JPS62263635A - Developing device for resist - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To hold the temperature of chemicals at an arbitrarily set temperature with high precision by circulating a heating medium for a constant temperature into a heat medium chamber and bringing the heating medium for the constant temperature into contact with a control means. CONSTITUTION:A control means A is housed in a heat-medium chamber 30, which is connected to a generator 7 for a heating medium for a constant temperature and in which the heating medium for the constant temperature is circulated, thus bringing the heating medium for the constant temperature into contact with the control means A. The heating medium for the constant temperature is brought into contact with the control means A, thus eliminating the effect of the outside air on the control means A. Accordingly, the temperature of chemicals fed to a body to be developed W from the control means A can be controlled at a set value with high accuracy.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Industrial Field of Application) The present invention relates to a resist developing apparatus, specifically a semiconductor wafer,
The present invention relates to a resist developing device that develops a resist mounted on an object to be developed such as a semiconductor mask or an optical disk.

(Prior Art) Conventionally, this type of resist developing apparatus is described in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 186032/1983, and as shown in FIG. The resist layer on the wafer (W) is developed by discharging a chemical solution for development from a discharging means (2) such as a nozzle onto the wafer (W).

In general, the chemical solution includes, in addition to a so-called developer for dissolving the resist layer, a pretreatment solution for removing variations in resist sensitivity due to changes in the wafer (W) over time prior to release of the developer, and the above-mentioned. After releasing the developer, the wafer (W
) consists of post-treatment liquid etc.

In addition, with the recent increase in the density of resist patterns, the development conditions, especially the temperature of the chemical solution, have become important. A temperature regulator (5) is provided between the discharge means (2) and an electric heater (H) is connected to the liquid sending pipe (6) from the temperature regulator (5) to the discharge means (2). By wrapping the developing solution, the temperature of the developing solution whose temperature is adjusted by the temperature regulator (5) is suppressed from decreasing due to heat radiation in the liquid sending pipe (6), and the developing solution is released from the discharging means (2). The temperature of the developer that is released and acts on the Ueno 1 (W) can be limited to a set value.

However, in the case of using the electric heater (H), although it is possible to suppress the temperature drop due to heat radiation of the developer through the liquid sending pipe (6) to the outside air, it is not possible to suppress the temperature rise due to heat absorption from the outside air. Therefore, for example, when the outside air temperature is higher than the temperature of the developer, it has been fatally reported that the temperature of the developer cannot be controlled to the set value.

On the other hand, in order to solve this problem, as shown in FIG.
By passing a developer, which is one of the chemicals from the temperature controller (5), through the inner tube (41) of 40) and constant temperature water whose temperature has been adjusted through the outer tube (42), the temperature of the developer can be adjusted. It is conceivable to always control the temperature to an arbitrary setting even when the temperature is higher or lower than the outside air.

In addition, in the part of the liquid sending pipe (6) connected from the outlet of the double pipe (40) to the discharge means (2) such as a nozzle, that is, near the discharge means (2), there is a part for filtering the developer. strainer (62) and a control valve (
61) is interposed.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) According to the example shown in FIG. A strainer (E32), a control valve (61), and a discharge means (2) connect the outlet of the double pipe (40) and the developer tank (1), although the temperature of the liquid can be maintained at an arbitrary set value. The control means (A) (including the liquid sending pipe (6)) will be affected by the outside air, and the control means (A) such as
2) There was a problem in that the temperature of the developer released from the wafer (W) and acting on the wafer (W) could not be controlled to a set value with high precision.

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

Therefore, when the developer is supplied to the developer tank (1) in the next step, the developer whose temperature has been adjusted by the temperature regulator (5) etc. is significantly affected by the heat of the control means (A). As a result, there was a problem in that the temperature fluctuated to a value different from the set value.

An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems, and to provide a resist developing device that can control the temperature of a chemical solution supplied from a control means, such as a developer solution, used for development processing, to an arbitrary set temperature with high precision. It is in the point of providing.

(Means for solving the pressure point) Therefore, the present invention provides a developing tank (1) with a holding means for the object to be developed (W), and the object to be developed (W) held by this holding means is subjected to development. a control means (A) for supplying a chemical solution to be subjected to processing, such as a developer solution, a pre-processing solution, a post-processing solution, etc.;
For example, a discharge means (2) such as a nozzle, a control valve (61), a strainer (62), etc. are provided, and this control means (A) is
The resist developing device is connected to a chemical solution container (3) via a temperature controller (5), and a heat medium chamber (30
), and a constant temperature heat medium generator (7) is formed, and this constant temperature heat medium generator (7) is inserted into the heat medium chamber (30) via piping (7B) (77). The heating medium is connected to the heating medium chamber (30) so that a constant temperature heating medium is circulated inside the heating medium chamber (30), and the constant temperature heating medium is brought into contact with the control means (A).

The chemical solution may be any one of the developing solutions, and the control means (A) may be any one of the releasing means (2).

