Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Comp. Ltd.

Tung-Li Wu

Jui-Chun Peng

Heng-Hsin Liu

Chin-Hsiang Lin

I-Hsiung Huang

Heng-Jen Lee

Yung-Cheng Chen

Yung-Dar Chen

Po-Sung Kuo

Jheng-Long Chou

Ming-Wen Huang

An extreme ultra violet (EUV) lithography apparatus includes a light source that generates an EUV light beam, a scanner that receives the light from a junction with the light source and directs the light to a reticle stage, and a debris catcher disposed on a EUV beam path between the light source and the scanner. The debris catcher includes a network membrane including a plurality of nano-fibers.

EUV lithography apparatus and operating method for mitigating contamination

A lithography apparatus includes a plurality reticle edge masking assemblies (REMAs), wherein each REMA of the plurality of REMAs is positioned to receive one of a plurality of light beams, and each REMA of the plurality of REMAs comprises a movable slit for passing the received light beam therethrough. The lithography apparatus includes a controller for controlling a speed of the movable slit based on a size of the movable slit, an intensity of the one or more collimated light beams, or a material to be patterned. The lithography apparatus further includes a single mask having a single pattern, wherein the mask is configured to receive light from every REMA of the plurality of REMAs. The lithography apparatus includes a projection lens configured to receive light transmitted through the single mask, wherein the lithography apparatus is configured to introduce an immersion liquid into a space adjacent to the projection lens.

Lithography apparatus having dual reticle edge masking assemblies and method of use

An immersion lithography apparatus includes a lens system, an immersion hood, a wafer stage, an inspection system and a cleaning fluid supplier. The lens system is configured to project a pattern onto a wafer. The immersion hood is configured to confine an immersion fluid between the lens system and the wafer, and includes a peripheral hole configured to suck up the immersion fluid. The wafer stage is configured to position the wafer under the lens system. The inspection system is configured to detect whether there is contamination in the peripheral hole. The cleaning fluid supplier is coupled to the inspection system and configured to supply a cleaning fluid through the peripheral hole to remove the contamination, in which the inspection system and the cleaning fluid supplier are coupled to the wafer stage.

In-line inspection and clean for immersion lithography

A lithography apparatus includes at least two reticle edge masking assemblies (REMAs). The lithography apparatus further includes a light source configured to emit a light beam having a wavelength and a beam separating element configured to divide the light beam into more than one collimated light beam. Each REMA is positioned to receive one of the more than one collimating light beams and each REMA comprises a movable slit for passing the one collimated light beam therethrough. The lithography apparatus further includes at least one mask having a pattern, where the at least one mask is configured to receive light from at least one of the REMA and a projection lens configured to receive light from the at least one mask. A method of using a lithography apparatus is also discussed.

An apparatus includes a radiation source that emits a radiation beam that causes substantially all of a quantity of material to evaporate; and structure having first and second surface portions, a first operational mode wherein a greater quantity of a byproduct of the evaporation impinges on the first surface portion, and a second operational mode wherein a greater quantity of the byproduct impinges on the second surface portion. A different aspect involves emitting a radiation beam toward a quantity of material, the radiation beam causing substantially all of the quantity of material to evaporate; operating a structure having first and second surface portions in a first operational mode wherein a greater quantity of a byproduct of the evaporation impinges on the first surface portion; and thereafter operating the structure in a second operational mode wherein a greater quantity of the byproduct impinges on the second surface portion.

Method and apparatus for reducing down time of a lithography system

An air supply system for a clean room with a critical machine. An intake duct connects the exterior of the clean room to a make-up air unit, and is configured to transport external air into the make-up air unit. A first air duct connects the make-up air unit to an air conditioning cabinet including a first chemical filter, and is configured to transport the air flowing through the make-up air unit into the air conditioning cabinet. The first chemical filter removes airborne molecular contamination from the air transported into the air conditioning cabinet. A second air duct connects the air conditioning cabinet to the critical machine, and is configured to transport the air flowing through the first chemical filter of the air conditioning cabinet into the critical machine. An exhaust duct connects the critical machine to the exterior of the clean room, discharging waste gas produced in the critical machine.

Growing community of inventors

Hsinchu, Taiwan

Tung-Li Wu