JP2666964B2 - Sample shuttle entry / exit device for electron beam lithography system - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Object of the Invention] (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to a sample shuttle entry / exit device for an electron beam lithography apparatus, and particularly to quickly and accurately enter / exit a sample shuttle with a simple operation. The present invention relates to a device capable of performing the following.

(Prior Art) In a conventional electron beam writing apparatus, a plurality of holders loaded with a sample such as a wafer and a mask are housed in a preliminary chamber outside the apparatus, and the holders are carried in and out one by one with respect to a stage in the writing chamber. The formula was mostly. On the other hand, recently, in response to a request for a so-called cassette toe cassette, a sample shuttle corresponding to the holder is provided in the electron beam writing apparatus, and the sample shuttle is automatically replaced in the spare room.
A system in which the sample shuttle reciprocates only between the preliminary room and the drawing room is being adopted. By the way, the conventional sample shuttle is movably supported on a number of guide rollers arranged in the preliminary chamber and the drawing chamber and on the stage, respectively.
A transport rod removably attached to the rear end of the sample shuttle reciprocates between the preliminary chamber and the stage.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) However, in the method in which the sample shuttle is movably supported on a guide roller and moved by a detachable transport load, it is necessary to move the sample shuttle smoothly, so that it is difficult to increase the speed. In addition, there is a problem that it takes time to secure the positioning accuracy of the sample shuttle in the stage and the spare room.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to solve the above-mentioned problems and to provide an apparatus that can operate a sample shuttle at high speed with a simple apparatus and operation and can easily secure positioning accuracy.

[Configuration of the invention]

(Means for Solving the Problems) The present invention for achieving the above object provides a sample shuttle of an electron beam lithography system of a type in which a sample shuttle is pressed and held from below to above a reference member provided on a stage. A transfer arm that supports a part of the lower surface of the sample shuttle, and is provided on the transfer arm so as to be able to move horizontally from the preliminary chamber toward the stage to carry the sample shuttle in and out of the stage; And position holding means for vertically engaging and disengaging with respect to the sample shuttle, and a clamp member for pressing the sample shuttle against the reference member, the part of the lower surface of the sample shuttle supported by the transfer arm. The sample shuttle is configured to be able to move up and down while supporting other parts except for the sample shuttle.

(Operation) The sample shuttle is supported by the transfer arm, and the positional relationship between the two is determined by position holding means. Therefore,
The positioning of the sample shuttle is performed in the same manner as the positioning accuracy of the transfer arm by positioning the transfer arm by known positioning means. To exchange samples with the sample shuttle, place the sample shuttle at a predetermined position in the preparatory room, and to move the sample shuttle into and out of the stage, place the stage at a predetermined position in the drawing room, move the transport arm horizontally, and move the clamp member up and down. It does by doing. Therefore, even if the sample shuttle is transported at a high speed, a stable operation can be obtained, and the operation of the sample shuttle can be performed in a short time with few operation steps.

(Embodiment) An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 10 denotes a drawing chamber, 11 denotes a vacuum gate valve, and 12 denotes a spare chamber. Reference numeral 13 denotes a stage provided in the drawing chamber 10, which is movable in the X and Y directions by a driving device (not shown), and the position of which is detected by a laser length measuring device (not shown) provided for the laser mirror 14 and a predetermined position. Is to be located.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a storage pocket 16 for the sample shuttle 15 is formed on the upper surface of the stage 13 with the right end side opened in FIGS. On the upper surface of the stage 13, a plurality of reference members 17 projecting above the storage pocket 16 are fixed. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a clamp member 18 is provided in the storage pocket 16 so as to be movable up and down by a lever 19, and an upward pressing force is applied by a spring 20. . The clamp member 18 is divided into an upper part and a lower part in FIG. 1 of the storage pocket 16, and is configured not to be located at the center.

In the preliminary chamber 12, two parallel guide bars 21 extending toward the stage 13 are mounted, and a slider 22 is movably engaged with the guide bars 21 via a ball guide or the like. In the spare chamber 12, a ball screw 23 is provided in parallel with the guide bar 21, and a ball nut 24 engaged with the ball screw 23 is connected to the slider 22. In FIG. 1, the right end of the ball screw 23 extends out of the preliminary chamber 12 through a vacuum seal 25 and is connected to a motor 27 via a coupling 26.

A transfer arm 28 extending toward the storage pocket 16 of the stage 13 is attached to the slider 22. The transfer arm 28 supports the lower surface of the center of the sample shuttle 15 at the tip end thereof, as indicated by a virtual line in FIG. On the upper surface of the portion of the transfer arm 28 supporting the sample shuttle 15, a position holding means (hereinafter referred to as a protrusion) 29 comprising, for example, two tapered projections is provided.
The sample shuttle 15 is engaged with a hole 30 provided on the lower surface of the transfer arm 28 to hold the sample shuttle 15 at a predetermined position on the transfer arm 28.