(Function) By accommodating the control means (A) in the heat medium chamber (30) connected to the constant temperature heat medium generator (7) and through which the constant temperature heat medium circulates, the control means (A) )
The constant-temperature heat medium comes into contact with the control means (A), and by contacting the constant-temperature heat medium with the control means (A), the control means (A) can be prevented from being influenced by outside air. Therefore, the temperature of the chemical solution supplied from the control means (A) to the object to be developed (W) can be controlled to a set value with high precision.

(Example) In Fig. 1, (1) is a developer tank, and this developer tank (
1) has a double-walled fuselage (11) and a bottom wall (12)
and a lid (13), forming a developing chamber (10) inside, and a heat exchange chamber (14) surrounding the developing chamber (10) due to the double wall structure of the body (11).
) is formed.

Further, a support cylinder (15) is provided upright on the bottom wall (12), and a chuck (16) is provided inside the support cylinder (15) for fixedly holding an object to be developed, such as a semiconductor wafer (W), at the upper end thereof. It supports the rotary shaft (17) freely, and also,
The lid (13) is provided with a discharge means (such as a spray nozzle) for discharging a developer, which is one of the chemicals used in the development process, onto the wafer <W> held by the chuck (16). 2) is installed.

This discharge means (2) is a temperature controller (5) which will be described in detail later.
is connected to the developer container (3), which is one of the chemical containers constituting the pressurized tank, through the pressure tank, and the developer whose temperature has been adjusted by the temperature controller (5) is sent through the liquid supply pipe (6). to the ejection means (2), and from the ejection means (2) the wafer (
A chemical solution (developing solution) is ejected onto W), for example, by spraying.

Furthermore, the liquid supply pipe (6) is provided with a control valve (61) for controlling the supply and stop of the chemical solution (developer) to the developer N (1) and a strainer for removing minute dust in the developer. (62), these discharge means (2), control valve (61)
and strainer (132)'4 to control means (A) (
(including a liquid sending pipe (6) connecting these).

In addition, as the control means (A), the discharge means (2), the control valve (61), and the strainer (6) are used without using the liquid sending pipe (6).
2) etc. may be integrally molded, and this control means (A
), it is possible to appropriately supply a chemical solution such as a developer to the semiconductor wafer (W).

The developing solution used is, for example, a mixture of isobutyl alcohol and ethanol in a ratio of about 50:50. Further, as the pre-treatment liquid and the post-treatment liquid, for example, isopropyl alcohol or the like is used.

In the resist developing device configured as described above, a heating medium chamber (30) accommodating the control means (A) inside is provided outside the developing tank (1), and a constant temperature heating medium generating device ( 7), and this constant temperature heat medium generator (7) is connected to the inside of the heat medium chamber (3o) via piping (76) (77), and the constant temperature heat medium generator (7) is connected to the inside of the heat medium chamber (30). Made to circulate a constant temperature heat medium,
The constant temperature heating medium is brought into contact with the control means (A).

Specifically, the heat medium chamber (30) is configured by attaching a cup-shaped main body (31) to the top of the lid (13), and the heat medium chamber (30) has a main body (31) attached to the top of the lid (13). , the control means (A) is housed therein.

Further, since the developing tank (1) and the temperature regulator (5) are separated, a part of the liquid feeding pipe (6), that is, the heat medium chamber (30) and the temperature regulator (5) are separated from each other. A double pipe (40) with a heat-insulating structure is used to connect the two, and a developer, which is one of the chemical solutions, is connected to the inner pipe (41) of the double pipe (40). Also, a constant temperature heating medium is passed through the outer tube (42). The double pipe (40) forms one composite pipe (44) together with the return pipe (77) for the constant temperature heating medium and the heat insulating material (43).

Next, the constant temperature heat medium generator (7) will be explained. In the second embodiment, constant temperature water is used as the constant temperature heat medium.

This generator (7) has a thermostatic oven (70) with a heat-insulating structure.
A heater (71) and an evaporator (72) of the refrigeration system are installed inside the unit, and a heat medium pump (75) supplies constant temperature water (constant temperature water) to the outer tube (42) of the double tube (40). At the same time, the constant temperature water (constant temperature heat medium) from the return pipe (77) is supplied to the constant temperature F! ? (70) I am trying to return it to within.

Further, a coil-shaped heat exchanger (5) extending from the developer container (3) constituting the chemical solution container is provided in the constant temperature bath (70).
0), the temperature regulator (5) of the developing solution, which is one of the chemical solutions described above, is integrated with the generator (7), and this 'M regulator (5) is integrated with the generator (7). ) to the same temperature as the constant temperature water (constant temperature heat medium),
The pressurizing action of the container (3) causes the water to be supplied to the inner tube (41) of the double tube (40). Note that the internal volume of the heat exchange fi (50) is used for one development.

It is preferable that the nighttime amount be approximately 200 to 400 cc or more.

The heater (71) installed in the constant temperature oven (70)
) and the evaporator (72) are operated in the heat medium chamber (
The controller (8) detects the water temperature (heating medium temperature) etc. in the controller (30) and compares it with a preset temperature set arbitrarily.
), and the temperature ranges from 5'C to 40° by controlling the operation of the heater (71) and evaporator (72).
It is possible to form constant temperature water (constant temperature heat medium) with an error of ±0.1°C.

