Exposure device, method for controlling exposure device, foreign matter inspection device, and article producing method

Abstract

To provide a technique advantageous for avoiding interference between a pellicle mounted on a reticle and a reticle holding mechanism.SOLUTION: An exposure device includes a foreign matter inspection device configured to obtain images of foreign matter on a surface of a reticle assembly, a reticle stage that holds the reticle assembly, a transfer section that transfers the pattern of the reticle held by the reticle stage onto a substrate by projecting and exposing it, a transport section that transports the reticle assembly between the foreign matter inspection device and the reticle stage, and a control section that detects a pellicle frame based on the images obtained by the foreign matter inspection device and determines the feasibility of transporting the reticle assembly from the foreign matter inspection device to the reticle stage based on the position of the detected pellicle frame.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an exposure apparatus, a method of controlling the exposure apparatus, a foreign matter inspection apparatus, and an article manufacturing method.

Background Art

[0002] A pellicle for preventing adhesion of foreign matter can be attached to a reticle used in an exposure apparatus. Further, a foreign matter inspection apparatus for measuring the size and number of foreign matters adhering to the surface of the reticle or the pellicle can be provided in the conveyance path of the reticle. Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for detecting the attachment position of a pellicle frame using a foreign matter inspection apparatus and setting a foreign matter inspection effective region.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, the size (width) of the pellicle can vary depending on the pattern size, design, manufacturer, etc. of the reticle. In order for the reticle gripping mechanism to grip the reticle without interfering with the pellicle, the distance between the gripping members (fingers) of the reticle gripping mechanism needs to be larger than the pellicle width. When a reticle with a pellicle width larger than the distance between the gripping members is conveyed, there is a risk that the gripping members will interfere with the pellicle frame.

[0005] The present invention provides an advantageous technique for avoiding interference between a pellicle attached to a reticle and a reticle gripping mechanism.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] According to one aspect of the present invention, inspection light is irradiated onto the surface of a reticle assembly having a reticle and a pellicle including a pellicle frame and a pellicle film supported by the pellicle frame, and scattered light from foreign matter generated by the inspection light is received to obtain an image of the foreign matter. An exposure apparatus is provided, which includes a foreign matter inspection device configured as described above, a reticle stage that holds the reticle assembly, a transfer unit that transfers the reticle assembly between the foreign matter inspection device and the reticle stage, and a control unit that detects the pellicle frame based on the image obtained by the foreign matter inspection device and determines whether or not the reticle assembly can be transferred from the foreign matter inspection device to the reticle stage by the transfer unit based on the position of the detected pellicle frame.

Advantages of the Invention

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an advantageous technique for avoiding interference between the pellicle mounted on the reticle and the reticle gripping mechanism.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0008]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the following embodiments do not limit the invention according to the claims. Although a plurality of features are described in the embodiments, not all of these plurality of features are essential to the invention, and the plurality of features may be arbitrarily combined. Further, in the accompanying drawings, the same or similar configurations are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant descriptions are omitted.

[0010] <First Embodiment> FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of an exposure apparatus 100 according to the embodiment. In this specification and the drawings, directions are indicated in an XYZ coordinate system with the horizontal plane as the XY plane. Generally, a reticle assembly RA described later is placed on a reticle stage 15 described later such that its surface is parallel to the horizontal plane (XY plane). Therefore, hereinafter, in the plane along the surface on which the reticle assembly RA of the reticle stage 15 is placed, the directions orthogonal to each other are defined as the X-axis and the Y-axis, and the direction perpendicular to the X-axis and the Y-axis is defined as the Z-axis. Further, hereinafter, the directions parallel to the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis in the XYZ coordinate system are referred to as the X-direction, Y-direction, and Z-direction, respectively, and the rotational directions around the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis are referred to as the θX-direction, θY-direction, and θZ-direction, respectively.

[0011] FIG. 1 shows the inside of a chamber that houses the exposure apparatus. The chamber and the substrate transfer device are not shown.

[0012] The exposure apparatus 100 shown in FIG. 1 is, for example, an exposure apparatus of the step-and-scan type. The step-and-scan method is a method in which the reticle and the substrate are synchronously driven and scanned in the Y direction for exposure, and then sequentially stepped to the next shot area. Note that the exposure apparatus 100 may be an exposure apparatus of the step-and-repeat type instead of the step-and-scan type exposure apparatus.

