JP4789352B2 - Exposure apparatus and device manufacturing method - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an exposure apparatus suitably used for manufacturing a semiconductor device.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In the process of manufacturing semiconductor devices such as ICs, LSIs, and liquid crystal panels, a substrate (semiconductor wafer substrate or glass substrate) is subjected to many processes. Among them, the exposure process for pattern printing is the key to semiconductor manufacturing. It is an important process. An exposure apparatus (stepper or scanner) is known as an apparatus that performs this process.
[0003]
The resist applied to the wafer is subjected to baking treatment (PEB) by generating a polymer film that efficiently undergoes a chemical reaction when exposed to ionizing radiation (ultraviolet rays, X-rays, electron beams, etc.) and a catalyst (acid) upon exposure. Thus, it can be roughly divided into chemically amplified resists that form an image with a catalyst. Chemically amplified resists are easily used in recent years as resists for excimer laser light, which can be easily increased in sensitivity because of image formation using a catalyst and are difficult to obtain illuminance. On the other hand, the catalyst generated by exposure diffuses in the air or on the wafer surface, and the baking process (PEB) further accelerates the catalytic operation and degrades the image profile. It is necessary to control chemical contamination with respect to basic gases such as amines and amides in an environmental atmosphere that passes through the process of baking to PEB.
[0004]
On the other hand, the exposure apparatus uses various optical members such as a lens and a mirror, as well as an illumination optical system that irradiates the reticle surface with light emitted from a light source. With the shortening of the exposure wavelength, there has been a problem that the amount of exposure reaching the wafer surface is reduced due to fogging of the optical member through which the exposure light is transmitted and irradiated. The cloudy component is an organic compound or an inorganic compound such as ammonium sulfate (NH ₄ ) ₂ SO ₄ , which is caused by ammonium ions (NH ₄ ⁺ ) or sulfate ions (SO ₄ ²⁻ ) present in the air or those It is considered that this compound or organic gas adheres to the optical member in a photochemical reaction by irradiation with exposure light.
[0005]
In response to the problem of poor surface solubility of these chemically amplified resists and fogging of optical members, an impurity gas removal filter is mounted in an environmental chamber that controls the ambient temperature, humidity, and dust surrounding the exposure apparatus body. basic gas present, the removal of substances such as sulfuric acid gas, and organic gas has been done conventionally.
[0006]
As the impurity gas removal filter, for example, a chemical filter using ion exchange fibers, an activated carbon filter using activated carbon particles or activated carbon fibers, and a chemical filter in which an acidic substance or an alkaline substance is attached to the activated carbon are used. It is desirable to select the optimum filter in consideration of the type of gas to be removed and the characteristics of the filter. Moreover, when removing multiple types of gas, the optimal filter for each gas may be overlapped and used.
[0007]
FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an exposure apparatus according to a conventional example. This exposure apparatus is placed in Ji Yanba 1. The chamber 1 includes an air conditioner room 10 that mainly adjusts the temperature of air, a filter box 20 that filters fine foreign matters to form a uniform flow of clean air, and a booth 30 that shuts off the apparatus environment from the outside. Yes. In the air conditioner room 10, a temperature controller 8, a cooler 11, a base heater 12, reheat heaters 12B, 12W, and 12R, a blower 13, a circulation chemical filter 14A, a chemical filter 14B for an outside air inlet 18, and the like Is arranged.
[0008]
A dust filter 15 is disposed in the filter box 20. Inside the booth 30, the wafer stage space 4 and reticle stage space 5 of the exposure apparatus main body 2, temperature control air supply units 16W and 16R for supplying temperature control (temperature adjustment) air to these, dust removal filters 15W and 15R, In addition, a supply air duct 7 and the like are arranged, and temperature sensors 9, 9W, 9R are also arranged. In the figure, 17 is a return port for circulating the air in the chamber 1.
