JP2003084445A - Scanning type exposure device and exposure method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a scanning type exposure device and a method in simple device constitution not inviting increase of a manufacture cost even when an exposure area to be exposed simultaneously becomes large. SOLUTION: In the exposure device for exposing a pattern of a mask on a substrate while scanning the mask and a photosensitive substrate for a projection optical system, a plurality of the projection optical systems forming an unmagnified horizontally inverted image of the mask pattern are arrayed in a direction perpendicular to a scanning direction so as to bring transfer ranges of the respective projection optical systems into contact or to slightly overlap them and the mask patterns corresponding to the transfer ranges of a plurality of the respective projection optical systems are horizontally inverted and arranged on a mask surface respectively.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an exposure apparatus for exposing a fine pattern on a large substrate such as a liquid crystal display panel.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, as the size of a liquid crystal panel becomes larger, the glass substrate becomes larger, and it is desired to expand the exposure area of an exposure device that patterns on the glass substrate. In the mirror projection type exposure apparatus, the collective exposure area is enlarged by enlarging the size of the mirror projection optical system. Further, in the lens scan type exposure apparatus, a plurality of lens projection optical systems that form an erect image are arranged in a direction perpendicular to the scanning direction to expand the collective exposure area.

FIG. 3 shows the structure of a projection optical system of a conventional mirror projection type exposure apparatus. In the figure, 1 is a mask on which a pattern to be transferred is arranged, 2 is a substrate coated with a photosensitive material, 3 is a trapezoidal mirror, 4 is a convex mirror, and 5 is a concave mirror. In the exposure apparatus shown in the figure, the mask 1 and the substrate 2 are scanned in the direction of the arrow under the irradiation of slit light (not shown), so that the horizontally inverted image of the pattern on the mask 1 is transferred onto the substrate 2. To be done. Since the slit light passing through the mask 1 is reflected twice by the trapezoidal mirror 3 and the concave mirror 5 and once by the convex mirror 4, the pattern image on the mask 1 is inverted left and right five times, and eventually The image on the substrate 2 is an image in which the left and right of the pattern image on the mask 1 are reversed.

[0004]

By the way, in the mirror projection type of the above-mentioned conventional example, even if the projection optical system becomes large, the processing accuracy needs to be the same as the conventional one, which causes a problem of increasing the manufacturing cost. is there. On the other hand, in the lens scan type, since it is necessary to form a mask pattern on the plate as an erect image, the refractive optical system is
Since it is necessary to stack the layers, there are problems that the manufacturing cost increases and the size of the entire exposure apparatus increases.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a scanning type exposure apparatus and method, which has a simple apparatus configuration and does not increase the manufacturing cost even if the exposure area for collective exposure becomes large.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, the exposure apparatus of the present invention is a scanning type exposure for projecting a mask pattern onto a substrate while scanning the mask and the substrate with respect to a projection optical system. In the apparatus, a plurality of projection optical systems that form a mirror image of a mask pattern at right and left and are arranged in a direction perpendicular to the scanning direction, and a plurality of projection optical systems are respectively transferred to transfer areas. And a mask on which a pattern of left-right inversion is arranged. Here, as the projection optical system, for example, an Offner type optical system can be used.

In the exposure apparatus of the present invention, the plurality of projection optical systems are arranged so that the transfer ranges of the adjacent projection optical systems are overlapped at the ends, and the slit width for illuminating the mask is set to It is preferable that the end portion is formed narrow so that the amount of illumination light passing through the two projection optical systems in the overlapping portion is substantially equal to the amount of illumination light passing through only one projection optical system in the non-overlapping portion of the transfer range.

In order to achieve the above object, the exposure method of the present invention provides a scanning type exposure apparatus for projecting and exposing a mask pattern onto a substrate while scanning the mask and the substrate with respect to the projection optical system. A mask in which a plurality of projection optical systems for forming the same-magnification left-right inverted image of a mask pattern are arranged in a direction perpendicular to the scanning direction, and the masks have left-right inverted patterns for respective transfer ranges of the plurality of projection optical systems. Is arranged, the mask and the substrate are scanned with respect to the plurality of projection optical systems, and the pattern of the mask is projected and exposed on the substrate.