[0013] A circuit pattern is drawn on the reticle which is the original plate. The reticle assembly RA including the reticle is illuminated via the illumination optical system 20 by light emitted from, for example, an excimer laser light source. Thereby, the circuit pattern of the reticle is projected onto the substrate 3 at a predetermined magnification by the projection optical system 2. The substrate 3 is placed on a substrate stage 4 having drive axes at least in the X and Y directions. Further, the reticle assembly RA is placed on the reticle stage 15 and driven at least in the Y direction. In this way, the transfer unit 50 for transferring the pattern of the reticle onto the substrate 4 by projecting and exposing the pattern of the reticle onto the substrate 4 is constituted by the reticle stage 15, the illumination optical system 20, the projection optical system 2, and the substrate stage 4.

[0014] The SMIF pods 5 and 6 are storage containers that can store one or more reticle assemblies RA and can be opened and closed. Note that SMIF is an abbreviation for Standard Mechanical Interface. The pod openers 7 and 8 are opening and closing devices for the SMIF pods 5 and 6, and are provided with a lifting mechanism (not shown) for opening the SMIF pods 5 and 6 and making the reticle assembly RA in the SMIF pods 5 and 6 pullable. The reticle assembly RA that has become removable by the pod openers 7 and 8 is adsorbed and held by the robot hand 9a of the multi-axis transfer robot 9 and then carried out. After the reticle ID is read by the code reader 10, it is carried to the reticle stocker 11. The reticle stocker 11 has a shelf-like structure so that a plurality of reticle assemblies RA can be stored.

[0015] Of the plurality of reticle assemblies RA stored in the reticle stocker 11, the reticle assembly RA to be exposed next is carried out by the transfer robot 9 and transferred to the foreign object inspection device 12. The foreign object inspection device 12 is configured to inspect foreign objects on the surface of the reticle assembly RA.

[0016] The reticle assembly RA that has been inspected by the foreign object inspection device 12 is placed on the alignment stage 13 by the transfer robot 9. On the alignment stage 13, the reticle assembly RA is aligned, for example, in the X direction, Y direction, or θZ direction so as to be within a desired deviation amount with respect to an alignment reference (not shown). After the alignment is completed, the exposure apparatus 100 enters the exposure standby state.

[0017] The rotary hand 14 is a transfer unit that transfers the reticle assembly RA between the foreign object inspection device 12 and the reticle stage 15. When the exposure of the reticle assembly RA transported to the exposure position on the reticle stage 15 is completed, the reticle stage 15 moves to the transfer position with the rotary hand 14 and transfers the exposed reticle assembly RA to the rotary hand 14. During that time, the rotary hand 14 receives the reticle assembly that has been placed on the alignment stage 13 and is in the exposure standby state. At this time, both the exposed reticle assembly RA and the reticle assembly waiting for exposure are placed on the rotary hand 14. In this state, the rotary hand 14 rotates and transfers the exposed reticle assembly RA to the alignment stage 13 and the reticle assembly waiting for exposure to the reticle stage 15, respectively.

[0018] The exposed reticle assembly RA is transferred to the transfer robot 9 and, if it is planned to be used for exposure again later, is transferred to the reticle stocker 11 and temporarily stored. If this reticle assembly RA is not planned to be used for exposure again, it is stored in the pod opener 7 or 8 and finally stored in either the SMIF pod 5 or 6.

[0019] The control unit 30 is composed of a computer (information processing device) including, for example, a CPU and a memory, and comprehensively controls each part of the exposure apparatus according to a program. Note that the control unit 30 may be arranged inside the chamber of the exposure apparatus or outside the chamber.

[0020] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the reticle assembly RA. The reticle assembly RA includes a reticle 1 and a pellicle 51 for protecting the pattern surface of the reticle 1. The pellicle 51 can also be used to prevent foreign matter from adhering to the pattern surface of the reticle 1. The pellicle 51 may include a pellicle frame 52 sized to surround the pattern surface of the reticle 1 and a pellicle film 53 supported by the pellicle frame 52 and transmitting exposure light. The pellicle film 53 is stretched on one end surface of the pellicle frame 52.

[0021] The foreign matter inspection device 12 is a device for measuring the size and number of foreign matters adhering to the surface of the reticle assembly RA (the surface of the reticle 1 and the surface of the pellicle 51). The foreign matter inspection device 12 is configured to determine the size of the foreign matter based on the magnitude of the signal output, for example, by a foreign matter detection method using oblique incident light and polarized light.

