Rave LLC

Bruker Nano Gmbh

Zygo Corporation

Jeffrey E LeClaire

Kenneth Gilbert Roessler

David Brinkley

Tod Evan Robinson

Bernabe Arruza

John L Sullivan

Robert Brown

Huizong Lu

David James Ray

Roy Wallace White

Barry F Hopkins

Alexander M Figliolini

Bernabe J Arruza

Kenneth Gilber Roessler

David W Brinkley

A debris collection and metrology system for collecting and analyzing debris from a tip used in nanomachining processes, the system including an irradiation source, an irradiation detector, an actuator, and a controller. The irradiation source is operable to direct incident irradiation onto the tip, and the irradiation detector is operable to receive a sample irradiation from the tip, the sample irradiation being generated as a result of the direct incident irradiation being applied onto the tip. The controller is operatively coupled to an actuator system and the irradiation detector, and the controller is operable to receive a first signal based on a first response of the irradiation detector to the sample irradiation, and the controller is operable to effect relative motion between the tip and at least one of the irradiation source and the irradiation detector based on the first signal.

Debris removal from high aspect structures

Debris removal in high aspect structures

Method and apparatus for identifying a contaminant on a substrate. Identification of a contaminant removed from a substrate can be useful in identifying and eliminating or reducing the source of the contamination and tailoring the removal method to minimize the potential for substrate damage. The methods and apparatus for identification of the contaminant provide liberation of molecules of the contaminant from the surface of the substrate, accounting for different geometries and substrate materials, sample preparation, and chemical analysis of the contaminant.

Apparatus and method for contamination identification

A photomask includes at least one feature disposed thereon. The at least one feature has an associated design location, where a distance between a location of the at least one feature and the associated design location defines a positional error of the at least one feature. A method for improving a performance characteristic of the photomask includes directing electromagnetic radiation toward the photomask, the electromagnetic radiation having a wavelength that substantially coincides with a high absorption coefficient of the photomask; generating a thermal energy increase in the photomask through incidence of the electromagnetic radiation thereon; and decreasing the positional error as a result of the generating the thermal energy increase in the photomask.

Apparatus and method for indirect surface cleaning

Methods for cleaning a surface of a photomask and for increasing the useable lifetime of the photomask are disclosed. One method includes, a first wafer print processing using a photomask and a pellicle disposed across the photomask, and cleaning the photomask. The cleaning the photomask includes directing a laser beam through the pellicle toward the photomask, the laser beam having a wavelength that is substantially equal to a local maximum of an absorption spectrum of the photomask, heating the photomask with the laser beam, and transferring heat from the photomask to a contaminant disposed on the photomask, thereby thermally decomposing the contaminant.

Methods for cleaning a surface of a substrate and for increasing the useable lifetime of a photomask substrate are provided. In one method, the surface of a substrate having a contaminating particulate disposed thereon is cleaned by directing a laser towards the substrate, generating a temperature increase in the substrate and transferring thermal energy from the substrate to the particulate to decompose the particulate. The laser has a wavelength that is substantially the same as a local maximum of the substrate absorption spectrum.

A wafer fabrication process with removal of haze formation from a pellicalized photomask surface is provided. The wafer fabrication process includes pre-print wafer processing, wafer print processing using at least one photomask having a pellicle, photomask clean processing, wafer print processing using the photomask, and post-print wafer processing. The photomask clean processing step includes directing a laser through the pellicle towards an inorganic particle disposed on the photomask to remove the particle from the photomask by thermal decomposition.

Wafer fabrication process

Methods for cleaning a surface of a substrate and for increasing the useable lifetime of a photomask substrate are provided. In one method, a substrate has at least one radiation-produced particle disposed thereon, and a laser that has a wavelength that substantially coincides with a high absorption coefficient of the substrate is directed towards the substrate. A thermal increase is generated in the substrate, and the radiation-produced particle is removed from the substrate by transferring thermal energy from the substrate to the radiation-produced particle until the radiation-produced particle decomposes.

A method for laser surface cleaning of a target surface that has limited or no access to the environment directly above the surface to be cleaned. The method includes the ability to clean the surface with a reduced risk of substrate damage. The method includes direct laser excitation of a contaminated substrate surface and thermal transfer from the substrate to the contaminating particulate or contamination layer. The method also includes producing a thermally based removal and reducing a risk of substrate damage by keeping the temperature required to produce surface cleaning below the thermal damage level of the substrate material. In addition, the method includes reducing the risk of substrate damage by utilizing relatively long pulse-widths, providing for improved removal of small contaminants/particles, and directing the beam through a material disposed relative to the surface that is part of the substrates environmental enclosure.

A method and apparatus includes positioning a reactant on a surface in specific location and then directing an energy source from a device at the reactant such that it modifies the surface to either remove material or add material.

Growing community of inventors

Boca Raton, FL, United States of America

Jeffrey E LeClaire