U.S. patent application number 09/880067 was filed with the patent office on 2001-12-20 for exposure apparatus, substrate processing unit and lithographic system, and device manufacturing method.
This patent application is currently assigned to NIKON CORPORATION. Invention is credited to Fujita, Hiroyasu.
Application Number | 20010053291 09/880067 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 26593973 |
Filed Date | 2001-12-20 |
United States Patent
Application |
20010053291 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Fujita, Hiroyasu |
December 20, 2001 |
Exposure apparatus, substrate processing unit and lithographic
system, and device manufacturing method
Abstract
The exposure apparatus and the substrate processing unit is
connected via an in-line I/F portion. In addition, information on
the substrate carriage is communicated in between the control unit
of the exposure apparatus side and the control unit of the
substrate processing unit, and both units decide their next
operation that contribute to improving the processing capacity
related to the wafer carriage, before actually starting the
operation. Therefore, the throughput of the series of wafer
processing performed by the substrate processing unit and the
exposure apparatus can be improved, and as a consequence, becomes
possible to improve the productivity of the device. In this case,
for example, information on the predicted time or the expected time
when the substrate can be received or sent out is reciprocally
communicated between both units.
Inventors: |
Fujita, Hiroyasu; (Tokyo,
JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
OBLON SPIVAK MCCLELLAND MAIER & NEUSTADT PC
FOURTH FLOOR
1755 JEFFERSON DAVIS HIGHWAY
ARLINGTON
VA
22202
US
|
Assignee: |
NIKON CORPORATION
Tokyo
JP
|
Family ID: |
26593973 |
Appl. No.: |
09/880067 |
Filed: |
June 14, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
396/564 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G03F 7/708 20130101;
G03F 7/70716 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
396/564 |
International
Class: |
G03D 003/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jun 15, 2000 |
JP |
2000-179,407 |
May 17, 2001 |
JP |
2001-148,056 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An exposure apparatus which is in-line connected with a
substrate processing unit, said exposure apparatus comprising: a
substrate carriage system which carries a substrate and delivers a
substrate between said substrate processing unit via a delivery
portion; and a control unit which structures a control system to
control said substrate carriage system, said control unit
performing at least one of transmitting and receiving specific
information between said substrate processing unit in advance to
decide an operation that contributes to improvement in processing
capacity related to substrate carriage.
2. The exposure apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said
control unit transmits information to said substrate processing
unit so that said substrate processing unit can decide its
following operation that contributes to improvement in processing
capacity related to substrate carriage, said information
transmitted prior to starting said following operation as said
specific information.
3. The exposure apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said
information includes one of a predicted time and an expected time
until said substrate carriage system is capable of receiving a
substrate.
4. The exposure apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said
information includes information so as to make said substrate
processing unit side withhold carriage of a substrate to said
delivery portion.
5. The exposure apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said
information includes one of a predicted time and an expected time
until said substrate carriage system is capable of sending out a
substrate.
6. The exposure apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said
information includes information so as to make said substrate
processing unit side withhold operations to receive a substrate at
said delivery portion.
7. The exposure apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said
control unit further receives information related to substrate
carriage from said substrate processing unit as said specific
information, and based on said information, determines in advance
its following operation that contributes to improvement in
processing capacity related to substrate carriage.
8. The exposure apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said
control unit receives information related to substrate carriage
from said substrate processing unit as said specific information,
and based on said information, determines in advance its following
operation that contributes to improvement in processing capacity
related to substrate carriage.
9. The exposure apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said
information includes one of a predicted time and an expected time
until said substrate processing unit side is capable of sending out
a substrate.
10. The exposure apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said
information includes information so as to make said substrate
carriage system withhold operations to receive a substrate at said
delivery portion.
11. The exposure apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said
information includes one of a predicted time and an expected time
until said substrate processing unit side is capable of receiving a
substrate.
12. The exposure apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said
information includes information so as to make said substrate
carriage system withhold operations to send out a substrate to said
delivery portion.
13. A substrate processing unit which is in-line connected with an
exposure apparatus, said substrate processing unit comprising: a
substrate carriage system which carries a substrate and delivers a
substrate between said exposure apparatus via a delivery portion;
and a control unit which structures a control system to control
said substrate carriage system, said control unit performing at
least one of transmitting and receiving specific information
between said exposure apparatus in advance to decide an operation
that contributes to improvement in processing capacity related to
substrate carriage.
14. The substrate processing unit according to claim 13, wherein
said control unit transmits information to said exposure apparatus
so that said exposure apparatus can decide its following operation
that contributes to improvement in processing capacity related to
substrate carriage, said information transmitted prior to starting
said following operation as said specific information.
15. The substrate processing unit according to claim 14, wherein
said information includes one of a predicted time and an expected
time until said substrate carriage system is capable of receiving
said substrate.
16. The substrate processing unit according to claim 14, wherein
said information includes information so as to make said exposure
apparatus side withhold carriage of a substrate to said delivery
portion.
17. The substrate processing unit according to claim 14, wherein
said information includes one of a predicted time and an expected
time until said substrate carriage system is capable of sending out
a substrate.
18. The substrate processing unit according to claim 14, wherein
said information includes information so as to make said exposure
apparatus side withhold operations to receive a substrate at said
delivery portion.
19. The substrate processing unit according to claim 14, wherein
said control unit further receives information related to substrate
carriage from said exposure apparatus as said specific information,
and based on said information, determines in advance its following
operation that contributes to improvement in processing capacity
related to substrate carriage.
20. The substrate processing unit according to claim 13, wherein
said control unit receives information related to substrate
carriage from said exposure apparatus as said specific information,
and based on said information, determines in advance its following
operation that contributes to improvement in processing capacity
related to substrate carriage.
21. The substrate processing unit according to claim 20, wherein
said information includes one of a predicted time and an expected
time until said exposure apparatus side is capable of sending out a
substrate.
22. The substrate processing unit according to claim 20, wherein
said information includes information so as to make said substrate
carriage system withhold operations to receive a substrate at said
delivery portion.
23. The substrate processing unit according to claim 20, wherein
said information includes one of a predicted time and an expected
time until said exposure apparatus side is capable of receiving a
substrate.
24. The substrate processing unit according to claim 20, wherein
said information includes information so as to make said substrate
carriage system withhold operations to send out a substrate to said
delivery portion.
25. A lithographic system, said system comprising: an exposure
apparatus; and a substrate processing unit which is in-line
connected to said exposure apparatus, said processing unit
transmitting and receiving information related to carriage of a
substrate between said exposure apparatus, wherein at least one of
said exposure apparatus and said substrate processing unit decides
its following operation that contributes to improvement in
processing capacity related to substrate carriage based on said
information, prior to starting said following operation.
26. The lithographic system according to claim 25, wherein said
information transmitted and received between said exposure
apparatus and said substrate processing unit includes withholding
information to make a unit other than itself withhold carriage
operations of a substrate, and when said withholding information is
concurrently sent by both said exposure apparatus and said
substrate processing unit, a unit to which preference is given in
advance sends information to said unit other than itself to dismiss
its withholding request, and said unit other than itself withdraws
said withholding request in accordance with said dismissal request
information.
27. The lithographic system according to claim 25, said
lithographic system further comprising a separate unit which acts
as an intermediary when said information is transmitted and
received between said exposure apparatus and said substrate
processing unit.
28. The lithographic system according to claim 25, said
lithographic system further comprising: a superior unit which has
total control over said exposure apparatus and said substrate
processing unit, wherein said information transmitted and received
between said exposure apparatus and said substrate processing unit
includes withholding information to make a unit other than itself
withhold carriage operations of a substrate, and when said
withholding information is concurrently sent by both said exposure
apparatus and said substrate processing unit, said superior unit
may totally judge from the viewpoint of improving the processing
capacity to send information to one of a predetermined unit to
dismiss its withholding request to make said predetermined unit
withdraw said withholding request.
29. A device manufacturing method to manufacture a device using a
lithographic system which comprises an exposure apparatus and a
substrate processing unit in-line connected to said exposure
apparatus, said device manufacturing method comprising:
transmitting and receiving information related to carriage of a
substrate between said exposure apparatus and said substrate
processing unit; and at least one of said exposure apparatus and
said substrate processing unit decides its following operation that
contributes to improvement in processing capacity related to
substrate carriage based on said information, prior to starting
said following operation.
30. A device manufacturing method including a lithographic process,
wherein said exposure apparatus according to claim 1 is used in
said lithographic process.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to an exposure apparatus, a
substrate processing unit and a lithographic system, and adevice
manufacturing method. More particularly, the present invention
relates to an exposure apparatus used in a lithographic process
when producing a semiconductor element, a liquid crystal display, a
plasma display, a thin film magnetic head, an image pick-up device
(CCD), a microdevice such as a micromachine, and furthermore, a
photomask (reticle) and the like, a substrate processing unit which
is in-line connected to the exposure apparatus, and a lithographic
system which arrangement includes the exposure apparatus and the
substrate processing unit, and a device manufacturing method
employing the exposure apparatus and the lithographic system.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] In the lithographic process to produce a microdevice such as
a semiconductor element and the like referred to above, various
exposure apparatus were used in general. In recent years, the
exposure apparatus that transfers a pattern formed on a mask or a
reticle (hereinafter generally referred to as a "reticle") onto a
substrate such as a wafer or a glass plate (hereinafter generally
referred to as a "wafer") coated with a photoresist (photosensitive
agent) via a projection optical system is mainly used. Of the
exposure apparatus, the reduction projection exposure apparatus
(the so-called stepper) based on the step-and-repeat method was the
mainstream. However, the usage of the scanning type exposure
apparatus (the so-called scanning stepper) based on the
step-and-scan method, which performs exposure by synchronously
scanning the reticle and the wafer in respect to the projection
optical system, has lately increased.