[0022] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the foreign matter inspection apparatus 12. The foreign matter inspection apparatus 12 may include a sensor unit 121 and a drive unit 124 that drives the sensor unit 121. The sensor unit 121 may include a light projecting unit 122 and a light receiving unit 123. The light projecting unit 122 includes, for example, a light emitting diode (LED) and irradiates LED light as inspection light. The light projecting unit 122 is arranged such that the LED light, which is the inspection light, obliquely enters the surface of the reticle assembly RA. The light receiving unit 123 may be an optical sensor such as an image sensor. The light receiving unit 123 forms an image of scattered light from a foreign object generated by the inspection light on the image sensor, converts the light into an electrical signal by the image sensor, and outputs it as data. The light receiving unit 123 may be configured as a camera (imaging unit) or a line sensor. The camera is excellent in that its structure is relatively simple, and the line sensor is excellent in that high-precision measurement can be performed. Consider the case where the light receiving unit 123 is configured as a line sensor. The pellicle frame 52 may have a quadrilateral shape as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The line sensor has a configuration in which a plurality of light receiving elements that receive scattered light from a foreign object generated by the inspection light are arranged along the Y direction (first direction) parallel to the first side among the four sides of the pellicle frame 52. The line sensor extends in the Y direction, and the length in the Y direction thereof may be equal to or longer than the length in the Y direction of the reticle assembly RA. The drive unit 124 drives the sensor unit 121 (the light projecting unit 122 and the light receiving unit 123) in the X direction (second direction) parallel to the surface of the reticle assembly RA and orthogonal to the Y direction in order to inspect the inspection region on the surface of the reticle assembly RA.

[0023] A foreign object inspection method using the foreign object inspection device 12 will be described. Inspection light is obliquely incident from the light projecting unit 122 onto the surface of the reticle assembly RA. The light receiving unit 123 receives the scattered light 125 of the inspection light incident on the surface of the reticle assembly RA (the surface of the pellicle 51). This process is performed on the entire surface of the reticle assembly RA while the sensor unit 121 is driven in the X direction by the driving unit 124. Thereby, scattered light signals (images) due to the pellicle frame 52, the pellicle film 53, and the foreign object 206 can be acquired for the entire surface of the reticle assembly RA. By processing the acquired images, an XY plane map (foreign object map) representing the position and size of the foreign object 206 is obtained.

[0024] The foreign object inspection method using the foreign object inspection device 12 is generally as described above. In the present embodiment, using such a foreign object inspection method with the foreign object inspection device 12, not only the detection of the foreign object 206 but also the detection of the pellicle 51 (pellicle frame 52) is performed.

[0025] There can be a plurality of types of pellicle frames 52 having different sizes. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a reticle having pellicle frames 52 with different sizes. For example, the width in the X direction of the first pellicle frame 54 shown in FIG. 4(a) is 115 mm, and the width in the X direction of the second pellicle frame 55 shown in FIG. 4(b) is 122 mm.

[0026] The exposure apparatus 100 includes a plurality of gripping mechanisms provided on the rotating hand 14, which is a transport unit, and the reticle stage 15. FIG. 5(a) shows the configuration of the reticle gripping mechanism of the rotating hand 14, and FIG. 5(b) shows the configuration of the reticle gripping mechanism of the reticle stage 15. Both the reticle gripping mechanism of the rotating hand 14 shown in FIG. 5(a) and the reticle gripping mechanism of the reticle stage 15 shown in FIG. 5(b) are gripping mechanisms by vacuum adsorption. The reticle gripping mechanism of the rotating hand 14 shown in FIG. 5(a) has a plurality of gripping members 141 that grip the surface of the reticle assembly RA on which the pellicle 51 is attached. The reticle gripping mechanism of the reticle stage 15 shown in FIG. 5(b) has a plurality of gripping members 151 that grip the surface of the reticle assembly RA on which the pellicle 51 is attached. Since the reticle stage 15 operates at high speed, it is necessary to grip the reticle assembly strongly. Therefore, the plurality of gripping members 151 of the reticle stage 15 are larger than the plurality of gripping members 141 of the rotating hand 14. Therefore, the interval between the plurality of gripping members 151 of the reticle stage 15 and the interval between the plurality of gripping members 141 of the rotating hand 14 may be different. For example, while the interval between the plurality of gripping members 141 of the rotating hand 14 is 126 mm (FIG. 5(a)), the interval between the plurality of gripping members 151 of the reticle stage 15 is 119 mm (FIG. 5(b)). In this case, the plurality of gripping members 141 of the rotating hand 14 can grip the reticle assembly without interfering with the pellicle frame, regardless of whether it is the first pellicle frame 54 shown in FIG. 4(a) or the second pellicle frame 55 shown in FIG. 4(b). When the plurality of gripping members 151 of the reticle stage 15 grip the reticle assembly shown in FIG. 4(a), they can grip the reticle assembly without interfering with the first pellicle frame 54. However, when gripping the reticle assembly shown in FIG. 4(b), they will interfere with the second pellicle frame 55.

