TW201626437A - Board processing method, computer storage medium, and board processing system - Google Patents

Abstract

A board processing method for processing a board on which a resist film has been formed comprises: an exposure step in which an electron beam is used to perform a pattern exposure of the resist film on the board; a post-exposure step in which a UV light is used to perform a post-exposure of the resist film on the board after performance of the pattern exposure; a PEB processing step in which a PEB processing is performed for the board after the post-exposure; and a development processing step in which the resist film as subjected to the PEB processing is developed, thereby forming a resist pattern on the board. If a cycle time from the end of the exposure step to the start of the PEB processing step deviates from a predetermined time, the exposure amount in the post-exposure step is corrected in accordance with the deviation of the cycle time.

Description

Substrate processing method, program, computer memory medium and substrate processing system

The present invention relates to a substrate processing system for performing substrate processing, a substrate processing method in a substrate processing system, a program, and a computer memory medium.

In the photolithography process of the semiconductor element manufacturing process, for example, a photoresist film as a photosensitive film is formed on a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer (hereinafter referred to as "wafer"), and thereafter, the light is applied. The resist film is applied to the exposure process and the development process, and a predetermined photoresist pattern is formed on the substrate. The series of processes are applied to a coating processing system of a substrate processing system in which various processing units for processing wafers or a transfer mechanism for transporting wafers are mounted, and are provided outside the coating development processing system. The exposure device is used.

However, in recent years, with the further integration of semiconductor elements, the photoresist pattern is required to be miniaturized. In order to achieve the miniaturization of the photoresist pattern, exposure processing using a KrF excimer laser or an ArF excimer laser has been put into practical use.

About the exposure processing like this, recently to further Now, the pattern is made fine, and an exposure treatment using EUV (Extreme Ultraviolet) light and an EUV photoresist is proposed (for example, refer to Patent Document 1).

[Previous Technical Literature] [Patent Literature]

[Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2006-78744

However, compared with ArF lasers and the like, since EUV light is weak in energy, when EUV exposure is employed, the exposure time becomes long, and as a result, productivity is lowered. In order to increase productivity, although an exposure apparatus that sets a plurality of EUV lights is considered, since the exposure apparatus is very expensive, it is not preferable from the viewpoint of manufacturing cost.

Therefore, an exposure treatment by an electron beam has been proposed as an alternative exposure method for an EUV photoresist. However, in the exposure processing by the electron beam, the electron beam is scanned on the wafer to draw a predetermined pattern, and therefore, the exposure processing is still time consuming. As a countermeasure, research has been conducted to provide a plurality of platforms in an exposure apparatus, and to perform exposure processing on a plurality of wafers simultaneously in parallel on each platform.

However, generally, since the wafer transfer between the coating development processing system and the exposure device is performed piece by piece, there is a case where the plurality of wafers are simultaneously exposed and processed in parallel in the exposure device. In this case, the working time from the completion of the exposure processing by the exposure processing device until the wafer is returned to the coating development processing system is different for each wafer. On the other hand, after the exposure processing, the work time until the wafer returned to the coating development processing system is subjected to the post-exposure baking treatment (hereinafter referred to as "PEB processing") is performed between the wafers. Set to be consistent. Therefore, when the work time is shifted in the exposure apparatus, the time from the exposure processing to the PEB processing cannot be made constant, and as a result, there is a problem that the line width of the photoresist pattern is not between the wafers. average.

The present invention has been made in view of the above, and it is intended for the purpose of making the line width of the photoresist pattern desired from the end of the exposure process until the start of the PEB process.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is a substrate processing method for processing a substrate on which a photoresist film is formed, characterized in that: an exposure process, a photoresist film on a substrate, and exposure of a pattern by an electron beam; After the exposure process, the photoresist film on the substrate after the exposure of the foregoing pattern is exposed by UV light; the PEB processing works, the PEB process is performed on the substrate after the exposure; and the image processing process is performed on the PEB. After the photoresist film is developed, a photoresist pattern is formed on the substrate, and when the work time from the end of the exposure process to the start of the post-exposure process is shifted from the predetermined time, the work time is shifted. Correct the exposure in this post exposure project.

According to the present invention, since the pattern is exposed and Before the PEB treatment, the photoresist film on the substrate is exposed to UV light, and then, after the pattern is exposed, energy can be assisted by irradiation of UV light to make the acid generator in the photoresist film. Decomposes to produce acid, or promotes the production of free radical components. Further, for example, when a plurality of wafers are simultaneously exposed and processed in parallel in the exposure apparatus, etc., the operation time from the end of the exposure process until the start of the PEB processing is shifted from the predetermined time, in other words, in the self-exposure process When the time from the end to the start of the post-exposure process is shifted from the predetermined time, the post-exposure is performed with the exposure amount corrected by the shift of the work time. Therefore, the amount of acid generated in the photoresist film can be appropriately adjusted or The amount of free radical component produced. Therefore, even if the time from the end of the exposure process until the start of the post-exposure process is shifted from the predetermined time, the state of the photoresist film at the time when the PEB process is started can be made the same as the work time as the predetermined time. . As a result, it is possible to make the line width of the photoresist pattern desired, regardless of the time from the end of the exposure process to the start of the PEB process.

