JP4313064B2 - Exposure system provided with exposure apparatus - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an exposure apparatus used for manufacturing a product such as a color filter, and more particularly to an exposure apparatus that performs sequential exposure with the same exposure pattern at different positions on a substrate with a photosensitive material, and an exposure system including the same. .
[0002]
[Prior art]
In such an exposure apparatus, when exposing a substrate with a photosensitive material in a predetermined exposure pattern, first, (1) the substrate with the photosensitive material is supplied into the exposure apparatus by a robot arm or the like and placed on the chuck stage. After that, (2) the chuck stage is moved by the drive stage to position the substrate with the photosensitive material. Next, (3) the substrate with the photosensitive material is exposed with a predetermined exposure pattern by irradiating the substrate with the photosensitive material with exposure light through a mask by the irradiation optical system. Thereafter, (4) the chuck stage is moved by the drive stage to position the substrate with the photosensitive material at the discharge position, and (5) the exposed substrate is discharged out of the exposure apparatus by a robot arm or the like.
[0003]
By the way, in such an exposure apparatus, in the step (3), the chuck stage is moved stepwise by the drive stage, and the same exposure pattern is applied to different positions of the substrate with the photosensitive material placed on the chuck stage. In general, a plurality of exposure patterns are formed on a single substrate with a photosensitive material by performing sequential exposure.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in an existing exposure apparatus, when a plurality of exposure patterns are formed on a single substrate with a photosensitive material as described above, the exposure pattern obtained by the first exposure and the second exposure are obtained. There is a problem that the positional relationship between the exposure pattern is not constant, and the total pitch accuracy is unacceptable for each substrate, particularly in the initial stage from the start of manufacturing until a fixed time elapses. there were.
[0005]
Conventionally, sufficient investigation has not been made on the cause of this, but as a result of extensive research conducted by the present inventors, the exposure target is affected by heat absorption at the chuck stage after exposure starts and temperature change in the exposure environment. It has been found that the main cause is that the temperature of the substrate with the photosensitive material rises and the dimensions change due to thermal expansion.
[0006]
The present invention has been made on the basis of such knowledge, and the total pitch accuracy generated when a plurality of exposure patterns are formed by sequentially performing exposure with the same exposure pattern at different positions on a single substrate with a photosensitive material. It is an object of the present invention to provide an exposure apparatus and an exposure system including the exposure apparatus that can improve the yield of products while minimizing a decrease in the above.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
As a first solution, the present invention provides a chuck stage for placing a substrate with a photosensitive material, and irradiation optics for irradiating exposure light through a mask toward the substrate with the photosensitive material placed on the chuck stage. A driving stage for step-moving the chuck stage so that the substrate with the photosensitive material placed on the chuck stage is positioned at a plurality of different exposure positions with respect to the irradiation optical system, and on the chuck stage A control device for controlling the irradiation optical system and the drive stage so that sequential exposure with the same exposure pattern is performed on different positions of the substrate with the photosensitive material placed on the substrate, and the control device is provided on the chuck stage. The amount of movement of the chuck stage by the drive stage is corrected according to the temperature of the substrate with the photosensitive material placed on the substrate. To provide a device.
[0008]
In the first solving means described above, a temperature detection device for detecting the temperature of the substrate is further provided, and the control device moves the chuck stage by the drive stage based on a detection result by the temperature detection device. It is preferable to correct the amount.
[0009]
In the first solving means described above, it is preferable that the temperature detection device is attached to a mechanism for supplying and discharging a substrate with a photosensitive material to the chuck stage, or attached to the chuck stage. .
[0010]
As a second solution, the present invention provides an exposure apparatus according to the first solution, a mechanism for supplying or discharging a substrate with a photosensitive material to the exposure apparatus, the exposure apparatus, and the mechanism. And a thermal chamber for keeping the temperature of the exposure environment constant.
[0011]
According to the first solving means of the present invention, since the step movement amount of the chuck stage is corrected based on the temperature of the substrate with the photosensitive material detected by the temperature detecting device, the exposure is started. Even when the temperature of the substrate with the photosensitive material rises due to heat absorption by the chuck stage 33 and its dimensions change, the decrease in the total pitch accuracy of the plurality of exposure patterns formed on the substrate with the photosensitive material is minimized. Can be suppressed.
[0012]
According to the second solving means of the present invention, the exposure apparatus and the related apparatus (mechanism for supplying or discharging the substrate with the photosensitive material to the exposure apparatus) are accommodated in the thermal chamber and the exposure in the exposure apparatus. Since the environment temperature is kept constant, it is possible to effectively eliminate the effects of temperature changes in the exposure environment, which is one of the causes of the temperature rise of the substrate with the photosensitive material. A decrease in the total pitch accuracy of the plurality of exposure patterns formed on the substrate can be suppressed more reliably.
