JP5580779B2 - Development processing apparatus, development processing method, program, and computer storage medium - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a development processing apparatus, a development processing method, a program, and a computer storage medium for developing a substrate by supplying a developer to a substrate on which a resist film is formed.

  For example, in a photolithography process in a semiconductor device manufacturing process, for example, a resist coating process is performed on a semiconductor wafer (hereinafter referred to as “wafer”) to form a resist film, and a predetermined pattern is exposed on the resist film. An exposure process, a development process for developing the exposed resist film, and the like are sequentially performed to form a predetermined resist pattern on the wafer.

  When a predetermined pattern is formed on a substrate, the pattern is required to be miniaturized in order to achieve higher integration of semiconductor devices. Therefore, it is required to perform the above-described development processing precisely and uniformly within the substrate surface. As a technique for performing this development processing, for example, a supply nozzle having a length corresponding to the diameter of the substrate and having a large number of discharge ports is provided on the opposite side from the outer peripheral edge of one of the substrates while supplying the developer. A system is known in which the inside of the substrate is uniformly developed by moving it to the outer peripheral edge.

  By the way, when a supply nozzle having a length corresponding to the diameter of the substrate is used, the developer supplied to a region where the supply nozzle and the substrate do not overlap in a plan view does not contribute to the development. Waste will occur. As a result, the consumption of expensive developer increases, leading to an increase in production cost.

  Therefore, for example, Patent Document 1 proposes a method for suppressing the consumption of the developer when using such a supply nozzle. Specifically, a plurality of flow paths for supplying the developing solution are formed in the supply nozzle, and a valve body for controlling the supply of the developing solution is provided in each flow path, so that the discharge corresponding to each flow path is provided. The supply of the developer from the outlet is controlled independently, and the supply of the developer to the region where the supply nozzle and the substrate do not overlap is stopped.

JP 2003-31459 A

  By the way, the resist film formed on the substrate surface has different film thicknesses in the region on the center side of the substrate and the region on the outer peripheral side of the substrate. Therefore, if the pattern shot formed in the outer peripheral area of the substrate and the pattern shot formed in the central area of the substrate are developed under the same conditions, the line width of the pattern on the outer peripheral side and the central side Will be different. In other words, in order to obtain a uniform in-plane development result with the same resist pattern line width in each shot, for example, development conditions such as development time are different between the center side of the wafer and the outer peripheral side of the wafer. Need to be.

  However, when a supply nozzle having a length corresponding to the diameter of the substrate as described above is used, the development conditions cannot be changed for each shot positioned in the length direction of the supply nozzle. A difference is inevitable.

  The present invention has been made in view of this point, and an object of the present invention is to perform precise development processing individually for each shot in the substrate surface.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a development processing apparatus for developing a resist film on a substrate that has been exposed to a predetermined pattern by supplying a developer onto the substrate, and a substrate holding unit that holds the substrate And a plurality of supply nozzles that are provided with a developer discharge port for discharging the developer and shorter than the diameter of the substrate, are arranged without gaps from the one end side of the substrate toward the other end side of the substrate over the length of the substrate diameter or more. A formed collecting nozzle, and a drive mechanism that individually horizontally moves each of the supply nozzles in a direction orthogonal to a direction in which the plurality of supply nozzles are arranged from one end of the substrate toward the other end of the substrate , The drive mechanism has a speed change function.

  According to the development processing apparatus of the present invention, the supply nozzles shorter than the diameter of the substrate are arranged side by side over the length of the substrate diameter, and each supply nozzle is moved in a direction orthogonal to the length direction of the collection nozzle. Since the moving mechanism is provided, the relative moving speed with respect to the substrate can be set for each supply nozzle. Therefore, for example, in the supply nozzle corresponding to the outer peripheral side of the substrate where the film thickness of the resist film is relatively thick, the development time is lengthened by slowing the moving speed of the supply nozzle, and the wafer W whose film thickness is relatively thin The development time can be shortened by increasing the moving speed of the supply nozzle corresponding to the center side. For this reason, it is possible to change the development time for each shot on the entire surface of the substrate and thereby perform a precise development process. As a result, it is possible to avoid a difference in the line width after development between each shot.

  Arrangement without gaps does not necessarily mean that adjacent supply nozzles are in contact with each other, but gaps are formed so that each supply nozzle can move without interfering with adjacent supply nozzles. Such a state is also included. Also, the size of the gap can be arbitrarily set according to the size of the pattern shot formed on the substrate.

