JPH061761B2 - Resist developing device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a resist developing apparatus, more specifically, a semiconductor wafer,
The present invention relates to a resist developing device that develops a resist layer mounted on an object to be developed such as a semiconductor mask and an optical disk.

(Prior Art) Conventionally, a resist developing apparatus of this type is described in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 57-166032, and, as shown in FIG. 2, a semiconductor wafer (1) housed in a developing tank (1) ( The resist layer is developed by discharging the developing solution from the discharging means (2) such as a nozzle to W). Further, with the recent increase in the density of resist patterns, the requirements for the developing conditions, especially the temperature of the developing solution, have become important, so that the developing solution container (3) and the discharging means (2) are A temperature controller (5) constituting a constant temperature bath is provided between the two, and an electric heater (H) is wound around the liquid feeding pipe (6) from the temperature controller (5) to the discharging means (2). Thus, it is possible to prevent the temperature of the developing solution adjusted to the set temperature by the temperature controller (5) from decreasing due to heat dissipation in the liquid sending pipe (6), and to release the developing means (2).
The temperature of the developer discharged from the wafer and acting on the wafer (W) can be limited to a set value.

However, in the case of using the electric heater (H), even if the temperature decrease due to heat dissipation of the developer passing through the liquid supply pipe (6) to the outside air can be suppressed, the temperature rise due to heat absorption from the outside air cannot be suppressed, Therefore, for example, when the outside air temperature is higher than the temperature of the developing solution, there is a fatal problem that the temperature of the developing solution cannot be controlled to a set value.

On the other hand, in order to solve this problem, as shown in FIG. 3, a double pipe (40) is used for the liquid feeding pipe (6), and the inner pipe (41) of the double pipe (40) is heated. By passing the developing solution from the regulator (5) and the temperature-controlled constant temperature water through the outer tube (42), respectively, regardless of whether the temperature of the developing solution is high or low with respect to the outside air, an arbitrary set temperature is maintained. It is conceivable to control

The developer is filtered from the outlet of the double pipe (40) of the liquid supply pipe (6) to a portion connected to the discharging means (2) such as a nozzle, that is, near the discharging means (2). And a control valve (61) for controlling the start / stop of the developing solution.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) According to the example of FIG. 3, although the temperature of the developing solution can be maintained at an arbitrary set value by eliminating the influence of outside air in the portion of the double pipe (40), A strainer (62) and a control valve (6) for connecting the outlet of the double pipe (40) and the developing tank (1).
1) and the control means (A) (including the liquid feed pipe (6)) such as the discharge means (2) are affected by the outside air, and are sprayed from the nozzle (2) and act on the wafer (W). There is a problem that the temperature of the developer cannot be controlled to a set value with high accuracy.

That is, since the control means (A) such as the discharging means (2) has a large heat capacity and the developer is intermittently supplied to the developing tank (1), while the supply of the developer is stopped, The control means (A) exchanges heat with the surrounding air (outside air), and the temperature becomes close to the outside air.

Therefore, when it is attempted to supply the developing solution to the developing tank (1) in the next step, the developing solution temperature-controlled by the temperature controller (5) or the like causes the thermal influence of the control means (A) to be remarkable. However, there is a problem that the temperature fluctuates to a temperature different from the set value.

An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems and to provide a resist developing apparatus capable of controlling the temperature of the developing solution supplied from the control unit to an arbitrary set temperature with high accuracy.

(Means for Solving the Problems) Therefore, according to the present invention, a developing tank (1) is internally provided with a means for holding a material to be developed (W), and the object to be developed (W) held by this holding means is a developer. Is provided with a discharge means (2) such as a nozzle, a control valve (61), a strainer (62), etc., and this control means (A) is connected via a temperature controller (5). A resist developing device connected to a developer container (3), wherein a constant temperature tank (35) having a heating medium jacket (30) covering the control means (A) is attached to the outside of the developing tank (1). Together with constant temperature heat medium generator (7)
And the constant temperature heat medium generator (7) was connected to the heat medium jacket (30) through the pipes (76) (77).

The control means (A) may be any one of the discharging means (2) and the like.

