JP5633170B2 - Development method and development apparatus - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a developing method and a developing apparatus capable of preventing a resist pattern from being collapsed by an impact at the time of applying a developing solution and suppressing a developing loading effect.

  As a photomask development processing method, a method called spray development in which a photomask substrate (glass substrate) is rotated at a low speed, and a developing solution is applied in a spray form on the photomask substrate by a spray nozzle, A method called paddle development is known in which a developer supplied from a scan nozzle is deposited on the photomask substrate while the scan nozzle is moved in parallel with respect to the photomask substrate, and development processing is performed in a stationary state (patent). Reference 1).

JP 2003-243299 A

  However, since spray development is performed by spraying a developing solution, there is a problem that an impact is applied to the formed resist pattern and a fine pattern is collapsed.

  In paddle development, since the developer is accumulated, the impact on the resist pattern is reduced. However, due to differences in pattern shape and pattern density, the development speed changes due to the locally different developer concentration. The development loading effect occurs, and the dimensional nonuniformity of the resist pattern becomes a problem.

  Furthermore, in the paddle development, since the photomask substrate is scanned in a stationary state, the resist pattern dimension in the photomask surface is not concentric, and may tend to be biased to one side of the photomask substrate. There is a problem that in-plane dimension correction by a drawing machine becomes difficult.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a developing method and a developing apparatus that can prevent the resist pattern from collapsing due to an impact at the time of applying a developing solution and can suppress the developing loading effect.

The invention of claim 1, wherein, in the developing method of developing a resist material on the substrate and having one or more sides of the length of the substrate, and arranged and formed a plurality of developing liquid discharge port in the longitudinal direction on the substrate side the developing nozzle being, said plurality columns arranged in a longitudinal direction perpendicular to the direction of the developing nozzle, wherein the developing nozzle scans in the longitudinal direction perpendicular to the direction of the developing nozzle on the substrate, and the plurality of A developing method characterized in that development is performed by rotating the substrate at a low speed while independently moving the developing nozzles in a direction parallel to the length direction, respectively, and ejecting the developer from the developer outlet. It is.

According to a second aspect of the invention, in the developing device for developing a resist material on the substrate and having one or more sides of the length of the substrate, and a plurality of developing liquid discharge port in the longitudinal direction of the photomask substrate side A plurality of development nozzles arranged in an array are arranged in a direction perpendicular to the length direction of the development nozzles, the development nozzles are scanned on a substrate in a direction perpendicular to the length direction of the development nozzles , and The development is performed by rotating the substrate at a low speed while independently moving the plurality of development nozzles in the direction parallel to the length direction while shifting the substrate at a low speed, and ejecting the developer from the developer ejection port. It is a developing device.

  According to the present invention, by rotating the photomask substrate at a low speed while scanning the developing nozzle, the replacement efficiency of the developer on the photomask substrate can be improved, the development loading effect can be suppressed, and the developer can be applied. The impact on the resist pattern can be alleviated and the resist pattern can be prevented from collapsing. Further, by rotating the photomask substrate at a low speed, it is possible to prevent the tendency of the resist pattern in-plane dimension that is biased to one side of the photomask substrate to be non-concentric.

  Further, the development nozzles are arranged in a plurality of rows in a direction perpendicular to the length direction, and each development nozzle is shifted in a direction parallel to the longitudinal direction independently of each other, thereby arranging the developer jet nozzles. It is possible to prevent development unevenness along the line. Therefore, the development loading effect can be more effectively suppressed, and the resist pattern can be prevented from collapsing.

  In addition, by performing scanning for the interval of the developer outlets, it is possible to efficiently prevent development unevenness along the arrangement of the developer outlets. Therefore, the replacement efficiency of the developer on the photomask substrate is improved, the development loading effect can be suppressed, and the resist pattern can be prevented from collapsing by reducing the impact on the resist pattern due to the application of the developer. .

The figure for demonstrating the 1st Embodiment of this invention. The figure for demonstrating the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. The figure for demonstrating the 3rd Embodiment of this invention. The figure for demonstrating the 4th Embodiment of this invention.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
(First embodiment)
FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining the first embodiment. Reference numeral 11 denotes a photomask substrate coated with a resist. A developing nozzle 12 is disposed on the photomask substrate 11. The developing nozzle 12 has a hollow cylindrical shape that is long in one direction, has a length longer than one side of the photomask substrate 1, and is arranged in parallel with the one side.

