Coating and developing apparatus and pattern forming method

Abstract

A coating and developing apparatus has an interface section equipped with a temperature adjuster (a cooling unit). A temperature-raised substrate due to exposure on periphery of the substrate outside a circuit-forming area thereon is adjusted to a predetermined temperature by the temperature adjuster and then transferred to an exposing apparatus. The temperature adjustments before exposure provide almost the same temperature over many substrates to be transferred to the exposing apparatus for less thermal effects to exposing processing, thus achieving high yields. The interface section is further provided with first and second transfer mechanisms, the first serving to transfer substrates between the processor and the exposing apparatus and the second serving to transfer substrates to each unit of a shelf section, for high transfer performance, thus achieving high throughput.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention relates to a coating and developing apparatus for forming resist films on substrates such as semiconductor wafers, LCD substrates (glass substrates used for liquid crystal displays) and developing the substrates after exposure to form a desired pattern thereon and also a pattern forming method for forming a desired pattern with this apparatus. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] Photolithographic techniques in process for manufacturing semiconductor devices and LCDs, etc., include the following steps. [0003] Firstly, a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer (called wafer hereinafter) is applied a resist solution thereon to be coated with a resist film. The resist film is exposed to a desired pattern through a photomask. A resist film with the desired pattern is then formed through developing processing. A series of these processing are carried out in a system equipped with a coating and developing apparatus and an exposing apparatu...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention provides a coating and developing apparatus and a pattern forming method for providing stable substrate temperature in exposure processing, thus achieving high yields, high transfer performance, and high throughput. The apparatus includes a carrier table for setting substrates, a processor for applying resist and developing the substrates, and an interface section for transferring the substrates between the processor and an exposing apparatus. The interface section includes a temperature adjuster for adjusting the substrate temperature before the exposing processing and a transfer mechanism for transferring the substrate among the processor, the temperature adjuster, and the exposing apparatus. The method involves applying resist on the substrate, adjusting the substrate temperature, exposing the substrate, and developing the exposed substrate to form a resist pattern on the substrate surface. The technical effects of the invention include stable substrate temperature, high yields, high transfer performance, and high throughput.

Problems solved by technology

Temperature change outside the set temperature could cause wafer expansion or contraction with low accuracy of alignment in exposure, thus resulting in low pattern-size fidelity.

These requirements do not allow sufficient decrease in wafer temperature raised due to peripheral exposure while the wafers W are waiting for exposing processing.

This often causes temperature increase for the wafers W while being transferred to the exposing apparatus A4, which results in low yields due to effects of heat generated during exposure and thus causing low productivity.

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