[0009]
A general environmental chamber is provided with a dust filter (ULPA or the like) on the ceiling, and flows down in the chamber 1. In addition, an interferometer is used for accurate positioning and drive control of a stage on which a wafer or reticle as a photosensitive substrate is placed. This interferometer detects position information using an interference phenomenon of laser light emitted from a laser light source mounted for the interferometer. However, since the wavelength of the laser beam changes due to temperature change, the interferometer laser beam path and the stage spaces 4 and 5 must be kept at a uniform temperature in order to perform accurate stage position control. Therefore, temperature-controlled air supply units 16W and 16R that supply temperature-controlled air to the stage spaces 4 and 5 are disposed in the vicinity of the stage spaces 4 and 5. In addition, dust filters 15W and 15R are mounted on the temperature control air supply units 16W and 16R. In general, dust filters 15W and 15R are arranged in a blowout portion at the most downstream side of the air supply path in a place that requires highly accurate temperature control. The reason is that dust entering from the air supply path can be removed and the wind speed distribution on the blowout surface can be made uniform by the laminar flow effect of the filter media.
[0010]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
As the wafer size increases and the exposure pattern becomes finer in recent years, it is required to control the temperature of the stage spaces 4 and 5 in a more uniform and stable state than before. However, as the wafer size increases, the stage spaces 4 and 5 are enlarged, and it has become difficult to control the temperature of the entire stage space with higher accuracy than before. In order to solve this, it is necessary to increase the supply amount of the temperature-controlled air and expand the blowing area. The problem here is that the temperature-controlled air supply units 16W and 16R are enlarged. Due to the increase in size, the temperature distribution in the temperature-controlled air supply units 16W and 16R becomes larger, so that the temperature stability of the stage spaces 4 and 5 is deteriorated. Moreover, the exposure apparatus size is increased by arranging a large number of temperature-controlled air supply units that are enlarged in the exposure apparatus body 2. If the size of the exposure apparatus is forcibly reduced in this state, the degree of freedom in design is lost and optimal arrangement of the units cannot be performed. As a result, the length of the piping tube and the communication cable is extended, and the influence of fluid pressure loss and electrical noise may increase, thereby affecting the performance of the apparatus. In addition, by arranging a number of filters, which are life parts, in the exposure apparatus main body 2, there are problems that the running cost increases and the workability during maintenance deteriorates.
[0011]
The present invention has been made to solve the problems which the prior art has, and downsizing of the booth including a second space including a first space and a reticle stage including a wafer stage inside, the first and second An object of the present invention is to provide an exposure apparatus that is advantageous for individual temperature control of two spaces .
[0012]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The present invention comprises a booth, the exposure apparatus body including a temperature adjusted is arranged inside the booth, in the exposure apparatus having a temperature control air supply device comprising a air conditioning machine room that performs air conditioning in the booth,
The exposure apparatus main body includes, as the temperature adjustment target, a first space including a wafer stage and a second space including a reticle stage,
The temperature adjustment air supply device includes a cooler and a heater for adjusting the temperature of supplied air, and a dust filter for cleaning the supplied air in the air conditioner room, and the cleaned temperature adjustment air is first and second first and second temperature adjusting air supply unit for supplying each of the space has in the booth, the rectifying member for a uniform air speed distribution first and second temperature adjusting air supply unit possess the respective air blow-out surface, the path of air the supply, the first and second path sending the cooler-the dust filter sequentially through each of the first and second temperature adjusting air supply unit air to The heater is arranged in each of the first and second paths,
An exposure apparatus characterized by that.
[0020]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
(Embodiment of exposure apparatus provided with temperature control air supply device)
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a temperature control air supply apparatus and an exposure apparatus (scanner) according to an embodiment of the present invention.
The EXPOSURE APPARATUS air conditioning main body 2 of this chamber 1 is used. The chamber 1 includes an air conditioner room 10 that mainly adjusts the temperature of air, a filter box 20 that filters fine foreign matter to form a uniform flow of clean air, and a booth 30 that shuts off the apparatus environment from the outside. Has been.
[0021]
In the air conditioner room 10, there are a temperature controller 8, a cooler 11, a base heater 12, a booth reheat heater 12B, a wafer stage reheat heater 12W, a reticle stage reheat heater 12R, a blower 13, and a chemical. Filters 14A, 14B, a dust removal filter 15W for the wafer stage, a dust removal filter 15R for the reticle stage, and the like are arranged.
