System and method for detecting particles on substrate-supporting chucks of photolithography equipment
US5978078A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 17, 1997 |
| Grant date | Nov 2, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 17, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG03F7/70866
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A system (10, 110, 210) for detecting particles (144) on a surface of a substrate-supporting chuck (14, 114, 214) including an inspection subsystem (128, 130, 131, 116, 250, 252, 222, 216) for analyzing the surface of the chuck (14, 114, 214) to determine if any particles (144) are thereon, a movable table (16, 116, 216) for holding the chuck (14, 114, 214) to inspect it and for moving the chuck (14, 114, 214) during inspection, and a control unit (22, 122, 222) for moving the movable table (16, 116, 216) relative to the inspection subsystem (128, 130, 131, 116, 250, 252, 222, 216) to inspect the surface of the chuck (14, 114, 214) and to produce an indication signal if a particle (144) is detected on the surface of the chuck (14, 114, 214). A method for detecting a particle (114) on a substrate-supporting chuck (14, 114, 214) of photolithography equipment (18, 118) includes the steps of providing an inspection subsystem (128, 130, 131, 116, 250, 252, 222, 216); using a movable table (16, 116, 216) associated with a stepper (18, 118) to move a substrate-supporting chuck (14, 114, 214) relative the inspection subsystem (128, 130, 116, 250, 252, 222, 216), and using the inspection su…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.