JP2019161040A - Development apparatus and development method - Google Patents

Abstract

To reduce a dimension difference of a pattern in a pattern arrangement region of a surface of a substrate.SOLUTION: In a development apparatus 1A developing a resist 3 coated on a surface 2s of a substrate 2, and forming a pattern 3p of the resist 3 to a pattern arrangement region 2r of a surface 2s, the substrate 2 to which the resist 3 coated on the surface 2s is exposed is held by a substrate holding part 4, the substrate holding part 4 holding the substrate 2 is rotated by a rotational driving mechanism 5, and a developing liquid 7 is discharged to the surface 2s of the substrate 2 by a developing liquid nozzle 6A arranged opposite to the surface 2s of the substrate 2. A range 6l of the length in a longitudinal direction of a discharge to be communicated to region 6r to which the developing liquid nozzle 6A discharges the developing liquid 7 to the surface 2s of the substrate 2 is overlapped to all of a range 2l of the length in the longitudinal direction of the pattern arrangement region 2r of the surface 2s of the substrate 2, and therefore, the developing liquid of the same concentration and the same temperature in all regions of the pattern arrangement region 2r contacts uniformity to the resist 3 at first, and a dimension difference of the pattern 3p in the pattern arrangement region 2r can be reduced.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a developing device and a developing method.

  In the development of a resist in photolithography, a resist is applied in the form of a film on the surface of a substrate made of a semiconductor wafer or the like, and after the resist is exposed, the developer is discharged from the developer nozzle to the center of the substrate. In this case, the substrate is adsorbed and rotated by a spin chuck. By the rotation of the substrate, the developer supplied onto the resist on the substrate is spread from the central portion of the substrate to the peripheral portion.

  The rotation of the substrate is stopped, and the substrate is kept stationary for a certain time while the developer is held on the resist by the surface tension of the developer. The resist development reaction with the developer proceeds during the stationary time. The substrate is rotated by the spin chuck, and pure water is discharged from the pure water nozzle onto the substrate. The substrate is cleaned by the discharged pure water washing away the developer. The substrate is rotated and the surface of the substrate is dried by shaking off pure water.

  However, according to such a developing method, the developer is first supplied to the central portion of the substrate, and the developer reacted with the resist in the central portion of the substrate is spread to the peripheral portion of the substrate. There is a problem that the concentration of the developing solution, the temperature of the developing solution, the concentration of the reaction product between the developing solution and the resist, and the like vary between the peripheral portion and the peripheral portion, and the width of the resist pattern becomes narrow at the peripheral portion of the substrate. Therefore, for example, in Patent Document 1, after the developer is discharged to the central portion of the substrate being rotated and the developer spreads to the peripheral edge of the substrate, the spin chuck is repeatedly rotated and stopped, and the resist is formed on the resist. There has been proposed a developing method for reducing the dimensional difference between patterns by stirring the developer.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-238676

  However, even in the above-described technique, a new developer is always supplied to the central portion of the substrate, and a developer that reacts with the resist in the central portion of the substrate is supplied to the peripheral portion of the substrate. The central portion of the substrate has a higher development speed than the peripheral portion of the substrate, and there is a difference in pattern dimensions between the central portion of the substrate and the peripheral portion of the substrate before the developer spreads over the entire surface of the substrate. There is a problem that the dimensional difference of the pattern cannot be improved even if the developer on the resist is subsequently stirred.

  SUMMARY An advantage of some aspects of the invention is that it provides a developing device and a developing method capable of reducing a pattern dimensional difference in a pattern arrangement region on the surface of a substrate.

  The present invention is a developing device that develops a resist applied to the surface of a substrate to form a resist pattern in a pattern arrangement region on the surface of the substrate, and holds the substrate on which the resist applied to the surface is exposed. A substrate holding unit, a rotation driving mechanism for rotating the substrate holding unit holding the substrate around a rotation axis perpendicular to the surface of the substrate, and a surface of the substrate held by the substrate holding unit. A developer nozzle that discharges the developer on the surface, and the length of the longitudinal direction of the continuous discharge region where the developer nozzle discharges the developer onto the surface of the substrate is the length of the pattern arrangement region on the surface of the substrate The developing device overlaps the entire range of the length in the direction.

