U.S. patent application number 13/311863 was filed with the patent office on 2012-03-29 for substrate edge treatment for coater/developer.
Invention is credited to Yuri Kobayashi, Tomoyuki TAKEISHI.
Application Number | 20120077128 13/311863 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38428536 |
Filed Date | 2012-03-29 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120077128 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
TAKEISHI; Tomoyuki ; et
al. |
March 29, 2012 |
SUBSTRATE EDGE TREATMENT FOR COATER/DEVELOPER
Abstract
A method of substrate edge treatment includes forming a
processing target film on a treatment target substrate, applying an
energy line to a predetermined position on the processing target
film to form a latent image on the processing target film, heating
the treatment target substrate in which the latent image is formed
on the processing target film, developing the processing target
film after the heating, inspecting whether a residue is present at
an edge of the treatment target substrate after the developing, and
cleaning an end of the treatment target substrate to remove the
residue at the edge of the treatment target substrate determined to
be defective in the inspecting.
Inventors: |
TAKEISHI; Tomoyuki;
(Yokkaichi-shi, JP) ; Kobayashi; Yuri;
(Yokohama-shi, JP) |
Family ID: |
38428536 |
Appl. No.: |
13/311863 |
Filed: |
December 6, 2011 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
11675869 |
Feb 16, 2007 |
8084194 |
|
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13311863 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
430/311 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G03F 7/3021 20130101;
H01L 21/6715 20130101; G03F 7/2028 20130101; H01L 21/67051
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
430/311 |
International
Class: |
G03F 7/38 20060101
G03F007/38; H01L 21/02 20060101 H01L021/02 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Feb 16, 2006 |
JP |
2006-039361 |
Claims
1-9. (canceled)
10. A method of substrate edge treatment comprising: forming a
processing target film on a treatment target substrate; inspecting
whether the processing target film is adhered to a rear surface at
an edge of the treatment target substrate after said forming a
processing target film; cleaning an end of the treatment target
substrate to remove a residue at the edge of the treatment target
substrate determined to be defective in said inspecting; applying
an energy line to a predetermined position on the processing target
film with respect to the treatment target substrate determined to
be defective in said inspecting or with respect to the treatment
target substrate determined to be defective in said inspecting and
cleaned at the end thereof, thereby forming a latent image on the
processing target film; heating the treatment target substrate in
which the latent image is formed on the processing target film; and
developing the processing target film after said heating.
11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising cleaning a
rear surface of the treatment target substrate between said forming
a processing target film and said inspecting.
12. The method according to claim 10, wherein the processing target
film is a resist film.
13. The method according to claim 10, wherein said forming the
latent image includes using liquid immersion exposure.
14. The method according to claim 10, wherein said cleaning an end
of the treatment target substrate includes: sucking/holding a rear
surface of the treatment target substrate to rotate the treatment
target substrate; and supplying a cleaning liquid to the treatment
target substrate at an edge of a front surface thereof and an edge
of the rear surface thereof.
15. The method according to claim 14, wherein supplying a cleaning
liquid to the target substrate at an edge of a front surface
thereof includes discharging the cleaning liquid along a rotating
direction of the treatment target substrate.
16. The method according to claim 14, wherein said supplying a
cleaning liquid to the target substrate at an edge of the front
surface thereof includes using a nozzle to supply the cleaning
liquid so that the cleaning liquid is discharged toward the outside
of the treatment target substrate apart from a tangential line at a
projection position on a circular orbit described when the nozzle
is vertically projected onto the treatment target substrate.
17. The method according to claim 14, wherein said supplying a
cleaning liquid to the target substrate at an edge of the rear
surface includes supplying the cleaning liquid toward the edge from
a central part.
18. The method according to claim 10, wherein said cleaning an end
of the treatment target substrate includes: sucking/holding the
rear surface of the treatment target substrate by a chuck to rotate
the treatment target substrate; supplying the cleaning liquid to
the treatment target substrate at an edge of a front surface
thereof and an edge of the rear surface thereof; and supplying pure
water onto a main surface of the treatment target substrate.
