US 12,249,528 B2
Pellicle removal tool
Hilario Ar-Miguel Alvarez, Flower Mound, TX (US); Spencer Allen Mullens, Denison, TX (US); and Jesse Eugene Williams, II, McKinney, TX (US)
Assigned to PHOTRONICS, INC., Brookfield, CT (US)
Filed by PHOTRONICS, INC., Brookfield, CT (US)
Filed on Jan. 26, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/423,816.
Application 18/423,816 is a continuation of application No. 18/144,471, filed on May 8, 2023, granted, now 11,948,824.
Application 18/144,471 is a continuation of application No. 17/390,018, filed on Jul. 30, 2021, granted, now 11,682,573, issued on Jun. 20, 2023.
Application 17/390,018 is a continuation of application No. 15/960,963, filed on Apr. 24, 2018, granted, now 11,183,410, issued on Nov. 23, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/489,200, filed on Apr. 24, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2024/0242996 A1, Jul. 18, 2024
Int. Cl. G03F 1/58 (2012.01); G03F 7/00 (2006.01); H01L 21/68 (2006.01); H01L 21/687 (2006.01); B32B 38/10 (2006.01); G03F 1/62 (2012.01); G03F 1/64 (2012.01); G03F 1/82 (2012.01); H01L 21/683 (2006.01)
CPC H01L 21/68 (2013.01) [H01L 21/682 (2013.01); H01L 21/68742 (2013.01); B32B 38/10 (2013.01); G03F 1/62 (2013.01); G03F 1/64 (2013.01); G03F 1/82 (2013.01); G03F 7/70983 (2013.01); H01L 21/683 (2013.01); Y10T 156/1168 (2015.01)] 13 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A pellicle removal tool comprising:
a stage that holds a photomask in a fixed position relative to an associated pellicle;
two or more arms positioned around the stage and configured to engage pellicle side wells of the pellicle;
two or more columns, each of the two or more arms being housed within a corresponding one of the two or more columns;
two or more first actuators each configured to:
1) independently adjust a position of a corresponding one of the two or more arms along a Y-axis and a Z-axis, wherein the Y-axis and a corresponding X-axis are perpendicular to one another and extend parallel to a top surface of the pellicle and the Z-axis extends perpendicular to the top surface of the pellicle;
2) lift the two or more arms in a sequential order from one arm to a next arm so as to apply a sequence of lifting forces around the pellicle with the stage holding the photomask in a fixed position for removal of the pellicle from the photomask; and
3) Provide a fine position adjustment of the corresponding one of the two or more arms along the Y-axis and the Z-axis; and
two or more second actuators configured to:
1) independently adjust a position of the two or more arms along the X-axis;
2) Provide a rough position adjustment of the two or more arms along the X-axis;
and
3) Adjust a position of each of the two or more columns along the X-axis.