JP2588854B2 - Developing device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a developing apparatus for developing a substrate to be processed such as a semiconductor wafer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In general, in a developing apparatus for developing a substrate to be processed such as a semiconductor wafer, a processing chamber in which a substrate on which a photosensitive film such as a photoresist is formed is disposed, and a processing chamber is provided in the processing chamber. And a means for bringing the substrate to be processed and the developing solution into contact with each other for a predetermined developing time to cause a predetermined chemical change in the photosensitive film to perform development.

A substrate to be processed such as a semiconductor wafer is placed on a mounting table disposed in a processing chamber, and a rinsing liquid such as a developer and pure water is sequentially supplied to the substrate from a spray nozzle or the like. And develop.

[0004]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional developing device, a large amount of developing solution is required.
There is a problem that the development cost is increased.

In order to solve such a problem, the present inventors have developed a dip-type developing apparatus that performs development by immersing a substrate to be processed in a developing solution.
In a dip type developing device, for example, when speeding up the development by improving the developing solution to shorten the developing time, or when increasing the size of the substrate to be processed, the development state becomes uneven within the surface of the substrate to be processed, For example, when a fine pattern is formed on a semiconductor wafer using a precision photographic technique, it has been found that a problem arises in that the line width and the like formed on the semiconductor wafer surface become non-uniform.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and can perform a developing process using a small amount of a developing solution. Thus, the developing cost can be reduced and the efficiency can be improved. Even when a large substrate to be processed is developed using a developer, development processing can be performed so that the in-plane development state is uniform, and the line width and the like formed on the semiconductor wafer surface are made uniform. It is intended to provide a developing method which can be performed.

[0007]

According to the first aspect of the present invention,
A substrate having a photosensitive film formed on its surface is disposed in a container surrounding the substrate to be processed, and a developer is supplied into the container to bring the substrate into contact with the developer. A developing device, wherein a wall surrounding the periphery of the substrate to be processed is
The lower end of the wall and the substrate to be treated.
Extends from above so as to form a gap between the plate and the mounting surface
Ring-shaped member and an outer surface of the ring-shaped member.
The developer was supplied and hit the outer surface of the ring-shaped member.
The developer flows downward, and from the gap, along the mounting surface described above.
And a developing device configured to be supplied toward the substrate to be processed.
The developer is supplied by a developer supply mechanism having a liquid supply port .

According to a second aspect of the present invention, a substrate having a photosensitive film formed on its surface is disposed in a container surrounding the substrate to be processed, and a developer is supplied into the container. A developing device for contacting the substrate to be processed with the developing solution, wherein a wall surrounding the periphery of the substrate is formed.
The lower end of the wall surface and the placement of the substrate to be processed are formed as described above.
Ring extending from above so as to form a gap with the surface
And a developing solution toward the outer surface of the ring-shaped member.
The developer supplied and applied to the outer surface of the ring-shaped member is
Going downward, the cover extends along the mounting surface from the gap.
Developer supply port configured to be supplied toward the processing substrate
And supplying the developer in a state in which the exhaust of the processing chamber is stopped.

[0009]

In the developing device of the present invention, the substrate to be processed is disposed in a container surrounding the substrate, and a developer supply port formed so as to surround the substrate to be processed; A ring-shaped member provided between the substrate and the substrate, the developer flowing in the horizontal direction from the developer supply port being directed downward, and a ring-shaped member being supplied from the gap provided below toward the substrate to be processed. Supplies a developer.

Therefore, the developer can be supplied at high speed and uniformly over the entire surface of the substrate by the flow of the developer supplied from the periphery of the substrate substantially parallel to the substrate. There is no waste of the liquid, and the amount of the developer required is small. Further, it is possible to prevent the developer pressure from being applied to the photosensitive film.

[0011] In the present invention, since the supplying a developing solution in a state of stopping the exhaust processing chamber, it is possible to prevent the temperature decrease and the temperature unevenness of the developer by the gas flow is generated.

Thus, the developing process can be efficiently performed with a small amount of developing solution, the developing cost can be reduced, and the development of a large substrate to be processed can be performed by using, for example, a high-speed developing solution. Even in the case of performing, the development processing can be performed so that the in-plane development state becomes uniform, and the line width and the like formed on the semiconductor wafer surface can be made uniform.

[0013]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a developing device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 1 shows the structure of a developing device 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention. In the developing apparatus 1 of this embodiment, a mounting table 4 provided with a vacuum chuck for holding a substrate 3 to be processed such as a semiconductor wafer by suction and a rotating mechanism 4a is disposed in the processing chamber 2.

As shown in FIG. 2, the processing chamber 2 is vertically movable, holds the substrate 3 to be processed by a vacuum chuck or the like, and has an annular weir surrounding the substrate 3. Is formed.
A plurality of developer supply ports 5b are arranged on the annular member 5a so as to surround the mounting table 4 and form a developer flow substantially parallel to the substrate 3 in the direction of the substrate 3 to be processed. . The developer supply port 5 is provided on the annular member 5a.
A ring-shaped member 5d is formed to form an opposing portion 5c opposing at an interval b, and to direct the flow of the developer downward.
A developer supply section is formed.

The substrate 3 to be processed is located above the mounting table 4.
A rinsing nozzle 6 for supplying a rinsing liquid, such as pure water, is provided.

In the lower part of the processing chamber 2, a waste liquid discharge opening 7 and an exhaust opening 9 connected to an exhaust device 8 are arranged. A shutter 10 for opening and closing the exhaust path is interposed.

