Pattern formation method and exposure system
AssigneeMatsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
InventorsMasayuki Endo, Masaru Sasago
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Abstract
After forming a resist film made from a chemically amplified resist material, pattern exposure is carried out by irradiating the resist film with exposing light while supplying, between a projection lens and the resist film, a solution of water (having a refractive index of 1.44) that includes an antifoaming agent and is circulated and temporarily stored in a solution storage. After the pattern exposure, the resist film is subjected to post-exposure bake, and the resultant resist film is developed with an alkaline developer. Thus, a resist pattern made of an unexposed portion of the resist film can be formed in a good shape.
Claims5
A pattern formation method comprising the steps of:
- performing pattern exposure by selectively irradiating a resist film with exposing light while supplying a solution onto said resist film;
- and
- forming a resist pattern by developing said resist film after the pattern exposure,
- wherein, in the step of performing pattern exposure, said solution supplied onto said resist film is temporarily stored in a solution storage that is provided between said resist film and a lens used for projecting said exposing light to said resist film and has an inlet for allowing said solution to flow in and an outlet, having a cross-sectional area smaller than said inlet, for allowing said solution to flow out.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.