This U.S. non-provisional patent application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2019-0051676, filed on May 2, 2019 in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.
The present disclosure relates to a fabrication system of a semiconductor device and a method of fabricating a semiconductor device using the same, and in particular, to an EUV exposure system and a method of fabricating a semiconductor device using the same.
With the development of information technology, research and development of highly integrated semiconductor devices have been actively conducted. The integration density of the semiconductor devices strongly relies on the wavelength of the light source used in the lithography process. Laser beams, such as I-line, G-line, KrF excimer, and ArF excimer, or extreme ultraviolet (EUV) beams, whose wavelengths are shorter than the excimer laser, may be used as the light source. The EUV beam has a much higher energy than the excimer laser. Thus, the use of the EUV beam may lead to a particle contamination issue on a reticle. To prevent a failure from occurring in the lithography process, the contaminated reticle should be replaced with another reticle.
An embodiment of the inventive concept provides a semiconductor fabrication system, which is configured to suppress or prevent a particle contamination issue, and a method of fabricating a semiconductor device using the same.
According to an embodiment of the inventive concept, a system for fabricating a semiconductor device may include a chamber, an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) source in the chamber and configured to generate an EUV beam, an optical system on the EUV source and configured to provide the EUV beam to a substrate, a substrate stage in the chamber and configured to receive the substrate, a reticle stage in the chamber and configured to hold a reticle that is configured to project the EUV beam onto the substrate, and a particle collector between the reticle and the optical system and configured to allow for a selective transmission of the EUV beam and to remove a particle from the reticle or from an area adjacent the reticle.
According to an embodiment of the inventive concept, a system for fabricating a semiconductor device may include a chamber, an EUV source in the chamber and configured to generate an EUV beam, an optical system on the EUV source and configured to provide the EUV beam to a substrate, a substrate stage in the chamber and configured to receive the substrate, a reticle stage in the chamber and configured to hold a reticle that is configured to project the EUV beam onto the substrate, a reticle chuck on the reticle stage and configured to hold the reticle using a electrostatic voltage, and masking blades between the reticle and the optical system. The masking blades may be configured to be charged to a bias voltage different from the electrostatic voltage.
According to an embodiment of the inventive concept, a method of fabricating a semiconductor device may include applying a electrostatic voltage to a reticle chuck of an exposure system, generating an EUV beam including an intensity having a first pulse, providing the EUV beam to a reticle, blocking a particle synchronized with the first pulse, applying a bias voltage to a masking blade of the exposure system to charge the masking blade, and providing the EUV beam to a substrate.
Example embodiments will be more clearly understood from the following brief description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The accompanying drawings represent non-limiting, example embodiments as described herein.
It should be noted that these figures are intended to illustrate the general characteristics of methods, structure and/or materials utilized in certain example embodiments and to supplement the written description provided below. These drawings are not, however, to scale and may not precisely reflect the precise structural or performance characteristics of any given embodiment, and should not be interpreted as defining or limiting the range of values or properties encompassed by example embodiments. For example, the relative thicknesses and positioning of molecules, layers, regions and/or structural elements may be reduced or exaggerated for clarity. The use of similar or identical reference numbers in the various drawings is intended to indicate the presence of a similar or identical element or feature.
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The chamber 110 may define or provide a space, which is isolated from the outside, to a substrate W and a reticle 144. For example, the chamber 110 may have a vacuum state and/or may be sealed from the outside.
The EUV source 120 may be disposed in a corner portion of the chamber 110. The EUV source 120 may generate an EUV beam 102. The EUV beam 102 may be a plasma beam. As an example, the EUV source 120 may include a source drop generator 122, a laser 124, and a collector mirror 126. The source drop generator 122 may generate a source drop 121. The source drop 121 may be or include a metal liquid drop of tin (Sn), xenon (Xe) gas, titanium (Ti), or lithium (Li). The laser 124 may provide the source drop 121 to a laser beam 123 to generate the EUV beam 102. The laser beam 123 may be a pump light of the EUV beam 102. An intensity of the EUV beam 102 may be in proportion to an intensity or power of the laser beam 123.
