JP2001143987A - Aligner - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent the chemical contamination of optical members without increasing the cost by massively consuming an inert gas. SOLUTION: The aligner comprises an inert gas producing means 11 for taking an inert gas 9 from air 8, and an inert gas feed line 12 for feeding the inert gas from the inert gas producing means to the optical path of an illumination light L1 irradiating a substrate 3.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to semiconductor chips such as ICs and LSIs, liquid crystal panels, CCDs, thin-film magnetic heads,
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an exposure apparatus for manufacturing a micro device such as a micromachine, and more particularly to an exposure apparatus that uses a deep ultraviolet ray or an excimer laser beam that has a strong light flux and easily activates an atmosphere gas.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Exposure apparatuses used in semiconductor manufacturing and the like, in which far-ultraviolet light or excimer laser light which has a strong light flux and easily activates an atmospheric gas, is used as illumination light,
Active gases, impurities, and the like in the atmosphere of the optical system such as the lens system and the projection lens system of the light source are activated by the illumination light, and the surface of the optical member of the optical system is chemically contaminated by clouding or the like due to these chemical reactions. . Therefore, a method of purging the optical members such as a lens system or a projection lens system of a light source with clean dry air to prevent fogging and a method of housing the optical members in a container and replacing the container with an inert gas such as nitrogen gas are used. It has been developed.

[0003]

However, according to the above prior art, the following problems occur. When purging the optical member with clean dry air, even if a chemical reaction due to impurities can be prevented, the clean dry air always contains oxygen and water as active gases, and the chemical reaction due to the active gas cannot be prevented.

When the container is replaced with an inert gas such as nitrogen, the exposure apparatus is made to stand by until the oxygen concentration in the container becomes a predetermined value or less, or the inert gas is supplied even when the exposure apparatus is not operated. You need to keep doing it. In the former case, the throughput is reduced, and in the latter case, the running cost of the inert gas is increased. In addition, it is necessary to provide a dedicated piping system for supplying an inert gas, which leads to an increase in equipment costs. There is also a method in which the container is sealed and filled with inert gas in order to suppress the consumption of inert gas.However, in this case, the dust removal effect and the cooling effect are suppressed by suppressing the fluid motion inside the container. It decreases significantly.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems in the prior art, and provides an exposure apparatus capable of preventing chemical contamination of an optical member without increasing costs due to consumption of a large amount of inert gas. With the goal.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, there is provided means for extracting an inert gas from air, and an inert gas for supplying the extracted inert gas to an optical path of illumination light applied to a substrate. And a gas supply line. Means for extracting inert gas from air include:
For example, a separation membrane can be used. The air is preferably clean dry air (hereinafter referred to as CDA).
In addition, it is preferable that the inert gas be constantly supplied to the optical path so that a standby time due to inert gas replacement is eliminated.

[0007]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An exposure apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a CDA supply line for supplying CDA,
An inert gas generating means for extracting only an inert gas from the CDA by a separation film, and an inert gas supply means for injecting the inert gas into an optical path of illumination light applied to the substrate are provided. The inert gas supply means may be composed of a container containing the optical system and an inert gas supply line for supplying an inert gas to the container, and a nozzle for blowing the inert gas to the optical system. The nozzle may be constituted by an inert gas supply line for supplying an inert gas to the nozzle.

[0008]

Independently of the operation of the exposure apparatus, the inert gas component is extracted from the CDA supplied to the exposure apparatus by the separation film and always supplied to the optical system, so that the optical system atmosphere is always filled with the inert gas. Therefore, the standby time for replacing the inert gas at the time of starting the exposure apparatus is not required, so that the throughput can be improved. Further, since the inert gas is generated from CDA, even if it is constantly supplied, the cost does not increase as in the case where the inert gas such as N ₂ is always supplied. Also, there is no need to provide a dedicated piping system for supplying an inert gas to the exposure apparatus.

[0009]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a configuration of a semiconductor exposure apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention. The exposure apparatus of the present embodiment is a reduction projection type semiconductor exposure apparatus generally called a stepper, and emits a light source 1 composed of an excimer laser and a laser beam L1 as illumination light emitted from the light source 1 into a light beam having a predetermined shape. A light source lens system 2 is an optical system that forms a laser beam, and a projection lens system 5 that forms an image of a laser beam L1 formed into a predetermined shape by the light source lens system 2 on a wafer 4 as a substrate via a reticle 3.

The light source lens system 2 has a plurality of lenses 2a to 2c for shaping the laser beam L1 into a light beam having a predetermined shape, and these are housed in a container 2d. Inert gas supply device 6 for supplying an inert gas to the internal space of container 2d
Is a CDA supply line 7 connected to a CDA supply source (not shown), and a CDA supplied from the CDA supply line 7.
A separation membrane module 11 for separating the gas 8 into an inert gas 9 such as N ₂ or Ar and an active gas 10 such as O ₂ or H ₂ O; and the inert gas 9 separated from the CDA 8 by the separation membrane module 11. Inert gas supply line 1 for supplying to vessel 2d
2 and an active gas exhaust line 13 for exhausting the active gas 10 separated from the CDA 8 by the separation membrane module 11.

FIG. 2 shows the internal structure of the separation membrane module 11. The separation membrane module 11 includes a pressure vessel 14, a supply gas inlet 15, a separation membrane 17 made of a polymer hollow fiber, an inert gas outlet 18, and an active gas outlet 1.
9. When the CDA 8 is supplied to the supply gas inlet, the separation gas 17 separates the CDA 8 into the inert gas 9 and the active gas 10.
The active gas 10 is discharged from an active gas outlet 19.