[0013]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
[0014]
First, a processing line including an exposure apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
[0015]
A processing line 10 shown in FIG. 1 is used by being incorporated in a production line for producing a product such as a color filter. For example, a black matrix (BM) having a predetermined pattern on a substrate such as a glass substrate. Used to form a layer.
[0016]
Specifically, the processing line 10 includes a plurality of processing devices (a cleaning device 11, a dehydration IR device 12, a coating device 13, an exposure device 14, a developing device 15, an inspection device) installed in order from the upstream side to the downstream side. 16 and an oven 17). Note that these processing apparatuses are connected to each other by a transfer line 21 and a robot 22.
[0017]
Among these, the cleaning apparatus 11 cleans a substrate to be processed with a cleaning liquid.
[0018]
The dehydration IR device 12 heats the substrate that has been cleaned with the cleaning liquid with infrared rays (IR) and performs a dehydration process.
[0019]
The coating device 13 applies a photosensitive material onto the cleaned substrate. In addition, a cold plate (CP) 18 and a hot plate (HP) 19 are disposed as a processing device for cooling and heating the substrate to be processed at the front and rear stages of the coating apparatus 13.
[0020]
The exposure device 14 exposes the substrate with the photosensitive material after the photosensitive material is applied in a predetermined exposure pattern. A pre-alignment stage 26, a mask mounting robot 27, and a mask loader 28 are provided in the vicinity of the exposure apparatus 14 together with the robot 22, and the exposure system 24 is configured as a whole.
[0021]
The developing device 15 develops the exposed substrate with the photosensitive material to form a BM layer having a predetermined pattern.
[0022]
The inspection device 16 inspects the substrate with the BM layer after development.
[0023]
The oven 17 cures the substrate with a BM layer after inspection by heating.
[0024]
Note that, in the processing line 10 described above, the exposure system 24 including the exposure device 14, the coating device 13 positioned in the preceding stage, and various devices related thereto (the transfer line 21, the robot 22, the cold plate 18, and the hot plate 19). Is accommodated in the thermal chamber 25, so that the temperature of the exposure environment in the exposure apparatus 14 can be kept constant.
[0025]
Next, details of the exposure apparatus 14 shown in FIG. 1 will be described with reference to FIG.
[0026]
As shown in FIG. 2, the exposure apparatus 14 includes an exposure apparatus main body 30 and an irradiation optical system 40 that irradiates exposure light toward the exposure apparatus main body 30.
[0027]
Among these, the exposure apparatus main body 30 has a base 31 and an exposure stage 32 installed on the base 31. Here, the exposure stage 32 mounts the substrate 51 with the photosensitive material to be exposed, the chuck stage 33 that holds the substrate 51 with the photosensitive material in a vacuum chuck system, and the chuck stage 33 in the vertical direction and the horizontal plane. And a drive stage 34 that can be moved in the interior. The drive stage 34 can move the chuck stage 33 stepwise in the X and Y directions within a horizontal plane.
[0028]
In such an exposure apparatus main body 30, a mask stage 35 to which a mask 36 is attached is provided above the exposure stage 32. Here, the mask 36 has a predetermined pattern corresponding to the exposure pattern for one time.
[0029]
On the other hand, the irradiation optical system 40 includes an ultra-high pressure mercury lamp 41 and optical elements for guiding the light emitted from the ultra-high pressure mercury lamp 41 toward the substrate 51 with a photosensitive material (parabolic mirror 42, cold mirror 43, integrator lens 44, and A spherical mirror 45), and can irradiate exposure light (parallel light) toward the substrate 51 with the photosensitive material placed on the exposure stage 32 of the exposure apparatus main body 30. In such an irradiation optical system 40, a shutter 46 is provided between the cold mirror 43 and the integrator lens 44 so that the light emitted from the ultrahigh pressure mercury lamp 41 can be appropriately shielded and opened. It has become.
[0030]
A control device 47 is connected to the exposure stage 32 (drive stage 34) and the irradiation optical system 40 (ultra-high pressure mercury lamp 41 and shutter 46) of the exposure apparatus main body 30, and is placed on the chuck stage 33. By controlling the exposure stage 32 and the irradiation optical system 40 of the exposure apparatus main body 30 so that different exposures of the substrate 51 with the photosensitive material are sequentially exposed with the same exposure pattern, a plurality of substrates are provided on the single substrate 51 with the photosensitive material. The exposure pattern can be formed.
[0031]
A robot 22 is provided in the vicinity of the exposure apparatus main body 30, and the substrate 51 with a photosensitive material can be supplied to and discharged from the exposure stage 32 (chuck stage 33) by the robot arm 22 ′ of the robot 22. It is like that. Here, a temperature detection device 48 is attached to the exposure stage 32 (chuck stage 33), and the temperature of the substrate 51 with the photosensitive material placed on the exposure stage 32 (chuck stage 33) is detected by a contact method. Be able to. As the temperature detection device 48, a contact type thermocouple, a non-contact type radiation thermometer, or the like can be used.