  The supply nozzle is further formed with a rinsing liquid discharge port for discharging a rinsing liquid onto the substrate, and the developer discharge port in the supply nozzle is closer to the substrate in the direction of travel relative to the substrate than the rinsing liquid discharge port. The developer located on the front side and ejected from the ejection port may be replaced with a rinsing liquid as the supply nozzle moves relative to the substrate.

  In each of the supply nozzles, a suction port for sucking the developer and the rinse liquid may be provided behind the rinse liquid discharge port in the direction of travel of the supply nozzle with respect to the substrate.

  The moving speed of each supply nozzle, the supply amount of the developer and the rinsing liquid from each supply nozzle, so that the developer supplied to the surface of the substrate is replaced with the rinsing liquid after a predetermined time has elapsed. The suction amount of the developer and the rinse liquid from the suction port may be adjusted.

  The drive mechanism may include a shaft that horizontally moves the supply nozzles.

  Moreover, you may further have another drive mechanism which moves each said supply nozzle in the direction orthogonal to the advancing direction of each said supply nozzle.

  The length of each supply nozzle in the direction orthogonal to the traveling direction may be a length covering a plurality of shots of the pattern on the substrate, or a length corresponding to one shot of the pattern on the substrate. Also good.

Another aspect of the present invention is a development processing method for developing a resist film on a substrate that has been exposed to a predetermined pattern using a development processing apparatus, the development processing apparatus comprising: a substrate holding unit that holds a substrate; A plurality of supply nozzles that are provided with a developer discharge port for discharging the developer and shorter than the diameter of the substrate are arranged side by side without gaps from the one end side of the substrate toward the other end side of the substrate with a length equal to or larger than the diameter of the substrate. An assembled nozzle,
A developer is supplied to the substrate while each of the supply nozzles is individually horizontally moved in a direction perpendicular to a direction in which the plurality of supply nozzles are arranged from one end side of the substrate toward the other end side of the substrate. It is said.

  The supply nozzle is further formed with a rinsing liquid discharge port for discharging a rinsing liquid onto the substrate, and the developer discharge port in the supply nozzle is closer to the substrate in the direction of travel relative to the substrate than the rinsing liquid discharge port. The developer supplied on the substrate may be replaced with the rinse liquid by supplying the developer and the rinse liquid while moving the supply nozzle located on the front side.

  In each of the supply nozzles, a suction port for sucking the developer and the rinse liquid is provided behind the rinse liquid discharge port in the traveling direction of the supply nozzle with respect to the substrate, and the supply nozzle is moved. The developing solution and the rinsing solution supplied onto the substrate may be sucked from the suction port.

  The moving speed of each supply nozzle, the supply amount of the developer and the rinsing liquid from each supply nozzle, so that the developer supplied to the surface of the substrate is replaced with the rinsing liquid after a predetermined time has elapsed. And the suction amount of the developer and the rinsing liquid from the suction port may be adjusted.

  Each supply nozzle may be movable in a direction orthogonal to the traveling direction of each supply nozzle.

  The length of each supply nozzle in the direction orthogonal to the traveling direction may be a length covering a plurality of shots of the pattern on the substrate, or a length corresponding to one shot of the pattern on the substrate. Also good.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a program that operates on a computer of a control unit that controls the development processing apparatus so that the development processing method is executed by the development processing apparatus.

  According to another aspect of the present invention, a readable computer storage medium storing the program is provided.

  According to the present invention, precise development processing can be performed individually for each shot in the substrate surface.

It is a top view which shows the outline of a structure of the coating development processing system provided with the developing processing apparatus concerning this Embodiment. FIG. 2 is a front view of the coating and developing treatment system of FIG. 1. FIG. 2 is a rear view of the coating and developing treatment system of FIG. 1. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows the outline of a structure of a development processing apparatus. It is a cross-sectional view which shows the outline of a structure of a development processing apparatus. It is a perspective view which shows the outline of a structure of a development processing apparatus. It is a bottom view of a supply nozzle. It is a cross-sectional view which shows the state in which the board | substrate was carried in to the image development processing apparatus. It is a cross-sectional view showing a state where the supply nozzle of the development processing apparatus has moved to the vicinity of the edge of the wafer. It is a side view which shows a mode that a developing solution is supplied to a wafer from a supply nozzle. It is a side view which shows a mode that the rinse liquid is supplied to a wafer from a supply nozzle. It is a side view which shows a mode that a developing solution and a rinse liquid are attracted | sucked by a supply nozzle. It is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the supply nozzle of the development processing apparatus has moved across the top of the wafer. It is a bottom view of the supply nozzle concerning other embodiment. It is a perspective view which shows the outline of a structure of the image development processing apparatus concerning other embodiment. It is a cross-sectional view which shows the outline of a structure of a variable nozzle.