19. The method according to claim 18, wherein said supplying the
cleaning liquid to the treatment target substrate includes
preparing a hollow annular member surrounding the edge of the
treatment target substrate and supplying/holding the cleaning
liquid into/in the hollow annular member.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is based upon and claims the benefit of
priority from prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2006-039361,
filed Feb. 16, 2006, the entire contents of which are incorporated
herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to a substrate edge treatment,
and more particularly to a substrate edge treatment having a step
of removing surface roughness of a substrate or a film that has
adhered to the substrate.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] In a manufacturing process of a semiconductor device, an
unnecessary part of a metal thin film formed at an end of a
semiconductor wafer may be removed by etching in some cases.
Various proposals have been conventionally made to suppress
unintentional etching at the center of a wafer surface involved by
scattering of an etchant in this process (see, e.g., Jpn. Pat.
Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2001-118824 or Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI
Publication No. 2002-299305).
[0006] Further, removal of a metal at a wafer end has been also a
problem in a liquid immersion exposure tool that has recently come
into practical use. The liquid immersion exposure tool corresponds
to a technique that fills a space between a resist film surface and
a lens of an exposure tool with a liquid to perform exposure when
effecting exposure with respect to the resist film formed on a
treatment target substrate. As a tool used for such an exposure
technique, there is one disclosed in, e.g., Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI
Publication No. 303114-1998.
[0007] On the other hand, in liquid immersion exposure, an accuracy
of a resist pattern cannot be possibly obtained because of, e.g.,
elution of a photosensitive agent or the like contained in a resist
film into water, or penetration of water into the resist film. In
order to avoid such problems, a water-repellent protection film is
formed on the resist film. As the protection film, there are a
developer soluble type protection film that can be solved in a
developer and a solvent soluble type protection film that can be
solved with a dedicated solvent. The protection film is removed
after end of a series of coating/developing treatments.
[0008] In particular, in case of using the developer soluble type
protection film, when a developer is supplied to an upper side of a
water-repellent protection film in a developing treatment after
liquid immersion exposure, since the developer is repelled on a
surface of the protection film from a substrate edge, the
protection film cannot be sufficiently solved at the substrate edge
and it may possibly remains as a residue even after end of the
developing treatment. When etching step or the like is carried out
in this state, the protection film remaining at the substrate edge
serves as a mask, and sharp-pointed protrusions are generated at
the substrate edge. These protrusions become particles to
disadvantageously contaminate a carriage portion and others in an
etching device.
[0009] As explained above, in a state where the sharp-pointed
protrusions remain at the substrate edge or a bevel of this part,
when a resist film is coated/exposed/developed at a subsequent
lithography step to form a resist pattern, an organic film enters a
groove between the protrusions, and this film may not be possibly
removed even after end of development. Further, when an etching
step or the like is carried out in this state, the organic film
remaining at the substrate edge become particles to
disadvantageously contaminate a carriage portion or the like in an
etching device.
[0010] Therefore, realization of a substrate treatment that can
remove a resist pattern even after end of development and avoid
occurrence of particles even in a state where sharp-pointed
protrusions remain at a substrate edge or a substrate bevel has
been demanded.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0011] According to the first aspect of the invention, there is
provided a method of substrate edge treatment, which includes:
[0012] forming a processing target film on a treatment target
substrate;
[0013] applying an energy line to a predetermined position on the
processing target film to form a latent image on the processing
target film;
[0014] heating the treatment target substrate in which the latent
image is formed on the processing target film;
[0015] developing the processing target film after the heating;
[0016] inspecting whether a residue is present at an edge of the
treatment target substrate after the developing; and
[0017] cleaning an end of the treatment target substrate to remove
the residue at the edge of the treatment target substrate
determined to be defective in the inspecting.
