Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090035021 | DEVELOPING METHOD, DEVELOPING APPARATUS AND STORAGE MEDIUM - The present invention provides a method of supplying a developing solution, stably, onto a substrate, upon providing a developing process to the substrate which has been coated with a resist and subjected to an exposure process. In this method, the developing solution is supplied onto the substrate from a first developing solution nozzle, so as to form a ribbon-like region on the surface of the substrate, while rotating the substrate about a vertical axis via a substrate holding part, wherein one end of the ribbon-like region is oriented toward a central portion of the substrate. At this time, by shifting a position of the ribbon-like region in which the developing solution is supplied, a liquid film of the developing solution can be formed on the surface of the substrate. Subsequently, in order to prevent the liquid film of the developing solution from being dried up, the developing solution is supplied from a second developing solution nozzle, so as to form a circular region on the central portion of the substrate or form a ribbon-like region shorter in length than the ribbon-like region of the developing solution supplied from the first developing nozzle. Simultaneously, the substrate is rotated about the vertical axis via the substrate holding part, thereby spreading the developing solution toward a peripheral portion of the substrate by centrifugal force. In this manner, the developing nozzles are selected, corresponding to the process to be performed. | 02-05-2009 |
20090087559 | COATING TREATMENT METHOD, COATING TREATMENT APPARATUS, AND COMPUTER-READABLE STORAGE MEDIUM - The present invention includes: a first step of discharging a coating solution from a nozzle to a center portion of the substrate to apply the coating solution on a surface of the substrate while rotating the substrate; a second step of decelerating, after the first step, the rotation of the substrate and continuously rotating the substrate; and a third step of accelerating, after the second step, the rotation of the substrate to dry the coating solution on the substrate, wherein: the substrate is rotated at a fixed speed of a first speed immediately before the first step; and in the first step, the rotation of the substrate which is at the first speed before start of the first step is gradually accelerated after the start of the first step so as to make the speed continuously change, and the acceleration of the rotation of the substrate is gradually decreased so as to make the speed of the rotation of the substrate converge in a second speed higher than the first speed at end of the first step. | 04-02-2009 |
20090246397 | RESIST SOLUTION SUPPLY APPARATUS, RESIST SOLUTION SUPPLY METHOD, AND COMPUTER STORAGE MEDIUM - The present invention is a resist solution supply apparatus for supplying a resist solution to a coating nozzle for discharging the resist solution to a substrate, including: a resist solution supply source storing the resist solution therein; a supply tube for supplying the resist solution from the resist solution supply source to the coating nozzle; a heating means provided on a side of the resist solution supply source along the supply tube for heating the resist solution in the supply tube to a predetermined temperature higher than room temperature; and a cooling means provided on a side of the coating nozzle along the supply tube for cooling the resist solution in the supply tube down to room temperature. | 10-01-2009 |
20090250079 | SUBSTRATE CLEANING METHOD AND SUBSTRATE CLEANING APPARATUS - The present invention relates to a substrate cleaning method for cleaning a substrate whose static contact angle with respect to water is 85 degrees or more. The substrate cleaning method includes a step in which the substrate is held horizontally by a substrate holder in such a manner that a central part of the substrate and a central part in rotation correspond to each other; a step in which, while the substrate holder is being rotated about a vertical axis, a cleaning liquid is discharged from a cleaning-liquid nozzle to the central part of the substrate and is spread over all the surface of the substrate by a centrifugal force; a step in which, while the substrate holder is being continuously rotated, a to-be-discharged position of the cleaning liquid on the substrate is changed to an eccentric position deviated from the central part of the substrate, and a gas is discharged from a gas nozzle to the central part of the substrate so as to form a dried area of the cleaning liquid under a condition in which a distance between an interface on a side of a to-be-discharged position of the gas in the to-be-discharged position of the cleaning liquid and an interface on a side of the to-be-discharged position of the cleaning liquid in the to-be-discharged position of the gas is set between 9 mm and 15 mm; and a step in which, while the substrate holder is being continuously rotated, the to-be-discharged position of the cleaning liquid is moved toward a periphery of the substrate at a speed lower than a speed at which the dried area is spread outward. | 10-08-2009 |
