Canon Kabushiki Kaisha

Kiyoshi Arakawa

Hitoshi Nakano

Takahito Chibana

Disclosed is a semiconductor exposure apparatus which includes a chamber for accommodating therein a main unit of the exposure apparatus, a gas controlling unit for controlling a gas in the chamber, a chemical filter for attracting a chemical substance in a controlling gas, and a dust removing filter for catching a dust particle in a controlling gas, wherein a gas blowing area of the chemical filter is smaller than that of the dust removing filter wherein said chemical filter and said dust removing filter are disposed separately from each other. The chemical filter is mounted obliquely with respect to a direction of flow of a supplied gas. A gas rectifying device is disposed at a gas inlet side of the chemical filter and the dust removing filter. The chemical filter can be a pleat filter, and it is mounted so that the pleat thereof is orthogonal to the direction of flow of the supplied air.

Chemical filter arrangement for a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus

An exposure apparatus for exposing a substrate to light via a mask. The apparatus includes a projection optical system configured to project a pattern of the mask onto the substrate, a cover configured to surround a path of light from the projection optical system toward the substrate, a first supply port arranged inside the cover and configured to supply inert gas inside the cover, a first recovery port arranged inside the cover and configured to recover gas inside the cover, a second supply port arranged outside the cover and configured to supply gas outside the cover, and a second recovery port arranged outside the cover and configured to recover gas outside the cover. The first direction from the first supply port to the first recovery port and a second direction from the second supply port to the second recovery port oppose each other at an angle not greater than 90&#xb0;.

Exposure apparatus

An exposure apparatus includes a reticle stage which holds a reticle, a projection optical system which projects a pattern of the reticle onto a substrate, a reticle surface plate which is a base plate disposed between the reticle and the projection optical system and which supports the reticle stage. The reticle surface plate has an opening for transmitting exposure light. The exposure apparatus further includes a sheet glass set on the reticle surface plate so as to separate a space inside the opening of the reticle surface plate from a space above the reticle surface plate.

Exposure apparatus, maintenance method therefor, semiconductor device manufacturing method using the apparatus, and semiconductor manufacturing factory

Disclosed is a semiconductor exposure apparatus which includes a chamber for accommodating therein a main unit of the exposure apparatus, a gas controlling unit for controlling a gas in the chamber, a chemical filter for attracting a chemical substance in a controlling gas, and a dust removing filter for catching a dust particle in a controlling gas, wherein a gas blowing area of the chemical filter is smaller than that of the dust removing filter, wherein said chemical filter and said dust removing filter are disposed separately from each other. The chemical filter is mounted obliquely with respect to a direction of flow of a supplied gas. A gas rectifying device is disposed at a gas inlet side of the chemical filter and the dust removing filter. The chemical filter can be a pleat filter, and it is mounted so that the pleat thereof is orthogonal to the direction of flow of the supplied air.

Openings for transmitting ultraviolet rays are formed in a reticle stage () and a reticle surface plate () for supporting the reticle stage. A chuck groove () is formed in a reticle chuck surface () of a reticle holder (). An opening for transmitting ultraviolet rays is also formed in the holder (). An enclosure () for surrounding the ultraviolet path from the lower end of the stage () toward the vicinity of the reticle surface plate () is attached to the opening of the reticle stage (). A supply port () for supplying purge gas made of inert gas into a space defined by a reticle (), the stage (), the enclosure (), the surface plate (), and a projection optical system () is formed.

An exposure apparatus includes a reticle stage which holds a reticle, a reticle surface plate which supports the reticle stage, a projection optical system which projects a pattern of the reticle onto a substrate, a shield, and a gas supply. The shield surrounds a space, between the reticle stage and the reticle surface plate, through which exposure light passes, and it shields the space from outside. The gas supply supplies inert gas into the space shielded by the shield.

A semiconductor production system has an exposure apparatus, a coater-developer, and an in-line subsystem for connecting the exposure apparatus and the coater-developer. The in-line subsystem has a removing unit for removing gaseous chemical substances that enter from an in-line connecting section. The system has a shutter or an air curtain to suppress entry of gaseous chemical substances from the in-line connecting section.

Growing community of inventors

Tochigi, Japan

Kiyoshi Arakawa