KR20060125549A - Apparatus and method for coating photo-resist by silt scan and spin, and blank mask having a photo-resist film coated by the method and photo mask manufactured by using the same - Google Patents

Abstract

An apparatus and a method for coating a photoresist using a slit scan and a spin, a blank mask having a photoresist film coated using the same, and a photo mask using the same are provided to improve uniformity of a photoresist layer by using spin chuck. A mask(480) is mounted on an upper portion of a spin chuck(420). The spin chuck receives driving force from the outside and rotates in a predetermined diffusing speed for a predetermined diffusing time to diffuse uniformly a photoresist material applied on an upper surface of the mask and to form a photoresist layer(495) with a predetermined thickness. An accommodation space accommodating the spin chuck is formed on a spin ball(410). A slit nozzle(440) is arranged to be separated from the upper surface of the mask mounted on the spin chuck at a predetermined interval. The slit nozzle applies the photoresist material to the upper surface of the mask through a slit formed on an end of the hard mask.

Description

Photoresist coating apparatus and method using a slit scan and spin method, and a blank mask having a photoresist film coated by a photoresist coating method using a slit scan and spin method and a photo mask manufactured using the same coating photo-resist by silt scan and spin, and blank mask having a photo-resist film coated by the method and photo mask manufactured by using the same}

1 is a view showing a conventional photoresist coating apparatus to which a spin coating method is applied;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a state in which the cover of the conventional photoresist coating apparatus to which the spin coating method is applied is opened;

3 is a view showing a conventional photoresist coating apparatus to which a scan coating method is applied;

4 is a view showing an embodiment of a photoresist coating apparatus using a slit scan and spin method according to the present invention,

5 is a plan view of the cover is open state of the photoresist coating apparatus using a slit scan and spin method according to the present invention;

6 is a flow chart showing an embodiment of a photoresist coating method using a slit scan and spin method according to the present invention;

7A and 7B are cross-sectional views of a blank mask manufactured by a photoresist coating method using a conventional spin method and a photoresist coating device using a slit scan and spin method according to the present invention, respectively;

8A and 8B show the thickness of the photoresist film from the end to the center of the blank mask manufactured by the photoresist coating method using the conventional spin method and the photoresist coating device using the slit scan and spin method according to the present invention, respectively. Drawing showing change,

9 is a view showing the result of measuring the thickness change of the photoresist film according to the rotational speed of the first spin process when performing the photoresist coating method using the slit scan and spin method according to the present invention;

10 and 11 are the results of measuring the change in the uniformity of the photoresist film in the edge region according to the rotational speed and the rotation time of the first spin process during the slit scan and spin method according to the present invention, respectively Drawing, and,

FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating a result of measuring a thickness change of a photoresist film according to a slit nozzle moving speed when performing photoresist coating using a slit scan and spin method according to the present invention.

The present invention relates to a photoresist coating apparatus and method using a slit scan and spin method, and a blank mask having a photoresist film coated by a photoresist coating method using a slit scan and spin method and a photo mask manufactured using the same. More specifically, an apparatus and method for coating a photoresist using a slit scan method and a spin method on a blank mask for a large LCD / PDP / Color filter, and a photoresist coating method using a slit scan and spin method It relates to a blank mask having a photoresist film coated by and a photo mask manufactured using the same.

Photolithography (photo lithography) technology using a photo mask is essentially used to manufacture panels for TFT-LCD, PDP, and color filters. The photo mask is manufactured by sputtering a chromium thin film on a glass substrate (Quartz, Soda lime, etc.), coating a photoresist film, and forming a fine pattern by exposing light of a specific wavelength to the photoresist film. At this time, the product before formation of the micro pattern by exposure is called a blank mask. In order to form a fine device circuit pattern on the blank mask, a uniform photoresist film must be coated to easily implement a fine pattern of the photo mask, and even in the case of a large blank mask such as a TFT-LCD, a PDP, and a color filter, the panel design rule is As miniaturization, high precision refinement is required also in the pattern of a photomask. Therefore, in order to form a fine and fine pattern on the photo mask, the uniformity of the photoresist coating film should be good, and defects such as discolor or fine particles generated after coating should be small.