  According to this configuration, in the developing device that develops the resist applied to the surface of the substrate and forms a resist pattern in the pattern arrangement region on the surface of the substrate, the resist applied to the surface is exposed by the substrate holding unit. The substrate holding unit that holds the substrate is rotated around a rotation axis perpendicular to the surface of the substrate by the rotation driving mechanism, and is disposed to face the surface of the substrate held by the substrate holding unit. The length of the longitudinal length of the continuous discharge region in which the developer is discharged onto the surface of the substrate by the developer nozzle and the developer nozzle discharges the developer onto the surface of the substrate is the pattern arrangement region on the surface of the substrate. Therefore, the developer having the same concentration and temperature uniformly contacts the resist first in the entire pattern arrangement region on the surface of the substrate. It is possible to reduce the dimensional difference of the pattern in the pattern area of the surface of the.

  In this case, the developer nozzle preferably has a discharge port for discharging the developer on the surface of the substrate, and the shape of the discharge port projected on the surface of the substrate preferably includes a rectangle.

  According to this configuration, the developer nozzle has a discharge port for discharging the developer on the surface of the substrate, and the shape projected on the surface of the substrate of the discharge port includes a rectangle. The dimensional difference of the pattern in the pattern arrangement region on the surface of the substrate can be reduced.

  In this case, it is preferable that the shape projected onto the surface of the substrate of the discharge port of the developer nozzle includes a plurality of rectangles.

  According to this configuration, since the shape projected onto the surface of the substrate of the discharge port of the developer nozzle includes a plurality of rectangles, the development time can be shortened by enlarging the discharge area with the developer nozzle having a simple configuration. However, the dimensional difference of the pattern in the pattern arrangement region on the surface of the substrate can be reduced.

  In this case, each of the plurality of rectangles included in the shape projected onto the surface of the substrate at the discharge port of the developer nozzle may intersect each other at the position of the intersection between the rotation axis of the rotation drive mechanism and the surface of the substrate. Is preferred.

  According to this configuration, each of the plurality of rectangles included in the shape projected onto the surface of the substrate of the discharge port of the developer nozzle intersects with each other at the intersection of the rotation axis of the rotation drive mechanism and the surface of the substrate. Therefore, by using a developer nozzle having a simple configuration, it is possible to further reduce the pattern dimensional difference in the pattern arrangement region on the surface of the substrate while shortening the development time by enlarging the discharge region.

  The developer nozzle projects from the portion corresponding to the short side of the rectangle included in the shape projected onto the surface of the substrate at the discharge port toward the surface of the substrate, and guides the discharged developer into a belt shape. It is preferable to have an external guide member.

  According to this configuration, the developer nozzle protrudes from the portion corresponding to the short side of the rectangle included in the shape projected onto the surface of the substrate of the discharge port toward the surface of the substrate, and the discharged developer is strip-shaped. Since the external guiding member for guiding is thus provided, the belt-like developer is easily discharged from the developer nozzle, and the pattern dimensional difference in the pattern arrangement region on the surface of the substrate can be further reduced.

  In addition, the developer nozzle preferably has an internal guide member that guides the developer discharged therein into a strip shape.

  According to this configuration, since the developer nozzle has the internal guide member that guides the developer to be discharged into the belt, the belt-like developer is easily discharged from the developer nozzle. It is possible to further reduce the pattern dimensional difference in the pattern arrangement region on the surface.

  The developer nozzle preferably has an inert gas introduction part for introducing an inert gas into the developer nozzle.

  According to this configuration, since the developer nozzle has the inert gas introduction portion that introduces the inert gas into the developer nozzle, the developer solution inside the developer nozzle is diffused by the inert gas introduction portion, and the developer nozzle Thus, the belt-like developer can be easily discharged, and the dimensional difference of the pattern in the pattern arrangement region on the surface of the substrate can be further reduced.

