JP3708690B2 - Substrate developing device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a substrate developing apparatus for supplying a developing solution to a thin plate substrate (hereinafter simply referred to as “substrate”) such as a semiconductor substrate or a liquid crystal glass substrate to perform a developing process.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In general, the substrate is subjected to various processes such as a resist coating process, an exposure process, a development process, and a heating process and a cooling process associated therewith, thereby performing a desired substrate process.
[0003]
Of these various processes, strict temperature / humidity management is required for the resist coating process. Therefore, a dedicated temperature / humidity management unit has conventionally been provided above the resist coating processing apparatus, and the resist coating processing apparatus has a temperature / humidity control unit. Was supplying precisely conditioned air.
[0004]
On the other hand, since there is no need for strict temperature / humidity management in the development processing, a temperature / humidity management unit dedicated to the development processing apparatus is not provided, and the down flow in the clean room is introduced as it is.
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
By the way, in recent years, the size of the substrate tends to increase, and a substrate having a diameter of 300 mm or more is about to be produced. As the planar size of the substrate increases, the planar size of each substrate processing apparatus also increases, and as a result, the footprint of the entire processing unit composed of a plurality of substrate processing apparatuses (area that the apparatus occupies in a plane) is naturally. growing. Such a processing unit is usually often installed in a clean room where environmental control is performed, and an increase in footprint is not preferable in terms of costs for maintaining the clean room.
[0006]
Therefore, in order to suppress an increase in the footprint of the entire processing unit, it is conceivable to stack each substrate processing apparatus in the vertical direction (multi-stage substrate processing apparatus). When each substrate processing apparatus is stacked in the vertical direction, a heat processing apparatus and a cooling processing apparatus are disposed above the development processing apparatus, so it is difficult to introduce the downflow in the clean room as it is into the development processing apparatus. It becomes.
[0007]
As described above, the development processing apparatus does not require strict temperature and humidity control, but the rinse liquid rises in the form of a mist and re-adheres on the substrate when the rinse liquid used after the development process is shaken off. In order to prevent this, it is necessary to form a downflow in the apparatus.
[0008]
Accordingly, in a processing unit having a multi-stage substrate processing apparatus, a dedicated fan filter unit for supplying a downflow is provided directly above the development processing apparatus so as to positively give the development processing apparatus a downflow.
[0009]
However, there is a concern that even when developing processing, if the downflow is positively given to the developing processing apparatus, the developer layer formed on the main surface of the substrate is swollen by the downflow and the uniform developing processing cannot be performed. is there.
[0010]
The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a substrate developing apparatus capable of obtaining a uniform development processing result.
[0011]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above problems, the invention of claim 1 is a substrate developing apparatus for supplying a developing solution to a substrate and performing a developing process, wherein (a) a processing chamber for performing the developing process, and (b) the processing. A substrate holding means disposed in the chamber and holding the substrate, and (c) a cup disposed in the processing chamber and substantially surrounding the periphery other than the upper portion of the substrate held in the substrate holding means, and (d) the An intake means for forming a flow of air flowing down the processing chamber; (e) an exhaust communication means for communicating the cup with an exhaust means outside the apparatus; and (f) an exhaust amount in the exhaust communication means is variably adjusted. An exhaust amount adjusting means; and (g) a flow rate controlling means for controlling an intake amount by the intake means and an exhaust amount by the exhaust amount adjusting means , wherein the flow rate controlling means applies cleaning liquid to the main surface of the substrate. Between the start of supply and the end of drying of the cleaning liquid, The exhaust from the cup is controlled to a first intake amount and an exhaust amount, respectively, and from the start of supply of the developing solution to the main surface of the substrate until the end of development, the intake into the processing chamber and from the cup Exhaust is stopped or controlled to a second intake amount and an exhaust amount that are smaller than the first intake amount and the exhaust amount, respectively .
[0012]
The invention of claim 2 is the substrate developing apparatus which performs development processing by supplying a developing solution to the board, a processing chamber for performing the developing process (a), disposed in the processing chamber (b) A substrate holding means for holding the substrate, and (c) a cup that is disposed in the processing chamber and substantially surrounds the periphery other than the upper portion of the substrate held by the substrate holding means, and (d) flows down the processing chamber. An intake means for forming a flow of air, (e) an exhaust communication means for communicating the cup with an exhaust means outside the apparatus, and (f) an exhaust amount adjusting means for variably adjusting an exhaust amount in the exhaust communication means And (g) a flow rate control means for controlling the intake air amount by the intake air means and the exhaust air amount by the exhaust air amount adjustment means, the flow rate control means to the processing chamber during the cleaning process and the drying process. The intake air and the exhaust from the cup are adjusted to the first intake air amount and the exhaust air amount. And a second intake amount and an exhaust amount that are smaller than the first intake amount and the exhaust amount, or stop the intake air to the processing chamber and the exhaust from the cup during the developing solution supply step and the development step. It is characterized by controlling each.