[0022]
A dust removal filter 15 is disposed in the filter box 20. Inside the booth 30, the wafer stage space 4 and reticle stage space 5 of the exposure apparatus main body 2, temperature control air supply units 16W and 16R for supplying temperature control air to these, rectifiers 19W and 19R, and high airtightness Supply air ducts 7W, 7R and the like are arranged, and temperature sensors 9, 9W, 9R are arranged.
[0023]
In the chamber 1, the temperature of the air 25A flowing from the return port 17 is adjusted by the cooler 11 and the base heater 12 in the air conditioner room 10, and the temperature-adjusted air 25B passes through the chemical filter 14A by the blower 13. Air 25D, which is clean air 25C and whose temperature is strictly adjusted by the reheat heater 12B, is supplied to the booth 30 through the dust removal filter 15 as dust removal air 25E. The air supplied to the booth 30 is taken into the air conditioner room 10 again as air 25 </ b> A from the return port 17 and circulates in the chamber 1. Normally, this chamber 1 is not strictly a complete circulation system, and in order to keep the inside of the booth 30 at a positive pressure at all times, the air-conditioner room 10 is supplied with an amount of outside air 25 corresponding to about 10% of the circulating air. The air is introduced through the outside air introduction port chemical filter 14 </ b> B and the blower 13 through the outside air introduction port 18.
[0024]
The reason for keeping the booth 30 at a positive pressure is to prevent minute foreign matter from entering the booth 30 from outside the booth 30 through a minute gap in the booth 30.
[0025]
In the wafer stage space 4, a temperature-controlled air supply unit 16W that supplies air 25W that is strictly temperature-controlled by a dedicated reheat heater 12W and dust-removed by the dust filter 15W is disposed in the vicinity of the stage space. The temperature control air supply unit 16W in the exposure apparatus main body 2 does not include the dust removal filter 15W, and only the rectifier 19W for making the wind speed distribution on the blowing surface uniform is mounted on the air blowing surface.
[0026]
Similarly, a temperature control air supply unit 16R that supplies air 25R that is dust-removed by a dedicated dust removal filter 15R and that is strictly temperature-controlled by the reheat heater 12R is also arranged in the vicinity of the stage space in the reticle stage space 5 and is exposed. The temperature control air supply unit 16R in the apparatus main body 2 does not include the dust removal filter 15R, and only the rectifier 19R for making the wind speed distribution on the blowing surface uniform is mounted on the air blowing surface.
[0027]
The dust removal filters 15W and 15R separated from the temperature control air supply units 16W and 16R are disposed in the air conditioner chamber 10 in the air supply path, and are highly airtight so that dust does not enter from the air supply path. The clean air whose temperature has been adjusted is sent to the temperature adjusting air supply units 16W and 16R via the air supply air ducts 7W and 7R.
[0028]
The temperature of the air is controlled by the temperature controller 8 in the air conditioner room 10. The temperature controller 8 includes temperature information of the air 25W for the wafer stage space 4 and temperature information of the air 25R for the reticle stage space 5 detected by the temperature sensors 9W and 9R disposed in the vicinity of the rectifiers 19W and 19R, In response to the temperature information of the air 25E for the booth 30 detected by the temperature sensor 9 disposed in the vicinity of the dust filter 15, the reheat heater 12W for the wafer stage and the reheat heater 12R for the reticle stage are controlled to control the temperature. I do.
[0029]
On the other hand, FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a temperature control air supply device and an exposure device (scanner ) when the dust removal filters 15W and 15R are arranged together. In FIG. 2, the same elements as those in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals. In this case, since the temperature of the wafer stage space 4 and the reticle stage space 5 are individually controlled, the dust filters 15W and 15R are disposed upstream of the reheat heaters 12W and 12R, and the reheat heaters 12W and 12R and the subsequent ones. It is necessary to carry out heat insulation treatment by branching the path.
[0030]
Here, as the rectifiers 19W and 19R, for example, a honeycomb-shaped rectifier plate or the like can be considered.