In the exposure process, the plurality of substrates are simultaneously exposed to the pattern, and the time from the end of the post-exposure process to the start of the PEB process may be the same between the substrates.

In the post-exposure, the light-irradiating portion (the light-irradiating portion may have a plurality of light sources having a shorter diameter than the substrate, from one end side of the substrate toward the other end side of the substrate, covering the diameter of the substrate or more The lengths are arranged side by side on a straight line) and the substrate is relatively moved in a direction orthogonal to the direction in which the light sources are arranged side by side.

Another aspect of the invention provides a program for the process The operation is performed on a computer that controls the control device of the substrate processing system to perform the aforementioned substrate processing method by the substrate processing system.

Still another aspect of the invention provides a readable computer memory medium storing the aforementioned program.

Furthermore, the present invention is a substrate processing system for processing a substrate, comprising: a processing station provided with a plurality of processing devices for performing PEB processing and development processing on the substrate; and an interface station on the substrate The processing system and the exposure device (the exposure device is disposed outside the substrate processing system, the photoresist film on the substrate, and the exposure of the pattern by the electron beam) receives the substrate; the light irradiation device is opposite The photoresist film on the substrate after the exposure of the exposure device is exposed to UV light, and the control device adjusts the operation time from the end of the exposure of the exposure device to the start of the PEB process at the processing station. When the time is shifted, the exposure amount in the exposure after the light irradiation device is corrected due to the deviation of the operation time.

The exposure device and the interface station are connected via a load lock chamber. In the exposure device, a plurality of substrates may be simultaneously exposed by a pattern, and between the load lock chamber and the exposure device. A plurality of substrates are received in batches.

In the light irradiation device, the light irradiation unit may have a plurality of light sources that are shorter than the diameter of the substrate, and cover the length of the substrate or more from one end side of the substrate toward the other end side of the substrate, and are arranged side by side. And a moving mechanism that relatively moves the light-irradiating portion and the substrate in a direction orthogonal to a direction in which the light source is arranged side by side.

According to the present invention, the line width of the resist pattern can be made desired regardless of the time from the end of the exposure process to the start of the PEB process.

1‧‧‧ Coating imaging system

10‧‧‧匣Box Station

11‧‧‧ Processing station

12, 14‧‧ ‧ interface station

13‧‧‧post exposure station

15‧‧‧Exposure device

20‧‧‧匣Box mounting table

21‧‧‧匣 box mounting board

22‧‧‧Transfer path

23‧‧‧ wafer transfer device

30‧‧‧Bottom reflection preventing film forming device

31‧‧‧Photoresist coating device

32‧‧‧Upper reflection preventing film forming device

33‧‧‧Development processing device

40‧‧‧ Heat treatment unit

41‧‧‧Adhesive device

42‧‧‧ Peripheral exposure device

70‧‧‧ wafer transfer mechanism

71, 72‧‧‧ Wafer inspection equipment

80‧‧‧ wafer transfer mechanism

90‧‧‧ wafer transfer mechanism

100, 111‧‧‧Load lock room

102‧‧‧Lighting device

300‧‧‧Control device

W‧‧‧ wafer

D‧‧‧ wafer transfer area

C‧‧‧匣 box

Fig. 1 is a plan view schematically showing the configuration of a coating development processing system of the present embodiment.

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view showing the outline of the configuration of the coating development processing system of the embodiment.

Fig. 3 is a rear elevational view schematically showing the configuration of a coating development processing system of the embodiment.

Fig. 4 is a side view schematically showing the configuration of a light irradiation device.

Fig. 5 is a plan view schematically showing the configuration of a light irradiation device.

Fig. 6 is a timing chart from the exposure processing of each wafer to the PEB processing.

Fig. 7 is a plan view schematically showing the configuration of another light irradiation device of the present embodiment.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing a schematic configuration of a coating development processing system 1 as a substrate processing system according to the present embodiment. 2 and 3 are a front view and a rear view, respectively, schematically showing the internal configuration of the coating development processing system 1.

As shown in FIG. 1, the coating development processing system 1 includes a cassette station 10 for loading and unloading a cassette C in which a plurality of wafers W are accommodated, and a processing station 11 for performing predetermined processing on the wafer W. The plurality of processing devices are disposed; the interface station 12 is disposed adjacent to the processing station 11; the post-exposure station 13 is configured to post-exposure the wafer after the pattern exposure; and the interface station 14 is coupled to the post-exposure station 13. An exposure device 15 provided with a pattern for exposing the wafer W is adjacent to the positive side of the interface station 14 of the coating development processing system 1 in the Y direction. The interface station 14 performs the wafer W reception with the exposure device 15. The exposure device 15 is provided with an exposure stage 15a for performing pattern exposure on a plurality of wafers W in parallel by an electron beam with respect to the wafer W after the photoresist is formed. Further, in the exposure apparatus 15 of the present embodiment, for example, four wafers W are simultaneously exposed.