The plurality of projection optical systems are arranged so that the transfer ranges of the projection optical systems are in contact with or slightly overlap with each other, and the areas on the continuous substrate in which the transfer ranges of the plurality of projection optical systems are combined. It is preferable that the pattern of the mask is projected and exposed. In this case, it is preferable that the projection optical system be arranged in a staggered manner (stagger arrangement) so that the constituent members do not interfere with each other.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of mirror image forming optical systems for forming a vertically inverted vertical image are provided in a direction perpendicular to the scanning direction, and the transfer ranges of the respective mirror image forming optical systems are in contact with each other or slightly. It is characterized in that the mask patterns are arranged so as to overlap with each other, and the mask patterns corresponding to the respective mirror imaging optical systems are arranged on the mask surface in a laterally inverted manner.

In the above structure, the pattern on the mask is transferred on the plate surface in the left-right inversion by each mirror imaging optical system, and a seamless pattern is formed by collective exposure.

[0012]

1 shows the structure of a projection exposure apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, 1 is a photomask, 2 is a substrate coated with a photosensitive material for transferring the pattern of the photomask, 3a, 4a, 5a and 3b, 4b, 5b and 3c, 4
Reference numerals c and 5c are Offner type optical systems, respectively. 3a, 3b,
3c is a trapezoidal reflector, 4a, 4b and 4c are convex mirrors, 5
Reference numerals a, 5b and 5c are concave mirrors.

FIG. 2 shows the shape of the light beam with which the mask is irradiated, and at the same time shows the positional relationship between the plurality of projection optical systems. That is, the shapes of the light beams 6, 7 and 8 indicate the slit shapes in the illumination system located on the axis of the projection optical system. The luminous fluxes 6, 7, and 8 from the illumination system are radiated telecentrically.

In the state where the light beams 6, 7, and 8 from the illumination system are radiated, the mask 1 and the substrate 2 are integrated with the image plane of the projection optical system, such as a carriage, or synchronously controlled in the arrow direction ( When scanning (FIG. 1), the light flux passes through each projection optical system and the circuit pattern of the mask 1 is transferred onto the substrate 2. Reference numerals 9, 10, and 11 denote luminous fluxes on the substrate.

In the Offner type projection optical system, the pattern on the mask is laterally inverted and transferred onto the substrate. In order for the pattern transferred onto the substrate to have continuity, a pattern which is horizontally inverted for each scan range of each projection optical system is prepared on the mask surface. In FIG. 2, the region 24 at the left end of the light beam 7 overlaps with the region 25 at the right end of the light beam 6 on the substrate,
A region 34 is formed on the substrate 2. Similarly, the right end area 23 of the light flux 7 overlaps with the left end area 26 of the light flux 8 to form an area 33 on the substrate 2. The widths of both ends of the slit shape corresponding to the light flux 7, the right end width of the slit shape corresponding to the light flux 6, and the left end width of the slit shape corresponding to the light flux 8 are gradually narrowed in the scanning direction. There is. The integrated exposure energy of the regions 33 and 34 on the substrate becomes equal to the integrated exposure energy of the other portion irradiated on the substrate 2.

A light-shielding area 2 is provided on the left side of the light beam 6 and the right side of the light beam 8.
1, 22 are provided on the mask surface. This light-shielding region is located on regions 31 and 33 on the substrate. In the case of a positive resist, the resists 31 and 32 on the substrate remain without being peeled off, so that the resist may be exposed using another exposure device or the like. According to this embodiment, it is possible to form the pattern of the large screen panel on the substrate by collective exposure.

<Example of Semiconductor Production System> Next, an example of a production system of semiconductor devices (semiconductor chips such as IC and LSI, liquid crystal panels, CCDs, thin film magnetic heads, micromachines, etc.) will be described. This is for maintenance services such as troubleshooting and regular maintenance of manufacturing equipment installed in semiconductor manufacturing plants, or software provision.
This is done using a computer network outside the manufacturing plant.

