Lithographic Pellicle C Chamfering Adhesion

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Solution Overview

Problem

In semiconductor and liquid crystal display panel production, debris on lithographic masks causes pattern deformation, edge roughness, and background staining due to light absorption or bending, leading to impaired dimensions and quality, and the use of pellicles as debris shields is hindered by protruding pressure-sensitive adhesives and residual haze from materials.

Innovation Solution

A lithographic pellicle with a pellicle frame and film, featuring C chamfering on corners and adhesion faces to prevent adhesive protrusion, and an electrodeposition-coated polymer film to reduce gas generation and haze, ensuring stable adhesion without interfering with the mask's flatness.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If pressure-sensitive adhesive is applied on the pellicle frame to adhere the exposure master plate, then adhesion strength is improved, but adhesive protrudes from the frame width causing yield decrease

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadhesion strengthVSAvoidadhesive positioning precision
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

C chamfering is performed on the pellicle frame corners before applying the pressure-sensitive adhesive. This preliminary geometric modification creates a recessed corner region that prevents adhesive from protruding beyond the frame width during the adhesion process, while the main flat surfaces maintain sufficient adhesive contact area for strong bonding.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The pellicle frame is given different geometric characteristics at different locations: the corner regions have C chamfering (recessed geometry) to contain adhesive, while the central flat regions maintain full width for optimal adhesive contact. This local differentiation allows simultaneous achievement of precise adhesive containment and strong adhesion.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Strength

If materials forming the pellicle (adhesives, coatings) are used to ensure good adhesion, then adhesion performance is improved, but gas generation occurs forming haze on the exposure master plate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadhesion performanceVSAvoidhaze formation
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The materials forming the pellicle (adhesives, inner wall coatings) are selected and formulated to have low gas generation rates. By changing the chemical composition parameters of these materials to minimize volatile content and gas evolution during curing and exposure, haze formation on the exposure master plate is prevented while maintaining adequate adhesion performance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If the pellicle is adhered directly to the exposure master plate to prevent debris attachment, then debris shield function is improved, but adhesive protrusion interferes with pattern region

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedebris shield functionVSAvoidpattern region cleanliness
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

C chamfering is performed on the pellicle frame corners before adhesion to create recessed corners that contain the pressure-sensitive adhesive within the frame boundaries. This preliminary geometric preparation ensures that when the exposure master plate is adhered, no adhesive protrudes into the pattern region, maintaining both debris shield function and pattern cleanliness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

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

The solution effectively prevents adhesive protrusion and haze formation, enhancing semiconductor production yield by maintaining the adhesion width and ensuring the pellicle does not interfere with the mask's flatness, thus improving pattern quality and production efficiency.

Implementation Method 1

an inner wall coating agent which is formed from an amorphous fluorine polymer and has a coating thickness of 0.01 to 0.05 mm

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectrodeposition: Electrodeposition

Implementation Method 2

The pellicle film is formed from nitrocellulose, cellulose acetate, a fluorine-based polymer, etc., which allows exposure light (g rays, i rays, 248 nm, 193 nm, 157 nm, etc.) to easily pass through

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLight transmission: Light

Implementation Method 3

a pressure-sensitive adhesion layer made of a polybutene resin, a polyvinyl acetate resin, an acrylic resin, a silicon resin, etc.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPressure-sensitive adhesion: Adhesive

Data Source

PatentEP2107421B1Lithographic pellicle
Publication Date: 2016.06.29 SHIN ETSU CHEMICAL CO LTD
  • EP2107421B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2107421B1 patent drawingFigure 2

AI summary

A lithographic pellicle is provided that includes a pellicle frame, a pellicle film stretched over one end face of the pellicle frame via a pellicle film adhesive, and an exposure master plate adhesive provided on the other end face, wherein corners formed between a pellicle film adhesion face and exposure master plate adhesion face of the pellicle frame and inside and outside faces of the frame are subjected to C chamfering, and the chamfer dimension on the exposure master plate adhesion face is greater than C0.35(mm) but no greater than C0.55(mm).