In this case, the blank mask is formed by shielding a metal material such as chromium on a synthetic quartz glass or soda lime glass substrate using a reactive sputtering method, thereby forming an antireflection film on the light shielding film, and forming a photoresist coater. The photoresist is coated on the anti-reflection film by using. In addition, the mask (binary mask or phase shift mask) refers to a state before coating the photoresist in the blank mask described above. That is, the light shielding film and the anti-reflection film are sputtered on the synthetic quartz glass or soda lime glass substrate.

The photoresist coating of a conventional large blank mask is largely performed by a spin coating method and a scanning method using a capillary principle.

1 is a view illustrating a conventional photoresist coating apparatus to which a spin coating method is applied, and FIG. 2 is a plan view of an open state of a cover of the conventional photoresist coating apparatus to which a spin coating method is applied.

1 and 2, a conventional spin coating apparatus 100 of the related art includes a spin ball 110, a spin chuck 120, a motor 130, an inlet pipe 140, an inner cover 150, and an outer cover. And 160.

The spin ball 110 accommodates the spin chuck 130 and has an opening for entering and exiting the mask 180 and an outlet for discharging the photoresist. The mask 180 is mounted on the spin chuck 120, and the spin chuck 120 is rotated by the driving force of the motor 130. The inlet pipe 140 sprays the photoresist 190 onto the mask 180 mounted on the spin chuck 120 through a through-hole nozzle formed at an end thereof. The inlet tube 140 spins nozzles formed at initial positions and ends positioned before the mask 180 is mounted on the spin chuck 120 and before the photoresist 190 is discharged on the mask 180 as the process proceeds. The discharge position located in the center of the mask 180 mounted on the chuck 120 is moved. The inner cover 150 is coupled with the upper circumferential surface of the spin chuck 120 to rotate with the spin chuck 120, and the outer cover 160 is coupled with the upper circumferential surface of the spin ball 110 during the process. The internal space of the spin ball 110 is blocked from the outside.

The photoresist coating process by the conventional spin coating apparatus 100 having the above configuration is as follows. First, a nozzle in which an inlet tube 140 is formed at the end of the inner cover 150 and the outer cover 160 to guide the photoresist 190 supplied from the outside is mounted on the spin chuck 120. Move to the center of the mask 180 is present. Next, the photoresist 190 is dropped onto the mask 180 mounted on the spin chuck 120 through the nozzle, and then the inlet tube 140 exits the spin ball 110, and then the two covers 150 and 160 are disposed. By lowering the spin chuck 120 and the spin ball 110 is sealed. Next, the driving force of the motor 130 is transmitted to the spin chuck 120 to rotate the mask 180 to diffuse the photoresist 190 throughout the mask 180, thereby forming a photoresist film on the mask 180. . At this time, since the photoresist 190 dropped in the center of the mask 180 is a liquid substance having a constant viscosity, it is diffused in a circle.

In the case of applying the spin coating method as described above, after spraying the photoresist 190 on the anti-reflection film and the light shielding film of the mask 180, the cover 150 and 160 are closed to rotate the spin chuck 120. A thin photoresist coating film is formed. However, since the blank masks for large LCDs, PDPs, and color filters are not circular or square but have a rectangular shape, the lengths of the horizontal and vertical directions are different from the center of the mask 180. Therefore, according to the conventional photoresist coating method using the spin coating method, since the distance from the center to the edge of the mask 180 is different, the photoresist 190 dropped at the center of the mask 180 is prevented from rotating the mask 180. Difference occurs in the degree of diffusion. As a result, in coating the photoresist 190 dropped in the center of the mask 180 on the entire surface of the mask 180, the photoresist is formed over the entire mask 180 due to the difference in the width and length of the mask 180. It is not easy to uniformly coat 190. In particular, as the size of the mask 180 increases, the weight of the mask 180 increases proportionally, making it difficult to rotate the mask 180 at a sufficiently high rotational speed. Therefore, it is not easy to form a thin and uniform photoresist film in a state in which a large amount of photoresist 190 is sprayed on the mask 180.

To solve this problem, a method using a large amount of photoresist 190 may be applied. However, the minimum amount of photoresist 190 required to coat the entire surface of the mask 180 may be applied while the mask 180 rotates at high speed. Since all of the remaining materials are discharged, a problem of cost increase occurs due to unnecessary use of the photoresist 190. In addition, the photoresist 190 is coated on the edge portion of the mask 180 is peeled off during the transport and transfer of the blank mask to generate particles, which acts as a defect that prevents the formation of the micropattern.

3 illustrates a conventional photoresist coating apparatus to which a scan coating method is applied.