[0005] The lithographic process includes a resist coating process
to coat the resist onto the surface of the wafer and a development
process to develop the wafer after completing the reticle pattern
transfer, performed before and after the exposure process that uses
the exposure apparatus. And in the resist coating process and the
development process, a coating/development unit called a coater
developer (hereinafter abbreviated as "C/D") is used. This coater
developer has the function of both a resist coating unit (a coater)
such as a spin coater which, for example, spins the wafer at a high
speed and utilizes the rotation of the wafer to evenly coat drops
of resist dripped onto the surface of the wafer, or a scan coater
which relatively moves the nozzle and the wafer, and a development
unit (a developer).
[0006] In the lithographic process, a system arrangement, which is
widely called as an in-line connection, is frequently employed.
With the in-line connection, the C/D is arranged, for example, on
the left, right, or the front (or the back) of the exposure
apparatus and is connected directly or via a connecting portion to
the exposure apparatus, and the body subject to processing (wafer
subject to processing) is carried automatically in between the C/D
and the exposure apparatus. The purpose for employing this system
arrangement is to avoid complication when delivering the processing
lot (the wafer lot subject to processing) to each of the resist
coating process, the exposure process, and the development process,
and to also improve the throughput while maintaining the chemical
properties in the chemically amplified resist, which is a type of
resist with high sensitivity frequently used nowadays.
[0007] In the lithographic system employing such an in-line
connection between the exposure apparatus and the C/D, in most
cases, a delivery portion is arranged in between the exposure
apparatus and the C/D to perform delivery of the wafer between
these units. In addition, the C/D has a carriage system within the
unit that circulates the wafer subject to processing under a fixed
process between the coating portion where the coating process is
performed and the development portion where the development process
is performed. The exposure apparatus also has a carriage system
within the unit, and circulates the wafer subject to processing
between the wafer stage where the exposure is performed and the
delivery portion.
[0008] Moreover, with the lithographic process described above, in
many cases, a cooling portion and a bake portion are arranged when
necessary. Furthermore, a buffer portion to temporarily house the
wafer subject to processing is also arranged when necessary.
[0009] In the lithographic system employing the in-line connection
of the exposure apparatus and the C/D, when delivery of the wafer
is performed at the delivery portion, the exposure apparatus and
the C/D communicate with each other so that the delivery of the
wafer is performed without fail. Therefore, the exposure apparatus
and the C/D respectively have a control portion that performs
communication and carriage control.
[0010] In the conventional lithographic system, however, the
exposure apparatus and the C/D communicated on issues related to
the delivery of the wafer at the delivery portion such as the
delivery request, the possibility/forbiddance of delivery, and the
completion of delivery and the like only real time, step by
step.
[0011] This caused circumstances such as the exposure apparatus not
being able to receive the wafer, when the C/D circulates the wafer
under the fixed procedure so as to perform optimal carriage within
the unit and tries to deliver the wafer that has not yet been
exposed during the carriage to the exposure apparatus through the
delivery portion. Or, the C/D could not receive the wafer that has
completed exposure at the exposure apparatus side through the
delivery portion, because the wafer had not yet arrived at the
delivery portion. This situation led to a longer waiting time, and
in some cases, the delivery ended in failure since no wafers were
ready for delivery due to the difference in timing of the
circulation carriage within the respective units, and the wafer
carriage was suspended until the next circulation timing.
[0012] Whereas, with the exposure apparatus, the operation is
efficient when the wafer is processed continuously on the wafer
stage. Therefore, in order to avoid the situation where there are
no wafers to process on the wafer stage as much as possible, the
loading of the wafer onto the wafer stage and the unloading of the
wafer from the wafer stage need to be performed alternately or
simultaneously. With the wafers that have been exposed, the wafers
need to be unloaded without the time spent on each wafer differing
and sent to the next process of bake/development performed by the
C/D as quickly as possible, since the chemical change of the wafer
is continuous.
[0013] Considering such circumstances, the exposure apparatus side
performs wafer carriage in the order of loading the wafer into the
apparatus and then unloading the wafer outside the apparatus. There
were times, however, when the exposure apparatus tried to receive
the wafer that has not yet been exposed from the delivery portion
but could not since the C/D side had not yet delivered the wafer,
or, when the exposure apparatus tried to deliver the wafer that has
completed exposure to the C/D through the delivery portion but
could not since the C/D side was not in a state to receive the
wafer. In these cases, the exposure apparatus waits for a certain
period and monitors the situation to see if the wafer that has not
yet gone through the exposure process is delivered. And if the
wafer is not delivered and exposure process is completed at that
stage, the exposure apparatus suspends the wafer loading, and
switches the circulation operation to the unloading operation of
the wafer that has completed the exposure process. Therefore, the
situation occurred at times where the delivery ended in failure or
where the exposure apparatus had to wait for delivery at the
delivery portion.
[0014] The description above describes the case when the carriage
system of the exposure apparatus performs the loading and unloading
of the wafer alternately, however, even if the carriage system
performs the loading simultaneously, the restrictions at the
delivery portion inevitably cause the exposure apparatus to wait
for the delivery of the wafer.
[0015] That is, the C/D unit and the exposure apparatus were
capable of respectively completing their predetermined procedures
and operating in optimal on their own. However, when the C/D unit
and the exposure apparatus were linked to each other with the
delivery portion as the center, the circulation operation of the
wafer carriage on the C/D side did not correspond with the
circulation operation of the wafer carriage on the exposure
apparatus side. This situation often caused a waste of time in
waiting for the wafer and also caused the delivery to end in
failure, which led to a decrease in throughput.
[0016] Nevertheless, the decrease in throughput due to the waiting
time and the failure in delivery was not a serious problem, since
conventionally, the size of the wafer used was mainly 8 inches
(approximately 200 mm) and under in diameter and the wafer control
was performed per lot.
[0017] The wafer, however, is becoming larger in size with higher
integration of the semiconductor element, and in future, it is said
that the wafer having the diameter of 12 inches (approximately 300
mm) will become mainstream and the wafer control per wafer will
become mandatory. With the practice performing such wafer control,
it is certain that the decrease in throughput due to the waiting
time and the failure in delivery referred to above will be a more
serious problem, compared with the conventional practice.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0018] The present invention has been made in consideration of the
circumstances described above, and has as its first object to
provide an exposure apparatus that is in-line connected with a
substrate processing unit and is capable of improving the
throughput in a series of substrate processing.
[0019] It is the second object of the present invention to provide
a substrate processing unit that is in-line connected with an
exposure apparatus and is capable of improving the throughput in a
series of substrate processing.
[0020] And, it is the third object of the present invention to
provide a lithographic system and a device manufacturing method
that can improve the productivity of a device by improving the
throughput in a series of substrate processing.
[0021] According to the first aspect of this invention, there is
provided an exposure apparatus which is in-line connected with a
substrate processing unit, the exposure apparatus comprising: a
substrate carriage system which carries a substrate and delivers a
substrate between the substrate processing unit via a delivery
portion; and a control unit which structures a control system to
control the substrate carriage system, the control unit performing
at least one of transmitting and receiving specific information
between the substrate processing unit in advance to decide an
operation that contributes to improvement in processing capacity
related to substrate carriage.
[0022] In this description, the term "information" is used in a
broad sense, and includes the concept of signals other than data or
a group of data.
[0023] According to the exposure apparatus, the control unit at
least transmits or receives in advance specific information between
the substrate processing unit, to decide its operation that
contributes to improvement in processing capacity related to
substrate carriage. For example, in the case the control unit
transmits the specific information to the substrate processing unit
in advance, it can make the substrate processing unit decide its
operation that contributes to improvement in processing capacity
related to substrate carriage before the operation actually begins.
On the other hand, when the control unit receives the specific
information from the substrate processing unit in advance, it can
decide its operation that contributes to improvement in processing
capacity related to substrate carriage before the operation
actually begins.
[0024] Accordingly, in either case, the processing capacity in the
series of substrate processing performed by the substrate
processing unit and the exposure apparatus, in other words, the
throughput can be improved. Especially, when the control unit
receives the specific information from the substrate processing
unit in advance, as well as transmits the specific information to
the substrate processing unit in advance, it can decide its own
operation that contributes to improvement in processing capacity
related to substrate carriage before the operation actually begins,
in addition to making the substrate processing unit decide its
operation that contributes to improvement in processing capacity
related to substrate carriage before the operation actually begins.
Therefore, it becomes possible to improve the throughput in the
series of substrate processing performed by the substrate
processing unit and the exposure apparatus to the utmost.
[0025] In this case, the control unit can transmit information to
the substrate processing unit so that the substrate processing unit
can decide its following operation that contributes to improvement
in processing capacity related to substrate carriage, the
information transmitted prior to starting the following operation
as the specific information. In such a case, the control unit
transmits information to make the substrate processing unit decide
its following operation that contributes to improvement in
processing capacity related to substrate carriage to the in-line
connected substrate processing unit, prior to the start of the
following operation. So, when the substrate processing unit
receives the information, it can decide to perform the specific
operation that contributes to improvement in processing capacity
related to substrate carriage as its following operation
beforehand, that is, decide to perform the specific operation
before actually starting the specific operation. Accordingly, it
becomes possible to improve the throughput in the series of
substrate processing performed by the substrate processing unit and
the exposure apparatus.
