Lithography method for preventing lithographic exposure of peripheral region of semiconductor wafer
AssigneeInfineon Technologies North America Corp.
InventorXiaochun Linda Chen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A lithography method for use in the manufacture of semiconductor devices, which prevents lithographic exposure of a periphery region or edge region of a semiconductor wafer and which prevents the formation of black silicon related particle contamination in a patterned region on the periphery region as a result of, e.g., a deep trench manufacturing process. A quencher solution is applied at peripheral areas of the wafer on which a photoresist layer is formed. The quencher solution neutralizes acid generated in the photoresist when the photoresist is exposed to radiation, thereby preventing the photoresist on the peripheral region of the wafer to dissolve during a subsequent developing process.
Claims20
A method for preventing lithographic exposure of a periphery region of a semiconductor wafer, comprising the steps of:
- applying a layer of photoresist on a semiconductor wafer;
- and
- treating the photoresist that covers a peripheral region of the semiconductor wafer with a solution that prevents the treated photoresist from dissolving during a development process due to radiation exposure of the treated photoresist.
A method for preventing the formation of black silicon on a patterned region on a periphery of a semiconductor wafer, comprising the steps of:
- applying a layer of photoresist on a semiconductor wafer;
- applying a solution to the photoresist on a peripheral region of the semiconductor wafer;
- exposing the layer of photoresist to radiation, wherein the solution prevents photochemical changes from occurring in the photoresist on the peripheral region of the semiconductor wafer due to radiation exposure;
- developing the photoresist to form a pattern, wherein the solution prevents the exposed photoresist on the peripheral region of the semiconductor wafer from being dissolved by a developing agent;
- and
- performing an etch process on an exposed portion of semiconductor wafer, wherein the photoresist on the peripheral region of the semiconductor wafer prevents the formation of black silicon on the patterned region during the etch process.
A lithography process, comprising the steps of:
- applying a layer of positive photoresist layer on a semiconductor wafer;
- applying a solution to the positive photoresist that covers a peripheral region of the semiconductor wafer;
- exposing selected portions of the layer of photoresist to radiation, wherein the solution prevents photochemical changes from occurring in the positive photoresist that covers the peripheral region of the semiconductor wafer due to radiation exposure;
- and
- developing the photoresist to form a resist pattern, wherein the solution prevents exposed positive photoresist that covers the peripheral region of the semiconductor wafer from being dissolved by a developing agent.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.