Süss Microtec Photomask Equipment Gmbh & Co. Kg

Steag Hamatech Ag

Suss Microtec Photomask Equipment Gmbh & Co

Suss Microtec Solutions Gmbh & Co. Kg

Uwe Dietze

Peter Dress

Peter Grabitz

Davide Dattilo

Martin Samayoa

SherJang Singh

Jakob Szekeresch

Habib Hichri

Robert Weihing

Werner Saule

Sherjang Singh

Adem Beser

Jens Krümberg

Jörg Duda

Seongkuk Lee

Davide Datilo

Sherjang Sing

An apparatus includes a housing having an elongated chamber, an inlet opening extending into the chamber, and a slit shaped outlet opening. A tube element extends in a longitudinal direction through the chamber and is at least partially transparent to UV radiation. The tube element is arranged in the chamber such that a flow space is formed between the tube element and the wall of the chamber. At least one UV-radiation source in the tube element is arranged to emit UV-radiation in the direction of the flow space and through the outlet opening out of the housing to generate radicals in the liquid and bring the radicals to the substrate surface. Means are provided for adjusting the radiation exiting the outlet opening through the tube element such that the intensity of the radiation increases towards the longitudinal center plane of the chamber.

Device for applying to a substrate a liquid medium which is exposed to UV radiation

Methods for treating substrates are described. The methods comprise the steps of flowing an aqueous liquid medium through a flow channel and at least one outlet slit onto a substrate to be treated and exposing the aqueous liquid medium to UV-radiation of a specific wavelength at least in a portion of the flow channel immediately adjacent the at least one outlet slit and after the aqueous liquid medium has flown through the outlet opening towards the substrate and thus prior to and while applying the aqueous liquid medium to the surface of the substrate to be treated. In one method, the electrical conductance of the aqueous liquid medium is adjusted to be in the range of 20 to 2000 &#x3bc;S, by the addition of an additive to the aqueous liquid medium, the aqueous liquid medium prior to the addition of the additive having an electrical conductivity below 20 &#x3bc;S, prior to or while exposing the same to the UV-radiation. Additionally, the pH of the aqueous liquid medium may be adjusted to a range of 8 to 11 or 3 to 6 prior to or while exposing the same to the UV-radiation. The adjustments may lead to a shift in an equilibrium of reactive species generated in the aqueous liquid medium by the UV-radiation towards preferred species.

Method for treating substrates with an aqueous liquid medium exposed to UV-radiation

An apparatus for applying a liquid medium irradiated with UV radiation onto a substrate is disclosed, the apparatus comprising: a housing having an elongated chamber, at least one inlet opening, which opens into the chamber, and at least one slit shaped outlet opening opposite the inlet opening, which extends over the length of the chamber, a tube element, which extends in a longitudinal direction through the chamber, the tube element being at least partially transparent to UV radiation, wherein the tube element is arranged in the chamber such that a flow space is formed between the tube element and the wall of the chamber, the flow space being symmetric with respect to a longitudinal centre plane of the chamber, the longitudinal centre plane dissecting the outlet opening in its middle, and such that the tube element extends into the slit shaped outlet opening in the housing and thereby forms two longitudinally extending outlet slits between the tube element and the housing, and at least one UV-radiation source in the tube element, which is arranged to emit UV-radiation in the direction of the flow space and through the outlet opening out of the housing. The apparatus is distinguished by means for causing UV radiation to be emitted primarily in a first wavelength range through a first section of the tube member into the flow space and for causing UV radiation to be emitted primarily in a second wavelength range through a second section of the tube member through the outlet opening of the housing and optionally into an end region of the flow space adjacent to the outlet slits. The first and second wavelength ranges differ, and wherein for at least one of the sections, a maximum of 20%, preferably a maximum of 5%, of the radiation power emitted through the respective section comes from the other wavelength range.