[0026] In this case, the information can include one of a predicted
time and an expected time until the substrate carriage system is
capable of receiving a substrate. In such a case, since the
substrate processing unit side can acknowledge the timing when the
substrate carriage system of the exposure apparatus side can
receive the substrate, it can decide its next operation related to
substrate carriage so that the substrate can be delivered with the
least time wasted. For example, when the time until the substrate
carriage system of the exposure apparatus side can receive the
substrate is short, such as one or two seconds, then, the substrate
processing system can wait to deliver the substrate, whereas, if
the waiting time is long, then it can suspend delivering the
substrate and just receive the substrate from the delivery portion.
Then, the loss of time can be reduced.
[0027] Or, the information can include information so as to make
the substrate processing unit side withhold carriage of a substrate
to the delivery portion. In such a case, for example, the control
unit sends information to the substrate processing unit such as to
wait for a predetermined seconds to carry the substrate to the
delivery portion until the substrate can be received. In this case,
also, the substrate processing unit can decide its operation
related to efficient carriage of the substrate so as to reduce the
loss of time as much as possible, depending on the waiting
time.
[0028] Or, the information can include one of a predicted time and
an expected time until the substrate carriage system is capable of
sending out a substrate. In such a case, for example, if the
substrate that has been exposed is to be delivered from the
exposure apparatus side within a few seconds, the substrate
processing unit which receives the information can wait for a few
seconds upon receiving the substrate. Thus, the delivery does not
have to end in failure, and can be efficiently performed.
[0029] Or, the information can include information so as to make
the substrate processing unit side withhold operations to receive a
substrate at the delivery portion. In such a case, for example, the
control unit sends information to the substrate processing unit
such as to wait for a predetermined seconds so that the substrate
can be delivered. In this case, as well, the substrate processing
unit can decide its operation related to efficient carriage of the
substrate so as to reduce the loss of time as much as possible,
depending on the waiting time.
[0030] With the exposure apparatus according to the present
invention, in the case the control unit transmits information to
the substrate processing unit so that the substrate processing unit
can decide its following operation that contributes to improvement
in processing capacity related to substrate carriage, prior to
starting the following operation as the specific information, the
control unit can further receive information related to substrate
carriage from the substrate processing unit as the specific
information, and based on the information, can determine in advance
its following operation that contributes to improvement in
processing capacity related to substrate carriage. In such a case,
the control unit receives information related to substrate carriage
from the substrate processing unit, and based on the information,
decides in advance its following operation that contributes to
improvement in processing capacity related to wafer carriage.
Therefore, in addition to the efficiency related to the substrate
carriage on the substrate processing unit side, the efficiency
related to the substrate carriage on the exposure unit side is also
improved. Accordingly, it becomes possible to further improve the
throughput in the series of substrate processing performed by the
substrate processing unit and the exposure apparatus.
[0031] With the exposure apparatus according to the present
invention, the control unit can receive information related to
substrate carriage from the substrate processing unit as the
specific information, and based on the information, can determine
in advance its following operation that contributes to improvement
in processing capacity related to substrate carriage. In such a
case, the control unit receives information related to substrate
carriage from the substrate processing unit, and based on the
information, determines in advance its following operation that
contributes to improvement in processing capacity related to
substrate carriage. Therefore, the processing capacity in the
series of substrate processing operation performed by the substrate
processing unit and the exposure apparatus, that is, the
throughput, can be improved.
[0032] In this case, the information can include one of a predicted
time and an expected time until the substrate processing unit side
is capable of sending out a substrate. In such a case, the control
unit can acknowledge the timing when the substrate processing unit
side can deliver the substrate; therefore, it can decide its next
operation related to substrate carriage so that the substrate can
be received with the least time wasted. For example, when the time
until the substrate processing unit side can deliver the substrate
is short, such as one or two seconds, then, the control unit can
wait to receive the substrate, whereas, if the waiting time is
long, then it can suspend receiving the substrate and just deliver
the substrate. Then, the loss of time can be reduced. That is,
fruitless operation such as waiting for a certain period of time to
receive the substrate can be avoided.
[0033] Or, the information can include information so as to make
the substrate carriage system withhold operations to receive a
substrate at the delivery portion. In such a case, for example, the
substrate processing unit sends information to the control unit
such as to wait for a predetermined seconds until the substrate can
be delivered. In this case, as well, the control unit can decide
its operation related to the most efficient carriage of the
substrate possible, according to the waiting time.
[0034] Or, the information can include one of a predicted time and
an expected time until the substrate processing unit side is
capable of receiving a substrate. In such a case, for example, if
the substrate that has been exposed can be received by the
substrate processing unit side within a few seconds, the control
unit, which receives the information, can wait for a few seconds to
deliver the substrate. And if a long wait is required until the
substrate can be received, then it becomes possible to perform
other operations first, such as receiving operations, and then
deliver the substrate to the substrate processing unit. Thus, the
delivery does not have to end in failure, and the efficiency is
improved.
[0035] Or, the information can include information so as to make
the substrate carriage system withhold operations to send out a
substrate to the delivery portion. In such a case, for example, the
substrate processing unit sends information to the control unit
such as to wait for a predetermined seconds until the substrate can
be received. In this case, as well, the control unit can decide its
operation related to the most efficient carriage of the substrate
possible, in accordance with the waiting time.
[0036] According to the second aspect of this invention, there is
provided a substrate processing unit which is in-line connected
with an exposure apparatus, the substrate processing unit
comprising: a substrate carriage system which carries a substrate
and delivers a substrate between the exposure apparatus unit via a
delivery portion; and a control unit which structures a control
system to control the substrate carriage system, the control unit
performing at least one of transmitting and receiving specific
information between the exposure apparatus in advance to decide an
operation that contributes to improvement in processing capacity
related to substrate carriage.
[0037] With the substrate processing unit, the control unit at
least transmits or receives in advance specific information between
the exposure apparatus, to decide its operation that contributes to
improvement in processing capacity related to substrate carriage.
For example, in the case the control unit transmits the specific
information to the exposure apparatus in advance, it can make the
exposure apparatus decide its operation that contributes to
improvement in processing capacity related to substrate carriage
before the operation actually begins. On the other hand, when the
control unit receives the specific information from the exposure
apparatus in advance, it can decide its operation that contributes
to improvement in processing capacity related to substrate carriage
before the operation actually begins.
[0038] Accordingly, in either case, the processing capacity in the
series of substrate processing performed by the substrate
processing unit and the exposure apparatus, in other words, the
throughput can be improved. Especially, when the control unit
receives the specific information from the exposure apparatus in
advance, as well as transmits the specific information to the
exposure apparatus in advance, it can decide its own operation that
contributes to improvement in processing capacity related to
substrate carriage before the operation actually begins, in
addition to making the exposure apparatus decide its operation that
contributes to improvement in processing capacity related to
substrate carriage before the operation actually begins. Therefore,
it becomes possible to improve the throughput in the series of
substrate processing performed by the substrate processing unit and
the exposure apparatus to the utmost.
[0039] In this case, the control unit can transmit information to
the exposure apparatus so that the exposure apparatus can decide
its following operation that contributes to improvement in
processing capacity related to substrate carriage, the information
transmitted prior to starting the following operation as the
specific information. In such a case, the control unit transmits
information to make the exposure apparatus decide its following
operation that contributes to improvement in processing capacity
related to substrate carriage to the in-line connected exposure
apparatus, prior to the start of the following operation. So, when
the exposure apparatus receives the information, it can decide to
perform the specific operation that contributes to improvement in
processing capacity related to substrate carriage as its following
operation beforehand, that is, decide to perform the specific
operation before actually starting the specific operation.
Accordingly, it becomes possible to improve the processing capacity
in the series of substrate processing performed by the exposure
apparatus and the substrate processing unit, that is, to improve
the throughput.
[0040] In this case, the information may include one of a predicted
time and an expected time until the substrate carriage system is
capable of receiving a substrate, or the information may include
information so as to make the exposure apparatus side withhold
carriage of a substrate to the delivery portion, or the information
may include one of a predicted time and an expected time until the
substrate carriage system is capable of sending out a substrate, or
the information may include information so as to make the exposure
apparatus side withhold operations to receive a substrate at the
delivery portion.
[0041] With the substrate processing unit according to the present
invention, when the control unit transmits information to the
exposure apparatus so that the exposure apparatus can decide its
following operation that contributes to improvement in processing
capacity related to substrate carriage, and the information is
transmitted prior to starting the following operation as the
specific information, the control unit can further receive
information related to substrate carriage from the exposure
apparatus as the specific information, and based on the
information, can determine in advance its following operation that
contributes to improvement in processing capacity related to
substrate carriage. In such a case, the control unit receives
information related to substrate carriage from the exposure
apparatus, and based on the information, decides in advance its
following operation that contributes to improvement in processing
capacity related to wafer carriage. Therefore, in addition to the
efficiency related to the substrate carriage on the exposure
apparatus side, the efficiency related to the substrate carriage on
the substrate processing unit side is also improved. Accordingly,
it becomes possible to further improve the throughput in the series
of substrate processing performed by the substrate processing unit
and the exposure apparatus.
[0042] With the substrate processing unit according to the present
invention, the control unit can receive information related to
substrate carriage from the exposure apparatus as the specific
information, and based on the information, can determine in advance
its following operation that contributes to improvement in
processing capacity related to substrate carriage. In such a case,
the control unit receives information related to substrate carriage
from the exposure apparatus, and based on the information,
determines in advance its following operation that contributes to
improvement in processing capacity related to substrate carriage.
Therefore, the processing capacity in the series of substrate
processing operation performed by the substrate processing unit and
the exposure apparatus, that is, the throughput, can be
improved.