[0031]
Further, as the high airtight supply air ducts 7W and 7R, for example, high airtight ducts having a fluorine gasket such as Teflon at the connection portion can be considered.
[0032]
(Embodiment of semiconductor production system)
Next, an example of a production system of a semiconductor device (a semiconductor chip such as an IC or LSI, a liquid crystal panel, a CCD, a thin film magnetic head, a micromachine, etc.) using the apparatus according to the present invention will be described. In this method, maintenance services such as troubleshooting, periodic maintenance, and software provision for manufacturing apparatuses installed in a semiconductor manufacturing factory are performed using a computer network outside the manufacturing factory.
[0033]
FIG. 4 illustrates the entire system cut out from a certain angle. In the figure, reference numeral 101 denotes a business office of a vendor (apparatus supply manufacturer) that provides a semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus. Examples of manufacturing apparatuses include semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses for various processes used in semiconductor manufacturing plants, such as pre-process equipment (lithographic apparatuses such as exposure apparatuses, resist processing apparatuses, etching apparatuses, heat treatment apparatuses, film forming apparatuses, and flattening apparatuses. As well as post-processing equipment (assembly equipment, inspection equipment, etc.). The office 101 includes a host management system 108 that provides a maintenance database for manufacturing apparatuses, a plurality of operation terminal computers 110, and a local area network (LAN) 109 that connects these to construct an intranet or the like. The host management system 108 includes a gateway for connecting the LAN 109 to the Internet 105, which is an external network of the office, and a security function for restricting access from the outside.
[0034]
On the other hand, 102 to 104 are manufacturing factories of semiconductor manufacturers as users of manufacturing apparatuses. The manufacturing factories 102 to 104 may be factories belonging to different manufacturers, or factories belonging to the same manufacturer (for example, a factory for a pre-process, a factory for a post-process, etc.). In each of the factories 102 to 104, a plurality of manufacturing apparatuses 106, a local area network (LAN) 111 that connects them together to construct an intranet, etc., and a host as a monitoring apparatus that monitors the operating status of each manufacturing apparatus 106 A management system 107 is provided. The host management system 107 provided in each factory 102 to 104 includes a gateway for connecting the LAN 111 in each factory to the Internet 105 that is an external network of the factory. Access to the host management system 108 on the vendor's office 101 side is possible, and access is permitted only to users limited by the security function of the host management system 108. Specifically, status information (for example, a symptom of a manufacturing apparatus in which a trouble has occurred) indicating the operating status of each manufacturing apparatus 106 is notified from the factory side to the vendor side via the Internet 105, and the notification is also handled. It is possible to receive response information (for example, information for instructing a coping method for trouble, coping software or data), maintenance information such as the latest software and help information from the vendor side. A communication protocol (TCP / IP) generally used on the Internet is used for data communication between each factory 102 to 104 and the vendor office 101 and data communication on the LAN 111 in each factory. . Instead of using the Internet as an external network outside the factory, it is also possible to use a high-security dedicated line network (such as ISDN) without being accessible from a third party. Further, the host management system is not limited to the one provided by the vendor, and the user may construct a database and place it on the external network, and allow access to the database from a plurality of factories of the user.
[0035]
FIG. 5 is a conceptual diagram showing the overall system of this embodiment cut out from an angle different from that in FIG. In the previous example, a plurality of user factories each equipped with a manufacturing apparatus and a management system of a vendor of the manufacturing apparatus are connected via an external network, and production management of each factory or at least one unit is performed via the external network. Data communication of manufacturing equipment was performed. On the other hand, in this example, a factory equipped with a plurality of vendors' manufacturing devices and a management system of each vendor of the plurality of manufacturing devices are connected by an external network outside the factory, and maintenance information of each manufacturing device is obtained. Data communication. In the figure, reference numeral 201 denotes a manufacturing factory of a manufacturing apparatus user (semiconductor device manufacturer), and a manufacturing apparatus that performs various processes on the manufacturing line of the factory, in this case, an exposure apparatus 202, a resist processing apparatus 203, and a film forming processing apparatus. 204 has been introduced. In FIG. 5, only one manufacturing factory 201 is depicted, but actually, a plurality of factories are similarly networked. Each device in the factory is connected by a LAN 206 to form an intranet, and the host management system 205 manages the operation of the production line.
