US 12,130,555 B2
Method and apparatus for mitigating contamination
Chih-Ping Yen, Hsinchu (TW); Yen-Shuo Su, Hsinchu (TW); Chieh Hsieh, Taoyuan (TW); Shang-Chieh Chien, New Taipei (TW); Chun-Lin Chang, Zhubei (TW); Li-Jui Chen, Hsinchu (TW); and Heng-Hsin Liu, New Taipei (TW)
Assigned to TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD., Hsinchu (TW)
Filed by TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD., Hsinchu (TW)
Filed on May 2, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/142,500.
Application 18/142,500 is a continuation of application No. 17/460,121, filed on Aug. 27, 2021, granted, now 11,675,272.
Prior Publication US 2023/0273525 A1, Aug. 31, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G03F 7/00 (2006.01); H05G 2/00 (2006.01)
CPC G03F 7/70033 (2013.01) [H05G 2/006 (2013.01); H05G 2/008 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An extreme ultra violet (EUV) lithography method, comprising:
receiving an EUV light by a scanner from an EUV light source, the EUV light passing through an intermediate focus disposed in the scanner and at a junction of the EUV light source and the scanner;
directing the EUV light by the scanner to a reticle in the scanner; and
deflecting nanoparticles from the EUV light source away from the reticle by generating a gas flow using a gas jet disposed entirely in the scanner and proximate to an interface of the scanner and the intermediate focus such that the gas jet does not block the EUV light.