Provided is an agglutinant for pellicles that can reduce residues stuck onto an exposure original plate when a pellicle is peeled from the exposure original plate after being used in lithography, in particular ArF lithography, and also provided are a pellicle, an exposure original plate with a pellicle, a method for regenerating an exposure original plate, and a peeling residue reduction method.

An agglutinant for pellicles for bonding a pellicle to an exposure original plate, the agglutinant comprising a polyvinyl ether compound.

An apparatus for removing a pellicle frame from a photomask includes a heater, a shower head, and a gripper. The heater is configured to soften a portion of an adhesive between the pellicle frame and the photomask. The shower head facing to the heater and configured to provide a flow from a patterned area of the photomask toward the pellicle frame and the adhesive. The gripper is configured to secure the pellicle frame against the flow and to remove the adhesive and the pellicle frame from the photomask. A method of removing a pellicle frame from a photomask includes providing a flow from a pattern area of the photomask toward the pellicle frame and an adhesive; securing the pellicle frame in a force-transmitting manner against the flow; soften at least a portion of the adhesive; and leveraging the pellicle frame to remove the adhesive and the pellicle frame.

An apparatus for removing a pellicle frame from a photomask includes a heater, a shower head, and a gripper. The heater is configured to soften a portion of an adhesive between the pellicle frame and the photomask. The shower head facing to the heater and configured to provide a flow from a patterned area of the photomask toward the pellicle frame and the adhesive. The gripper is configured to secure the pellicle frame against the flow and to remove the adhesive and the pellicle frame from the photomask. A method of removing a pellicle frame from a photomask includes providing a flow from a pattern area of the photomask toward the pellicle frame and an adhesive; securing the pellicle frame in a force-transmitting manner against the flow; soften at least a portion of the adhesive; and leveraging the pellicle frame to remove the adhesive and the pellicle frame.

A robust, high-transmission pellicle for extreme ultraviolet lithography systems is disclosed. In one example, the present disclosure provides a pellicle that includes a membrane and a frame supporting the membrane. The membrane may be formed from at least one of a transparent carbon-based film and a transparent silicon based film. The at least one of the transparent carbon-based film and the transparent silicon based film may further be coated with a protective shell. The frame may include at least one aperture to allow for a flow of air through a portion of the pellicle.

A robust, high-transmission pellicle for extreme ultraviolet lithography systems is disclosed. In one example, the present disclosure provides a pellicle that includes a membrane and a frame supporting the membrane. The membrane may be formed from at least one of a transparent carbon-based film and a transparent silicon based film. The at least one of the transparent carbon-based film and the transparent silicon based film may further be coated with a protective shell. The frame may include at least one aperture to allow for a flow of air through a portion of the pellicle.

A photomask assembly may be formed such that stress relief trenches are formed in a pellicle frame of the photomask assembly. The stress relief trenches may reduce or prevent damage to a pellicle that may otherwise result from deformation of the pellicle. The stress relief trenches may be formed in areas of the pellicle frame to allow the pellicle frame to deform with the pellicle, thereby reducing the amount damage to the pellicle caused by the pellicle frame.

A photomask assembly may be formed such that stress relief trenches are formed in a pellicle frame of the photomask assembly. The stress relief trenches may reduce or prevent damage to a pellicle that may otherwise result from deformation of the pellicle. The stress relief trenches may be formed in areas of the pellicle frame to allow the pellicle frame to deform with the pellicle, thereby reducing the amount damage to the pellicle caused by the pellicle frame.

A pellicle for protecting a photomask from contaminant particles is provided. The pellicle includes a pellicle membrane containing at least one porous film. The at least one porous film includes a network of a plurality of nanotubes. At least one nanotube of the plurality of nanotubes includes a core nanotube and a shell nanotube surrounding the core nanotube. The core nanotube includes a material different from the shell nanotube. The pellicle further includes a pellicle border attached to the pellicle membrane along a peripheral region of the pellicle membrane and a pellicle frame attached to the pellicle border.

A pellicle for protecting a photomask from contaminant particles is provided. The pellicle includes a pellicle membrane containing at least one porous film. The at least one porous film includes a network of a plurality of nanotubes. At least one nanotube of the plurality of nanotubes includes a core nanotube and a shell nanotube surrounding the core nanotube. The core nanotube includes a material different from the shell nanotube. The pellicle further includes a pellicle border attached to the pellicle membrane along a peripheral region of the pellicle membrane and a pellicle frame attached to the pellicle border.

In a method of cleaning a photo mask, the photo mask is placed on a support such that a patterned surface faces down, and an adhesive sheet is applied to edges of a backside surface of the photo mask.