[0036]
On the other hand, each business office of a vendor (apparatus supply manufacturer) such as the exposure apparatus manufacturer 210, the resist processing apparatus manufacturer 220, and the film formation apparatus manufacturer 230 has host management systems 211, 221 for performing remote maintenance of the supplied devices. 231 and these comprise a maintenance database and an external network gateway as described above. The host management system 205 that manages each device in the user's manufacturing factory and the vendor management systems 211, 221, and 231 of each device are connected by the external network 200, which is the Internet or a dedicated line network. In this system, if a trouble occurs in any one of a series of production equipment on the production line, the operation of the production line is suspended, but remote maintenance via the Internet 200 is received from the vendor of the troubled equipment. Therefore, it is possible to respond quickly and to minimize downtime of the production line.
[0037]
Each manufacturing apparatus installed in the semiconductor manufacturing factory includes a display, a network interface, and a computer that executes network access software stored in a storage device and software for operating the apparatus. The storage device is a built-in memory, a hard disk, or a network file server. The network access software includes a dedicated or general-purpose web browser, and provides, for example, a user interface having a screen as shown in FIG. 6 on the display. The operator who manages the manufacturing apparatus in each factory refers to the screen, and the manufacturing apparatus model 401, serial number 402, trouble subject 403, occurrence date 404, urgency 405, symptom 406, countermeasure 407, progress 408, etc. Enter the information in the input field on the screen. The input information is transmitted to the maintenance database via the Internet, and appropriate maintenance information as a result is returned from the maintenance database and presented on the display. Further, the user interface provided by the web browser further realizes hyperlink functions 410 to 412 as shown in the figure, and the operator can access more detailed information on each item, or the latest software used for the manufacturing apparatus from the software library provided by the vendor. Version software can be pulled out, and operation guides (help information) for use by factory operators can be pulled out. Here, the maintenance information provided by the maintenance database includes the information related to the present invention described above, and the software library also provides the latest software for realizing the present invention.
[0038]
Next, a semiconductor device manufacturing process using the production system described above will be described. FIG. 7 shows the flow of the entire manufacturing process of the semiconductor device. In step 1 (circuit design), a semiconductor device circuit is designed. In step 2 (mask production), a mask on which the designed circuit pattern is formed is produced. On the other hand, in step 3 (wafer manufacture), a wafer is manufactured using a material such as silicon. Step 4 (wafer process) is called a pre-process, and an actual circuit is formed on the wafer by lithography using the prepared mask and wafer. The next step 5 (assembly) is called a post-process, and is a process for forming a semiconductor chip using the wafer produced in step 4, and is an assembly process (dicing, bonding), packaging process (chip encapsulation), etc. Process. In step 6 (inspection), the semiconductor device manufactured in step 5 undergoes inspections such as an operation confirmation test and a durability test. Through these steps, the semiconductor device is completed and shipped (step 7). The pre-process and post-process are performed in separate dedicated factories, and maintenance is performed for each of these factories by the remote maintenance system described above. In addition, information for production management and apparatus maintenance is communicated between the pre-process factory and the post-process factory via the Internet or a dedicated network.
[0039]
FIG. 8 shows a detailed flow of the wafer process. In step 11 (oxidation), the wafer surface is oxidized. In step 12 (CVD), an insulating film is formed on the wafer surface. In step 13 (electrode formation), an electrode is formed on the wafer by vapor deposition. In step 14 (ion implantation), ions are implanted into the wafer. In step 15 (resist process), a photosensitive agent is applied to the wafer. In step 16 (exposure), the circuit pattern of the mask is printed onto the wafer by exposure using the exposure apparatus described above. In step 17 (development), the exposed wafer is developed. In step 18 (etching), portions other than the developed resist image are removed. In step 19 (resist stripping), unnecessary resist after etching is removed. By repeating these steps, multiple circuit patterns are formed on the wafer. Since the manufacturing equipment used in each process is maintained by the remote maintenance system described above, it is possible to prevent troubles in advance and to recover quickly even if troubles occur. Productivity can be improved.
