The Clarilite system is the first comprehensive solution to help semiconductor manufacturers address the quality and cost issues associated with reticle haze in 193 nm lithography.
The cost of wafer defects due to reticle haze can be significant and is an acute problem in fabs with deep ultraviolet (DUV) lithography tools. Haze is formed when impurities deposit on a reticle due to the presence of airborne molecular contaminants and moisture in the reticle environment.
To prevent reticle haze, reticles must continuously reside in an extremely clean and dry environment from the moment they arrive at the production fab. The Clarilite Certified solution provides a continuous cleansing environment for the reticle, preventing the formation of haze by controlling and purifying the environment around the reticle between uses.
The Clarilite Certified solution comprises three elements. The central element in the system is the RSP3 reticle pod with integrated purifier and purge capability. The pod is purged in the stocker and again near the scanner where the reticle will be used. The purifier works both ways to trap contaminants inside and outside the pod.
The RSPX manual purge station allows up to ten reticle pods to be kept in purge condition waiting near the scanner, while the XCDA® (Extreme Clean Dry Air) system provides a safe, cost effective alternative to Nitrogen purge. It is used to purge the scanner, the stocker environment and the pods.
Fabs that implement the solution often realize a 4 to 5x increase in meantime between reticle cleanings, providing a dramatic savings in both time and money.
Click here to view a white paper (PDF) showing results of an actual Clarilite installation.
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Click here to download a PDF of the paper - A Practical Solution to the Critical Problem of 193 nm Reticle Haze.
Copyright 2007 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers. This paper was published in the Proceedings of SPIE - Volume 6730 and is made available as an electronic reprint with permission of SPIE. One print of electronic copy may be made for personal use only. Systematic or multiple reproduction, distribution to multiple locations via electronic or other means, duplication of any material in this paper for a fee or for commercial purposes, or modification of the content of the paper are prohibited.
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