  On the other hand, it is a developing method for developing a resist applied on the surface of a substrate to form a resist pattern in a pattern arrangement region on the surface of the substrate, and the resist applied on the surface is exposed by the substrate holding part of the developing device. A substrate holding step for holding the formed substrate, a rotation driving step for rotating the substrate holding portion holding the substrate in the substrate holding step around a rotation axis perpendicular to the surface of the substrate by a rotation driving mechanism of the developing device, and rotation The substrate held in the substrate holding part rotated in the rotation driving process by the developing solution nozzle of the developing device arranged opposite to the surface of the substrate held in the substrate holding part rotated in the driving process And a developer discharge step of discharging the developer onto the surface of the substrate, and the length of the continuous discharge region in which the developer nozzle discharges the developer onto the surface of the substrate is in the range of the length in the longitudinal direction. The longitudinal direction of the pattern arrangement region is a developing method that overlaps all of the length of the range.

  In this case, in the developer discharge step, the developer is discharged on the surface of the substrate by a developer nozzle having a discharge port for discharging the developer on the surface of the substrate, and the shape of the discharge port projected onto the substrate surface is a rectangle. It is preferable to discharge.

  In this case, in the developer discharge step, it is preferable that the developer is discharged onto the surface of the substrate by a developer nozzle including a plurality of rectangles projected onto the surface of the substrate at the discharge port.

  In this case, in the developer discharge process, each of the plurality of rectangles included in the shape projected onto the substrate surface of the discharge port of the developer nozzle intersects with each other at the intersection of the rotation axis of the rotation drive mechanism and the surface of the substrate. It is preferable to discharge the developer onto the surface of the substrate by the developer nozzle.

  Further, in the developer discharge step, the discharge is performed by an external guide member protruding toward the substrate surface from a portion corresponding to the short side of the rectangle included in the shape projected onto the substrate surface of the discharge port of the developer nozzle. It is preferable to discharge the developing solution onto the surface of the substrate while guiding the developing solution into a strip shape.

  In the developer discharge step, it is preferable to discharge the developer onto the surface of the substrate while guiding the discharged developer into a strip shape by an internal guide member inside the developer nozzle.

  In the developer discharge step, it is preferable that the developer is discharged onto the surface of the substrate while introducing the inert gas into the developer nozzle by the inert gas introduction portion of the developer nozzle.

  According to the developing device and the developing method of the present invention, it is possible to reduce the pattern dimensional difference in the pattern arrangement region on the surface of the substrate.

(A) is a longitudinal sectional view showing the developing device according to the first embodiment, and (B) is a transverse sectional view at the discharge port of the developer nozzle of the developing device according to the first embodiment. (A) is a longitudinal sectional view showing the developing device according to the second embodiment, and (B) is a transverse sectional view at the discharge port of the developer nozzle of the developing device according to the first embodiment. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows the developing device which concerns on 3rd Embodiment. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows the developing device which concerns on 4th Embodiment. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows the developing device which concerns on 5th Embodiment.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, the developing device 1A according to the first embodiment of the present invention develops the resist 3 applied to the surface 2s of the substrate 2 to develop the resist 2 on the surface 2s of the substrate 2. A pattern 3p of the resist 3 is formed in the pattern arrangement region 2r. The developing device 1A includes a substrate holding unit 4, a rotation driving mechanism 5, and a developer nozzle 6A.

  The substrate holding unit 4 holds the substrate 2 on which the resist 3 applied to the surface 2s is exposed. The substrate holding unit 4 has, for example, a claw for holding the substrate 2 and a vacuum suction function, and holds the surface 2s of the substrate 2 so as to be parallel to the horizontal direction. The rotation drive mechanism 5 rotates the substrate holding unit 4 holding the substrate 2 around a rotation axis 5 x perpendicular to the surface 2 s of the substrate 2. That is, the rotation driving mechanism 5 rotates the substrate holding unit 4 around the vertical axis. The rotational drive mechanism 5 includes at least a motor that generates a rotational motion, such as a stepping motor, a DC (DirectCurrent) motor, and a brushless DC motor, and a rotation control unit that controls the motor.

  The developer nozzle 6 </ b> A is disposed to face the surface 2 s of the substrate 2 held by the substrate holding unit 4, and discharges the developer 7 onto the surface 2 s of the substrate 2. The developer nozzle 6A has a discharge port 6d for discharging the developer 7 on the surface 2s of the substrate 2, and the shape projected onto the surface 2s of the substrate 2 of the discharge port 6d includes a rectangle. The rectangle includes a length range 6l in the longitudinal direction and a length range 6s in the short direction. The longitudinal length range 6l of the continuous discharge region 6r where the developer nozzle 6A discharges the developer 7 onto the surface 2s of the substrate 2 is the length in the longitudinal direction of the pattern arrangement region 2r of the surface 2s of the substrate 2. Overlaps all in range 2l.

