Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Comp. Ltd.

Jhan-Hong Yeh

Li-Jui Chen

Han-Lung Chang

Po-Chung Cheng

Tzung-Chi Fu

Chun-Lin Louis Chang

Yen-Shuo Su

Yen-Hsun Chen

Ting-Ya Cheng

Yi-Zhen Chen

Henry Yee Shian Tong

Jen-Hao Yeh

Hsin-Liang Chen

Cheng-Chieh Chen

Wen-Chih Wang

Jeng-Yann Tsay

Jen-hao Yeh

Yee-Shian Henry Tong

A reticle carrier described herein is configured to quickly discharge the residual charge on a reticle so as to reduce, minimize, and/or prevent particles in the reticle carrier from being attracted to and/or transferred to the reticle. In particular, the reticle carrier may be configured to provide reduced capacitance between an inner baseplate of the reticle carrier and the reticle. The reduction in capacitance may reduce the resistance-capacitance (RC) time constant for discharging the residual charge on the reticle, which may increase the discharge speed for discharging the residual charge through support pins of the reticle carrier. The increase in discharge speed may reduce the likelihood that an electrostatic force in the reticle carrier may attract particles in the reticle carrier to the reticle. This may reduce pattern defects transferred to substrates that are patterned using the reticle, may increase semiconductor device manufacturing quality and yield, and may reduce scrap and rework of semiconductor devices and/or wafers.

Reticle carrier and associated methods

A method for monitoring a shock wave in an extreme ultraviolet light source includes irradiating a target droplet in the extreme ultraviolet light source apparatus of an extreme ultraviolet lithography tool with ionizing radiation to generate a plasma and to detect a shock wave generated by the plasma. One or more operating parameters of the extreme ultraviolet light source is adjusted based on the detected shock wave.

Shock wave visualization for extreme ultraviolet plasma optimization

An EUV photolithography system utilizes a baseplate of an EUV pod to unload an EUV reticle from a chuck within an EUV scanner. The baseplate includes a top surface and support pins extending from the top surface. The when the reticle is unloaded onto the baseplate, the support pins hold the reticle at relatively large distance from the top surface of the baseplate. The support pins have a relatively low resistance. The large distance and low resistance help ensure that particles do not travel from the baseplate to the reticle during unloading.

System and method of discharging an EUV mask

In a method of diagnosing an RF generator of a laser produced plasma extreme ultra violet (LPP EUV) radiation source apparatus, a testing system is connected to the RF generator of the LPP EUV radiation source apparatus. An output power is measured by the testing system with changing an input power of the RF generator. Using a computer system, the measured output power is analyzed. Based on the analyzed measured output power, whether the RF generator is operating properly is determined.

EUV light source and apparatus for lithography

Growing community of inventors

Hsinchu, Taiwan

Jhan-Hong Yeh