Photocopying – Projection printing and copying cameras – With developing
Reexamination Certificate
2001-01-18
2002-05-07
Adams, Russell (Department: 2851)
Photocopying
Projection printing and copying cameras
With developing
C355S030000, C355S072000, C355S077000, C355S100000, C396S611000, C396S626000, C396S627000, C430S311000, C430S312000, C430S322000, C430S323000, C430S325000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06384894
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a developing method and a developing unit of a substrate.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a process of photolithography in a fabricating process of a semiconductor device, for example, a resist solution is coated onto a surface of a wafer, and a resist coating for forming a resist film, an exposure for exposing the wafer according to a pattern, a developing for developing the exposed wafer and so on are operated to form a predetermined circuit pattern on the wafer.
In the developing for developing the wafer as described above, a method for supplying a developing solution with a developing solution supply nozzle which is in a slimline shape and is provided with a plurality of supplying holes of the developing solution scanning above the wafer is often used.
In this method, the wafer is first mounted on a mounting table, and the developing solution supply nozzle which is on standby at a home position (standby position) outside one end of the wafer scans above the wafer while supplying the developing solution, and stops supplying the developing solution when the developing solution supply nozzle moves to the other end of the wafer, so that the developing solution is supplied onto an entire surface of the wafer. Thereafter, the developing solution supply nozzle is returned back to a standby position, that is, the home position from the other end of the wafer by passing above the wafer. The developing solution supply nozzle always returns to the home position because a washing mechanism for washing the developing solution supply nozzle is provided at the home position outside one end of the wafer.
Then, after a predetermined time is passed and the developing is complete, pure water is supplied onto the wafer to wash the developing solution from the wafer W.
However, in the aforementioned developing method, the developing solution supply nozzle passes above the wafer again after the developing solution is supplied onto the wafer, and hence there is a possibility that the developing solution drips from the developing solution supply nozzle onto the wafer. If the developing solution is dripped onto the wafer, the developing solution of this dripped spot contains a different concentration, and further, there is apprehension that dirt which is attached to the developing solution supply nozzle may be included therein when dripping, which may result in developing defect, line width defect, shape failure of the wafer and so on.
Moreover, if pure water is supplied onto the wafer immediately after a predetermined time is passed to complete the developing, so-called pH shock which is occurred in supplying a liquid of a large difference in pH value may occur to generate an impurity. This may result in developing defect.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is made in view of these points, and its first object is to provide a developing method for preventing a mistaken drip of a developing solution onto a wafer which is already supplied with the developing solution and a developing unit provided with a function therefor, in a developing method for supplying the developing solution onto the wafer while scanning.
A second object of the present invention is to prevent an occurrence of so-called pH shock in the developing.
In view of the aforementioned first object, according to a first aspect of the present invention, the present invention is a method for developing a substrate by supplying the developing solution from a developing solution supply nozzle onto a surface of the substrate mounted on a predetermined position, comprising the steps of: moving the developing solution supply nozzle from a standby position of the developing solution supply nozzle outside one end of the substrate to at least the other end of the substrate without supplying the developing solution, and moving the developing solution supply nozzle thereafter from the other end to at least the one end while supplying the developing solution.
Thereby, the developing solution is not supplied when the developing solution supply nozzle moves from the standby position of the substrate to the other end of the substrate, and the developing solution is supplied when it moves from the other end of the substrate to the standby position, so that the developing solution supply nozzle which is used once and has a possibility of the drip of the developing solution never passes above the substrate. Therefore, it is prevented that, because of the developing solution which is mistakenly dripped from the developing solution supply nozzle onto the wafer before and after supplying the developing solution, this dripped spot contains a different concentration of the developing solution, or the dripped developing solution including dirt and the like adheres to the substrate, which eliminates the possibility of developing defect and so on.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, the present invention is the method for developing the substrate by supplying the developing solution from the developing solution supply nozzle onto the surface of the substrate mounted on the predetermined position, comprising the step of: mounting the substrate on the predetermined position, between the steps of moving the developing solution supply nozzle from the standby position of the developing solution supply nozzle outside the predetermined position to at least the other end of the substrate without supplying the developing solution, and moving the developing solution supply nozzle from at least the other end to at least one end while supplying the developing solution.
Thus, the step of mounting the substrate on the predetermined position is included between the aforementioned steps so that the substrate is carried into a process unit after the developing solution supply nozzle moves to the other end of the substrate, and hence the developing solution supply nozzle never passes above the wafer except when supplying the developing solution. Therefore, the possibility that the developing solution is mistakenly dripped from the developing solution supply nozzle onto the wafer is completely eliminated.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, the present invention is the method for developing the substrate by supplying the developing solution from the developing solution supply nozzle onto the surface of the substrate mounted on the predetermined position, comprising the steps of: moving the developing solution supply nozzle from the standby position of the developing solution supply nozzle outside one end of the substrate to at least the other end of the substrate while supplying pure water, and moving the developing solution supply nozzle thereafter from at least the other end to at least the one end while supplying the developing solution.
Thereby, pure water is supplied when the developing solution supply nozzle moves from the standby position of the substrate to the other end of the substrate, and the developing solution is supplied when it moves from the other end of the substrate to the standby position, so that the developing solution supply nozzle which has the possibility of the drip of the developing solution does not pass above the substrate which is already supplied with the developing solution, in contrast to the conventional art. Therefore, if the developing solution is mistakenly dripped from the developing solution supply nozzle after supplying the developing solution onto the substrate, the dripped developing solution never drips onto the wafer because it does not pass above the substrate. Therefore, it is prevented that, because of the developing solution which is mistakenly dripped from the developing solution supply nozzle onto the wafer after supplying the developing solution, this dripped spot contains the different concentration of the developing solution, or the dripped developing solution including dirt and the like adheres to the substrate. Further, when the developing solution is directly supplied onto the substrate, the
Matsuyama Yuji
Nagamine Shuichi
Adams Russell
Brown Khaled
Rader & Fishman & Grauer, PLLC
Tokyo Electron Limited
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