[0013]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
[0014]
FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing an embodiment of a substrate developing apparatus according to the present invention. The exposed substrate W is developed in the processing chamber 1. In the processing chamber 1, a fan filter unit FFU, a turntable 11, a developer discharge nozzle 25, a rinse liquid discharge nozzle 26, a cup 30, and an exhaust pipe 40 are installed.
[0015]
The fan filter unit FFU includes a fan 21 and a filter 22, and forms a clean air flow, that is, a down flow in the processing chamber 1 that sucks air outside the apparatus and flows down in the vertical direction. The fan 21 can inhale air outside the apparatus and can adjust the intake air amount by changing the rotation speed, and the rotation speed is controlled by the intake air amount controller 52. Further, the filter 22 has a function of removing particles in the air outside the apparatus (fine particles floating in the air) sucked by the fan 21. For example, a Ulpa filter is used.
[0016]
The substrate W is sucked and held in a horizontal posture by the turntable 11. The turntable 11 has a rotary shaft 12 suspended from the center of the lower surface side, and the rotary shaft 12 is connected to a spin motor 13. Then, the rotation of the spin motor 13 is transmitted to the rotary table 11 via the rotary shaft 12, and the substrate W sucked and held by the rotary table 11 rotates about the vertical direction. Note that the turntable 11 is not limited to a form that holds the substrate W by suction, and may be a turntable that holds the peripheral edge of the substrate W.
[0017]
The developer discharge nozzle 25 is disposed above the substrate W, supplies the developer, and spreads over the entire main surface of the substrate W to form a developer layer. Further, the rinsing liquid discharge nozzle 26 is also disposed above the substrate W, and the rinsing liquid is supplied to the substrate W to stop the developing process and to wash the developing solution.
[0018]
A cup 30 is arranged around the substrate W held on the turntable 11. Here, the upper side of the substrate W in the cup 30 is open so that the downflow from the fan filter unit FFU can flow into the cup 30. A drain port 31 for waste liquid is provided at the bottom of the cup 30, and used developer and rinse liquid are discharged.
[0019]
On the other hand, an exhaust pipe 40 is connected to the bottom of the cup 30 separately from the drain port 31. The exhaust pipe 40 communicates with exhaust means outside the apparatus via an exhaust damper 45, and the gas in the cup 30 is exhausted through the exhaust pipe 40. The exhaust damper 45 is a device that variably adjusts the flow rate of the gas passing through the exhaust pipe 40, that is, the exhaust amount from the cup 30.
[0020]
The exhaust damper 45 and the fan 21 of the fan filter unit FFU are electrically connected to and controlled by the control unit 50 of the substrate developing apparatus. The control unit 50 includes a sequence controller 51, an intake air amount controller 52, and an exhaust air amount controller 53. The sequence controller 51 instructs the intake air amount controller 52 and the exhaust air amount controller 53, respectively, on the intake air amount and the exhaust air amount in accordance with an intake / exhaust amount pattern inputted in advance. The intake air amount controller 52 and the exhaust amount controller 53 control the fan 21 and the exhaust damper 45, respectively, according to instructions from the sequence controller 51, and adjust the intake amount by the fan 21 and the exhaust amount by the exhaust damper 45, respectively.
[0021]
As described above, in the substrate developing apparatus of the present embodiment, both the intake air amount into the processing chamber 1 and the exhaust air amount from the cup 30 can be arbitrarily adjusted. In this embodiment, the intake / exhaust amount is adjusted as follows.
[0022]
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of the intake / exhaust amount pattern input to the sequence controller 51. The development processing in the substrate developing apparatus is performed according to the following procedure. That is,
( ₁ ) A developer supplying step (time t = 0 to t ₁ ) for supplying a developer to the main surface of the substrate W and spreading it to form a developer layer;
( ₂ ) A development process (time t = t _{1 to} t ₂ ) in which development is performed while the substrate W is stationary.
(3) A cleaning process (time t = t ₂ ) in which the supply of a rinsing liquid (pure water in this embodiment) to the main surface of the substrate W is started to stop development, and the substrate W is rotated to clean the developer. ~t _3),
( ₄ ) A drying process (time t = t _{3 to} t ₄ ) for drying the substrate W by stopping the supply of the rinsing liquid and rotating the substrate W.
Done in the order.
[0023]
Among these, if the downflow is positively supplied to the substrate W in the developer supply step and the development step, the developer layer formed on the main surface of the substrate is swollen by the downflow, and a uniform development processing result cannot be obtained. On the other hand, in the cleaning process and the drying process, it is necessary to actively supply the downflow in order to prevent the rinse liquid shaken off by the centrifugal force of the substrate W from rising and reattaching to the substrate W. There is.
[0024]
Therefore, as shown in FIG. 2A, from the time t = 0 to the time t = t ₂ , that is, in the developing solution supply process and the developing process, the intake by the fan 21 and the exhaust by the exhaust damper 45 are stopped. Thus, no downflow is formed in the cup 30. In the period from time t = t ₂ to time t = t ₄ , that is, in the cleaning process and the drying process, the exhaust is discharged from the cup 30 by the exhaust damper 45 and the intake air equivalent to the exhaust amount is exhausted by the fan 21. To form a downflow in the cup 30.