In the cassette station 10, a plurality of cassette mounting plates 21 are provided, and a plurality of cassette cassettes C are placed on the cassette mounting table 20, and the cassette transporting device 23 is extended in the X direction. The transport path 22 moves freely. The wafer transfer device 23 can also be moved in the vertical direction and around the vertical axis (theta direction), and the cassette C on each of the cassette mounting plates 21 and the receiving block G3 of the processing station 11 to be described later. Transfer of crystal between the receiving devices Round W.

In the processing station 11, a plurality of, for example, four blocks G1, G2, G3, and G4 having various devices are provided. For example, in the first block G1, as shown in FIG. 2, for example, four liquid processing apparatuses are stacked in this order from the bottom, for example, including a lower anti-reflection film forming device 30, and a photoresist film on the wafer W. An anti-reflection film (hereinafter referred to as "lower anti-reflection film") is formed in the lower layer; the photoresist coating device 31 applies a photoresist solution to the wafer W to form a photoresist film; and the upper anti-reflection film forming device 32 is on the wafer. An antireflection film (hereinafter referred to as "upper reflection preventing film") is formed on the upper layer of the photoresist film of W, and a development processing device 33 performs development processing on the wafer W. Further, as the photoresist in the present embodiment, for example, an EUV photoresist is used.

Each of the devices 30 to 33 of the first block G1 has a plurality of cups F for storing the wafer W during processing, for example, four cups F, and a plurality of wafers W can be processed in parallel.

For example, in the second block G2, as shown in FIG. 3, a heat treatment device 40 for performing heat treatment of the wafer W or a hydrophobization treatment device for hydrophobizing the wafer W is arranged side by side in the vertical direction. The adhesive device 41 is a peripheral exposure device 42 that exposes the outer peripheral portion of the wafer W. The heat treatment apparatus 40 includes a hot plate and a cooling plate which can perform both heat treatment and cooling treatment. The hot plate is heated by placing the wafer W on which the wafer W is placed and cooled. Further, in the heat treatment apparatus 40, various heat treatments such as a prebaking treatment performed before exposure or a PEB treatment performed after exposure are performed.

In the receiving block G3, a plurality of receiving devices 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56 are sequentially disposed from below. In the receiving block G4, a plurality of receiving devices 60, 61, 62 are sequentially disposed from below.

As shown in FIG. 1, a wafer transfer mechanism 70 is provided beside the positive direction side of the Y direction of the receiving block G3. The wafer transfer mechanism 70 has, for example, a transfer arm that is movable in the Y direction, the θ direction, and the vertical direction. The wafer inspection apparatuses 71 and 72 are provided on the positive side and the negative side in the X direction of the wafer transfer mechanism 70 with the wafer transfer mechanism 70 interposed therebetween.

On the positive side in the Y direction of the wafer transfer mechanism 70, wafer mounting portions 73 and 74 that temporarily accommodate a plurality of wafers W are provided. The wafer mounting portion 73 is disposed close to the second block G2, and the wafer mounting portion 74 is disposed close to the first block G1. Further, the wafer transfer mechanism 70 moves up and down in a state in which the wafer W is supported, and can be placed between each of the receiving devices, the wafer inspection devices 71 and 72, and the wafer mounting portions 73 and 74 in the receiving block G3. Transfer wafer W. In the wafer inspection device 71 of the present embodiment, for example, the line width or the side wall angle of the pattern formed on the wafer W is measured. The wafer inspection device 72 is, for example, a measure of the overlap error of the formed pattern and the pattern exposed thereafter.

As shown in FIG. 1, a wafer transfer region D is formed in a region between the first block G1 and the second block G2. In the wafer transfer area D, a plurality of wafer transfer mechanisms 80 are disposed. The wafer transfer mechanism 80 has, for example, a transfer arm that is movable in the Y direction, the X direction, the θ direction, and the vertical direction. The wafer transfer mechanism 80 moves in the wafer transfer region D, and can be positioned around the first block G1 and the second block G2. The predetermined receiving device and the wafer placing portions 73 and 74 in the receiving block G4 of the interface station 12 transport the wafer W.

In the interface station 12, as described above, the receiving block G4 is provided with the receiving devices 60, 61, 62; and the wafer transfer mechanism 90 can carry in and out the plurality of receiving devices 60, 61, 62 Wafer W. The wafer transfer mechanism 90 has, for example, an arm portion that is movable in the X direction, the Y direction, the θ direction, and the vertical direction.