FIG. 4 shows the entire system cut out from a certain angle. In the figure, 101 is a business office of a vendor (apparatus supplier) that provides a semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus. As an example of the manufacturing apparatus, a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus for various processes used in a semiconductor manufacturing factory, for example, pre-process equipment (exposure apparatus, resist processing apparatus, lithography apparatus such as etching apparatus, heat treatment apparatus, film forming apparatus, planarization apparatus) Equipment) and post-process equipment (assembling equipment, inspection equipment, etc.). In the business office 101, a host management system 10 that provides a maintenance database for manufacturing equipment is provided.
8. A plurality of operation terminal computers 110, and a local area network (LAN) 109 that connects these to construct an intranet. Host management system 10
Reference numeral 8 has a gateway for connecting the LAN 109 to the Internet 105, which is an external network of the office, and a security function for limiting access from the outside.

On the other hand, 102 to 104 are manufacturing factories of semiconductor device makers as users of manufacturing equipment. The manufacturing factories 102 to 104 may be factories belonging to different manufacturers or may be factories belonging to the same manufacturer (for example, a factory for pre-process, a factory for post-process, etc.). In each of the factories 102 to 104, a plurality of manufacturing apparatuses 106, a local area network (LAN) 111 that connects them to form an intranet, and a host apparatus as a monitoring apparatus that monitors the operating status of each manufacturing apparatus 106 are managed. A system 107 is provided. Each factory 1
02-104 host management system 107
Is provided with a gateway for connecting the LAN 111 in each factory to the Internet 105 which is an external network of the factory. As a result, the host management system 108 on the vendor 101 side can be accessed from the LAN 111 of each factory via the Internet 105, and only the limited user is permitted to access by the security function of the host management system 108. In particular,
Via the Internet 105, the factory side notifies the vendor side of status information indicating the operating status of each manufacturing apparatus 106 (for example, a symptom of a manufacturing apparatus in which a trouble has occurred), and response information corresponding to the notification (for example, It is possible to receive maintenance information such as information instructing how to deal with troubles, software and data for dealing with troubles, the latest software, and help information from the vendor side. For data communication between the factories 102 to 104 and the vendor 101 and data communication on the LAN 111 in each factory, a communication protocol (T
CP / IP) is used. Instead of using the Internet as an external network outside the factory, it is also possible to use a leased line network (ISDN or the like) which is highly secure without being accessed by a third party. Further, the host management system is not limited to one provided by a vendor, and a user may construct a database and place it on an external network to permit access from a plurality of factories of the user to the database.

Now, FIG. 5 is a conceptual diagram showing the whole system of this embodiment cut out from an angle different from that shown in FIG.
In the above example, a plurality of user factories each equipped with a manufacturing apparatus and a management system of a vendor of the manufacturing apparatus are connected by an external network, and production management of each factory or at least one unit is performed via the external network. The information of the manufacturing apparatus was data-communicated. On the other hand, in this example, a factory equipped with manufacturing equipment of a plurality of vendors and a management system of each vendor of the plurality of manufacturing equipments are connected by an external network outside the factory, and maintenance information of each manufacturing equipment is displayed. It is for data communication. In the figure, reference numeral 201 denotes a manufacturing factory of a manufacturing apparatus user (semiconductor device maker), and a manufacturing apparatus for performing various processes is installed on the manufacturing line of the factory. Has been introduced. In addition, in FIG.
Only 01 is drawn, but in reality, multiple factories are similarly networked. Each device in the factory is a LAN
The host management system 205 manages the operation of the manufacturing line by connecting them at 206 to form an intranet. On the other hand, each business office of a vendor (apparatus supply manufacturer) such as an exposure apparatus maker 210, a resist processing apparatus maker 220, a film forming apparatus maker 230, etc., has host management systems 211 and 22 for performing remote maintenance of the supplied apparatus.
1, 231 which, as mentioned above, comprise the maintenance database and the gateway of the external network. A host management system 205 that manages each device in the user's manufacturing plant, and a vendor management system 211, 2 for each device
21 and 231 are connected to each other via the external network 200 such as the Internet or a leased line network. In this system, if a trouble occurs in any of the series of manufacturing equipment on the manufacturing line, the operation of the manufacturing line is suspended, but the vendor of the equipment in trouble receives remote maintenance via the Internet 200. This enables quick response and minimizes production line downtime.

