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US 9,256,133 B2Granted
Apparatus and method for developing process
AssigneeTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
InventorChing-Yu Chang
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus includes at least two tanks, at least two pumps, at least one nozzle, and a chuck. The apparatus provides multiple developers with different polarities during a developing process to target portions of a latent resist profile having different polarities, and thus different solubility. This apparatus also allows a mixture of two developers to be used for the resist film developing. A polarity of the mixture is adjustable by controlling a ratio of one pump flow rate to another pump flow rate and further controlling the resist pattern profile.
Claims19
A method for forming a resist pattern, the method
- comprising:
- depositing a resist film on a substrate, wherein the resist film has a top surface and a bottom surface;
- exposing, through a mask, the resist film deposited on the substrate to form a non-uniformly exposed latent resist profile within the resist film by light at least partially scattering at the top surface or the bottom surface, wherein the non-uniformly exposed latent resist profile includes a first portion of a first polarity and a second portion of a second polarity, wherein the first polarity is different from the second polarity;
- and
- patterning a resist profile in the exposed resist film using a plurality of developers, the patterning including:
- applying a first developer of the plurality of developers with the first polarity to the exposed resist film, wherein the first developer develops the first portion of the non-uniformly exposed latent resist profile;
- and
- applying a second developer of the plurality of developers with the second polarity to the exposed resist film, and wherein the second developer develops the second portion of the non-uniformly exposed latent resist profile.
5 more elements
A method for forming a resist pattern, the method comprising:
- depositing a resist film on a substrate, wherein the resist film has a top surface and a bottom surface;
- exposing, through a mask, the resist film deposited on the substrate to form a non-uniformly exposed latent resist profile within the resist film by light at least partially scattering at the top surface or the bottom surface, wherein the non-uniformly exposed latent resist profile includes a first portion exposed to a first energy dose and a second portion exposed to a second energy dose different than the first energy dose;
- and
- patterning a resist profile in the exposed resist film using a plurality of organic solvent developers, the patterning including:
- distributing a first organic solvent developer of the plurality of organic solvent developers with a first polarity on the exposed resist film, wherein the first organic solvent developer develops the first portion of the non-uniformly exposed latent resist profile;
- distributing a second organic solvent developer of the plurality of organic solvent developers with a second polarity on the exposed resist film, wherein the second polarity is different than the first polarity, and wherein the second organic solvent developer develops the second portion of the non-uniformly exposed latent resist profile;
- and
- distributing a third organic solvent developer of the plurality of organic solvent developers with a third polarity on the non-uniformly exposed latent resist profile, wherein the third polarity is different than the first polarity and the second polarity.
5 more elements
A method for forming a resist pattern on a substrate, the method comprising:
- depositing a resist film on the substrate, wherein the resist film has a top surface and a bottom surface;
- exposing, through a mask, the resist film deposited on the substrate to form a non-uniformly exposed latent resist profile within the resist film, wherein the non-uniformly exposed latent resist profile includes a first portion exposed to a first energy dose provided by light at least partially scattering at the top surface or the bottom surface, and a second portion exposed to a second energy dose different than the first energy dose;
- delivering a first developer of a first polarity through a nozzle;
- delivering a second developer of a second polarity through the nozzle, the second polarity being different than the first polarity;
- wherein the nozzle distributes the first developer and the second developer to the exposed resist film on the substrate.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.