ASML Holding has been granted a patent for a method of manufacturing a membrane assembly for EUV lithography. The method involves providing a layer for the pellicle membrane after etching steps to define a pellicle border, ensuring precision in the manufacturing process. GlobalData’s report on ASML Holding gives a 360-degree view of the company including its patenting strategy. Buy the report here.
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According to GlobalData’s company profile on ASML Holding, AI-assisted photolithography was a key innovation area identified from patents. ASML Holding's grant share as of May 2024 was 50%. Grant share is based on the ratio of number of grants to total number of patents.
Method of manufacturing membrane assembly for euv lithography
A recently granted patent (Publication Number: US12001135B2) discloses a method for manufacturing a membrane assembly for EUV lithography. The method involves providing a layer forming part of a pellicle membrane at one side of the assembly before etching, if required, at that side, and after etching steps defining a pellicle border holding the membrane at the opposite side of the assembly. The process includes steps such as providing a stack with emissive and capping layers, applying resist for patterning, selectively removing portions from the back face of the stack, and etching the stack to form the pellicle assembly. The membrane layers may include silicon or MoSiNx layers, with protective layers made of cross-linked polymers or resists.
Furthermore, the patent also covers a lithography apparatus comprising the pellicle assembly manufactured using the disclosed method. Additionally, a pellicle substrate is described, featuring selectively removed layers on the back face to define a pellicle border region, with the pellicle membrane layer provided on the front face before any etching. The substrate may include protective layers and a pellicle core layer made of silicon-based or carbon-based materials. The stack composition may consist of various layers such as SiO/MoSiNx/MoSi2 or SiON/MoSiNx/SiON. These innovations aim to enhance the manufacturing process of membrane assemblies for EUV lithography, potentially improving the performance and efficiency of lithography systems in the semiconductor industry.
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GlobalData Patent Analytics tracks bibliographic data, legal events data, point in time patent ownerships, and backward and forward citations from global patenting offices. Textual analysis and official patent classifications are used to group patents into key thematic areas and link them to specific companies across the world’s largest industries.