Referring to FIG. 3, a conventional scan coating apparatus 300 includes a vacuum chuck 310, a reservoir 320, and a slit nozzle 330.

The mask 350 is fixed to the lower surface of the vacuum chuck 130, and the vacuum chuck 130 is moved from one end of the mask 350 to the other end or in two axial directions perpendicular to each other. The photoresist 360 is stored in the reservoir 320. The slit nozzle 330 is mounted on the upper part of the reservoir 320, and the photoresist 360 stored in the reservoir 320 is discharged to the outside through the slit nozzle 330 by capillary principle. At the time of performing the scan coating, a liquid is initially formed between the slit nozzle 330 and the coating start surface of the mask 350. Subsequently, when the slit nozzle 330 is spaced apart from the mask 350 by several tens to hundreds of microns, the vacuum chuck 310 is driven. As a result, the mask 350 moves and the photoresist is formed on the surface of the mask 350 by capillary principle. The film 370 is formed. Since the photoresist 360 coated on the mask 350 contains a large amount of solvent, the solvent is evaporated through natural drying after the scan coating to form a photoresist film 370 on the mask 350.

The scan coating method as described above has the advantage of minimizing the amount of photoresist used, but there is a problem that nozzle marks or stains occur on the coated surface due to environmental factors such as ambient vibration during the scanning process. have. In addition, since the coating state may vary depending on the properties of the solvent contained in the photoresist, there is a difficulty in selecting a limited type of photoresist. In addition, after the photoresist is coated on the mask, a large number of discolors appear on the surface of the mask due to the influence of air in the periphery of the mask in the process of naturally drying the solvent of the photoresist film in the air without a spin process for drying. There is a problem that occurs. Furthermore, since the mask is not rotated after the photoresist is applied, the thickness of the photoresist film becomes thicker and the width of the frame is widened at the beginning and the end of the liquid contact.

The technical problem to be achieved by the present invention is a slit scan and spin that can minimize the amount of photoresist in a large blank mask while preventing over-formation of the photoresist film at the edge of the mask so that no interference color is generated and the film uniformity can be increased. To provide a photoresist coating apparatus and method using the method.

Another technical problem to be achieved by the present invention is a slit scan that can minimize the amount of photoresist used in a large blank mask and prevent over-formation of the photoresist film at the edge of the mask so that no interference color is generated and the film uniformity can be improved. It is to provide a blank mask having a photoresist film coated by a photoresist coating method using a spin method and a photo mask manufactured using the same.

In order to achieve the above technical problem, a photoresist coating apparatus using a slit scan and spin method according to the present invention has a mask mounted thereon and receives a driving force from the outside for a predetermined diffusion time at a predetermined diffusion speed. A spin chuck which rotates to uniformly diffuse the photoresist material applied on the upper surface of the mask to form a photoresist film having a predetermined thickness; A spin ball having an accommodation space for receiving the spin chuck; And applying a photoresist material on the upper surface of the mask through a slit disposed at a predetermined distance from an upper surface of the mask mounted on the spin chuck and driven in a direction from the one end of the mask to the other end. A slit nozzle;

In order to achieve the above technical problem, the photoresist coating method using the slit scan and spin method according to the present invention is located in the receiving space in the spinball, the mask is applied to the upper surface of the spin chuck rotated by the driving force from the outside Mounting; Applying the photoresist material to an upper surface of the mask while driving a slit nozzle spaced apart from the upper surface of the mask by a predetermined distance and discharging the photoresist material through a slit formed at an end of the mask from one end of the mask to the other end; ; And rotating the spin chuck at a predetermined diffusion rate for a predetermined diffusion time to uniformly diffuse the photoresist material applied to the upper surface of the mask to form a photoresist film having a predetermined thickness.

In order to achieve the above technical problem, the blank mask according to the present invention is sequentially laminated with a light shielding film and an antireflection film on a transparent substrate, is located in the accommodating space in the spin ball, the spin is rotated by receiving a driving force from the outside Mounting a mask on an upper surface of the chuck; Applying the photoresist material to an upper surface of the mask while driving a slit nozzle spaced apart from the upper surface of the mask by a predetermined distance and discharging the photoresist material through a slit formed at an end of the mask from one end of the mask to the other end; ; And uniformly diffusing the photoresist material applied on the upper surface of the mask by rotating the spin chuck at a predetermined diffusion rate for a predetermined diffusion time to form a photoresist film having a predetermined thickness. It has a photoresist film coated on it.