  In the present embodiment, the length range 6l of the discharge region 6r in the longitudinal direction, which is a shape projected onto the surface 2s of the substrate 2 at the discharge port 6d, is at least the same as the diameter of the surface 2s of the substrate 2 coated with the resist 3. Or larger than the diameter of the surface 2 s of the substrate 2. The discharge port 6d of the developer nozzle 6A faces at least the surface 2s of the substrate 2 coated with the resist 3 when the developer 7 is discharged, and is the center of the rotation axis 5x of the substrate 2 and the discharge region 6r of the rectangular discharge port 6d. Are arranged at a position above the substrate 2 that coincides with each other. The developer nozzle 6 </ b> A is moved up and down in a direction parallel to the rotation shaft 5 x of the rotation drive mechanism 5 by a lifting mechanism (not shown). The developing device 1A includes a rinse liquid nozzle (not shown).

  Hereinafter, the developing method of this embodiment will be described. A substrate holding step for holding the substrate 2 on which the resist 3 applied to the surface 2s is exposed is performed by the substrate holding unit 4 of the developing device 1A. In the substrate holding step, the surface 2s of the substrate 2 coated with the resist 3 is made the upper surface, and the rotation axis 5x of the substrate holding unit 4 and the center of the substrate 2 are substantially coincided with each other. Is retained. The developer nozzle 6A is lowered by the elevating mechanism, and the distance between the discharge port 6d and the surface 2s of the substrate 2 is set to about 5 mm. The developer nozzle 6A is disposed at a position where the center of the discharge port 2d and the center of the substrate 2 coincide. The position of the developer nozzle 6A is the discharge position of the developer 7.

  The rotation driving mechanism 5 of the developing device 1A performs a rotation driving process for rotating the substrate holding unit 4 holding the substrate 2 in the substrate holding process around a rotation axis 5x perpendicular to the surface 2s of the substrate 2. The rotation speed of the substrate 2 is desirably 300 rpm or less. Holding the substrate rotated by the rotation driving process by the developer nozzle 6A of the developing device 1A disposed opposite to the surface 2s of the substrate 2 held by the substrate holding unit 4 rotated by the rotation driving process. A developer discharge process is performed in which the developer 7 is discharged onto the surface 2 s of the substrate 2 held by the unit 4.

  As described above, in the developer discharge step, the developer nozzle including the discharge port 6d for discharging the developer 7 on the surface 2s of the substrate 2 and the shape projected onto the surface 2s of the substrate 2 of the discharge port 6d includes a rectangle. The developer 7 is discharged onto the surface 2s of the substrate 2 by 6A. The longitudinal length range 6l of the continuous discharge region 6r where the developer nozzle 6A discharges the developer 7 onto the surface 2s of the substrate 2 is the length in the longitudinal direction of the pattern arrangement region 2r of the surface 2s of the substrate 2. Overlaps all in range 2l. For this reason, while the substrate 2 is rotated by rotating the substrate holding part 4 in the rotation driving process, the developer 7 is discharged in a strip shape in the developer discharging process, so that the entire surface 2 s of the substrate 2 is uniformly filled. Is made.

  After the developer 7 is supplied by the rotation driving process so as to substantially correspond to the maximum amount of liquid that can be placed on the substrate 2 in the rotating state, the discharge of the developer 7 from the developer nozzle 6A is stopped. Development is performed for 15 to 20 seconds with the rotation speed maintained. During this development, the developer nozzle 6A may be temporarily retracted to a standby position above the discharge position of the developer 7, but the discharge port 6d and the surface of the substrate 2 at the discharge position when the developer 7 is supplied. The interval with 2s may be maintained. When retracting the developer nozzle 6A, it is necessary to retract the developer nozzle 6A so as to be raised in the vertical direction with respect to the surface 2s of the substrate 2. The development is completed by the above steps.