Device for applying a liquid medium which is exposed to UV radiation to a substrate

An apparatus for applying a liquid medium irradiated with UV radiation onto a substrate is disclosed, the apparatus comprising: a housing having an elongated chamber, at least one inlet opening, which opens into the chamber, and at least one slit shaped outlet opening opposite the inlet opening, which extends over the length of the chamber, a tube element, which extends in a longitudinal direction through the chamber, the tube element being at least partially transparent to UV radiation, wherein the tube element is arranged in the chamber such that a flow space is formed between the tube element and the wall of the chamber, the flow space being symmetric with respect to a longitudinal centre plane of the chamber, the longitudinal centre plane dissecting the outlet opening in its middle, and such that the tube element extends into the slit shaped outlet opening in the housing and thereby forms two longitudinally extending outlet silts between the tube element and the housing, and at least one UV-radiation source in the tube element, which is arranged to emit UV-radiation in the direction of the flow space and through the outlet opening out of the housing. The apparatus is distinguished by means which are suitable for influencing the radiation which is emitted by the at least one UV radiation source and exits the outlet opening in such a way that a substantially homogeneous spatial distribution of radicals in a region beneath at least 50% of the outlet opening is formed on the surface of the substrate. In the known design, in a region below the center of the outlet opening, a high radical concentration is formed, which rapidly decreases in a direction transverse to the outlet opening.

Device for applying to a substrate a liquid medium that has been charged with UV radiation

A method and an apparatus for cleaning a substrate having at least one surface having a residue to be removed thereon is described. The method comprises: scanning at least an area of the surface having the residue thereon with laser light to thereby heat the surface and the residue; controlling the heating so that a part of the residue first liquefies such that the liquefied part of the residue starts flowing towards the solid part of the residue, thereby forming a meniscus with the solid part of the residue and accumulating in part on top of the solid part, the thus generated thicker layer of residue absorbing further heat to be decomposed or vaporized.

Method and apparatus for cleaning a substrate and computer program product

An apparatus for applying a liquid medium irradiated with UV radiation onto a substrata includes a housing having an elongated chamber, at least one inlet opening, and a slit shaped outlet opening opposite the inlet opening. A tube element extends through the chamber and is at least partially transparent to UV radiation. A flow space symmetric with respect to a longitudinal center plane of the chamber is formed between the tube element and a wall of the chamber. The longitudinal center plane dissects the outlet opening in its middle such that the tube element extends into the slit shaped outlet opening to form two longitudinally extending outlet slits between the tube element and the housing. At least one UV-radiation source in the tube element is arranged to emit UV-radiation in the direction of the flow space and through the outlet slits.

A holder for receiving and for protecting one side of a photomask or a photomask with pellicle from a cleaning medium, a method for cleaning such a photomask and an apparatus for opening and closing a holder are disclosed. The holder comprises a base having at least three support elements, which are arranged for receiving and for holding the photomask or the photomask with pellicle spaced from the bottom surface of the base, a sealing frame having an upper side and a lower side, wherein the lower side may be seated onto the base, and wherein the sealing frame comprises a centre opening, which is sized such that it may receive the photomask in a spaced manner. A circumferential, elastic sealing element is provided on the sealing frame, which extends from the inner circumference of the centre opening into the centre opening in an inclined manner towards the upper side of the sealing frame, wherein the sealing element in a no load condition has an inner circumference, which is smaller than the outer circumference of the photomask, and in a load condition circumferentially contacts a photomask, which is received in the centre opening, at its side surface.

Holder for holding and for protecting a side of a photomask or a photomask or a photomask having pellicle from a cleaning medium, method for cleaning a photomask or a photomask with pellicle and device for opening and closing a holder

A treatment head for treating a surface area of a substrate includes a housing having a main surface configured to be arranged adjacent to and facing the surface area of the substrate to be treated. An exhaust opening in the main surface of the housing is connectable to an exhaust device via an exhaust gas path formed at least in part in the housing. A radiative heater is arranged in the housing to emit heat radiation through a radiation opening in the main surface. A plasma source is arranged in the housing to emit a plasma jet through a plasma exit opening in the main surface. An outlet opening in the main surface of the housing is connectable to a gas source via an gas path formed at least in part in the housing. The centers of the exhaust opening, the radiation opening, the plasma exit opening, and the outlet opening are arranged in the above order along a first direction of the main surface.

