JPH01181519A - Reduction projection aligner - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent the deviation of focusing from occurring by providing a washing device for eliminating dust and dirt on a semiconductor substrate retaining stand every time the semiconductor substrate is replaced. CONSTITUTION:After exposure, a semiconductor substrate is removed from a semiconductor substrate retaining stand 1, which automatically moves to the position of a semiconductor substrate retaining stand washing device 3 for performing washing. Then, the semiconductor substrate is carried to the stand 1. The washing device 3 is provided with a dome 6 for sealing the stand 1, a high-pressure air discharge port 7, and a discharge port 8 which blows off dust and dirt blown off by high-pressure air to allow dust and dirt floating from the discharge port at the periphery part to be discharged. It allows the deviation of focusing on exposure of semiconductor substrate due to dust and dirt on the semiconductor substrate retaining stand to be eliminated.

Description

【発明の詳細な説明】 〔産業上の利用分野〕 本発明は半導体製造工程のフォトリソグラフィ工程に用
いる縮小投影露光装置に関する。DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a reduction projection exposure apparatus used in a photolithography process in a semiconductor manufacturing process.

〔従来の技術〕[Conventional technology]

従来、縮小投影露光装置では半導体基板を半導体基板保
持台に保持し露光マスクおよび縮小投影レンズを通して
露光しているが、半導体基板を半導体基板保持台に保持
した際に、半導体基板と半導体基板保持台のあいだに塵
埃がはさまれると、その部分に露光した際局部的に焦点
がずれて半導体素子に不良を与えてしまう。これを避け
るために保持台に凹部を設は半導体基板との接触面積を
なるべく少なくするように工夫している。Conventionally, in a reduction projection exposure apparatus, a semiconductor substrate is held on a semiconductor substrate holder and exposed through an exposure mask and a reduction projection lens. If dust is caught between the two areas, the focus will be locally shifted when the area is exposed, resulting in defects in the semiconductor element. In order to avoid this, concave portions are provided in the holder to minimize the contact area with the semiconductor substrate.

〔発明が解決しようとする問題点〕[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

上述した従来の方法では、半導体基板裏面の塵埃の影響
は確率的に低くなるが、塵埃が半導体基板保持台につい
てしまえば半導体基板を保持した際、相互間に塵埃がは
さまれるので、局部的に焦点ずれを起こしてしまう。ま
た、塵埃′が最初がらついていた半導体基板の裏面から
はがれて半導体基板保持台に残ってしまうと、次に装着
される半導体基板が焦点ずれを起こしてしまう。さらに
、焦点ずれは起さなくても同じ半導体基板保持台を長期
間使っていると小さな塵埃が付着し、この塵埃が半導体
基板裏面を汚染し、汚染された半導体基板が他の装置を
汚染するという悪循環を起こすという問題もある。In the conventional method described above, the influence of dust on the back side of the semiconductor substrate is probabilistically low, but if the dust adheres to the semiconductor substrate holder, the dust will be caught between the semiconductor substrates when they are held, resulting in local damage. This causes a shift in focus. Furthermore, if the dust 'is peeled off from the back surface of the semiconductor substrate where it was initially scattered and remains on the semiconductor substrate holder, the next semiconductor substrate to be mounted will be out of focus. Furthermore, even if focus shift does not occur, if the same semiconductor substrate holder is used for a long period of time, small dust particles will adhere to it, and this dust will contaminate the back side of the semiconductor substrate, and the contaminated semiconductor substrate will contaminate other equipment. There is also the problem of creating a vicious cycle.

〔問題点を解決するための手段〕[Means for solving problems]

本発明は、従来の縮小投影露光装置に、露光ステージ上
の半導体基板保持台を密閉するドームと、密閉した状態
で高圧空気を噴出して半導体基板上の塵埃を吹きとばす
吹出口と吹きとばされた塵埃を排出するための排気口と
を有する洗浄装置を設けたことを特徴とする。The present invention provides a conventional reduction projection exposure apparatus with a dome that seals a semiconductor substrate holder on an exposure stage, an air outlet that blows out high-pressure air in a sealed state, and blows away dust on the semiconductor substrate. The present invention is characterized in that it is provided with a cleaning device having an exhaust port for discharging the collected dust.

〔実施例〕〔Example〕

次に、本発明について図面を参照して説明する。 Next, the present invention will be explained with reference to the drawings.