[0018] According to a second aspect of the invention, there is
provided a method of substrate edge treatment, which includes:
[0019] forming a processing target film on a treatment target
substrate;
[0020] inspecting whether the processing target film is adhered to
a rear surface at an edge of the treatment target substrate after
the forming a processing target film;
[0021] cleaning an end of the treatment target substrate to remove
a residue at the edge of the treatment target substrate determined
to be defective in the inspecting;
[0022] applying an energy line to a predetermined position on the
processing target film with respect to the treatment target
substrate determined to be defective in the inspecting or with
respect to the treatment target substrate determined to be
defective in the inspecting and cleaned at the end thereof, thereby
forming a latent image on the processing target film;
[0023] heating the treatment target substrate in which the latent
image is formed on the processing target film; and
[0024] developing the processing target film after the heating.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING
[0025] FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing a manufacturing process of a
semiconductor device according to a first embodiment;
[0026] FIG. 2 is a view showing a schematic structure of a liquid
immersion exposure tool that is used and explained in the first
embodiment;
[0027] FIG. 3A is a schematic cross-sectional view for explaining a
developer supply method in the first embodiment;
[0028] FIG. 3B is a schematic cross-sectional view for explaining
the developer supply method in the first embodiment;
[0029] FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view when the
developer is put on a developer soluble type protection film;
[0030] FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a resist
pattern after a developing treatment;
[0031] FIG. 6 is a side view showing a schematic structure of a
substrate edge observation/judgment mechanism described in the
first embodiment;
[0032] FIG. 7 is a schematic side view showing a substrate edge
cleaning treatment described in the first embodiment;
[0033] FIG. 8 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the
substrate edge cleaning treatment described in the first
embodiment; and
[0034] FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a manufacturing process of a
semiconductor element according to a second embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0035] In embodiments explained below, whether a substrate edge is
cleaned or whether the control advances to the next step without
cleaning the substrate edge is controlled depending on presence of
a residue of a processing target film at the substrate edge.
Carrying out the cleaning treatment in this manner can eliminate
particles produced due to a residue at the substrate edge and can
improve a yield ratio of a semiconductor device.
[0036] Embodiments according to the present invention will now be
explained hereinafter with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
First Embodiment
[0037] As shown in a process flowchart of FIG. 1, an
anti-reflection film coating material (e.g., ARC29A manufactured by
NISSAN CHEMICAL INDUSTRIES, LTD.) is dropped and rotated to spread
on a semiconductor substrate, and then a heat treatment is carried
out to form an anti-reflection film having a film thickness of 80
nm (ST101). An ArF chemically amplified resist film containing an
acid producing agent is formed with a film thickness of 170 nm on
the anti-reflection film (ST102). Further, a developer soluble type
protection film (e.g., TILC019 manufactured by TOKYO OHKA KOGYO
CO., LTD.) is formed with a film thickness of 140 nm on the ArF
chemically amplified resist film (ST103).
[0038] In more detail, the anti-reflection film, the chemically
amplified resist, and the developer soluble type protection film
are formed in accordance with a procedure of spreading each
material on a treatment target substrate by a spin coat method and
effecting a heat treatment to remove a solvent contained in a
coating material.
[0039] Then, the treatment target substrate is carried to a liquid
immersion exposure tool. The liquid immersion exposure tool is used
to transfer a semiconductor element pattern formed on a reticle
onto the resist film, thereby forming a latent image (ST104). FIG.
2 schematically shows the liquid immersion exposure tool used in
this embodiment. That is, in FIG. 2, a reticle stage 21 is arranged
below a non-illustrated illumination optics, and a reticle 22 is
disposed on this reticle stage 21. The reticle stage 21 can move in
parallel. A projection lens system 23 is arranged below the reticle
stage 21, and a wafer stage 24 is arranged below this projection
lens system 23. A semiconductor substrate 10 subjected to
above-described treatment is provided on the wafer stage 24. The
wafer stage 24 moves in parallel together with the semiconductor
substrate 10. A support plate 27 is provided around the
semiconductor substrate 10.
[0040] A fence 25 is disposed below the projection lens system 23.
