications to the equipment. This invention optimizes the fixing structure simply by adding a transparent fixing component, without adjusting the light source, light path, and / or image judgment algorithm of the existing inspection equipment. The modification cost is far lower than replacing the entire fixing system or upgrading the inspection equipment hardware. In summary, this invention proposes a fixing device for photomask inspection that ensures reliable fixing of the photomask and eliminates the shadows generated by the mechanical fixing component at the clamping point in traditional inspection fixing devices, avoiding interference from shadows on optical inspection. This significantly improves the measurement accuracy of the adhesive width / appearance inspection of the photomask protective frame, and is particularly suitable for AI intelligent judgment scenarios, greatly reducing the false judgment rate. The improvement cost of the fixing device is low, the improvement effect is good, and it has broad application prospects. Attached Figure Description
[0027] To further illustrate the advantages and other features of the various embodiments of this utility model, a more specific description of the embodiments of this utility model will be presented with reference to the accompanying drawings. It is understood that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of this utility model and are therefore not intended to limit its scope. In the drawings, for clarity, identical or corresponding parts will be indicated by identical or similar reference numerals.
[0028] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a fixture used for photomask inspection in the prior art is shown.
[0029] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a fixing device for photomask inspection according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.
[0030] List of reference numerals
[0031] 400 Traditional Fixture
[0032] 401 First Mechanical Fixture
[0033] 402 Second mechanical fastener
[0034] 403 Third Mechanical Fixture
[0035] 407 blank substrate
[0036] 408 Photomask Protective Film Frame
[0037] 409 First District
[0038] 410 Second District
[0039] 100 Improved fixing device
[0040] 101 First Mechanical Fixture
[0041] 102 Second mechanical fastener
[0042] 103 Third mechanical fastener
[0043] 104 First intermediate fastener
[0044] 105 Second intermediate fastener
[0045] 106 Third intermediate fastener
[0046] 107 blank substrate
[0047] 108 Photomask Protective Film Frame
[0048] 109 First District
[0049] 110 Second District Detailed Implementation
[0050] It should be noted that the components in the various figures may be shown exaggeratedly for illustrative purposes and are not necessarily to scale. In each figure, the same reference numerals are used for components that are identical or have the same function.
[0051] In this utility model, the various embodiments are merely intended to illustrate the solution of this utility model and should not be construed as limiting.
[0052] In this utility model, unless otherwise specified, the quantifiers “one” and “one” do not exclude scenarios involving multiple elements.
[0053] It should also be noted that, for clarity and simplicity, only a portion of the components may be shown in the embodiments of this utility model. However, those skilled in the art will understand that, under the teachings of this utility model, the required components can be added according to specific needs. Furthermore, unless otherwise stated, features in different embodiments of this utility model can be combined with each other. For example, a feature in the second embodiment can replace a corresponding or functionally identical or similar feature in the first embodiment, and the resulting embodiment will also fall within the scope of this application.
[0054] It should also be noted that within the scope of this utility model, the terms "same", "equal", and "equal to" do not mean that the two values are absolutely equal, but allow for a certain reasonable error. In other words, the terms also cover "substantially the same", "substantially equal", and "substantially equal to".
[0055] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.
[0056] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a conventional fixture 400 used for photomask inspection in the prior art is shown. (Example) Figure 1 As shown, the conventional fixing device 400 includes a first mechanical fixing member 401, a second mechanical fixing member 402 and a third mechanical fixing member 403 arranged at the base positioning point (origin). The first mechanical fixing member 401, the second mechanical fixing member 402 and the third mechanical fixing member 403 can be made of metal (such as aluminum alloy, stainless steel, titanium alloy, etc.) and together clamp the blank substrate 407.
[0057] Specifically, the first mechanical fastener 401 is configured to have a bent structure and abuts against a first side of the blank substrate 407 and a second side adjacent to the first side; the second mechanical fastener 402 abuts against a third side of the blank substrate 407 opposite to the first side; and the third mechanical fastener 403 abuts against a fourth side of the blank substrate 407 opposite to the second side.
[0058] like Figure 1 As shown, in the conventional fixing device 400, since the first mechanical fixing member 401, the second mechanical fixing member 402, and the third mechanical fixing member 403 are constructed of opaque metal, and the mechanical fixing members are typically designed to protrude from the surface of the blank substrate 407 to achieve stable clamping, during scanning, when the scanning light path of the inspection equipment (such as scanning perpendicular to the blank substrate 407 or at an angle) illuminates the clamping area on the second and fourth sides of the blank substrate 407, the protruding mechanical fixing members will block the light path like an obstacle, preventing the light path from completely covering the clamping area and surrounding area. Therefore, shadows will be formed in the first area 409 of the clamping area on the second side and the second area 410 of the clamping area on the fourth side of the blank substrate 407 due to physical obstruction. The shadows in the first region 409 and the second region 410 can affect the interpretation of the inspection equipment: when the equipment performs binary conversion on the scanned image to measure the glue width or identify appearance defects, the shadows in the first region 409 and the second region 410 are easily judged as glue layer edges or defects, affecting the automatic judgment during measurement, thus greatly affecting the accuracy of inspection.
[0059] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a fixing device for photomask inspection according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. Figure 2As shown, in one embodiment of this utility model, a fixing device (improved fixing device) 100 for photomask inspection includes a first mechanical fixing member 101, a second mechanical fixing member 102, and a third mechanical fixing member 103 corresponding to the first mechanical fixing member 401, the second mechanical fixing member 402, and the third mechanical fixing member 403 in the conventional fixing device 400. Furthermore, the improved fixing device 100 also includes:
[0060] A first intermediate fixing member 104 is arranged between the first mechanical fixing member 101 and the blank substrate 107;
[0061] A second intermediate fixing member 105 disposed between the second mechanical fixing member 102 and the blank substrate 107; and
[0062] A third intermediate fastener 106 is arranged between the third mechanical fastener 103 and the blank substrate 107.