(Operation) The control means (A) is a constant temperature bath (3) having a heat medium jacket (30) connected to the constant temperature heat medium generator (7).
By covering with 5), the developer supplied to the developing tank (1) can be prevented from being affected by the outside air, and the temperature of the developer can be controlled to a set value with high accuracy.

(Embodiment) In FIG. 1, (1) is a developing tank, and this developing tank (1) has a body (11) having a double wall structure and a bottom wall (1).
2) and a lid (13), and the developing chamber (1
0) and the double wall structure of the body (11) forms a heat exchange chamber (14) surrounding the developing chamber (10).

Further, a support cylinder (15) is provided upright on the bottom wall (12), and inside thereof, a chuck (16) for holding a semiconductor wafer (W) as a developing object is fixedly provided on the upper end thereof. The rotating shaft (17) is rotatably supported, and the lid body (13) is, for example, a spray nozzle or the like for discharging the developing solution to the wafer (W) held by the chuck (16). A discharge means (2) is provided.

The discharging means (2) is provided with a temperature controller (5) described later in detail.
Is connected to a developer container (3) that constitutes a pressure tank via the liquid, and the developer whose temperature is adjusted by the temperature controller (5) is discharged through the liquid supply pipe (6) to the discharging means (2). Lead to
The developer (2) is discharged to the wafer (W) by, for example, jetting.

Further, in the liquid supply pipe (6), a control valve (61) for controlling the flow of the developing solution into the developing tank (1) and a strainer (62) for removing minute dust in the developing solution. The discharge means (2), the control valve (61), the strainer (62) and the like constitute the control means (A) (including the feed pipe (6) connecting these).

As the control means (A), the discharge means (2), the control valve (61) and the strainer (6) are used without using the liquid feed pipe (6).
2) and the like may be integrally molded, and further a heat medium jacket (30) described below may be integrally molded.
By this control means (A), the developing solution can be appropriately supplied to the semiconductor wafer (W).

Then, in the resist developing apparatus configured as described above, a constant temperature tank (35) having a heat medium jacket (30) covering the control means (A) is attached to the outside of the developing tank (1), and a constant temperature is maintained. A heat medium generator (7) is formed, and this constant temperature heat medium generator (7) is connected to the heat medium jacket (3).
0) was connected via pipes (76) and (77).

Specifically, the heating medium jacket (30) includes a box-shaped body (31) having a double-wall structure, and the developing tank (1).
The heating medium jacket (30) covers the control means (A).

Further, since the developing tank (1) and the temperature controller (5) are separated from each other, a part of the liquid feeding pipe (6), that is, the heat medium jacket (30) and the temperature controller (5). A double tube (40) having a heat insulating structure is used to connect between the inner tube and the outer tube (42) with the developing solution and the outer tube (42). It is through a constant temperature heating medium. The double pipe (40) forms one composite pipe (44) together with the return pipe (77) for the constant temperature heat medium and the heat insulating material (43).

Next, the constant temperature heat medium generator (7) will be described. In this example, constant temperature water is used as the constant temperature heating medium.

This generator (7) is a thermostatic chamber (70) with a heat insulating structure.
In addition, the heater (71) and the evaporator (72) of the refrigerating apparatus are built in, and a constant temperature water (constant temperature) is applied to the outer pipe (42) of the double pipe (40) by the heat medium pump (75). While supplying the heat medium, the constant temperature water (constant heat medium) from the return pipe (77) is returned to the constant temperature tank (70).

Further, in the constant temperature bath (70), the developer solution dissolver (3)
The temperature controller (5) for the developer is integrated with the generator (7) by disposing a coil-shaped heat exchanger (50) extending from the temperature controller ( 5)
The developer which is set to the same temperature as the constant temperature water (constant temperature heating medium) is supplied to the inner pipe (41) of the double pipe (40) by the pressurizing action of the container (3). .
The internal volume of the heat exchanger (50) is preferably about 200 to 400 cc or more of liquid used for one development.