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The optical system 130 may be disposed between the reticle stage 140 and the substrate stage 150. The optical system 130 may be provided in a projection optical box (POB) 131. The POB 131 may be configured to allow the optical system 130 to be maintained at a high vacuum pressure (e.g., 1×10−6 Torr). The optical system 130 may provide the EUV beam 102 sequentially to the reticle 144 and the substrate W. As an example, the optical system 130 may include a field facet mirror 132, a pupil facet mirror 134, a grazing mirror 136, and projection mirrors 138. The field facet mirror 132, the pupil facet mirror 134, and the grazing mirror 136 may be used as an illumination system for providing the EUV beam 102 to the reticle 144. The field facet mirror 132 may reflect the EUV beam 102 toward the pupil facet mirror 134. The pupil facet mirror 134 may reflect the EUV beam 102 toward the reticle 144. The field facet mirror 132 and the pupil facet mirror 134 may be configured to allow the EUV beam 102 to be collimated onto the grazing mirror 136. The grazing mirror 136 may be disposed between the pupil facet mirror 134 and the reticle 144. The grazing mirror 136 may adjust a grazing incident angle of the EUV beam 102. The projection mirrors 138 may be used as an objective lens (or a projection objective) for providing the EUV beam 102 onto the substrate W. The projection mirrors 138 may provide the EUV beam 102 onto the substrate W.
The reticle stage 140 may be disposed in an upper portion of the chamber 110. The reticle stage 140 may have a reticle chuck 142 (or the reticle chuck 142 may be on the reticle stage 140). The reticle chuck 142 may hold or fasten the reticle 144 in an electrostatic manner using a electrostatic voltage (e.g., see Vs of
The substrate stage 150 may be disposed in a lower portion of the chamber 110. The substrate stage 150 may have a substrate chuck 152 (or the substrate chuck 152 may be on the substrate stage 150). The substrate chuck 152 may be used to load the substrate W thereon. The substrate chuck 152 may hold or fasten the substrate W using an electrostatic force. The substrate chuck 152 may be configured to change a position of the substrate W in the first direction X or the second direction Y, on the substrate stage 150. The substrate W may be exposed to the EUV beam 102. A region of a photoresist layer on the substrate W to be exposed by the EUV beam 102 may be determined by the pattern of the reticle 144. The motions of the substrate chuck 152 and the reticle chuck 142 may be controlled to provide the EUV beam 102 onto the entire top surface of the substrate W.
The particle collector 160 may be disposed between the optical system 130 and the reticle 144. The particle collector 160 may remove a particle (e.g., see 190 of
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The blocking region 162 may absorb and/or block the EUV beam 102. In addition, the blocking region 162 may prevent the particle 190 (e.g., see
The transmitting region 164 may be configured to allow the BUY beam 102 to pass therethrough. The transmitting region 164 may be or include an empty space between the blocking region 162. If the transmitting region 164 is provided between the reticle 144 and the grazing mirror 136, the EUV beam 102 may be provided to the reticle 144.
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If the EUV beam 102 is generated, the transmitting region 164 may be provided between the reticle 144 and the grazing mirror 136. The EUV beam 102 may be provided to the reticle 144. The EUV beam 102 may be reflected to the substrate W by the reticle 144.
If the EUV beam 102 is not generated, the blocking region 162 may be provided between the reticle 144 and the grazing mirror 136. The blocking region 162 may remove the particle 190 (e.g., see
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In addition, a uniformity corrector 148 may be provided between the masking blades 146 and the particle collector 160. The uniformity corrector 148 may be configured to mechanically absorb a fraction of the BUY beam 102 and may adjust uniformity of the BUY beam 102. Alternatively, the uniformity corrector 148 may be configured to adjust an intensity of the EUV beam 102 in some other manner.
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The bias electrode 166 may induce the electric field E using a first bias voltage Vb1. The electric field E may be induced between the masking blades 146. The electric field E may be used to remove the particle 190.
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The bias electrode 166 may be disposed on one of the first masking blades 145 and one of the second masking blades 147. As an example, the bias electrode 166 may include a first bias electrode 163 and a second bias electrode 165. The first bias electrode 163 and the second bias electrode 165 may be disposed adjacent to each other and may be electrically connected to each other. The first bias electrode 163 may be disposed on one of the first masking blades 145. The second bias electrode 165 may be disposed on one of the second masking blades 147.