[0027] FIG. 6 shows a foreign object map 200 based on an image obtained by foreign object inspection by the foreign object inspection device 12. The control unit 30 detects a first side among the four sides of the pellicle frame and a second side located on the opposite side of the first side based on the foreign object map 200. The control unit 30 determines whether the distance between the detected first side and the second side is smaller than a specified value (for example, 119 mm) determined according to the intervals between the plurality of gripping members 141 and the intervals between the plurality of gripping members 151. When the distance is smaller than the specified value, the control unit 30 determines that the transfer of the reticle assembly from the foreign object inspection device 12 to the reticle stage 15 by the rotary hand 14, which is the transfer unit, is possible. On the other hand, when the distance is not smaller than the specified value, the control unit 30 determines that the transfer of the reticle assembly from the foreign object inspection device 12 to the reticle stage 15 by the rotary hand 14 is not possible.

[0028] Specific examples are shown below. In the foreign object map 200, the Y-axis corresponds to the Y direction in which the line sensor configured as the light receiving unit 123 of the foreign object inspection unit 121 shown in FIG. 3 extends, and the X-axis corresponds to the X direction which is the driving direction of the foreign object inspection unit 121 shown in FIG. 3. The coordinate 0 of the Y-axis indicates the center position of the line sensor. The coordinate 0 of the X-axis indicates the intermediate position of the driving stroke of the driving unit 124 of the foreign object inspection device 12. This coordinate (0, 0) is set as the reference position 210 of the reticle assembly RA.

[0029] Each foreign object in the foreign object map 200 is classified into a small particle size, a medium particle size, and a large particle size based on the magnitude of the scattered light signal obtained by the sensor unit 121. In the foreign object map 200, the foreign object 201 is a foreign object with a small particle size, the foreign object 202 is a foreign object with a medium particle size, and the foreign object 203 is a foreign object with a large particle size. The pellicle frame 52 is classified as a foreign object with a large particle size. The control unit 30 determines, among the foreign objects detected based on the foreign object map 200, a long foreign object that exceeds a predetermined size with the Y direction as the longitudinal direction as the pellicle frame. In one example, the control unit 30 detects a first long foreign object 204 representing the first side of the pellicle frame and a second long foreign object 205 representing the second side of the pellicle frame. The control unit 30 obtains a distance 200 (pellicle width) between the first side and the second side based on the positions of the first long foreign object 204 and the second long foreign object 205. Thereafter, the control unit 30 determines whether the distance 200 is smaller than a specified value. For example, in the example of FIG. 6, the distance 220 is 115 mm. Also, assume that the specified value is 119 mm. In this case, the control unit 30 determines that since the distance 200 is smaller than the specified value, the conveyance of the reticle assembly from the foreign object inspection apparatus 12 to the reticle stage 15 by the rotation hand 14 is possible.

[0030] Also, by comparing the distance between the reference position 210 and the first long foreign object 204 with the distance between the reference position 210 and the second long foreign object 205, the amount of displacement of the pellicle frame 52 with respect to the reference position 210 can also be measured.

[0031] <Second Embodiment> Referring to FIG. 7, an exposure method according to the second embodiment will be described. The exposure apparatus 100 has, as an operation mode, a foreign object inspection mode with foreign object inspection (first mode) in which a reticle assembly is inspected for foreign objects before being transferred to the reticle stage 15. Further, the exposure apparatus 100 has, as an operation mode, a foreign object inspection-free mode (second mode) in which foreign object inspection of the reticle assembly before being transferred to the reticle stage 15 is omitted. The control unit 30 sets an inspection area, which is an area to be inspected by the foreign object inspection apparatus 12, according to the set operation mode. In the present embodiment, a control method of the exposure apparatus 100 when the foreign object inspection mode is set will be described. The "foreign object inspection mode" may be called the "normal exposure mode". FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a control method in the foreign object inspection mode.

[0032] In S10, the control unit 30 controls the transfer robot 9 to transfer the reticle assembly RA to the foreign object inspection apparatus 12. In S11, the control unit 30 controls the foreign object inspection apparatus 12 to perform a foreign object inspection on the reticle assembly RA. In S12, the control unit 30 determines whether or not there is a long foreign object in the foreign object map obtained by the foreign object inspection.

[0033] When there is no long foreign object, it is determined that there is no pellicle frame on the reticle assembly RA. In this case, the process proceeds to S17. In S17, the control unit 30 controls the transfer robot 9 and the rotation hand 14 to transfer the reticle assembly RA to the reticle stage 15 and perform exposure.