And the heater (7) installed in the constant temperature bath (70)
For the operation of 1) and the evaporator (72), a controller (8) that detects the water temperature (heat medium temperature) in the heat medium jacket (30) and compares it with a preset temperature arbitrarily set in advance. It is controlled by the heater (7
1) and the evaporator (72) operation control, 5 ℃ -40
It is possible to form a constant temperature water (constant temperature heating medium) having an error of ± 0.1 ° C. at a temperature of ℃.

Further, the condenser (78) in the refrigeration system corresponding to the evaporator (72) is provided in the condensing unit (9) together with the compressor, and the operation control of the evaporator (72) is performed by the compressor. This is done by starting / stopping or controlling the capacity.

Thus, the constant temperature heat medium from the constant temperature heat medium generator (7) passes through the first connecting pipe (80) from the outer pipe (42) of the double pipe (40) to the developing tank (1). Once opened to the heat exchange chamber (14), the heat medium jacket (3) is opened from the chamber (14) through the second connecting pipe (90).
0) and these series of passages (4
2) Delivery pipe (76) consisting of (80) (14) (90)
The constant temperature heat medium is circulated in the heat medium jacket (30) by the return pipe (77).

At this time, the constant temperature bath (35) is formed in the heating medium jacket (30), and the discharging means (2) covered by the constant temperature bath (35) and the discharging means (2) are connected. The liquid supply pipe (6), the strainer (61) and the control valve (62) are not affected by the outside air. Therefore, the temperature of the developing solution discharged from the discharging means (2) can be controlled to a set value with high accuracy.

Further, since the constant temperature heat medium is circulated in the heat exchange chamber (14), the temperature in the developing chamber (10) can be maintained at the set temperature.

Moreover, the set temperature can be set arbitrarily by the input device of the controller (8), and can be accurately controlled to the arbitrarily set set temperature.

In FIG. 1, (20) is a wafer entrance / exit provided in the body (11) of the developing tank (1), and a door (21) is attached to the entrance / exit (20) so as to be freely opened and closed.

(Effects of the Invention) As described above, the present invention has a thermostatic bath (35) having a heating medium jacket (30) outside the developing bath (1) and covering a control means (A) for supplying a developing solution. ) Is attached and a constant temperature heat medium generator (7) is formed, and the constant temperature heat medium generator (7) is connected to the heat medium jacket (30) by a pipe (7).
6) Since the connection is made via (77), the temperature of the developing solution supplied from the control means (A) can be arbitrarily set and can be maintained at the set temperature with high accuracy.

Therefore, variations in resist sensitivity due to changes in the temperature of the developing solution can be suppressed to a minimum, and the product yield of the developed object such as a semiconductor wafer can be improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic explanatory view showing an embodiment of the developing device of the present invention,
2 and 3 are schematic explanatory views showing a conventional example. (1) …… Developing tank (2) …… Discharging means (3) …… Developer container (5) …… Temperature controller (6) …… Liquid transfer pipe (7) …… Constant temperature heat medium generator (30) ) …… Heat medium jacket (35) …… Heat bath (61) …… Control valve (62) …… Strainer (76) (77) …… Piping (A) …… Control means (W) …… Development target .

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Toshitaka Takei 1-1, Nishiichitsuya, Settsu-shi, Osaka Daikin Industries, Ltd. Yodogawa Plant (72) Inventor Tsunemasa Funatsu 1304, Kanaoka-cho, Sakai-shi, Osaka Daikin Industries Ltd. Company Sakai Plant Kanaoka Plant (72) Inventor Katsuhiro Kawabata 1304 Kanaoka Town, Sakai City, Osaka Prefecture Daikin Industries, Ltd. Sakai Plant Kanaoka Plant

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A control means (A) for equipping a developing tank (1) with a means for holding a material to be developed (W) and supplying a developing solution to the material to be developed (W) held by this holding means. A resist developing device in which the control means (A) is connected to the developer container (3) via a temperature controller (5), and the control means (A) is provided outside the developing tank (1). A constant temperature bath (35) having a heat medium jacket (30) covering A) is attached, and a constant temperature heat medium generator (7) is formed, and the constant temperature heat medium generator (7) is connected to the heat medium jacket (30). ) Is connected via a pipe (76) (77) to a resist developing device.