JPH061763B2 - Resist developing device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a resist developing apparatus, more specifically, a semiconductor wafer,
The present invention relates to a resist developing device that develops a resist layer mounted on an object to be developed such as a semiconductor mask and an optical disk.

(Prior Art) Conventionally, a resist developing apparatus of this type is described in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 57-166032, and as shown in FIG. 3, a semiconductor wafer ( The resist layer on the wafer (W) is developed by discharging the chemical solution used for the developing process from the discharging means (2) such as a nozzle to W).

In addition to the so-called developing solution which dissolves the resist layer, generally, the chemical solution is a pretreatment solution for removing the variation in resist sensitivity due to the aging of the wafer (W) prior to the release of the developing solution, and It is composed of a post-treatment liquid for cleaning the wafer (W) after the developer is discharged.

Further, with the recent increase in the density of resist patterns, the requirements for the developing conditions, particularly the temperature of the chemical solution, have become important. Therefore, the content (3) of the developer solution, which is one of the chemical solutions, A temperature controller (5) is provided between the discharge means (2) and an electric heater (H) is installed in the liquid delivery pipe (6) from the temperature controller (5) to the discharge means (2). By winding the developer, the temperature of the developer whose temperature is adjusted by the temperature controller (5) is suppressed from decreasing due to heat dissipation in the liquid supply pipe (6), and the developer is discharged from the discharging means (2). The temperature of the developer discharged and acting on the wafer (W) can be limited to a set value.

However, in the case of using the electric heater (H), even if the temperature decrease due to the heat radiation of the developer passing through the liquid supply pipe (6) to the outside air can be suppressed, the temperature rise due to the heat absorption from the outside air cannot be suppressed, Therefore, for example, when the outside air temperature is higher than the temperature of the developing solution, there is a fatal problem that the temperature of the developing solution cannot be controlled to a set value.

On the other hand, in order to solve this problem, as shown in FIG. 4, a double pipe (40) is used as the liquid feeding pipe (6), and the inner pipe (41) of the double pipe (40) is heated. Regardless of whether the temperature of the developing solution is high or low with respect to the outside air, by passing the developing solution which is one of the chemical solutions from the controller (5) and passing the temperature-controlled constant temperature water through the outer tube (42), respectively. It is conceivable to always control the temperature to an arbitrary set temperature.

In order to filter the developing solution, a portion of the liquid supply pipe (6) connected to the discharge means (2) such as a nozzle from the outlet of the double pipe (40), that is, near the discharge means (2). A strainer (62) and a control valve (61) for controlling the start / stop of the developing solution are interposed.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) According to the example shown in FIG. 4, the temperature of the developing solution, which is one of the chemical solutions used for the developing process by eliminating the influence of the outside air in the portion of the double pipe (40). Can be held at any set value,
A control means (A) such as a strainer (62), a control valve (61), and a discharging means (2) for connecting the outlet of the double pipe (40) and the developing tank (1) (the liquid feeding pipe (6 However, there is a problem that the temperature of the developing solution discharged from the discharging means (2) and acting on the wafer (W) cannot be controlled to a set value with high accuracy.

That is, since the control means (A) such as the discharging means (2) has a large heat capacity and the developer is intermittently supplied to the developing tank (1), while the supply of the developer is stopped, The control means (A) exchanges heat with the surrounding air (outside air), and the temperature becomes close to the outside air.

Therefore, when it is attempted to supply the developing solution to the developing tank (1) in the next step, the developing solution temperature-controlled by the temperature controller (5) or the like causes the thermal influence of the control means (A) to be remarkable. However, there is a problem that the temperature fluctuates to a temperature different from the set value.

An object of the present invention is to solve the above problems and to provide a resist developing apparatus capable of highly accurately controlling the temperature of a chemical solution supplied to a developing process such as a developing solution supplied from a control unit to an arbitrary set temperature. It is in the point of providing.

(Means for Solving the Problems) Therefore, according to the present invention, the developing tank (1) is internally provided with a means for holding the object to be developed (W), and the object to be developed (W) held by the holding means is subjected to a developing treatment. Control means (A) for supplying a chemical solution, such as a developing solution, a pretreatment solution, and a posttreatment solution,
For example, a discharge means (2) such as a nozzle, a control valve (61), a strainer (62), etc. are provided, and this control means (A) is
A resist developing device connected to a chemical liquid container (3) via a temperature controller (5), wherein a heating medium chamber (3) is housed inside the developing tank (1) and inside the control means (A).
0) is provided and a constant temperature heat medium generator (7) is formed, and this constant temperature heat medium generator (7) is connected to the inside of the heat medium chamber (30) via pipes (76) (77). The constant temperature heat medium is circulated inside the heat medium chamber (30), and the constant temperature heat medium is brought into contact with the control means (A).

The chemical solution may be any one of the developing solutions and the like, and the control means (A) may be any one of the discharging means (2) and the like.