[0043] In this case, the information may include one of a predicted
time and an expected time until the exposure apparatus side is
capable of sending out a substrate, or the information may include
information so as to make the substrate carriage system withhold
operations to receive a substrate at the delivery portion, or the
information may include one of a predicted time and an expected
time until the exposure apparatus side is capable of receiving a
substrate, or the information may include information so as to make
the substrate carriage system withhold operations to send out a
substrate to the delivery portion.
[0044] According to the third aspect of this invention, there is
provided a lithographic system, the system comprising: an exposure
apparatus; and a substrate processing unit which is in-line
connected to the exposure apparatus, the processing unit
transmitting and receiving information related to carriage of a
substrate between the exposure apparatus, wherein at least one of
the exposure apparatus and the substrate processing unit decides
its following operation that contributes to improvement in
processing capacity related to substrate carriage based on the
information, prior to starting the following operation.
[0045] With the lithographic system, information related to
substrate carriage is transmitted and received between the exposure
apparatus and the substrate processing unit, and by at least either
of the unit, its following operation that contributes to
improvement in processing capacity related to substrate carriage is
decided prior to starting the operation based on the information.
This allows the processing capacity in the series of substrate
processing performed by the substrate processing unit and the
exposure apparatus, in other words, the throughput to be improved,
and as a consequence, becomes possible to improve the productivity
of the device. Especially in the case when both units decide their
following operation that contributes to improvement in processing
capacity related to substrate carriage prior to starting the
operation based on the information, the throughput can be improved
to the utmost.
[0046] In this case, for example, information on the predicted time
or the expected time until the substrate can be received or sent
out can be reciprocally notified between both units.
[0047] With the lithographic system in the present invention, in
the case the information transmitted and received between the
exposure apparatus and the substrate processing unit includes
withholding information to make a unit other than itself withhold
carriage operations of a substrate, and the withholding information
is concurrently sent by both the exposure apparatus and the
substrate processing unit, a unit to which preference is given in
advance can send information to the unit other than itself to
dismiss its withholding request, and the unit other than itself can
withdraw the withholding request in accordance with the dismissal
request information. In such a case, likewise as above, the
processing capacity in the series of substrate processing performed
by the substrate processing unit and the exposure apparatus, in
other words, the throughput can be improved.
[0048] With the lithographic system according to the present
invention, the information may be communicated directly between the
exposure apparatus and the substrate processing unit, or the
lithographic system may further comprise a separate unit which acts
as an intermediary when the information is transmitted and received
between the exposure apparatus and the substrate processing
unit.
[0049] With the lithographic system according to the present
invention, in the case the lithographic system further comprises: a
superior unit which has total control over the exposure apparatus
and the substrate processing unit, the information transmitted and
received between the exposure apparatus and the substrate
processing unit can include withholding information to make a unit
other than itself withhold carriage operations of a substrate, and
when the withholding information is concurrently sent by both the
exposure apparatus and the substrate processing unit, the superior
unit may totally judge from the viewpoint of improving the
processing capacity to send information to one of a predetermined
unit to dismiss its withholding request to make the predetermined
unit withdraw the withholding request.
[0050] According to the fourth aspect of this invention, there is
provided a first device manufacturing method to manufacture a
device using a lithographic system which comprises an exposure
apparatus and a substrate processing unit in-line connected to the
exposure apparatus, the device manufacturing method comprising:
transmitting and receiving information related to carriage of a
substrate between the exposure apparatus and the substrate
processing unit; and at least one of the exposure apparatus and the
substrate processing unit decides its following operation that
contributes to improvement in processing capacity related to
substrate carriage based on the information, prior to starting the
following operation.
[0051] With this method, the processing capacity in the series of
substrate processing performed by the substrate processing unit and
the exposure apparatus, in other words, the throughput, can be
improved, and as a consequence, it becomes possible to improve the
productivity of the device. Especially, in the case when both units
decide their following operation that contributes to improvement in
processing capacity related to substrate carriage prior to starting
the operation based on the information, the throughput can be
improved to the utmost.
[0052] In addition, in the case the exposure apparatus according to
the present invention is used in the lithographic process, since
the exposure apparatus is used having in-line connection with the
substrate processing unit, the throughput in the series of
substrate processing performed by these units can be improved, and
this consequently allows the productivity of the device
manufactured to be improved. Accordingly, from another aspect of
the present invention, there is provided a second device
manufacturing method that uses the exposure apparatus of the
present invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0053] In the accompanying drawings:
[0054] FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing the arrangement of the
lithographic system of an embodiment related to the present
invention;
[0055] FIG. 2 is an enlarged diagonal view showing the in-line
delivery portion in FIG. 1;
[0056] FIG. 3 is a diagonal view showing another arrangement
example of the in-line delivery portion;
[0057] FIG. 4 is a block diagram schematically showing an
arrangement of the control system related to wafer carriage in the
lithographic system in FIG. 1;
[0058] FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing an arrangement of a
control system related to wafer carriage in the lithographic system
in a modified example;
[0059] FIG. 6 is a flow chart for explaining an embodiment of a
device manufacturing method according to the present invention;
and
[0060] FIG. 7 is a flow chart showing the processing in step 304 in
FIG. 6.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0061] An embodiment of the present invention will be described
below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4.
[0062] FIG. 1 shows an arrangement of a lithographic system related
to the embodiment, which includes the exposure apparatus and the
substrate processing unit related to the present invention.
[0063] The lithographic system 100, shown in FIG. 1, comprises an
exposure apparatus 10, a C/D 50 serving as a substrate processing
unit, and an in-line interface portion (hereinafter referred to as
the "in-line I/F portion") 110 which in-line connects the exposure
apparatus 10 and the C/D 50. This lithographic system 100 is
arranged in a clean room.
[0064] Hereinafter, for the sake of convenience, the landscape
direction in FIG. 1 is described as the X-axis direction, the
direction perpendicular to the X-axis direction (the portrait
direction) in FIG. 1 is described as the Y-axis direction, and the
direction perpendicular to the X-axis and Y-axis, in other words,
perpendicular to the surface of the page, is described as the
Z-axis direction.
[0065] As is shown in FIG. 1, the exposure apparatus 10 comprises a
chamber 16 which interior is divided into an exposure chamber 12A
and a loader chamber 12B by a partition wall 14. The partition wall
14 is arranged slightly below the center in the Y-axis direction,
on the -Y side. Of these chambers, a large portion of the wafer
loader system 40 serving as the substrate carriage system on the
exposure apparatus side is housed within the loader chamber 12B,
and the main body of the exposure apparatus (not shown in FIGS.,
the parts other than the wafer stage WST and the projection optical
system PL are omitted) which transfers the reticle pattern onto a
wafer W serving as a substrate on the wafer stage WST is housed in
the exposure chamber 12A.
[0066] The wafer loader system 40 comprises: an X guide 18 which
extends in the X-axis direction; and a Y guide 20 which is located
above the X guide 18 and extends in the Y-axis direction, serving
as a carriage guide. The Y guide 20 is arranged so that it
penetrates through the partition wall 14. In addition, on the -Y
side of the X guide 18 in the loader chamber 12B, carrier mounts
22A and 22B are arranged at a predetermined interval along the
X-axis direction, and open carriers (hereinafter abbreviated as
"OC" as appropriate) 24A and 24B capable of housing a plurality of
wafers are mounted on these carrier mounts 22A and 22B. The OCs 24A
and 24B are delivered to/from the chamber 16 through an entrance
(not shown in Figs) arranged on the side wall in the -Y side of the
chamber 16 which has a door (also not shown in Figs) that can be
opened/closed. The OCs 24A and 24B may be carried by a PGV
(Personnel Guided Vehicle) and delivered manually by an operator,
or may be carried by an AGV (Automated Guided Vehicle) and
automatically delivered. The OHT (Over Head Transfer) may of
course, be employed to respectively place the OCs 24A and 24B on to
the carrier mounts 22A and 22B from above. In addition, the OCs 24A
and 24B are used to deliver the wafer directly to the exposure
apparatus 10, without the usage of the in-line operation with the
C/D 50.
[0067] On the X guide 18, a horizontal jointed arm robot (a scalar
robot) 26 that moves along the X guide 18 and is driven by a
driving unit (not shown in FIGS.) is arranged. Also, the Y guide 20
is provided with a wafer load arm 28 and a wafer unload arm 30 that
move along the Y guide 20 and are driven by a driving unit (also
not shown in FIGS.).
[0068] Furthermore, on the -X side of the Y guide 20 in the -Y end,
in between the carrier mounts 22A and 22B, a turntable (rotation
table) 32 is arranged, and a wafer edge sensor (not shown in FIGS.)
is arranged at a predetermined interval in the Y direction apart
from the turntable 32.
[0069] Although it is omitted in the drawings, the wafer stage WST
moves two dimensionally in the XY direction on a supporting bed
held by vibration isolation pads. And the wafer stage WST holds the
wafer W onto which the reticle pattern is transferred.
[0070] Moreover, within the loader chamber 12B, a loader controller
34 is arranged. The loader controller 34 controls each portion of
the wafer loader system as well as communicates information, in
other words, communicates with the with the controller on the C/D
side via a communication channel.
[0071] The in-line I/F portion 110 comprises: a chamber 112
arranged in the -X direction of the chamber 16 structuring the
exposure apparatus 10; an in-line delivery portion 114 arranged on
the +X side within the chamber 112; and a horizontal jointed arm
robot 116 arranged on the -X side of the in-line delivery portion
114, and the like.
