# US 8,148,054 B2 · Immersion multiple-exposure method and immersion exposure system for separately performing multiple exposure of micropatterns and non-micropatterns

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- Number: US 8,148,054 B2
- Document ID: US8148054B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 12/140,653
- Filed: 2008-06-17
- Published: 2008-12-18
- Granted: 2012-04-03
- Earliest claimed: 2007-06-18
- Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
- Inventors: Takehiro Kondoh
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8148054B2

## CPC

- G03F 7/70925: {Cleaning, i.e. actively freeing apparatus from pollutants, e.g. using plasma cleaning}
- G03F 7/70283: {Mask effects on the imaging process}
- G03F 7/70341: {Details of immersion lithography aspects, e.g. exposure media or control of immersion liquid supply (chemical composition of immersion liquids G03F7/2041)}
- G03F 7/70466: {Multiple exposures, e.g. combination of fine and coarse exposures, double patterning or multiple exposures for printing a single feature (stitching G03F7/70475)}
- H10P 76/2043: {using an anti-reflective coating}
- G03F 7/091: {characterised by antireflection means or light filtering or absorbing means, e.g. anti-halation, contrast enhancement}
- G03F: PHOTOMECHANICAL PRODUCTION OF TEXTURED OR PATTERNED SURFACES, e.g. FOR PRINTING, FOR PROCESSING OF SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; MATERIALS THEREFOR; ORIGINALS THEREFOR; APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED THEREFOR; (phototypographic composing devices B41B; photosensitive materials or processes for photographic purposes G03C; electrophotography, sensitive layers or processes therefor G03G)
- H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10

## Abstract

This invention discloses an immersion multiple-exposure method including a first exposure step of performing, using a first mask, immersion exposure of a photoresist film formed on a substrate, a cleaning step of clearing the surface of the substrate, and a second exposure step of performing immersion exposure of the photoresist film using a second mask. No heating process is performed between the first exposure step and the second exposure step.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An immersion multiple-exposure method comprising:
forming a photoresist film on a substrate;
performing first immersion exposure of the photoresist film using a first mask;
cleaning a surface of the substrate with the photoresist film at least once; and
performing second immersion exposure of the photoresist film after cleaning the surface of the substrate with the photoresist film, using a second mask.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning is done using pure water.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning is done while rotating the substrate and spraying pure water.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, further comprising, after forming the photoresist film before performing the first immersion exposure, forming an immersion protective film on the photoresist film.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method according to claim 4, wherein in the cleaning, a surface of the immersion protective film formed on the photoresist film is cleaned.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the first mask and the second mask have different patterns.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the first immersion exposure and the second immersion exposure are performed under different conditions.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the substrate includes a wafer and an anti-reflection film formed on a major surface of the wafer, and the photoresist film is formed on the anti-reflection film.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning is performed immediately after performing the first immersion exposure, and the second immersion exposure is performed immediately after the cleaning.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein no heating process is included between the first immersion exposure and the second immersion exposure.