A pair of water supply/drainage units 26 that supply water into the
fence 25 and drain wafer from the fence 25 are provided beside the
projection lens system 23. At the time of exposure, a space between
the substrate 10 and the projection lens system 23 in a region
surrounded by the fence 25 and the projection lens 23 is filled
with a liquid film of water. Exposure light exiting from the
projection lens system 23 is transmitted through a water layer to
reach an irradiation region. An image of a mask pattern (not shown)
on the reticle 22 is projected onto the chemically amplified resist
corresponding to the irradiation region, thereby forming a latent
image.
[0041] The substrate 10 having the latent image formed thereon by
the above-described process is carried into a heating chamber (not
shown), and subjected to a heat treatment under conditions of
130.degree. C. and 60 seconds (ST105). Subsequently, the treatment
target substrate 10 is carried to a developing treatment unit
(ST106). In this developing treatment unit, when the treatment
target substrate 10 is carried to a position directly above a
scattered developer saucer cup (not shown), a pin first moves up to
receive the substrate 10, and then the substrate 10 is mounted on a
spin chuck 31 to be subjected to vacuation as shown in FIG. 3.
Further, a straight tubular nozzle 32 retracted in a nozzle standby
portion discharges a developer 33 while scanning from one end
toward the other end of the substrate 10, whereby the developer 33
is put on an alkali soluble type protection film (not shown) formed
on an uppermost surface of the treatment target substrate 10 to
effect development. When the developer 33 is supplied, the
developer soluble type protection film is dissolved, and then the
resist film (not shown) having the latent image formed thereon is
developed. After performing static development for 30 seconds, pure
water is supplied to the treatment target substrate 10 to wash off
the developer. Furthermore, the treatment target substrate 10 is
rotated by the spin chuck 31 to be subjected to spin drying.
[0042] However, as shown in FIG. 4, when the developer 33 is
supplied to the highly water-repellent developer soluble type
protection film 34, the developer 33 is repelled at a given
position at the edge of the substrate 10. As a result, the
developer soluble type protection film 34 cannot be dissolved, and
the resist film 35 formed on a lower layer of the protection film
34 is not developed. As a result, as shown in FIG. 5, although a
resist pattern 35' is formed at the center of the substrate 10, the
protection film 34 and the resist film 35 may possibly remain as
residues at the edge of the substrate 10.
[0043] Thus, as shown in FIG. 6, the edge of the substrate 10 is
then observed by using a camera 37 disposed in the developing
treatment unit while rotating the treatment target substrate 10.
Moreover, when the rotating substrate 10 returns to an observation
start point, rotation of the substrate 10 is stopped, and
observation of the edge of the substrate 10 is also terminated.
Data obtained from observation by the camera 37 as substrate edge
observing means is transferred to a substrate edge judgment
mechanism 38 as needed. The substrate edge judgment mechanism 38
judges whether a residue of the alkali soluble type protection film
34 is present at the rim of the substrate 10 is judged from the
data obtained from observation. If the residue of the developer
soluble type protection film 34 is confirmed at the edge of the
substrate 10, an instruction can be issued to carry out a treatment
of cleaning the edge of the substrate 10. Additionally, when the
residue is not present at the edge of the substrate 10 at all, an
instruction can be issued to avoid the treatment of cleaning the
edge, and an instruction can be issued to carry the treatment
target substrate 10 from a coater/developer (ST107).
[0044] If the residue is present at the edge of the treatment
target substrate 10 as a result of observation, a substrate edge
cleaning treatment is effected (ST108). As shown in FIG. 7, a
substrate edge cleaning nozzle 43 and a substrate rear surface
cleaning nozzle 44 are moved to predetermined positions near the
substrate edge. Further, the developer 33 is discharged toward the
edge of the substrate 10 while rotating the treatment target
substrate 10. When the developer 33 is also discharged from the
rear surface cleaning nozzle 44, the developer 33 discharged from
the substrate edge cleaning nozzle 43 can be prevented from flowing
toward the rear surface of the treatment target substrate 10,
thereby avoiding contamination of the spin chuck 31 holding the
substrate 10. Furthermore, the developer 33 is discharged from the
substrate edge cleaning nozzle 43 in a direction parallel to a
rotating direction of the substrate 10. Moreover, a cleaning liquid
(the developer 33) is discharged toward the outside of the
substrate 10 apart from a tangential line at a supply position on a
circular orbit described on the substrate 10 by the supply
position. As a result, the developer 33 supplied to the edge of the
substrate 10 can be prevented from flowing toward the center of the
substrate 10, and the cleaning liquid can be uniformly supplied to
the developer soluble protection film 34 at the edge of the
substrate 10, thereby removing the protection film 34 included in
this region.
