JPH07263338A - Developing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a developing device which can efficiently perform developing treatment with a less amount of developing solution and can uniformly develop the surface of a substrate to be treated even when the substrate has a large size. CONSTITUTION:An annular member 5a which forms an annular dam surrounding a substrate 3 to be treated is provided in a treatment chamber 2. The member 5a has a plurality of developing solution supplying ports 5b which are arranged to surround a susceptor 4 and form developing solution flows toward the substrate 3 almost in parallel with the substrate 3. On the member 5a, facing sections 5c which are faced to the ports 5b at intervals are formed and a ring- like member 5d which directs the developing solution flows downward is mounted.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a developing device for developing a substrate to be processed such as a semiconductor wafer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, in a developing apparatus for developing a substrate to be processed such as a semiconductor wafer, a processing chamber in which a substrate to be processed having a photosensitive film such as a photoresist is formed, And means for bringing the substrate to be processed into contact with the developing solution for a predetermined development time to cause a predetermined chemical change in the photosensitive film to perform development.

Then, a substrate to be processed such as a semiconductor wafer is arranged on a mounting table arranged in the processing chamber, and a rinse liquid such as a developing solution and pure water is sequentially supplied to the substrate to be processed from a spray nozzle or the like. , Develop.

[0004]

However, since the above-mentioned conventional developing device requires a large amount of developing solution,
There is a problem that the development cost becomes high.

In order to solve such a problem, the inventors of the present invention have developed a dip-type developing device for developing by immersing a substrate to be processed in a developing solution.
In the dip type developing device, for example, when the development speed is improved by improving the developing solution for shortening the development time, the size of the substrate to be processed is increased, the developing state becomes uneven in the surface of the substrate to be processed, For example, when a fine pattern is formed on a semiconductor wafer by using a precision photographic technique, it has been found that there arises a problem that the line width formed on the surface of the semiconductor wafer becomes nonuniform.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and it is possible to carry out development processing with a small amount of a developing solution, and it is possible to reduce the development cost and improve the efficiency, and, for example, at a high speed. Even when a large substrate to be processed is developed using a developing solution, the development process can be performed so that the in-plane development state is uniform, and the line width and the like formed on the semiconductor wafer surface are made uniform. The present invention is intended to provide a developing method capable of performing such a development.

[0007]

The invention according to claim 1 is
A substrate to be processed having a photosensitive film formed on its surface is placed in a container surrounding the substrate to be processed, and a developing solution is supplied into the container to bring the substrate to be processed into contact with the developing solution. A developing device, a developing solution supply port formed so as to surround the substrate to be processed, provided between the developing solution supply port and the substrate to be processed, and extending horizontally from the developing solution supply port. The developing solution is supplied by a developing solution supply mechanism including a ring-shaped member that supplies a flowing developing solution flow downward and supplies the developing solution flow toward a substrate to be processed from a gap provided in a lower portion.

According to the second aspect of the invention, the substrate to be processed having a photosensitive film formed on its surface is placed in a container surrounding the substrate to be processed, and a developing solution is supplied into the container. A developing device for bringing the substrate to be processed into contact with the developing solution, the developing solution supply port being formed so as to surround the substrate to be processed, and the developing solution supply port and the substrate to be processed. And a ring-shaped member that supplies a developing solution flow from the developing solution supply port in the horizontal direction downward and supplies the developing solution flow toward the substrate to be processed from a gap provided in the lower part, It is characterized in that the developing solution is supplied in a state where the exhaust of the processing chamber is stopped.

[0009]

In the developing apparatus of the present invention, the substrate to be processed is placed in the container surrounding the substrate, and the developing solution supply port is formed so as to surround the substrate to be processed. A developing solution supply mechanism provided between the substrate and a ring-shaped member for directing a developing solution flow from the developing solution supply port in the horizontal direction downward and for supplying the developing solution flow toward a substrate to be processed from a gap provided in the lower part. To supply the developing solution.

Therefore, by the flow of the developing solution supplied from the periphery of the substrate to be processed substantially parallel to the substrate to be processed, it is possible to uniformly and rapidly supply the developing solution over the entire surface of the substrate to be processed. There is no waste of liquid and the amount of developing liquid required is small. Further, it is possible to prevent application of developing solution pressure to the photosensitive film.

Further, according to the second aspect of the invention, since the developing solution is supplied while the exhaust of the processing chamber is stopped,
It is possible to prevent the temperature of the developer from decreasing due to the gas flow and the occurrence of temperature nonuniformity.

As a result, the development processing can be efficiently performed with a small amount of the developing solution, the development cost can be reduced, and the large-sized substrate can be developed by using, for example, a high-speed developing solution. Even when it is performed, the developing process can be performed so that the in-plane developing state becomes uniform, and the line width and the like formed on the surface of the semiconductor wafer can be made uniform.

[0013]

Embodiments of the developing device of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows the construction of a developing device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the developing device 1 according to this embodiment, in the processing chamber 2, a mounting table 4 including a vacuum chuck for sucking and holding a substrate 3 to be processed such as a semiconductor wafer and a rotating mechanism 4a is arranged.

As shown in FIG. 2, the processing chamber 2 is movable up and down, and holds the substrate 3 to be processed by suction by a vacuum chuck or the like, and an annular weir surrounding the substrate 3 to be processed. The annular member 5a forming the is arranged.
The annular member 5a is arranged so as to surround the mounting table 4, and is provided with a plurality of developing solution supply ports 5b for forming a developing solution flow substantially parallel to the substrate 3 to be processed. . The developer supply port 5 is provided on the annular member 5a.
A ring-shaped member 5d that forms a facing portion 5c that faces the space b and that directs the developer flow downward is placed,
A developer supply section is formed.

