Method and arrangement for handling and processing substrates

Abstract

The invention relates to a substrate handling and exposure arrangement comprising a plurality of lithography apparatus, a clamp preparation unit for clamping a wafer on a wafer support structure, a wafer track, wherein the clamp preparation unit is configured for accepting a wafer from the wafer track, and an additional wafer track for transferring the clamp towards the plurality of lithography apparatus.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A substrate handling and exposure arrangement comprising:
 a plurality of lithographic apparatus, wherein each lithographic apparatus comprises a radiation system to provide a patterned beam of radiation and an optical system is configured to project the a patterned beam of radiation onto a target portion of a wafer; 
 a wafer support structure; 
 a clamp preparation unit for clamping the wafer onto said wafer support structure to form a clamp, the clamp comprising the wafer clamped to the wafer support structure; 
 a wafer track, wherein the clamp preparation unit is configured for accepting the wafer from the wafer track; and 
 an additional wafer track for transferring the clamp from the clamp preparation unit towards the plurality of lithographic apparatus for the clamp to be processed in one of the plurality of lithographic apparatus, and for transferring the clamp back to the clamp preparation unit or to a separate unclamping unit. 
 
     
     
       2. Arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein the clamp preparation unit comprises a vacuum system for providing a controlled pressure environment. 
     
     
       3. Arrangement according to  claim 2 , further comprising a robot arm provided with a wafer support for introducing the wafer into the vacuum system of the clamp preparation unit. 
     
     
       4. Arrangement according to  claim 2 , comprising a vacuum tight door or a load lock chamber for introduction of the wafer into the clamp preparation unit. 
     
     
       5. Arrangement according to  claim 1 , comprising a second robot arm and a second vacuum tight door or a second load lock chamber for forwarding the clamp to one of the plurality of the lithographic apparatus. 
     
     
       6. Arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein the clamp preparation unit is further configured for removing the wafer from the wafer support structure. 
     
     
       7. Arrangement according to  claim 1 , comprising a separate unclamping unit for removing the wafer from the wafer support structure. 
     
     
       8. Arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein the clamp preparation unit comprises one or more gas connection units for providing and removing gas, and one or more liquid connection units for providing and removing liquid, and wherein the wafer support structure comprises one or more connectors for connecting to the one or more gas or liquid connection units. 
     
     
       9. Arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein the clamp preparation unit comprises a liquid dispensing unit for applying liquid onto the surface of the wafer support structure, and
 wherein the wafer support structure comprises a substrate transfer unit for lowering the wafer onto a liquid layer formed on the surface of the wafer support structure, and for lifting the wafer from the liquid layer on the wafer support surface, wherein the substrate transfer unit comprises a plurality of separately controlled movable support pins. 
 
     
     
       10. Method of handling and processing substrates, comprising:
 providing a wafer track and an additional wafer track; 
 providing a clamp preparation unit and a wafer support structure, the clamp preparation unit accepting a wafer to be clamped on said wafer support structure from said wafer track; 
 providing a plurality of lithographic apparatus, each lithographic apparatus comprising a radiation system to provide a patterned beam of radiation and an optical system configured to project the a patterned beam of radiation onto a target portion of the wafer; 
 preparing the clamp in the clamp preparation unit, the clamp comprising the wafer clamped to the wafer support structure; 
 forwarding the clamped wafer from the clamp preparation unit to one of said plurality of lithographic apparatus using the additional wafer track; 
 processing the wafer in the lithographic apparatus; 
 transferring the clamp back to the clamp preparation unit or to a separate unclamping unit using the additional wafer track; 
 unclamping the wafer; 
 extracting the wafer from the clamp preparation unit or from said separate unclamping unit; and 
 transferring the wafer towards the wafer track. 
 
     
     
       11. Method according to  claim 10 , wherein the wafer is introduced into a vacuum system of the clamp preparation unit by means of a robot arm provided with a wafer support. 
     
     
       12. Method according to  claim 10 , wherein the wafer is introduced into a vacuum system of the clamp preparation unit via a vacuum tight door or a load lock chamber. 
     
     
       13. Method according to  claim 10 , wherein the wafer support structure is already present in the clamp preparation unit. 
     
     
       14. Method according to  claim 10 , wherein the wafer support structure is introduced into the clamp preparation unit in a similar way as the wafer. 
     
     
       15. Method according to  claim 10 , further comprising:
 applying liquid onto the surface of the wafer support structure by means of a liquid dispensing unit; 
 moving the wafer and the wafer support structure with respect to each other; and 
 subsequently lowering the wafer onto the liquid layer by means of a substrate transfer unit, said substrate transfer unit comprising a plurality of separately controlled movable support pins. 
 
     
     
       16. Method according to  claim 10 , further comprising extracting the wafer from the clamp preparation unit by using a robot arm provided with a wafer support, and transferring the wafer back toward the wafer track. 
     
     
       17. Method according to  claim 10 , wherein the duration of the clamping method performed in the clamp preparation unit is shorter than the duration of a lithographic process to be performed in one of the lithographic apparatus. 
     
     
       18. A method of unclamping a substrate from a substrate support structure, where the substrate is clamped by means of a capillary clamping force exerted by a capillary layer of liquid between the substrate and a surface of the substrate support structure, the method comprising:
 providing additional liquid to the capillary layer; and   lifting the substrate from the liquid.