[0025]
In this way, in the developer supply process and the development process, the downflow does not flow around the substrate W, so that the developer layer formed on the main surface of the substrate W does not ripple, As a result, the uniformity of the development process is improved and a good development process result can be obtained.
[0026]
Further, in the cleaning process and the drying process, a downflow flows around the substrate W, and the rinse liquid shaken off by the centrifugal force of the substrate W is scattered and jumps out of the cup 30 or the rinse liquid is sprayed. It is possible to prevent the air from rising and reattaching to the substrate W to be contaminated.
[0027]
In the intake / exhaust amount pattern of FIG. 2A, the intake / exhaust is stopped in the developer supply process and the development process, but this does not cause the developer layer formed on the main surface of the substrate W to be rippled. You may make it perform intake / exhaust by quantity. That is, as shown in FIG. 2B, intake / exhaust is performed in the developer supply process and the development process with an intake / exhaust amount smaller than that in the cleaning process and the drying process.
[0028]
In this way, in addition to the above effects, the odor of the developer can be prevented from leaking outside the apparatus.
[0029]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, since the flow rate control means for controlling the intake amount by the intake means and the exhaust amount by the exhaust amount adjusting means is provided, it is from the start of supplying the cleaning liquid to the end of drying. If intake / exhaust is performed with the first intake / exhaust amount, intake / exhaust between the start of supplying the developer and the end of development is stopped, or intake / exhaust is performed with an intake / exhaust amount smaller than the first intake amount. Further, it is possible to prevent the developer layer from undulating and obtain a uniform development processing result, and it is possible to prevent the cleaning solution from rising and reattaching to the substrate.
Further, according to the invention of claim 2, washing performs intake and exhaust in the first intake air amount in step and the drying step, than stop or the first intake air amount of the intake and exhaust in the developing solution supply step and the development step Since intake / exhaust is performed with a small intake / exhaust amount, it is possible to prevent the developer layer from undulating and obtain a uniform development processing result, and to prevent the cleaning solution from rising and reattaching to the substrate. it can.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing an embodiment of a substrate developing apparatus according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of an intake / exhaust amount pattern input to the sequence controller of FIG. 1;
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Processing chamber 11 Turntable 13 Spin motor 21 Fan 30 Cup 40 Exhaust pipe 45 Exhaust damper 50 Control part FFU Fan filter unit

Claims (2)

A substrate developing apparatus for supplying a developing solution to a substrate and performing development processing,
(a) a processing chamber for performing the development processing;
(b) a substrate holding means disposed in the processing chamber and holding the substrate;
(c) a cup that is disposed in the processing chamber and substantially surrounds the periphery other than the upper part of the substrate held by the substrate holding means;
(d) air intake means for forming a flow of air flowing down the processing chamber;
(e) exhaust communication means for communicating the cup with exhaust means outside the apparatus;
(f) Exhaust amount adjusting means for variably adjusting the exhaust amount in the exhaust communication means;
(g) a flow rate control means for controlling an intake amount by the intake means and an exhaust amount by the exhaust amount adjusting means;
With
The flow rate control means sets the intake air to the processing chamber and the exhaust from the cup to the first intake air amount and the exhaust air amount from the start of supplying the cleaning liquid to the main surface of the substrate to the end of drying of the cleaning liquid, respectively. Control, stop the intake of air into the processing chamber and the exhaust from the cup from the start of the supply of the developer to the main surface of the substrate until the end of the development, or a smaller amount than the first intake amount and the exhaust amount 2. A substrate developing apparatus, wherein the amount of intake air and the amount of exhaust gas are respectively controlled. A substrate developing apparatus for supplying a developing solution to a substrate and performing development processing,
(a) a processing chamber for performing the development processing;
(b) a substrate holding means disposed in the processing chamber and holding the substrate;
(c) a cup that is disposed in the processing chamber and substantially surrounds the periphery other than the upper part of the substrate held by the substrate holding means;
(d) air intake means for forming a flow of air flowing down the processing chamber;
(e) exhaust communication means for communicating the cup with exhaust means outside the apparatus;
(f) Exhaust amount adjusting means for variably adjusting the exhaust amount in the exhaust communication means;
(g) a flow rate control means for controlling an intake amount by the intake means and an exhaust amount by the exhaust amount adjusting means;
With
The flow rate control means controls the intake air to the processing chamber and the exhaust from the cup to a first intake air amount and an exhaust air amount during the cleaning process and the drying process, respectively, and between the developer supply process and the development process. The substrate developing apparatus, wherein the intake to the processing chamber and the exhaust from the cup are stopped or controlled to a second intake amount and an exhaust amount that are smaller than the first intake amount and the exhaust amount, respectively.

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