Treatment head, treatment system and method for treating a local surface area of a substrate

An apparatus and a method for cleaning a partial area of a substrate, in particular a photomask, are described. The apparatus has a cleaning head having a lower surface configured to be arranged above and in close proximity to the substrate area to be cleaned, the lower surface having a central opening formed therein, a first annular groove, surrounding the central opening, and at least a second groove, arranged between the first annular groove and the central opening, the first annular groove being fluidly connected to a first port allowing connection to an external supply source and the second annular groove being fluidly connected to a second port allowing connection to an external supply source, a tape supply mechanism arranged to supply an abrasive tape to the central opening in the lower surface of the cleaning head, such that a portion of the abrasive tape protrudes therefrom and a liquid media conduit having an outlet arranged to supply a liquid to a backside of the abrasive tape at or at the vicinity of the central opening. In the method a protruding portion of an abrasive tape, which protrudes from a central opening of a cleaning head is placed in contact with the area of the substrate to be cleaned to thereby bring a lower surface of the cleaning head in close proximity to the substrate area to be cleaned. A liquid is supplied to a backside of the abrasive tape at or at the vicinity of the central opening of the cleaning head, such that at least the portion of the abrasive tape protruding from the central opening is wetted, and a relative movement is caused between the abrasive tape and the surface area of the substrate to be cleaned. The method also encompasses applying a cleaning fluid to the substrate area to be cleaned via at least one first groove or the at least one second groove in the lower surface of the substrate and applying a suction force to the other groove.

Apparatus and method for cleaning a partial area of a substrate

The application describes several methods and an apparatus for treatment of at least partial areas of a substrate. In said methods, at least one liquid is applied to at least one partial area of the substrate and electromagnetic radiation is introduced into this liquid, in order to achieve a desired effect in accordance with the respective method. In one method, radicals are generated in the liquid by means of UV radiation prior to application of the liquid, wherein generation of the radicals occurs directly before applying the liquid to the substrate, such that at least a portion of the radicals reaches the substrate. In one method, in which ions are removed from at least partial areas of the surface of a substrate and near surface layers of said substrate, a liquid, which is heated above ambient temperature is applied to the substrate, in order to form a liquid film on at least a partial area of said substrate, wherein electromagnetic radiation is introduced into said liquid film such that at least a portion of the radiation reaches the substrate surface. In another method for changing the surface characteristics of a substrate having an at least partially hydrophobic substrate surface such that at least a portion of said hydrophobic surface gets a hydrophilic surface characteristic, a liquid is applied to at least the partial area of the surface of the substrate, whose surface characteristic is to be changed, and UV radiation of a predetermined range of wavelength is guided through said liquid onto at least the partial area of the surface of said substrate, whose surface characteristic is to be changed. The methods may be performed in a common apparatus in any desired order in series and/or in parallel.

Method and apparatus for treating substrates

The application describes several methods and an apparatus for treatment of a substrate. In those methods, at least one liquid is applied thereto and electromagnetic radiation is generated in the liquid by means of radiation before applying the liquid to the substrate. Electromagnetic radiation is introduced into the film such that at least a portion of the radiation reaches the substrate surface. In another method for changing the surface characteristics of a substrate having an at least partially hydrophobic substrate surface such that at least a portion of said surface gets a hydrophilic surface characteristic, a liquid is applied to at least the partial area of the surface of the substrate, and UV radiation of a predetermined wavelength is guided onto at least the partial area of the surface of said substrate.

To increase the temperature homogeneity on the surface of a substrate that is to be thermally treated, a method for thermally treating substrates is provided, according to which the substrate is heated by several separately controllable heating elements. A desired-value profile is predefined for each of said heating elements. The method comprises the following steps: locally-analysed measurement of the temperature of the surface of the substrate that faces away from the heating elements, during the thermal treatment; determination of the temperature inhomogeneities occurring on the substrate surface; definition of new desired-value profiles based on said temperature inhomogeneities; and preparation of the new desired-value profiles for subsequent treatments.

Method for thermally treating substrates

A device and method for thermally treating substrates. A substrate is heated by a heating plate to improve thermal homogeneity. The heating plate is heated using a number of separately controlled heating elements. The temperature of the heating elements is measured and the heating process is controlled by a PID controller. In addition, the temperature of the substrate surface facing away from the heating plate is locally measured. The temperature distribution over the substrate surface is determined according to the measured temperatures and set values for the temperature of the individual heating elements are determined and transmitted to the PID controller.

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Austin, TX, United States of America

Uwe Dietze