Samsung patents method for sweeping particles off photomasks with a probe
This patent describes a technique for cleaning photomasks, which are precise templates used to create computer chips. It uses a tiny probe tip to scan the mask's surface, map the location of dust particles, and then physically sweep them away at specific heights to collect them.
In the filing’s own words
The inventive concept provides a method of removing and collecting particles from a photomask including fabricating the photomask on a substrate, generating a first map indicating locations of particles on a surface of the photomask by inspecting the surface of the photomask using a probe tip, vertically moving the probe tip to a first vertical height that is lower than a height of the particle, horizontally moving the probe tip parallel to the surface of the photomask at the first vertical height, generating a second map indicating locations of particles on the surface of the photomask using the probe tip, vertically moving the probe tip to a second vertical height that is lower than the first vertical height, and horizontally moving the probe tip parallel to the surface of the photomask at the second vertical height.
What exactly they claim (claim 1)
1. A method of removing and collecting a plurality of particles from a photomask, the method comprising: fabricating the photomask on a substrate; generating a first map indicating first locations of the plurality of particles on a surface of the photomask by inspecting the surface of the photomask using a probe tip; vertically moving the probe tip to a first vertical height that is lower than a height of a first particle among the plurality of particles; horizontally moving the probe tip parallel to the surface of the photomask at the first vertical height; generating, after horizontally moving the probe tip at the first vertical height, a second map indicating second locations of the plurality of particles on the surface of the photomask using the probe tip; vertically moving the probe tip to a second vertical height that is lower than the first vertical height; and horizontally moving the probe tip parallel to the surface of the photomask at the second vertical height.
Facts
- Company
- Samsung (Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.)
- Official title
- Method of removing and collecting particles from photomask and device for removing and collecting particles therefrom
- Patent number
- US12754208B2
- Application number
- 18223775
- Filed
- Jul 19, 2023
- Granted
- Oct 6, 2026
- Inventors
- 1
- Claims
- 17
Classified under
G01Q 80/00 Physics & computingG01Q 60/24 Physics & computingMore from Samsung in Chips & hardware
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Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.