KR100833658B1 - Method for coating photo-resist - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for applying a treatment liquid such as a photosensitive liquid to a semiconductor substrate, the treatment liquid applying apparatus according to the present invention cools the advice module to adhere the adhesive to the substrate surface, the substrate adhered to the adhesive And a coating module for applying a photoresist to the surface of the substrate on which the baking process is performed, wherein the baking module includes a circular region at the center of the substrate and the circular region based on the center of the substrate. It includes a temperature control member for adjusting the temperature of the substrate so that each of the plurality of annular region surrounding the having a different temperature. In the treatment liquid application method according to the present invention, the treatment liquid is applied after heating the temperature of the substrate to a higher temperature from the center of the substrate to the edge. Therefore, the surface tension between the surface of the substrate and the photosensitive liquid gradually decreases from the center to the edge of the substrate, thereby gradually increasing the efficiency of applying the photosensitive liquid onto the substrate as the photosensitive liquid goes from the center of the substrate to the edge, thereby increasing the surface of the substrate. Application of a uniform treatment liquid is possible.

Semiconductor, spinner, coating, HMDS, baking, processing liquid, photoresist,

Description

Photosensitive liquid coating method {METHOD FOR COATING PHOTO-RESIST}

1 is a plan view of a spinner installation to which the treatment liquid applying method according to the present invention is applied.

2 is a view for explaining a temperature control method of the baking module according to the present invention.

3 is a perspective view of the baking module according to the present invention.

4 is an internal cross-sectional view of the heating plate shown in FIG. 2.

5 is an internal cross-sectional view of a heating plate according to another embodiment of the present invention.

6 is a view for explaining a treatment liquid applying method according to the present invention.

7 is a flowchart showing a treatment liquid applying method according to the present invention.

* Description of symbols on the main parts of the drawings *

1: spinner fixture

10: indexer part

20 process processing unit

30: interface unit

40: exposure processing unit

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to semiconductor manufacturing equipment and methods, and more particularly, to spinner equipment and photosensitive liquid coating methods of the spinner equipment in semiconductor manufacturing equipment.

A photo-lithography process is a process of forming a desired pattern on a wafer. The photographing process is usually performed in a spinner local facility in which exposure equipment is connected and continuously processes the coating process, the exposure process, and the developing process. Such spinner installations sequentially or selectively perform Hexamethyl disilazane (HMDS) process, coating process, baking process, and developing process. Here, the HMDS process is a process of supplying a chemical (hereinafter referred to as 'adhesive') on the wafer to increase the coating efficiency of the photoresist (PR: Photo-resist), the baking process is to strengthen the photosensitive film formed on the wafer Process of heating and cooling the wafer to make it, or to adjust the temperature of the wafer to a predetermined temperature.

When the photographing process of the above-described spinner installation is started, the adhesive is uniformly adhered to the wafer surface, the wafer is adjusted to a predetermined temperature, and then a certain amount of the photosensitive liquid is supplied onto the wafer to apply the photosensitive liquid over the entire wafer surface. Subsequently, the substrate to which the photosensitive liquid is applied is transferred to a facility in which the exposure process is performed, and the exposure process is performed. At this time, in the coating step, it is important to apply the photosensitive liquid with a uniform thickness on the wafer. That is, the photoresist applied onto the wafer before performing the exposure process should be formed to have a uniform thickness throughout the wafer to have a predetermined thickness, so that the pattern can be accurately formed on the wafer during the exposure process, and the consumption of the photoresist can be reduced. .

Usually, in the coating process, a wafer heated or cooled to a predetermined temperature is seated on a spin chuck, rotated, a predetermined amount of photosensitive liquid is supplied to the center region of the rotated wafer, and then the photosensitive liquid is spread throughout the wafer by centrifugal force of the wafer. Application of the photosensitive liquid was carried out so as to spread out. However, during the process, the photoresist applied from the center region to the edge region of the substrate spreads out gradually toward the edge region, resulting in uneven thickness of the photoresist film. Therefore, conventionally, the coating of the uniform photosensitive liquid on the surface of the wafer is not performed and the process yield is lowered in the subsequent process.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a spinner facility capable of applying a treatment liquid with a uniform thickness on a substrate, and a method of applying the photosensitive liquid of the spinner facility.

In addition, an object of the present invention is to provide a spinner facility capable of reducing the amount of use of the photosensitive liquid when the photosensitive liquid is applied onto a substrate for a semiconductor development process and a method of applying the treatment liquid of the spinner facility.