  The developing nozzle 12 has a plurality of developer jets 13 formed on the surface facing the photomask substrate 11. These developer outlets 13 are arranged at regular pitch intervals along the length direction of the developing nozzle 12.

  The photomask substrate 11 can be rotated around the central axis, and the developing nozzle 12 can be scanned (translated) in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction.

  At the time of development, the photomask substrate 11 is rotated at a low speed (arrow B direction) while the developing nozzle 12 arranged on the photomask substrate 11 is scanned (translated) in a direction (arrow A direction) perpendicular to the length direction. In this state, the developer is ejected from each developer ejection port 13 of the development nozzle 12 toward the photomask substrate 11.

  In this way, by rotating the photomask substrate 11 at a low speed while scanning the developing nozzle 12, the replacement efficiency of the developer on the photomask substrate 11 is improved, the development loading effect can be suppressed, and the developer coating can be performed. Can alleviate the impact on the resist pattern and prevent the resist pattern from collapsing. In addition, by rotating the photomask substrate 11 at a low speed, it is possible to prevent a non-concentric tendency of the in-plane dimension of the resist pattern biased to any one side of the photomask substrate 11.

Developer outlet interval: 2 mm
Interval between photomask substrate and development nozzle: 4 mm
Photomask substrate rotation speed: 20 rotations / minute Development time: 60 seconds
Under the above conditions, the photomask substrate coated with the resist was developed.
In this development process, the resist pattern length is sufficiently long and the resist pattern resolution limit dimension in a dense pattern is improved to 40 nm under the above conditions, compared to 70 nm in the conventional spray development when a negative resist is used. It was observed.
In addition, the average value difference of the density pattern size due to the development loading effect was improved to 3 nm under the above conditions, compared with 6 nm in the conventional paddle development using a negative resist.

(Second Embodiment)
FIG. 2 shows a second embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, a plurality of, for example, two developing nozzles 12a and 12b are disposed on the photomask substrate 11, and a plurality of developing solution jets 13a and 13b are respectively connected to the developing nozzles 12a and 12b. They are arranged at a constant pitch interval along the longitudinal direction of 12b.

The developing nozzles 12a and 12b are arranged adjacent to each other, and the arrangement pitch of the developer jets 13b in the other development nozzle 12b is 1 with respect to the arrangement pitch of the developer jets 13a in the one development nozzle 12a. / 2 pitches are shifted by one pitch. Since the developing nozzles 12a and 12b are adjacent to each other and the developer nozzles 13a and 13b are formed in the developing nozzles 12a and 12b, respectively, a plurality of rows are formed in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the developing nozzles 12a and 12b. The developer jet nozzles 13a and 13b are in a line.
The developing nozzles 12a and 12b can scan in the longitudinal direction, and the one developing nozzle 12a and the other developing nozzle 12b can be independently moved in a direction parallel to the length direction. It has become.

At the time of development, as in the first embodiment, the photomask substrate 11 is rotated at a low speed while the developing nozzles 12a and 12b arranged on the photomask substrate 11 are scanned in a direction perpendicular to the length direction. In this state, the developing solution is ejected from the developing solution ejection ports 13a and 13b of the developing nozzles 12a and 12b toward the photomask substrate 11. In this case, each of the developing nozzles 12a and 12b is moved with a period shifted in a direction parallel to the longitudinal direction (arrow C direction).
According to this development processing, the development loading effect can be more effectively suppressed, and the resist pattern can be prevented from collapsing. The developing solution jet nozzles 13a and 13b are arranged in a plurality of rows in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the developing nozzles 12a and 12b, and the developing nozzles 12a and 12b are each independently shifted in period and parallel to the longitudinal direction. Therefore, it is possible to prevent development unevenness along the arrangement of the developer jet nozzles 13a and 13b.

(Third embodiment)
FIG. 3 shows a third embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, a single developing nozzle 12 is disposed at the center position of the photomask substrate 11, and a plurality of developer jets 13 are provided on the surface of the developing nozzle 12 facing the photomask substrate 11. Are arranged at regular pitch intervals along the longitudinal direction.