The ground electrode 168 may be disposed on another one of the first masking blades 145 and on another one of the second masking blades 147. As an example, the ground electrode 168 may include a first ground electrode 167 and a second ground electrode 169. The first ground electrode 167 and the second ground electrode 169 may be disposed adjacent to each other and may be grounded.
The first ground electrode 167 may be disposed on another one of the first masking blades 145. The first ground electrode 167 may be disposed to face the first bias electrode 163 in the first direction X. The first bias electrode 163 and the first ground electrode 167 may induce the electric field E, which is used to remove the particle 190, in the first direction X.
The second ground electrode 169 may be disposed on another one of the second masking blades 147. The second ground electrode 169 may be disposed to face the second bias electrode 165 in the second direction Y. The second bias electrode 165 and the second ground electrode 169 may induce the electric field E, which is used to remove the particle 190, the second direction Y.
In some embodiments, the first masking blades 145 include first and second masking blades and the second masking blades 147 include third and fourth masking blades. The first bias electrode 163 may be on the first masking blade. The second bias electrode 165 may be on one of the third masking blade. The first ground electrode 167 may be on the second masking blade. The second ground electrode 169 may be on the fourth masking blade.
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The fabrication system 100 may be used to fabricate a semiconductor device. Hereinafter, such a fabrication method will be described in more detail.
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If the electrostatic voltage Vs is provided to the reticle chuck 142, the reticle chuck 142 may hold or fasten the reticle 144 (in S10). A polarity of the electrostatic voltage Vs may be periodically changed by the fourth pulse 109.
Thereafter, the EUV source 120 may produce the EUV beam 102 (in S20). The EUV beam 102 may have an intensity of the first pulse 103. The EUV beam 102 may be periodically turned on or off by the first pulse 103.
Next, the optical system 130 may provide the EUV beam 102 to the reticle 144 (in S30). The field facet mirror 132, the pupil facet mirror 134, and the grazing mirror 136 of the optical system 130 may reflect the EUV beam 102 toward the reticle 144.
Thereafter, the particle collector 160, the masking blades 146, and the fluid nozzles 180 may be used to remove the particle 190 (in S40).
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First, the particle collector 160 may block the particle 190 (in S42). The particle collector 160 of the rotation disk chopper may periodically block the particle 190 using the blocking region 162. The transmitting region 164 of the particle collector 160 may have a rotation period of the second pulse 105. The second pulse 105 may be the same or almost the same as the first pulse 103. In addition, the bias electrode 166 and the ground electrode 168 of the particle collector 160 may induce the electric field E with a period of the third pulse 107 to block the particle. The third pulse 107 may have the same period as the period of the first pulse 103 and may have a phase opposite to the phase of the first pulse 103.
In addition, if the second bias voltage Vb2 is provided to the masking blades 146, the masking blades 146 may be electrically charged (in S44). The second bias voltage Vb2 may have the fifth pulse 111. The fifth pulse 111 may have the same period as the period of the fourth pulse 109 and may have a phase opposite to the phase of the fourth pulse 109. The masking blades 146 may induce the electric field E near the bottom surfaces of the terminals 141 and the side surface of the reticle 144 and may remove the particle(s) 190. In addition, the masking blades 146 may define the exposure region and/or the reflection region of the EUV beam 102 in the first direction X and the second direction Y.
If the second bias voltage Vb2 is provided to the fluid nozzles 180, the fluid nozzles 180 may be electrically charged (in S46). The fluid nozzles 180 may induce the electric field E near the bottom surfaces of the terminals 141 and the side surface of the reticle 144, using the electric field E of the second bias voltage Vb2, and may remove the particle(s) 190. In addition, the fluid nozzles 180 may provide the fluid 186 on the reticle 144 to reduce a contamination issue caused by the particle(s) 190.
All or at least one of steps of blocking the particle 190 (in S42), charging the masking blades 146 (in S44), and charging the fluid nozzles 180 (in S46) may be performed, during the removing of the particle 190 (in S40).
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As described above, the system for fabricating a semiconductor device, according to an embodiment of the inventive concept, may include the particle collector, which is provided between the reticle and the optical system to prevent or reduce a particle contamination issue from occurring on the reticle.
While example embodiments of the inventive concept have been particularly shown and described, it will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that variations in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the attached claims.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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10-2019-0051676 | May 2019 | KR | national |
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