20090291198 | COATING TREATMENT METHOD, COMPUTER-READABLE STORAGE MEDIUM, AND COATING TREATMENT APPARATUS - The present invention is a coating treatment method of applying a coating solution containing an organic solvent onto a substrate, the method including: a first step of supplying a treatment solution having a first surface tension to a central portion of the substrate; a second step of supplying a solvent for the coating solution to a central portion of the treatment solution supplied in the first step, the solvent having a second surface tension lower than the first surface tension; and a third step of supplying the coating solution to a central portion of the solvent supplied in the second step while rotating the substrate to diffuse the treatment solution and the solvent on the substrate to thereby diffuse the coating solution on an entire surface of the substrate. | 11-26-2009 |
20090311632 | DEVELOPING METHOD AND DEVELOPING APPARATUS - A developing method comprising a developing step in which, while a wafer horizontally held by a spin chuck is being rotated, the wafer is developed by supplying a developer onto a surface of the wafer, wherein provided before the developing step is a pre-wetting step in which, simultaneously with the developer being supplied from a first nozzle that is located on a position near a central part of the surface of the rotating wafer, a deionized water as a second liquid is supplied from a second nozzle that is located on a position nearer to an outer peripheral part of the wafer than the first nozzle, to thereby spread out the developer in the rotating direction of the wafer by a wall that is formed by the deionized water flowing the outer peripheral side of the wafer with the rotation of the wafer. Thus, a wetting property of a surface of a resist film formed on the wafer that is made hydrophobic can be improved, whereby a developer film can be efficiently formed and thus the developing process can be stabilized. | 12-17-2009 |
20100209607 | COATING METHOD - There is provided a coating method which can efficiently apply a coating liquid, such as a liquid resist, to the entire surface of a wafer even when the coating liquid is supplied in a smaller amount than a conventional one, and can therefore reduce the consumption of the coating liquid. The coating method includes: a first step of rotating the substrate at a first rotating speed while supplying the coating liquid onto approximately the center of the rotating substrate; a second step of rotating the substrate at a second rotating speed which is lower than the first rotating speed; a third step of rotating the substrate at a third rotating speed which is higher than the second rotating speed; and a fourth step of rotating the substrate at a fourth rotating speed which is higher than the second rotating speed and lower than the third rotating speed. | 08-19-2010 |
20100216078 | DEVELOPING METHOD - Disclosed is a developing method that develops a substrate, which has a surface coated with a resist having been exposed, while the substrate is held horizontally and is rotating about a vertical axis. The method includes supplying a developing liquid from a discharge port of a developer nozzle onto the surface of the substrate, while moving the developer nozzle, disposed above the substrate, from a central portion of the substrate toward a peripheral portion of the substrate, and supplying a first rinse liquid from a discharge port of a first rinse nozzle onto the surface of the substrate, while moving the first rinse nozzle, disposed above the substrate, from the central portion of the substrate toward the peripheral portion of the substrate. The supplying of the developing liquid and the supplying the first rinse liquid are performed concurrently, while the first rinse nozzle is maintained nearer to a center of the substrate than the developer nozzle. | 08-26-2010 |
20100233637 | DEVELOPING APPARATUS, DEVELOPING METHOD, AND STORAGE MEDIUM - A developing apparatus including a substrate holder that holds a substrate horizontally; means for atomizing a surface treatment liquid used to improve wettability of the substrate with a developer; a first spray nozzle that sprays the atomized surface treatment liquid onto the substrate; and a developer supply nozzle that supplies a developer onto the substrate to which the substrate treatment liquid has been sprayed. The surface tension of the atomized surface treatment liquid with respect to the substrate is lower than the surface tension of the surface treatment liquid with respect to the substrate. The atomization suppresses the fact that the surface treatment liquid gathers on a certain portion of the surface of the substrate. The surface treatment liquid can be easily supplied onto the entire surface of the substrate, and improve wettability of the substrate with the developer. | 09-16-2010 |
20100233638 | SUBSTRATE TREATMENT APPARATUS, SUBSTRATE TREATMENT METHOD, COATING AND DEVELOPING APPARATUS, COATING AND DEVELOPING METHOD, AND STORAGE MEDIUM - The substrate treatment apparatus includes a heating plate that heats the substrate prepared by coating a surface of the substrate with a resist and exposing the resist-coated substrate to light; a surface treatment liquid atomizing unit that atomizes a surface treatment liquid used to improve wettability of the substrate with a developer that is supplied onto the resist; a cooling unit that cools the substrate heated by the heating plate; and a surface treatment liquid supply unit that supplies the atomized surface treatment liquid onto the substrate for a portion of the period from the time when the substrate is heated until the cooling means terminates the cooling of the substrate. | 09-16-2010 |