  Next, a rinsing liquid nozzle (not shown) is arranged at the center of the rotation shaft 5x, and the rinsing liquid (pure water) is supplied by increasing the rotation speed of the substrate 2 to perform rinsing for 2 seconds. This completely stops the development and removes the resist melt on the surface 2s. The rotation speed of the substrate 2 when supplying the rinsing liquid is preferably about 800 rpm. Finally, the rotation speed of the substrate 2 is increased to about 4500 rpm, drying is performed for 15 seconds, and the rinse liquid on the surface 2s of the substrate 2 is shaken off by centrifugal force. This completes the entire development process.

  As described above, in the technique of stirring the developing solution on the resist after the developing solution is discharged to the central portion of the substrate, the new developing solution is always supplied to the central portion of the substrate. Since the developing solution that has reacted with the resist in the central portion of the substrate is supplied, there is a drawback that a difference occurs in the dimension of the pattern between the central portion of the substrate and the peripheral portion of the substrate.

  Further, for the purpose of improving the difference in pattern dimensions between the central portion and the peripheral portion of the substrate, a developing nozzle having a number of nozzle holes provided on a flat bottom surface having a diameter equal to or larger than the diameter of the substrate. A method of supplying the developer simultaneously to the central portion and the peripheral portion of the substrate by discharging the developer all at once from the nozzle holes is also conceivable. However, in such a method, since the developer discharged from each nozzle hole is independently supplied to the resist formed on the substrate, strictly speaking, the developer is directly dropped from the nozzle hole. An area and an area that is not directly dropped are generated. The development speed is faster in the area where the developer is directly dropped from the nozzle hole than in the area where the developer is not dropped directly, and there is a slight difference in pattern dimensions between the area where the developer is not directly dropped and the area where the developer is not directly dropped. Will occur.

  On the other hand, in the present embodiment, in the developing device 1A that develops the resist 3 applied to the surface 2s of the substrate 2 to form the pattern 3p of the resist 3 in the pattern placement region 2r of the surface 2s of the substrate 2, the substrate holding unit 4 Thus, the substrate 2 on which the resist 3 coated on the surface 2s is exposed is held, and the substrate holding unit 4 holding the substrate 2 is rotated around the rotation axis 5x perpendicular to the surface 2s of the substrate 2 by the rotation driving mechanism 5. The developer nozzle 6A that is rotated and disposed opposite to the surface 2s of the substrate 2 held by the substrate holder 4 discharges the developer 7 onto the surface 2s of the substrate 2, and the developer nozzle 6A is ejected from the substrate 2 by the developer nozzle 6A. The longitudinal length range 6l of the continuous ejection region 6r that ejects the developer 7 onto the surface 2s of the substrate 2 overlaps with the entire longitudinal length range 2l of the pattern arrangement region 2r of the surface 2s of the substrate 2. For, The developer having the same concentration and temperature uniformly contacts the resist 3 first in the entire pattern arrangement region 2r on the surface 2s of the plate 2, and the pattern 3p in the pattern arrangement region 2r on the surface 2s of the substrate 2 A dimensional difference can be reduced.

  In the present embodiment, the developer nozzle 6A has a discharge port 6d for discharging the developer 7 on the surface 2s of the substrate 2, and the shape projected onto the surface 2s of the substrate 2 of the discharge port 6d includes a rectangle. The dimensional difference of the pattern 3p in the pattern arrangement region 2r on the surface 2s of the substrate 2 can be reduced by the developer nozzle 6A having a simple configuration. That is, in this embodiment, the developer 7 is formed in a strip shape, the substrate 2 is rotated, and the developer 7 is uniformly supplied from the center portion to the peripheral portion of the substrate 2. The period of time is uniform at the center and the peripheral edge of the substrate 2. Therefore, it is possible to uniformly develop from the center portion to the peripheral portion of the substrate 2.

  Hereinafter, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. As shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, in the developing device 1B of the present embodiment, the shape projected onto the surface 2s of the substrate 2 of the discharge port 6d of the developer nozzle 6B includes a plurality of rectangles. Each of the plurality of rectangles included in the shape projected onto the surface 2s of the substrate 2 of the discharge port 6d of the developer nozzle 6B is at the intersection of the rotation shaft 5x of the rotation drive mechanism 5 and the surface 2s of the substrate 2. Cross each other.

