JPH0132360Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] (1) Technical Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a spin developing machine, and particularly to a structure that improves temperature control of a spin chuck that holds a wafer in the developing machine.

(2) Background of the technology A spin developing machine is a device used to form a pattern by dropping a developer onto a resist that has been coated on a wafer and then exposed. It consists of a rotating stainless steel spin chuck and a lower cup that collects and drains used developer.

In forming a resist pattern using the spin developing machine, it is important to keep the temperature of the developer constant. The reason for this is that the dimensions of the resist pattern formed change depending on the size of the temperature difference between the developer and the processing chamber, and the size of this change is, for example, 0.1 to 0.2 μm when the temperature difference is 4°C. This is because it becomes a cause of producing defective products. The temperature inside the processing room varies depending on the location, sometimes up to 3°C.
Temperature control is an important technology because it has been experienced that there are differences in temperature.

(3) Prior Art and Problems Figure 1 is a partially cutaway side view of the main parts of a conventional spin developing machine. In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a sample (e.g. semiconductor wafer, photomask substrate, etc., hereinafter referred to as a wafer. 2 is a hollow stainless steel spin chuck that is rotated by a drive device consisting of a motor (not shown), 3 is a developer nozzle,
Reference numeral 4 denotes a double pipe for temperature adjustment, and branch pipes 6 and 7 to which pipes or the like can be connected are provided near both ends of the side surface of the double pipe 4, respectively. Note that the lower cup is omitted.

With this configuration, for example, by injecting constant temperature water from the branch pipe 6 and discharging it from one of the branch pipes 7, the temperature of the developer flowing through the inner tube of the double pipe 4 is adjusted, and the temperature is kept constant regardless of the room temperature. Temperature control was in place to maintain the temperature.

However, in the prior art described above, the inventors of the present invention have confirmed that the dimensions of the resist pattern formed on the wafer differ depending on the position of the spin chuck. That is, the temperature of the developing solution changes when it comes into contact with the wafer due to heat exchange with the spin chuck through the wafer, resulting in variations in the dimensions of the resist pattern. Therefore, it has not been possible to completely solve the problem of pattern size variations only by adjusting the temperature of the developer.

(4) Purpose of the invention In view of the above-mentioned conventional drawbacks, the object of the present invention is to provide a spin developing machine that can control the temperature of the spin chuck and prevent changes in the temperature of the wafer processing solution.

(5) Structure of the invention According to the invention, this purpose is to provide a spin chuck, a means for dropping a processing liquid onto a sample held in the spin chuck, a means for controlling the temperature of the processing liquid provided in the dropping means, and a lower part of the spin chuck. In order to make the temperature of the spin chuck and the spin chuck equal to the temperature of the processing liquid which is adjusted and dropped, a water spraying means is disposed below the sample mounting surface of the spin chuck, which sprays constant temperature water onto the spin chuck; This is achieved by a spin developing machine characterized in that it is equipped with a waterproof cover provided below the sample mounting surface of the spin chuck to prevent constant temperature water from scattering.

(6) Example of implementation of the idea Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway side view of the main parts of the spin developing machine according to the present invention. In this figure, the same parts as in FIG. A constant temperature water supply pipe arranged from the outside into the lower cap 13, 16 indicates a constant temperature water injection outlet serving as a water discharging means, and reference numeral 1
4 and 17 indicate a waterproof cover for preventing the injected constant temperature water from entering a drive device such as a motor that rotates the chuck.

The lower cup 13 is configured to be movable in the vertical direction as shown in the figure, and the water supply pipe 15 can be easily installed, for example, by laying it together with the conventional backside cleaning pipe, and the injection port 16 is designed to be used for water discharge. In order to enhance the effect, they are appropriately placed around the spin chuck 12, for example, below the sample mounting surface of the spin chuck as shown in the figure.

In the spin developing machine configured as described above, constant temperature water supplied from the water supply pipe 15 is discharged from the injection port 16 toward the portion of the spin chuck 12 that holds the wafer 1. It is assumed that the temperature of the constant temperature water is the same as that of the constant temperature water supplied to the double tube 4 in order to adjust the temperature of the developer 5. In this constant temperature water discharge,
The waterproof covers 14 and 17 prevent constant temperature water from splashing onto the wafer and preventing constant temperature water from entering the drive device.

The discharged constant-temperature water hits the spin chuck 12 and after achieving the effect of keeping the temperature constant, flows down the slope of the lower cup 13 and is discharged from the discharge port 18 together with the used developer. Note that the water discharge direction is appropriately determined by the injection port 16.

In this way, the temperature of the spin chuck 12 is maintained at the same temperature as the developer 5 regardless of the room temperature, so that the temperature of the developer 5 dropped onto the wafer 1 can be prevented from changing. The spin chuck of the present invention is not limited to a wafer developing machine, but can also be applied to other devices having a spin chuck in which processing liquid is dripped.

(7) Effects of the invention As explained in detail above, according to the invention, it is possible to prevent temperature changes in the developing solution dropped onto a sample such as a wafer in a spin developing machine, thereby improving the dimensional accuracy of the resist pattern formed. This is highly effective in improving the reliability of spin developing machines and the yield in semiconductor device manufacturing.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway side view of the main part of a conventional spin developing machine, and FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway side view of the main part of the spin developing machine according to the present invention. 1...Wafer, 2,12...Spin chuck,
3... Developer nozzle, 4... Double tube, 5... Developer, 6, 7... Branch pipe, 13... Lower cup, 1
4, 17... Waterproof cover, 15... Water supply pipe, 16
...Ejection port, 18...Drain port.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] A spin chuck, a means for dropping a processing liquid onto the sample held in the spin chuck, a temperature adjusting means for the processing liquid provided in the dropping means, a lower cup, and a means for dropping the processing liquid onto the sample held in the spin chuck, the above-mentioned processing in which the temperature is adjusted and the processing liquid is dropped onto the spin chuck. A water spray means is installed below the sample mounting surface of the spin chuck to spray constant temperature water onto the spin chuck in order to equalize the temperature of the liquid, and a water discharge means is installed below the sample mounting surface of the spin chuck to prevent the sprayed constant temperature water from scattering. 1. A spin developing machine comprising: a waterproof cover;