IP Library Granted Patent US 12663733
Granted Patent B2
US 12663733 · App. 17/780,906 · Granted Jun 23, 2026

Lithography apparatus with improved stability

Inventors: Paulus Albertus Van Hal (Waalre, NL); Diego Millo (Amsterdam, NL); Aleksandar Nikolov Zdravkov (Eindhoven, NL); Marcus Adrianus Van De Kerkhof (Helmond, NL)
Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
G03F7/7095G03F7/165G03F7/707
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12663733
App. No.
17/780,906
Granted
Jun 23, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present invention relates to methods for improving the resistance of lithography substrate holders to corrosion. The present invention also relates to systems comprising lithography substrate holders with improved corrosion resistance, and to methods of fabricating devices, e.g. integrated circuits, using such systems. The present invention also relates to substrates with backsides configured to preferentially corrode when used in lithography. The present invention has particular use in connection with lithographic apparatus for fabricating devices, for example integrated circuits.

Claims (10)

1 . A system comprising:

a lithography substrate holder having burls comprising diamond-like carbon and/or diamond,

wherein at least a portion of the burls of the substrate holder comprise comprises a self-assembled monolayer (SAM A) configured to provide anti-corrosion benefits for the at least a portion of the burls,

wherein the SAM A comprises a dipole in the direction pointing away from the surface of the substrate holder to thereby

increase a nobility of the burls compared to a nobility of a backside of a wafer disposed on the substrate holder; and/or

to increase an electron volt difference between the burls and a backside of a wafer disposed on the substrate holder.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein a tail-group of SAM A comprises one or more substituents selected from —BH2, —COOH, —CN, —F, —Cl, —Br, —I, —CX3, —CHX2, and —CH2X, wherein each instance of X is independently selected from F, Cl, Br, and I.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein an end-group of SAM A is —BH2, —COOH, —CN, —F, —Cl, —Br, —I, —CX3, —CHX2 or —CH2X, wherein each instance of X is independently selected from F, Cl, Br, and I.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein a nobility of the burls comprising SAM A is greater than the nobility of equivalent burls without SAM A.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the SAM A increases a work function of the burls of the substrate holder.