  Specifically, in the developing device 1B of the present embodiment, the shape projected onto the surface 2s of the substrate 2 of the discharge port 6d of the developer nozzle 6B includes two rectangles, and each of the two rectangles is the rotation drive mechanism 5. The rotating shaft 5x and the surface 2s of the substrate 2 intersect at a position of intersection at right angles to each other so as to form a cross. In the developer discharge process, the developer is discharged onto the surface 2s of the substrate 2 by the developer nozzle 6B.

  Except for the above configuration, the developing device 1B of the present embodiment is the same as the developing device 1A of the first embodiment. In the present embodiment, the shape projected on the surface 2s of the substrate 2 of the discharge port 6d of the developer nozzle 6B includes three or more rectangles, and each of the three or more rectangles is the rotation shaft 5x of the rotation drive mechanism 5. And the surface 2s of the substrate 2 may intersect at the position of the intersection.

  According to the present embodiment, since the shape projected onto the surface 2s of the substrate 2 of the discharge port 6d of the developer nozzle 6B includes a plurality of rectangles, the discharge region 6r can be enlarged by the developer nozzle 6B having a simple configuration. Thus, the dimensional difference of the pattern 3p in the pattern arrangement region 2r on the surface 2s of the substrate 2 can be reduced while shortening the development time.

  Further, according to the present embodiment, each of the plurality of rectangles included in the shape projected onto the surface 2 s of the substrate 2 of the discharge port 6 d of the developer nozzle 6 B is the rotation axis 5 x of the rotation drive mechanism 5 and the surface of the substrate 2. Since they intersect each other at the point of intersection with 2s, the developing nozzle 6B having a simple configuration enlarges the discharge region 6r to shorten the development time, while reducing the development time in the pattern arrangement region 2r on the surface 2s of the substrate 2. The dimensional difference of the pattern 3p can be further reduced.

  Hereinafter, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described. As shown in FIG. 3, in the developing device 1C of the present embodiment, the developer nozzle 6C has a range 6s of a portion corresponding to a short side of a rectangle included in the shape projected on the surface 2s of the substrate 2 of the discharge port 6d. Each has a pair of external guiding members 6o that project toward the surface 2s of the substrate 2 and guide the discharged developer 7 into a strip shape. The external guide member 6o can be configured, for example, by arranging any of a plurality of hairs, threads, fibers, and wires in a brush shape along the range 6s. Further, the external guide member 6o can be configured by arranging the surface of the plate material along the range 6s. The external guiding member 6o preferably has a low surface tension with respect to the developer 7 and is easily wetted.

  In the developer discharge process, the external guide member 6o protrudes toward the surface 2s of the substrate 2 from the portion corresponding to the short side of the rectangle included in the shape projected onto the surface 2s of the substrate 2 of the discharge port 6d of the developer nozzle 6C. Thus, the developer 7 is discharged onto the surface 2 s of the substrate 2 while being guided so that the discharged developer 7 becomes a belt shape. Except for the above, this is the same as the developing device 1A of the first embodiment. Note that the configuration of the developer nozzle 6C of the present embodiment may be applied to the developing device 1B of the second embodiment.

  According to this embodiment, the developer nozzle 6C protrudes toward the surface 2s of the substrate 2 from the range 6s of the portion corresponding to the short side of the rectangle included in the shape projected onto the surface 2s of the substrate 2 of the discharge port 6d. Since the discharge guide 7 has an external guide member 6o that guides the discharged developer 7 into a belt shape, the belt-like developer 7 is easily discharged from the developer nozzle 6C, and in the pattern arrangement region 2r on the surface 2s of the substrate 2. The dimensional difference of the pattern 3p can be further reduced. In particular, according to the present embodiment, in development of a large substrate 2 of 12 inches (304.8 mm) or more, the dimensional difference of the pattern 3p between the central portion and the peripheral portion of the substrate 2 can be further reduced.