[0034] On the one hand, when it is determined in S12 that there are a first long foreign object 204 and a second long foreign object 205, the process proceeds to S13. In S13, the control unit 30 calculates the distance d between the first long foreign object 204 and the second long foreign object 205, which corresponds to the pellicle width. In S14, the control unit 30 determines whether the calculated distance d is within a specified value S of the pellicle width (within the specification). If the distance d is outside the specification, the process proceeds to S16. In S16, the control unit 30 determines that the conveyance of the reticle assembly RA from the foreign object inspection device 12 to the reticle stage 15 is impossible, controls the transfer robot 9, and returns the reticle assembly RA to the SMIF pod 5 or 6. At this time, the control unit 30 issues an error notification.

[0035] If the distance d is within the specification, the process proceeds to S15. In S15, the control unit 30 checks the positions of the first long foreign object 204 and the second foreign object 205. If the position of either long foreign object is outside the specification, the process proceeds to S16. "Outside the specification" means, for example, in the foreign object map 200 shown in FIG. 6, -70 mm < the X-direction position of the first long foreign object 204 < -50 mm, or +50 mm < the X-direction position of the second long foreign object 205 < +70 mm which means the case where it does not satisfy.

[0036] In S16, as described above, the control unit 30 determines that the conveyance of the reticle assembly RA from the foreign object inspection device 12 to the reticle stage 15 is impossible, controls the transfer robot 9, returns the reticle assembly RA to the SMIF pod 5 or 6, and issues an error notification. When the positions of the respective long foreign objects are within the specification, in S17, the control unit 30 controls the transfer robot 9 and the rotary hand 14 to convey the reticle assembly RA to the reticle stage 15 and perform exposure.

[0037] <The Third Embodiment> Referring to FIG. 8, a control method for an exposure apparatus according to a third embodiment will be described. FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a control method when a foreign object inspection - free mode (second mode) is set. The "foreign object inspection - free mode" is a mode in which the foreign object inspection of the reticle assembly before transporting the reticle assembly to the reticle stage 15 is omitted. In this mode, although the foreign object inspection of the entire surface of the reticle assembly is not performed, the surface of the reticle assembly is partially inspected to detect long foreign objects (i.e., the reticle frame).

[0038] When the foreign object inspection - enabled mode (first mode) is set, the inspection area, which is the area inspected by the foreign object inspection device 12, is set over the entire surface of the reticle assembly. The control method in this case was described in the second embodiment. On the other hand, when the foreign object inspection - free mode (second mode) is set, the inspection area is set to a predetermined first partial area where the presence of the first long foreign object 204 is assumed and a predetermined second partial area where the presence of the second long foreign object 205 is assumed. In this embodiment, the control method in this case will be described. The control method of the exposure apparatus in this embodiment aims to determine whether the pellicle width is suitable in a short time when exposure is performed without performing foreign object inspection.

[0039] In S10, the control unit 30 controls the transfer robot 9 to transfer the reticle assembly RA to the foreign object inspection device 12. In S21, the control unit 30 causes the drive unit 124 to move the sensor unit 121 at high speed to the position of X = - 70 mm in the foreign object map 200 shown in FIG. 6 (the start of the first partial area). At this time, no foreign object inspection is performed.

[0040] In S22, the control unit 30 performs foreign object inspection while causing the drive unit 124 to move (scan) the sensor unit 121 at low speed to the position of X = - 50 mm in the foreign object map 200 (the end of the first partial area).

[0041] In S23, the control unit 30 causes the drive unit 124 to rapidly move the sensor unit 121 to the position of X = +50 mm (the start of the second partial region) of the foreign object map 200. At this time, no foreign object inspection is performed.

[0042] In S24, the control unit 30 performs a foreign object inspection while causing the drive unit 124 to slowly move (scan) the sensor unit 121 to the position of X = +70 mm (the end of the second partial region) of the foreign object map 200.

[0043] In this way, a foreign object inspection for detecting the pellicle frame is performed only in the range where the presence of the pellicle frame is assumed. Based on the result of this inspection, the control unit 30 determines whether or not to convey the reticle assembly in S12 to S17 and performs exposure or error notification, similar to the second embodiment.

[0044] According to the above control method, the control unit 30 makes the driving speed of the drive unit 124 in the region excluding the first partial region and the second partial region higher than the driving speed of the drive unit 124 in the first partial region and the second partial region. Therefore, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to determine whether or not to convey the reticle assembly in a shorter time.

[0045] <Fourth Embodiment> With reference to FIG. 9, a control method for an exposure apparatus according to the fourth embodiment will be described. FIG. 9 is a flowchart of the control method for the exposure apparatus in the present embodiment. As described above, the exposure apparatus 100 includes a plurality of gripping mechanisms for gripping the reticle assembly. Specifically, the plurality of gripping mechanisms include the reticle gripping mechanism of the rotary hand 14 as shown in FIG. 5(a) and the reticle gripping mechanism of the reticle stage 15 as shown in FIG. 5(b). The control method for the exposure apparatus of the present embodiment includes acquiring information on the pellicle width (compatible pellicle width information) compatible with each of the plurality of gripping mechanisms and setting the minimum pellicle width obtained from the acquired information as a specified value.

