# US 11,079,691 B2 · Coating and developing apparatus and coating and developing method

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- Number: US 11,079,691 B2
- Document ID: US11079691B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/030,810
- Filed: 2020-09-24
- Published: 2021-04-08
- Granted: 2021-08-03
- Earliest claimed: 2019-10-02
- Assignees: Tokyo Electron Limited
- Applicants: Tokyo Electron Limited
- Inventors: Tsuyoshi Watanabe; Masashi Tsuchiyama; Hiroki Sato; Ippei Hamada
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11079691B2

## CPC

- G03F 7/70991: {Connection with other apparatus, e.g. multiple exposure stations, particular arrangement of exposure apparatus and pre-exposure and/or post-exposure apparatus; Shared apparatus, e.g. having shared radiation source, shared mask or workpiece stage, shared base-plate; Utilities, e.g. cable, pipe or wireless arrangements for data, power, fluids or vacuum}
- H10P 72/0461: {characterised by the presence of two or more transfer chambers}
- G03F 7/162: {Coating on a rotating support, e.g. using a whirler or a spinner}
- G03F 7/70733: {Handling masks and workpieces, e.g. exchange of workpiece or mask, transport of workpiece or mask}
- G03F 7/7085: {Detection arrangement, e.g. detectors of apparatus alignment possibly mounted on wafers, exposure dose, photo-cleaning flux, stray light, thermal load}
- H10P 72/0456: {in-line arrangement}
- H10P 72/0458: {vertical arrangement}
- H10P 72/0474: {comprising at least one lithography chamber}
- H10P 72/3302: {Mechanical parts of transfer devices}
- H10P 72/3304: {characterised by movements or sequence of movements of transfer devices}
- H10P 72/3404: {Storage means}
- G03F 7/168: {Finishing the coated layer, e.g. drying, baking, soaking}
- G03F: PHOTOMECHANICAL PRODUCTION OF TEXTURED OR PATTERNED SURFACES, e.g. FOR PRINTING, FOR PROCESSING OF SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; MATERIALS THEREFOR; ORIGINALS THEREFOR; APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED THEREFOR; (phototypographic composing devices B41B; photosensitive materials or processes for photographic purposes G03C; electrophotography, sensitive layers or processes therefor G03G)
- H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10

## Abstract

An apparatus includes: a treatment block; and a relay block including a first transfer-in/out module for an exposure apparatus. In the treatment block, a treatment module is provided in each layer, and a deliverer is provided at an end on the relay block side in the layer including a pre-exposure treatment module. In the relay block, a second transfer-in/out module for the deliverer and a post-exposure treatment module is provided in a region adjacent, in the width direction, to the deliverer, the first transfer-in/out module is provided in a relay side transfer region extending in a depth direction from a region overlapping with the second transfer-in/out module, the post-exposure treatment module is provided in a region adjacent, in an up-down direction, to the relay side transfer region and adjacent, in the depth direction, to the second transfer-in/out module, and a relay mechanism is provided.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A coating and developing apparatus configured to form a resist film on a substrate, transfer the substrate to an exposure apparatus, and then perform a developing treatment on the substrate subjected to liquid-immersion exposure in the exposure apparatus, the coating and developing apparatus comprising:
a treatment block in which treatment modules including a pre-exposure treatment module configured to solution-treat the substrate after formation of a coating film including the resist film and before the liquid-immersion exposure are provided; and
a relay block in which a post-exposure treatment module configured to solution-treat the substrate after the liquid-immersion exposure and before the developing treatment and a first transfer-in/out module configured to transfer the substrate into/out of the exposure apparatus are provided, and which couples the treatment block and the exposure apparatus in a width direction, wherein:
in the treatment block being multilayered in an up-down direction,
the treatment module is provided in each of layers,
a transfer mechanism configured to transfer the substrate is provided in a transfer region extending in the width direction, and
a deliverer on which the substrate is mounted when the substrate is delivered between both the blocks is provided at an end on the relay block side in the layer in which the pre-exposure treatment module is provided; and
in the relay block,
a second transfer-in/out module configured to transfer the substrate into/out of the deliverer and the post-exposure treatment module is provided in a region adjacent, in the width direction, to the deliverer in the treatment block,
the first transfer-in/out module is provided in a relay side transfer region extending in a depth direction perpendicular to the width direction from a region overlapping, in plan view, with the second transfer-in/out module,
the post-exposure treatment module is provided in a region adjacent, in the up-down direction, to the relay side transfer region and adjacent, in the depth direction, to the second transfer-in/out module, and
a relay mechanism configured to relay the substrate between the first transfer-in/out module and the second transfer-in/out module is provided in a region facing the post-exposure treatment module with the second transfer-in/out module interposed therebetween in the depth direction.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The coating and developing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the transfer region and the deliverer in the treatment block and the second transfer-in/out module in the relay block are arranged side by side along the width direction.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The coating and developing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:
the layers in each of which the pre-exposure treatment module is provided are layered, and
the transfer mechanism for the pre-exposure treatment module is shared among the layers.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The coating and developing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein
the deliverer is provided only for one layer.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The coating and developing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
in the treatment block,
a coating film forming module configured to form the coating film comprises a nozzle configured to discharge a solution for forming the coating film from above toward the substrate, and a waiting section for the nozzle, the nozzle and the waiting section being provided outside a cup configured to laterally surround the substrate on which the coating film is to be formed,
the pre-exposure treatment module comprises a nozzle configured to supply a solution for performing the solution treatment to the substrate, the nozzle being provided only inside or at a lower part of a cup configured to laterally surround the substrate on which the solution treatment before the exposure is to be performed, and
the pre-exposure treatment module is smaller in pitch between modules in the width direction than the coating film forming module in the treatment block.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The coating and developing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the treatment block comprises a plurality of sub-blocks connected in the width direction.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The coating and developing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein
when a treatment is performed by the treatment module in one of the sub-blocks and subsequently a treatment is performed by the treatment block in another of the sub-blocks adjacent, in the width direction, to the one of the sub-blocks, the treatment modules provided in layers at the same height position are used in the one of the sub-blocks and the another of the sub-blocks.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The coating and developing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein
when the substrate after the liquid-immersion exposure is transferred from the deliverer in a sub-block in which the pre-exposure treatment module is provided to another sub-block, the transfer mechanism in the layer in which the pre-exposure treatment module is provided is used.