第１図は本発明の縮小投影露光装置の模式図である。図
において、１は半導体基板保持台で露光ステージ２の上
に設置されている。半導体基板保持台１に半導体基板を
セットし露光位置に露光ステージ２によって移動させ縮
小投影レンズ４および露光マスク５を介して露光する。FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a reduction projection exposure apparatus of the present invention. In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a semiconductor substrate holding stand installed on an exposure stage 2. As shown in FIG. A semiconductor substrate is set on a semiconductor substrate holder 1, moved to an exposure position by an exposure stage 2, and exposed through a reduction projection lens 4 and an exposure mask 5.

３は保持台洗浄装置である。半導体基板が露光されたあ
と、その半導体基板は半導体基板保持台ｌからはずされ
る。このあと半導体基板保持台１は自動的に半導体基板
保持台洗浄装置３の位置に移動し洗浄が行なわれる。そ
の後次の半導体基板が半導体基板保持台１に運ばれる。3 is a holding table cleaning device. After the semiconductor substrate is exposed, the semiconductor substrate is removed from the semiconductor substrate holder l. Thereafter, the semiconductor substrate holder 1 is automatically moved to the position of the semiconductor substrate holder cleaning device 3, and cleaning is performed. Thereafter, the next semiconductor substrate is carried to the semiconductor substrate holding table 1.

洗浄装置３は第２図に示すように、半導体基板保持台１
を密閉するドーム６と、高圧空気吹出ロアと、高圧空気
に吹きとばされた塵埃を排出する排気口８とを有する。As shown in FIG. 2, the cleaning device 3 includes a semiconductor substrate holding table 1
It has a dome 6 that seals the air, a high-pressure air blowing lower, and an exhaust port 8 that discharges dust blown away by the high-pressure air.

半導体基板保持台１上の塵埃を高圧空気で吹きとばし周
辺部の排気口から浮遊した塵埃を排出する。The dust on the semiconductor substrate holding table 1 is blown away with high pressure air, and the floating dust is discharged from the exhaust port in the peripheral area.

〔発明の効果〕〔Effect of the invention〕

以上説明したように本発明によれば、半導体基板保持台
を半導体基板露光終了ごとに高圧空気で塵埃を吹きとば
し排出することにより半導体基板保持台上の塵埃により
半導体基板の露光時の焦点ずれがなくなり、また半導体
基板裏面についていた塵埃が半導体基板保持台に移され
、それ以降流れてくる半導体基板に影響を与えることが
なくなる。これにより製品の良品率が飛躍的に向上し縮
小投影露光装置の利用効率も飛躍的に向上せしめること
が可能になる。As explained above, according to the present invention, the dust on the semiconductor substrate holder is blown off and discharged with high pressure air every time the exposure of the semiconductor substrate is completed, thereby preventing the dust on the semiconductor substrate holder from defocusing during exposure of the semiconductor substrate. In addition, the dust on the back surface of the semiconductor substrate is transferred to the semiconductor substrate holder, so that it no longer affects the semiconductor substrates that flow thereafter. This makes it possible to dramatically improve the quality of products and the efficiency of use of the reduction projection exposure apparatus.

【図面の簡単な説明】[Brief explanation of the drawing]

第１図は本発明の一実施例の模式図、第２図はその洗浄
装置部分の断面図である。 １・・・半導体基板保持台、２・・・露光ステージ、３
・・・保持台洗浄装置、４・・・縮小投影レンズ、５・
・・露光マスク、６・・・ドーム、７・・・高圧空気吹
出口、８・・・排気口。FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a portion of the cleaning device. 1... Semiconductor substrate holding stand, 2... Exposure stage, 3
... Holding table cleaning device, 4... Reduction projection lens, 5.
...Exposure mask, 6...Dome, 7...High pressure air outlet, 8...Exhaust port.

Claims (1)

【特許請求の範囲】[Claims] 　露光マスクと半導体基板とを位置合せして露光を施こ
す縮小投影露光装置において、半導体基板を交換する度
に半導体基板保持台の塵埃を除去する洗浄装置を設けた
ことを特徴とする縮小投影露光装置。A reduction projection exposure apparatus that performs exposure by aligning an exposure mask and a semiconductor substrate, characterized in that the reduction projection exposure apparatus is provided with a cleaning device for removing dust from a semiconductor substrate holder each time a semiconductor substrate is replaced. Device.