EUV Pellicle Film Dust Prevention via Preliminary Cleaning
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Solution Overview
Problem
The production of pellicle films for extreme ultraviolet lithography is challenged by contamination during trimming and other processes, as the films are extremely thin and prone to breakage, and conventional methods like stealth dicing do not effectively prevent particle attachment.
Innovation Solution
A method involving forming holes in the substrate and pellicle film using an ultra-short pulse laser, followed by trimming and cleaning before removing the substrate, to minimize dust attachment and ensure a high-quality pellicle film.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If trimming is performed on the pellicle film, then the pellicle film can be shaped correctly, but particles are generated and accumulated on the film surface causing contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing cleaning operations before the trimming step. Specifically, the pellicle film is cleaned using a吹扫装置 (blow-off device) with inert gas or plasma before trimming is performed. This removes particles from the film surface in advance, so that when trimming generates particles, they are less likely to adhere to the film surface, thus resolving the contradiction between shaping the film and preventing contamination.
2Ease of operation
If the substrate is removed after trimming, then the pellicle film can be released from the substrate, but particles generated during trimming remain on the film surface
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs cleaning actions before substrate removal. The吹扫装置 is used to blow off particles from the pellicle film surface before the substrate is removed. This ensures that the film is clean prior to release, and when the substrate is removed, no particles are generated during this step that would contaminate the film, thus achieving both easy release and high film purity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses an inert atmosphere (nitrogen or argon gas) in the cleaning process to prevent oxidation and contamination during the cleaning and substrate removal steps. The吹扫装置 introduces inert gas to create a clean environment, preventing external contamination while removing existing particles, thus maintaining film purity during the release process.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If cleaning is performed after trimming, then dust can be removed from the film surface, but the extremely thin film may be broken
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs cleaning before trimming rather than after. By removing particles from the film surface before the trimming step, the film is cleaned when it still has substrate support and is more robust. This preliminary cleaning avoids the risk of breaking the extremely thin film during subsequent cleaning operations after trimming, thus resolving the contradiction between removing dust and maintaining film strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses inert gas (nitrogen or argon) in the cleaning process to provide a controlled environment that prevents oxidation and minimizes mechanical stress on the thin film. The inert atmosphere allows gentle cleaning without introducing moisture or oxygen that could damage the film, thus removing dust while preserving film integrity.
4Object-generated harmful factors
If stealth dicing is used for trimming, then particle generation is reduced, but particles still occur during expansion and attach to the pellicle film
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary cleaning before trimming, regardless of the trimming method used. Even when stealth dicing is used to minimize particle generation during trimming, the preliminary吹扫 cleaning removes particles from the film surface in advance. This ensures that any particles generated during expansion or trimming will not adhere to the film, thus resolving the contradiction between reducing particle generation and preventing dust attachment.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach reduces dust attachment to the pellicle film, producing a high-quality pellicle with minimized contamination, even for extremely thin EUV films, by performing critical steps before substrate removal.
Implementation Method 1
forming holes in the substrate and the pellicle film with an ultra-short pulse laser
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2(a)~2(b)
Figure 3(a)~3(c)
AI summary
A pellicle is contaminated with dust or the like for various reasons during the production thereof. Especially, there is a problem that the risk that the dust or the like is attached is high during trimming or various other processes performed on a pellicle film. The present invention provides a method for producing a pellicle for EUV that decreases the attachment of dust or the like. A method for producing a pellicle includes forming a pellicle film on a substrate; trimming the substrate; and removing at least a part of the substrate after trimming the substrate. Before the part of the substrate is removed, at least particles attached to a surface of the pellicle film are removed.