Sematech, Inc.

Applied Materials, Inc.

Nxp B.v.

Abbas Rastegar

Yoshiaki Ikuta

Vibhu Jindal

Shuwei Liu

Andy Ma

Dave Krick

Pat Marmillion

Sean Eichenlaub

Extreme ultraviolet (EUV) mask blanks, methods for their manufacture and production systems therefor are disclosed. The EUV mask blanks comprise a substrate; a multilayer stack of reflective layers on the substrate; a capping layer on the multilayer stack of reflecting layers; and an absorber layer including an alloy of tantalum and copper on the capping layer.

Ta&#x2014;Cu alloy material for extreme ultraviolet mask absorber

Disclosed are a cleaning solution mixing system, a tool and a method of operation thereof, including an ultrapure water source for providing ultrapure water; an ammonia filter for filtering ammonia in gas form; a hydrogen peroxide filter for filtering hydrogen peroxide in gas form; an ammonia re-gas membrane for dissolving the ammonia in the ultrapure water and forming ultra-dilute ammoniated water; a hydrogen peroxide re-gas membrane for dissolving the hydrogen peroxide in the ultrapure water and forming ultra-dilute hydrogenated water; and a mixer for forming an ultra-dilute cleaning solution by mixing the ultra-dilute ammoniated water and the ultra-dilute hydrogenated water.

Cleaning solution mixing system with ultra-dilute cleaning solution and method of operation thereof

An apparatus is provided for protecting a surface of interest from particle contamination, and particularly, during transitioning of the surface between atmospheric pressure and vacuum. The apparatus includes a chamber configured to receive the surface, and a protector plate configured to reside within the chamber with the surface, and inhibit particle contamination of the surface. A support mechanism is also provided suspending the protector plate away from an inner surface of the chamber. The support mechanism holds the protector plate within the chamber in spaced, opposing relation to the surface to provide a gap between the protector plate and the surface which presents a diffusion barrier to particle migration into the gap and onto the surface, thereby inhibiting particle contamination of the surface.

Apparatus with surface protector to inhibit contamination

An apparatus, system, and method for a Gigasonic Brush for cleaning surfaces is presented. One embodiment of the system includes an array of acoustic transducers coupled to a substrate where the individual acoustic transducers have sizes in the range of 9 um2 to 250,000 um2. The system may include a positioning mechanism coupled to at least one of a target surface or the array of acoustic transducers, and configured to position the array of acoustic transducers within 1 millimeter of a target surface. The system may also include a cleaning liquid supply arranged to provide cleaning liquid for coupling the array of acoustic transducers to the target surface. The system may further include a controller coupled to the array of acoustic transducers and configured to activate the array of acoustic transducers.

Gigasonic brush for cleaning surfaces

The present invention provides an apparatus and a method for an ultraviolet cleaning tool. The cleaning tool includes ultraviolet source spaced apart from a surface having contaminant particles. The ultraviolet source can create ozone between the surface and the ultraviolet source which breaks the chemical bonds between particles and the surface. The apparatus includes a gas feed which introduces a gas to aid the chemical bond. Additionally, the gas feed can introduce a gas to remove the particles from the surface.

Method and apparatus for an in-situ ultraviolet cleaning tool

There is an apparatus for cleaning a substrate () mounted on a moveable platen. In an example embodiment, the apparatus comprises a first chamber (), the first chamber has solvent-dispensing nozzles (); the solvent-dispensing nozzles wet the substrate surface () with a solvent () as the platen transports the substrate. The platen moves in a predetermined direction and at a predetermined scan velocity as it transports the substrate into a process chamber. The process chamber has a hot source () at a predetermined height (h) from the substrate surface (); it provides heat energy directed toward the substrate surface, the heat energy evaporates the solvent () dispensed on the substrate surface; the solvent evaporation removes particulates () from the substrate surface, as the platen transports the substrate from the first chamber () into the process chamber. Substrates cleaned may include precision photo-masks, or wafers.

Hot source cleaning system

Apparatuses and methods for cleaning a surface comprising contaminate particles are provided. In one respect, plasma and/or a shockwave may be created in a fluid flowing through a nozzle. The nozzle, coupled to a laser source and a fluid feed may be configured to deliver the generated plasma and/or shockwave to the surface.

Laser nozzle methods and apparatus for surface cleaning

Methods and apparatuses for cleaning a surface is provided. In one embodiment, a method includes the step of determining the type and size of the contaminant particles. A solution, which may include a plurality of variable size particles, may be selected such that an appropriate size cleaning particle is used during the cleaning process. The solution may include polystyrene latex particles or other cleaning particles. Alternatively, the solution may be a slurry. The solution and particles are delivered to the surface via a nozzle at a velocity that does not damage the surface and that clears the contaminants from the surface.

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Schenectady, NY, United States of America

Abbas Rastegar