The post-exposure station 13 is provided with a load lock chamber 100 configured to exhaust the inside at a position accessible by the wafer transfer mechanism 90 of the interface station 12. Further, in the post-exposure station 13, a wafer transfer mechanism 101 is provided at a position where the load lock chamber 100 can be accessed. Further, at a position where the wafer transfer mechanism 101 can access, a light irradiation device 102 that is a device that irradiates the wafer after the pattern exposure with UV light and performs post-exposure is provided.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, for example, the light irradiation device 102 includes a mounting table 103 on which the wafer W is placed, and a light irradiation unit 104 that irradiates the wafer W on the mounting table 103 with UV light of a predetermined wavelength. The light-irradiating portion 104 in the present embodiment is a so-called batch exposure type device that exposes the photoresist film R formed on the wafer W in a batch manner. The light irradiation unit 104 is, for example, a plurality of light sources 105 having a straight tube shape that is longer than the diameter of the wafer W. Each of the light sources 105 is arranged side by side without gaps, for example, so as to cover the entire surface of the wafer W. The UV light is irradiated from the respective light sources 105 toward the wafer W. The wavelength of the UV light, for example, 220 to 280 nm, in combination with the sensitivity of the photoresist used, using various wavelength bands such as 222 nm, 248 nm or 254 nm. Further, the light irradiation unit 104 may be configured to use a linear light source to move or rotate at least one of the wafer W or the light source to scan the wafer W, and to form a crystal. The uniform uniform illumination of the UV light on the upper surface of the circle W is not limited to the contents of the present embodiment. Further, as the light-irradiating portion 104, a light-irradiating device having a configuration in which the UV light is irradiated one by one in accordance with the emission size of the pattern exposure in the exposure device 15 may be employed.

The post-exposure station 13 is configured to be airtight, and can be decompressed to a predetermined degree of decompression by a decompression device (not shown), for example, 10 ^-4 Pa to 10 ^-7 Pa. Thereby, it is possible to suppress the loss of activity of an acid or a radical caused by an amine component or oxygen contained in a trace amount in the air during irradiation of the UV light or during movement in the post-exposure station 13. Further, since the post-exposure station 13 is configured to be airtight, it is also possible to maintain the low-oxygen environment in the post-exposure station 13 instead of decompressing, for example, by enclosing a non-oxidizing gas such as nitrogen.

The interface station 14 connected to the post-exposure station 13 is also airtight. After the interface station 14 and the wafer transfer mechanism 101 of the exposure station 13 are accessible, a receiving device 110 having a mounting table or the like is provided. Next to the receiving device 110, a wafer transfer mechanism 112 for transporting the wafer of the transfer device 110 to the load lock chamber 111 configured to exhaust the inside is provided. W.

The load lock chamber 111 of the interface station 14 is connected to an exposure device 15 that performs exposure of the pattern. The load lock chamber 111 is configured to accommodate a plurality of sheets, for example, four wafers W, and to receive four wafers W in batches between the interface station 14 and the exposure device 15. In addition, here, the so-called "Batch in a batch" means that a plurality of wafers can be received by one exhaust operation by venting the inside while the plurality of wafers W are housed in the load lock chamber 111. W means that, in fact, it is not necessary to perform the reception of a plurality of wafers W in parallel with each of the load lock chambers 111. In the present embodiment, the wafer transfer mechanism 112 performs the transfer of the wafer W one by one between the load lock chamber 111. Therefore, when the wafer W is "batched in batches", for example, 4 The wafer W that is loaded by the load lock chamber 111 and the wafer W that is received after the second time are one of the wafer Ws, and the timing of the subsequent transfer is different.

Further, although the load lock chamber 100 disclosed above can accommodate four wafers W in the same manner as the load lock chamber 111, four wafers W can be collectively received between the interface station 12, but in the present embodiment. In the embodiment, the following description is taken as an example: the wafer W that has been exposed after the light irradiation device 102 is completed is sequentially transferred to the interface station 12 side via the load lock chamber.

In the exposure stage 15a, the photoresist on the wafer W is subjected to pattern exposure by, for example, an electron beam. In the exposure process, when gas molecules are present in the environment, the electron beam energy is absorbed by the gas molecules and is attenuated. Therefore, the exposure device 15 is depressurized by a pressure reducing device (not shown). The predetermined degree of decompression is, for example, 10 ^-4 Pa to 10 ^-7 Pa.

In the above coating development processing system 1, a control device 300 is provided as shown in FIG. The control device 300 controls the operation of the drive systems of the various processing devices or the respective wafer transfer mechanisms and the like according to the processing recipe, and manages the operation time of the wafer processing in the various processing devices. Or the operation time in the wafer transfer of each wafer transfer mechanism, or the exchange of information related to the exposure of the wafer W with the exposure device 15.

Further, the control device 300 is configured by, for example, a computer including a CPU or a memory, and the coating process of the coating development processing system 1 can be realized by, for example, executing a program stored in a memory. Further, various programs for realizing the coating process of the coating development processing system 1 are recorded on, for example, a computer readable hard disk (HD), a floppy disk (FD), a compact disk (CD), a magneto-optical disk. The memory medium H such as a (MO) or a memory card is used to be mounted to the control device 300 from the memory medium H.

Next, a method of processing the wafer W by the coating development processing system 1 configured as described above will be described together with a program for performing wafer processing by the entire development processing system 1.

At the time of processing of the wafer W, first, the cassette C in which the plurality of wafers W are accommodated is placed on the predetermined cassette mounting plate 21 of the cassette station 10. Thereafter, each wafer W in the cassette C is sequentially taken out by the wafer transfer device 23, and transported to the receiving block G3 of the processing station 11.