[0046] In S30, the control unit 30 acquires the compatible pellicle width information from each of the plurality of gripping mechanisms. The compatible pellicle width information can be acquired, for example, by communicating with each of the plurality of gripping mechanisms. Alternatively, the compatible pellicle width information may be acquired by reading from barcodes or tags attached to each of the plurality of gripping mechanisms.

[0047] In S31, based on the acquired compatible pellicle width information, the control unit 30 determines the one with the minimum compatible pellicle width among the plurality of gripping mechanisms and sets that pellicle width as a specified value.

[0048] In S32, based on the specified value set in S31, the control unit 30 sets the operation mode to the normal exposure mode (foreign matter inspection included mode) or the foreign matter inspection excluded mode. Then, the control unit 30 performs exposure in the set operation mode.

[0049] As a result, when the exposure apparatus includes a plurality of gripping mechanisms for gripping the reticle assembly and the compatible pellicle width is different for each gripping mechanism, it is possible to appropriately determine whether the reticle assembly can be transported.

[0050] <Embodiment of the article manufacturing method> The article manufacturing method according to the embodiment of the present invention is suitable for manufacturing articles such as microdevices such as semiconductor devices and elements having fine structures. The article manufacturing method of the present embodiment includes a step of forming a latent image pattern on a photosensitive agent applied to a substrate using the above-described exposure apparatus (a step of exposing the substrate), and a step of developing the substrate on which the latent image pattern has been formed in such a step. Further, such a manufacturing method includes other well-known steps (oxidation, film formation, vapor deposition, doping, planarization, etching, resist stripping, dicing, bonding, packaging, etc.). The article manufacturing method of the present embodiment is advantageous in at least one of the performance, quality, productivity, and production cost of the article as compared with the conventional method.

