KR200161792Y1 - Semiconductor exposure apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention discloses a semiconductor exposure apparatus. Disclosed is a light source generator 5 to which light is irradiated, a housing 50 supporting the light source generator 5 and a mask 6 having a predetermined pattern formed thereon and having an open bottom portion, A first vacuum device 51 connected to the housing 50, a case 40 having a shape fixed to an open lower portion of the housing 50, and having upper and lower portions open, and installed in the case 40 to generate the light source. An image reduction lens system 7 which reduces the light of the apparatus 5 at a predetermined ratio, a main chamber 10 installed to enter a lower portion of the case 40 into the inside, and connected to the main chamber 10 A second vacuum device 13, a stage 12 which is movably installed in the lower part of the main chamber 10, the chamber 12 is installed on one side of the main chamber 10, the chamber 20 is carried in the wafer , The third vacuum device 21 connected to the carry-in chamber 20, of the carry-in chamber 20 The first door 23 installed on the side, the second door 24 provided between the carrying chamber 20 and the main chamber 10, and the wafer installed on the other side of the main chamber 10 and carrying out the exposure process are carried out. A chamber 30, a fourth vacuum device 31 connected to the carry-out chamber 30, a third door 33 installed between the carry-out chamber 30 and the main chamber 10, and the carry-out chamber 30. And a fourth inlet 34 and a nitrogen inlet 22 and 32 respectively connected to the carry-in 20 and the carry-out chamber 30, respectively.

Description

Semiconductor exposure equipment

1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a conventional exposure apparatus.

2 is a schematic configuration diagram of an exposure apparatus according to the present invention.

* Explanation of symbols for main parts of the drawings

5 light source generator 6 mask

7: Image reduction lens system 10: Main chamber

11: support 12: movable stage

13: 2nd vacuum apparatus 14: Import apparatus

15: carrying out device 20: carrying in chamber

21: third vacuum device 22, 32: nitrogen injection port

23: first door 24: second door

30: carrying out chamber 31: 4th vacuum apparatus

33: third door 34: fourth door

40 case 50 housing

51: first vacuum device

The present invention relates to a semiconductor exposure apparatus, and more particularly, to a semiconductor exposure apparatus which attempts to form an accurate pattern on a wafer by removing obstacles such as deformation of a pattern, a change in a depth of focus, and a change in resolution, which are the core of an exposure process. will be.

In general, in the manufacture of a semiconductor device using a photo lithography method to form a pattern of the integrated circuit on the surface of the wafer, the method is as follows.

First, the surface of the wafer is cleaned to remove particulates from the wafer surface, and then moisture is removed to ensure that the photoresist adheres well to the wafer surface. That is, the wafer is made hydrophobic. In addition, a DCS solvent is applied to the wafer surface to dry the wafer to improve adhesion. In this state, the photoresist is coated on the wafer surface by a spin coating method. Then, a soft baking process, which is a heat treatment process that evaporates the solvent of the photoresist, is performed. The reason for evaporating the solvent is that if the solvent remains in the photoresist, the chemical reaction by exposure of the polymer is interrupted, and the photoresist This is to adhere well to the surface.

A process is now performed in which the wafer is correctly aligned and then exposed to form a pattern in the photoresist coated on the wafer surface. The main limitation in forming a fine pattern in such an exposure process is the wavelength of the exposure radiation source, that is, the diffraction angle of light around the mask, and the diffraction angle changes the pattern of the photoresist. In general, ultraviolet light is used as the exposure light.

After the alignment and exposure process, the pattern on the mask is transferred to the photoresist. At this time, a part that cannot be polymerized exists and a developing process of removing it with a chemical is performed.

The desired device is then completed through etching, photoresist removal, diffusion and ion implantation, deposition, and metal processing.

FIG. 1 shows a conventional exposure apparatus. As shown, the support 2 is fixed to the lower part of the chamber 1, and the door 3 which carries in and carries out a wafer is provided in the side part of the chamber 1. The stage 4 on which the wafer is placed is provided on the support 2 so as to be movable. The light source generator 5 to which light is irradiated is provided in the upper part of the chamber 1, and the mask 6 in which the predetermined pattern was formed is provided in the lower part. An image reduction lens system 7 is provided below the mask 6 and located close to the top of the wafer. The image reduction lens system 7 includes several auxiliary lenses 71, a main lens 72 positioned at the bottom thereof to reduce the pattern of the mask 6 to 5: 1 or 10: 1, and the main lens It consists of the case 73 which covers the outer side of the lens 72 and the auxiliary lens 72. As shown in FIG. In addition, an upper part of the chamber 1 is provided with an air conditioner 8 for keeping the temperature of the chamber 1 constant, and a lower part of the chamber 1 for removing impurities in the cold air discharged from the air conditioner 8. A hepa filter 9: is installed. And the vacuum system (not shown) which gives a vacuum to the said chamber 1 is connected.

