JPS63261850A - Vertical x-y stage - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve throughput of wafers, by providing a plurality of stages having a horizontal guiding mechanism and an Xaxis drive motor in common. CONSTITUTION:A vertical X-Y stage has a plurality of movable stage sections A and B having a guiding mechanism 2 on one axis X or Y in common and the stage sections A and B are movable independently from each other. In exposure of wafers, when one movable stage section A, for example, is retreated from the exposing position for the purpose of exchanging a wafer held thereby, the other movable stage section B comes to the exposing position and LSI circuit pattern is printed on a wafer carried thereon by exposing it with SOR light (synchrotron radiation). By using a pair of stages A and B in this manner, it is allowed to utilize continuously emitted SOR light efficiently without loss and to obviate the down time for exchanging wafers. Thus, the throughput of the wafers can be improved.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Summary] The present invention provides an X-Y
The stage is configured to have a plurality of stage movable parts that can each move independently by sharing a guide mechanism or an actuator for one of the two orthogonal degrees of freedom of the X-Y stage, This is aimed at improving wafer throughput and making effective use of SOR light.

[Industrial application field]

The present invention relates to a vertical XY stage on which a wafer is mounted at an xFrM exposure tip.

Recently, X-ray exposure has been attracting attention as LSIs become more highly integrated. In particular, a method of exposing and transferring an LSI circuit pattern drawn on a mask onto a wafer using synchrotron radiation light (SOR light) is expected to be the most promising lithographic technique in the deep submicron region.

X-ray exposure using this SOR light has the characteristic that the SOR light source itself emits light that is nearly two orders of magnitude stronger than other light sources, so the time required for exposure can be shortened. In order to improve wafer throughput by exposing and transferring finer patterns onto wafers faster, it is necessary to reduce processing time other than direct exposure. There is a need for a method to shorten the time.

[Conventional technology]

Since the SOR light is emitted horizontally due to its generation principle, the XY stage must be a vertical stage capable of step-and-repeat operation within a vertical flat plane.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a conventional vertical XY stage.

In FIG. 3, two X-axis guide mechanisms 2 are disposed facing each other in the main body 1, and an X-axis stage 4 that moves in the horizontal direction while being guided by the X-axis drive linear D that drives axis stage 4
A C motor 3 is provided.

Further, a Y-axis stage 5 that moves in the vertical direction is mounted on the X-axis stage 4 that moves in the horizontal direction, and the Y-axis stage 5 is guided by a Y-axis guide mechanism 6. It is moved by a linear DC motor 7. Furthermore, Y
On the axis stage 5 is a wafer chuck 8 for mounting a wafer. Further, the lower part of the main body 1 is provided with a wafer position matching stage 9 and a wafer transport arm 10 for transporting unprocessed wafers to the wafer position matching stage 9. The unprocessed wafer 13 is transported from the unprocessed wafer container 12 at the bottom to the wafer position alignment stage 9 by the wafer transfer arm 10, and after rough alignment of the wafer position, the wafer chuck 8 on the Y-axis stage 5 is moved to the wafer position alignment stage 9. The wafer is chucked and exposed in place. The exposed wafer 14 is accommodated in an exposure method wafer holder 15 by the wafer transfer arm 10.

(Problems to be solved by the invention) The conventional vertical X-Y stage shown in Fig. 3 uses
X-ray exposure using SOR light is
The light source itself is nearly two orders of magnitude stronger than other light sources, and the time required for exposure can be shortened.

However, depending on the wafer processing time, for example, exposed wafers may be placed in the exposure method wafer holder 15 by the wafer transfer arm 10, or unprocessed wafers may be placed in the unprocessed wafer holder 12.
The time for taking out the wafer and transporting it to the wafer position alignment stage 9 is not shortened (the processing time other than these exposures is almost the same as the exposure time). Therefore, in order to further improve the throughput, there is a problem in that the time required for exchanging wafers must be shortened.

[Means for solving problems]

As shown in the schematic diagram of the x-y stage in FIG. 1 and the example in FIG. The vertical type X of the present invention has a plurality of stage movable parts (X-axis) A and B that are movable independently by sharing all or part of the motion guide mechanism 2, its actuator 3, or both.
- Solved by Y stage.

