Patent · US Active

Apparatus and methods for reticle handling in an EUV reticle inspection tool

US9851643B2 · kind B2 · utility

3Cited by

19References

17Claims

0Family size

Assignee

KLA-TENCOR CORPORATION · US

Inventors

Francis Chilese · San Ramon, US
Ulrich Pohlmann · Jena, DE
Detlef Wolter · Jena, DE
Joseph F. Walsh · Lynnwood, US

Key dates

Filing date	Mar 8, 2013
Grant date	Dec 26, 2017
Priority date	—
Expiry date	Mar 9, 2034

Classification

Technology area (CPC G)Physics
CPC primaryG03F7/70741
WIPO fieldOptics
WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

Systems and methods to control particle generation in a reticle inspection system are presented. The number of particles added to a reticle during an entire load-inspect-unload sequence of a reticle inspection system is reduced by performing all reticle contact events in a controlled, flowing air environment. In one embodiment, the reticle is fixed to a carrier by clamping outside of the vacuum environment, and the carrier, rather than the reticle, is coupled to the reticle stage of the inspection system. In this manner, the high levels of back-side particulation associated with electrostatic chucking are avoided. In addition, the carrier is configured to be coupled to the reticle stage in any of four different orientations separated by ninety degrees.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.