Santiago E. del Puerto - Milton NY, US Michael A. DeMarco - Victor NY, US Glenn M. Friedman - Redding CT, US Jorge S. Ivaldi - Trumbull CT, US James A. McClay - Oxford CT, US
Assignee:
ASML Holding N.V.
International Classification:
H01L 21/68
US Classification:
41433114, 414805
Abstract:
A substrate protection and transport system and method for transitioning a substrate from atomospheric pressure to vacuum in a lithography tool. The system includes one or more removable substrate transport cassettes. Each cassette has at least one vent and at least one filter. The system further includes an end effector coupled to a robotic arm to enable the substrate to be positioned within one of the cassettes, thereby forming a cassette-substrate arrangement. The system further includes a box having a base and a lid. The box holds one or more of the cassette-substrate arrangements. In this way, a box-cassette-substrate arrangement is provided. An out of vacuum storage rack having shelves for holding the box-cassette-substrate arrangement is also provided. Still further, an entry-exit module having a loadlock is provided for transitioning the cassette-substrate arrangement from atmospheric pressure to vacuum. To transport the substrate, the substrate is first loaded into a removable substrate transport cassette.
System And Method For Reticle Protection And Transport
Santiago E. del Puerto - Milton NY, US Michael A. DeMarco - Victor NY, US Glenn M. Friedman - Redding CT, US Jorge S. Ivaldi - Trumbull CT, US James A. McClay - Oxford CT, US
Assignee:
ASML Holding N.V. - Veldhoven
International Classification:
H01L 21/68
US Classification:
41433114, 414805, 414940
Abstract:
A substrate protection and transport system and method for transitioning a substrate from atmospheric pressure to vacuum in a lithography tool. The system includes one or more removable substrate transport cassettes that support a substrate. The cassette can include a base portion and top portion, and can include a seal. Each cassette has at least one vent and at least one filter. The system further includes a box having a base and lid. The box holds one or more cassette-substrate arrangements. A storage rack having shelves for holding the box-cassette-substrate arrangement is also provided. Further, an entry-exit module having a loadlock is provided for transitioning the cassette-substrate arrangement from atmospheric pressure to vacuum. The entry-exit module can include a shuttle and/or elevator for transporting the cassette-substrate arrangement. During transitioning, the filter(s) and vent(s) restrict particles within the loadlock from entering the cassette-substrate arrangement and reaching a surface of the substrate.