  Hereinafter, an example of an embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 is a plan view schematically showing the configuration of a coating and developing treatment system 1 including a developing treatment apparatus according to the present embodiment, FIG. 2 is a front view of the coating and developing treatment system 1, and FIG. 2 is a rear view of the coating and developing treatment system 1. FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the coating and developing treatment system 1 is a cassette that carries, for example, 25 wafers W from the outside to the coating and developing treatment system 1 in a cassette unit, and carries a wafer W into and out of the cassette C. A station 2, a processing station 3 in which a plurality of various processing apparatuses for performing a predetermined processing in a single wafer type in a photolithography process are arranged in multiple stages, and an exposure (not shown) provided adjacent to the processing station 3 The interface unit 4 that transfers the wafer W to and from the apparatus is integrally connected.

  In the cassette station 2, a plurality of cassettes C can be placed in a row in a predetermined position on the cassette placement table 5 in the X direction (vertical direction in FIG. 1). The cassette station 2 is provided with a wafer transfer body 7 that can move in the X direction on the transfer path 6. The wafer carrier 7 is also movable in the wafer arrangement direction (Z direction; vertical direction) of the wafers W accommodated in the cassette C, and is selective to the wafers W in each cassette C arranged in the X direction. Can be accessed.

  The wafer carrier 7 has an alignment function for aligning the wafer W. As will be described later, the wafer transfer body 7 can also access the extension device 32 belonging to the third processing unit group G3 on the processing station 3 side and transfer the wafer W.

  The processing station 3 is provided with a main transfer device 13 at the center thereof, and various processing devices are arranged in multiple stages around the main transfer device 13 to form a processing device group. In the coating and developing treatment system 1, four processing device groups G1, G2, G3, and G4 are arranged, and the first and second processing device groups G1 and G2 are arranged on the front side of the coating and developing treatment system 1. The third processing unit group G3 is disposed adjacent to the cassette station 2, and the fourth processing unit group G4 is disposed adjacent to the interface unit 4. Further, as an option, a fifth processing unit group G5 indicated by a broken line can be separately arranged on the back side. The main transfer device 13 can transfer the wafer W to various processing devices arranged in these processing device groups G1 to G5.

  In the first processing unit group G1, for example, as shown in FIG. 2, a resist coating unit 17 for applying a resist solution to the wafer W and a development processing unit 18 for developing the exposed wafer W are arranged in order from the bottom. It is arranged on the stage. Similarly, in the second processing unit group G2, the resist coating unit 19 and the development processing unit 20 are stacked in two stages in order from the bottom.

  In the third processing unit group G3, for example, as shown in FIG. 3, a cooling device 30 for cooling the wafer W, an adhesion device 31 for improving the fixability between the resist solution and the wafer W, and an extension for waiting the wafer W The apparatus 32, pre-baking apparatuses 33 and 34 for drying the solvent in the resist solution, and post-baking apparatuses 35 and 36 for performing the heat treatment after the development process are stacked in, for example, seven stages from the bottom.

  In the fourth processing unit group G4, for example, a cooling device 40, an extension / cooling device 41 that naturally cools the mounted wafer W, an extension device 42, a cooling device 43, and a post-exposure baking device (for heating the exposed wafer W) ( (Hereinafter referred to as “PEB apparatus”) 44, 45, post-baking apparatuses 46, 47, and the like are stacked, for example, in eight stages from the bottom.

  As shown in FIG. 1, a wafer carrier 50 is provided at the center of the interface unit 4. The wafer carrier 50 is configured to be freely movable in the X and Z directions and rotated in the θ direction (rotating direction around the Z axis), and is an extension cooling that belongs to the fourth processing unit group G4. The wafer W can be transferred by accessing the apparatus 41, the extension apparatus 42, the peripheral exposure apparatus 51, and an exposure apparatus (not shown). The wafer carrier 50 has an alignment function for aligning the wafer W.

