Photomask protection system
US6190743A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 6, 1998 |
| Grant date | Feb 20, 2001 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 6, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG03F1/64
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
The present invention provides a photomask protection system for minimizing contamination resulting from the removal of a pellicle from a photomask. The system comprises a continuous wall attached to the photomask and disposed between the region of the mask where the pellicle attaches and the photomask pattern. The wall is dimensioned to fit within the pellicle and to be spaced from the pellicle membrane and the pellicle frame. The wall minimizes the likelihood that any contaminants generated by the removal of a pellicle frame from the photomask surface will reach the photomask pattern. The wall may be coated with an adhesive to capture any contaminants that contact it. The present invention also provides a method for minimizing the contamination of a photomask during the removal and replacement of a pellicle, comprising the steps of attaching a barrier to the photomask surface wherein the barrier surrounds the photomask pattern and fits within the pellicle without contacting the pellicle frame or pellicle membrane.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.