Each manufacturing apparatus installed in the semiconductor manufacturing factory is provided with a display, a network interface, and a computer for executing the network access software and the apparatus operating software stored in the storage device. The storage device is a built-in memory, a hard disk, or a network file server. The network access software includes a dedicated or general-purpose web browser,
For example, a user interface having a screen as shown in FIG. 6 is provided on the display. The operator who manages the manufacturing apparatus at each factory refers to the screen, and the manufacturing apparatus model (401), serial number (402), trouble subject (403), date of occurrence (404), urgency (4)
05), symptom (406), coping method (407), progress (4)
08) etc. is input to the input items on the screen. The input information is transmitted to the maintenance database via the Internet, and the appropriate maintenance information as a result is returned from the maintenance database and presented on the display. Further, the user interface provided by the web browser further realizes a hyperlink function (410 to 412) as shown in the figure, and the operator can access more detailed information of each item or use the software library provided by the vendor for the manufacturing apparatus. You can pull out the latest version of the software, or pull out the operation guide (help information) for reference by the factory operator.

Next, a semiconductor device manufacturing process using the above-described production system will be described. FIG. 7 shows a flow of the whole manufacturing process of the semiconductor device. In step 1 (circuit design), a semiconductor device circuit is designed. In step 2 (mask manufacturing), a mask having the designed circuit pattern is manufactured. On the other hand, step 3
In (wafer manufacture), a wafer is manufactured using a material such as silicon. Step 4 (wafer process) is called a pre-process, and an actual circuit is formed on the wafer by the lithography technique using the mask and the wafer prepared above. The next step 5 (assembly) is called a post-process, and step 4
This is a step of forming a semiconductor chip using the wafer manufactured by, and includes an assembly step such as an assembly step (dicing, bonding) and a packaging step (chip encapsulation). In step 6 (inspection), the semiconductor device manufactured in step 5 undergoes inspections such as an operation confirmation test and a durability test. A semiconductor device is completed through these processes and shipped (step 7). The front-end process and the back-end process are performed in separate dedicated factories, and maintenance is performed for each of these factories by the remote maintenance system described above. Information for production management and device maintenance is also data-communicated between the front-end factory and the back-end factory via the Internet or the leased line network.

FIG. 8 shows a detailed flow of the wafer process. In step 11 (oxidation), the surface of the wafer is oxidized. In step 12 (CVD), an insulating film is formed on the wafer surface. In step 13 (electrode formation), electrodes are formed on the wafer by vapor deposition. In step 14 (ion implantation), ions are implanted in the wafer. Step 15
In (resist processing), a photosensitive agent is applied to the wafer. In step 16 (exposure), the circuit pattern of the mask is printed and exposed on the wafer by the exposure apparatus described above. In step 17 (development), the exposed wafer is developed. In step 18 (etching), parts other than the developed resist image are removed. In step 19 (resist stripping), the resist that is no longer needed after etching is removed. By repeating these steps, multiple circuit patterns are formed on the wafer. Since the manufacturing equipment used in each process is maintained by the remote maintenance system described above, troubles can be prevented in advance, and even if troubles occur, quick recovery is possible, and Productivity can be improved.

[0024]

As described above, according to the present invention, a high precision pattern of a large screen panel can be transferred at once by a combination of image forming optical systems having a simple structure, so that the apparatus price is higher than that of a conventional exposure apparatus. Can be cheaper.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a projection optical system of a scanning exposure apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

2A and 2B are diagrams showing the shape of a light beam with which the mask is irradiated in FIG. 1, the shape of a mask pattern, the shape of a pattern transferred onto a substrate, and the positional relationship among a plurality of projection optical systems.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a conventional scanning exposure apparatus.

FIG. 4 is a conceptual view of the semiconductor device production system viewed from an angle.

FIG. 5 is a conceptual view of the semiconductor device production system viewed from another angle.

FIG. 6 is a specific example of a user interface.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a flow of a device manufacturing process.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a wafer process.