[0072] As is shown in FIG. 2, the in-line delivery portion 114
comprises: a base mount 122; and wafer delivery portions 124A and
124B arranged on the base mount 122 in the Y direction at a
predetermined interval, which are each made up of a set of three
supporting pins.
[0073] The in-line delivery portion is not limited to the one shown
in FIG. 2, and for example may have the structure shown in FIG. 3.
With this arrangement, the load side of the in-line delivery
portion may have a wafer delivery portion 126A and the unload side
may have a wafer delivery portion 126B that are vertically arranged
at a predetermined interval, and are driven interlocked in the
vertical direction. The wafer delivery portions 126A and 126B each
have a plate shaped member, and a set of three supporting pins
fixed on the upper surface of the plate shaped member.
[0074] Referring back to FIG. 1, within the chamber 112, a carrier
mount 118 on which a buffer carrier 120 is placed can be arranged
when necessary. The buffer carrier 120 is a temporary housing for
the wafer W.
[0075] As is shown in FIG. 1, the C/D 50 comprises two chambers, a
chamber 52 and a chamber 54 arranged adjacently along the X-axis
direction. A Y guide 56, which extends in the Y-axis direction, is
arranged within the chamber 52. On the Y guide 56, a horizontal
jointed arm robot (a scalar robot) 58 that moves along the Y guide
56 driven by a driving unit (not shown in FIGS.) is arranged.
[0076] In addition, within the chamber 52 on the -X side of the Y
guide, carrier mounts 60A, 60B, and 60C are arranged along the
Y-axis direction. On these carrier mounts 60A, 60B, and 60C, OCs
24C, 24D, and 24E are respectively arranged. The OCs 24C, 24D, and
24E are delivered to/from the chamber 52 through an entrance (not
shown in Figs) arranged on the side wall in the -X side of the
chamber 52 which has a door (also not shown in Figs) that can be
opened/closed. The OCs 24C, 24D, and 24E may be carried by a PGV
(Personnel Guided Vehicle) and delivered manually by an operator,
or may be carried by an AGV (Automated Guided Vehicle) and
automatically delivered. The OHT (Over Head Transfer) may naturally
be employed to respectively place the OCs 24C, 24D, and 24E onto
the carrier mounts 60A, 60B, and 60C from above.
[0077] Besides the arrangement above, within the chamber 52, a
coating/development controller 62 is arranged which performs
overall control of each portion structuring the C/D 50. Other than
controlling the carriage system of the wafer within the C/D 50 and
the like, the coating/development controller 62 also controls the
scalar robot 116 and the like of in the in-line I/F portion 110.
The coating/development controller 62 also communicates (other than
the realtime information on the delivery of the wafer, information
to decide the next operation that contributes to improving the
processing capacity (throughput) related to the wafer carriage is
communicated (details will be described later), that is, transmits
and receives information) with the loader controller 34 of the
exposure apparatus 10.
[0078] On the interface of the chamber 52 and the chamber 54, a
substrate delivery portion 64 is arranged slightly on the -Y side
of the center in the Y-axis direction. The substrate delivery
portion 64 is made up of a base mount, and a set of three
supporting pins fixed on the base mount.
[0079] Within the chamber 54, an X guide 66 extending in the X-axis
direction, is arranged on the +X side of the substrate delivery
portion 64. On the X guide 66, a horizontal jointed arm robot (a
scalar robot) 68 that moves along the X guide 66 driven by a
driving unit (not shown in FIGS.) is arranged.
[0080] In addition, within the chamber 54, a first development
portion 70, a second development portion 72, and a bake portion 74
are arranged sequentially from the left as is shown in FIG. 1 on
the +Y side of the X guide 66. Also, on the -Y side of the X guide
66, a first coating portion 76, a second coating portion 78, and a
cooling portion 80 are arranged, respectively facing the first
development portion 70, the second development portion 72, and the
bake portion 74.
[0081] The first coating portion 76 and the second coating portion
78 each have a spin coater. The spin coater forms a resist film
with uniform thickness on the wafer by dripping a drop of the
resist on the wafer, which is arranged horizontally, and making it
rotate. The spin coater is structured of a combination of a resist
supply system, a spin motor, and a cup, and is capable of rotating
up to several thousand times per minute.
[0082] The bake portion 74 comprises a baking unit. The baking unit
can employ methods such as the resistance heating method or the
infrared heating method. In this case, the baking unit performs
pre-bake (PB) and pre-development bake (post-exposure bake: PEB).
Pre-bake is a heat treatment conducted after the resist is coated
onto the wafer to vaporize the residual solvent in the coated film
and to strengthen the contact between the coated film and the
wafer. Since the treatment is performed before exposure, it is to
be performed at the temperature where the polymer does not
polymerize or additives do not pyrolyze. In addition, the
pre-development bake is a heat treatment that is conducted after
exposure before the development process is performed. This
treatment is performed in order to reduce deformation in the resist
pattern (resist side wall shape) due to the standing wave effect
caused in the case of exposure with light having a single
wavelength, and also for the purpose of driving catalytic reactions
in a chemically amplified resist after exposure.
[0083] The cooling portion 80 comprises, for example, a cooled flat
plate, which is called a cooling plate. This plate is cooled, for
example, with the circulation of cooling water. Or, the plate can
be electronically cooled due to the Peltier effect. With the
embodiment, the wafer, which is heated upon PB, is cooled until it
does not have any serious effect to the operation of the exposure
apparatus 10.
[0084] The first development portion 70 and the second development
portion 72 comprise development units to develop the wafer on which
the pattern image is formed on the resist on exposure by the
exposure apparatus 10. The development unit used can be any of the
spin type, the dip type, or the spray type.
[0085] Furthermore, on the interface of the chamber 54 and the
chamberl12, located on the +X side of the x-guide 66, a substrate
delivery portion 82 is arranged. The substrate delivery portion 82
is made up of a base mount, and a set of three supporting pins
fixed on the base mount.
[0086] FIG. 4 shows the arrangement of the control system of the
lithographic system 100 in a block diagram. As is shown in FIG. 4,
other than the loader controller 34, the control system of the
exposure apparatus 10 comprises a stage controller 36 to control
the wafer stage WST, the reticle stage (not shown in FIGS.), and
the like. The control system also comprises a main controller 38
that performs overall control over the whole apparatus via the
loader controller 34, the stage controller 36, and the like.
[0087] On the other hand, the control system of the C/D 50 is
structured with the coating/development controller 62 playing the
main role. The coating/development controller 62 controls the
scalar robots 58, 68, 116, and the like. In addition, in the
embodiment, the substrate carriage system of the C/D side is
structured with the scalar robots 58, 68, and 116, the X guide 66,
and the Y guide 56, and the like.
[0088] The wafer processing operation by the lithographic system
100 will be described next.
[0089] As a premise, the wafer W serving as a substrate is in a
unit (for example, 25 slices) per lot, and the lots are
respectively housed in the OCs 24A to 24E. These OC 24A, 24B, 24C,
24D, and 24E are respectively placed on the carrier mounts 22A,
22B, 60A, 60B, and 60C. The OCs 24A and 24B may be used as a buffer
within the exposure apparatus, likewise with the buffer carrier
120.
[0090] As an example, the case of processing the wafer(s) W housed
in the OC 24D will be described. The following operation of each
portion will be performed by the coating/development controller 62,
the loader controller 34 under the control of the main controller
38, and the stage controller 36, which are shown in FIG. 4.
However, for the sake of simplicity in the following description,
unless it is required, accounts on these controllers are
omitted.
[0091] First, the scalar robot 58 takes out the first wafer
(referred to as W.sub.1) from the OC 24D, and mounts it on the
substrate delivery portion 64. During this operation, the scalar
robot 68 is to be on the left edge position in FIG. 1. Then, the
scalar robot 68 takes the wafer W.sub.1 from the substrate delivery
portion 64, and loads it, for example, into first coating portion
76. Upon loading, the spin coater within the first coating portion
starts the resist coating, which was referred to earlier in the
description.
[0092] In parallel with the operation of the scalar robot 68, the
scalar robot 58 takes out the second wafer (referred to as W.sub.2)
from the OC 24D, and mounts it on the substrate delivery portion
64. The scalar robot 68 then takes the wafer W.sub.2 from the
substrate delivery portion 64 and loads it into the second coating
portion 78. And when the resist coating of the wafer W.sub.1 is
completed, the scalar robot 68 takes the wafer W.sub.1 out from the
first coating portion 76 and loads it into he bake portion 74. With
this operation, the baking unit in the bake portion 74 starts the
heat treatment (PB) of the wafer W.sub.1.
[0093] While the wafer W.sub.1 is being loaded into the bake
portion, the scalar robot 58 takes out the third wafer (referred to
as W.sub.3) from the OC 24D, and mounts it on the substrate
delivery portion 64. Then, the scalar robot 68 takes the wafer
W.sub.3 from the substrate delivery portion 64, and loads it into
the first coating portion 76.
[0094] And when the PB of the wafer W.sub.1 is completed, the
scalar robot 68 takes out the wafer W.sub.1 from the bake portion
74 and loads it into the cooling portion 80. With this operation,
the cooling operation of the wafer W.sub.1 begins in the cooling
portion 80. The target temperature of this cooling operation is set
at a temperature that does not seriously effect the operation of
the exposure apparatus 10. It is usually the same as the target
temperature of the air conditioning system in the exposure chamber
12A of the exposure apparatus 10, which is set, for example, within
the range of 20 to 25.degree. C. With the recent exposure
apparatus, since a pattern having a fine line width is formed and
transferred onto a wafer, temperature control has become an
important item. This is because even a subtle change in temperature
causes expansion/contraction of the wafer and results in various
adverse effects such as abnormal line width and overlay defects.