  The fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described below. As shown in FIG. 4, in the developing device 1 </ b> D of the present embodiment, the developer nozzle 6 </ b> D includes a plurality of internal guide members 6 i that guide the developer 7 discharged into the inside thereof in a band shape. Each of the internal guide members 6i has, for example, the surface over a range 6s of a portion corresponding to a rectangular short side included in the shape projected onto the surface 2s of the substrate 2 of the discharge port 6d inside the developer nozzle 6D. Is a plate material extending. Each of the plate members of the internal guide member 6i has the developer 7 so that the developer 7 spreads over a range 6l of a portion corresponding to the long side of the rectangle included in the shape projected onto the surface 2s of the substrate 2 of the discharge port 6d. The surface extends in a direction that induces the beam radially. The internal guide member 6i preferably has a low surface tension with respect to the developer 7 and is easily wetted.

  In the developer discharge process, the developer 7 is discharged onto the surface 2s of the substrate 2 while being guided in a strip shape by the internal guide member 6i inside the developer nozzle 6D. Except for the above, this is the same as the developing device 1A of the first embodiment. The configuration of the developer nozzle 6D according to the present embodiment may be applied to the developing device 1B according to the second embodiment or the developing device 1C according to the third embodiment.

  According to the present embodiment, the developer nozzle 6D includes the internal guide member 6i that guides the developer 7 discharged into the belt so as to form a belt shape. Therefore, the belt-like developer 7 is discharged from the developer nozzle 6D. Therefore, the dimensional difference of the pattern 3p in the pattern arrangement region 2r on the surface 2s of the substrate 2 can be further reduced.

The fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described below. As shown in FIG. 5, in the developing device 1E of the present embodiment, the developer nozzle 6E has an inert gas introduction part 6g for introducing an inert gas 8 such as Ar or N ₂ into the interior thereof. The inert gas introduction part 6g is preferably provided symmetrically inside the developer nozzle 6E.

  In the developer discharge step, the developer 7 is discharged onto the surface 2s of the substrate 2 while the inert gas 8 is being introduced into the developer nozzle 6E by the inert gas introduction portion 6g of the developer nozzle 6E. Except for the above, this is the same as the developing device 1A of the first embodiment. The configuration of the developer nozzle 6E of the present embodiment may be applied to the developing device 1B of the second embodiment, the developing device 1C of the third embodiment, or the developing device 1D of the fourth embodiment. .

  According to this embodiment, since the developer nozzle 6E has the inert gas introduction part 6g for introducing the inert gas 8 into the developer nozzle 6E, the developer 7 inside the developer nozzle 6E is introduced by the inert gas introduction part 6g. Is diffused, and the belt-like developer 7 is easily discharged from the developer nozzle 6E, and the dimensional difference of the pattern 3p in the pattern arrangement region 2r on the surface 2s of the substrate 2 can be further reduced.

  As mentioned above, although embodiment of this invention was described, this invention is implemented in various forms, without being limited to the said embodiment. For example, in the developer nozzles 6A, 6B, 6C, 6D, and 6E, the shape of the discharge port 6d can be changed as appropriate.

(Example)
A pattern 3p of resist 3 made of L / S (Line / Space) having a design dimension of 1.5 μm was formed on a substrate 2 of a 4-inch (101.6 mm) Si wafer by the developing device 1A shown in FIG. The variation in the line width of pattern 3p (σ: standard deviation) was 3σ = 0.04025 μm. On the other hand, as a comparative example, after replacing the developing solution nozzle 6A of the developing device 1A with a developing solution nozzle having an inner diameter of 2 mm, the resist 3 made of L / S having a design dimension of 1.5 μm on a 4-inch Si wafer under the same developing conditions Pattern 3p was formed. The variation in the line width of pattern 3p (σ: standard deviation) was 3σ = 0.12075 μm. From this, it can be seen that the dimensional difference of the pattern 3p in the pattern arrangement region 2r of the surface 2s of the substrate 2 can be reduced by the developing device 1A of the present embodiment.

  1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, 1E ... developing apparatus, 2 ... substrate, 2s ... surface, 2r ... pattern arrangement region, 2l ... range, 3 ... resist, 3p ... pattern, 4 ... substrate holding part, 5 ... rotation drive mechanism 5x ... Rotating shaft, 6A, 6B, 6C, 6D, 6E ... Developer nozzle, 6r ... Discharge area, 61, 6s ... Range, 6d ... Discharge port, 6o ... External guide member, 6i ... Internal guide member, 7 ... Developer, 8 ... inert gas.