Spinner installation according to the present invention for achieving the above object is an advice module for adhering the adhesive to the substrate surface, a baking module for performing a cooling process for cooling the substrate to which the adhesive is adhered, and the baking process is performed An application module for applying a photoresist to the surface of the substrate, wherein the baking module cools the substrate so that the substrate has a different temperature for each region.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the bake module controls the temperature of the substrate so that each of the plurality of annular regions surrounding the circular region with respect to the circular region of the center of the substrate and the center of the substrate has a different temperature from each other Member.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the temperature regulating member includes a cooling plate having cooling means for cooling the substrate so as to have a higher temperature as a region moves away from the center of the substrate during the process.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the cooling means comprises a cooling line for flowing the cooling fluid along the circumference of the cooling plate.

The treatment liquid coating method according to the present invention for achieving the above object is performed by supplying the photosensitive liquid to the substrate in a state in which the substrate is adjusted to have a different temperature for each region.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the region of the substrate includes a circular region at the center of the substrate and at least one annular region surrounding the circular region with respect to the center of the substrate.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the temperature control of the substrate is adjusted such that the temperature of the substrate increases from the central region to the edge region.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, temperature control of the substrate is performed in a baking module that cools the temperature of the substrate before the process of applying the photosensitive liquid is performed.

Method for applying the treatment liquid of the spinner facility according to the present invention for achieving the above object is (a) adhering the adhesive on the substrate, (b) cooling the substrate to which the adhesive is adhered to a predetermined process temperature And (c) applying a photoresist to the substrate, wherein step (c) is provided such that the surface tension between the photoresist and the substrate surface gradually decreases from the center region to the edge region of the substrate. In which the photoresist is allowed to spread from the central region at a constant speed.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the reduction of the surface tension adjusts the temperature of the substrate so that the temperature of the substrate has a higher temperature from the center region of the substrate to the edge region, so that the supplied photoresist is supplied from the center region of the substrate to the edge region. As it spreads out, it gets high temperature.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the cooling of the substrate is performed by partitioning the processing surface of the substrate into annular regions having different diameters with respect to the center of the substrate, and controlling the respective regions to be cooled independently of each other.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, temperature control of the substrate is performed in step (b).

According to an embodiment of the present invention, temperature control of the substrate is performed in step (a).

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described herein but may be embodied in other forms. Rather, the embodiments introduced herein are provided to ensure that the disclosed subject matter is thorough and complete, and that the spirit of the present invention to those skilled in the art will fully convey.

In addition, in the present embodiment, a process module provided in a spinner facility among semiconductor manufacturing facilities has been described as an example, but the present invention is applicable to all semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses that apply a predetermined treatment liquid to a substrate surface. It is possible.

(Example)

1 is a plan view of a spinner installation to which the treatment liquid applying method according to the present invention is applied, and FIG. 2 is a view for explaining a temperature control method of the baking module according to the present invention. And, Figure 3 is a perspective view of the baking module according to the present invention, Figure 4 is an internal cross-sectional view of the heating plate shown in FIG.

Referring to FIG. 1, the spinner facility 1 according to the present invention includes an indexer unit 10, a process processor 20, an interface unit 30, and an exposure processor 40.

The indexer unit 10 transfers the substrate W between the cassette C accommodating the plurality of semiconductor substrates W and the process processor 20. The indexer unit 10 is provided with a transfer unit 12 for transferring and conveying the substrate W between the modules 100 of the process processing unit 20 from the cassette C. The process processor 20 has a plurality of process modules. In one embodiment, the process modules include an HMDS Module (hexamethyl disilazane module) 22, a Coat Modulue 24, a Development module 26, and a Bake Module (Bake Module). 100). The processing unit 20 is provided with a transfer unit 22 for transferring the substrates W between the modules 22, 24, 26, 100, the indexer 10, and the interface unit 30. The interface unit 30 performs an interface function between the process processing unit 20 and the exposure processing unit 40, and the exposure processing unit 40 performs an exposure process of forming a pattern on the substrate W.

Here, the HMDS module 22 applies an adhesive agent to the surface of the substrate (W). Here, the adhesive agent is a chemical that assists the photoresist supplied to the processing surface of the substrate W to be effectively adsorbed onto the surface of the substrate W during the coating process. HMDS (hexamethyl disilazane) solution may be used as the adhesive. HMDS is a liquid chemical that is supplied to the substrate W in advance so that the photoresist is adhered to the substrate W surface effectively.

The bake modules 100 heat the substrate W to a predetermined temperature before the coating process is performed. At this time, at least one of the bake modules 100 receives the substrate W to which the HMDS chemical is adhered by the HMDS module 22, so that the temperature of the substrate W moves away from the center of the substrate W. The substrate W is cooled to increase the temperature.