[0063] The first intermediate fixing member 104, the second intermediate fixing member 105, and the third intermediate fixing member 106 can be configured to adapt to the shape and size of the corresponding mechanical fixing member and the blank substrate 107 to achieve the elimination of shadows in the first region 109 and the second region 110. Figure 2 As shown, preferably, in one embodiment of the present invention, the first intermediate fixing member 104 is configured to have a similar or the same size as the first mechanical fixing member 101; the second intermediate fixing member 105 is configured to be slightly larger in length than the second mechanical fixing member 102; and the third intermediate fixing member 106 is configured to be slightly larger in length than the third mechanical fixing member 103.
[0064] In one embodiment of this utility model, the first intermediate fixing member 104, the second intermediate fixing member 105, and the third intermediate fixing member 106 have a transparent and colorless appearance, and their materials can be polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), silica, and / or polycarbonate (PC). All of the above materials have high light transmittance, good mechanical strength, and temperature resistance. During inspection, light can pass through the intermediate fixing members, thereby eliminating inspection shadows.
[0065] In one embodiment of this utility model, by respectively disposing the first intermediate fixing member 104, the second intermediate fixing member 105, and the third intermediate fixing member 106 between the first mechanical fixing member 101, the second mechanical fixing member 102, and the third mechanical fixing member 103 and the blank substrate 107, the distance between the first mechanical fixing member 101, the second mechanical fixing member 102, and the third mechanical fixing member 103 and the blank substrate 107 can be increased, preventing the protruding parts of the mechanical fixing members from blocking the light path during scanning, thereby eliminating the first region 109 and the second region 110 (corresponding to Figure 1The shadows in the first region 409 and the second region 410. At the same time, since the first intermediate fixing member 104, the second intermediate fixing member 105 and the third intermediate fixing member 106 are made of transparent and colorless material, their light transmittance is high and they will not have a significant impact on the scanning light path.
[0066] In one embodiment of this utility model, the connection between the mechanical fastener and the intermediate fastener is by adhesive bonding, which can minimize the interference with the measurement results.
[0067] In one embodiment of this utility model, by adding a transparent first intermediate fixing member 104, a second intermediate fixing member 105, and a third intermediate fixing member 106, the problem of mechanical fixing members blocking the light path in traditional photomask inspection equipment is solved, ensuring that no shadows affect the interpretation during equipment scanning. When the clamping edge of the mechanical fixing member casts a shadow during the inspection of the photomask protective frame and affects the equipment's interpretation, the addition of transparent intermediate fixing members can eliminate the shadow, effectively ensuring the accuracy of the equipment's interpretation. This solution does not require significant modifications to the equipment or scanning and interpretation program; simply adding intermediate fixing members can eliminate scanning shadows and increase the accuracy of scanning and interpretation, especially AI intelligent judgment. Its improvement cost is low, and the improvement effect is good, solving the problem of scanning shadows affecting automatic judgment during measurement in photomask protective frame inspection at a very low cost.
[0068] Although various embodiments of the present invention have been described above, it should be understood that they are presented by way of example only and not as limitations. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various combinations, modifications, and alterations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the breadth and scope of the present invention disclosed herein should not be limited by the exemplary embodiments disclosed above, but should be defined solely by the appended claims and their equivalents.
Claims
1. A fixture for reticle inspection, comprising: include: Mechanical fasteners configured to hold blank substrates; as well as An intermediate fixing member is arranged between the mechanical fixing member and the blank substrate, such that the mechanical fixing member and the blank substrate are spaced apart from each other.
2. The fixing device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The mechanical fastener abuts against a first side of the intermediate fastener, and the second side of the intermediate fastener opposite to the first side abuts against the blank substrate; and / or The thickness of the intermediate fixing member is less than or equal to the thickness of the blank substrate and / or the thickness of the mechanical fixing member.
3. The fixture of claim 1, wherein The intermediate fixing component includes: The first intermediate fixing member abuts against the first side of the blank substrate and the second side adjacent to the first side; The second intermediate fixing member abuts against the third side of the blank substrate opposite to the first side; and The third intermediate fixing member abuts against the fourth side of the blank substrate opposite to the second side.
4. The fixture of claim 3, wherein The mechanical fastener includes: The first mechanical fastener abuts against the first intermediate fastener; The second mechanical fastener abuts against the second intermediate fastener; and The third mechanical fastener abuts against the third intermediate fastener.
5. The fixture of claim 4, wherein The first intermediate fastener and the first mechanical fastener are configured to have a bent structure.
6. The fixture of claim 1, wherein The intermediate fixing component is transparent.
7. The fixture of claim 6, wherein The intermediate fastener is made of at least one of the following materials: polymethyl methacrylate, silicon dioxide, and / or polycarbonate.
8. The fixture of claim 1, wherein The mechanical fastener is made of metal, and its material includes at least one of the following: aluminum alloy, stainless steel and / or titanium alloy.
9. The fixture of claim 1, wherein The intermediate fixing member is configured to clamp the blank substrate and such that no shadows are generated at the clamping points between the mechanical fixing member and the intermediate fixing member and the blank substrate during scanning.
10. The fixture of claim 1, wherein The mechanical fastener and the intermediate fastener are connected by adhesive bonding.