20100330508 | DEVELOPING APPARATUS AND DEVELOPING METHOD - A developer nozzle is moved from a periphery of a wafer toward the central portion while an exposed substrate held at a spin chuck is being rotated about a vertical axis and while a developing solution is being discharged from the developer nozzle, and this way the developing solution is supplied to the surface of the wafer, the developer nozzle having a slit-like ejection port whose longitudinal direction is oriented to the direction perpendicular to the radial direction of the wafer. The movement speed of the nozzle is higher than a case where a nozzle with a small-diameter circular nozzle is used, and this enables a development time to be reduced. Further, the thickness of a developing solution on a substrate can be reduced, so that the developing solution can be saved. | 12-30-2010 |
20110005459 | RESIST COATING APPARATUS - A resist coating apparatus supplies a resist solution to substantially the center of a target substrate to be processed while rotating the target substrate at a first rotational speed, then decelerates the rotation of the substrate to a second rotational speed lower than the first rotational speed, or until rotational halt, makes the deceleration smaller in the deceleration step as the rotational speed becomes closer to the second rotational speed or the rotational halt, and accelerates the rotation of the substrate to a third rotational speed higher than the second rotational speed to spin off a residue of the resist solution. | 01-13-2011 |
20110008538 | APPARATUS AND METHOD OF FORMING AN APPLIED FILM - There is provided an apparatus including: a processing cup having an opening opened upward to allow a substrate to be loaded and unloaded, an exhaust port for exhausting an unnecessary atmosphere produced in forming a film applied on the substrate, and an aspiration port for aspirating external air; and an aspiration device aspirating the unnecessary atmosphere through the exhaust port, wherein when the substrate is accommodated in the opening of the processing cup, the substrate has a perimeter spaced from the opening by a predetermined gap, and below the substrate accommodated in the processing cup there is formed an exhaust flow path extending from the aspiration port to the exhaust port. | 01-13-2011 |
20110045414 | RINSING METHOD, DEVELOPING METHOD, DEVELOPING SYSTEM AND COMPUTER-READ STORAGE MEDIUM - The present invention provides a rinsing method capable of satisfactorily rinsing the surface of a resist film regardless of the condition of the surface of the resist film so that development defects caused by residuals produced by development may be reduced. A rinsing method of rinsing a substrate processed by a developing process for developing an exposed pattern comprises the steps of discharging a rinsing liquid onto a central part of the substrate processed by the developing process and coated with a developer puddle while the substrate is stopped or rotated (step | 02-24-2011 |
20110096304 | DEVELOPING APPARATUS, DEVELOPING METHOD AND STORAGE MEDIUM - A pretreatment process, carried out prior to a developing process, spouts pure water, namely, a diffusion-assisting liquid for assisting the spread of a developer over the surface of a wafer, through a cleaning liquid spouting nozzle onto a central part of the wafer to form a puddle of pure water. The developer is spouted onto the central part of the wafer for prewetting while the wafer is rotated at a high rotating speed to spread the developer over the surface of the wafer. The developer dissolves the resist film partly and produces a solution. The rotation of the wafer is reversed, for example, within 7 s in which the solution is being produced to reduce the water-repellency of the wafer by spreading the solution over the entire surface of the wafer. Then, the developer is spouted onto the rotating wafer to spread the developer on the surface of the wafer. | 04-28-2011 |
20110127236 | DEVELOPING DEVICE AND DEVELOPING METHOD - The temperature of a developing solution is varied depending on the type of resist or the resist pattern. The developing solution is applied while scanning a developer nozzle having a slit-shaped ejection port that has a length matching the width of the effective area of the substrate. After leaving the substrate with the developing solution being coated thereon for a predetermined period of time, a diluent is supplied while scanning a diluent nozzle, thereby substantially stopping the development reaction and causing the dissolved resist components to diffuse. A desired amount of resist can be quickly dissolved through the control of the developing solution temperature, while the development can be stopped before the dissolved resist components exhibit adverse effect through the supply of the diluent a predetermined timing, whereby achieving a pattern having a uniform line width and improved throughput. | 06-02-2011 |
20110146572 | RESIST COATING METHOD AND RESIST COATING APPARATUS - A resist coating method supplies a resist solution to substantially the center of a target substrate to be processed while rotating the target substrate at a first rotational speed, then reduces a rotational speed of the target substrate to a second rotational speed lower than the first rotational speed, reduces the rotational speed of the target substrate to a third rotational speed lower than the second rotational speed or until rotational halt to adjust the film thickness of the resist solution, and accelerates the rotation of the target substrate to a fourth rotational speed higher than the third rotational speed to spin off a residue of the resist solution. | 06-23-2011 |