  Next, the configuration of the development processing apparatus 18 described above will be described. The development processing device 20 has the same configuration as the development processing device 18. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the development processing apparatus 18 includes a processing container 61 in which a loading / unloading port 60 for the substrate G is formed on the side surface. A substrate holding unit 62 that holds the wafer W is provided at the center of the processing container 61. The holding surface 62 a on the upper surface of the substrate holding part 62 is formed in a circular shape having a diameter slightly larger than the diameter of the wafer W. The holding surface 62a is provided with a plurality of suction ports (not shown), and the wafer W can be sucked by suction from the suction ports. The substrate holding unit 62 is provided with a lifting drive unit 63 such as a cylinder, and the wafer W can be transferred to and from the main transfer device 13 by moving the holding surface 62 a of the substrate holding unit 62 up and down.

  For example, an exhaust cup 70 for exhaust is provided around the substrate holding unit 62. The exhaust cup 70 is positioned below the holding surface 62a of the substrate holding unit 62, for example. The exhaust cup 70 has a double structure including, for example, a cylindrical outer cup 71 and an inner cup 72, and an exhaust passage 73 is formed between the outer cup 71 and the inner cup 72. An annular suction port 74 is formed in the gap between the upper end portions of the outer cup 71 and the inner cup 72, and the suction port 74 is disposed along the peripheral portion of the holding surface 62a as shown in FIG. . An exhaust pipe 75 communicating with an exhaust device (not shown) installed outside the development processing apparatus 18 is connected to the gap between the lower end portions of the outer cup 71 and the inner cup 72, and is near the substrate holding portion 62. The atmosphere can be appropriately exhausted from the suction port 74.

  As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, rails 80 are provided on both sides of the exhaust cup 70 along the Y direction (left and right direction in FIG. 5). Each rail 80 is provided, for example, so as to extend from the outside on one end side of the exhaust cup 70 to the outside on the other end side.

  One end of an arm 81 extending vertically upward is supported on the rail 80, and the arm 81 is movable on the rail 80 by a moving mechanism 82. The arm 81 is formed by, for example, a ball screw mechanism and is movable in the vertical direction.

  As shown in FIG. 6, one rail 80 is provided with two arms 81, respectively. A support member 83 is held across the rails 80 and 80 on the two arms 81 facing each other with the exhaust cup 70 interposed therebetween. A plurality of shafts 84 are provided in parallel with the rails 80 between the support members 83 and 83 that face each other with the exhaust cup 70 interposed therebetween. Each shaft 84 is provided with a supply nozzle 90 for supplying a developing solution and a rinsing solution to the wafer W, respectively. The length of the supply nozzle 90 in the direction orthogonal to the extending direction of the shaft 84 is a length corresponding to the shot size of the pattern formed on the wafer W, in other words, shorter than the diameter of the wafer W. Has been. The plurality of supply nozzles 90 are arranged along the X direction (vertical direction in FIG. 5) from the one end side of the wafer W toward the other end side of the wafer W without gaps beyond the length of the wafer W. The plurality of supply nozzles 90 form a collective nozzle 91 that supplies the developer and the rinsing liquid to the entire surface of the wafer W. In FIG. 6, the number of shafts 84 and the supply nozzles 90 and the distance between the supply nozzles 90 are depicted differently from those in FIG. 5 in order to facilitate understanding of the configuration of the development processing device 18. .

  Each supply nozzle 90 includes a drive unit (not shown) and forms a drive mechanism together with the shaft 84. As a result, the supply nozzle 90 passes over the wafer W held by the substrate holding part 62 from the outside of the end of the exhaust cup 70 in the Y direction positive direction along the shaft 84, and the Y direction of the exhaust cup 70. It can move to the outside of the end on the negative direction side. In addition, what has a speed change function, such as a stepping motor, is used for a drive part, for example.