That is, referring to FIG. 2, the bake module 100 that cools the substrate W after the HMDS module 22 described above may be divided into a plurality of areas after dividing the area of the substrate W to be cooled. The zone is cooled to different temperatures. In an exemplary embodiment, the bake module 100 may define a circular area A1 of the center portion of the substrate W (hereinafter, referred to as a “first area”) A1 and a center of the substrate W. Referring to FIG. The region of the substrate W to be cooled is divided into a plurality of annular regions A2, A3, and A4 A5 provided to enclose. At this time, each of the first to fifth regions A1, A2, A3, A4, and A5 is cooled to the first to fifth temperatures T1, T2, T3, T4, and T5.

The first to fifth temperatures T1, T2, T3, T4, and T5 have a higher temperature from the first temperature T1 to the fifth temperature T5. In this case, the first to fifth temperatures T1, T2, T3, T4, and T5 compensate for the speed at which the photosensitive liquid spreads by an increase ratio of the surface area of the first to fifth regions A1, A2, A3, A4, and A5. It is the temperature of the board | substrate W which can be done. That is, the photosensitive liquid spreads from the first region A1 to the fifth region A5 during the process. However, since the surface area of the substrate W increases from the first area A1 to the fifth area A5, the speed at which the photoresist spreads from the first area A1 to the fifth area A5 increases. Degrades. Therefore, in order to compensate for this, the first region A1 to the fifth region A5 of the substrate W may have the first to fifth temperatures so that the substrate has a higher temperature from the center to the edge of the substrate W. Cooling to T1, T2, T3, T4, T5 and spreading out from the center of the substrate W to the edge by allowing the photosensitive liquid to be spread out from the first region A1 to receive less surface tension with the surface of the substrate W; The speed of the photoresist is kept constant.

3 and 4, the bake module 100 includes a housing 110 and a temperature control member 120. The housing 110 provides a space therein for performing a bake process. One side of the housing 110 is provided with a substrate entrance 112 through which the substrate (W) enters and exits. The temperature adjusting member 120 cools the substrate W to have a higher temperature as the temperature of the substrate W moves away from the center of the substrate W. The temperature control member 120 has a body 122 and a cooling plate (124). The body 122 has a mounting surface on which the substrate W is mounted. Body 122 has a generally cylindrical shape. The cooling plate 124 cools the substrate W seated on the seating surface during the process. The cooling plate 124 is provided inside the body 122.

The cooling plate 124 includes a body 124a and first to fifth cooling lines 124b, 124c, 124d, 124e, and 124f provided inside the body 124a. The body 124a has a generally disc shape. The first to fifth cooling lines 124b, 124c, 124d, 124e, and 124f are provided to the body 124a, and each of the cooling lines 124b, 124c, 124d, 124e, and 124f is used to process the substrate W. Cooling fluid flows. In the process, each of the first to fifth cooling lines 124b, 124c, 124d, 124e, and 124f uses the first to fifth regions A1, A2, A3, A4, and A5 of the substrate W at predetermined process temperatures. To cool. One end of each of the first to fifth cooling lines 124b, 124c, 124d, 124e, and 124f is supplied with cooling fluids having different temperatures to the first to fifth cooling lines 124b, 124c, 124d, 124e, and 124f. First to fifth cooling fluid supply lines 124b ', 124c', 124d ', 124e', and 124f 'are connected, and the other end of the first to fifth cooling fluid supply lines 124b, 124c, 124d, 124e, and 124f. ) Are connected to first to fifth discharge lines 124b ″, 124c ″, 124d ″, 124e ″, and 124f ″ for discharging the cooling fluid. The temperature of the cooling fluid supplied by each of the first to fifth supply lines 124b ', 124c', 124d ', 124e', and 124f 'is from the first supply line 124b' to the fifth supply line 124f '. As you go higher. The temperature regulating member 120 having the above-described structure cools the substrate W so that the substrate W has a higher temperature from the first region A1 to the fifth region A5 during the process.