Next, the wafer W is transferred to, for example, the wafer placement unit 73 by the wafer transfer mechanism 70. Next, the wafer W is transported to the heat treatment apparatus 40 of the second block G2 by the wafer transfer mechanism 80 to perform temperature adjustment. Thereafter, the wafer W is transported to, for example, the lower portion of the first block G1 under the anti-reflection film forming device 30 by the wafer transfer mechanism 80, and a lower anti-reflection film is formed on the wafer W. Thereafter, the wafer W is transferred to the heat treatment apparatus 40 of the second block G2, and is subjected to heat treatment.

Thereafter, the wafer W is transferred to the second block G2. The device 41 is subjected to a hydrophobization treatment. Thereafter, the wafer W is transferred to the photoresist coating device 31 by the wafer transfer mechanism 80, and a photoresist film is formed on the wafer W. In this case, the photoresist film formed on the wafer W is a so-called photosensitizing photoresist for EUV exposure. Thereafter, the wafer W is transferred to the heat treatment apparatus 40 to perform prebaking treatment.

Next, the wafer W is transported to the upper anti-reflection film forming device 32, and an upper anti-reflection film is formed on the wafer W. Thereafter, the wafer W is transferred to the heat treatment apparatus 40 to perform heating and temperature adjustment. Thereafter, the wafer W is transported to the peripheral exposure device 42 to perform peripheral exposure processing.

Next, the wafer W is transported to the receiving block G4, and is transported to the load lock chamber 100 of the post-exposure station 13 by the wafer transfer mechanism 90 of the interface station 12. At this time, in the load lock chamber 100, for example, the wafer W that has been subjected to the peripheral exposure processing in the same batch is sequentially loaded, for example, after the four wafers W are accommodated in the load lock chamber 100, the interface is provided as an interface station. 14. The same degree of vacuum of the post exposure station 13. Next, each of the wafers W is sequentially transferred to the load lock chamber 111 by the wafer transfer mechanism 101 and the wafer transfer mechanism 112 of the interface station 14, and after the four wafers W are accommodated in the load lock chamber 111, It is assumed to have substantially the same degree of vacuum as the exposure device 15. Thereafter, each of the wafers W is transported to the exposure device 15 and placed on the exposure stage 15a, and the respective wafers W are simultaneously subjected to pattern exposure (exposure engineering) in parallel. At this time, information of the start time or the end time of the pattern exposure is exchanged with the control device 300.

The four wafers W after the exposure of the pattern are transferred The loading lock chamber 111 is thereafter placed at the same degree of decompression as the interface station 14 and the rear exposure station 13, and then transported to the receiving device 110 by the wafer transfer mechanism 112 in order. Next, the wafer W transferred to the receiving device 110 is transported to the light irradiation device 102 by the wafer transfer mechanism 101.

In the light irradiation device 102, the wafer W after the exposure of the pattern by the electron beam in the exposure device 15 is subjected to batch exposure (post exposure engineering) by UV light of a predetermined wavelength. Thereby, the final photoresist pattern before the development process is formed on the wafer W. At this time, in the light irradiation device 102, for example, the wafer W carried out from the loading lock chamber 111 and the wafer W carried out after the second time are exposed to light with different exposure amounts. The exposure amount of the post exposure is explained.

In order to make the line width of the photoresist pattern between the wafers W constant, it is important that the acid concentration generated in the photoresist film by exposure is constant for each wafer W at the time of development processing. Further, according to the inventors of the present invention, in order to make the acid concentration generated in the photoresist film constant, the time from the exposure of the pattern in the exposure device 15 to the PEB treatment is constant. Further, in the present embodiment, since the exposure is performed after the UV light is applied, the pattern in the self-exposure device 15 is set so that the time from the exposure of the pattern in the exposure device 15 to the PEB treatment is constant. The time from the exposure to the post-exposure and the time from the post-exposure to the PEB treatment may be constant. At this time, of course, it is assumed that the conditions of the pattern exposure in the exposure device 15, the conditions of the subsequent exposure in the light irradiation device 102, and the conditions of the PEB treatment in the heat treatment device 40 become between the wafers. for sure.

However, for example, as shown in the present embodiment, for example, the plurality of wafers W are simultaneously exposed in the exposure apparatus 15 in parallel, and a plurality of wafers W are collectively received on the interface station 14 side via the load lock chamber 111. At this time, it is considered that the time from the end of the pattern exposure to the start of the PEB process cannot be made constant between the wafers W. Hereinafter, it demonstrates concretely.

When the exposure device 15 performs pattern exposure on a plurality of wafers W in parallel at the same time, for example, as shown in FIG. 6, the pattern exposure end time of each wafer W is the same timing. In FIG. 6, for example, the first wafer of the same batch of four wafers W is processed as "wafer W1" by the processing station 11, and the second wafer is processed by the processing station 11. The wafer W is set to "wafer W2", and the number is assigned in the order of processing.