The substrate 3 to be processed is located above the mounting table 4.
A rinse nozzle 6 for supplying a rinse liquid such as pure water is arranged in the.

A waste liquid discharge opening 7 and an exhaust opening 9 connected to an exhaust device 8 are arranged in the lower part of the processing chamber 2. Between the exhaust device 8 and the exhaust opening 9. A shutter 10 that opens and closes the exhaust path is inserted.

In the developing device of this embodiment having the above-described structure, the developing process is performed under the control of, for example, the following by a control unit including a microcomputer (not shown). That is, first, the substrate 3 to be processed is placed on the mounting table 4 by a transfer device (not shown), the vacuum chuck of the mounting table 4 is operated, and the substrate 3 to be processed is suction-held on the mounting table 4.

Next, the annular member 5a is raised to move the substrate 3 to be processed from the mounting table 4 to the annular member 5a, and from the developing solution supply port 5b, the substrate 3 is substantially parallel to the substrate 3 to be processed. A developing solution flow is formed, the developing solution is directed downward by the facing portion 5c, the developing solution is supplied, the developing solution is stored in the annular member 5a, and a predetermined developing time such as 30 seconds is set. The developing solution is brought into contact with the substrate 3 to be processed for a period of time to develop the photosensitive film such as a photoresist formed on the surface of the substrate 3 to be processed. During this development time, the shutter 11 is closed and the exhaust from the processing chamber 2 is stopped. By stopping the exhaustion from the inside of the processing chamber 2 in this way, it is possible to prevent the temperature of the developing solution from being lowered and the temperature from being nonuniform due to the gas flow.

After that, the annular member 5a is lowered to move the substrate 3 to be processed from the annular member 5a to the mounting table 4, the developing solution is discharged, and the substrate 3 to be processed is rotated by, for example, about 500 rpm to 2000 rpm. And the rinse liquid such as pure water is supplied from the rinse nozzle 6 to the surface of the substrate 3 to be processed. At this time, the shutter 10 is opened and the processing chamber 2 is exhausted with an exhaust amount of about 10 to ₂₀ mmH ₂ O.

After the rinsing operation is performed for a predetermined time of, for example, 10 to 20 seconds, the supply of the rinsing liquid from the rinsing nozzle 6 is stopped and the substrate 3 to be processed is rotated, for example, at 3000.
The liquid is adhered to the surface of the substrate 3 to be processed by centrifugal force to increase the second rotation speed of about rpm to 5000 rpm, and the substrate 3 to be processed is dried. During this time, the shutter 11 is also opened, and the processing chamber 2 is exhausted with an exhaust amount of about 10 to ₂₀ mmH ₂ O.

When the substrate 3 to be processed is dried, the rotation mechanism 4a is stopped and the substrate 3 to be processed is unloaded from the processing chamber 2 by a transfer device (not shown).

That is, in the developing method of this embodiment, the substrate 3 to be processed is brought into contact with the developing solution supplied into the container formed by the ring-shaped member 5a and the substrate 3 to be processed, and then developed. Since the rotation speed is switched and the rinse liquid is supplied and dried, the developing process can be efficiently and uniformly performed with a small amount of the developer.

Further, the substrate 3 to be processed is supplied from the developing solution supply port 5b.
Forming a developing solution flow substantially parallel to the substrate 3 to be processed,
The developing solution is supplied downward by the facing portion 5c of the ring-shaped member 5d, the developing solution is stored in the annular member 5a, and the developing solution is brought into contact with the substrate 3 to be processed for a predetermined developing time. Then, the photosensitive film such as a photoresist formed on the surface of the substrate to be processed is developed. Therefore, the developing solution can be supplied at high speed and uniformly over the entire surface of the substrate to be processed, and the developing process can be performed so that the developing state within the surface of the substrate to be processed 3 becomes uniform. Further, since it is possible to prevent the developing solution pressure from being applied to the photoresist or the like as compared with the case where the developing solution is supplied in the form of a shower, for example, in this respect as well, the developing state within the surface of the target substrate 3 is made uniform. Development processing can be performed.

[0025]

As described above, in the developing device of the present invention,
Can develop efficiently with a small amount of developer,
The development cost can be reduced, and even if a large-sized substrate is developed using a high-speed developing solution, the development can be performed so that the in-plane development state is uniform. The line width and the like formed on the semiconductor wafer surface can be made uniform.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a developing device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged vertical cross-sectional view showing a main part of the developing device shown in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Developing device, 3 ... Substrate to be processed, 5a ... Annular member, 5b ... Developer supply port, 5c.
Ring-shaped member.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A substrate to be processed having a photosensitive film formed on a surface thereof is placed in a container surrounding the substrate to be processed, and a developing solution is supplied into the container to move the substrate to be processed. A developing device which is brought into contact with a developing solution, the developing solution supply port formed so as to surround the substrate to be processed, and the developing solution supply port provided between the developing solution supply port and the substrate to be processed. The developing solution is supplied by a developing solution supply mechanism that includes a ring-shaped member that directs a developing solution flow from the mouth in the horizontal direction downward and supplies the developing solution toward the substrate to be processed from a gap provided in the lower part. Characteristic developing device. 2. A substrate to be processed having a photosensitive film formed on its surface is placed in a container surrounding the substrate to be processed, and a developing solution is supplied into the container to move the substrate to be processed. A developing device which is brought into contact with a developing solution, the developing solution supply port formed so as to surround the substrate to be processed, and the developing solution supply port provided between the developing solution supply port and the substrate to be processed. A state in which the exhaust of the processing chamber is stopped by a developing solution supply mechanism that has a ring-shaped member that directs the developing solution flow from the mouth in the horizontal direction downward and supplies it toward the substrate to be processed from a gap provided in the lower part. A developing device, wherein the developing solution is supplied by the developing device.