(Operation) By accommodating the control means (A) inside the heat medium chamber (30) connected to the constant temperature heat medium generator (7) and circulating the constant temperature heat medium, the control means (A) )
The constant temperature heat medium comes into contact with the control means (A), and the contact of the constant temperature heat medium with the control means (A) can prevent the control means (A) from being affected by the outside air. Therefore, the temperature of the chemical solution supplied from the control means (A) to the development target (W) can be controlled to a set value with high accuracy.

(Embodiment) In FIG. 1, (1) is a developing tank, and this developing tank (1) has a body (11) having a double wall structure and a bottom wall (1).
2) and a lid (13), and the developing chamber (1
0) and the double wall structure of the body (11) forms a heat exchange chamber (14) surrounding the developing chamber (10).

Further, a support cylinder (15) is provided upright on the bottom wall (12), and inside thereof, a chuck (16) as a developed object is fixedly held at a top end thereof, for example, a semiconductor wafer (W). The rotation shaft (17) is rotatably supported, and the lid body (13) holds the wafer (W) held by the chuck (16) and a part of the chemical solution used for the development process. Discharge means (2) such as a spray nozzle for discharging the developing solution is provided.

The discharging means (2) is provided with a temperature controller (5) described later in detail.
Is connected to a developing solution container (3) which is one of the chemical solution containers constituting a pressurizing tank, and the temperature of the developing solution is adjusted by the temperature controller (5) via a liquid sending pipe (6). To the discharging means (2), and the chemical solution (developing solution) is discharged from the discharging means (2) to the wafer (W) by, for example, jetting.

Further, the liquid supply pipe (6) has a control valve (61) for controlling the flow of the chemical liquid (developing liquid) to the developing tank (1) and a strainer for removing minute dust in the developing liquid. (62) is interposed, these discharge means (2), control valve (61)
Further, the strainer (62) and the like constitute the control means (A) (including the liquid feed pipe (6) connecting these).

As the control means (A), the discharge means (2), the control valve (61) and the strainer (6) are used without using the liquid feed pipe (6).
2) and the like may be integrally molded, and the control unit (A) can appropriately supply a chemical liquid such as a developing liquid to the semiconductor wafer (W).

As the developing solution, for example, a mixture of isobutyl alcohol and ethanol in a ratio of about 50:50 is used. As the pretreatment liquid and the posttreatment liquid, for example, isopropyl alcohol or the like is used.

Further, in the resist developing device configured as described above, a heat medium chamber (30) for accommodating the control means (A) therein is provided outside the developing tank (1), and a constant temperature heat medium generating device ( 7) is formed, and the constant temperature heat medium generator (7) is connected to the inside of the heat medium chamber (30) through the pipes (76) (77), and inside the heat medium chamber (30). The constant temperature heat medium is circulated, and the constant temperature heat medium is brought into contact with the control means (A).

Specifically, the heat medium chamber (30) is configured by attaching a cup-shaped main body (31) to the upper part of the lid body (13), and the heat medium chamber (30) is provided inside the heat medium chamber (30). The control means (A) is housed.

Further, since the developing tank (1) and the temperature controller (5) are separated from each other, a part of the liquid feeding pipe (6), that is, the heat medium chamber (30) and the temperature controller (5). Is connected by using a double tube (40) having a heat insulating structure, and the developing solution, which is one of the chemical solutions, is added to the inner tube (41) of the double tube (40). Further, a constant temperature heat medium is passed through the outer tube (42). The upper front double pipe (40) forms one composite pipe (44) together with the return pipe (77) for the constant temperature heating medium and the heat insulating material (43).

Next, the constant temperature heat medium generator (7) will be described. In this embodiment, constant temperature water is used as the constant temperature heat medium.

This generator (7) is a thermostatic chamber (70) with a heat insulating structure.
In addition, the heater (71) and the evaporator (72) of the refrigerating apparatus are built in, and a constant temperature water (constant temperature) is applied to the outer pipe (42) of the double pipe (40) by the heat medium pump (75). While supplying the heat medium, the constant temperature water (constant heat medium) from the return pipe (77) is returned to the constant temperature tank (70).

Further, in the constant temperature bath (70), a coil-shaped heat exchanger (5) extending from the developer solution (3) constituting the chemical solution container is provided.
0), the temperature controller (5) for the developing solution, which is one of the chemical solutions described above, is formed integrally with the generator (7). The developing solution set to the same temperature as the constant temperature water (constant temperature heating medium) is supplied to the inner pipe (41) of the double pipe (40) by the pressurizing action of the container (3). The internal volume of the heat exchanger (50) is preferably about 200 to 400 cc or more of liquid used for one development.

And the heater (7) installed in the constant temperature bath (70)
1) and the operation of the evaporator (72), a controller (8) that detects the water temperature (heat medium temperature) in the heat medium chamber (30) and compares it with a preset temperature that has been arbitrarily set in advance. It is controlled by the heater (7
1) and the evaporator (72) operation control, 5 ℃ -40
It is possible to form a constant temperature water (constant temperature heating medium) with an error of ± 0.1 ° C. at the temperature.

Further, the condenser (78) in the refrigeration system corresponding to the evaporator (72) is provided in the condensing unit (9) together with the compressor, and the operation control of the evaporator (72) is performed by the compressor. This is done by starting / stopping or controlling the capacity.