20110312190 | COATING METHOD AND COATING APPARATUS - A coating method based on such a technique includes a prewetting step of supplying a prewetting liquid to the center of a substrate (W) and rotating the substrate thereby spreading the prewetting liquid over the whole surface of a first substrate, and a coating film forming step of supplying a coating solution (e.g., a resist solution) to the substrate supplied with the prewetting liquid and drying the coating solution thereby forming a coating film on the surface of the first substrate. The prewetting liquid used is a mixed liquid obtained by mixing a solvent capable of dissolving components of the coating film (e.g., components of resist) and a high surface tension liquid having a surface tension higher than that of the solvent, the mixed liquid having a surface tension higher than that of the coating solution. | 12-22-2011 |
20120034792 | COATING TREATMENT METHOD - The present invention supplies a solvent to a front surface of a substrate while rotating the substrate. The substrate is acceleratingly rotated to a first number of rotations, and a resist solution is supplied to a central portion of the substrate during the accelerating rotation and the rotation at a first number of rotations. The substrate is deceleratingly rotated to a second number of rotations, and after the number of rotations of the substrate reaches the second number of rotations, the resist solution is discharged to the substrate. The substrate is then acceleratingly rotated to a third number of rotations higher than the second number of rotations so that the substrate is rotated at the third number of rotations. According to the present invention, consumption of the resist solution can be suppressed and a high in-plane uniformity can be obtained for the film thickness of the resist film. | 02-09-2012 |
20120057862 | COATING AND DEVELOPING APPARATUS, COATING AND DEVELOPING METHOD AND NON-TRANSITORY TANGIBLE MEDIUM - A process block is formed by arranging a heating-process related block on the side of a carrier block, a group of liquid-process related unit blocks, and a heating block on the side of an interface block, in this order from the side of the carrier block to the side of the interface block. The group of liquid-process related unit blocks is composed of: a group of unit blocks for coating films that is formed by stacking upward a unit block for an antireflection film, a unit block for a resist film, and a unit bock for an upper layer film, in this order; and unit blocks for developing that are stacked on one another in the up and down direction with respect to the group of unit blocks for coating films. Liquid process modules of each of the liquid-process related unit blocks are arranged on the right and left sides of a transfer path for a substrate. | 03-08-2012 |
20120063765 | COATING AND DEVELOPING APPARATUS, COATING AND DEVELOPING METHOD AND NON-TRANSITORY TANGIBLE MEDIUM - A process block including a group of liquid-process related unit blocks, a first heating-process related block arranged on a carrier block side of the group of unit blocks, and a second heating-process related block arranged on an interface block side of the group of unit blocks. The group of liquid-process unit blocks includes doubled unit blocks for preprocessing for forming an antireflection film and a resist film, doubled unit blocks for post-processing for forming an upper layer film and performing a cleaning operation before exposure, and a unit block for developing. The first heating-process related block heats a substrate coated with a resist liquid and a substrate that has been developed. The second heating-process related block heats a substrate that has been exposed but is not yet developed, a substrate on which an antireflection film has been formed and a substrate on which an upper layer film has been formed. | 03-15-2012 |
20120218531 | DEVELOPING METHOD AND APPARATUS USING ORGANIC-SOLVENT CONTAINING DEVELOPER - Provided are a developing method and a developing apparatus that can reduce process time and improve throughput in a developing process using a developer containing organic solvent. The present invention relates to a developing method for performing developing by supplying a developer containing organic solvent to a substrate having its surface coated with a resist and exposed. The developing method of the invention includes a liquid film forming step for forming a liquid film by supplying the developer from a developer supply nozzle to a central portion of the substrate while rotating the substrate, and a developing step for developing the resist film on the substrate while rotating the substrate in a state where the supply of the developer from the developer supply nozzle to the substrate is stopped and in such a manner that the liquid film of the developer would not dry. | 08-30-2012 |
20120234362 | SUBSTRATE CLEANING METHOD AND SUBSTRATE CLEANING APPARATUS - A substrate cleaning method that includes: a step in which, while a substrate holder is being continuously rotated, a to-be-discharged position of the cleaning liquid on the substrate is changed to an eccentric position deviated from the central part of the substrate, and a gas is discharged from a gas nozzle to the central part of the substrate so as to form a dried area of the cleaning liquid under a condition in which a shortest distance between an edge of a cleaning liquid flow output from the cleaning-liquid nozzle and an edge of a gas flow output from the gas nozzle is set between 9 mm and 15 mm. | 09-20-2012 |