The target temperature upon cooling operation may be determined,
however, in consideration of temperature change in the wafer when
it is carried to the wafer stage WST of the exposure apparatus,
after the cooling is completed.
[0095] Next, the scalar robot 68 takes out the wafer W.sub.2 from
the second coating portion 78, on which the resist has been coated.
The scalar robot then loads the wafer W.sub.2 into the bake portion
80, and then takes the fourth wafer (referred to as W.sub.4) that
has already been placed on the substrate delivery portion 64 by the
scalar robot 58 and loads it into the second coating portion
78.
[0096] When the cooling of the wafer W.sub.1 is completed in the
cooling portion 80, the scalar robot 68 places the wafer W.sub.1
onto the substrate delivery portion 82. Next, the scalar robot 68
takes the wafer W.sub.2 out of the bake portion 74 after the PB of
the wafer W.sub.2 is completed, and loads it into the cooling
portion 80. The scalar robot 68 then takes out the wafer W.sub.3,
on which the resist has been coated, from the first coating portion
76, and loads it into the bake portion 74. After completing this
loading, the scalar robot 68 takes the fifth wafer (referred to as
W.sub.5) that has already been placed on the substrate delivery
portion 64 by the scalar robot 58, and loads it into the first
coating portion 76. Hereinafter, within the C/D 50, the series of
operations to the wafers such as the resist coating, the PB, and
the cooling likewise as above, are sequentially repeated with the
wafer carriage operation, and the wafer(s) W are sequentially
mounted on the substrate delivery portion 82.
[0097] In the in-line I/F portion 110, the scalar robot 116
sequentially takes the wafer(s) W, which are sequentially mounted
on the substrate delivery portion 82 and have not yet been exposed
from the substrate delivery portion 82, and passes the wafer(s)
onto the load side wafer delivery portion of the in-line delivery
portion 114. For example, the wafer(s) W are sequentially placed on
the wafer delivery portion 124A.
[0098] After a predetermined period of time has elapsed, when the
exposure on the first wafer W.sub.1 has been completed by the
exposure apparatus 10 and the wafer W.sub.1 has been carried to the
wafer delivery portion 124B by the scalar robot 26, the scalar
robot 116 repeatedly performs the operation under a predetermined
procedure of taking the wafer(s) W that have not yet been exposed
from the substrate delivery portion 82, and carrying and mounting
the wafer(s) W onto the wafer delivery portion 124A, as well as the
operation of taking the wafer(s) W that have been exposed from the
wafer delivery portion 124B, and carrying and mounting the wafer(s)
W onto the substrate delivery portion 82.
[0099] As is described previously, the wafer W.sub.1 that has been
exposed and taken from the wafer delivery portion 124B by the
scalar robot 116 of the in-line I/F portion 110 and carried and
mounted onto the substrate delivery portion 82, is loaded into the
bake portion 74 by the scalar robot 68, and the baking unit in the
bake portion 74 performs the PEB. The bake portion 74 can house a
plurality of wafers at the same time.
[0100] And when the PEB on the wafer W.sub.1 is completed, the
scalar robot 68 takes it out of the bake portion 74, and loads the
wafer W.sub.1, for example, into the first development portion 70,
and the development unit within the first development portion 70
begins the development operation.
[0101] While the development is being performed, in the case the
wafer W.sub.2 has been exposed and is mounted on the substrate
delivery portion 82, the scalar robot takes the wafer W.sub.2 from
the substrate delivery portion 82 and loads it into the bake
portion 74. With this operation, the baking unit in the bake
portion 74 starts the PEB on the wafer W.sub.2. Then, the scalar
robot 68 performs operations such as mounting the next wafer W onto
the substrate delivery portion 82 or loading the wafer W.sub.2 that
has completed the PEB into the second development portion 72, under
a predetermined procedure.
[0102] And when the development of the wafer W.sub.1 has been
completed, the scalar robot 68 takes the wafer W.sub.1 out of the
first development portion 70, and mounts it on the substrate
delivery portion 64. And finally, the scalar robot 58 takes the
wafer W.sub.1 and loads it into the predetermined housing shelf
within the OC 24D. After this operation, the PEB process, the
development process, and the carriage of the wafer are repeatedly
performed on the second wafer and onward within the C/D 50,
likewise with the procedure of the wafer W.sub.1.
[0103] To summarize the description so far, until the exposure on
the first wafer has been completed, the operation of taking out the
wafer from the OC 24D, resist coating, PB, cooling, and carriage of
the wafer with these operations are repeatedly performed in a
predetermined procedure and sequence by each portion structuring
the C/D 50 under the control of the coating/development controller
62 and by the scalar robot 116 of the in-line I/F portion 110 and
the like. Thus, the wafer(s) that has not yet been exposed are
sequentially mounted on the wafer delivery portion 124A. In
addition, immediately after the exposure on the first wafer is
completed, the operation of PEB on the wafer, wafer development,
loading of the wafer into the OC 24D, and the carriage of the wafer
with these operations are repeatedly performed in a predetermined
procedure and sequence, along with the operation of taking out the
wafer from the OC 24D, resist coating, PB, cooling, and carriage of
the wafer with these operations.
[0104] Meanwhile, with the exposure apparatus 10, first of all, the
scalar robot 26 moves along the X guide 18 to the left end
position, and receives the wafer W.sub.1 from the in-line delivery
portion 114 via the opening of the chamber 16. The scalar robot 26
then moves right, along the X guide 18, until it is positioned in
front of the turntable 32 and mounts the wafer W.sub.1 on the
turntable 32. Immediately after mounting the wafer, the scalar
robot 26 moves along the X guide 18 to the left end position to
receive the next wafer W.sub.2 The turntable 32 is then rotated by
a driving system (not shown in FIGS.), and the wafer W.sub.1 held
on the turntable 32 is also rotated. While the wafer W.sub.1 is
rotated, the wafer edge sensor detects the wafer edge, and based on
the detection signals the loader controller 34 obtains information
on the direction of the notch on the wafer W.sub.1 and the
deviation amount (direction and amount) between the center of the
wafer and the center of the turntable 32. And the loader controller
34 rotates the turntable 32 so that the notch portion of the wafer
W is set at a predetermined direction.
[0105] At this stage, the load arm 28 is set at a predetermined
wafer delivery position, and receives the wafer W.sub.1 held on the
turntable 32. Before the load arm 28 receives the wafer, it moves
to a position where it can correct the Y direction component of the
deviation amount between the center of the wafer and the center of
the turntable 32, which was obtained earlier. Then, the load arm 28
receives the wafer and starts to move along the Y guide 20 towards
the position above the wafer stage WST, which waits at a
predetermined loading position.
[0106] At this point, the scalar robot 26 has already received the
wafer W.sub.2, which has been mounted on the wafer delivery portion
124A of the in-line delivery portion 114 by the scalar robot 116.
Therefore, when the load arm 28 has moved away from the X guide 18
for more than a fixed distance, the scalar robot 26 moves right,
along the X guide 18, until it comes in front of the turntable 32,
and mounts the wafer W.sub.2 onto the turntable 32. After mounting
the wafer, the scalar robot 26 moves to a predetermined waiting
position, while the turntable begins rotation and the wafer edge
sensor starts detection of the wafer edge. Then, the loader
controller 34 obtains information on the direction of the notch on
the wafer W.sub.2 and the deviation amount (direction and amount)
between the center of the wafer and the center of the turntable
32.
[0107] When the load arm 28 finishes carrying the wafer W.sub.1 to
the position above the wafer stage WST, it delivers the wafer to
the wafer stage WST. In this case, immediately before the wafer
W.sub.1 is delivered to the wafer stage WST, the wafer stage WST is
finely driven in the X-axis direction so as to correct the X
component of the deviation amount described above.
[0108] Then, exposure operation on the wafer W.sub.1 delivered to
the wafer stage WST is performed. This exposure is performed, for
example, by repeating the operation of setting the position of each
shot area of the wafer W.sub.1 on the wafer stage WST to the
projection position of the reticle pattern held on the reticle
stage (not shown in FIGS.) by the projection optical system PL
(refer to FIG. 1) and the operation of transferring the reticle
pattern onto each shot area via the projection optical system PL by
illuminating the reticle with the illumination light for
exposure.
[0109] Naturally, in the case of performing exposure based on the
scanning exposure method, exposure is performed by repeating the
operation of respectively positioning the reticle (reticle stage)
and the wafer w.sub.1 (wafer stage WST) at the scanning starting
position to expose each shot area and the operation of scanning
exposure to sequentially transfer the reticle pattern on to the
wafer W.sub.1 via the projection optical system PL by illuminating
the slit-shaped illumination area on the reticle with the
illumination light for exposure, while synchronously moving the
reticle and the wafer W.sub.1.
[0110] When the exposure above is completed, the wafer stage WST
moves to the unloading position, that is, to the loading position
referred to earlier, and the unload arm 30 receives the wafer
W.sub.1 that has already been exposed. The unload arm 30 then
carries the wafer W.sub.1 until it is positioned above the X guide
18, and delivers the wafer to the scalar robot 26, which is waiting
to receive the wafer. The scalar robot 26 then carries the wafer
W.sub.1, and finally delivers it to the unload side wafer delivery
portion 124B of the in-line delivery portion 114.
[0111] In this case, when the scalar robot 26 moves to a position
on the side of the in-line delivery portion 114 where it does not
interfere, the load arm 28 receives the wafer W.sub.2 that has
completed the rotational adjustment from the turntable 32, carries
the wafer to the position above the wafer stage WST, which is
waiting at the loading position, and delivers the wafer onto the
wafer stage WST.
