Abstract: A substrate protection and transport system and method for transitioning a substrate from atmospheric pressure to vacuum in a lithography tool. The system includes one or more removable substrate transport cassettes that support a substrate. The cassette can include a base portion and top portion, and can include a seal. Each cassette has at least one vent and at least one filter. The system further includes a box having a base and lid. The box holds one or more cassette-substrate arrangements. A storage rack having shelves for holding the box-cassette-substrate arrangement is also provided. Further, an entry-exit module having a loadlock is provided for transitioning the cassette-substrate arrangement from atmospheric pressure to vacuum. The entry-exit module can include a shuttle and/or elevator for transporting the cassette-substrate arrangement.

Abstract: A substrate protection and transport system and method for transitioning a substrate from atomospheric pressure to vacuum in a lithography tool. The system includes one or more removable substrate transport cassettes. Each cassette has at least one vent and at least one filter. The system further includes an end effector coupled to a robotic arm to enable the substrate to be positioned within one of the cassettes, thereby forming a cassette-substrate arrangement. The system further includes a box having a base and a lid. The box holds one or more of the cassette-substrate arrangements. In this way, a box-cassette-substrate arrangement is provided. An out of vacuum storage rack having shelves for holding the box-cassette-substrate arrangement is also provided. Still further, an entry-exit module having a loadlock is provided for transitioning the cassette-substrate arrangement from atmospheric pressure to vacuum.

Abstract: The present invention provides a photolithography system having a catadioptric system with a polarizing beam splitter cube. The beam splitter cube transmits light at wavelengths equal to or less than 170 nm. The polarizing beam splitter cube can image at high quality light incident over a wide range of angles and including a numeric aperture greater than 0.6. In one embodiment, the polarizing beam splitter cube comprises a pair of prisms that are made of at least a fluoride material, such as calcium fluoride, and a coating interface having at least one layer of a thin film fluoride material. Layers in a multi-layer stack can also be graded across the hypotenuse face of a prism to adjust layer thicknesses at any point so as to compensate for changes in the incidence angle of the light. In one embodiment, the prisms and coating interface are joined by optical contact.

Abstract: A reticle protection and transport system and method for a lithography tool. The system includes an indexer that stores a plurality of reticles and a removable reticle cassette. The removable reticle cassette is comprised of an inner chamber and an outer chamber. The system further includes an end effector coupled to a robotic arm. The end effector engages one of the plurality of reticles to enable the reticle to be positioned within the removable reticle cassette and thereafter transported. The system further includes a seal, coupled to the end effector and the robotic arm. To transport the reticle, the reticle is first loaded onto the end effector. Next, the end effector is used to create an arrangement wherein the reticle is loaded into the removable reticle cassette. Importantly, the reticle and removable reticle cassette do not come into contact with one another.

Abstract: The present invention provides a ultraviolet (UV) polarizing beam splitter cube. The UV polarizing beam splitter cube is transmissive to light at wavelengths equal to or less than 170 nm, and for example at 157 nm. The UV polarizing beam splitter cube can image at high quality light incident over a wide range of angles and including a numeric aperture greater than 0.6, and for example at 0.75. In one embodiment, the UV polarizing beam splitter cube comprises a pair of prisms that are made of at least a fluoride material, and a coating interface having at least one layer of a thin film fluoride material. In one example implementation, a UV polarizing beam splitter cube comprises a pair of prisms that are made of at least calcium fluoride material, and a coating interface having a stack of alternating layers of thin film fluoride materials. The alternating layers of thin film fluoride materials comprise first and second fluoride materials.

Abstract: A substrate protection and transport system and method for transitioning a substrate from atomospheric pressure to vacuum in a lithography tool. The system includes one or more removable substrate transport cassettes. Each cassette has at least one vent and at least one filter. The system further includes an end effector coupled to a robotic arm to enable the substrate to be positioned within one of the cassettes, thereby forming a cassette-substrate arrangement. The system further includes a box having a base and a lid. The box holds one or more of the cassette-substrate arrangements. In this way, a box-cassette-substrate arrangement is provided. An out of vacuum storage rack having shelves for holding the box-cassette-substrate arrangement is also provided. Still further, an entry-exit module having a loadlock is provided for transitioning the cassette-substrate arrangement from atmospheric pressure to vacuum.

Abstract: The present invention provides an ultraviolet (UV) polarizing beam splitter cube. The UV polarizing beam splitter cube is transmissive to light at wavelengths equal to or less than 170 nm and can image, at high quality, light incident over a wide range of angles and including a numeric aperture greater than 0.6. The UV polarizing beam splitter cube comprises a pair of prisms that are made of at least a fluoride material, and a coating interface having at least one layer of a thin film fluoride material. Alternating layers of thin film fluoride materials can comprise a first fluoride material having a first refractive index and a second fluoride material having a second refractive index. The first and second fluoride materials form a stack of fluoride materials having relatively high and low refractive indices such that the coating interface separates UV light into two polarized states.