Coating methods and apparatus for coating
AssigneeFSI International, Inc.
InventorsSamuel A. Cooper, Joseph W. Daggett
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Described are process control methods for spin-coating, and apparatuses and devices incorporating the same, wherein the method is useful for application of developer solution to a substrate, and wherein the process control method includes one or more features of: interrupted serial process control using an interrupt signal from a hardware or a software component, an interrupt service routine, and a multiple process commands initiated at durations measured in parallel from an earlier process event.
Claims8
A method for providing a photoresist coating onto a substrate, the method comprising:
- spin-coating a photoresist solution onto the substrate wherein the spin-coating process is controlled by a method comprising:
- controlling the process using serial process control sequentially executing a series of subroutines;
- interrupting the serial process control with a hardware interrupt signal to execute a process command;
- and
- applying a developer solution onto the spin-coated photoresist using a spin-coating apparatus wherein the spin-coating apparatus is controlled by a method comprising:
- controlling the process using serial process control sequentially executing a series of subroutines;
- and
- interrupting the serial process control with a hardware interrupt signal to execute a process command.
A method for controlling a process of applying a developer solution onto a substrate using a spin-coating apparatus, the method comprising:
- controlling the process using serial process control wherein the process is controlled by sequentially executing a series of subroutines;
- and
- interrupting the serial process control with an interrupt signal to execute a process command, wherein the interrupt signal relates to a process event chosen from the group consisting of:
- a beginning of a dispenser movement into dispensing position;
- an end of a dispenser movement into dispensing position;
- a beginning of a solution dispense;
- an end of a solution dispense;
- a beginning of dispenser movement out of dispensing position;
- and an end of dispenser movement out of dispensing position.
A method for controlling a process of applying a developer solution onto a substrate using a spin-coating apparatus, the method comprising:
- controlling the process using serial process control wherein the process is controlled by sequentially executing a series of subroutines;
- and
- interrupting the serial process control with an interrupt signal to execute a process command, wherein the process command is chosen from the group consisting of:
- a start of dispenser movement;
- a start of dispense of a developer solution;
- an end of dispense of the developer solution;
- a change of turntable spin acceleration or deceleration.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.