In the developing apparatus of this embodiment having the above-described configuration, the developing unit performs a developing process under the control of, for example, a microcomputer (not shown) as follows. That is, first, the substrate to be processed 3 is placed on the mounting table 4 by a transfer device or the like (not shown), the vacuum chuck of the mounting table 4 is operated, and the substrate to be processed 3 is suction-held on the mounting table 4.

Next, the annular member 5a is raised, and the substrate 3 to be processed is moved from the mounting table 4 to the annular member 5a, and is substantially parallel to the substrate 3 in the direction of the substrate 3 from the developer supply port 5b. A developing solution flow is formed, the developing solution is supplied downward by the facing portion 5c, the developing solution is supplied, and the developing solution is stored in the annular member 5a. The developer is brought into contact with the substrate 3 for a certain period of time to develop a photosensitive film such as a photoresist formed on the surface of the substrate 3. During this development time, the shutter 11 is closed and the exhaust from the processing chamber 2 is stopped. By stopping the exhaust from the inside of the processing chamber 2 in this manner, it is possible to prevent the temperature of the developing solution from being lowered and the temperature from being uneven due to the gas flow.

Thereafter, the annular member 5a is lowered, the substrate 3 is moved from the annular member 5a to the mounting table 4, the developing solution is discharged, and the substrate 3 is rotated by, for example, about 500 to 2000 rpm by the rotating mechanism 4a. Then, a rinse liquid such as pure water is supplied from the rinse nozzle 6 to the surface of the substrate 3 to be processed. At this time, the shutter 10 is opened, and the exhaust from the processing chamber 2 is performed with an exhaust amount of about 10 to ₂₀ mmH2O.

After the rinsing operation has been performed for a predetermined time of, for example, about 10 to 20 seconds, the supply of the rinsing liquid from the rinsing nozzle 6 is stopped, and the rotation of the substrate 3 to be processed is for example 3000
The liquid that has adhered to the surface of the substrate 3 is removed by centrifugal force by increasing the rotation speed to a second rotation speed of about rpm to 5000 rpm, and the substrate 3 is dried. Also during this time, the shutter 11 is opened, and the exhaust from the processing chamber 2 is performed with an exhaust amount of about 10 to ₂₀ mmH2O.

When the drying of the substrate 3 is completed, the rotation mechanism 4a is stopped, and the substrate 3 is carried out of the processing chamber 2 by a transport device (not shown).

That is, in the developing method of this embodiment, after the substrate 3 to be processed is brought into contact with the developing solution supplied into the container formed by the annular member 5a and the substrate 3 to be developed, Since the supply of the rinsing liquid and the drying are performed by switching the rotation speed, the developing process can be efficiently and uniformly performed with a small amount of the developing liquid.

Further, the substrate 3 to be processed is supplied from the developer supply port 5b.
Forming a developer flow substantially parallel to the substrate 3 in the direction,
The developing solution is supplied downward by the facing portion 5c of the ring-shaped member 5d, and the developing solution is stored in the annular member 5a. The developing solution contacts the substrate 3 for a predetermined developing time. Then, a photosensitive film such as a photoresist formed on the surface of the substrate to be processed is developed. Accordingly, the developing solution can be supplied at high speed and uniformly over the entire surface of the substrate to be processed, and the developing process can be performed so that the developing state on the surface of the substrate 3 becomes uniform. In addition, since it is possible to prevent the developer pressure from being applied to the photoresist or the like as compared with a case where the developer is supplied in the form of a shower, for example, the development state on the surface of the substrate 3 to be processed is also uniform. Development processing can be performed.

[0025]

As described above, in the developing device of the present invention,
Development processing can be performed efficiently with a small amount of developer,
The development cost can be reduced, and the development process can be performed so that the in-plane development state becomes uniform even when developing a large-sized substrate using, for example, a high-speed developer. In addition, the line width and the like formed on the semiconductor wafer surface can be made uniform.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a developing device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view showing a main part of the developing device shown in FIG. 1;

[Explanation of symbols]

Reference numeral 1 denotes a developing device, 3 denotes a substrate to be processed, 5a denotes an annular member, 5b denotes a developing solution supply port, 5c denotes an opposing portion, and 5d denotes a developing solution supply port.
Ring-shaped member.

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] A substrate having a photosensitive film formed on a surface thereof is disposed in a container surrounding a periphery of the substrate to be processed, and a developing solution is supplied into the container; A developing device to be brought into contact with a developing solution, the developing device being formed so as to form a wall surrounding a periphery of the substrate to be processed.
Between the lower end of the wall surface and the mounting surface of the substrate to be processed.
A ring-shaped member extending from above so as to form a gap; and supplying a developer toward an outer surface of the ring-shaped member.
The developer that has hit the outer surface of the ring-shaped member moves downward.
From the gap along the mounting surface,
And a developing solution supply mechanism having a developing solution supply port configured to supply the developing solution to the developing device. 2. A processing target substrate having a photosensitive film formed on a surface thereof is disposed in a container surrounding a periphery of the processing target substrate, and a developing solution is supplied into the container so that the processing target substrate is formed. A developing device to be brought into contact with a developing solution, the developing device being formed so as to form a wall surrounding a periphery of the substrate to be processed.
Between the lower end of the wall surface and the mounting surface of the substrate to be processed.
A ring-shaped member extending from above so as to form a gap; and supplying a developer toward an outer surface of the ring-shaped member.
The developer that has hit the outer surface of the ring-shaped member moves downward.
From the gap along the mounting surface,
A developing solution supply mechanism having a developing solution supply port configured to supply the developing solution to the developing chamber in a state where the exhaust in the processing chamber is stopped.