[Effect]

That is, the vertical XY stage of the present invention has a plurality of stage movable parts A and B that share the guide mechanism 2 of one axis and move independently. Therefore, when exposing a wafer, when one stage movable part A retreats from the exposure position to replace the wafer it is holding, the other stage movable part B enters the exposure position, and the stage is moved by SOR light. The work of printing the LSI circuit pattern of the mask onto the wafer on section B is performed. For example, during stage B wafer exposure,
Stage A performs wafer exchange, rough alignment of wafer positions, and the like.

That is, by using two stages A and B, the SOR light that is continuously output can be used without wasting it, and
This eliminates the time required to exchange wafers.
Wafer throughput can be improved.

〔Example〕

FIG. 2 is a diagram explaining one embodiment of the present invention, and the diagram shows an SOR
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a vertical stage of an X-ray exposure apparatus.

In Fig. 2, 1 is the main body, 2 is the X-axis guide mechanism, and 3 is the X-axis guide mechanism.
Linear DC motor for axis drive, 5 is Y axis stage, 6 is Y
T! lh guide mechanism, 7 is a linear DC motor for Y-axis drive,
8 is a wafer chuck, 9 is a wafer position combination stage, 10 is a wafer transfer arm, 11 is a shaft, 12 is an unprocessed wafer container, 13 is an unprocessed wafer, 14 is an exposed wafer, and 15 is an exposed wafer. Indicates the placement. Two stages (stage A and stage B) that share a guiding mechanism 2 in the horizontal direction (X-axis direction) are attached to the X-Y stage shown in FIG. Each stage A, B is driven by a coil movable linear DC motor 3 attached to both sides.

Since the magnet (not shown) of the linear DC motor 3 can be shared by both stages A and B, there is no need to provide a magnet in each stage guide mechanism.

In addition, above each stage AB, there is a vertical direction (Y-axis direction)
A wafer stage (Y-axis stage 5) having a degree of freedom of 1 is mounted, and driven by a linear DC like the X-axis, it enables movement in the vertical plane as well as a degree of freedom in the horizontal direction.

Further, the wafers set on the wafer chucks 8 of each stage A and B are replaced with unprocessed wafers by the wafer transfer arm 10 at the retreat position after being exposed to SOR light. Before the unprocessed wafer is set on the wafer chuck 8, its position is roughly adjusted.

As mentioned above, while stage A is performing the above-mentioned series of wafer exchange operations and rough alignment of wafer positions, stage B is performing exposure transfer of the mask pattern using SOR light, so it is constantly emitted. SOR light can be used effectively. Furthermore, even when wafers on one stage are replaced, exposure is performed on the other stage, so throughput can be increased.

In addition, although the stage guide mechanism for the horizontal axis is shared in the figure, even if the stage guide mechanism for the vertical axis is shared,
A vertical stage with the same function can be configured.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, according to the present invention, a plurality of (two in the figure) stages are connected to the horizontal direction (X-axis direction) guide mechanism and the
By sharing the shaft drive motor, wafer throughput can be improved and SOR light can be used effectively.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the X-Y stage of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a diagram explaining an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a diagram of the conventional vertical X-Y stage.
It is a figure explaining Y stage. In the figure, ■ is the main body, 2 is the X-axis guide mechanism (linear guide), 3 is the X-axis drive, linear DC motor, 5 is the Y-axis stage, 6 is the Y-axis guide mechanism (linear guide), 7 is the Linear DC motor for Y-axis drive, 8 is a wafer chuck, 9 is a wafer position combination stage, 10 is an arm for wafer transfer, 11 is a shaft, 12 is an unprocessed wafer container, 13 is an unprocessed wafer, 14 is an exposed wafer , B, stage feature section (X thin steel FI's
z

Claims (1)

[Claims] An X-Y stage, comprising: a linear motion guide mechanism (2) in one of the two orthogonal degrees of freedom of the X-Y stage, or its actuator (3); A plurality of stage movable parts (A, B
) A vertical X-Y stage.