JP2920701B2 - Method and apparatus for developing resist - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to the development of an IC lead frame in an etching process and the like, in which a stable development with no contamination on the material surface and a high uniformity of the resist pattern can be performed simultaneously on both surfaces of the material in a short time. The present invention relates to a method for developing a resist and an apparatus therefor.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, in an etching process for manufacturing a lead frame for IC, when a lead frame material is selectively etched, a resist layer serving as a mask serving as a portion for forming a predetermined pattern is coated on a substrate material. Then, this is subjected to a predetermined pattern exposure, and by developing this, a resist pattern is formed,
Etching material has been performed.

In recent years, the pattern of an IC lead frame has been steadily miniaturized, and accordingly, a new technology has been adopted in a manufacturing process. That is, for example,
In order to respond to the formation of miniaturized lead frame patterns, using high-sensitivity, high-resolution resists and exposure equipment, the resolution of the pattern is impaired during the development process of resist pattern formation, and pattern variations occur. Or not.

As a method of developing in each of the steps of pattern formation, conventionally, a method of applying a resist and immersing a material after exposure (hereinafter simply referred to as a material) in a bath filled with a developer is known. (Hereinafter, referred to as a dip method), or a method in which a developer is brought into contact with a material by spraying or showering while transporting the material in a lateral direction (hereinafter, referred to as a spray method).

In general, the dipping method has an advantage that the processing ability of the material is large, the temperature of the developing solution can be kept constant, and the uniformity of pattern formation in the surface of the material is good. Since the material surface is liable to be stained due to contamination or the like, pattern defects are often generated and it is difficult to obtain a high-quality product, the developer is easily deteriorated, and it is difficult to control the pattern size. The spray method has an advantage that the surface of the material is not easily stained, but the processing capability of the material is small, it is difficult to keep the temperature of the developer constant, and the spray or shower pressure or the state of the nozzle in the material surface is reduced. There are many drawbacks such as non-uniformity, easy development unevenness, and variations in pattern formation.

[0006] As a method of developing a resist capable of improving these disadvantages and obtaining a good resist pattern,
For example, as shown in FIG. 2, a sample 12 'held in a sample holding frame 11' is inclined in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction with the surface having the resist layer 16 'facing upward, and is continuously introduced into the developing chamber. Alternatively, the developer is intermittently fed, is discharged from the nozzle 9'-1, is formed into a laminar flow 13 'at the laminar flow generating portion 14', and is developed with the developing solution 17 'flowing down as a thin laminar flow 13' along the surface of the resist layer 16 '. Method (Japanese Patent Publication No. 1-444011)
Gazette).

[0007]

However, in the method described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 144401/1989, development processing can be performed only on one side in one step, and in order to perform double-sided development, the inclination direction of the sample is reversed. There is a problem that it is necessary to perform the development one by one, such as repeating the above operation.

The present invention eliminates the disadvantages of the conventional method, namely, the adhesion of dirt to the material surface, the prevention of deterioration of the developer, the improvement of the processing capability, the stable temperature of the developer, and the elimination of variations in pattern formation. It is an object of the present invention to provide a developing method capable of continuously developing high-quality miniaturized patterns by simultaneously developing both surfaces in one processing, and an apparatus suitable for performing the method. .

[0009]

Means for Solving the Problems The present inventor has conducted studies to solve the above problems and achieve the above object, and as a result,
The present invention was completed by immersing the material in the developer and then transporting the material in the vertical direction, and finding that the object could be achieved by spraying the developer from both sides in a plurality of stages during this transport. . That is, the first embodiment of the present invention is a method of continuously developing a material having an exposed resist layer on both surfaces, after immersing the material in a developer, transporting the material in a vertical direction, and during the vertical transport. While spraying a circulating developer and a new developer onto the resist surface from both sides of the material in a spray or shower state in a plurality of stages, the developing solution sprayed at least on the uppermost stage is a new solution, and the resist pattern is vertically lifted and transported. The second embodiment is a method of developing a resist that is simultaneously and continuously formed on both surfaces of a material. In a second embodiment, a developing chamber containing a developing solution, a vertical conveying roller provided in the developing chamber, and a plurality of This is a resist developing device which is provided with a pair of nozzles which are horizontally provided on both sides of the material and opposed to both surfaces of the material, and at least the uppermost part is a new developing solution.

[0010]

According to the present invention, as described above, the developer is transported in the developer and developed, and the developer is sprayed from a plurality of nozzles provided so as to be displaced by a roller in the vertical direction and spray the developer from both sides of the material. And develop, especially
Since a new developing solution is sprayed from the uppermost nozzle and developed, a clear pattern without stain can be developed simultaneously on both sides in one process. Therefore, since the spray pressure can be arbitrarily controlled while keeping the temperature of the developer and the developing ability constant, the reproducibility of the developing conditions is good. Further, since the material is pulled up vertically while the developing solution is sprayed on both surfaces of the material, the uniformity of the resist pattern within the material and between the materials is high. Further, since a new developing solution is sprayed on the finish of development, no stain is attached to the material.

[0011]

Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is an explanatory conceptual diagram showing an embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention.