In this way, the door 3 is opened and the wafer is fixed to the stage 4. Then, the vacuum system is operated to form the chamber 1 in a vacuum state, and the air conditioner 8 is operated to adjust the temperature to match the process temperature. When the preparation is completed in this way, light is emitted from the light source generator 5, and the light is irradiated downward while selectively copying the pattern of the mask 6 while selectively passing through the mask 6. This light supplies a uniform and desired intensity of light and wavelength to the main lens 72 via several auxiliary lenses 71. The main lens 72 then reduces the light at a predetermined rate and irradiates the surface of the wafer so that the pattern of the mask 6 is reduced on the surface of the wafer.

However, the conventional exposure apparatus is exposed to the outside through the case 73 and the wafer surrounding the outer edge of the image lens system 7, that is, the light path is exposed to bring the wafer in and out. Each time the door 3 is opened or closed, external air penetrates into the chamber 1. At this time, the flow of outside air, the change of atmospheric pressure, the change of temperature and humidity around the lens affect the exposed light path, and the refraction of light is changed. Therefore, there is a problem in that the depth of focus and the resolution are deteriorated, and the pattern formed on the wafer is deformed unlike the pattern of the mask.

The present invention devised to solve the above problems, the wafer pattern is accurately exposed to the wafer by preventing the light path from being exposed to the outside so that the light is not affected at all by temperature, air pressure, humidity, air flow rate and direction. It is an object to provide a semiconductor exposure apparatus that can be formed in the.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a light source generator to which light is irradiated, a housing supporting the light source generator and a mask having a predetermined pattern formed thereon, the lower portion of which is open, a first housing connected to the housing. A vacuum device, a case fixed to an open lower part of the housing, and an upper and lower case open shape, an image reduction lens system installed in the case to reduce light of the light generating device at a predetermined ratio, and a lower part of the case A main chamber installed so that the part enters the inside, a second vacuum device connected to the main chamber, a stage movably installed under the main chamber, and a wafer installed thereon, and a chamber installed on one side of the main chamber A third vacuum device connected to the carrying chamber, a first door installed outside the carrying chamber, the carrying in A second door disposed between the chamber and the main chamber, a chamber installed at the other side of the main chamber, to which the wafer having been exposed to exposure is carried out, a fourth vacuum device connected to the export chamber, and a third installed between the export chamber and the main chamber And a nitrogen inlet connected to the door, the fourth door provided outside the carrying chamber, and the carrying in and taking out chambers, respectively.

The first, second, third and fourth vacuum devices are connected to one vacuum system, and the vacuum system is preferably provided with a device for selectively controlling the driving of each vacuum device.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

2 is a schematic configuration diagram of an exposure apparatus according to the present invention.

As shown, a support 11 is installed below the main chamber 10 where the exposure process is performed, and a movable stage 12 on which the wafer is placed is installed on the support 11. One side of the main chamber 10 is connected to a second vacuum device 13 for forming a vacuum in the main chamber 10. In addition, an import chamber 20 is provided in one axis of the main chamber 10 where the wafer to be subjected to the exposure process is temporarily waited, and an export chamber 30 in which the wafer where the exposure process is completed is carried out is installed in the other side. .

A third vacuum device 21 is connected to the loading chamber 20, and an injection port 22 through which nitrogen is injected to form an atmospheric pressure is connected. The outer side of the loading chamber 20 is provided with a first door 23 for carrying wafers from the outside, and the wafer waiting in the loading chamber 20 is main between the loading chamber 20 and the main chamber 10. The second door 24 carried into the chamber 10 is installed. An import device 14 is installed between the second door 24 and the support 11 to transfer a wafer waiting in the loading chamber 20 to the movable stage 12.

A fourth vacuum device 31 is connected to the discharge chamber 30, and an injection port 32 through which nitrogen is injected to form an atmospheric pressure is connected. A third door 33 through which an exposure process is completed is carried out between the carrying out chamber 30 and the main chamber 10, and a wafer having completed the process is carried out to the outside of the carrying out chamber 30. The fourth door 34 is installed. Carrying-out apparatus which transfers the wafer transferred to the loading chamber 30 through the 3rd door 33 by the process completed between the 3rd door 33 and the support 11, and is placed in the movable stage 12. 15 is installed.

A cylindrical case 40 is installed in the upper center of the main chamber 10. The case 40 has an open top and bottom shape, and the image lens system 7 is installed therein. Here, the lower portion of the case 40 is installed so that a predetermined portion enters the inside of the main chamber 100. That is, the main lens 72 of the image lens system 7 is installed at the lower portion of the case 40 that enters the main chamber 100, and several auxiliary lenses 71 are sequentially disposed thereon. Is installed.