Alternatively, as another embodiment of the present invention, referring to FIG. 5, the temperature regulating member 120 includes a cooling plate 124 ′ having one cooling line 124b. The cooling line 124b has a coil shape that increases in diameter from the center of the cooling line 124b to the edge. A supply line 124b 'for supplying cooling fluid to the cooling line 124b at one end of the cooling line 124b. Is connected, the other end is connected to the discharge line (124b ″) for discharging the cooling fluid from the cooling line (124b). During the process, the cooling fluid supplied to the cooling line 124b through the supply line 124b 'is moved from the edge region of the cooling plate 124' to the center region and gradually decreases in temperature, and then through the discharge line 124b ''. Discharged. Therefore, the cooling plate 124 ′ cools the substrate W to have a higher temperature toward the fifth region A5 from the first region A1 of the substrate W during the process. The temperature control member having the above-described structure can simplify the structure and reduce the manufacturing cost compared to the temperature cutting member according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The coating module 24 applies the photosensitive liquid to the surface of the substrate W cooled by the baking module 100 described above. Referring to FIG. 6, the application module 24 includes a spin chuck 24a and an injection member 24b. The spin chuck 24a supports and rotates the substrate W, and the injection member 24b moves to the first region A1 of the processing surface of the substrate W, which is supported and rotated by the spin chuck 24a during the process. Supply a certain amount of photoresist. Here, the predetermined amount is an amount such that the photosensitive liquid can be appropriately applied to the entire surface of the substrate (W). If the photoresist is injected above the predetermined amount, the amount of the photoresist used increases, and when the photoresist is injected below the predetermined amount, a region where the photoresist is not applied to the surface of the substrate W is generated. Therefore, it is preferable that the injection member 24b supplies the photoresist only so that the photoresist may be applied at a predetermined thickness throughout the process surface of the substrate W at every process.

In the present embodiment, the hydrophobization of the substrate W is performed by the HMDS chemical solution during the adhesion process of hydrophobizing the surface of the substrate W before the application of the photosensitive liquid. Hydrophobization can be performed by a low-pressure adhesion (LPAH) process.

Subsequently, the treatment liquid applying method according to the present invention will be described in detail. Here, the same reference numerals for the same components as the above-described components are the same, and detailed description of the components is omitted.

7 is a flowchart showing a treatment liquid applying method according to the present invention. When the process of the spinner installation according to the present invention is started, the cassette C is seated in the indexer portion 10, and the transfer unit 12 sequentially moves the substrate W from the cassette C to the process processing portion 20. Transfer. When the substrate W is transferred to the process treatment unit 20, a process of applying a treatment liquid to the surface of the substrate W is performed.

In other words. The transfer unit 22 receives the substrate W from the indexer unit 10 and transfers the substrate W to the HMDS module 22. The HMDS module 22 supplies an auxiliary agent to the substrate W surface by supplying an auxiliary agent on the substrate W (S110). The supplied auxiliary agent is uniformly formed on the surface of the substrate W at a constant thickness. When the auxiliary agent film is formed on the surface of the substrate W, the substrate W is transferred from the HMDS module 22 to the bake module 100.

The baking module 100 heats the substrate W such that the temperature of the substrate W has a higher temperature from the center of the substrate W to the edge (S120). That is, the substrate W transferred into the housing 110 of the bake module 100 is the first to fifth regions A1 and A2 of the substrate W by the cooling plate 124 of the temperature control member 120. , A3, A4 and A5 are respectively cooled to the first to fifth temperatures T1, T2, T3, T4 and T5. When the surface of the substrate W is heated to the first to fifth temperatures T1, T2, T3, T4, and T5, the substrate W is transferred from the bake module 100 to the coating module 24.

The substrate W transferred to the coating module 24 is supported by the spin chuck 24a and then rotated at a predetermined process speed, and the injection member 24b moves to the first region A1 of the substrate W to be rotated. A certain amount of photosensitive liquid is supplied (S130). The photosensitive liquid supplied to the first region A1 is applied to the surface of the substrate W while spreading from the first region A1 of the substrate W to the fifth region A5 by the centrifugal force of the rotated substrate W. do. At this time, since the temperature of the substrate W increases as the distance from the center of the substrate W increases, the surface tension acting between the photosensitive liquid and the surface of the substrate W is increased from the first region A1 to the fifth region A5. It decreases gradually. This is because the magnitude of the surface tension between the photoresist and the auxiliary agent film formed on the surface of the substrate W is inversely proportional to temperature. Therefore, the speed of the photosensitive liquid increases gradually from the first area A1 of the substrate W to the fifth area A5. However, in proportion to this, since the surface area of the fifth region A5 is increased from the first region A1, the rate of increase of the spreading speed of the photosensitive liquid is compensated for. Therefore, the photoresist may be applied while flowing at a constant speed from the first region A1 to the fifth region A5 of the substrate W, so that the photoresist is applied to the entire surface of the substrate W with a uniform thickness.

