The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 16, 2012
Filed:
Jun. 06, 2011
Method for examining a wafer with regard to a contamination limit and euv projection exposure system
Andreas Dorsel, Aalen, DE;
Stefan Schmidt, Aalen, DE;
Andreas Dorsel, Aalen, DE;
Stefan Schmidt, Aalen, DE;
Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH, Oberkochen, DE;
Abstract
A method for examining at least one wafer () with regard to a contamination limit, in which the contamination potential of the resist () of the wafer (), which resist () outgasses contaminating substances, is examined with regard to a contamination limit before the wafer () is exposed in an EUV projection exposure system (). The method preferably includes: arranging the wafer () and/or a test disc coated with the same resist () as the resist () of the wafer () in a vacuum chamber (), evacuating the vacuum chamber (), and measuring the contamination potential of the contaminating substances outgassed from the wafer () in the evacuated vacuum chamber (), and also comparing the contamination potential of the wafer () with a contamination limit. An EUV projection exposure system () for carrying out the method is also disclosed. By heating wafers having a high contamination risk, the contamination of optical elements in the projection exposure system () on wafer exposure may be distinctly reduced.