  Each shaft 84 is provided at a position corresponding to each shot of the pattern of the wafer W, and the supply nozzle 90 can move while covering the shot of the pattern in plan view. The above-mentioned “arrangement without gaps” does not necessarily mean that adjacent supply nozzles 90 are in contact with each other. For example, as shown in FIG. A state in which a gap that can move without interfering with is formed. Also, the size of the gap can be arbitrarily set according to the size of the pattern shot formed on the wafer W.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the supply nozzle 90 is supplied onto the wafer with a developer discharge port 100 that discharges the developer onto the wafer W, a rinse liquid discharge port 101 that supplies a rinse liquid onto the wafer W, and the wafer. A suction port 102 for sucking the developer and the rinsing liquid is formed in this order from the advancing direction side (Y direction negative direction side) of the supply nozzle to the opposite side. The developer discharge port 100, the rinse solution discharge port 101, and the suction port 102 are, for example, slit-shaped openings formed along a direction orthogonal to the extending direction of the rail 80, for example. As shown in FIG. 4, a developer from a developer supply source 104 is supplied to the developer discharge port 100 through a supply pipe 105 by a pump 103. The rinse liquid from the rinse liquid supply source 107 is also supplied to the rinse liquid discharge port 101 through the supply pipe 108 by the pump 106. For example, pure water is used as the rinse liquid. A suction mechanism 110 is connected to the suction port 102 via a suction tube 109.

  The supply pipes 105 and 108 are provided with flow rate measuring mechanisms 113 and 114 for measuring the flow rates in the valve bodies 111 and 112 and the supply pipes 105 and 108, respectively. Similarly, the suction pipe 109 is provided with a valve body 115 and a flow rate measuring mechanism 116.

  A nozzle bath 120 is provided outside the exhaust cup 70 on the positive side in the Y direction. The collective nozzle 91 stands by in this nozzle bus 120 when the wafer W is not processed.

  The coating and developing treatment system 1 is provided with a control unit 300 as shown in FIG. The control unit 300 is a computer, for example, and has a program storage unit (not shown). The program storage unit stores a program for controlling the processing of the wafer W in the coating and developing treatment system 1. The program storage unit also stores a program for controlling the operation of drive systems such as the above-described various processing apparatuses and transport apparatuses to realize coating and developing processing in the coating and developing processing system 1. The program is recorded on a computer-readable storage medium H such as a computer-readable hard disk (HD), a flexible disk (FD), a compact disk (CD), a magnetic optical desk (MO), or a memory card. May have been installed in the control unit 300 from the storage medium H.

  Next, a processing method of the wafer W performed using the coating and developing processing system 1 configured as described above will be described.

  First, one unprocessed wafer W is taken out from the cassette C by the wafer transfer body 7 and transferred to the extension device 32 belonging to the third processing unit group G3. Next, the wafer W is carried into the adhesion device 31 by the main transfer device 13, and HMDS for improving the adhesion of the resist solution is applied to the wafer W, for example. Next, the wafer W is transferred to the cooling device 30, cooled to a predetermined temperature, and then transferred to the resist coating device 17. In the resist coating device 17, a resist solution is applied onto the wafer W to form a resist film.

  The wafer W on which the resist film is formed is sequentially transferred by the main transfer device 13 to the pre-baking device 33 and the extension / cooling device 41, and further transferred to the peripheral exposure device 51 and the exposure device by the wafer transfer body 50. A predetermined process is performed by the apparatus. The wafer W that has been subjected to the exposure process in the exposure apparatus is adjusted in alignment by the wafer carrier 50 and then carried to the extension device 42. After that, predetermined processing is performed by the post-exposure baking device 44 and the cooling device 43, and thereafter, the processing is transported to the development processing device 18, where development processing is performed.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 8, the wafer W transferred to the development processing apparatus 18 has either the vertical or horizontal arrangement of the regions S where the pattern shots are formed coincide with the extending direction of the rails 80. In this way, the substrate is held by the substrate holder 62. At this time, the substrate holder 62 may be configured to be rotatable, and the alignment in the rotational direction may be readjusted by the substrate holder 62. In FIG. 8, illustration of the shaft 84 is omitted.

  Next, the arm 81 moves to the Y direction negative direction side in FIG. 8 until the two support members 83 are positioned outside the end portion of the wafer W. As a result, the collective nozzle 91 evacuated to the position of the nozzle bath 120 moves to the vicinity of the end of the wafer W in the Y direction together with the arm 81 as shown in FIG.

