JPH061760B2 - Resist developing device - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a resist developing apparatus, and more particularly to a resist developing apparatus for developing a resist layer mounted on an object to be developed such as a semiconductor wafer, a semiconductor mask and an optical disk.

(Prior Art) Conventionally, a developing device for developing a resist layer on a semiconductor wafer is disclosed in JP-A-56-98826.
Further, as shown in FIG. 5, a nozzle (A) for injecting the developing solution onto the semiconductor wafer (W), a developing solution container (C), and a pump (P) for supplying the developing solution to the nozzle (A). The resist is developed by spraying a developing solution from the nozzle (A). Recently, as the sensitivity of the resist pattern becomes higher, the developing condition for the resist, especially the requirement for temperature becomes important. Therefore, a temperature control unit (TC) for adjusting the temperature of the developer and a valve (FV) for adjusting the amount of the developer are provided between the developer container (C) and the nozzle (A). The nozzle (A), while controlling the temperature and flow rate of the developer.
Temperature detector (TE) that detects the temperature of the developer sprayed from the
And a shutter (S) that moves freely back and forth between the nozzle (A) and the wafer (W) held so as to face the nozzle (A). When the temperature of the developing solution is not at the set temperature, it is advanced between the nozzle (A) and the wafer (W) to receive the developing solution from the nozzle (A), and when the set temperature is reached. The shutter (S) is retracted so that the developing solution can be sprayed onto the wafer (W) so that the temperature of the developing solution acting on the wafer (W) can be limited to a preset temperature.

In FIG. 4, (M ₁ ) is a drive motor for the shutter (S), and (CT) is its controller. Further, (M ₂ ) is a motor for rotating the wafer (W).

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) In the case where the temperature of the developing solution is controlled as described above, most of the developing solution is volatile, and therefore the nozzle (A) ejects the solution. When it does, it partially evaporates, cooling the developing chamber and simultaneously lowering the saturation pressure,
Even if the temperature of the developing solution is accurately controlled, the temperature inside the developing chamber cannot be accurately maintained at a constant temperature.

Although the resist developing device is normally installed in a temperature control room, various temperature control devices are also installed in this temperature control room, and therefore temperature control is performed in consideration of the amount of heat radiated from each device. Therefore, it is difficult to control the room temperature with high accuracy and, for example, a variation of ± 1.0 ° C. occurs, and the outer surface of the wall of the developing chamber comes into contact with the air of the greenhouse. However, since the heat transfer coefficient is significantly smaller than the heat transfer coefficient on the inner surface of the wall that is in contact with the developer, and since the development time for one time is short, the temperature of the developing chamber to which heat is supplied from the greenhouse is The temperature is not controlled by the temperature of the greenhouse. Therefore, from the above, the temperature inside the developing chamber tends to decrease due to the evaporation of the developing solution, and the temperature cannot be maintained at a constant temperature.

(Means for Solving the Problems) The present invention solves the above-mentioned conventional problems and enables the temperature in the developing chamber to be arbitrarily set and to be accurately maintained at the set temperature. As shown in Figure 1,
A resist developing apparatus in which a developing tank (1) is internally provided with a means for holding a material to be developed (W), and a means (2) for discharging a developing solution to the material to be developed (W) held by the holding means is provided. In the electronic cooling device (7), an N-type semiconductor and a P-type semiconductor are joined to the wall surface of the developing tank (1) with metal pieces.
It is characterized in that the heat generating portion (70) is attached in contact with it.

(Operation) By controlling the direction and magnitude of the current flowing through the electronic cooling device (7), the absorption of the electronic cooling device (7)
Switching between heat generation and heat absorption in the heat generating part (70) and control of the amount of heat generation or the amount of heat absorption are performed, whereby the temperature of the developing chamber (10) is accurately set to a constant temperature corresponding to the temperature condition for the resist. It can be retained.

(Example) In FIG. 1, (1) is a developing tank, and this developing tank (1) is composed of a cylindrical body (11), a bottom wall (12) and a lid (13). A sealed developing chamber (1
0) is formed.

Further, a support cylinder (15) is provided upright on the bottom wall (12), and inside thereof, a chuck (16) for holding a semiconductor wafer (W) as a developing object is fixedly provided on the upper end thereof. The rotating shaft (17) is rotatably supported, and the lid body (13) is, for example, a spray nozzle or the like for discharging the developing solution to the wafer (W) held by the chuck (16). A discharge means (2) is provided.

The nozzle (2) is connected to the developer container (3) via a liquid feed pipe (6) having a liquid feed pump (4) and a temperature control section (5), and is connected to the developer (3) from the container (3). The temperature-adjusted developing solution is supplied to the nozzle (2), and the developing solution is discharged from the nozzle (2) to the wafer (W) by, for example, jetting.

The temperature control unit (5) is not particularly required, but it controls the temperature of the developing solution sprayed from the nozzle (2) onto the wafer (W) to a constant temperature, and can be controlled by, for example, constant temperature water. .

Further, in the resist developing apparatus configured as described above, the heat absorbing / heating part of the electronic cooling device (7) in which N-type and P-type semiconductors are joined to the outer wall surface of the developing tank (1) with metal pieces. (70) is installed in contact with the developing chamber (10)
The temperature sensor (8) is provided in the above, and the controller (9) for controlling the electronic cooling device (7) based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor (8) is provided.