[0040]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, there is provided an exposure apparatus that is advantageous for downsizing a booth that includes a first space including a wafer stage and a second space including a reticle stage, and for controlling individual temperatures of the first and second spaces. Can be provided.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an exposure apparatus including a temperature-controlled air supply device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an exposure apparatus including a temperature-controlled air supply device according to another embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an exposure apparatus including a temperature-controlled air supply device according to a conventional example.
FIG. 4 is a conceptual view of a semiconductor device production system using an apparatus according to the present invention as seen from a certain angle.
FIG. 5 is a conceptual view of a semiconductor device production system using the apparatus according to the present invention as seen from another angle.
FIG. 6 is a specific example of a user interface.
FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a flow of a device manufacturing process.
FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a wafer process.
[Explanation of symbols]
1: chamber, 2: exposure apparatus main body, 4: wafer stage space, 5: reticle stage space, 7W, 7R: airtight supply air duct, 8: temperature controller, 9, 9W, 9R: temperature sensor, 10: air conditioner 11: Cooler, 12: Base heater, 12B: Reheat heater (for booth), 12W: Reheat heater (for wafer stage), 12R: Reheat heater (for reticle stage), 13: Blower, 14A: Chemical filter (for circulation), 14B: chemical filter (for outside air inlet), 15: dust filter, 15W: dust filter (for wafer stage), 15R: dust filter (for reticle stage), 16W: temperature control (temperature adjustment) ) air supply unit (wafer stage), 16R: temperature control (temperature adjustment) air supply unit (reticle stage) 17: return port, 18 Outside air inlet, 19W: rectifier (for wafer stage), 19R: rectifier (for reticle stage), 20: filter box, 25 (25A to 25E): air, 30: booth, 101: vendor office, 102 , 103, 104: Manufacturing factory, 105: Internet, 106: Manufacturing apparatus, 107: Factory host management system, 108: Vendor side host management system, 109: Vendor side local area network (LAN), 110: Operation terminal Computer: 111: Factory local area network (LAN) 200: External network 201: Manufacturing apparatus User manufacturing factory 202: Exposure apparatus 203: Resist processing apparatus 204: Film forming apparatus 205: Factory host Management system 206: Factory local area network (LAN), 210: exposure apparatus manufacturer, 211: host management system of the exposure apparatus manufacturer's office, 220: resist processing apparatus manufacturer, 221: the host management system of the office of the resist processing apparatus manufacturer, 230: film forming apparatus Maker, 231: Host management system at the office of the film forming apparatus manufacturer, 401: Model of manufacturing apparatus, 402: Serial number, 403: Title of trouble, 404: Date of occurrence, 405: Urgency, 406: Symptom, 407: Coping method, 408: progress, 410, 411, 412: hyperlink function.

Claims (2)

A booth, the exposure apparatus body including a temperature adjusted is arranged inside the booth, in the exposure apparatus having a temperature control air supply device comprising a air conditioning machine room that performs air conditioning in the booth,
The exposure apparatus main body includes, as the temperature adjustment target, a first space including a wafer stage and a second space including a reticle stage,
The temperature adjustment air supply device includes a cooler and a heater for adjusting the temperature of supplied air, and a dust filter for cleaning the supplied air in the air conditioner room, and the cleaned temperature adjustment air is first and second first and second temperature adjusting air supply unit for supplying each of the space has in the booth, the rectifying member for a uniform air speed distribution first and second temperature adjusting air supply unit possess the respective air blow-out surface, the path of air the supply, the first and second path sending the cooler-the dust filter sequentially through each of the first and second temperature adjusting air supply unit air to The heater is arranged in each of the first and second paths,
An exposure apparatus characterized by that. Exposing the substrate using the exposure apparatus according to claim 1 ;
And a step of developing the substrate exposed in the step.

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