[0051] The disclosure of this specification includes at least the following techniques. (Item 1) An inspection light is irradiated onto the surface of a reticle assembly having a reticle and a pellicle including a pellicle frame and a pellicle film supported by the pellicle frame, and a foreign matter inspection apparatus configured to obtain an image of a foreign matter by receiving scattered light from the foreign matter generated by the inspection light, a reticle stage that holds the reticle assembly, a transfer unit that transfers the pattern of the reticle held by the reticle stage onto a substrate by projecting and exposing the pattern onto the substrate, a transfer unit that transfers the reticle assembly between the foreign matter inspection apparatus and the reticle stage, a control unit that detects the pellicle frame based on the image obtained by the foreign matter inspection apparatus, and determines whether or not the reticle assembly can be transferred from the foreign matter inspection apparatus to the reticle stage by the transfer unit based on the position of the detected pellicle frame, An exposure apparatus, characterized by comprising the above components. (Item 2) including a plurality of gripping mechanisms provided in the transfer unit and the reticle stage that grip the reticle assembly by a plurality of gripping members, the pellicle frame has a quadrilateral shape, when the distance between a first side among the four sides of the pellicle frame detected based on the image and a second side located on the opposite side of the first side is smaller than a specified value determined according to the interval between the plurality of gripping members, the control unit determines that the reticle assembly can be transferred from the foreign matter inspection apparatus to the reticle stage by the transfer unit, and when the distance is not smaller than the specified value, the control unit determines that the transfer of the reticle assembly from the foreign matter inspection apparatus to the reticle stage by the transfer unit is impossible, The exposure apparatus according to Item 1, characterized by the above features. (Item 3) The exposure apparatus according to Item 2, characterized in that when the control unit determines that the transfer of the reticle assembly is impossible, it issues an error notification. (Item 4) The control unit determines that a long foreign object having a predetermined size exceeding the predetermined size and having a longitudinal direction parallel to the first side among the foreign objects detected based on the image is the pellicle frame. The exposure apparatus according to item 2 or 3, characterized in that. (Item 5) The control unit detects a first long foreign object representing the first side and a second long foreign object representing the second side, and obtains the distance based on the position of the first long foreign object and the position of the second long foreign object. The exposure apparatus according to item 4, characterized in that. (Item 6) The foreign object inspection device A light projecting unit arranged so that inspection light is obliquely incident on the surface of the reticle assembly, A light receiving unit in which a plurality of light receiving elements that receive scattered light from foreign objects generated by the inspection light are arranged along a first direction parallel to the first side, A driving unit that drives the light projecting unit and the light receiving unit in a second direction parallel to the surface of the reticle assembly and orthogonal to the first direction in order to inspect an inspection region on the surface of the reticle assembly. As an operation mode, a first mode in which a foreign object inspection of the reticle assembly is performed before the reticle assembly is transported to the reticle stage, and a second mode in which the foreign object inspection of the reticle assembly before the reticle assembly is transported to the reticle stage is omitted. The control unit sets the inspection region according to the set operation mode. The exposure apparatus according to item 5, characterized in that. (Item 7) The control unit When the first mode is set, the inspection region is set to the entire area of the surface of the reticle assembly. When the second mode is set, the inspection region is set to a predetermined first partial region where the presence of the first long foreign object is assumed and a predetermined second partial region where the presence of the second long foreign object is assumed. The exposure apparatus according to item 6, characterized in that. (Item 8) The control unit makes the driving speed of the driving unit in the region excluding the first partial region and the second partial region higher than the driving speed of the driving unit in the first partial region and the second partial region. The exposure apparatus according to item 7, characterized in that. (Item 9) Including a plurality of gripping mechanisms provided in the transfer unit and the reticle stage that grip the reticle assembly by a plurality of gripping members. The pellicle frame has a quadrilateral shape. The control unit. Obtains information on the pellicle width that fits each of the plurality of gripping mechanisms. Sets the minimum pellicle width obtained from the acquired information as a specified value. When the pellicle width calculated based on the detected position of the pellicle frame is smaller than the set specified value, it is determined that the transfer of the reticle assembly from the foreign object inspection device to the reticle stage by the transfer unit is possible. When the calculated pellicle width is not smaller than the set specified value, it is determined that the transfer of the reticle assembly from the foreign object inspection device to the reticle stage by the transfer unit is not possible. The exposure apparatus according to item 1, characterized in that. (Item 10) A control method for an exposure apparatus that projects and exposes a pattern of a reticle in a reticle assembly held by a reticle stage onto a substrate. The reticle assembly has the reticle and a pellicle including a pellicle frame and a pellicle film supported by the pellicle frame. The control method includes: A step of inspecting the surface of the reticle assembly using a foreign object inspection device configured to irradiate inspection light on the surface of the reticle assembly and receive scattered light from foreign objects generated by the inspection light to obtain an image of the foreign objects. A step of detecting the pellicle frame based on the image obtained by the inspection. A step of determining whether or not the reticle assembly can be transferred from the foreign object inspection device to the reticle stage based on the detected position of the pellicle frame. A control method characterized by having (Item 11) A foreign matter inspection device for inspecting foreign matter on the surface of a reticle assembly having a reticle and a pellicle including a pellicle frame and a pellicle film supported by the pellicle frame, A light projecting unit arranged so that inspection light is obliquely incident on the surface of the reticle assembly, A light receiving unit in which a plurality of light receiving elements for receiving scattered light from foreign matter generated by the inspection light are arranged along a first direction, A driving unit that drives the light projecting unit and the light receiving unit in a second direction parallel to the surface of the reticle assembly and orthogonal to the first direction, A control unit that detects the pellicle frame based on an image obtained by scanning the surface of the reticle assembly by the driving unit, and determines whether or not the reticle assembly can be transported from the foreign matter inspection device to an external reticle stage based on the position of the detected pellicle frame, A foreign matter inspection device characterized by having (Item 12) A step of exposing a substrate using the exposure apparatus according to any one of Items 1 to 9, A step of developing the exposed substrate, And manufacturing an article from the developed substrate. An article manufacturing method characterized by

[0052] The invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various changes and modifications are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, claims are attached to disclose the scope of the invention.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0053] RA: Reticle assembly, 12: Foreign matter inspection device, 14: Rotating hand, 15: Reticle stage, 30: Control unit, 100: Exposure apparatus

Claims

1. An apparatus for inspecting foreign matter, which irradiates inspection light onto the surface of a reticle assembly having a reticle and a pellicle including a pellicle frame and a pellicle film supported by the pellicle frame, and obtains an image of the foreign matter by receiving scattered light from the foreign matter generated by the inspection light; a reticle stage for holding the reticle assembly; a transfer unit that transfers the pattern of the reticle held by the reticle stage onto a substrate by projecting and exposing the pattern onto the substrate; a transfer unit that transfers the reticle assembly between the foreign matter inspection apparatus and the reticle stage; a control unit that detects the pellicle frame based on the image obtained by the foreign matter inspection apparatus, and determines whether or not the reticle assembly can be transferred from the foreign matter inspection apparatus to the reticle stage by the transfer unit based on the position of the detected pellicle frame; An exposure apparatus, characterized by comprising the above components.