In order to achieve the above technical problem, the photomask according to the present invention is sequentially laminated with a light shielding film and an antireflection film on a transparent substrate, and is located in a receiving space in a spin ball, and is rotated by receiving a driving force from the outside. Mounting a mask on an upper surface of the spin chuck; Applying the photoresist material to an upper surface of the mask while driving a slit nozzle spaced apart from the upper surface of the mask by a predetermined distance and discharging the photoresist material through a slit formed at an end of the mask from one end of the mask to the other end; ; And uniformly diffusing the photoresist material applied on the upper surface of the mask by rotating the spin chuck at a predetermined diffusion rate for a predetermined diffusion time to form a photoresist film having a predetermined thickness. And a mask pattern having a light transmitting portion and a light blocking portion or a light transmitting portion and a light transmissive portion formed by a patterning process for selectively removing a light shielding film, an antireflection film, and a photoresist film of a blank mask having a photoresist film coated on the film according to a predetermined pattern. .

As a result, a photoresist film having excellent uniformity can be formed over the entire area of the mask, and by using an appropriate amount of photoresist, a photoresist film can be formed only on the upper surface of the mask, minimizing the amount of photoresist used. It is possible to prevent the occurrence of interference colors due to overforming the photoresist film at the edge portion of the mask.

A blank mask having a photoresist coating apparatus and method using a slit scan and spin method and a photoresist film coated by a slit scan and spin method according to the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, and The preferred embodiment of the photomask manufactured using this is explained in full detail.

4 is a view showing an embodiment of a photoresist coating apparatus using a slit scan and spin method according to the present invention, Figure 5 is a cover of the photoresist coating apparatus using a slit scan and spin method according to the present invention is opened It is a top view of the state.

4 and 5, the photoresist coating apparatus 400 using the slit scan and spin method according to the present invention includes a spin ball 410, a spin chuck 420, a chuck driving unit 430, and a slit nozzle 440. ), A nozzle driver 450, an inner cover 460, and an outer cover 470.

The spin ball 410 accommodates the spin chuck 430 and the mask 480, and an accommodation space is formed therein for this purpose. In addition, an opening for entering and exiting the mask 480 is formed at an upper portion of the spin ball 410, and a discharge opening for discharging the photoresist is formed at a lower portion of the spin ball 410. The mask 480 is mounted and fixed to the upper portion of the spin chuck 420, and the spin chuck 420 is rotated by a chuck driver 430 such as a motor. In this case, the mask 480 is fixed to the spin chuck 420 with the anti-reflection film and the light shielding film sequentially stacked on the transparent substrate facing up.

The slit nozzle 440 is positioned to face the upper surface of the mask 480, and is driven by the nozzle driver 450 from one end of the mask 480 to the other end or perpendicular to each other on the mask 480. Is moved in the direction. A slit through which the photoresist 490 is discharged is formed at one end of the slit nozzle 440, and the other end is connected to a storage tank (not shown) in which the photoresist is stored. The interval between the slits of the slit nozzle 440 is adjusted within a range of 10 μm to 300 μm, and a larger amount of the photoresist 490 may be applied to the mask 480 as the gap inside the nozzle is larger. In addition, the scanning speed of the slit nozzle 440 is adjusted within the range of 5 mm / sec to 500 mm / sec, and the faster the scanning speed, the less the photoresist 490 is applied to the upper portion of the mask 480. In addition, the separation distance between the slit nozzle 440 and the mask 480 during the scan is adjustable within the range of 0.1mm ~ 100mm. Table 1 describes preferred scan conditions, and a photoresist film with excellent uniformity is formed under these scan conditions. In such a scan condition, the viscosity of the photoresist 490 is preferably 2 to 30 cps.

Scan conditions Set value Scan speed 10 mm / sec to 200 mm / sec Nozzle spacing 30 ㎛ ~ 200 ㎛ Gap between slit nozzle and mask 0.1mm to 2mm

After the slit nozzle 440 applies a predetermined amount of photoresist 490 on the mask 480 by a scanning method, the slit nozzle 440 is moved out of the spin ball 410. Through the above scanning process, a photoresist film 495 containing a sufficient amount of solvent is formed to a specific thickness on the upper surface of the mask 480. The thickness of the photoresist film 495 can be adjusted by adjusting the scan speed, nozzle spacing, and spacing between the slit nozzle 440 and the mask 480. When the slit nozzle 440 is moved after the photoresist 490 is applied to the upper surface of the mask 480, the inner cover 450 and the outer cover 460 disposed on the upper side are lowered to spin the spin chuck 420 and the spin, respectively. It rests on the ball 410. At this time, the inner cover 450 is coupled to the upper circumferential surface of the spin chuck 420 to rotate together with the spin chuck 420, and the outer cover 460 is coupled to the upper circumferential surface of the spin ball 410 to process Blocks the internal space of the spin ball 410 and the outside during the progress.