  Thereafter, the arm 81 is lowered, and the position in the height direction is adjusted so that the lower end portion of each supply nozzle 90 forming the collective nozzle 91 is higher than the surface of the wafer W by a predetermined height, for example, about 1 mm. When each supply nozzle 90 moves at a predetermined speed in the Y direction negative direction side and reaches above the outer peripheral end of the wafer W, as shown in FIG. In the present embodiment, the developing solution D is supplied at, for example, 50 ml / min to 300 ml / min, and the developing process is started. Thereafter, the supply nozzle 90 continues to move toward the end of the wafer W on the Y direction negative side while maintaining the supply of the developer D.

  In parallel with this, when the rinse liquid discharge port 101 reaches above the outer peripheral end of the wafer W on the Y direction positive direction side, a predetermined flow rate from the rinse liquid discharge port 101, for example, 50 ml / min in this embodiment. The supply of the rinse liquid is started at 300 ml / min. As a result, the developer D supplied from the developer discharge port 100 located on the front side of the supply nozzle 90 in the traveling direction is sequentially replaced with the rinse liquid L as shown in FIG.

  Thereafter, when the suction port 102 reaches above the outer peripheral end of the wafer W on the Y direction positive direction side, as shown in FIG. 12, the developing solution D and the rinsing solution L supplied to the wafer W surface by the suction port 102 Suction is performed, and development is completed in sequence. Then, as shown in FIG. 13, when the supply nozzle 90 moves to the outside of the wafer W across the upper end of the negative direction side of the wafer W, the supply of the developing solution D and the rinsing solution L, and the suction port 102 are performed. Is stopped, and the development process on the entire surface of the wafer W is completed.

  The moving speed of each supply nozzle 90, the flow rates of the developer D and the rinse liquid L supplied from each supply nozzle 90, and the suction amounts of the developer D and the rinse liquid L through the suction port 102 are obtained in advance by experiments. Further, it is determined appropriately for each supply nozzle 90 based on the optimum developing time, that is, the optimum time until the developing solution D supplied to the surface of the wafer W is replaced with the rinsing solution L. In addition, since the film thickness of the resist film is generally different between the outer peripheral region S of the wafer W and the central region S of the wafer, the outer peripheral side and the central side of the wafer W, for example, The operation of the supply nozzle 90 is controlled so as to obtain an optimum development time by changing the moving speed. In such a case, for example, the supply nozzle 90 that moves across the X-direction side end of the wafer W in FIG. 13 and the supply nozzle 90 that crosses the position near the center of the wafer W are used to change the movement speed of the supply nozzle 90. You may change it. Further, for example, when the supply nozzle 90 that crosses a position near the center side of the wafer W crosses near the end of the wafer W on the Y direction side, and when the supply nozzle 90 moves near the center of the wafer W, The moving speed may be changed.

  Thereafter, the wafer W that has been subjected to the development processing is transferred to the extension device 32, and then accommodated in the cassette C, and unloaded from the coating and developing processing visual system 1.

  According to the above-described embodiment, the supply nozzle 90 shorter than the diameter of the wafer W is formed in a row perpendicular to the length direction of the collective nozzle 91, and the collective nozzle 91 formed side by side over the length of the wafer W or more. Since each supply nozzle 90 has a moving mechanism for individually moving, the relative moving speed with respect to the wafer W can be set for each supply nozzle 90. Therefore, for example, in the supply nozzle 90 corresponding to the outer peripheral side of the wafer W where the film thickness of the resist film is relatively thick, the development time is lengthened, or the supply corresponding to the center side of the wafer W where the film thickness is relatively thin. The nozzle 90 can perform precise development processing for each pattern shot by shortening the development time. As a result, it is possible to avoid a difference in the line width after development between each shot.

  In the above embodiment, the suction port 102 is a linear slit. For example, as shown in FIG. 14, the developer discharge port 100 is surrounded by the developer discharge port 100 and the rinse solution discharge port 101. It is good also as a substantially U-shaped slit. In such a case, the developer and the rinse liquid supplied from the supply nozzle 90 are sucked without interfering with the developer and the rinse liquid supplied from other adjacent supply nozzles 90. Development processing can be performed.

  In the above embodiment, the supply nozzle 90 has a length corresponding to the width of the pattern shot, but the length of each supply nozzle 90 may be individually different. For example, one supply nozzle 90 may be formed to have a length that covers the region S corresponding to two or more shots.