2. including a plurality of gripping mechanisms provided in the transfer unit and the reticle stage for gripping the reticle assembly by a plurality of gripping members; the pellicle frame has a quadrilateral shape; when the distance between a first side among the four sides of the pellicle frame detected based on the image and a second side located on the opposite side of the first side is smaller than a specified value determined according to the interval between the plurality of gripping members, the control unit determines that the reticle assembly can be transferred from the foreign matter inspection apparatus to the reticle stage by the transfer unit, and when the distance is not smaller than the specified value, the control unit determines that the transfer of the reticle assembly from the foreign matter inspection apparatus to the reticle stage by the transfer unit is impossible; The exposure apparatus according to claim 1, characterized by the above.

3. The exposure apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that the control unit issues an error notification when it determines that the transfer of the reticle assembly is impossible.

4. The exposure apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that the control unit determines a long foreign matter having a predetermined size exceeding a predetermined size with a longitudinal direction parallel to the first side among the foreign matters detected based on the image as the pellicle frame.

5. The control unit detects a first long foreign object representing the first side and a second long foreign object representing the second side, and obtains the distance based on the positions of the first long foreign object and the second long foreign object. The exposure apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that.

6. The foreign object inspection apparatus A light projecting unit arranged so that inspection light is obliquely incident on the surface of the reticle assembly; A light receiving unit in which a plurality of light receiving elements that receive scattered light from foreign objects generated by the inspection light are arranged along a first direction parallel to the first side; A driving unit that drives the light projecting unit and the light receiving unit in a second direction that is parallel to the surface of the reticle assembly and orthogonal to the first direction in order to inspect an inspection region on the surface of the reticle assembly. As an operation mode, it has a first mode in which foreign object inspection of the reticle assembly is performed before the reticle assembly is transported to the reticle stage, and a second mode in which foreign object inspection of the reticle assembly before the reticle assembly is transported to the reticle stage is omitted. The control unit sets the inspection region according to the set operation mode. The exposure apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that.

7. The control unit When the first mode is set, the inspection region is set to the entire area of the surface of the reticle assembly. When the second mode is set, the inspection region is set to a predetermined first partial region where the presence of the first long foreign object is assumed and a predetermined second partial region where the presence of the second long foreign object is assumed. The exposure apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that.

8. The control unit makes the driving speed by the driving unit in a region excluding the first partial region and the second partial region higher than the driving speed by the driving unit in the first partial region and the second partial region. The exposure apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that.

9. Including a plurality of gripping mechanisms provided in the transport unit and the reticle stage that grip the reticle assembly by a plurality of gripping members. The pellicle frame has a quadrilateral shape. The control unit Obtains information on the pellicle width that fits each of the plurality of gripping mechanisms. Sets the minimum pellicle width obtained from the obtained information as a specified value. When the pellicle width calculated based on the position of the detected pellicle frame is smaller than the set specified value, it is determined that the conveyance unit can convey the reticle assembly from the foreign object inspection device to the reticle stage. When the calculated pellicle width is not smaller than the set specified value, it is determined that the conveyance unit cannot convey the reticle assembly from the foreign object inspection device to the reticle stage. The exposure apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that.

10. A control method for an exposure apparatus that projects and exposes a pattern of a reticle on a substrate held by a reticle stage. The reticle assembly includes the reticle, a pellicle frame, and a pellicle including a pellicle film supported by the pellicle frame. The control method includes: A step of inspecting the surface of the reticle assembly using a foreign object inspection device configured to irradiate inspection light onto the surface of the reticle assembly and receive scattered light from foreign objects generated by the inspection light to obtain an image of the foreign objects; A step of detecting the pellicle frame based on the image obtained by the inspection; A step of determining whether it is possible to convey the reticle assembly from the foreign object inspection device to the reticle stage based on the position of the detected pellicle frame; A control method characterized by comprising.

11. A foreign object inspection device for inspecting foreign objects on the surface of a reticle assembly having a reticle, a pellicle frame, and a pellicle including a pellicle film supported by the pellicle frame, A light projecting unit arranged such that inspection light is obliquely incident on the surface of the reticle assembly; A light receiving unit in which a plurality of light receiving elements for receiving scattered light from foreign objects generated by the inspection light are arranged along a first direction; A driving unit that drives the light projecting unit and the light receiving unit in a second direction parallel to the surface of the reticle assembly and orthogonal to the first direction, A control unit that detects the pellicle frame based on an image obtained by scanning the surface of the reticle assembly by the driving unit, and determines whether it is possible to convey the reticle assembly from the foreign object inspection device to an external reticle stage based on the position of the detected pellicle frame; A foreign object inspection device characterized by comprising.

12. A step of exposing a substrate using the exposure apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 9; A step of developing the exposed substrate; And a method of manufacturing an article, characterized by manufacturing an article from the developed substrate.

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