Photocopying – Projection printing and copying cameras – With temperature or foreign particle control
Reexamination Certificate
1998-12-18
2001-12-04
Adams, Russell (Department: 2851)
Photocopying
Projection printing and copying cameras
With temperature or foreign particle control
C355S077000, C382S144000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06327021
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a mask inspection system and a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, and more particularly, to a mask inspection system suitable for reliably removing dust particles from a mask, as well as to a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device suitable for reliably removing dust particles from the mask prior to an exposure process.
2. Description of the Background Art
In the process of manufacturing a semiconductor device, a wafer is subjected to exposure through use of a mask. Removing dust particles from the wafer prior to the exposure process is important for correct manufacture of a semiconductor device. For instance, a system utilizing scattered light of laser light is known as a system for detecting dust particles existing on the mask. In addition to detecting the presence of dust particles, the foregoing conventional system is capable of acquiring information such as the positions and sizes of dust particles.
Where dust particles are detected during the mask inspection process, the dust particles are usually blown away by air through manual or automated operations. By means of these operations, dust particles can be removed from a mask before a wafer is exposed through use of the mask. Thus, through the mask inspection operation and the dust particle removal operation mentioned above, a high yield manufacture of a semiconductor device can be achieved.
However, in a case where the dust particles are blown away manually, there may arise problems such as mask damage caused by operation errors and generation of dust caused by the presence of operators. Further, in a case where only an operation for blowing away dust particles is performed, as in the case of a conventional method, before a wafer is exposed through use of the mask dust particle inspection must be performed again in order to check removal of the dust particles from the mask. As mentioned above, the conventional method poses problems such as the necessity of complicated operations.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been conceived to solve the previously-mentioned problems, and a general object of the present invention is to provide a novel and useful mask inspection system and a method of manufacturing a semiconductor.
A more specific object of the present invention is to provide a mask inspection system which eliminates repetition of dust particle inspection by simultaneously removing dust particles and checking the removal thereof.
The above objects of the present invention are achieved by a mask inspection system which detects and removes dust particles on a mask. The system includes a gas blowing device blowing gas toward the mask; a dust particle suction device facing the mask; and a particle counter for counting the number of dust particles sucked by the dust particle suction device.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device which eliminates the necessity of repetition of dust particle inspection by simultaneously removing dust particles and checking the removal thereof.
The above object of the present invention is achieved by a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device. The method includes the steps of: detecting dust particles on a mask; blowing away the dust particles from the mask by blowing gas while checking whether or not the dust particles are blown away; and exposing a semiconductor wafer through use of the mask for which removal of the dust particles is checked in the dust particle removal checking step.
Other objects and further features of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4801352 (1989-01-01), Piwczyk
patent: 5728602 (1998-03-01), Bellows et al.
patent: 6038015 (2000-03-01), Kawata
patent: 6082179 (2000-07-01), Jeon et al.
patent: 56-150827 (1981-11-01), None
patent: 10-020478 (1998-01-01), None
Adams Russell
Kim Peter B.
McDermott & Will & Emery
Mitsubishi Denki & Kabushiki Kaisha
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