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

The coating and developing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein:
a developing module configured to perform the developing treatment is provided in a second sub-block different from a first sub-block in which the pre-exposure treatment module is provided; and
in the second sub-block, an inspection module configured to inspect the substrate after the developing treatment is provided on a side opposite to the first sub-block, in a layer in which the developing module is provided.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The coating and developing apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising
a carrier block on which a carrier configured to house the substrate is mounted, the carrier block being provided on a side of the second sub-block opposite to the first sub-block.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The coating and developing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
a plurality of the treatment modules are provided along the width direction in each of one side region and another side region in the depth direction with the transfer region interposed therebetween in at least one of the layers in the treatment block.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The coating and developing apparatus according to claim 11, wherein:
the pre-exposure treatment module is provided in each of the one side region and the another side region in the depth direction; and
a coating film forming module configured to form the coating film and a developing module configured to perform the developing treatment are provided in a layer in which a transfer mechanism different from the transfer mechanism for the pre-exposure treatment module is used.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The coating and developing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the pre-exposure treatment module is provided in an upper layer.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The coating and developing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the relay mechanism comprises:
a layered deliverer in which a module into/out of which the substrate is transferred by the first transfer-in/out module and a module into/out of which the substrate is transferred by the second transfer-in/out module are layered in the up-down direction; and
an up-down direction transfer mechanism configured to transfer the substrate between the modules in the layered deliverer.

### Claim 15

A coating and developing method using a coating and developing apparatus configured to form a resist film on a substrate, transfer the substrate to an exposure apparatus, and then perform a developing treatment on the substrate subjected to liquid-immersion exposure in the exposure apparatus,
the coating and developing apparatus comprising:
a treatment block in which treatment modules including a pre-exposure treatment module configured to solution-treat the substrate after formation of a coating film including the resist film and before the liquid-immersion exposure are provided; and
a relay block in which a post-exposure treatment module configured to solution-treat the substrate after the liquid-immersion exposure and before the developing treatment and a first transfer-in/out module configured to transfer the substrate into/out of the exposure apparatus are provided, and which couples the treatment block and the exposure apparatus in a width direction, wherein:
in the treatment block being multilayered in an up-down direction,
the treatment module is provided in each of layers,
a transfer mechanism configured to transfer the substrate is provided in a transfer region extending in the width direction, and
a deliverer on which the substrate is mounted when the substrate is delivered between both the blocks is provided at an end on the relay block side in the layer in which the pre-exposure treatment module is provided; and
in the relay block,
a second transfer-in/out module configured to transfer the substrate into/out of the deliverer and the post-exposure treatment module is provided in a region adjacent, in the width direction, to the deliverer in the treatment block,
the first transfer-in/out module is provided in a relay side transfer region extending in a depth direction perpendicular to the width direction from a region overlapping, in plan view, with the second transfer-in/out module,
the post-exposure treatment module is provided in a region adjacent, in the up-down direction, to the relay side transfer region and adjacent, in the depth direction, to the second transfer-in/out module, and
a relay mechanism configured to relay the substrate between the first transfer-in/out module and the second transfer-in/out module is provided in a region facing the post-exposure treatment module with the second transfer-in/out module interposed therebetween in the depth direction,
the coating and developing method comprising:
the transfer mechanism transferring the substrate treated in the pre-exposure treatment module in the treatment block, to the deliverer;
thereafter the second transfer-in/out module transferring the substrate out of the deliverer;
thereafter the relay mechanism delivering the substrate from the second transfer-in/out module to the first transfer-in/out module;
thereafter the first transfer-in/out module transferring the substrate into the exposure apparatus;
after the liquid-immersion exposure in the exposure apparatus, the first transfer-in/out module transferring the substrate out of the exposure apparatus;
thereafter the relay mechanism delivering the substrate from the first transfer-in/out module to the second transfer-in/out module;
thereafter the second transfer-in/out module transferring the substrate into the post-exposure treatment module;
thereafter the second transfer-in/out module transferring the substrate out of the post-exposure treatment module and transferring the substrate into the deliverer; and
thereafter the transfer mechanism transferring the substrate out of the deliverer.