A rectangular housing 50 is installed on the case 40, and a light source generator 5 to which light is irradiated is installed inside the case 40. The mask 6 in which a predetermined pattern is formed is fixed to the lower portion of the light source generator 5. In addition, a first vacuum device 51 is connected to the housing 50.

Here, each of the vacuum devices, that is, the first (51), second (13), third (21), and fourth (31) vacuum devices are all connected to one vacuum system (not shown), and the vacuum system The apparatus is provided with a device for sequentially controlling the driving of each vacuum apparatus.

The operation and effects of the present invention configured as described above are as follows.

Initially, all the vacuum devices 13, 21, 31, and 51 are driven so that vacuum is applied to the main chamber 10, the import chamber 20, the export chamber 30, and the housing 40 and the case 40. It is in a formed state. In this state, the driving of the third vacuum apparatus 21 is stopped, and then nitrogen is injected through the injection port 22 of the loading chamber 20 to switch the loading chamber 20 to the atmospheric pressure state. Then, the first door 23 is opened to bring the wafer into the loading chamber 20 from the outside, and after closing the first door again, the third vacuum apparatus 21 is operated to vacuum the loading chamber 20. To form. When the second door 24 is opened, the loading device 14 rests the wafer on the movable stage 12. Then, the movable stage 12 is moved to the center of the support 11, that is, the lower portion of the main lens 72. During this carry-in operation, the main chamber 10 is kept completely isolated from the outside, so that changes in temperature and humidity or changes in air flow rate and direction in the main chamber 10 are fundamentally prevented.

When the loading of the wafer to be subjected to the exposure process is completed, light is radiated downward from the light source generator 5 to pass through the pattern of the mask 6. This light passes through several auxiliary lenses 71 and reaches the main lens 72 at a uniform and desired intensity and wavelength. The main lens 72 then reduces the light at a predetermined rate and projects it onto the wafer to form a pattern of the mask 6 on the wafer. During this process, the main chamber 100 is completely isolated from the outside as described above, and is also completely isolated from the case 40, which is the path through which the light is irradiated, and thus the refractive index of the light caused by the outside air. There is no change. Therefore, the depth of focus and the resolution are maintained so that the pattern of the mask 6 can be accurately formed on the wafer.

When the exposure process is completed in this way, the movable stage 12 is moved in the direction of the third door 33. After the third door 33 is opened, the wafer is carried out to the carrying out chamber 30 by the carrying out device 15. Then, while the operation of the fourth vacuum device 31 is stopped, nitrogen is injected through the injection port 32 of the export chamber 30 to form an atmospheric pressure in the export chamber 30. Finally, the fourth door 34 is opened, and the wafer having the exposure process completed is carried out to the outside. The main chamber 10 remains completely isolated from the outside even during such a carrying out operation.

In conclusion, the main chamber 10 is constantly maintained in a vacuum state, and thus, the exposure process can be continuously performed without the process of releasing the vacuum of the main chamber 10.

Thus, if the exposure chamber is configured to be completely isolated from the outside, it is not necessary to adjust the temperature due to the external exposure, thus eliminating the need for an air conditioner, which is a conventional temperature control means. This means that there is no change in the refractive index of the light due to the air flow by the air conditioner.

As such, the present invention completely isolates the light path from the outside, thereby maintaining an optimal depth of focus and resolution, thereby effectively forming a mask pattern on the wafer.

In addition, this invention is not limited to the said Example, It can be variously changed and implemented in the range which does not deviate from the summary.

Claims (2)

A light source generator to which light is irradiated, a housing supporting the light source generator and having a predetermined pattern formed thereon, the housing having an open shape, a first vacuum device connected to the housing, and fixed to an open lower portion of the housing; A case having an open top and a bottom shape, an image reduction lens system installed in the case to reduce the light of the light source generator at a predetermined ratio, a main chamber installed to enter a lower predetermined portion of the case, and the main A second vacuum apparatus connected to a chamber, a stage movably installed at a lower portion of the main chamber, and a wafer placed therein, a chamber installed at one side of the main chamber, into which a wafer is loaded, and a third vacuum apparatus connected to the loading chamber, A first door provided outside the carrying chamber, a second door provided between the carrying chamber and the main chamber, A chamber in which the wafer on which the exposure process is completed is carried out on the other side of the main chamber, and a fourth vacuum device connected to the export chamber, a third door disposed between the export chamber and the main chamber, and a fourth door provided outside the export chamber. And a nitrogen inlet connected to the loading and unloading chambers, respectively. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first, second, third and fourth vacuum devices are connected to one vacuum system, and the vacuum system is provided with a device for selectively controlling the driving of each vacuum device. Semiconductor exposure apparatus.