[0032]
Note that such a temperature detection device 48 is connected to the control device 47, and in the control device 47, based on the detection result by the temperature detection device 48, the temperature of the substrate 51 with the photosensitive material placed on the chuck stage 33. Accordingly, the amount of movement of the chuck stage 33 by the drive stage 34 can be corrected.
[0033]
Here, the correction amount (step correction amount) corresponding to the step movement amount L when the chuck stage 33 is stepped from the first exposure position to the second exposure position is ΔT, and the substrate temperature change amount is ΔT. Where K is the coefficient of thermal expansion, and L is the amount of step movement that does not take into account the dimensional change due to temperature.
Step correction amount = K × L × ΔT (1)
[0034]
Next, the operation of the exposure apparatus 14 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 will be described.
[0035]
In the processing line 10 shown in FIG. 1, the substrate with the photosensitive material after the photosensitive material is applied by the coating device 13 is supplied into the exposure device 14 via the transport line 21 and the robot 22.
[0036]
At this time, in the exposure apparatus 14, as shown in FIG. 2, the substrate 51 with the photosensitive material is supplied by the robot arm 22 ′ of the robot 22 and placed on the exposure stage 32 (chuck stage 33) of the exposure apparatus body 30. Is done.
[0037]
In this state, in the exposure apparatus 14, under the control of the control apparatus 47, the chuck stage 33 is moved by the drive stage 34 of the exposure stage 32 to position the photosensitive substrate 51 with respect to the mask 36, and then the photosensitivity. By irradiating exposure light through the mask 36 by the irradiation optical system 40 toward the substrate 51 with the material, the substrate 51 with the photosensitive material is exposed with a predetermined exposure pattern.
[0038]
Here, taking as an example a case where two exposure patterns are formed by performing sequential exposure with the same exposure pattern at two different positions of the substrate 51 with photosensitive material, first, exposure is performed under the control of the control device 47. After the chuck stage 33 is moved by the drive stage 34 of the stage 32 and the photosensitive substrate 51 is positioned at the first exposure position (the position where the upper half of the photosensitive substrate 51 is below the mask 36), the photosensitive material is placed. Exposure light is irradiated through the mask 36 by the irradiation optical system 40 toward the attached substrate 51. Similarly, under the control of the control device 47, the chuck stage 33 is moved stepwise by the step movement amount L by the drive stage 34 of the exposure stage 32, and the substrate 51 with the photosensitive material is moved to the second exposure position (photosensitive material). Then, the exposure optical system 40 irradiates the exposure light through the mask 36 toward the substrate 51 with the photosensitive material. As a result, as shown in FIG. 3, a first exposure pattern 52 (an exposure pattern including two display patterns 52a and 52b) is formed on the upper half of the substrate 51 with photosensitive material, and the lower half of the substrate 51 with photosensitive material. A second exposure pattern 53 (an exposure pattern including the same two display patterns 53a and 53b as the display patterns 52a and 52b) is formed.
[0039]
At this time, the control device 47 determines whether the chuck stage 33 is in accordance with the above equation (1) based on the temperature of the substrate 51 with the photosensitive material detected by the temperature detection device 48 attached to the exposure stage 32 (chuck stage 33). The step movement amount L is corrected.
[0040]
Thereafter, after two exposure patterns 52 and 53 are formed on the substrate 51 with the photosensitive material in this way, the chuck stage 33 of the exposure stage 32 is moved by the drive stage 34 to position the substrate 51 with the photosensitive material at the discharge position. After that, the exposed substrate 51 is discharged out of the exposure apparatus 14 using the robot arm 22 '.
[0041]
As described above, according to the present embodiment, the step movement amount L of the chuck stage 33 is based on the temperature of the substrate 51 with the photosensitive material detected by the temperature detection device 48 attached to the exposure stage 32 (chuck stage 33). Even when the temperature of the substrate 51 with the photosensitive material rises due to heat absorption at the exposure stage 32 (chuck stage 33) after the exposure is started and its dimensions change, A decrease in the total pitch accuracy of the plurality of exposure patterns formed on the photosensitive material-provided substrate 51 can be minimized.
[0042]
Further, according to the present embodiment, the exposure system 24 including the exposure apparatus 14 and the coating apparatus 13 and the like positioned in the preceding stage are accommodated in the thermal chamber 25 so that the temperature of the exposure environment in the exposure apparatus 14 is kept constant. Therefore, it is possible to effectively eliminate the influence accompanying the temperature change of the exposure environment, which is one of the causes of the temperature rise of the substrate 51 with the photosensitive material. A reduction in the total pitch accuracy of the exposure pattern can be suppressed more reliably.
