Patent ID: 7151593

Claim:
A method for imaging wafers using a projection mask aligner comprising the steps of: providing a projection mask aligner equipped with a hard pellicle mounting apparatus, said hard pellicle mounting apparatus further comprises an enclosure comprising an interior cavity sufficiently large to accommodate a mask, and inlet port for receiving a mask with a protective cover mounted thereon, and an outlet port for outputting a mask covered by at least one hard pellicle; demounting means for removing said protective cover from said mask; mounting means for mounting said at least one hard pellicle on said mask forming a hard pellicle/mask assembly; and conduit means for receiving a light-transmitting gas; forming a hard pellicle/mask assembly having at least one hard pellicle mounted thereon; positioning said hard pellicle/mask assembly in-between a light source and an imaging lens; positioning a photoresist coated semiconductor wafer under said imaging lens with a photoresist layer facing said lens; and imaging microelectronics circuits on said hard pellicle/mask assembly onto said semiconductor wafer.