Claims (14)

A developing device for developing a resist applied to the surface of a substrate to form a pattern of the resist in a pattern arrangement region on the surface of the substrate,
A substrate holding unit for holding the substrate on which the resist applied to the surface is exposed;
A rotation drive mechanism for rotating the substrate holding unit holding the substrate around a rotation axis perpendicular to the surface of the substrate;
A developer nozzle that is disposed to face the surface of the substrate held by the substrate holder and discharges the developer onto the surface of the substrate;
With
The range of the length in the longitudinal direction of the continuous discharge region where the developer nozzle discharges the developer onto the surface of the substrate is the entire length range of the pattern arrangement region of the surface of the substrate. Overlapping development device.   The developing device according to claim 1, wherein the developer nozzle has a discharge port that discharges the developer on the surface of the substrate, and the shape of the discharge port projected onto the surface of the substrate includes a rectangle.   The developing device according to claim 2, wherein the shape projected on the surface of the substrate of the discharge port of the developer nozzle includes a plurality of the rectangles.   Each of the plurality of rectangles included in the shape projected onto the surface of the substrate of the discharge port of the developer nozzle is mutually at the position of the intersection of the rotation shaft of the rotation drive mechanism and the surface of the substrate. The developing device according to claim 3, which intersects.   The developer nozzle projects toward the surface of the substrate from a portion corresponding to a short side of the rectangle included in the shape projected on the surface of the substrate of the discharge port, and the discharged developer is in a band shape 5. The developing device according to claim 2, further comprising an external guide member that guides the   The developing device according to claim 2, wherein the developer nozzle has an internal guide member that guides the developer to be discharged into a belt shape.   The developing device according to claim 2, wherein the developer nozzle has an inert gas introduction unit that introduces an inert gas into the developer nozzle. A developing method for developing a resist applied to a surface of a substrate to form a pattern of the resist in a pattern arrangement region on the surface of the substrate,
A substrate holding step of holding the substrate on which the resist applied to the surface is exposed by the substrate holding portion of the developing device;
A rotation driving step of rotating the substrate holding portion holding the substrate in the substrate holding step around a rotation axis perpendicular to the surface of the substrate by a rotation driving mechanism of the developing device;
Rotated by the rotation driving step by the developer nozzle of the developing device disposed opposite to the surface of the substrate held by the substrate holding part rotated by the rotation driving step. A developer discharge step of discharging a developer onto the surface of the substrate held by a substrate holding unit;
With
The range of the length in the longitudinal direction of the continuous discharge region where the developer nozzle discharges the developer onto the surface of the substrate is the entire length range of the pattern arrangement region of the surface of the substrate. Overlapping development method.   In the developer discharge step, the substrate has a discharge port for discharging the developer on the surface of the substrate, and the shape of the discharge port projected onto the surface of the substrate includes the developer nozzle including the rectangle. The developing method according to claim 8, wherein the developer is discharged onto a surface.   In the developer discharge step, the developer is discharged onto the surface of the substrate by the developer nozzle including a plurality of the rectangles projected onto the surface of the substrate at the discharge port. The developing method as described.   In the developer discharge step, each of the plurality of rectangles included in the shape projected onto the surface of the substrate of the discharge port of the developer nozzle includes the rotation shaft of the rotation drive mechanism and the surface of the substrate. The developing method according to claim 10, wherein the developing solution is discharged onto the surface of the substrate by the developing solution nozzles intersecting each other at the position of the intersection.   In the developer discharge step, an external guide protruding toward the surface of the substrate from a portion corresponding to a short side of the rectangle included in the shape projected on the surface of the substrate of the discharge port of the developer nozzle 12. The developing method according to claim 9, wherein the developer is discharged onto the surface of the substrate while being guided by a member so that the discharged developer is formed in a strip shape.   10. The developer discharge step of discharging the developer onto the surface of the substrate while guiding the developer to be discharged into a strip shape by an internal guide member inside the developer nozzle. The developing method of any one of -12.   In the developer discharge step, the developer is discharged onto the surface of the substrate while introducing an inert gas into the developer nozzle by the inert gas introduction portion of the developer nozzle. 14. The developing method according to any one of items 13.

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