Inactive gas 9 and active gas 1 in separation membrane 17
FIG. 3 shows the mechanism of separation into zero. The CDA 8 is placed in the hollow fibers 16 arranged in a bundle in the separation membrane 17.
Is supplied, the active molecules 20 such as O ₂ and H ₂ O in the CDA 8 jump out of the hollow fiber from the tube wall of the hollow fiber 16 serving as a membrane because the membrane permeation rate is high, and the terminal end of the hollow fiber 16 Is not emitted from Conversely, the inert molecules 21 are discharged from both the tube wall and the terminal end, and can generate a high concentration of inert gas at the terminal end. Adjustment of the supply flow rate and concentration of the inert gas 9 is performed by the throttle valve 23.

According to this embodiment, since an inert gas can be generated from the CDA supplied to the exposure apparatus and the inert gas can be constantly supplied to the optical member, an exposure apparatus which does not require a standby time for replacing the inert gas is required. Can be provided.

FIG. 4 shows another embodiment, in which an inert gas 9 is directly injected by a nozzle 22 to an optical member which does not like chemical contamination. This is effective when you want to prevent chemical contamination locally.

In the above embodiment, the hollow fiber was used as the inert gas generating means as the inert gas generating means. However, the present invention is not limited to this. It is possible to use any separation membrane module type such as a method.

[0016]

[Embodiment of Device Production Method] Next, an embodiment of a device production method using the above-described exposure apparatus or exposure method will be described. FIG. 5 shows a micro device (a semiconductor chip such as an IC or an LSI, a liquid crystal panel, a CCD, a thin film magnetic head,
2 shows a flow of manufacturing a micromachine or the like. Step 1
In (Circuit Design), a device pattern is designed. Step 2 is a process for making a mask on the basis of the designed pattern. Step 3 (wafer manufacturing)
Then, a wafer is manufactured using a material such as silicon or glass. Step 4 (wafer process) is called a pre-process,
An actual circuit is formed on the wafer by lithography using the prepared mask and wafer. The next step 5 (assembly) is called a post-process, and is a process of forming a semiconductor chip using the wafer produced in step 4, and includes processes such as an assembly process (dicing and bonding) and a packaging process (chip encapsulation). including. In step 6 (inspection), inspections such as an operation confirmation test and a durability test of the semiconductor device manufactured in step 5 are performed. Through these steps, a semiconductor device is completed and shipped (step 7).

FIG. 6 shows a detailed flow of the wafer process. Step 11 (oxidation) oxidizes the wafer's surface. Step 12 (CVD) forms an insulating film on the wafer surface. Step 13 (electrode formation) forms electrodes on the wafer by vapor deposition. In step 14 (ion implantation), ions are implanted into the wafer. Step 15
In (resist processing), a photosensitive agent is applied to the wafer. Step 16 (exposure) uses the above-described exposure apparatus to print and expose the circuit pattern of the mask onto the wafer. Step 17 (development) develops the exposed wafer. In step 18 (etching), portions other than the developed resist image are removed. In step 19 (resist stripping), unnecessary resist after etching is removed. By repeating these steps, multiple circuit patterns are formed on the wafer.

By using the production method of this embodiment, it is possible to produce a highly integrated device, which was conventionally difficult to produce, at low cost.

[0019]

The present invention has the following effects. That is, by generating an inert gas from the CDA and constantly supplying the same, the replacement standby time is eliminated without increasing running costs due to consumption of the inert gas, and as a result, the throughput can be improved. In addition, by constantly supplying the fluid, the stagnation of the fluid is reduced, and the dust removal and heat radiation effects are improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a semiconductor exposure apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an internal structure of a separation membrane module in FIG.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a separation mechanism of the separation membrane in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a schematic configuration diagram of a semiconductor exposure apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a flow of manufacturing a micro device.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a detailed flow of a wafer process in FIG. 5;

[Explanation of symbols]

L1: laser light, 1: light source, 2a to c: light source lens system,
2d: container, 3: reticle, 4: wafer, 5: projection lens system, 6: inert gas supply device, 7: CDA supply line, 8: CDA (clean dry air), 9: inert gas, 10: active gas , 11: separation membrane module, 12:
Inert gas supply line, 13: active gas exhaust line, 1
4: pressure vessel, 15: feed gas inlet, 16: hollow fiber, 17: separation membrane, 18: inert gas outlet, 19:
Active gas outlet, 20: active molecule, 21: inert gas molecule, 22: nozzle, 23: throttle valve.

Claims (7)

[Claims] Means for extracting inert gas from air;
An exposure apparatus, comprising: an inert gas supply line configured to supply the extracted inert gas to an optical path of illumination light applied to the substrate. 2. The container according to claim 1, further comprising a container for housing an optical system of an optical path of the illumination light, wherein the inert gas supply line supplies the inert gas to the container. Exposure equipment. 3. The exposure apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the inert gas supply line has a nozzle that blows the inert gas onto an optical system in an optical path of the illumination light. 4. A separation membrane is used as a means for extracting the inert gas from the air.
The exposure apparatus according to any one of the above. 5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said inert gas is constantly supplied to said optical path by means for extracting an inert gas from said air and said inert gas supply line.
The exposure apparatus according to any one of the above. 6. The exposure apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the air is clean dry air. 7. A device manufacturing method for manufacturing a micro device using the exposure apparatus according to claim 1.