[0045] Then, after supplying the developer 33 at the edge, pure
water is supplied to the upper surface and the rear surface of the
substrate 10 to wash off the developer 33, and the substrate 10 is
rotated to be subjected to spin drying, thus terminating a series
of developing treatments.
[0046] When the developer soluble protection film 34 remaining at
the edge of the substrate 10 is removed in the development unit in
this manner, particles caused due to the substrate edge can be
reduced at a lithography step and subsequent steps, and
contamination of the coater/developer as well as the etching device
can be suppressed.
[0047] Although a substrate edge cleaning device 40 supplies the
cleaning liquid toward the end of the substrate 10 from the
substrate edge cleaning nozzle 44 to perform cleaning in this
embodiment, the cleaning treatment for the edge of the substrate 10
is not restricted thereto. In a substrate edge cleaning treatment
device 50 shown in FIG. 8, when the substrate is carried to a
position directly above a cup (not shown), a pin (not shown) first
moves up to receive the substrate 10, and then the substrate 10 is
mounted on a spin chuck 31 to be subjected to vacuation.
[0048] Subsequently, an elevation driving unit 55 moves down a
cleaning liquid holding top plate 51 to be brought into contact
with an upper portion of a cleaning liquid holding bottom plate 53.
In this state, the cleaning liquid holding top plate 51 and the
cleaning liquid holding bottom plate 53 form a ring-shaped concave
portion surrounding an end of the substrate 10. The concave portion
is arranged to cover the entire edge of the substrate, and rotates
the substrate 10 in this state.
[0049] Then, a developer 33 is discharged from a periphery cleaning
nozzle 43 toward the concave portion. Additionally, when the
concave portion is filled with a fixed amount or more of the
cleaning liquid 33, the edge of the substrate 10 is immersed in the
cleaning liquid 33, thus performing a cleaning treatment.
[0050] After effecting the cleaning treatment for a predetermined
time, the developer 33 is drained from a drainage opening 54. Then,
when the holding top plate 51 is moved up, the concave portion is
divided into the cleaning liquid holding top plate 51 and the
cleaning liquid holding bottom plate 53, and a small amount of the
developer 33 remaining at the edge of the substrate 10 is laterally
discharged by centrifugal force, thereby terminating the cleaning
treatment.
[0051] Such an embodiment can prevent the cleaning liquid 3
supplied to the edge of the substrate 10 from flowing toward the
center of the substrate 10 and can uniformly supply the developer
33 to a region where the developer soluble type protection film 34
that has entered a damaged part of the edge of the substrate 10
should be removed, whereby an organic film included in this region
can be removed.
[0052] Further, although the single substrate edge cleaning
treatment device simultaneously removes the organic film that has
entered a damaged part on the rear surface side of the substrate 10
and the organic film that has entered damaged parts at the edge on
the front surface side and the end side of the substrate 10 in this
embodiment, the present invention is not restricted to this
embodiment. After cleaning either the edge on the front surface
side and the end side or the rear surface side of the substrate 10
first, the other may be cleaned. Furthermore, the treatment device
may be changed depending on cleaning at the edge on the front
surface side and the end side and cleaning on the rear surface side
of the substrate 10, and any device may be used as long as an
effect equivalent to that described in conjunction with this
embodiment can be obtained.
Second Embodiment
[0053] A second embodiment uses the cleaning treatment system and
the cleaning treatment described in conjunction with the first
embodiment to remove a resist film that has entered a space between
protrusions formed at a substrate edge by a reactive ion etching
(RIE) device at the time of resist coating.
