Method of and apparatus for developing exposed photoresist to prevent impurity from being attached to wafer surface

A method of developing an exposed photoresist coated on a surface of a silicon wafer with a developing liquid, comprising the steps of:

• holding the silicon wafer horizontally such that the surface coated with the photoresist faces upwardly;
• rotating the silicon wafer thus held before the developing liquid is supplied to the surface of the silicon wafer, and supplying a cleaning liquid to the surface of the silicon wafer;
• and
• supplying said developing liquid to the surface of the silicon wafer which is being supplied with said cleaning liquid while the silicon wafer is being rotated.

An apparatus for developing an exposed photoresist coated on a surface of a silicon wafer with a developing liquid, comprising:

• wafer holding means for holding the silicon wafer horizontally such that the surface coated with the photoresist faces upwardly;
• wafer rotating means for rotating the silicon wafer held by said wafer holding means in a horizontal plane;
• developing liquid supply means for supplying the developing liquid to the surface of the silicon wafer held by said wafer holding means;
• cleaning liquid supply means for supplying a cleaning liquid to the surface of the silicon wafer held by said wafer holding means;
• cleaning control means for controlling said cleaning liquid supply means to supply said cleaning liquid to form a puddle of the cleaning liquid on the surface of the silicon wafer before said developing liquid is supplied from said developing liquid supply means to the surface of the silicon wafer held by said wafer holding means;
• and
• development control means for controlling said wafer rotating means to start rotating said silicon wafer and controlling said developing liquid supply means to start supplying said developing liquid after said puddle of the cleaning liquid is formed on the surface of the silicon wafer by said cleaning control means.

An apparatus for developing an exposed photoresist coated on a surface of a silicon wafer with a developing liquid, comprising:

• wafer holding means for holding the silicon wafer horizontally such that the surface coated with the photoresist faces upwardly;
• wafer rotating means for rotating the silicon wafer held by said wafer holding means in a horizontal plane;
• developing liquid supply means for supplying the developing liquid to the surface of the silicon wafer held by said wafer holding means;
• cleaning liquid supply means for supplying a cleaning liquid to the surface of the silicon wafer held by said wafer holding means;
• cleaning control means for controlling said wafer rotating means to rotate said silicon wafer held by said wafer holding means and controlling said cleaning liquid supply means to supply said cleaning liquid to the surface of the silicon wafer before said developing liquid is supplied from said developing liquid supply means to the surface of the silicon wafer;
• and
• development control means for controlling said developing liquid supply means to supply said developing liquid to the surface of the silicon wafer which is being supplied with said cleaning liquid while said silicon wafer is being rotated by said cleaning control means.

A development control apparatus in a developing apparatus having wafer holding means for holding a silicon wafer horizontally such that a surface thereof coated with a photoresist faces upwardly, wafer rotating means for rotating the silicon wafer held by said wafer holding means in a horizontal plane, developing liquid supply means for supplying a developing liquid to the surface of the silicon wafer held by said wafer holding means, and cleaning liquid supply means for supplying a cleaning liquid to the surface of the silicon wafer held by said wafer holding means, said development control apparatus being arranged to control said wafer holding means, said wafer rotating means, said cleaning liquid supply means, and said developing liquid supply means, and comprising:

• cleaning control means for controlling said cleaning liquid supply means to supply said cleaning liquid to form a puddle of the cleaning liquid on the surface of the silicon wafer before said developing liquid is supplied from said developing liquid supply means to the surface of the silicon wafer held by said wafer holding means;
• and
• development control means for controlling said wafer rotating means to start rotating said silicon wafer and controlling said developing liquid supply means to start supplying said developing liquid after said puddle of the cleaning liquid is formed on the surface of the silicon wafer by said cleaning control means.

A development control apparatus in a developing apparatus having wafer holding means for holding a silicon wafer horizontally such that a surface thereof coated with a photoresist faces upwardly, wafer rotating means for rotating the silicon wafer held by said wafer holding means in a horizontal plane, developing liquid supply means for supplying a developing liquid to the surface of the silicon wafer held by said wafer holding means, and cleaning liquid supply means for supplying a cleaning liquid to the surface of the silicon wafer held by said wafer holding means, said development control apparatus being arranged to control said wafer holding means, said wafer rotating means, said cleaning liquid supply means, and said developing liquid supply means, and comprising:

• cleaning control means for controlling said wafer rotating means to rotate said silicon wafer held by said wafer holding means and controlling said cleaning liquid supply means to supply said cleaning liquid to the surface of the silicon wafer before said developing liquid is supplied from said developing liquid supply means to the surface of the silicon wafer;
• and
• development control means for controlling said developing liquid supply means to supply said developing liquid to the surface of the silicon wafer which is being supplied with said cleaning liquid while said silicon wafer is being rotated by said cleaning control means.

An information storage medium storing a program for controlling a computer to perform a process in a developing apparatus having wafer holding means for holding a silicon wafer horizontally such that a surface thereof coated with a photoresist faces upwardly, wafer rotating means for rotating the silicon wafer held by said wafer holding means in a horizontal plane, developing liquid supply means for supplying a developing liquid to the surface of the silicon wafer held by said wafer holding means, and cleaning liquid supply means for supplying a cleaning liquid to the surface of the silicon wafer held by said wafer holding means, said computer being arranged to control said wafer holding means, said wafer rotating means, said cleaning liquid supply means, and said developing liquid supply means, said process comprising the step of:

• controlling said cleaning liquid supply means to supply said cleaning liquid to form a puddle of the cleaning liquid on the surface of the silicon wafer before said developing liquid is supplied from said developing liquid supply means to the surface of the silicon wafer held by said wafer holding means;
• and
• controlling said wafer rotating means to start rotating said silicon wafer and controlling said developing liquid supply means to start supplying said developing liquid after said puddle of the cleaning liquid is formed on the surface of the silicon wafer by said cleaning control means.

An information storage medium storing a program for controlling a computer to perform a process in a developing apparatus having wafer holding means for holding a silicon wafer horizontally such that a surface thereof coated with a photoresist faces upwardly, wafer rotating means for rotating the silicon wafer held by said wafer holding means in a horizontal plane, developing liquid supply means for supplying a developing liquid to the surface of the silicon wafer held by said wafer holding means, and cleaning liquid supply means for supplying a cleaning liquid to the surface of the silicon wafer held by said wafer holding means, said computer being arranged to control said wafer holding means, said wafer rotating means, said cleaning liquid supply means, and said developing liquid supply means, said process comprising the step of:

• controlling said wafer rotating means to rotate said silicon wafer held by said wafer holding means and controlling said cleaning liquid supply means to supply said cleaning liquid to the surface of the silicon wafer before said developing liquid is supplied from said developing liquid supply means to the surface of the silicon wafer;
• and
• controlling said developing liquid supply means to supply said developing liquid to the surface of the silicon wafer which is being supplied with said cleaning liquid while said silicon wafer is being rotated by said cleaning control means.