JP2002008968A - Aligner - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an aligner which can perform proper temperature control by maintaining an environment which surrounds a temperature control device at a uniform temperature. SOLUTION: This aligner, where a pattern formed on an original sheet is transferred and exposed on a substrate, has a means which supplies temperature- controlled air to the environment of the temperature control device for controlling temperature control air of the aligner and maintains the environment surrounding the temperature control device at a constant temperature. The means for maintaining temperature at a constant value is constituted of a temperature control device case 11 and a piping 15. The temperature control device case 11 is provided with an air-supply port 12, an air-discharging port 13 and a door 14 for adjustment.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to an exposure apparatus which is a manufacturing apparatus used in semiconductor manufacturing and the like, and more particularly to a temperature adjusting apparatus for controlling a temperature environment.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In an exposure apparatus used for manufacturing semiconductors, an interferometer is used for accurate positioning and drive control of a stage on which a wafer serving as a photosensitive substrate is mounted. This interferometer detects position information by utilizing the interference phenomenon of laser light emitted from a laser light source mounted for the interferometer. However, since the wavelength of the laser beam changes due to a temperature change, the interferometer and the stage space must be kept at a uniform temperature in order to perform accurate stage control.

For this purpose, in an exposure apparatus, air whose temperature is controlled is supplied to the stage space.

In order to prevent the projection lens from changing its refractive index or the like due to a change in temperature and failing to form a good image, temperature-controlled air is also supplied to the projection lens space. .

Further, in order to maintain the entire exposure apparatus at a uniform temperature, a chamber surrounding the exposure apparatus is provided, and the inside of the chamber is supplied with temperature-controlled air.

FIG. 7 shows a schematic diagram of a conventional temperature control air supply device (temperature control device). 7, the circulating air 1 from the environment in which the exposure apparatus main body (not shown) is housed or the clean room air 2 from outside the environmental chamber (not shown).
Is supplied to the cooler 3 to be cooled. The cooling air 4 is heated to a predetermined temperature by the heater 5 to become temperature-regulated air 6, passes through the filter 7, and is blown out to the temperature-regulated environment 8.

[0007] A temperature sensor 9 detects the temperature of the temperature control air 6, and a signal thereof is input to a temperature controller 10.

The temperature controller 10 performs PID feedback control based on the signal of the temperature sensor 9, supplies its output to the heater 5, and controls the temperature control air 6 so that it always has a constant temperature.

[0009]

According to the above prior art, no special consideration is given to the environment in which the temperature controller 10 (FIG. 7) is installed, but operability is emphasized. . However, the temperature control performance required of the temperature controller has become severer in response to recent demands for miniaturization, and the following problems occur in the conventional technology. When the environmental temperature of the temperature controller changes, the temperature of the temperature control air as the medium to be controlled also changes (temperature drift phenomenon). The temperature controller itself is a heating element, and the temperature controller itself changes the environmental temperature of the temperature controller, causing the same problem as described above.

[0010] The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and maintains an environment surrounding a temperature controller at a uniform temperature.
An object of the present invention is to provide an exposure apparatus capable of performing appropriate temperature control.

[0011]

In order to achieve the above object, an exposure apparatus according to the present invention is an exposure apparatus for transferring and exposing a pattern formed on an original onto a substrate. The air conditioner further comprises means for supplying the temperature-regulated air to the environment of the temperature controller to be maintained and maintaining the environment around the temperature controller at a constant temperature.

In the present invention, the means for maintaining the environment around the temperature controller at a constant temperature includes a temperature controller case surrounding the temperature controller, and a pipe for supplying the temperature controlled air to the temperature controller case. Preferably, the temperature controller case is provided with an air supply port, an air exhaust port, and an adjustment door.

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device using an exposure apparatus according to the present invention comprises the steps of: installing a manufacturing apparatus group for various processes including the above-described exposure apparatus in a semiconductor manufacturing plant; and performing a plurality of processes using the manufacturing apparatus group. And a step of manufacturing

Further, in the method of manufacturing a semiconductor device according to the present invention, the step of connecting the group of manufacturing apparatuses via a local area network includes the step of connecting the group of manufacturing apparatuses with the external network outside the semiconductor manufacturing factory. And data communication of information on at least one of the devices.

Further, according to the semiconductor device manufacturing method of the present invention, a database provided by a vendor or a user of the exposure apparatus is accessed via the external network to obtain maintenance information of the manufacturing apparatus by data communication.
Alternatively, production management can be performed by performing data communication between the semiconductor manufacturing plant and another semiconductor manufacturing plant via the external network.