[0112] Then, exposure is performed on the wafer W.sub.2 delivered
onto the wafer stage WST. And after this operation, within the
exposure apparatus 10, the operation of sequentially taking the
wafer mounted on the wafer delivery portion 124A from the third
wafer (referred to as W.sub.3) onward, carrying the wafer(s) so as
to position the wafer(s) above the wafer stage WST, and after the
exposure is completed, delivering the exposed wafer(s) to the
unload side wafer delivery portion 124B of the in-line delivery
portion 114, are repeatedly performed.
[0113] As is described above, with the lithographic system in the
embodiment, circulation operation of the wafer(s) W is performed
respectively within the C/D 50 and the in-line I/F portion 110
side, and the exposure apparatus 10. And in order to prevent
unnecessary waiting time (loss of time) or delivery failure from
occurring upon delivering the wafer W between both parties, the
coating/development controller 62 of the C/D 50 side communicates
as follows with the loader controller 34 of the exposure apparatus
10, via the communication channel (refer to FIG. 4).
[0114] That is, the loader controller 34 sends information to the
coating/development controller 62, such as items a. to d. referred
to below, so that the next operation that contributes to improving
the processing capacity (throughput) can be decided in relation to
the wafer carriage, before the C/D 50 and the in-line I/F portion
110 side (hereinafter referred to as the "C/D side" for the sake of
convenience) goes onto the next operation.
[0115] a. Information on the predicted time (or the expected time)
until the wafer loader system of the exposure apparatus 10 can
receive the wafer W.
[0116] b. Information for the C/D side to withhold the wafer
carriage to the in-line delivery portion 114, such as, "Wait for xx
seconds until the wafer loader system of the exposure apparatus 10
can receive the wafer".
[0117] c. Information on the predicted time (or the expected time)
until the wafer loader system of the exposure apparatus 10 can send
out the wafer W.
[0118] d. Information for the C/D side to withhold the wafer
receipt at the in-line delivery portion 114, such as, "Wait for xx
seconds so that the wafer can be delivered".
[0119] The "expected time" referred to in items a. and c. above,
here, theoretically means time obtained (by calculation), meaning
the time that can be obtained by calculation based on, for example,
the angle of view, the exposure amount (with the scanning type
exposure apparatus, the angle of view corresponds to the scan
length and the exposure amount includes the scan velocity and the
like as factors), the alignment period, and the like. In addition,
the "predicted time" means time that takes into account the result
of the performance or the state of the performance in process, for
example, time that has taken into account the information such as
"this lot requires a long re-try time upon carriage". More
particularly, the predicted time differs from the expected time
that can be obtained by calculation, and includes uncertainty
factors. For example, in the case the alignment marks are difficult
to find during alignment, the actual alignment time may take more
than the calculated time. Therefore, it is necessary to obtain the
re-try time based on the actual results from wafer circulation
carriage actually performed. Factors that may affect the re-try
time are, for example, in the case of the carriage system, the time
required for vacuum chucking in each carriage arm.
[0120] In addition, phenomena such as the alignment time taking
more than calculated or the re-try frequently occurring in
alignment tend to occur in a specific lot, that is, concentrate on
wafers under a specific process. Accordingly, for example, if the
actual processing time takes longer than the calculated time with
the first few slices of wafers in the lot, the predicted time is
re-set longer in correspondence with the results, and is
communicated to the other unit (in this embodiment, the C/D or the
exposure apparatus). The predicted time, however, may be set, not
only by the first few slices of wafers in the lot, but may be set
by the average processing time of the wafers processed in one day,
or by the average of the processing time of a plurality of
lots.
[0121] On the other hand, the coating/development controller 62
sends information to the loader controller 34, such as items e. to
h. referred to below, so that the next operation that contributes
to improving the processing capacity (throughput) can be decided in
relation to the wafer carriage, before the exposure apparatus 10
goes onto its next operation.
[0122] e. Information on the predicted time (or the expected time)
until the C/D side can receive the wafer W.
[0123] f. Information for the C/D side to withhold the wafer
carriage to the in-line delivery portion 114, such as, "Wait for xx
seconds until the C/D side can receive the wafer".
[0124] g. Information on the predicted time (or the expected time)
until the C/D side can send out the wafer W.
[0125] h. Information for the C/D side to withhold the wafer
receipt at the in-line delivery portion 114, such as, "Wait for xx
seconds so that the wafer can be delivered".
[0126] Accordingly, with the lithographic system 100 of the
embodiment, the loader controller 34 sends out information to the
coating/development controller 62 prior to its next operation for
the coating/development controller 62 to decide the next operation
that contributes to improving the processing capacity (throughput)
in relation to the wafer carriage. And the coating/development
controller 62, which receives the information, can decide to
perform a specific operation that contributes to the improvement in
processing capacity related to the carriage of the wafer W as the
next operation, and then actually start the specific operation.
[0127] More particularly, the coating/development controller 62 can
learn of the timing when the exposure apparatus 10 can receive the
wafer W based on the information referred to in item a. referred to
above. Therefore, the coating/development controller 62 can decide
its next operation related to wafer carriage so that the wafer W
can be delivered without any waste of time. To be more concrete,
for example, when the coating/development controller 62 delivers
the wafer W to the exposure apparatus 10, in the case when the
waiting time is short, like one or two seconds, until the exposure
apparatus 10 can receive the wafer 10, then the coating/development
controller 62 waits and delivers the wafer W to the exposure
apparatus 10 via the wafer delivery portion 124A of the in-line
delivery portion. However, in the case the coating/development
controller 62 has to wait a long time, then the coating/development
controller 62 can suspend the carriage operation of delivering the
wafer W to the exposure apparatus 10 or if necessary, temporarily
house the wafer W into the buffer carrier 120, and perform only the
receiving operation of the wafer W from the wafer delivery portion
124B of the in-line delivery portion 114. With this arrangement,
the loss of time can be reduced.
[0128] In addition, with the coating/development controller 62, for
example, based on the information referred to in item b., it can
decide its operation related to efficient wafer carriage depending
on the waiting time, so that the time wasted is reduced to the
minimum.
[0129] Also, with the coating/development controller 62, for
example, based on the information referred to in item c., when the
coating/development controller 62 instructs the receipt of the
wafer W, if the wafer that has been exposed is going to be
delivered from the exposure apparatus 10 within several seconds,
then the coating/development controller 62can decide to receive the
wafer after waiting for a several seconds. With this arrangement,
the delivery does not end in vain, thus the efficiency is
improved.
[0130] And, the coating/development controller 62, for example, can
decide its operation related to the most effective wafer carriage
possible, based on the information referred to in item d. depending
on the waiting time.
[0131] In addition, with the lithographic system 100 in the
embodiment, information to decide the next operation that
contributes to improving the processing capacity related to the
carriage of the wafer W is sent out to the loader controller 34 of
the exposure apparatus 10 via the communication channel from the
coating/development controller 62 prior to the next operation. When
the loader controller 34 receives the information, it can decide to
perform the specific operation that contributes to improving the
processing capacity related to the carriage of the wafer W as its
next operation, before actually starting the specific
operation.
[0132] That is, the loader controller 34 of the exposure apparatus
10 can decide its next operation related to the carriage of the
wafer W based on the information e. to h. referred to above,
likewise with the coating/development controller 62 that has
received the information a. to d. With this operation, the wafer
carriage state of the C/D side does not have to be monitored and
the circulation operation of the wafer carriage switched at a
constant interval, therefore, the loss of time can be reduced.
[0133] As can be seen from the explanation so far, in the
embodiment, the loader controller 34 structures the control unit of
the exposure apparatus side, and the coating/development controller
62 structures the control unit of the C/D side serving as the
substrate processing unit. The arrangement, however, is not limited
to this, and as the control unit of the exposure apparatus side, a
first control unit that has the function of transmitting the
information referred to in earlier the items a. to d. to the C/D
side and a second control unit that has the function of receiving
the information referred to in earlier the items e. to h. from the
C/D side may be arranged. The same can be said for the control unit
of the C/D side.
[0134] As is described in detail so far, in the lithographic system
100 in the embodiment, information related to the carriage of the
wafer W is communicated between the exposure apparatus 10 and the
C/D side, and both units can reciprocally determine their next
operation that contributes to improving the processing capacity
related to the carriage of the wafer prior to the operation based
on the information provided from the other unit. In other words,
both the C/D and the exposure apparatus 10 sides do not complete
their operation at an optimum only within their own units, but
reciprocally take into consideration the information related to the
wafer carriage of the other unit so that the circular operation is
in line with each other. This prevents the loss of time and failure
in delivery from occurring, and allows the throughput to be
improved, even though the exposure apparatus 10 and the C/D50 are
in-line connected. Thus, throughput in the series of wafer
processing performed by the C/D50 and the exposure apparatus 10 can
be improved, and as a consequence, it becomes possible to improve
the productivity of the device such as a semiconductor device.
[0135] In the case, however, when the information to withhold
carriage, such as the items b., d., f., and h. described earlier,
is sent at the same time by both the controllers 34 and 62, the
situation may occur when the carriage conditions are not satisfied
on both sides. In such a case, preference may be given to either of
the unit in advance, and the unit to which the preference is given
may send information to the other unit to dismiss the request from
the other unit. The other control unit then may acknowledge that
its request has been dismissed, and based on the information,
withdraw the withholding request and go on to the next process.