Furthermore, the condenser (76) in the refrigeration system corresponding to the evaporator (72) is provided in the funding unit (9) together with the compressor, and the:
The operation of the compressor is controlled by starting and stopping the compressor or by controlling the capacity.

Thus, the constant temperature heat medium from the constant temperature heat medium generator (7) is circulated in series between the heat exchange chamber (14) and the heat medium chamber (30). The first from the outer pipe (42) of the heavy pipe (40)
The heat exchange chamber (14) of the developing tank (1) is connected to the heat exchange chamber (14) through the connecting pipe (80), and the Chinese centrifuge bar (1
4) through the second communication pipe (90) into the interior of the heat medium chamber (30), and is comprised of a series of passages (42), (80), (14), and (90). (76) and the return pipe (77) circulate the constant temperature heat medium in the heat medium chamber (30).

At this time, the discharge means (2) housed in the heat medium jacket (30), the liquid feed pipe (6) connecting the discharge means (2), the strainer (62) and the control valve (
61), that is, since the control means (A) is in direct contact with the constant-temperature heat medium adjusted to a predetermined set temperature, the control means (A) is not affected by the outside air. Therefore, the temperature of the chemical liquid such as the developer supplied from the control means (A) can be controlled to a set value with high precision.

Further, a constant temperature heat medium is also circulated in the heat exchange chamber (14), so that the temperature in the developing chamber (10) is indirectly brought to the set temperature via the atmospheric air in the developing chamber (10). It can be retained.

Furthermore, this set temperature can be arbitrarily set using the input device of the controller (8), and can be accurately controlled to an arbitrarily selected set temperature.

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

In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the heat medium chamber (30) is
Although it is constructed above the developer tank (1), it may be constructed independently of the developer tank (1) as shown in FIG.

The one in FIG. 2 has a heat medium chamber (30) composed of a box-shaped main body (32), and inside the main body (32) is a control means (A) except for the emitter (2) stage. It accommodates a valve (61) and a strainer (62).

Moreover, this heat medium chamber (30) is a developing chamber (10).
The heat exchange chamber (14) for adjusting the ambient temperature of ) (14) in parallel.

In FIG. 2, the temperature controller (5) is formed separately from the generator (7), and the chemical liquid in the chemical liquid container (3) is delivered by a pump (P). There is. Furthermore, the lid body (
13) and attach the fan (22) to the fan (22).
By stirring, the interior of the developing chamber (10) is quickly saturated with the chemical solution discharged from the discharge means (2).

In the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 above, only the developer was used as the chemical solution used in the development process, but the pre-processing liquid, post-processing liquid, etc. are also similar to the case of the above-mentioned developer. , it goes without saying that the present invention is applicable. Further, although the constant temperature heat medium is circulated not only in the heat exchange chamber (30) but also in the heat exchange chamber (14), the heat exchange chamber (14) is not provided and the heat exchange chamber (30 ) may circulate the constant temperature heat medium only through the

(Effects of the Invention) As described above, the present invention provides a heating medium chamber (3) that accommodates the control means (A) inside the developer tank (1).
0), a constant temperature heat medium generator (7) is formed, and this constant temperature heat medium generator (7) is connected to the inside of the heat medium chamber (30) via piping (76) (77). Since the constant temperature heat medium is circulated inside the heat medium chamber (30) and the constant temperature heat medium is brought into contact with the control means (A), the constant temperature heat medium is supplied from the control means (A). The temperature of the chemical solution used in the development process, such as the developer, pre-treatment liquid, and post-treatment liquid, can be arbitrarily set and maintained at the set temperature with high precision.

Therefore, variations in the resist g degree due to temperature changes in a chemical solution such as a developer can be suppressed to a minimum, and the product yield of semiconductor wafers to be developed can be improved.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic explanatory diagram showing a first embodiment of the developing device of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a schematic explanatory diagram showing the second embodiment, and FIGS. 3 and 4 are schematic explanatory diagrams showing a conventional example. be. (1)...Developer tank (2)...Discharge means (3)...Medicine container (5)...Temperature controller (6)... ...Liquid pipe (7) ... Constant temperature heating medium generator (30) ... Heat medium chamber (61) ... - Control valve (62) ... ... Strainer (7f3) (77) ... Piping (A) ... Clever means (W) ... Object to be developed Applicant: Daikin Industries, Ltd.

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) The developing tank (1) is equipped with a holding means for the object to be developed (W), and a control means for supplying a chemical solution to be subjected to development processing to the object to be developed (W) held by this holding means. (A
), and the control means (A) is connected to a chemical solution container (3) via a temperature controller (5), the resist development apparatus having a control means (A) connected to the chemical solution container (3) through a temperature controller (5), wherein the control means (A) is provided outside the developer tank (1). A) is provided with a heat medium chamber (30) accommodating the heat medium chamber (30) therein;
A constant-temperature heat medium generator (7) is formed, and this constant-temperature heat medium generator (7) is connected to the inside of the heat medium chamber (30) via piping (76) (77). (30) A resist developing device characterized in that a constant temperature heating medium is circulated inside the resist developing device, and the constant temperature heating medium is brought into contact with the control means (A).