When the exposure processing of each of the wafers W1 to W4 is performed in parallel at the same time, the wafers W1 to W4 are collectively received in the load lock chamber 111. Next, as described above, the wafer transfer mechanism 112 of the interface station 14, for example, the wafer W1, is received from the load lock chamber 111 to the receiving device 110. Thereafter, the wafer transfer mechanism 101 is applied to the light irradiation device 102, and the light irradiation device 102 performs post exposure. In addition, in FIG. 6, the transfer process of the wafer W1 by the wafer transfer mechanism 112 is described as "transport A", and the transfer process of the wafer W1 by the wafer transfer mechanism 101 is described as "transfer B". "."

Secondly, the post-exposure wafer W1 is a wafer transfer machine. The structure 101, the load lock chamber 100, the wafer transfer mechanism 90, the receiving block G4, the wafer transfer mechanism 80, and the heat treatment device 40 are sequentially received, and the heat treatment device 40 performs PEB processing. In addition, in FIG. 6, the conveyance process from the light irradiation device 102 until the heat processing apparatus 40 is described as "transport C."

After the transfer of the wafer W1 is completed, the wafer A is transported to the wafer W2. However, while the wafer transport mechanism 112 transports the wafer A to the wafer W1, the wafer W2 is placed in the load lock chamber 111. Only the state of the time shown in Fig. 6 "D1". In this manner, the time (work time) from the end of the exposure process to the start of the PEB process for the wafer W2 is increased by at least the time D1 from the wafer W1. For the same reason, for the wafer W3 and the wafer W4, the operation time is also increased by only the time D2 and D3. In this case, the wafer W1 and the subsequent wafers W2 to W4 have different acid concentrations in the photoresist film at the start of the development process, and the line width of the photoresist pattern formed after the development process is generated. difference.

Therefore, the inventors of the present invention have conceived that the acid concentration in the photoresist film is constant between the wafers W1 to W4 at the start of the development process, and the line width of the photoresist pattern is desired. The exposure amount (the product of the irradiation time and the irradiation intensity) of the UV light after exposure in the irradiation device 102. That is, in response to the shift amount of the working time from the end of the pattern exposure to the start of the PEB process, the exposure amount of the UV light at the time of the exposure is increased or decreased, thereby changing the acid concentration in the photoresist film, thereby adjusting the resist pattern. Line width.

In addition, as described above, since the work time from the end of the post-exposure to the start of the PEB process is as described above, the post-exposure wafer W can be sequentially received on the processing station 12 side via the load lock chamber 100. Since the method is constant between the wafers W1 to W4, the offset in the wafers W1 to W4 does not occur with the transport C. Therefore, in the present embodiment, there is a case where the shift amount of the work time from the end of the pattern exposure to the start of the post-exposure is regarded as the work time from the end of the pattern exposure to the start of the PEB process. The offset is the same.

Further, in the light irradiation device 102, the wafer W1 is post-exposed at a predetermined exposure amount set in advance. Further, in the post-exposure of the wafer W2, based on the information acquired by the control device 300 from the exposure device 15, the time D1, which is the offset amount of the work time from the end of the pattern exposure to the start of the post-exposure, is calculated, corresponding to Time D1 corrects the exposure. Then, the wafer W2 is subjected to post-exposure S with the corrected exposure amount. At this time, when the time D1 is calculated, it is actually possible to actually measure, for example, the time until the wafer W is received by the light irradiation device 102 based on the exposure start and end time information from the exposure device 15 by the control device 300. Alternatively, for example, the transfer time from the load lock chamber 111 to the light irradiation device 102 may be read from the transfer schedule. Thereby, it is possible to detect the shift of the work time from the end of the pattern exposure to the start of the PEB process before the start of the exposure of the light irradiation device 102, and to perform the correction of the appropriate exposure amount when the light is irradiated after the light irradiation device 102. .

Thereafter, the wafers W3 and W4 are sequentially subjected to post-exposure T and post-exposure U in accordance with the exposure amounts corrected for the times D2 and D3. In addition, for the correction value of the exposure amount, for example, the time from the end of the pattern exposure to the end of the post-exposure is obtained in advance by the test performed in advance, and the line width to obtain the desired photoresist pattern should be corrected. The correlation of exposures is determined based on their relevance. Further, the correction of the exposure amount is realized by changing at least one of the irradiation time and the irradiation intensity of the UV light. However, when the irradiation time is changed, since the exposure is started, the exposure is started between the wafers W1 to W4. The time until the start of the PEB process is shifted, so it is preferable to correct only the irradiation intensity. Further, when the irradiation time is corrected, the change of the irradiation time is added to determine the correction value.

Thereafter, each of the wafers W1 to W4 after the post-exposure is sequentially transferred to the heat treatment apparatus 40 by the wafer transfer mechanism 80, and the PEB processing (PEB processing) is sequentially performed. Thereafter, each of the wafers W1 to W4 is transported to the development processing device 33, for example, to perform development processing, and a photoresist pattern is formed on the wafer W. At this time, since the exposure amount of each of the wafers W2 to W4 is corrected in the post-exposure of the light irradiation device 102, the crystal of the work time from the wafer W1 is shifted from the end of the pattern exposure to the start of the PEB process. In the circles W2 to W4, the line width of the photoresist pattern can also be made desirable.

After the development process is completed, each of the wafers W1 to W4 is transported to the heat treatment apparatus 40 to perform post-baking treatment. Thereafter, each of the wafers W1 to W4 is transferred to the wafer inspection device via the wafer placement units 73 and 74. Set 71, 72. In the wafer inspection device 71, for example, the line width of the final pattern is measured, and the measurement result is output to the control device 300. Further, the wafer W transferred to the wafer inspection device 72 is subjected to measurement of the overlay error, and the measurement result is output to the control device 300. Further, in the control device 300, for example, according to the measurement result in the wafer inspection device 71, the processing parameters in the exposure device 15, the light irradiation device 102, the heat treatment device 40, and the like are appropriately corrected as necessary. Thereafter, each of the wafers W1 to W4 is transported to the cassette C of the predetermined cassette mounting plate 21, and a series of photolithography projects are completed.

According to the above embodiment, after the pattern exposure by the exposure device 15 and the PEB treatment of the heat treatment device 40, the photoresist film on the wafer W is exposed to UV light, and then exposed after the pattern is exposed. Energy can be assisted by irradiation of UV light to decompose the acid generator in the photoresist film to generate an acid or to promote the generation of a radical component. Further, for example, when the plurality of wafers W1 to W4 are simultaneously exposed and processed in parallel in the exposure device 15, the time from the end of the pattern exposure to the start of the post-exposure is shifted from the predetermined time, in other words, at the end of the self-pattern exposure. When the work time until the start of the PEB process is shifted from the predetermined time set in advance, the post exposure is performed with the exposure amount corrected by the shift of the work time. Therefore, the acid in the photoresist film can be appropriately adjusted. The amount of production or the amount of free radical component produced. Therefore, even when the time from the end of the pattern exposure to the start of the post-exposure is shifted from the predetermined time, the state of the photoresist film can be made the same as the work time as the predetermined time at the time of starting the PEB process. . The result can be irrelevant The line width of the photoresist pattern is desired as the time from the end of the pattern exposure to the start of the PEB process.

Moreover, the fine photoresist pattern can be formed with higher precision by feeding back the inspection results of the wafer W after the development processing to the parameters of the exposure device 15, the light irradiation device 102, and the heat treatment device 40.

In addition, from the viewpoint of making the acid concentration in the photoresist film constant between the wafers W1 to W4 at the time of the development processing, for example, the time required to change the transport C in the wafers W2 to W4 is also considered. In a manner, the time from the end of the pattern exposure until the start of the PEB process is constant. However, when the transfer schedule of the processing station 11 is changed, the control becomes very complicated, and for example, the number of wafers W that can be simultaneously patterned in parallel in the exposure device 15 is simultaneously performed on the side of the processing station 11 When the number of wafers W processed by the PEB is larger, the waiting time is also generated in the transport C, and finally, the work time of each of the wafers W1 to W4 cannot be matched. Further, the time for extending the transport C is not good from the viewpoint of productivity of wafer processing. In this point, as in the present embodiment, as long as the exposure amount during exposure after the light irradiation device 102 is corrected, other conditions such as the transfer schedule of the wafer W or the heating conditions of the PEB process can be changed, and the development process can be performed. At this time, the acid concentration in the photoresist film is easily made constant between the wafers W1 to W4.

In the above embodiment, as one of the offset amounts of the work time from the end of the pattern exposure to the start of the PEB process, a series of wafers W passing through the exposure device 15 of the lock chamber 111 are collectively cited. Accepted, but the reason for the deviation of the working time is not limited The content of this embodiment is set. For example, in the load lock chamber 100, similarly to the load lock chamber 111, when the wafers W1 to W4 are received in batches, or for example, in the configuration in which the development processing system 1 is applied, it is difficult to transport C. When the work time is the same, regardless of the deviation of the work time, the time from the end of the pattern exposure to the start of the PEB process is considered, and the exposure amount in the post exposure is corrected, whereby the desired line width can be formed. Resistive pattern. In addition, when the work time is shifted due to the situation after the post-exposure, specifically, when the time required to transport C for each of the wafers W1 to W4 does not match, the detection operation is performed even at the time when the PEB process starts. The shift in time is also due to the fact that the post exposure has ended, so that the correction of the exposure amount in the post exposure cannot be performed. In this case, for example, before the post-exposure, the time required for "transport C" from the light irradiation device 102 to the heat treatment device 40 is read from the transport schedule, and the operation time is determined before the start of the post-exposure. It is better to have or not offset.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the case where the post-exposure is performed on the wafer W in a batch manner in the light irradiation device 102 is described, but the post-exposure does not have to be performed in batches, for example, as shown in FIG. It is shown that a plurality of light sources 120 having a shorter diameter than the wafer W are arranged on the straight line from the one end side of the wafer W toward the other end side of the wafer W, covering the length of the wafer W or more. The light irradiation unit 121 is formed instead of the light source 105. In this case, for example, a moving mechanism 122 that relatively moves the wafer W in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the light irradiation unit 121 is provided. In the wafer inspection apparatus 71, for example, the entire inspection of the wafer W is covered, but When the line width is to be adjusted only for the predetermined area, the exposure amount can be further adjusted only for the predetermined area so that the light irradiation unit 121 increases or decreases the exposure output of each of the light sources 120. In addition, in FIG. 7, although the moving mechanism 122 which relatively moves the light-irradiation part 121 to the wafer W is shown, for example, the light-irradiation part 121 may be fixed previously, for example, the movement mechanism is provided in the mounting stage 103, and the wafer W is provided. The light irradiation unit 121 is relatively moved.

Further, when the light irradiation device 102 that performs post-exposure is sequentially emitted using the emission size corresponding to the pattern exposure in the exposure device 15, for example, the exposure order of each emission in the exposure device 15 may be received by the control device 300. Based on this information, post-exposure of each emission is performed by the light irradiation device 102 in the same order as the exposure device 15. In this case, the amount of exposure in the exposure after each shot correction can also be used. By this means, it is possible to strictly manage the work time from the exposure of the pattern in the exposure device 15 to the exposure in the light irradiation device 102 in units of one emission. As a result, a photoresist pattern having higher precision can be formed on the wafer W. In this case, at least one of the mounting table 103 and the light irradiation unit 121 may be provided with a moving mechanism (not shown) that moves the mounting table 103 and the light irradiation unit 121 in the XY direction, for example.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the post-exposure station 13 is configured to be connected to the interface station 14, but the exposure station 13 may be integrated with the interface station 14 to constitute one post-exposure station or Interface station.

Further, in the above embodiment, the case where the exposure of the pattern by the electron beam is performed in the exposure device 15 is taken as an example. However, the exposure of the pattern is not limited to exposure by an electron beam, and may be applied when pattern exposure is performed by EUV exposure, ArF exposure, KrF exposure, or pattern exposure by i-line or g-line.

Hereinabove, the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described with reference to the accompanying drawings, but the invention is not limited thereto. It is obvious that various modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The present invention is not limited to this example, and various aspects can be employed. In the above embodiment, the object to be photographed is the surface of the substrate, but the present invention can also be applied to the back surface of the substrate. Further, although the above-described embodiment is an example of a coating development processing system for a semiconductor wafer, the present invention is applied to other substrates such as an FPD (flat panel display) other than a semiconductor wafer and a reticle for a mask. It can also be applied when applying a development processing system.

[Industrial availability]

The present invention is useful in constructing a substrate processing system that performs EUV exposure processing.

Claims (8)

A substrate processing method for processing a substrate on which a photoresist film is formed, characterized in that: exposure engineering, a photoresist film on a substrate, pattern exposure by an electron beam; post-exposure engineering, The photoresist film on the substrate after the exposure of the foregoing pattern is exposed by UV light; the PEB processing works, the PEB treatment is performed on the substrate after the exposure; and the development processing works, the photoresist film after the PEB treatment The development is performed, and a photoresist pattern is formed on the substrate, and when the operation time from the end of the exposure process until the start of the PEB processing process is shifted from the predetermined time, the post-exposure engineering is corrected due to the deviation of the operation time. The amount of exposure in. The substrate processing method according to claim 1, wherein in the exposure engineering, the plurality of substrates are simultaneously exposed by a pattern, and the time from the end of the post-exposure process to the start of the PEB processing is performed. The same is true between the substrates. The substrate processing method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the post-exposure is performed by using a substrate and a light-irradiating portion (the light-irradiating portion is a plurality of light sources having a shorter diameter than the substrate, and the substrate is removed from the substrate One end side faces the other end side of the substrate, covering a length above the diameter of the substrate, and The arranging is arranged on a straight line) so as to move relatively in a direction orthogonal to the direction in which the light sources are arranged side by side. A program for operating a computer that controls a control device of the substrate processing system to perform a substrate processing method according to any one of claims 1 to 3 by a substrate processing system. A readable computer memory medium storing a program as claimed in item 4 of the patent application. A substrate processing system, which is a substrate processing system for processing a substrate, comprising: a processing station provided with a plurality of processing devices for performing PEB processing and development processing on the substrate; an interface station, the substrate processing system and the exposure device (the exposure apparatus is provided outside the substrate processing system, the photoresist film on the substrate is exposed by patterning by an electron beam); the light irradiation device patterns the exposure device After the exposure, the photoresist film on the substrate is exposed to UV light, and the control device shifts the operation time from the end of the exposure of the exposure device to the start of the PEB process at the processing station from a predetermined time. The amount of exposure in the exposure after the aforementioned light irradiation device is corrected due to the deviation of the operation time. The substrate processing system of claim 6, wherein the exposure device and the interface station are connected via a load lock chamber, and in the exposure device, the plurality of substrates are simultaneously patterned. In the exposure, a plurality of substrates are collectively received between the load lock chamber and the exposure device. The substrate processing system according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the light irradiation device has a light irradiation portion, and a plurality of light sources having a shorter diameter than the substrate, from one end side of the substrate toward the other end of the substrate The side is disposed on the straight line so as to cover the length of the substrate, and the moving mechanism relatively moves the light-irradiating portion and the substrate in a direction orthogonal to the direction in which the light source is arranged side by side.