The present disclosure provides an apparatus for a semiconductor lithography process in accordance with some embodiments. The apparatus includes a pellicle membrane, a porous pellicle frame, a mask with a patterned surface, a first thermal conductive adhesive layer that secures the pellicle membrane to the porous pellicle frame, and a second thermal conductive adhesive layer that secures the porous pellicle frame to the mask.

There is provided a pellicle frame and a pellicle using the frame, which has a hollow space inside a corner portion of the frame and optionally one or more hollow spaces in a straight portion (bar) of the frame, and also a hollow space in a corner portion of the frame may communicate with a neighboring hollow space in a straight portion of the frame.

There is provided a pellicle frame and a pellicle using the frame, which has a hollow space inside a corner portion of the frame and optionally one or more hollow spaces in a straight portion (bar) of the frame, and also a hollow space in a corner portion of the frame may communicate with a neighboring hollow space in a straight portion of the frame.

A pellicle support frame is provided with a frame body made of aluminum alloy and has a pellicle film bonded to the upper surface of the frame body and a transparent substrate bonded to the lower surface of the frame body. Within the frame body, a plurality of hollow portions are provided to be lined up in the circumferential direction of the frame body, and a through-hole which leads from the outer peripheral surface to the inner peripheral surface of the frame body is formed between two adjacent hollow portions. This configuration makes it possible to prevent strain from arising in the support frame and the transparent substrate after the support frame is bonded to the transparent substrate.

A pellicle support frame is provided with a frame body made of aluminum alloy and has a pellicle film bonded to the upper surface of the frame body and a transparent substrate bonded to the lower surface of the frame body. Within the frame body, a plurality of hollow portions are provided to be lined up in the circumferential direction of the frame body, and a through-hole which leads from the outer peripheral surface to the inner peripheral surface of the frame body is formed between two adjacent hollow portions. This configuration makes it possible to prevent strain from arising in the support frame and the transparent substrate after the support frame is bonded to the transparent substrate.

To provide a method of separating a pellicle and a device for separating a pellicle which can reduce the amount of residue left on an exposure original plate when the pellicle is separated from the exposure original plate and which can wash again the exposure original plate under mitigated washing conditions, a pellicle frame support pin is inserted into a jig hole provided in an outer surface of the pellicle frame, the pellicle frame support pin is moved in a direction in which the pellicle is separated from the exposure original plate, a separation force applied by the movement to the pellicle frame support pin is measured and the pellicle is separated from the exposure original plate while control is being performed such that the separation force is minimized.

A mask frame assembly and an evaporation apparatus are disclosed. The mask frame assembly comprises a frame and a mask plate fixed on the frame. The mask frame assembly is provided with alignment marks, which comprise a first alignment hole arranged in the frame and a second alignment hole arranged in the mask plate. The first alignment hole is a through hole; or the first alignment hole is a blind hole, the deepest position at a bottom of the blind hole does not overlap with an orthographic projection of the second alignment hole on the frame. The mask frame assembly effectively solves a problem in which liquid residuals in alignment holes of the frame interfere with alignment.

A method comprising the steps of receiving a mask assembly comprising a mask and a removable EUV transparent pellicle held by a pellicle frame, removing the pellicle frame and EUV transparent pellicle from the mask, using an inspection tool to inspect the mask pattern on the mask, and subsequently attaching to the mask an EUV transparent pellicle held by a pellicle frame. The method may also comprise the following steps: after removing the pellicle frame and EUV transparent pellicle from the mask, attaching to the mask an alternative pellicle frame holding an alternative pellicle formed from a material which is substantially transparent to an inspection beam of the inspection tool; and after using an inspection tool to inspect the mask pattern on the mask, removing the alternative pellicle held by the alternative pellicle frame from the mask in order to attach to the mask the EUV transparent pellicle held by the pellicle frame.

A method comprising the steps of receiving a mask assembly comprising a mask and a removable EUV transparent pellicle held by a pellicle frame, removing the pellicle frame and EUV transparent pellicle from the mask, using an inspection tool to inspect the mask pattern on the mask, and subsequently attaching to the mask an EUV transparent pellicle held by a pellicle frame. The method may also comprise the following steps: after removing the pellicle frame and EUV transparent pellicle from the mask, attaching to the mask an alternative pellicle frame holding an alternative pellicle formed from a material which is substantially transparent to an inspection beam of the inspection tool; and after using an inspection tool to inspect the mask pattern on the mask, removing the alternative pellicle held by the alternative pellicle frame from the mask in order to attach to the mask the EUV transparent pellicle held by the pellicle frame.

A lithographic apparatus comprising a support structure constructed to support a patterning device and associated pellicle, the patterning device being capable of imparting the radiation beam with a pattern in its cross-section to form a patterned radiation beam, and a projection system configured to project the patterned radiation beam onto a target portion of a substrate, wherein the support structure is located in a housing and wherein pressure sensors are located in the housing.