Reference numeral 1 denotes a developing chamber, which comprises a horizontal chamber 1a having a horizontally long box shape, and a vertical chamber 1b vertically installed on one side of the horizontal chamber 1a. Is accommodated in the vertical chamber 1b so that spray development can be performed during vertical transport described later. Reference numeral 3 denotes a material, in which a resist applied to both surfaces of the base material has already been exposed in the previous process, and a pair of a pair of horizontal transport rollers 11a and 11b installed in the horizontal chamber 1a. , Is immersed in the developing solution 2 in the horizontal chamber 1a and is transported in a substantially horizontal direction while being partially developed, and is directly above a horizontal transport roller 11b provided on the vertical chamber 1b side. At this time, a pair of vertical transfer rollers 12 and a horizontal transfer roller 11b provided in the vertical chamber 1b support and are displaced vertically upward and transferred. Reference numeral 4 denotes a circulating liquid nozzle, which is provided in a vertical chamber 1b of the developing chamber 1 in plural stages in a vertical relationship on both surfaces of the material 3 conveyed vertically upward, and is provided in a plurality of stages in the horizontal chamber 1a. The liquid 2 is drawn out by the pump 5, and the flow rate and the spraying pressure are adjusted by the valve 8 and the pressure gauge 9, respectively, so that the liquid 2 can be sprayed on both sides and the both sides can be developed simultaneously. Reference numeral 6 denotes a new liquid nozzle, which is provided above the circulating liquid nozzle 4 in the same manner as the circulating liquid nozzle 4, and controls the temperature of a new developing liquid from a storage tank (not shown) through a new developing liquid pipe 7. The liquid temperature is adjusted to a predetermined temperature by the part 16, the flow rate is adjusted by the valve 8 and the pressure gauge 9, and the spray pressure is adjusted to spray on both surfaces of the material 3, thereby completing the development of the material 3 and removing dirt attached to the surface of the material 3. So that the developed surface can be kept clean. Reference numeral 10 denotes a developing solution discharge port for discharging an amount of the developing solution 2 sprayed from the new solution nozzle 6 and corresponding to a new developing solution amount flowing into the developing solution 2 in the horizontal chamber 1a, for example, by overflow. It can be discharged. Reference numeral 16 denotes a temperature control unit, which includes, for example, a heater 13, a thermometer 14, a temperature controller 15, and the like.
a and the new developing solution pipe 7 to control the temperature of each developing solution.

Using the apparatus of the present invention described in the above embodiment, the developer temperature was 35.0 ° C. and the spray pressure was 0.8 kg / g.
The developing process was carried out by setting the developing solution at 10 cm ² , the supply amount of the new developing solution was 10 l / min, and the developing time was 50 seconds. That is, the material 3 that has been coated with a resist on both sides and has been exposed in the previous process is transferred into the horizontal chamber 1a of the developing chamber 1 by horizontal transport rollers 11a,
b, is transported substantially horizontally in the developing solution 2 and partially developed, and is displaced vertically upward by the horizontal transport roller 11b and the vertical transport roller 12 so as to be in the vertical chamber 1b. Is transported vertically upward. While being vertically lifted and transported, the developing solution 2 sent from the horizontal chamber 1a by the pump 5 and adjusted to a predetermined flow rate and pressure by the valve 8 and the pressure gauge 9 is provided in a plurality of stages. Are sprayed onto both surfaces of the material 3 at the same time from the circulating liquid nozzle 4 and the development proceeds. Thus, from the new liquid nozzle 6 provided at the top, a new developing liquid
The temperature is adjusted to a predetermined liquid temperature by the temperature control unit 16, adjusted to a predetermined flow rate and pressure by the valve 8 and the pressure gauge 9, and simultaneously sprayed onto both surfaces of the material 3 to complete the development, and the material 3 surface adheres. The remaining contaminants are removed, and the developed surface is cleaned, and then transferred from the developing chamber 1 to the next step. The amount of the developing solution 2 corresponding to the amount of the new developing solution supplied from the new solution nozzle 6 is discharged from the developing solution discharge port 10.

After the development was completed, the surface of the sample was observed.
No staining or uneven development was observed, and the resist pattern shape was also good. Fluctuation of developer temperature is ± 0.3 ℃
Within this range, the pattern dimensional variation was within 0.5 μm within the material, between the materials, and on both sides, and it was confirmed that a highly uniform pattern was continuously obtained. Further, although the development time can be adjusted by the transport speed of the material 3, the development was completed in 50 seconds, which was shorter than the conventional method, and it was recognized that a sufficiently large processing capacity was obtained.

[0016]

According to the present invention, the resist is applied to both sides, and the exposed material is first transported in a developing solution, then displaced in the vertical direction, pulled up vertically and transported in a plurality of stages during the transport. Since both sides are sprayed and the both sides are developed at the same time and a new developing solution is sprayed especially on the top stage, stable developing conditions are obtained, the uniformity of the resist pattern is high, and the product with no material contamination By the development treatment, the development time can be shortened, both sides can be simultaneously developed, and the production can be continuously performed, and a remarkable effect is recognized.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory schematic view showing an embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side sectional view showing one embodiment of a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 developing chamber 1a horizontal chamber 1b vertical chamber 2 developer 3 material 4 circulating liquid nozzle 6 new liquid nozzle 11a, 11b horizontal transport roller 12 vertical transport roller 16 temperature controller

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. In a continuous development process of a material having an exposed resist layer on both surfaces, the material is immersed in a developer and then conveyed vertically, and sprayed or showered in a plurality of stages during the vertical conveyance. Spraying a developing solution onto the resist surface from both sides of the material at the same time, and using a developing solution sprayed at least on the uppermost stage as a new solution, and forming a resist pattern on both sides of the material continuously and simultaneously in a vertically pulled and conveyed state. Characteristic method of developing resist. 2. A developing chamber containing a developing solution, a vertical conveying roller provided in the developing chamber, and a plurality of vertical stages in the developing chamber. A resist developing device comprising a pair of nozzles for a new developing solution.