Specifically, the body (11) of the developing tank (1) is
As shown in the figure, it has a tubular shape with a regular hexagonal cross section, and has a flat side wall surface (11A) at each step of the body (11).
The heat-absorbing / heat-generating part (70) of the electronic cooling device (7) is attached in contact therewith. In addition, other side wall surface (1
1B), the clearance surface (11C) other than the mounting surface of the heat absorbing / heating part (70) and the taper wall surface (11D) on the lower side of the body (11), the heat insulating agent (1) made of urethane foam or the like.
4) is attached and the developing tank (1) has a heat insulating structure.

As shown in FIG. 3, the electronic cooling device (7) is formed by joining an N-type semiconductor (N) and a P-type semiconductor (P) with metal pieces (M1) (M2) such as copper. The one side metal piece (M1) is used as the heat absorbing / heating part (70), while the heat exchange fins (100) are attached to the other side metal piece (M2). Then, when a direct current (I) is passed from the N-type semiconductor (N) to the P-type semiconductor (P) as indicated by the solid line arrow in the figure, the heat absorbing / heating section (70) generates heat and the developing tank (1). The walls of the are heated. On the other hand, when a direct current (I ') is flown from the P-type semiconductor (P) to the N-type semiconductor (N) as indicated by the dotted arrow, the heat absorbing / heating section (70) absorbs heat and the developing tank (1). It absorbs heat from the walls of the. Further, when the magnitude of the direct current (I) or (I ') is changed, the amount of heat generation or the amount of heat absorption in the heat absorbing / heating portion (70) changes.

On the other hand, the temperature sensor (8) is connected to the developing chamber (10).
Is arranged near the wafer (W) and detects the temperature in the vicinity of the wafer (W).

The control device (9) compares the temperature detected by the temperature sensor (8) with a preset temperature that is arbitrarily set in advance, and the direct current (the above-mentioned direct current to be supplied to the electronic cooling device (7) ( Since the direction and size of I) or (I ') are controlled, the room temperature of the developing chamber (10) can be controlled to an arbitrary set temperature.

By the way, the control of the cooling device (7) by the control device (9) controls the direction and magnitude of the electric current supplied to the cooling device (7). No control of current direction is required.

In FIG. 1, (20) is a wafer entrance / exit provided in the body (11) of the developing tank (1), and a door (21) is attached to the entrance / exit (20) so as to be freely opened and closed.

Further, (22) is a fan attached to the lid body (13), and by providing the fan (22), the interior of the developing chamber (10) can be quickly saturated. The developer sprayed from (2) is, for example, a mixture of isobutyl alcohol and ethanol in a ratio of about 50:50, and the developing temperature (° C.) and resist sensitivity (μc / cm ² ) of this developer are used. ) Will change as shown in FIG. Incidentally, in FIG. 4, the vertical axis is represented by a logarithmic scale.

In the above configuration, when developing the semiconductor wafer (W), first, the electronic cooling device (7) is first energized to preset the room temperature of the developing chamber (10). The temperature is controlled.

This set temperature can be arbitrarily set by the control device (9) and can be accurately controlled to a arbitrarily selected set temperature, and the developing chamber (10) can be reliably maintained at the set temperature. .

After the room temperature of the developing chamber (10) reaches the set temperature as described above, the semiconductor wafer (W) held on the chuck (16) is rotated by driving the rotation shaft (17), and The developing solution is jetted from the nozzle (2).

However, since the developing chamber (10) can be kept at a constant temperature by the electronic cooling device (7) in advance, the first semiconductor wafer (W) can be reliably operated without using a dummy at the beginning of the development. Development is possible.

Further, the temperature of the developing chamber (10) tends to change due to the injection of the developing solution from the nozzle (2), but since the developing chamber (10) is hermetically sealed, the developing solution (10) is simultaneously ejected. The saturation pressure of the developing solution is reached, and since the heat absorbing / heating part (70) of the electronic cooling device (7) and the heat insulating material (14) are attached to the outer wall surface of the developing tank (1), the Since the invasion heat can be ignored, the temperature of the developing chamber (10) does not change and can be controlled with high accuracy.
The development of the first wafer (W) can be performed at a constant temperature with high accuracy, that is, without variations in sensitivity.

In the above embodiment, the body (11) of the developing tank (1) has a regular hexagonal cross section, and the suction and heat generating section (70) has a flat mounting surface. It is not limited.

(Effects of the Invention) As described above, the present invention is the absorption / heat generation part (70) of the electronic cooling device (7) in which the N-type and P-type semiconductors are bonded to the wall surface of the developing tank (1) with metal pieces. Since they are attached in contact with each other, the temperature of the developing chamber (10) can be arbitrarily set and can be maintained at the set temperature with high accuracy.

Therefore, variations in the resist sensitivity due to changes in the development temperature can be suppressed to a minimum, and the product yield of developed objects such as semiconductor wafers can be improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic explanatory view showing an embodiment of the developing device of the present invention,
FIG. 2 is a partially omitted sectional view taken along the line II-II in FIG.
FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of the electronic cooling device, FIG. 4 is a characteristic diagram of the developing temperature of the developing solution and a change in resist sensitivity, and FIG. 5 is a schematic explanatory diagram showing a conventional example. (1) ...... Development tank (2) ...... Ejection means (7) ...... Electronic cooling device (70) ...... Suction and heat generation part (10) ...... Development chamber.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A developing tank (1) is equipped with a means for holding a material to be developed (W), and a discharging means (2) for discharging a developing solution to the material to be developed (W) held by the holding means. A resist developing device provided, wherein N is provided on a wall surface of the developing tank (1).
A resist developing apparatus, characterized in that a heat-absorbing / heat-generating part (70) of an electronic cooling device (7) formed by joining a mold and a P-type semiconductor with a metal piece is mounted in contact with each other.