Thus, the constant temperature heat medium from the constant temperature heat medium generator (7) is circulated in series between the heat exchange chamber (14) and the heat medium chamber (30), and the constant temperature heat medium is First to the outer tube (42) of the heavy tube (40)
The chamber (14) is once opened to the heat exchange chamber (14) of the developing tank (1) through the communication pipe (80).
To the inside of the heat medium chamber (30) through the second connecting pipe (90), and the delivery pipe (76) is composed of a series of these passages (42) (80) (14) (90). ) And the return pipe (77), the constant temperature heat medium is circulated in the heat medium chamber (30).

At this time, the discharge means (2) housed in the heat medium jacket (30), the liquid delivery pipe (6) connecting the discharge means (2), the strainer (62) and the control valve (61). That is, since the control means (A) is in direct contact with the constant temperature heat medium adjusted to a predetermined set temperature,
The control means (A) is not affected by outside air. Therefore, the temperature of the chemical liquid such as the developer supplied from the control means (A) can be controlled to the set value with high accuracy.

Further, since the constant temperature heat medium is circulated in the heat exchange chamber (14), the temperature in the developing chamber (10) is indirectly set to the set temperature via the atmospheric air in the developing chamber (10). It can be retained.

Moreover, the set temperature can be set arbitrarily by the input device of the controller (8), and can be accurately controlled to the arbitrarily set set temperature.

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.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the heating medium chamber (30) is
Although it is arranged above the developing tank (1), it may be formed separately from the developing tank (1) as shown in FIG.

In FIG. 2, the heat medium chamber (30) is composed of a box-shaped main body (32), and inside the main body (32), the control means (A) excluding the discharging hand (2) stage is controlled. A valve (61) and a strainer (62) are accommodated.
The heat medium chamber (30) is used as a developing chamber (10).
Is connected in parallel with the heat exchange chamber (14) for adjusting the ambient temperature of the pipes (76) (77), and the constant temperature heat medium from the constant temperature heat medium generator (7) is supplied to the both chambers (30) (14). Are circulated in parallel to.

In FIG. 2, the temperature controller (5) is formed separately from the generator (7), and the chemical solution in the chemical solution container (3) is delivered by a pump (P). There is. Further, a fan (22) is attached to the lid body (13), and the fan (2)
By the stirring of 2), the inside of the developing chamber (10) is quickly saturated with the chemical solution discharged from the discharging means (2).

In the embodiments of FIGS. 1 and 2 described above, only the developing solution was taken as the chemical solution to be used in the developing process, but the pre-treatment and post-treatment solutions are the same as in the case of the developing solution. Needless to say, the present invention is applied. In addition to the constant temperature heat medium, not only the heat exchange chamber (30),
It is also circulated in the heat exchange chamber (14),
The constant temperature heat medium may be circulated only in the heat exchange chamber (30) without providing the heat exchange chamber (14).

(Effects of the Invention) As described above, the present invention provides a heating medium chamber (3) that accommodates the control means (A) inside the developing tank (1).
0) is provided and a constant temperature heat medium generator (7) is formed, and the constant temperature heat medium generator (7) is connected to the inside of the heat medium chamber (30) through pipes (76) (77). Then, the constant temperature heat medium is circulated in the heat medium chamber (30), and the constant temperature heat medium is brought into contact with the control means (A), so that the constant temperature heat medium is supplied from the control means (A). The temperature of the chemical solution to be used in the development process such as the developing solution, the pretreatment solution, and the posttreatment solution can be arbitrarily set, and the set temperature can be maintained with high accuracy.

Therefore, it is possible to minimize variations in resist sensitivity due to temperature changes of a chemical such as a developing solution, and to improve product retention of a development target such as a semiconductor wafer.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic explanatory view showing a first embodiment of a developing device of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a schematic explanatory view showing the second embodiment, and FIGS. 3 and 4 are schematic explanatory views showing a conventional example. is there. (1) …… Developing tank (2) …… Discharging means (3) …… Chemical liquid container (5) …… Temperature regulator (6) …… Liquid transfer pipe (7) …… Constant temperature heat medium generator (30) …… Heat medium chamber (61) …… Control valve (62) …… Strainer (76) (77) …… Piping (A) …… Control means (W) …… Development target.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A developing tank (1) is equipped with a means for holding a material to be developed (W), and a solution for development is supplied to the material to be developed (W) held by the holding means. A resist developing device in which control means (A) is provided, and the control means (A) is connected to a chemical liquid container (3) through a temperature controller (5), and is provided outside the developing tank (1). A heat medium chamber (30) for accommodating the control means (A) is provided, and a constant temperature heat medium generator (7) is formed, and the constant temperature heat medium generator (7) is used for the heat medium chamber (30). )
Is connected to the inside of the heating medium via pipes (76) and (77), and the constant temperature heating medium is circulated in the heating medium chamber (30), and the constant temperature heating medium is brought into contact with the control means (A). A resist developing device characterized by the above.