After the inside of the spin ball 410 is kept closed, an inner cover coupled to the spin chuck 420, the mask 480, and the spin chuck 420 is rotated by a motor 430 connected to the spin chuck 420. 450). By the rotation of the mask 480 (that is, the first spin process), the photoresist film 495 applied by scanning on the upper surface of the mask 480 is finally formed to a desired thickness. Table 2 lists the rotation speed, rotation time and acceleration / deceleration range of the spin chuck 420 for forming a uniform photoresist film 495.

Rotation condition Set value Rotation speed 50 to 1000 rpm Rotation time 5 to 120 seconds Acceleration / deceleration 50 to 200 rpm / sec

After forming the photoresist film 495 to a desired thickness by the first spin process, the two covers 450 and 460 are separated from the spin chuck 420 and the spin ball 410, and then the mask 480. A second spin process for drying the photoresist film 495 formed thereon is performed. Since the photoresist film 495 immediately after the completion of the first spin process contains a large amount of solvent, interference colors such as stains may appear on the surface of the photoresist film 495 unless it is dried by the second spin process. Will occur. The interval between the mask 480 and the inner cover 450 is set to 500 mm or less so that interference colors such as surface stains do not occur when the second spin process is performed. Table 3 describes suitable rotational conditions that have little effect on the thickness and thickness distribution of the photoresist film formed on the mask 480 when performing the second spin process.

Rotation condition Set value Rotation speed 200 rpm or less Rotation time 2400 seconds or less

When the three-step process (that is, the scanning process, the first spin process, and the second spin process) as described above is sequentially performed, a uniform photoresist film 495 is formed on the mask 480. Next, when the mask 480 on which the photoresist film 495 is formed is burned and cooled, a blank mask coated with the photoresist film 495 is completed.

6 is a flowchart illustrating a process of performing an embodiment of a photoresist coating method using a slit scan and spin method according to the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 6, the mask 480 is mounted on the spin chuck 430 located in the spin ball 410 by a transfer device (not shown), and then fixed (S600). Next, the slit nozzle 440 is spaced apart a predetermined distance upward from one end of the mask 480 mounted on the spin chuck 430 from the point (ie, the standby position) deviating from the upper region of the spin ball 410. It is transferred to the point (that is, the initial position) (S610). At this time, the interval between the slit nozzle 440 and the mask 480 is maintained in the range of 0.1 ~ 2.0mm. Next, the photoresist 490 having a viscosity of 2 to 30 cps is discharged from the nozzle formed in the slit nozzle 440 to the mask 480, and the nozzle driver 450 is slit with the discharge of the photoresist 490. The nozzle 440 is transferred from the initial position toward the other end of the mask 480 to apply the photoresist 490 to the upper surface of the mask 480 (S620). At this time, the slit gap of the slit nozzle 440 is preferably 100 µm to 300 µm, and more preferably 30 µm to 200 µm. In addition, the movement speed (ie, the scan speed) of the slit nozzle 440 from one end of the mask 480 to the other end is preferably maintained at 50 mm / sec to 500 mm / sec, more preferably 10 mm. It is maintained at / sec ~ 200mm / sec. In addition, when the nozzle width of the slit nozzle 440 is smaller than the width of the mask 480, the slit nozzle 440 is applied to the upper surface of the mask 480 by the zigzag scan method.

