JPH09219349A - Aligner - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make it possible to conduct the exposure for transferring patterns in the shapes of letters, etc., and the exposure for eliminating photosensitive substance on the periphery by only one equipment and thereby reduce an area occupied by equipments by transferring the patterns in the shapes of letters onto the periphery of a semiconductor substrate and including the shape of a hole of a specified size among the transferred patterns of letters. SOLUTION: Holes 6 in the shapes of letters such as alphabets are formed on a dial 5 along its periphery. A through hole 8 of a specified size is included among the holes 6. Light emitted from a light source 3 is condensed by a condensing lens 4 and is cast on a window formation section in an exposure region limiting board 7. The light cast on the window formation section of the exposure region limiting board 7 is passed through a window of the exposure region limiting board 7 to transfer patterns in the shapes of letters such as alphabets onto the periphery of a wafer 1. By this method, the exposure for transferring the patterns in the shapes of letters and the exposure for eliminating photosensitive substance on the periphery of the wafer 1 can be conducted by only one equipment and thereby an area occupied by equipments can be reduced.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an exposure apparatus for printing characters for identifying a semiconductor substrate used for manufacturing a semiconductor device and exposing the periphery of the substrate.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In the process of manufacturing a semiconductor device, in order to identify a semiconductor substrate to be used, for example, a silicon wafer, a wafer number as an identifier is attached to the periphery of the silicon wafer. This wafer number is formed as shown below. First, a character pattern is exposed to the periphery of a silicon wafer coated with a photoresist using an exposure device that irradiates light in the shape of a character. Then, this is developed to form a character-shaped resist pattern, and a predetermined portion around the silicon wafer is etched by using the resist pattern of the character (number) type as a mask to form a wafer number.

On the other hand, in a photolithography process of manufacturing a semiconductor device, a photoresist (photosensitive agent) is applied to a silicon wafer, but if the photoresist around the silicon wafer remains, dust is generated in subsequent steps. Therefore, it must be removed. When the photoresist is a positive type which is solubilized in a developing solution by photosensitization, an exposure device that irradiates the periphery of the silicon wafer with light is used to remove the periphery. That is, using this exposure apparatus,
By irradiating the periphery of the silicon wafer coated with the resist with light, the peripheral resist of the silicon wafer is removed during the developing process.

[0004]

Since the prior art is constructed as described above, it requires two exposure apparatuses, an exposure apparatus for assigning a wafer number and an exposure apparatus for peripheral removal. In addition, there is a problem that it has an installation area for two devices.

The present invention has been made in order to solve the above problems, and in the semiconductor manufacturing process, exposure and peripheral removal for attaching characters and the like can be performed without requiring a large area occupied by the apparatus. The purpose is to enable exposure for

[0006]

An exposure apparatus according to the present invention comprises:
An exposure apparatus for a semiconductor substrate coated with a photosensitive material which is solubilized in a developing solution when irradiated with light, has a character exposure unit for exposing a character pattern around the semiconductor substrate, and the exposure of the character exposure unit is performed. The mold for the holes having the desired size was provided in the mold for the letters. If the hole type is used, it is possible to expose the entire circumference of the periphery of the semiconductor substrate.

[0007]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing a configuration of an exposure apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, 1 is a wafer having a photoresist (photosensitive material) formed on its surface by coating, 2 is a wafer chuck for supporting the wafer 1, 3 is a light source containing a mercury lamp 3a for emitting ultraviolet rays, and 4 is a light source. A condenser lens for condensing light from the light source 3,
Reference numeral 5 is a dial in which character holes 6 of letters such as alphabets and numbers are formed, 7 is an exposure area limiting plate in which a window for limiting the irradiation area of the light condensed by the condenser lens 4 is formed, 8
Is a through hole formed in the dial 5.

The photoresist applied to the surface of the wafer 1 is a positive type photosensitive material which is solubilized in a developing solution when exposed to exposure light. The wafer chuck 2 can fix the wafer 1 by vacuum suction, and rotate the wafer 1 by rotating itself. The wafer chuck 2 is rotatable in forward and reverse directions, and the rotation speed can be continuously changed. Further, the light source 3 is provided with an elliptical mirror 3b for collecting and emitting the light of the mercury lamp 3a in a certain direction.

On the other hand, a character hole 6 which is hollowed out in the shape of a character such as an alphabet is formed along the periphery of the dial 5. A through hole 8 having a predetermined width is formed therein. The dial 5 is rotatable in forward and reverse directions and can be stopped rotating at a desired position. It is also possible to move the dial 5 in a direction parallel to the plane. The light emitted from the light source 3 is condensed by the condenser lens 4, and irradiates the window forming portion of the exposure area limiting plate 7. The exposure area limiting plate 7 prevents light from leaking to unnecessary portions. Then, the emitted light passes through the window of the exposure area limiting plate 7 to be shaped into an area that illuminates the area of the dial 5 in which the character hole 6 for one character is formed.

With the configuration shown in FIG. 1 above, a character hole 6 which is hollowed out in the shape of "A" of the dial 5 is arranged under the window of the exposure area limiting plate 7 so that the light source 3 When the light is irradiated, the letter-shaped light pattern of the letter “A” is exposed on the peripheral portion of the wafer 1. Then, the dial 5 is rotated to change the character hole 6 arranged under the window of the exposure area limiting plate 7, and the wafer chuck 2 is rotated each time, and the wafer 1 positioned under the window of the exposure area limiting plate 7 is rotated. By changing the peripheral position of and exposing, the desired combination of character string shapes can be exposed around the wafer 1.

On the other hand, if the through hole 8 of the dial 5 is arranged under the window of the exposure area limiting plate 7 and the wafer chuck 2 is rotated, the light pattern of the through hole 8 is applied to the periphery of the wafer 1. A width defined by the size of the through hole 8 around the wafer 1 is exposed. By this peripheral exposure, unnecessary photoresist around the wafer 1 is removed by the development process in the subsequent steps.

[0012]

As described above, according to the present invention, the character exposure means for exposing the character pattern is provided around the semiconductor substrate, and the desired size is set in the character pattern exposed by the character exposure means. It was equipped with a hole mold. Therefore, according to the present invention, the exposure of a character shape such as a wafer identification character to the periphery of the semiconductor substrate and the exposure for removing the photosensitive material in the peripheral portion of the semiconductor substrate can be performed by one device, and in the semiconductor manufacturing process, This has the effect of not requiring much device-occupied area.

[Brief description of drawings]

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

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Wafer, 2 ... Wafer chuck, 3 ... Light source, 3a ... Mercury lamp, 3b ... Elliptical mirror, 4 ... Condensing lens, 5 ... Dial, 6 ... Character hole, 7 ... Exposure area limiting plate, 8 ... Through hole .

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An exposure apparatus for a semiconductor substrate coated with a photosensitive material which is solubilized in a developing solution when irradiated with light, comprising a character exposure means for exposing a character pattern around the semiconductor substrate, An exposure apparatus characterized in that a pattern of holes having a desired size is provided in the pattern of characters to be exposed by the character exposure means. 2. The exposure apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the character exposure means includes a light source for irradiating light, an exposure area limiting plate for limiting an irradiation area of the light from the light source, and the exposure area limiting plate. An exposure apparatus comprising a character hole in which a character pattern to be irradiated with limited light is hollowed out, and a dial in which a through hole of the hole pattern is arranged.