20130068324 | CHEMICAL SUPPLY SYSTEM, SUBSTRATE TREATMENT APPARATUS INCORPORATING THE SAME, AND COATING AND DEVELOPING SYSTEM INCORPORATING THE SAME APPARATUS - A chemical supply system comprises: a first container and a second container for storing a chemical solution; a first pump, located on a first pipe connecting the first and second containers, for directing the solution stored in the first container to the second container; and a first filter, located in the first pipe, for filtering the solution flowing through the first pipe from the first container toward the second container. The system further includes: a second pipe for connecting the first container and the second container; and a second pump, located on the second pipe, for directing the solution stored in the second container to the first container. | 03-21-2013 |
20130194557 | DEVELOPING METHOD - A method of developing a substrate including rotating the substrate and supplying a developing liquid from a discharge port of a developer nozzle onto the surface of the substrate, while moving the developer nozzle, disposed above the substrate, from a central portion towards a peripheral portion of the substrate, and supplying a first rinse liquid from a discharge port of a first rinse nozzle onto the surface of the substrate, while moving the first rinse nozzle, disposed above the substrate, from the central portion towards the peripheral portion of the substrate. The supplying of the developing liquid and the first rinse liquid are performed concurrently, with the first rinse nozzle being maintained nearer to a center of the substrate than the developer nozzle. | 08-01-2013 |
20130239887 | COATING TREATMENT METHOD, COATING TREATMENT APPARATUS, AND COMPUTER-READABLE STORAGE MEDIUM - In a coating step, a substrate is rotated at a high speed, and in that state a resist solution is discharged from a first nozzle to a central portion of the substrate to apply the resist solution over the substrate. Subsequently, in a flattening step, the rotation of the substrate is decelerated and the substrate is rotated at a low speed to flatten the resist solution on the substrate. In this event, the discharge of the resist solution by the first nozzle in the coating step is performed until a middle of the flattening step, and when the discharge of the resist solution is finished in the flattening step, the first nozzle is moved to move a discharge position of the resist solution from the central portion of the substrate. According to the present invention, the resist solution can be applied uniformly within the substrate. | 09-19-2013 |
20140174475 | LIQUID PROCESSING APPARATUS, LIQUID PROCESSING METHOD, AND STORAGE MEDIUM FOR LIQUID PROCESS - A filtration efficiency, which is similar to the filtration efficiency obtained when a plurality of filters are provided, can be obtained by one filter, and decrease in throughput can be prevented. Based on a control signal from a control unit | 06-26-2014 |
20140347639 | DEVELOPING METHOD FOR DEVELOPING APPARATUS - A developing method including a developing step in which, while a wafer horizontally held by a spin chuck is being rotated, the wafer is developed by supplying a developer onto a surface of the wafer, wherein provided before the developing step is a pre-wetting step in which, simultaneously with the developer being supplied from a first nozzle that is located on a position near a central part of the surface of the rotating wafer, a deionized water as a second liquid is supplied from a second nozzle that is located on a position nearer to an outer peripheral part of the wafer than the first nozzle, to thereby spread out the developer in the rotating direction of the wafer by a wall that is formed by the deionized water flowing to the outer peripheral side of the wafer with the rotation of the wafer. | 11-27-2014 |
20150036109 | DEVELOPING METHOD, DEVELOPING APPARATUS AND STORAGE MEDIUM - A developing method includes: horizontally holding an exposed substrate by a substrate holder; forming a liquid puddle on a part of the substrate, by supplying a developer from a developer nozzle; rotating the substrate; spreading the liquid puddle on a whole surface of the substrate, by moving the developer nozzle such that a supply position of the developer on the rotating substrate is moved in a radial direction of the substrate; bringing, simultaneously with the spreading of the liquid puddle on the whole surface of the substrate, a contact part into contact with the liquid puddle, the contact part being configured to be moved together with the developer nozzle and having a surface opposed to the substrate which is smaller than the surface of the substrate. According to this method, an amount of liquid falling down to the outside of the substrate can be inhibited. In addition, since the rotating speed of the substrate can be decreased, spattering of the developer can be inhibited. Further, a throughput can be improved by stirring the developer. | 02-05-2015 |
20150036110 | DEVELOPING APPARATUS, DEVELOPING METHOD AND STORAGE MEDIUM - A developing apparatus includes: a substrate holder that hold a substrate horizontally; a developer nozzle that supplies a developer onto the substrate to form a liquid puddle; a turning flow generation mechanism including a rotary member that rotates about an axis perpendicular to the substrate while the rotary member is being in contact with the liquid puddle thereby to generate a turning flow in the liquid puddle of the developer formed on the substrate; and a moving mechanism for moving the turning flow generation mechanism along a surface of the substrate. The line-width uniformity of a pattern can be improved by forming turning flows in a desired region of the substrate and stirring the developer. | 02-05-2015 |