  In the above embodiment, the supply nozzle 90 moves only in the direction along the direction in which the rail 80 extends. However, the supply nozzle 90 may move in a direction orthogonal to the rail 80. In such a case, for example, as shown in FIG. 15, a horizontal movement mechanism 130 as another drive mechanism capable of horizontal movement in a direction orthogonal to the direction in which the rail 80 extends is provided on the upper portion of the support member 83. By configuring the shaft 84 to be held by the horizontal movement mechanism 130, the position of the supply nozzle 90 in the direction orthogonal to the rail 80 can be adjusted. The horizontal movement mechanism 130 is, for example, a ball screw mechanism. As a result, even if the pattern shot area is different for each lot to be processed, the position of the supply nozzle 90 can be adjusted in accordance with the position of the shot. Development processing can be performed.

  In the above embodiment, the width of the region where the pattern shot is formed corresponds to the width of the supply nozzle 90. However, when the width of the region where the shot is formed differs for each lot to be processed. Instead of the supply nozzle 90, a collective nozzle in which a plurality of variable nozzles that can change the region for supplying the developer or the like along the direction orthogonal to the extending direction of the rail 80 may be used.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 16, the variable nozzle 140 has a developer nozzle 142, a rinse liquid nozzle 143, and a suction nozzle 144 arranged in the casing 141. The developer nozzle 142 and the rinsing liquid nozzle 143 are configured by front nozzles 142a and 143a provided on the front side in the moving direction of the variable nozzle 140 and rear nozzles 142b and 143b provided on the rear side in the moving direction. The rear nozzles 142b and 143b are provided with a horizontal movement mechanism 150 formed by, for example, a ball screw mechanism, and can freely move the rear nozzles 142b and 143b along a direction orthogonal to the traveling direction of the variable nozzle 140. Can do. The suction nozzle 144 includes a substantially L-shaped fixed-side nozzle 144a and a linear moving-side nozzle 144b that is combined with the fixed-side nozzle 144a to form a substantially U-shape that opens on the developer nozzle 142 side. Yes. The moving nozzle 144b is also provided with a horizontal moving mechanism 150 so that the area to be sucked can be changed as the rear nozzles 142b and 143b move.

  According to such a variable nozzle 140, the width of the region to which the developer and the rinsing liquid are supplied can be changed. For example, even when the width of the region in which the shot is formed differs from lot to lot, the shot is appropriately shot. Each time development processing can be performed. Although the substantially U-shaped suction nozzle 144 is illustrated in FIG. 16, the suction nozzle 144 may have the same shape as the developer nozzle 142 and the rinse liquid nozzle 143.

  In the above embodiment, for example, the development time is adjusted by changing the moving speed of the supply nozzle 90. For example, in the variable nozzle 140, the developer nozzle 142 and the rinse liquid nozzle 143 are adjusted. The distance between the nozzles 142 and 143 may be adjusted so that the residence time of the developer on the wafer W, that is, the development time may be adjusted. In such a case, instead of individually moving the plurality of variable nozzles 140, the plurality of developer nozzles 142 and the rinsing liquid nozzle 143 may be provided on one variable nozzle that is not less than the length of the diameter of the wafer W, respectively. Good.

The preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings, but the present invention is not limited to such examples. It is obvious for those skilled in the art that various modifications or modifications can be conceived within the scope of the idea described in the claims, and these naturally belong to the technical scope of the present invention. It is understood.
The present invention is not limited to this example and can take various forms. The present invention can also be applied to a case where the substrate is another substrate such as an FPD (flat panel display) other than a wafer or a mask reticle for a photomask.

  The present invention is useful when developing a substrate on which a resist film is formed.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Application | coating development processing system 18, 20 Development processing apparatus 60 Loading / unloading 61 Processing container 80 Rail 81 Arm 83 Support member 84 Shaft 90 Supply nozzle 91 Collecting nozzle 100 Developer discharge port 101 Rinse solution discharge port 102 Suction port 120 Nozzle bus 130 Horizontal movement Mechanism 140 Variable nozzle W Wafer D Developer L Rinse solution

Claims (17)

