US 6,746,826 B1Granted

Method for an improved developing process in wafer photolithography

AssigneeASML Holding N.V.

InventorsJae Heon Park, Jung Suk Bang

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

Methods and apparatus are described for improved yield and line width performance for liquid polymers and other materials. A method for minimizing precipitation of developing reactant by lowering a sudden change in pH includes: developing at least a portion of a polymer layer on a substrate with an initial charge of a developer fluid; then rinsing the polymer with an additional charge of the developer fluid so as to controllably minimize a subsequent sudden change in pH; and then rinsing the polymer with a charge of another fluid. A method for achieving a more uniform, quasi-equilibrium succession of states from the introduction of developer chemical to the wafer surface to its removal is also described. The method reduces process-induced defects and improves critical dimension (CD) control.

Claims7

Dependent claims

A method comprising:

dispensing a first quantity of a substantially inert material onto a wafer surface to form a layer of substantially inert material;
dispensing a first charge of developer fluid onto the surface of the wafer, such that a momentum imparted by the first charge of developer fluid to a micro-structure on the wafer surface is reduced by the layer of substantially inert material;
allowing at least a portion of developer fluid of the first charge of developer fluid to puddle on the wafer surface for a predetermined dwell time to permit substantial completion of a developing chemical reaction to occur, a non-uniformity of the developing chemical reaction reduced by a diffusion of the puddling developer fluid through the inert material;
dispensing a second charge of developer fluid onto the surface of the wafer;
and
dispensing second quantity of substantially inert material onto the wafer surface.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.