[0054] For example, when forming a trench capacitor, a silicon
nitride film and a silicon oxide film are sequentially formed on a
silicon substrate surface by a hot wall type CVD device or the
like. Then, coating/exposure/development of a resist film is
performed on the silicon oxide film to form a resist pattern.
However, the resist film may remain at a position where the resist
film does not essentially remain at a substrate edge in some cases.
In this state, the resist pattern is used as a mask to sequentially
etch the silicon oxide film, the silicon nitride film, and the
silicon substrate, thereby forming a trench serving as a capacitor.
At this time, the resist film remaining at the substrate edge
becomes a mask, and sharp-pointed protrusions are generated at the
substrate edge. Such sharp-pointed protrusions are produced when a
plasma does not sufficiently reach a wafer edge, RIE etching of the
silicon oxide film or the silicon nitride film is insufficient, and
the remaining silicon oxide film and silicon nitride film become
masks.
[0055] When the sharp-pointed protrusions are produced at the
substrate edge in this manner, the resist film enters a groove
between the sharp-pointed protrusions and cannot be removed at the
time of coating and forming the resist film at the next lithography
step. When the substrate is carried in this state, the resist film
that has entered the space between the protrusions at the substrate
edge become particles to contaminate a carriage portion in a
coater/developer. Moreover, when an etching process or the like is
performed in this state, the resist film at the substrate edge
disadvantageously contaminates a carriage portion or the like in an
etching device.
[0056] A process according to the second embodiment will now be
described in detail with reference to FIG. 9. Like the first
embodiment, an anti-reflection film having a film thickness of 80
nm is formed on the semiconductor substrate (ST901). An ArF
chemically amplified resist film containing an acid producing agent
is formed with a film thickness of 170 nm on the anti-reflection
film (ST901). Although not shown, the chemically amplified resist
film is formed in accordance with the following known
procedure.
[0057] First, the treatment target substrate is supplied to a spin
chuck to be held at a predetermined position. Subsequently, a
predetermined amount of a coating liquid is dispensed from a
coating liquid dispensing nozzle to the treatment target substrate
held by the spin chuck, and this coating liquid is spread on the
treatment substrate to form a coating film (see FIG. 3). Then, the
treatment target substrate 10 is rotated for a predetermined time
and adjusted to have a desired film thickness.
[0058] Subsequently, like FIG. 7, a cleaning liquid, e.g.,
cyclohexanone is supplied from a rear surface cleaning nozzle 44 to
the rear surface of the treatment target substrate 10. Supply of
this cleaning liquid washes off the chemically amplified resist
liquid that has adhered to the rear surface of the treatment target
substrate 10. It is to be noted that, at this time, a thinner as a
cleaning liquid that performs fine cleaning is belched out to the
substrate edge to carry out an edge cut treatment of cutting the
resist film at the substrate edge. Thereafter, supply of the
thinner is stopped, and the thinner that has adhered to the rear
surface of the treatment target substrate 10 is spun off, whereby
the treatment target substrate 10 wet with the thinner is dried.
However, the resist film that has entered the space between the
protrusions produced at the substrate edge at the etching step
cannot be completely removed even if cleaning is performed with the
thinner.
[0059] Therefore, after end of the series of coating processes,
like FIG. 6 according to the first embodiment, the substrate edge
is observed by using a camera 37 disposed in a resist coating
treatment unit while rotating the treatment target substrate 10
(ST903). Moreover, when the rotating substrate 10 returns to an
observation start point, rotation of the substrate 10 is stopped,
and observation of the substrate edge is also terminated. Data
obtained from observation by the camera 37 as substrate edge
observing means is transferred to a substrate edge judgment
mechanism 38 as needed.
[0060] The substrate edge judgment mechanism 38 judges whether a
residue of the resist film that has entered the space between the
protrusions is present at the substrate edge from the data obtained
from observation (ST904). If the residue of the resist film is
confirmed, an instruction can be issued to carry out a treatment of
cleaning off the residue. Additionally, if the residue is not
present at all, an instruction can be issued to prevent the edge
cleaning treatment from being effected, and an instruction to carry
the treatment target substrate from the coater/developer can be
issued.