[0043]
In the above-described embodiment, the temperature of the substrate 51 with the photosensitive material before exposure is detected by the temperature detection device 48 attached to the exposure stage 32 (chuck stage 33), and the substrate 51 with the photosensitive material is exposed. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the temperature of the substrate 51 with the photosensitive material after exposure is detected to correct the step movement amount L at the time of the next exposure of the substrate 51 with the photosensitive material. You may make it do.
[0044]
In the above-described embodiment, the control device 47 corrects the step movement amount L of the chuck stage 33 based on the temperature of the substrate 51 with the photosensitive material detected by the temperature detection device 48. As long as the step movement amount L of the chuck stage 33 can be corrected according to the temperature of the substrate 51 with the photosensitive material, any other method can be used. Specifically, for example, a temperature rise curve (see FIG. 4) representing how the temperature of the substrate 51 with the photosensitive material rises after the start of exposure is obtained in advance, and is prepared in advance during actual exposure. The step movement amount L of the chuck stage 33 may be corrected based on the temperature rise curve. At this time, a dimensional change (deviation amount) curve (and a corresponding step correction amount curve) of the substrate with photosensitive material 51 according to the above equation (1) based on a temperature increase curve obtained in advance (see FIG. 5). ) May be obtained in advance, and the step movement amount L of the chuck stage 33 may be corrected based on the deviation amount curve and the step correction amount curve during actual exposure.
[0045]
In the above-described embodiment, the case where the chuck stage 33 is one-dimensionally moved stepwise by the drive stage 34 and the sequential exposure is performed is described as an example. The present invention can be similarly applied to the case where the two-dimensional step movement is performed and the sequential exposure is performed.
[0046]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to minimize a decrease in total pitch accuracy that occurs when a plurality of exposure patterns are formed by sequentially performing exposure with the same exposure pattern at different positions on a single substrate with a photosensitive material. The yield of products can be improved.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a view showing an example of a processing line including an exposure apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a view showing details of the exposure apparatus shown in FIG.
3 is a view showing an example of an exposure pattern formed on a substrate with a photosensitive material by the exposure apparatus shown in FIG.
4 is a view showing a temperature change of a substrate with a photosensitive material that is sequentially exposed using the exposure apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG.
FIG. 5 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a substrate dimensional change (deviation amount) accompanying a temperature change of a substrate with a photosensitive material and a step change amount change associated therewith.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Processing line 11 Cleaning apparatus 12 Dehydration IR apparatus 13 Coating apparatus 14 Exposure apparatus 15 Development apparatus 16 Inspection apparatus 17 Oven 18 Cold plate 19 Hot plate 21 Transfer line 22 Robot 22 'Robot arm 24 Exposure system 25 Thermal chamber 26 Pre-alignment stage 27 Mask mounting robot 28 Mask loader 30 Exposure apparatus main body 31 Base 32 Exposure stage 33 Chuck stage 34 Driving stage 35 Mask stage 36 Mask 40 Irradiation optical system 41 Super high pressure mercury lamp 42 Parabolic mirror 43 Cold mirror 44 Integrator lens 45 Spherical mirror 46 Shutter 47 Control device 51 substrate with photosensitive material

Claims (4)

A chuck stage for mounting a substrate with a photosensitive material, an irradiation optical system for irradiating exposure light through a mask toward the substrate with a photosensitive material mounted on the chuck stage, and the chuck stage The driving stage for step-moving the chuck stage and the substrate with the photosensitive material placed on the chuck stage are different so that the photosensitive substrate with the photosensitive material is positioned at a plurality of different exposure positions with respect to the irradiation optical system. An exposure apparatus having a control device for controlling the irradiation optical system and the drive stage so as to sequentially perform exposure with the same exposure pattern at a position, and the control device is placed on the chuck stage An exposure apparatus that corrects the amount of movement of the chuck stage by the drive stage according to the temperature of the substrate with a photosensitive material;
A coating apparatus that is provided on the upstream side of the exposure apparatus and that generates a substrate with a photosensitive material by applying a photosensitive material on the substrate;
A mechanism for supplying the substrate with the photosensitive material from the coating apparatus to the exposure apparatus and discharging the substrate with the photosensitive material from the exposure apparatus;
An exposure system comprising: the exposure apparatus, the coating apparatus, and the mechanism collectively contained therein , and a thermal chamber that maintains a constant temperature of the exposure environment. The exposure apparatus further includes a temperature detection device that detects the temperature of the substrate,
The exposure system according to claim 1, wherein the control device corrects a movement amount of the chuck stage by the drive stage based on a detection result by the temperature detection device.   The exposure system according to claim 2, wherein the temperature detection device is attached to a mechanism for supplying and discharging the substrate with a photosensitive material to and from the chuck stage.   The exposure system according to claim 2, wherein the temperature detection device is attached to the chuck stage.

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