The transfer arm 28, as shown in FIG.
The position in the height direction is determined so that the upper end of the projection 29 is located slightly below the lower surface of the sample shuttle 15 when the clamp 15 is in the loading position pressed against the lower surface of the reference member 17 by the clamp member 18. . The transfer arm 28 is formed so as to be inserted between the clamp members 18 provided at the upper and lower portions of the storage pocket 16 in FIG. 1 as described above.

Although the description is omitted, the sample shuttle 15 is configured to accommodate the sample 30 in a replaceable manner, 31 is a reference piece, and 32 is a pressing spring.

Next, the operation of the present apparatus will be described. Sample shuttle
Reference numeral 15 denotes a lower surface (reference surface) of a reference member 17 by a clamp member 18 in a storage pocket 16 of the stage 13 to which a push-up force is applied by a spring 20, as shown in FIGS. The desired drawing is performed on the sample 30 that is pressed and fixed and loaded in the sample shuttle.

When one drawing is completed, the stage 13 is positioned at the sample shuttle entrance / exit position shown in FIG. 1, and the vacuum gate valve 11 is opened. Next, the motor 27 is operated, and the ball screw 23
To rotate the slider 22 to the left (in FIG. 1) along the guide bar 21 via the ball nut 24. The transfer arm fixed to the left side of the slider 22 by this
28 moves to the left, and the transfer arm 28 is inserted below the sample shuttle 15 from the state shown in FIG. 2 (see FIG. 3). Positioning of the transfer arm 28 at the left end
The desired accuracy can be easily obtained by determining the left-hand end position by a stopper (not shown) or by known numerical control. When the transfer arm 28 is located at the left-hand limit, the protrusion 29 provided on the transfer arm 28 faces the hole 30 provided on the lower surface of the sample shuttle 15.

Next, the right end of the lever 19 in FIG. 2 is pushed up against the spring 20 by an operating member (not shown). As a result, the clamp member 18 descends, and the sample shuttle 15 also descends at the same time. The lowering of the sample shuttle 15 causes the holes 30 to engage with the projections 29 as shown in FIG.
Is placed on and supported by the transfer arm.

Next, the motor 27 is rotated in the reverse direction to move the transfer arm 28 to the right in FIG. 3, and the sample shuttle 15 is taken out of the storage pocket 16 and, as shown by the phantom line in FIG. Position. The positioning of the sample shuttle 15 in the preliminary chamber 12 is performed by the transfer arm 28 and the sample shuttle 15.
Because 15 is in a predetermined positional relationship by the projection 29 and the hole 30,
By performing the positioning of the slider 22 fixing the transfer arm 28 in the same manner as the above-described positioning at the left-hand limit, a desired accuracy can be easily obtained.

Sample shuttle transported into the spare room 12 after finishing drawing
The sample 15 is replaced with a sample 30 by a sample exchange device (not shown), and is attached to the stage 13 again by an operation reverse to the unloading operation. After this installation is completed, transfer arm 28
As shown in FIG.
The vacuum gate valve 11 is closed to start drawing.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment.For example, a mechanism for horizontally moving the transfer arm 28 and a position holding means for engaging the transfer arm 28 and the sample shuttle 15 so as to be vertically disengageable can be provided. It goes without saying that various modifications are possible.

〔The invention's effect〕

As described above, according to the present invention, the operation for entering and exiting the sample shuttle is simple, and the sample shuttle can be stably supported and transported. As a result, the operation rate of the apparatus can be increased, and the positioning accuracy of the sample shuttle can be easily obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan sectional view showing an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged sectional view showing a relationship between a sample shuttle on a stage and a transfer arm, and FIG. 3 is a sample corresponding to FIG. It is a partial expanded sectional view showing the state where the shuttle was supported by the transfer arm. 10 Drawing chamber, 11 Vacuum gate valve, 12 Preliminary chamber, 13 Stage, 15 Sample shuttle, 16 Storage pocket, 17 Reference member, 18 Clamp member, 20
... Spring, 21 ... Guide bar, 22 ... Slider, 23 ... Ball screw, 24 ... Ball nut, 27 ... Motor, 28 ...
Transfer arm, 29: Position holding means (projection), 30: Hole.

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] An electron beam lithography system in which a sample shuttle is pressed and held from below to above by a reference member provided on a stage and supports a part of the lower surface of the sample shuttle. A transfer arm provided to be movable horizontally from the preliminary chamber toward the stage so as to carry the sample shuttle in and out of the stage, and a transfer arm provided on the transfer arm so as to be vertically disengageable with respect to the sample shuttle. Engaging position holding means, further comprising a clamp member for pressing the sample shuttle against the reference member, supporting a part other than the part of the lower surface of the sample shuttle supported by the transfer arm and supporting the sample shuttle. A sample shuttle entry / exit device for an electron beam writing apparatus, wherein the sample shuttle is configured to be movable up and down.