A semiconductor manufacturing plant accommodating the exposure apparatus of the present invention includes a group of manufacturing apparatuses for various processes including the above-described exposure apparatus, a local area network connecting the group of manufacturing apparatuses, and a local area network connected to the outside of the factory. The information processing apparatus may include a gateway that enables access to an external network, and may enable data communication of information on at least one of the manufacturing apparatuses.

The maintenance method for an exposure apparatus according to the present invention is the maintenance method for an exposure apparatus according to claim 1 or 2 installed in a semiconductor manufacturing factory. Providing a maintenance database connected to an external network; allowing access to the maintenance database from within the semiconductor manufacturing plant via the external network; and storing the maintenance information stored in the maintenance database into the external Transmitting to a semiconductor manufacturing factory side via a network.

An exposure apparatus according to the present invention is the exposure apparatus, wherein a display, a network interface,
A computer that executes network software, so that maintenance information of the exposure apparatus can be communicated via a computer network.

Further, in the exposure apparatus according to the present invention, the network software includes a user connected to an external network of a factory where the exposure apparatus is installed, for accessing a maintenance database provided by a vendor or a user of the exposure apparatus. An interface may be provided on the display to allow information to be obtained from the database via the external network.

[0020]

[Function] Exposure equipment operation status and atmosphere (clean room)
By preventing the temperature change of the temperature controller environment due to the state change of the temperature controller and the heat generated by the temperature controller, appropriate temperature control of the temperature control air can be performed. As an effect of this operation, the measurement accuracy of the interferometer is improved, and the positioning accuracy of the reticle serving as the original plate and the wafer serving as the substrate can be improved.

[0021]

Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. [Embodiment of Temperature Control Apparatus] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a main part of a temperature control apparatus provided in an exposure apparatus according to this embodiment. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 11 denotes a temperature controller case surrounding the temperature controller 10. The temperature controller case 11 is provided with an air supply port 12, an air discharge port 13, and an adjustment door 14.
The adjustment door 14 is a transparent door having internal visibility.

A pipe 15 is provided between the outlet of the filter 7 and the air supply port 12 to supply the temperature-regulated air 6 to the temperature controller case 1.
Feed to 1. In FIG. 1, the same reference numerals as those in FIG. 7 indicate the same components as those in FIG.

[Embodiment of Semiconductor Production System] Next, a device such as a semiconductor (I) utilizing the above-described exposure apparatus
An example of a production system for a semiconductor chip such as C or LSI, a liquid crystal panel, a CCD, a thin-film magnetic head, a micromachine, etc.) will be described. In this method, maintenance services such as troubleshooting and periodic maintenance of a manufacturing apparatus installed in a semiconductor manufacturing factory or provision of software are performed using a computer network outside the manufacturing factory.

FIG. 2 shows the whole system cut out from a certain angle. In the figure, reference numeral 101 denotes a business establishment of a vendor (apparatus supply maker) that provides a semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus. As an example of a manufacturing apparatus, a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus for various processes used in a semiconductor manufacturing plant, for example,
Pre-process equipment (lithography equipment such as exposure equipment, resist processing equipment, etching equipment, heat treatment equipment, film formation equipment,
It is assumed that flattening equipment and the like and post-processing equipment (assembly equipment, inspection equipment, etc.) are used. In the business office 101, a host management system 10 for providing a maintenance database of manufacturing equipment
8. It has a plurality of operation terminal computers 110 and a local area network (LAN) 109 connecting these to construct an intranet or the like. Host management system 1
Reference numeral 08 includes a gateway for connecting the LAN 109 to the Internet 105, which is an external network of the business office, and a security function for restricting external access.

On the other hand, reference numerals 102 to 104 denote manufacturing factories of semiconductor manufacturers as users of the manufacturing apparatus. The manufacturing factories 102 to 104 may be factories belonging to different manufacturers or factories belonging to the same manufacturer (for example, a factory for a pre-process, a factory for a post-process, etc.). In each of the factories 102 to 104, a plurality of manufacturing apparatuses 106, a local area network (LAN) 111 connecting them to construct an intranet or the like, and a host as a monitoring apparatus for monitoring the operation status of each manufacturing apparatus 106 are provided. A management system 107 is provided. Each factory 1
Host management system 107 provided in the storage system 02 to 104
Has 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, access from the LAN 111 of each factory to the host management system 108 on the vendor 101 side via the Internet 105 is possible, and only users limited by the security function of the host management system 108 are permitted to access. In particular,
Via the Internet 105, status information indicating the operation status of each manufacturing apparatus 106 (for example, the symptom of the manufacturing apparatus in which a trouble has occurred) is notified from the factory side to the vendor side, and response information corresponding to the notification (for example, (Information for instructing a coping method for the trouble, software and data for coping), and maintenance information such as the latest software and help information can be received from the vendor side. Each factory 1
02-104 and the vendor 101 and the data communication on the LAN 111 in each factory, a communication protocol (TC) generally used on the Internet is used.
P / IP) is used. Instead of using the Internet as an external network outside the factory, it is also possible to use a dedicated line network (such as ISDN) that is not accessible from a third party and has high security. Further, the host management system is not limited to the one provided by the vendor, and a user may construct a database and place it on an external network, and permit access from a plurality of factories of the user to the database.

FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram showing the whole system of the present embodiment cut out from another angle than that of FIG. In the above example, a plurality of user factories each having a manufacturing device and a management system of a vendor of the manufacturing device are connected via an external network, and the production management of each factory and at least one device are connected via the external network. Data communication of the information of the manufacturing apparatus. On the other hand, in this example, a factory equipped with manufacturing equipment of a plurality of vendors is connected to a management system of each of the plurality of manufacturing equipments via an external network outside the factory, and maintenance information of each manufacturing equipment is stored. It is for data communication. In the figure, reference numeral 201 denotes a manufacturing plant of a manufacturing apparatus user (semiconductor device manufacturer), and a manufacturing line for performing various processes, for example, an exposure apparatus 202, a resist processing apparatus 203;
A film forming apparatus 204 is introduced. Although only one manufacturing factory 201 is illustrated in FIG. 3, a plurality of factories are actually networked similarly. Each device in the factory is connected by a LAN 206 to form an intranet or the like, and a host management system 205 manages the operation of the production line. On the other hand, an exposure apparatus maker 210, a resist processing apparatus maker 220, a film forming apparatus maker 230, etc.
Each business establishment of the vendor (equipment maker) is provided with host management systems 211, 221, and 231 for remote maintenance of the supplied equipment, and these are provided with the maintenance database and the gateway of the external network as described above. . The host management system 205 that manages each device in the user's manufacturing factory and the vendor management systems 211, 221, and 231 of each device are connected to the external network 20.
0 or a dedicated line network. In this system, if a trouble occurs in any of a series of manufacturing equipment in the manufacturing line, the operation of the manufacturing line is stopped, but remote maintenance is performed via the Internet 200 from the vendor of the equipment in which the trouble has occurred. As a result, quick response is possible, and downtime of the production line can be minimized.

Each of the manufacturing apparatuses installed in the semiconductor manufacturing factory has a display, a network interface, and a computer that executes network access software and apparatus operation software stored in a storage device. The storage device is a built-in memory, a hard disk, a network file server, or the like. The network access software includes a dedicated or general-purpose web browser, and provides, for example, a user interface having a screen as shown in FIG. 4 on a display. The operator who manages the manufacturing equipment at each factory, refers to the screen and checks the model of the manufacturing equipment 40
1, serial number 402, trouble subject 403,
Date of occurrence 404, urgency 405, symptom 406, coping method 40
7. Information such as progress 408 is input to input items on the screen. The input information is transmitted to the maintenance database via the Internet, and the resulting appropriate maintenance information is returned from the maintenance database and presented on the display. The user interface provided by the web browser further includes a hyperlink function 41 as shown in the figure.
0, 411, 412, allowing the operator to access more detailed information on each item, extract the latest version of software used for manufacturing equipment from the software library provided by the vendor, and provide information for factory operators. An operation guide (help information) can be pulled out. Here, the maintenance information provided by the maintenance database includes the information on the present invention described above, and the software library also provides the latest software for realizing the present invention.

Next, a manufacturing process of a semiconductor device using the above-described production system will be described. FIG.
1 shows a flow of an overall semiconductor device manufacturing process. In step 1 (circuit design), the circuit of the semiconductor device is designed. Step 2 is a process for making a mask on the basis of the circuit pattern design. On the other hand, in step 3 (wafer manufacturing), 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 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 an assembly process (dicing, dicing,
Bonding), an assembly process such as a packaging process (chip encapsulation) and the like. 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). The pre-process and the post-process are performed in separate dedicated factories, and maintenance is performed for each of these factories by the above-described remote maintenance system. Also, between the pre-process factory and the post-process factory,
Information for production management and equipment maintenance is communicated via the Internet or a dedicated line network.

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 1
In 5 (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. Since the manufacturing equipment used in each process is maintained by the remote maintenance system described above, troubles can be prevented beforehand, and if troubles occur, quick recovery is possible. Productivity can be improved.