At the time of development, the photomask substrate 11 is rotated at a low speed (in the direction of arrow B) while the developing nozzle 12 disposed on the photomask substrate 11 is scanned in a direction perpendicular to the length direction of the developing nozzle 12 in this state. A developer is jetted from each developer jet 13 toward the photomask substrate 11. At this time, the developing nozzle 12 scans from the center of the photomask substrate 11 by an interval of the developing solution ejection port 13.
Thereby, it becomes possible to apply the developer uniformly onto the photomask substrate 11 steadily, and to prevent development unevenness along the arrangement of the developer ejection ports 13.

(Fourth embodiment)
FIG. 4 shows a fourth embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, two developing nozzles 12a and 12b are arranged at the center position of the photomask substrate 11, and a plurality of developing solution jet nozzles 13a and 13b are respectively connected to the developing nozzles 12a and 12b. Are arranged at regular pitch intervals along the longitudinal direction.

The developing nozzles 12a and 12b are arranged adjacent to each other, and the arrangement pitch of the developer jets 13b in the other development nozzle 12b is 1 with respect to the arrangement pitch of the developer jets 13a in the one development nozzle 12a. / 2 pitches are shifted by one pitch. Since the developing nozzles 12a and 12b are adjacent to each other and the developer nozzles 13a and 13b are formed in the developing nozzles 12a and 12b, respectively, a plurality of rows are formed in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the developing nozzles 12a and 12b. The developer jet nozzles 13a and 13b are in a line.
The developing nozzles 12a and 12b can scan in the longitudinal direction, and the one developing nozzle 12a and the other developing nozzle 12b can be independently moved in a direction parallel to the length direction. It has become.

At the time of development, the photomask substrate 11 is rotated at a low speed (arrow B direction) while scanning each developing nozzle 12a, 12b arranged on the photomask substrate 11 in a direction perpendicular to the length direction, and in this state, A developing solution is ejected toward the photomask substrate 11 from the developing solution ejection ports 13a and 13b of the developing nozzles 12a and 12b. In this case, each of the developing nozzles 12a and 12b is moved with a period shifted in a direction parallel to the longitudinal direction (arrow C direction). The developing nozzles 12a and 12b scan from the center of the photomask substrate 11 by the distance between the developing solution ejection ports 13a and 13b.
Such development processing improves the efficiency of replacement of the developer on the photomask substrate 11, makes it possible to suppress the development loading effect, and reduces the impact on the resist pattern due to the application of the developer so that the resist pattern collapses. Can be prevented.
Further, by performing scanning for the interval between the developer jets 13a and 13b, it is possible to efficiently prevent development unevenness along the arrangement of the developer jets 13a and 13b.

  The present invention relates to a developing method and a developing apparatus capable of preventing a resist pattern from being collapsed due to an impact at the time of applying a developing solution and suppressing a developing loading effect in developing a photomask used for manufacturing a semiconductor element. Can be provided.

11 ... Photomask substrate 12 ... Development nozzle 12a. 12b ... developing nozzle 13 ... developer jet 13a. 13b ... Developer outlet

Claims (2)

In a developing method for developing a resist material on a substrate,
A plurality of developing nozzles having a length of one side or more of the substrate and having a plurality of developer jet nozzles arranged in the length direction on the substrate side in a direction perpendicular to the length direction of the developing nozzle. Arrange columns,
Wherein scanning the developer nozzle in a longitudinal direction perpendicular to the direction of the developing nozzle on the substrate, the substrate while and moving the plurality of the developing nozzle independently each shifted period in the length direction parallel to the direction A developing method, wherein the developing is performed by rotating at a low speed and ejecting the developer from the developer outlet. In a developing device for developing a resist material on a substrate,
Has one or more sides of the length of the substrate, and a developer nozzle in which a plurality of developing liquid discharge port in the longitudinal direction are arranged and formed on the photomask substrate side, the length direction perpendicular to the direction of the developing nozzle Multiple rows
Wherein scanning the developer nozzle in a longitudinal direction perpendicular to the direction of the developing nozzle on the substrate, the substrate while and moving the plurality of the developing nozzle independently each shifted period in the length direction parallel to the direction A developing device that rotates at a low speed and performs development by ejecting the developer from the developer outlet.

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