When the photosensitive liquid is applied to the surface of the substrate W with a uniform thickness, the substrate W is unloaded from the spin chuck 24a and then transferred to the exposure facility 40 by the interface 30. The exposure apparatus 40 performs a process of forming a pattern on the substrate W on which the photosensitive liquid film is formed. When the exposure process is completed, the interface 30 conveys the substrate W from the exposure facility 40 to the developing module 26 of the process processing unit 20, and the developing module 26 develops the substrate W. . The process processor 20 performs temperature control and cleaning of the patterned substrate W and other post-treatment processes. And the board | substrate W is conveyed from the process process part 20 to the cassette C seated in the indexer part 10. As shown in FIG.

In the above-described spinner system and the method of applying the photosensitive liquid of the spinner system, the substrate W is heated to have a gradually higher temperature from the center of the substrate to the edge, and then a predetermined amount of the photosensitive liquid is supplied to the central region of the substrate W. To apply photoresist. Therefore, the surface tension between the surface of the substrate W on which the adhesive agent is adhered and the photoresist gradually decreases from the center of the substrate W to the edge, so that the photoresist is formed on the substrate as the photoresist spreads from the center of the substrate to the edge. Increase the efficiency applied to the. Therefore, the photoresist is surfaced to the surface of the substrate W by compensating that the spreading speed of the photoresist decreases as the surface area of the substrate W to be applied decreases as it spreads from the center region of the substrate W to the edge region. Apply to a certain thickness.

The foregoing detailed description illustrates the present invention. In addition, the foregoing description merely shows and describes preferred embodiments of the present invention, and the present invention can be used in various other combinations, modifications, and environments. That is, changes or modifications may be made within the scope of the concept of the invention disclosed in this specification, the scope equivalent to the disclosed contents, and / or the skill or knowledge in the art. The above-described embodiments are for explaining the best state in carrying out the present invention, the use of other inventions such as the present invention in other state known in the art, and the specific fields of application and uses of the present invention. Various changes are also possible. Accordingly, the detailed description of the invention is not intended to limit the invention to the disclosed embodiments. Also, the appended claims should be construed to include other embodiments.

As described above, the spinner facility and the process liquid application method of the spinner facility according to the present invention apply the treatment liquid after heating the temperature of the substrate to a higher temperature from the center of the substrate to the edge. Therefore, the surface tension between the surface of the substrate and the photosensitive liquid gradually decreases from the center to the edge of the substrate, thereby gradually increasing the efficiency of applying the photosensitive liquid onto the substrate as the photosensitive liquid goes from the center of the substrate to the edge, thereby increasing the surface of the substrate. Application of a uniform treatment liquid is possible.

In addition, as described above, the spinner facility and the treatment liquid application method of the spinner facility according to the present invention compensate for the surface tension of the substrate surface and the treatment liquid, so that the photosensitive liquid can be uniformly applied onto the substrate even with a minimum supply amount. It reduces the amount of processing liquid used.

Claims (13)

delete delete delete delete In the method of applying the photosensitive liquid on the substrate, The process is performed by supplying a photoresist to the substrate while the substrate is controlled to have a different temperature for each region, Temperature control of the substrate, The photosensitive liquid coating method characterized in that the temperature of the edge region is adjusted to be higher than the central region of the substrate. The method of claim 5, wherein The area of the substrate, And a circular region at the center of the substrate and annular regions surrounding the circular region. delete The method according to claim 5 or 6, Temperature control of the substrate, And a baking module for cooling the temperature of the substrate before the coating process of the photoresist is performed. In the photosensitive liquid coating method of a semiconductor spinner installation, (a) adhering the adhesive on the substrate; (b) cooling the substrate to which the adhesive agent is attached to a predetermined process temperature; (c) applying a photoresist to the substrate; In step (b), Cooling the substrate so that the temperature of the edge region of the substrate is higher than the temperature of the central region of the substrate, Step (c) is, And spreading said photosensitive liquid from said center region to said edge region. delete The method of claim 9, Cooling of the substrate, And a process surface of the substrate is divided into annular regions having different diameters with respect to the center of the substrate, and the respective regions are controlled to be cooled independently of each other. delete In the photosensitive liquid coating method of a semiconductor spinner installation, (a) adhering the adhesive on the substrate; (b) cooling the substrate to which the adhesive agent is attached to a predetermined process temperature; (c) applying a photoresist to the substrate; In step (a), Cooling the substrate so that the temperature of the edge region of the substrate is higher than the temperature of the central region of the substrate, Step (c) is, And spreading said photosensitive liquid from said center region to said edge region.

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