[0061] Then, the substrate edge cleaning treatment is carried out.
As a substrate edge cleaning method, such a conformation as shown
in FIG. 8 is desirable. In a substrate edge cleaning treatment
device 50, when the substrate 10 is carried to a position directly
above a cup, a pin first moves up to receive the substrate, and
then the substrate 10 is mounted on the spin chuck 31 to be
subjected to vacuation. Subsequently, an elevation driving unit 55
moves down a cleaning liquid holding top plate 51 to be brought
into contact with an upper portion of a cleaning liquid holding
bottom plate 53. In this state, the cleaning liquid holding top
plate 51 and the cleaning liquid holding bottom plate 53 form a
ring-shaped concave portion to surround the substrate end. Further,
the concave portion is arranged to cover the entire edge of the
substrate 10, and the substrate 10 is rotated in this state.
[0062] Then, the cleaning liquid 33 is discharged from a discharge
opening 43 toward the concave portion. Furthermore, when the
concave portion is filled with a fixed amount or more of the
cleaning liquid 33, the edge of the substrate 10 is immersed in the
cleaning liquid 33, thus effecting the cleaning treatment.
[0063] After performing the cleaning treatment for a predetermined
time, the developer 33 is drained from a drainage opening 54.
Subsequently, when the cleaning liquid holding top plate 51 is
moved up, the concave portion is divided into the cleaning liquid
holding top plate 51 and the cleaning liquid holding bottom plate
53, and a small amount of the cleaning liquid 33 remaining at the
edge of the substrate 10 is laterally discharged by centrifugal
force, thereby terminating the cleaning treatment.
[0064] Such an embodiment can prevent the cleaning liquid supplied
to the substrate edge from flowing toward the center of the
substrate and can uniformly supply the cleaning liquid to a region
where the chemically amplified resist film that has entered a
damaged part at the substrate edge should be removed, thus removing
the chemically amplified resist film included in this region.
[0065] A semiconductor element pattern is transferred onto the
resist film of the substrate 10 by a scan exposure tool to form a
latent image. Thereafter, a heat treatment and a developing
treatment are performed (ST905 to ST907).
[0066] When the coating/developing treatment is performed in this
manner, the coater/developer or a carriage portion or the like in
an etching device used at the next step can be prevented from being
contaminated.
[0067] Moreover, although the single substrate edge cleaning
treatment device simultaneously removes the organic film that has
entered a damaged part on the rear surface side of the substrate
and the organic film that has entered damaged parts at the edge on
the substrate front surface side and the end side in this
embodiment, the present invention is not restricted to this
embodiment. After cleaning either the edge on the front surface
side and the end side or the rear surface side of the substrate,
the other may be cleaned. Additionally, the treatment device may be
changed depending on cleaning at the edge on the front surface side
and the end side and cleaning on the rear surface side of the
substrate, and any device may be used as long as the same effect as
that described in conjunction with this embodiment can be
obtained.
[0068] It is to be noted that, as the cleaning liquid supplied from
the substrate edge cleaning treatment nozzle to the substrate,
there are organic solvents, e.g., .gamma.-butyrolactone, PGMEA
(propylene glycol monomethylethylacetate), PGME (propylene glycol
monomethylethyl), alcohol and others as well as cyclohexanone, for
example. However, the organic solvents are not restricted thereto,
and any organic solvents can be used as long as they can dissolve
the chemically amplified resist film to be cleaned off and
removed.
[0069] Although the present invention has been explained based on
the foregoing embodiments, the present invention is not restricted
these embodiments. Although the fine pattern forming material has
been explained as the example in the foregoing embodiments, the
present invention can be applied to, e.g., a resist chemical and
others.
[0070] Additional advantages and modifications will readily occur
to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the invention in its
broader aspects is not limited to the specific details and
representative embodiments shown and described herein. Accordingly,
various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit
or scope of the general inventive concept as defined by the
appended claims and their equivalents.
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