KR20040024898A - Method for exposing semiconductor exposure apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: An exposing method of a semiconductor exposure system is provided to utilize all regions of a lens by rotating a lens unit to the predetermined direction in an exposure process. CONSTITUTION: An exposing method of a semiconductor exposure system includes a preparing process for preparing a semiconductor substrate(130) including a reticle(100), a lens unit(110) formed under the reticle(100), and an etching target layer. An exposure process is performed by using a scanning method for moving the reticle and the semiconductor substrate(130) if the light radiates an upper part of the reticle(100). The exposure process is performed by rotating the lens unit(110) to the predetermined direction in order to utilize all regions of the lens. A scan slit(120) is inserted between the lens unit(110) and the semiconductor substrate(130).

Description

Exposure method of a semiconductor exposure apparatus {Method for exposing semiconductor exposure apparatus}

The present invention relates to an exposure method of a semiconductor exposure apparatus, and more particularly to an exposure method of a semiconductor exposure apparatus that can minimize the restrictions on the arrangement of exposure equipment.

In general, in order to implement a predetermined pattern on a semiconductor substrate, a photolithography process and an etching process should be performed. The photolithography process proceeds with a series of processes of coating, exposing and developing a photoresist film, and a predetermined pattern is formed by patterning an etched layer by a photomask formed by the photolithography process.

An apparatus for performing the exposure process includes a stepper and a stepper and a scanner.

First, as shown in FIG. 1, the stepper is mounted with a reticle 10 having a circuit pattern, a reduction projection lens 20, and a semiconductor substrate 10 having an etched layer (not shown). In the exposure method using such a stepper, the semiconductor substrate 30 and the reticle 10 are stopped, and light is irradiated onto the reticle 10 to expose a predetermined region of the semiconductor substrate 10. Thereafter, the semiconductor substrate 10 is partially moved, and the above steps are repeated. When the exposure is performed by such a stepper method, as shown in FIG. 2, most of the lens 20 is used. Here, reference numeral 21 denotes a use area of the lens in the stepper.

Meanwhile, as shown in FIG. 3, the scanner is sequentially mounted with a reticle 10 having a circuit pattern, a reduction projection lens 20, a scan slit 25 for focusing light, and a semiconductor substrate 30. In the exposure method using such a scanner, exposure is performed by irradiating light from the upper portion of the reticle 10, while performing exposure while moving the semiconductor substrate 30 and the reticle 10 in a predetermined direction. At this time, the semiconductor substrate 30 and the reticle 10 each move a stage on which they are placed, and the semiconductor substrate 30 and the reticle 10 move with each other in a linear direction. Accordingly, when the exposure is performed by the scanner method, as shown in FIG. 4, only the specific area 22 of the lens 20 is used. Here, the line width of the specific region 22 is about the slit size of the illumination system.

However, as the degree of integration of semiconductor devices increases, semiconductor devices require multiple layers and patterns, and there is currently no exposure equipment that can accommodate all of these multiple layers and patterns.

That is, in the case of forming a certain layer, the process margin is insufficient, so a new exposure apparatus capable of forming the layer inevitably needs to be disposed, which causes a problem in that the arrangement efficiency of the facilities is lowered.

Accordingly, the technical problem to be achieved by the present invention is to provide an exposure method of a semiconductor exposure apparatus that can improve the placement efficiency of the exposure apparatus.

1 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a general stepper.

2 is a plan view showing a reduced projection lens of a stepper.

3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a typical scanner.

4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a reduced projection lens of the scanner.

5 is a view for explaining an exposure method of a semiconductor exposure apparatus according to the present invention.

6 is a view showing a lens of the exposure apparatus according to the present invention.

(Explanation of symbols for the main parts of the drawing)

100: reticle 110: lens unit

115: reduction projection lens 120: scanning slit

130: semiconductor substrate

Other objects and novel features as well as the objects of the present invention will become apparent from the description of the specification and the accompanying drawings.

Among the inventions disclosed herein, an outline of representative features is briefly described as follows.

In order to achieve the above technical problem of the present invention, the present invention provides a method for exposure of a semiconductor exposure apparatus comprising a semiconductor substrate having a reticle, a lower lens unit and an etching target layer to which the shape of the reticle is transferred. When light is incident from the upper side, the reticle and the semiconductor substrate are moved to expose the scanning method, and during the exposure, the exposure is performed while rotating the lens unit in a predetermined direction so that most of the area of the lens can be used. Characterized in that.

Here, a scan slit is further interposed between the lower lens unit and the semiconductor substrate, and the lens unit includes a reduction projection lens.

According to the present invention, in the scanning type exposure apparatus, more states of the lens can be provided by rotating the lens unit in a predetermined direction during exposure.

Accordingly, by confirming the process conditions under which various layers and patterns can be formed by various states of the lens, it is possible to improve the placement efficiency of the exposure apparatus.

(Example)

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, embodiments of the present invention may be modified in many different forms, and the scope of the present invention should not be construed as being limited by the embodiments described below. Embodiments of the present invention are provided to more completely explain the present invention to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the shape and the like of the elements in the drawings are exaggerated to emphasize a more clear description, and the elements denoted by the same reference numerals in the drawings means the same elements.

5 is a view for explaining an exposure method of a semiconductor exposure apparatus according to the present invention, Figure 6 is a view showing a lens of the exposure apparatus according to the present invention.

As illustrated in FIG. 5, the scanner type semiconductor exposure apparatus includes a semiconductor substrate 130 having a reticle 100, a lens unit 110, a scan slit 120, and an etched layer (not shown). . Here, the lens unit 110 is a sphere including a reduced projection lens.

This scanner type semiconductor exposure apparatus, as known, moves the reticle stage (not shown) supporting the reticle 100 and the semiconductor substrate stage (not shown) supporting the semiconductor substrate 130 in a predetermined direction. , Exposure is carried out.

In this case, the exposure is performed by irradiating light from a light source (not shown) positioned above the reticle 100, and the light emitted from the light source passes through the reticle 100, the lens 110, and the scan slit 120. The image is formed on the semiconductor substrate 130.

In this embodiment, the exposure is performed while rotating the lens unit 110 arbitrarily so as to create more lens states. That is, when the lens unit 110 is rotated in a predetermined direction, the image is formed through the slits in other portions than the previously used portions.

As such, when the lens unit 110 is rotated in a predetermined direction during exposure, as shown in FIG. 6, all of the lenses 115 may be used in the radial direction, thereby providing more states of the lens 115. Can be. Here, reference numeral 116 denotes a use area of the lens 115.

As described in detail above, according to the present invention, in the scanning type exposure apparatus, more states of the lens can be provided by rotating the lens unit in a predetermined direction during exposure.

Accordingly, by confirming the process conditions under which various layers and patterns can be formed by various states of the lens, it is possible to improve the placement efficiency of the exposure apparatus.

Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to preferred embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications may be made by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technical idea of the present invention. .

Claims (3)

An exposure method of a semiconductor exposure apparatus comprising a semiconductor substrate having a reticle, a lower lens unit, and an etched layer to which the shape of the reticle is to be transferred, When light is incident from an upper portion of the reticle, the reticle and the semiconductor substrate are moved and exposed by scanning, And the exposure is performed while rotating the lens unit in a predetermined direction so that most of the area of the lens can be used during the exposure. The exposure method of claim 1, wherein a scan slit is interposed between the lower lens unit and the semiconductor substrate. The method of claim 1, wherein the lens unit comprises a reduction projection lens.