[0136] In addition, in the embodiment, when the C/D50 has a
plurality of processing portions of each process such as the resist
coating process and the development process within its unit and can
switch the order of the circulation carriage in an optimum so that
the carriage is performed sequentially in the order of the wafer
that has been processed when necessary, it is possible to fully
demonstrate the function.
[0137] In the embodiment above, the case has been described when
the coating/development controller 62 of the C/D side and the
loader controller 34 of the exposure apparatus 10 reciprocally send
information to decide the next operation that contributes to
improving the processing capacity related to the carriage of the
wafer W, however, the present invention is not limited to this.
That is, either of the coating/development controller 62 of the C/D
side or the loader controller 34 of the exposure apparatus 10 may
send information to decide the next operation that contributes to
improving the processing capacity related to the carriage of the
wafer W to the other unit. Even in such a case, the control unit
which receives the information can determine and proceed with the
carriage operation of the wafer W so that the loss of time and
failure in delivery does not occur to the utmost within its unit as
is described earlier. Thus, it is possible to improve the
throughput in the series of wafer processing performed by the C/D50
and the exposure apparatus 10 can be improved.
[0138] In the embodiment above, the exposure apparatus 10 (the
loader controller 34) and the C/D50 (the coating/development
controller 62) communicates the information through a communication
channel. As this communication channel, in addition to wired
channels such as the parallel channel or the serial channel, radio,
infrared, or other channels may be used. Also, for example, in the
case of performing parallel communication, an empty line in an
existing signal cable may be used. In the case of performing serial
communication, the information above can be added to the signals
(or information) that have been communicated.
[0139] In the embodiment above, the case has been described when
the C/D50 serving as the substrate processing unit and the exposure
apparatus 10 are in-line connected via the in-line I/F portion 110.
The present invention, however, is not limited to this, and the
substrate processing unit and the exposure apparatus may be
directly connected. In addition, the arrangement of the substrate
processing unit and the exposure apparatus in the embodiment above,
are mere examples. That is, in the embodiment above, the case has
been described when as the wafer loader system 40 in the exposure
apparatus 10, the carriage system of the load side and the unload
side use the system partially in common. However, the carriage
system of the load side and unload side may be structured of a
completely independent system. In this case, it becomes possible to
perform loading and unloading of the wafers at the same time in
parallel within the exposure apparatus. In this case as well, in
the present invention, since the scheduled time of the loading and
unloading of the substrate by the substrate processing unit side is
expected, if it takes time for loading, then the exposure process
and unloading can have priority over the loading, whereas, if it
takes time for unloading, the loading may be performed at an extent
so that the substrates are not left unfinished in the exposure
apparatus, which consequently leads to an efficient operation.
[0140] In addition, in the embodiment above, the case has been
described when three scalar robots 58, 68, and 116 are arranged in
the C/D side, however, the present invention is not limited to
this, and a single robot may circulate the wafers while moving
along a predetermined route. Furthermore, two sets of scalar robots
68 may be arranged so that they can be used separately in the
pre-exposure process and post-exposure process. Also, the scalar
robots 58, 68, and 116 that make up the wafer carriage system
perform these circulation operations under the procedures set in
advance. The scalar robots, however, may each perform the
circulation operation on their own, so as to perform a series of
circulation operations as a whole. In addition, a quite common unit
structure was indicated as an example for the internal arrangement
of the C/D50, however, the processing in the C/D does not have to
be performed in the order described earlier in the embodiment, and
may include a process which was not mentioned in this
description.
[0141] Also, each processing portion such as the resist coating
portion, the development portion, the cooling portion, and the bake
portion may be arranged in plurals if necessary, and the carriage
system of the substrate may perform necessary carriage operations
according to the arrangement. In addition, the substrate processing
unit is not limited to the C/D, therefore, if the unit is in-line
connectable to the exposure apparatus, then not only the resist
coating unit (coater), the development unit (developer), but also
other testing units may be used.
[0142] In addition, in the embodiment above, the case has been
described when the OC is used as the wafer carrier. The present
invention, however, is not limited to this, and the open/close type
wafer carrier such as the Front Opening Unified Pod (FOUP) may be
used.
[0143] Also, in the embodiment above, the coating/development
controller 62 and the loader controller 34 transmit and receive
realtime information on wafer delivery via the communication
channel, as well as information referred to in items a. to h. The
present invention, however, is not limited to this. That is, as is
shown in FIG. 5, in the case the coating/development controller 62
and the loader controller 34 are connected to the exposure
apparatus 10 and the host computer 90, which has control over the
C/D50, via the communication channel, the information transmitted
and received in between the coating/development controller 62 and
the loader controller 34 may only be on realtime information on
wafer delivery, and information referred to in items a. to h may be
communicated through the host computer 90.
[0144] In the case of the system arrangement shown in FIG. 5,
preference is not given to either of the control units 62 and 34 as
is referred to earlier. And, when the withholding request
information is sent from both control units 62 and 34 at the same
time and clashes, the host computer 90 may totally judge from the
viewpoint of improving the processing capacity to send information
to the predetermined unit that its request has been dismissed,
while instructing the other unit to withdraw the withholding
request.
[0145] When an intermediate control unit is provided in between the
host computer 90, and the exposure apparatus 10 and the C/D50, the
information referred to in items a. to h. may be communicated
through not only the host computer, but also the intermediate
control unit. And when the withholding request information is sent
from both control units 62 and 34 at the same time and clashes, the
intermediate control unit may totally judge from the viewpoint of
improving the processing capacity to send information to the
predetermined unit that its request has been dismissed, while
instructing the other unit to withdraw the withholding request.
[0146] The embodiment above describes the case of an exposure
apparatus having a single wafer stage, however, the present
invention is not limited to this, and can be suitably applied to an
exposure apparatus that has a twin stage (a double stage) where the
wafer loading position is set at two places. In addition, the
expected time, or the predicted time described earlier, may be
obtained for each predetermined slices of wafers, based on the
illumination conditions or the reticle type and the like.
[0147] Device Manufacturing Method
[0148] A device manufacturing method using the lithographic system
related to the embodiment described above in a lithographic process
will be described next.
[0149] FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing an example of manufacturing a
device (a semiconductor chip such as an IC or LSI, a liquid crystal
panel, a CCD, a thin magnetic head, a micromachine, or the like).
As shown in FIG. 6, in step 301 (design step), function/performance
is designed for a device (e.g., circuit design for a semiconductor
device) and a pattern to implement the function is designed. And,
instep 302 (mask manufacturing step), a mask on which the designed
circuit pattern is formed is manufactured. Meanwhile, in step 303
(wafer manufacturing step), a wafer is manufactured by using a
silicon material or the like.
[0150] Next, in step 304 (wafer processing step), an actual circuit
and the like is formed on the wafer by lithography or the like
using the mask and wafer prepared in steps 301 to 303, as will be
described later. And, in step 305 (device assembly step), a device
is assembled using the wafer processed in step 304. Step 305
includes processes such as dicing, bonding, and packaging (chip
encapsulation).
[0151] Finally, in step 306 (inspection step), a test on the
operation of the device, durability test, and the like are
performed on the device manufactured in step 305. After these
steps, the device is completed and shipped out.
[0152] FIG. 7 is a flow chart showing a detailed example of step
304 described above in manufacturing the semiconductor device.
Referring to FIG. 7, in step 311 (oxidation step), the surface of
the wafer is oxidized. In step 312 (CVD step), an insulating film
is formed on the wafer surface. In step 313 (electrode formation
step), an electrode is formed on the wafer by vapor deposition. In
step 314 (ion implantation step), ions are implanted into the
wafer. Steps 311 to 314 described above constitute a pre-process
for the respective steps in the wafer processing and are
selectively executed in accordance with the processing required in
the respective steps.
[0153] When the above pre-process is completed in the respective
steps in the wafer process, a post-process is executed as follows.
In this post-process, first, in step 315 (resist formation step),
the wafer is coated with a photosensitive agent. Next, as in step
316 (exposure step), the circuit pattern on the mask is transcribed
onto the wafer by the above exposure apparatus and method. Then, in
step 317 (developing step), the exposed wafer is developed. The
steps 315 to 317, is performed by the lithographic system 100
described in the embodiment above.
[0154] In step 318 (etching step), an exposed member on a portion
other than a portion where the resist is left is removed by
etching. Finally, in step 319 (resist removing step), the
unnecessary resist after the etching is removed.
[0155] By repeatedly performing these pre-process and post-process
steps, multiple circuit patterns are formed on the wafer.
[0156] As described above, according to the device manufacturing
method of the embodiment, the lithographic system 100 described in
the embodiment above is used in the steps 315 to 317 (lithographic
step). And in between the exposure apparatus and the C/D50,
information related to wafer carriage is communicated, and both
units reciprocally, or either of the unit decides its next
operation that contributes to improving the processing capacity
related to the wafer carriage before actually starting the
operation based on the information from the other unit. Thus, the
throughput of the series of wafer processing performed by the C/D50
and the exposure apparatus 10 can be improved, and as a
consequence, it becomes possible to improve the productivity of the
device. Especially in the case when a vacuum ultraviolet light
source such as, for example, the F.sub.2 laser light source is used
as the light source in the exposure apparatus, with the effect of
the improvement in resolution of the projection optical system PL,
for example, the productivity can be increased even if the minimum
line width is around 0.1 .mu.m.
[0157] While the above-described embodiments of the present
invention are the presently preferred embodiments thereof, those
skilled in the art of lithography systems will readily recognize
that numerous additions, modifications, and substitutions may be
made to the above-described embodiments without departing from the
spirit and scope thereof. It is intended that all such
modifications, additions, and substitutions fall within the scope
of the present invention, which is best defined by the claims
appended below.
* * * * *