Reticle Carrier Assembly Pin Support Mechanism
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional EUV blank processing techniques generate particles and reduce accuracy due to multiple lifting and clamping components, and place the reticle in an enclosure rather than a clean environment, leading to placement errors.
Innovation Solution
A customized support assembly with a plate coupled to a frame, featuring pins that vertically separate the components of the carrier assembly, allowing for independent support and minimizing contact points, thus reducing particle generation and enabling direct placement in a clean environment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If multiple lifting and clamping components are used to assemble and disassemble the carrier assembly, then the carrier assembly can be properly configured and disassembled, but particles are generated and placement accuracy is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes multiple lifting and clamping components from the carrier assembly, extracting only the essential elements needed for assembly. The simplified design uses minimal contact points that eliminate unnecessary mechanical interactions, thereby reducing particle generation while maintaining the ability to properly configure and disassemble the carrier assembly.
2Reliability
If the reticle is placed in an enclosure, then the reticle is protected during processing, but placement accuracy is reduced due to multiple loadport positions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the reticle from a complex multi-loadport enclosure system and places it directly in a clean FI-robot mini environment. This eliminates the intermediate enclosure steps that caused placement errors, while the reticle remains protected through direct, precise robotic handling in a controlled clean environment.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple lifting mechanisms are used to transport the carrier assembly, then the carrier assembly can be moved between modules, but placement accuracy is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes multiple lifting mechanisms from the transportation system, extracting only the essential single lifting action needed. The carrier assembly is designed with minimal contact points that enable direct pickup and placement by a single robot, eliminating cumulative placement errors from multiple lifting operations while maintaining the ability to transport between modules.
4Ease of manufacture
If conventional carrier assembly design is used, then standard processing can be applied, but particle generation increases due to multiple contact points
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts unnecessary contact points from the conventional carrier assembly design, removing elements that cause particle generation during assembly and disassembly. The simplified design maintains compatibility with standard processing while minimizing mechanical interactions that produce particles, achieving both ease of manufacture and reduced contamination.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided herein are approaches for processing reticle blanks. In one approach, a reticle processing system includes a support assembly having a plate coupled to a frame, and a carrier assembly coupled to the support assembly. In one approach, the carrier assembly includes a carrier base coupled to the plate, a reticle disposed over the carrier base, and a carrier shield disposed over the reticle, wherein the carrier shield may include a central opening formed therein, allowing for placement and extraction of the reticle. In one approach, when the carrier assembly is placed atop the support assembly, a plurality of pins extend from the plate through corresponding openings in the carrier base, the plurality of pins supporting the carrier assembly so the carrier base, the reticle, and the carrier shield are each independently supported and vertically separated from one another.