When the application of the photoresist with a predetermined thickness over the entire area of the mask 480 is completed, the slit nozzle 440 is transferred to the standby position, and then the inner cover 450 and the outer cover 460 are lowered to spin, respectively. It is bound to the chuck 420 and the spin ball 410 (S630). After the inside of the spin ball 410 is kept closed, the mask 480 is rotated to form a photoresist film 495 applied by scanning on the upper surface of the mask 480 to a desired thickness (S640). ). At this time, the rotation speed and rotation time of the spin chuck 420 for forming the photoresist film 495 having a desired thickness and uniformity are selected within the range of 50 to 1000 rpm and 5 to 120 seconds, respectively. Further, the acceleration of the spin chuck 420 at the desired rotational speed in the stationary state and the deceleration of the spin chuck 420 for stopping in the rotational state are selected within the range of 50 to 200 rpm / sec. In order to reduce the film uniformity and the thickness of the applied photoresist film 495 at the edge of the mask 480, the exhaust pressure of the spin ball 410 on which the mask 480 is placed must be controlled within an appropriate range. do. In the first spin process as described above, the exhaust pressure of the spin ball 410 on which the mask 480 is placed is selected as a positive value in the range of 0.25 kPa or less.

After forming the photoresist film 495 to a desired thickness and uniformity by the first spin process described above, the inner cover 450 and the outer cover 460 are separated from the spin chuck 420 and the spin ball 410 ( S650). Subsequently, the spin chuck 440 is rotated to perform a second spin process of drying the photoresist film 495 (S660). The interval between the mask 480 and the inner cover 450 is set to 500 mm or less so that interference colors such as surface stains do not occur when performing the second spin process. In addition, the rotation speed and the rotation time of the spin chuck 420 are set to 200 rpm or less and 2400 seconds or less, respectively. The exhaust pressure of the spin ball 410 on which the mask 480 is placed is selected as a positive value in the range of 0.25 kPa or less. Next, when the mask 480 on which the photoresist film 495 is formed is burned and cooled, a blank mask coated with the photoresist film 495 is completed (S670).

7A and 7B are cross-sectional views of a blank mask manufactured by a photoresist coating method using a conventional spin method and a photoresist coating device using a slit scan and spin method according to the present invention, respectively. 7A and 7B, the blank mask manufactured by the photoresist coating apparatus using the slit scan and spin method according to the present invention is more photoresist than the blank mask manufactured by the photoresist coating apparatus using the conventional spin method. The uniformity of the film is excellent and the thickness of the photoresist film formed at the end of the blank mask is thin.

8A and 8B show photoresist from the end to the center of the blank mask manufactured by the photoresist coating method using the conventional spin method and the photoresist coating device using the slit scan and spin method according to the present invention, respectively. It is a figure which shows the thickness change of a film | membrane. 8A and 8B, the thickness of the photoresist film at the end of the blank mask manufactured by the photoresist coating apparatus using the conventional spin method is about 5500 mm thicker than the thickness of the center area, and is centered from the end. From about 9 mm area in the direction there is a uniform thickness distribution. On the other hand, the thickness of the photoresist film at the end of the blank mask manufactured by the photoresist coating apparatus using the slit scan and spin method according to the present invention is coated about 2000 mm thicker than the thickness of the center area, and the center direction is from the end. As a result, it has a uniform thickness distribution from about 10 mm.

9 is a view showing a result of measuring the thickness change of the photoresist film according to the rotational speed of the first spin process when performing the photoresist coating method using the slit scan and spin method according to the present invention. At this time, the conditions of the slit scan and the viscosity of the photoresist were measured in a constant state. Referring to FIG. 9, it can be seen that as the rotational speed is increased, the thickness of the photoresist film becomes thinner.

10 and 11 are the results of measuring the thickness change of the photoresist film in the edge region according to the rotational speed and the rotation time of the first spin process when performing the photoresist coating method using the slit scan and spin method according to the present invention, respectively Figure is a diagram. Referring to FIGS. 10 and 11, it is possible to form a photoresist film having excellent uniformity of the edge region in a specific rotation time region and rotation speed region. However, if the rotation time or the rotation speed is too short or too long beyond a certain range, the uniformity of the photoresist film is relatively lowered.

12 is a view showing the results of measuring the thickness change of the photoresist film according to the slit nozzle movement speed when performing the photoresist coating using the slit scan and spin method according to the present invention. At this time, the distance between the slit nozzles and the separation distance between the mask and the slit nozzles were set to be the same and measured. Referring to FIG. 12, it can be seen that the faster the slit nozzle moving speed, the thinner the photoresist film is.