A development processing apparatus that develops a resist film on a substrate by supplying a developing solution onto the substrate and exposing a predetermined pattern,
A substrate holder for holding the substrate;
A plurality of supply nozzles that are provided with a developer discharge port for discharging the developer and shorter than the diameter of the substrate are arranged side by side without gaps from the one end side of the substrate toward the other end side of the substrate over the length of the substrate diameter or more. Collecting nozzles,
A drive mechanism for horizontally moving each of the supply nozzles in a direction perpendicular to a direction in which the plurality of supply nozzles are arranged from one end side of the substrate toward the other end side of the substrate ;
The development processing apparatus, wherein the drive mechanism has a speed change function. The supply nozzle is further formed with a rinse liquid discharge port for discharging a rinse liquid onto the substrate,
The developer discharge port is located on the front side in the traveling direction of the supply nozzle with respect to the substrate than the rinse liquid discharge port in the supply nozzle.
2. The development processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the developing solution discharged from the discharge port is replaced with a rinsing solution when the supply nozzle moves relative to the substrate. 3. In each of the supply nozzles, a suction port for sucking the developer and the rinse liquid is provided behind the rinse liquid discharge port in the traveling direction of the supply nozzle with respect to the substrate. The development processing apparatus according to claim 2. The moving speed of each supply nozzle, the supply amount of the developer and the rinsing liquid from each supply nozzle, so that the developer supplied to the surface of the substrate is replaced with the rinsing liquid after a predetermined time has elapsed. The developing processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein suction amounts of the developing solution and the rinsing liquid from the suction port are adjusted. The development processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the drive mechanism includes a shaft that horizontally moves the supply nozzles. The development processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising another drive mechanism that moves each of the supply nozzles in a direction orthogonal to a traveling direction of the supply nozzles. The length of the direction orthogonal to the advancing direction of each said supply nozzle is a length which covers the some shot of the pattern on a board | substrate, The development processing apparatus in any one of Claims 1-6 characterized by the above-mentioned. . The length of the direction orthogonal to the advancing direction of each said supply nozzle is a length corresponding to one shot of the pattern on a board | substrate, The development processing in any one of Claims 1-6 characterized by the above-mentioned. apparatus. A development processing method for developing a resist film on a substrate exposed to a predetermined pattern using a development processing apparatus,
The development processing apparatus includes a substrate holding unit that holds a substrate, a developer discharge port that discharges the developer, and a plurality of supply nozzles that are shorter than the diameter of the substrate, from one end of the substrate to the other end of the substrate. Having a collective nozzle formed side by side without a gap over the length of the substrate or more
A developer is supplied to the substrate while each of the supply nozzles is individually horizontally moved in a direction perpendicular to a direction in which the plurality of supply nozzles are arranged from one end side of the substrate toward the other end side of the substrate. A development processing method. The supply nozzle is further formed with a rinse liquid discharge port for discharging a rinse liquid onto the substrate,
The developer discharge port is located on the front side in the traveling direction of the supply nozzle with respect to the substrate than the rinse liquid discharge port in the supply nozzle.
The development processing method according to claim 9, wherein the developer supplied on the substrate is replaced with the rinse liquid by supplying the developer and the rinse liquid while moving the supply nozzle. In each of the supply nozzles, a suction port for sucking the developer and the rinsing liquid is provided on the rear side in the traveling direction of the supply nozzle with respect to the substrate from the rinse liquid discharge port.
The development processing method according to claim 10, wherein the developer and the rinsing liquid supplied onto the substrate are sucked from the suction port while the supply nozzle is moved. The moving speed of each supply nozzle, the supply amount of the developer and the rinsing liquid from each supply nozzle, so that the developer supplied to the surface of the substrate is replaced with the rinsing liquid after a predetermined time has elapsed. The development processing method according to claim 9, wherein the suction amount of the developer and the rinse liquid from the suction port is adjusted. 13. The development processing method according to claim 9, wherein each of the supply nozzles is movable in a direction orthogonal to a traveling direction of each of the supply nozzles. The length of the direction orthogonal to the advancing direction of each said supply nozzle is a length which covers the some shot of the pattern on a board | substrate, The development processing method in any one of Claims 9-13 characterized by the above-mentioned. . 14. The development processing according to claim 9, wherein a length of each supply nozzle in a direction orthogonal to a traveling direction is a length corresponding to one shot of a pattern on the substrate. Method. A program that operates on a computer of a control unit that controls the development processing apparatus so that the development processing apparatus according to any one of claims 9 to 15 is executed by the development processing apparatus. A readable computer storage medium storing the program according to claim 16.

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