[0030]

The present invention has the following effects. The temperature controller environment is always at a uniform temperature without being affected by the operating conditions of the exposure equipment, changes in the state of the atmosphere (clean room), and the heat generated by the temperature controller itself. Temperature control can be performed.

Therefore, in the exposure apparatus, the measurement accuracy of the interferometer is improved, and the alignment accuracy between the reticle and the wafer can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a main part of a temperature adjusting device provided in an exposure apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a conceptual view of a semiconductor device production system including an exposure apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention as viewed from a certain angle.

FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram of a semiconductor device production system including an exposure apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, as viewed from another angle.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a specific example of a user interface in a semiconductor device production system including an exposure apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a flow of a device manufacturing process by an exposure apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a wafer process by the exposure apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram schematically illustrating a temperature adjusting device according to a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

1: circulating air, 2: clean room air, 3: cooler, 4: cooling air, 5: heater, 6: temperature control air,
7: Filter, 8: Temperature control environment, 9: Temperature sensor, 10:
Temperature controller, 11: Temperature controller case, 12: Air supply port, 1
3: Air outlet, 14: Adjustment door, 15: Piping, F:
Blower, G: Gain, S: Set value, 101: Vendor's office, 102, 103, 104: Manufacturing factory, 105: Internet, 106: Manufacturing equipment, 107: Factory host management system, 108: Vendor host Management system 109: local area network (LAN) on the vendor side 110: operation terminal computer 111:
Factory Local Area Network (LAN), 20
0: external network, 201: manufacturing apparatus user's manufacturing factory, 202: exposure apparatus, 203: resist processing apparatus
204: film forming apparatus, 205: factory host management system, 206: factory local area network (L
AN), 210: exposure equipment maker, 211: host management system of the business of the exposure equipment maker, 220: resist processing equipment maker, 221: host management system of the business establishment of the resist processing equipment maker, 230: film forming equipment maker,
231: Host management system of the office of the film forming apparatus maker, 401: Model of manufacturing apparatus, 402: Serial number, 403: Subject of trouble, 404: Date of occurrence, 40
5: urgency, 406: symptom, 407: coping method, 408:
Progress, 410, 411, 412: hyperlink function.

Claims (9)

[Claims] 1. An exposure apparatus for transferring and exposing a pattern formed on an original onto a substrate, comprising: supplying the temperature-controlled air to an environment of a temperature controller for controlling the temperature-controlled air of the exposure apparatus; An exposure apparatus comprising means for maintaining a surrounding environment at a constant temperature. 2. The means for maintaining the environment around the temperature controller at a constant temperature comprises a temperature controller case surrounding the temperature controller, and a pipe for supplying the temperature controlled air to the temperature controller case. The temperature controller case has an air supply port, an air exhaust port,
2. The exposure apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an adjustment door. 3. A step of installing a manufacturing apparatus group for various processes including the exposure apparatus according to claim 1 in a semiconductor manufacturing plant, and manufacturing a semiconductor device by a plurality of processes using the manufacturing apparatus group. And a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device. 4. A step of connecting the group of manufacturing apparatuses via a local area network, and data communication between at least one of the group of manufacturing apparatuses between the local area network and an external network outside the semiconductor manufacturing plant. 4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising the step of: 5. A semiconductor manufacturing plant different from the semiconductor manufacturing plant by accessing a database provided by a vendor or a user of the exposure device via the external network to obtain maintenance information of the manufacturing device by data communication. 5. The method of manufacturing a semiconductor device according to claim 4, wherein the production control is performed by performing data communication with the external device via the external network. 6. A manufacturing apparatus group for various processes including the exposure apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, a local area network connecting the manufacturing apparatus group, and an external network outside the factory from the local area network. A semiconductor manufacturing plant, comprising a gateway for enabling, and enabling data communication of information on at least one of the manufacturing apparatus groups. 7. The maintenance method for an exposure apparatus according to claim 1, which is installed in a semiconductor manufacturing factory, wherein a vendor or a user of the exposure apparatus is connected to an external network of the semiconductor manufacturing factory. Providing access to the maintenance database from within the semiconductor manufacturing plant via the external network, and storing the maintenance information stored in the maintenance database on the semiconductor manufacturing plant side via the external network. And transmitting to the exposure apparatus. 8. The exposure apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a display, a network interface, and a computer for executing network software, wherein maintenance information of the exposure apparatus is communicated via a computer network. An exposure apparatus characterized in that the exposure apparatus can perform 9. The network software is connected to an external network of a factory where 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. The exposure apparatus according to claim 8, wherein information can be obtained from the database via the external network.