On the other hand, by using the photoresist coating method by the slit scan and spin method according to the present invention as described above, it is possible to manufacture a blank mask on which a photoresist film is formed, the anti-reflection film and the photoresist film of the blank mask thus prepared The photomask can be manufactured by forming a light transmitting portion and a light blocking portion or a light transmitting portion and a light semitransmissive portion by a patterning process that is selectively removed according to a predetermined pattern. The blank mask on which the photoresist film was formed using the photoresist coating method by the slit scanning and spin method according to the present invention does not cause surface staining and improves the uniformity of the thickness of the photoresist film at the beginning and the end of the liquid contact. Therefore, it is possible to form a more precise pattern, and to prevent unnecessary application of photoresist on the side and back of the blank mask, there is no need to perform an additional process such as a removal process of the photoresist.

Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described above, the present invention is not limited to the specific preferred embodiments described above, and the present invention belongs to the present invention without departing from the gist of the present invention as claimed in the claims. Various modifications can be made by those skilled in the art, and such changes are within the scope of the claims.

A photoresist coating apparatus and method using the slit scan and spin method, and a blank mask having a photoresist film coated by the photoresist coating method using the slit scan and spin method and a photo mask manufactured using the same According to the present invention, a photoresist is applied on a mask by a nozzle scan method, and then the mask is rotated to perform a film thickness forming process and a film drying process to form a photoresist film, thereby providing a photoresist having excellent uniformity over the entire area of the mask. A film can be formed. In addition, by using an appropriate amount of photoresist, the photoresist film can be formed only on the upper surface of the mask, thereby minimizing the amount of photoresist used and preventing the occurrence of interference colors due to the excessive formation of the photoresist film at the edge of the mask. . In addition, the photoresist may be prevented from being applied to the side and the back of the mask, thereby eliminating the need for an additional process such as the removal of the photoresist formed at a portion that is not desired by the user, thereby saving time and money.

Claims (29)