[Explanation of symbols]

1: Photomask, 2: Substrate coated with photosensitive material, 3:
Trapezoidal mirror, 4: Convex mirror, 5: Concave mirror, 6, 7, 8:
Light flux on mask surface, 9, 10, 11: Light flux on substrate, 21, 22: Light-shielding area on mask surface, 23
~ 26: Pattern overlap margin portion on the mask surface, 3
1, 32: transfer portion of the light-shielded area on the substrate, 33,
34: A pattern overlapping portion transferred onto the substrate.

Claims (12)

[Claims] 1. A scanning optical exposure apparatus for projecting and exposing a mask pattern onto a substrate while scanning the mask and the substrate with respect to the projection optical system. And a plurality of projection optical systems arranged in a direction perpendicular to the scanning direction, and a mask in which a laterally inverted pattern is arranged for each transfer range of the plurality of projection optical systems. Exposure equipment. 2. The scanning exposure apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the projection optical system is an Offner type optical system. 3. The plurality of projection optical systems are arranged so that ends of transfer areas of adjacent projection optical systems overlap each other, and a light source for illuminating the mask has a predetermined width in the scanning direction. It is a slit-shaped light source, and the width of the slit is substantially equal to the amount of illumination light passing through the two projection optical systems in the overlapping portion and passing through only one projection optical system in the non-overlapping portion of the transfer range. The scanning exposure apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the end portion is formed narrow. 4. A scanning type exposure apparatus for projecting and exposing a pattern of a mask onto a substrate while scanning the mask and the substrate with respect to the projection optical system, forms an equal-magnification left-right inverted image of the mask pattern as the projection optical system. A plurality of projection optical systems are arranged in a direction perpendicular to the scanning direction, and masks each having a pattern of left-right reversal with respect to a transfer range of the plurality of projection optical systems are arranged as the mask, and the plurality of projection optical systems are arranged. On the other hand, an exposure method comprising scanning the mask and the substrate to project and expose the pattern of the mask on the substrate. 5. A continuous substrate in which the plurality of projection optical systems are arranged such that the transfer areas of the adjacent projection optical systems are in contact with or slightly overlap with each other, and the transfer areas of the plurality of projection optical systems are combined. 5. The exposure method according to claim 4, wherein the pattern of the mask is collectively projected and exposed on the area. 6. The exposure apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a display, a network interface, and a computer that executes network software, and the exposure apparatus maintenance information is stored in a computer network. An exposure apparatus that enables data communication via the. 7. The network software is connected to an external network of a factory in which the exposure apparatus is installed and provides a user interface on the display for accessing a maintenance database provided by a vendor or a user of the exposure apparatus. 7. The device according to claim 6, which makes it possible to obtain information from the database via the external network. 8. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, 6 and 7.
And installing a group of manufacturing apparatuses for various processes including an exposure apparatus in a semiconductor manufacturing factory, and manufacturing a semiconductor device by a plurality of processes using the group of manufacturing apparatuses. Semiconductor device manufacturing method. 9. Data communication of information relating to at least one of said manufacturing apparatus group between the step of connecting said manufacturing apparatus group by a local area network and between said local area network and an external network outside said semiconductor manufacturing factory. 9. The method of claim 8, further comprising: 10. A database provided by a vendor or a user of the exposure apparatus is accessed through the external network to obtain maintenance information of the manufacturing apparatus by data communication, or a semiconductor manufacturing factory different from the semiconductor manufacturing factory. 10. The method according to claim 9, wherein production control is performed by performing data communication with the other via the external network. 11. A manufacturing apparatus group for various processes including the exposure apparatus according to claim 1, a local area network connecting the manufacturing apparatus group, and the local area. A semiconductor manufacturing factory having a gateway that enables access from a network to an external network outside the factory, and data communication of information relating to at least one of the manufacturing apparatus group. 12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the semiconductor manufacturing factory is installed.
A method for maintaining an exposure apparatus according to any one of to 3, 6, and 7, wherein a vendor or a user of the exposure apparatus provides a maintenance database connected to an external network of a semiconductor manufacturing factory, A step of permitting access to the maintenance database from the semiconductor manufacturing factory via the external network; and a step of transmitting the maintenance information accumulated in the maintenance database to the semiconductor manufacturing factory side via the external network. A method for maintaining an exposure apparatus, comprising: