Coating apparatus – With means to centrifuge work
Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-28
2001-11-06
Edwards, Laura (Department: 1734)
Coating apparatus
With means to centrifuge work
C118S056000, C118S319000, C118S320000, C118S058000, C118S066000, C118S069000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06312518
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for forming a photoresist film in a semiconductor device and method of forming a photoresist film using the same and, more particularly, to an apparatus for forming a photoresist film and method of forming a photoresist film using the same which can form an uniform photoresist film through a post-process performed in a first and a second chambers after forming a photoresist film on a wafer.
2. Description of the Prior Arts
Generally, a photolithography process for manufacturing a semiconductor device involves a coating process, a light exposure process, and a develop process for a photoresist film. In the coating process, the photoresist is dispensed on the wafer fixed at a spin chuck under a vacuum state. After the dispensing of photoresist is completed, the spin chuck is rotated at a high speed. Also, the wafer is rotated, thus, the photoresist dispensed on center portion of the wafer is dispersed uniformly on entire surface of the wafer by a centrifugal force. After coating process, the baking process is performed to remove a solvent contained in the photoresist film
9
.
As shown In
FIG. 1A
, microscopic riffle waves A which can not be seen by a human's eye are existed on the surface of the photoresist film
9
coated on the wafer
8
by this process. Also, as shown in
FIG. 1B
, a plurality of pin holes B and peeling portions C are formed in the photoresist film
9
. At this state, if the exposure process is performed, the microscopic riffle waves A, the pin holes B and the lifting portions C have caused a microscopic defocus.
In addition, in the baking process, the wafer
9
is loaded on a heater block or loaded in a bake oven. The wafer is heated on the heater block in contact heating manner or in the bake oven in heat convention manner. Therefore, the photoresist film
9
is not dried uniformly, especially an inner portion of the photoresist film
9
is not dried completely. Also, in case of using the heater block, since the heat is transferred from a bottom surface of the wafer to the photoresist film, the pattern can be damaged by the heat, thereby lowering the. characteristic of device.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method for forming a photoresist film which can planarize a surface of the photoresist film and dry the photoresist film completely.
An apparatus for forming a photoresist film according to the present invention comprises a photoresist coating unit for coating a photoresist on a wafer, a first chamber in which a nitrogen gas of high pressure gas is dispersed for plananrzing a surface of the photoresist film formed on the wafer, and a second chamber in which a dried nitrogen gas of high temperature is dispersed for removing a solvent contained within the photoresist film and to bake the photoresist film.
The nitrogen gas dispersed in the first chamber is dispersed with a temperature of 4 through 20 degree Celsius and a high pressure of 150 through 250 psi, the dried nitrogen gas dispersed in the second chamber is dispersed with a high temperature of 100 through 200 degree Celsius and a pressure of 50 through 150 psi.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5120634 (1992-06-01), Kobayashi
patent: 5501739 (1996-03-01), Yamada et al.
patent: 5536534 (1996-07-01), Bae
Edwards Laura
Hyundai Electronics Industries Co,. Ltd.
Jacobson & Holman PLLC
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