The mask is mounted on the upper side, and receives a driving force from the outside and rotates for a predetermined diffusion time at a predetermined diffusion speed to uniformly diffuse the photoresist material applied on the upper surface of the mask to form a photoresist film having a predetermined thickness. chuck; A spin ball having an accommodation space for receiving the spin chuck; And A slit disposed to be spaced apart from the upper surface of the mask mounted on the spin chuck by a predetermined distance and driven in a direction from the one end of the mask to the other end to apply the photoresist material to the upper surface of the mask through a slit provided at one end of the mask; Photoresist coating apparatus using a slit scan and spin method comprising a nozzle. The method of claim 1, The spin chuck is rotated for a predetermined drying time at a predetermined drying speed after the formation of the photoresist film to dry the photoresist film formed on the upper surface of the mask, the photoresist coating apparatus using a slit scan and spin method. The method according to claim 1 or 2, The diffusion speed and the diffusion time is a photoresist coating apparatus using a slit scan and spin method, characterized in that selected in the range of 50 to 1000rpm and 5 to 120 seconds respectively. The method according to claim 1 or 2, The drying speed and the drying time is a photoresist coating apparatus using a slit scan and spin method, characterized in that selected from a positive number in the range of 200rpm or less and 2400 seconds or less, respectively. The method according to claim 1 or 2, Moving speed of the slit nozzle is a photoresist coating apparatus using a slit scan and spin method, characterized in that selected in the range of 5 ~ 500mm / sec. The method according to claim 1 or 2, The slit interval of the slit nozzle is selected from the range of 10㎛ ~ 300㎛ photoresist coating apparatus using a slit scan and spin method. The method according to claim 1 or 2, Acceleration and deceleration of the spin chuck is a photoresist coating apparatus using a slit scan and spin method, characterized in that the positive number of 200rpm / sec or less. The method according to claim 1 or 2, The photoresist coating apparatus using the slit scan and spin method, characterized in that the interval between the slit nozzle and the upper portion of the mask during the scan is selected in the range of 0.1mm ~ 2.0mm. The method according to claim 1 or 2, An outer cover which is bound to a circumference of the spin ball after application of a photoresist material to the upper surface of the mask to seal the inner space of the spin ball from the outside; And And an inner cover which is bound to a circumference of the spin chuck and is rotated together with the spin chuck after application of the photoresist material to the upper surface of the mask. The method according to claim 1 or 2, An outer cover which is bound to a circumference of the spin ball after application of a photoresist material to the upper surface of the mask to seal the inner space of the spin ball from the outside; And And an inner cover which is bound to a circumference of the spin chuck and is rotated together with the spin chuck after the photoresist material is applied to an upper surface of the mask. The outer cover and the inner cover are slit scan and spin, characterized in that the spin chuck is rotated for the diffusion time at the diffusion speed to form a photoresist film on the upper surface of the mask and separated from the spin ball and the spin chuck Photoresist coating apparatus using a method. The method of claim 10, The photoresist coating apparatus using a slit scan and spin method characterized in that the separation distance between the inner cover and the mask separated from each other after the photoresist film is formed on the upper surface of the mask is 500mm or less. The method according to claim 1 or 2, The exhaust pressure of the spin ball is a photoresist coating apparatus using a slit scan and spin method, characterized in that selected from a positive number of 0.25kPa or less. Mounting a mask on an upper surface of a spin chuck which is located in a receiving space in the spin ball and receives a driving force from the outside to rotate; Applying the photoresist material to an upper surface of the mask while driving a slit nozzle spaced apart from the upper surface of the mask by a predetermined distance and discharging the photoresist material through a slit formed at an end of the mask from one end of the mask to the other end; ; And And rotating the spin chuck at a predetermined diffusion rate for a predetermined diffusion time to uniformly diffuse the photoresist material applied on the upper surface of the mask to form a photoresist film having a predetermined thickness. Photoresist coating method using scan and spin method. The method of claim 13, And forming the photoresist film formed on the upper surface of the mask by rotating the spin chuck for a predetermined drying time after the formation of the photoresist film. Resist coating method. The method according to claim 13 or 14, The diffusion rate and the diffusion time are selected in the range of 50 to 1000rpm and 5 to 120 seconds respectively, the photoresist coating method using a slit scan and spin method. The method according to claim 13 or 14, The drying speed and the drying time is a photoresist coating method using a slit scan and spin method, characterized in that selected from a positive number in the range of 200rpm or less and 2400 seconds or less, respectively. The method according to claim 13 or 14, The interval between the slit nozzle and the upper portion of the mask during scanning is selected from the range of 0.1mm ~ 2.0mm photoresist coating method using the slit scan and spin method. The method according to claim 13 or 14, Moving speed of the slit nozzle is a photoresist coating method using a slit scan and spin method, characterized in that selected in the range of 5 ~ 500mm / sec. The method according to claim 13 or 14, The slit interval of the slit nozzle is selected from the range of 10㎛ ~ 300㎛ photoresist coating method using a slit scan and spin method. The method according to claim 13 or 14, Acceleration and deceleration of the spin chuck is a photoresist coating method using a slit scan and spin method, characterized in that the positive number of 200rpm / sec or less. The method according to claim 13 or 14, After applying the photoresist material on the upper surface of the mask and the outer cover is bound to the circumference of the spin ball and the inner cover is bound to the circumference of the spin chuck and rotates with the spin chuck lower the inner space of the spin ball The photoresist coating method using a slit scan and spin method characterized in that it further comprises the step of sealing from the outside. The method according to claim 13 or 14, After applying the photoresist material on the upper surface of the mask and the outer cover is bound to the circumference of the spin ball and the inner cover is bound to the circumference of the spin chuck and rotates with the spin chuck lower the inner space of the spin ball Sealing it from the outside; And And separating the outer cover and the inner cover from the spin ball and the spin chuck, respectively, after the formation of the photoresist film. The method of claim 22, The separation distance between the inner cover and the mask separated from each other is a photoresist coating method using a slit scan and spin method, characterized in that the positive number of 500mm or less. The method according to claim 13 or 14, The exhaust pressure of the spin ball is a photoresist coating method using a slit scan and spin method, characterized in that selected from a positive number of 0.25kPa or less. In a blank mask in which a light shielding film and an antireflection film are sequentially stacked on a transparent substrate, A blank mask comprising a photoresist film coated on the antireflection film by a photoresist coating method using the slit scan and spin method according to claim 13 or 14. The method of claim 25, And the viscosity of the photoresist material is between 2 and 30 cP. The method of claim 25, The diffusion speed and the diffusion time is a blank mask, characterized in that selected in the range of 50 to 1000rpm and 5 to 120 seconds respectively. The method of claim 25, The drying speed and the drying time is a blank mask, characterized in that selected from a positive number in the range of 200rpm or less and 2400 seconds or less. A mask pattern having a light transmitting portion and a light blocking portion or a light transmitting portion and a light semitransmissive portion formed by a patterning process for selectively removing the light shielding film, the antireflection film, and the photoresist film of the blank mask according to claim 25 according to a predetermined pattern. Characteristic photo mask.

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