Method and apparatus for post exposure treatment

Abstract

The embodiments described herein relate to methods and apparatus for post-exposure processing. More specifically, the embodiments described herein relate to a field-guided post-exposure baking (iFGPEB) chamber and processing. In one embodiment, a substrate is conveyed into a post-exposure processing chamber and then lifted to a pre-processing position by a plurality of lifting pins. A substrate support is then lifted to engage with the substrate, and the substrate is vacuum-adsorbed thereon prior to the iFGPEB processing.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The embodiments disclosed herein relate to methods and apparatus for processing substrates, and more specifically, to methods and apparatus for improving photolithography processes. Background Technology

[0002] Integrated circuits have evolved into complex devices that can include millions of components (e.g., transistors, capacitors, and resistors) on a single chip. Photolithography is the process used to form components on the chip. Generally, the photolithography process involves several stages. Initially, a photoresist layer is formed on the substrate. Chemically amplified photoresist may include a resist resin and a photoacid generator. After exposure to electromagnetic radiation in subsequent exposure stages, the photoacid generator alters the solubility of the photoresist in the development process. The electromagnetic radiation can have any suitable wavelength, such as a 193nm ArF laser, an electron beam, an ion beam, or other suitable sources. Excess solvent can then be removed in a pre-exposure baking process.

[0003] During the exposure stage, a photomask or mask plate can be used to selectively expose certain areas of the substrate to electromagnetic radiation. Other exposure methods include maskless exposure. Exposure to light decomposes the photoacid generator, producing acid and creating a latent acid pattern in the resist resin. After exposure, the substrate can be heated during a post-exposure baking process. During the post-exposure baking process, the acid generated by the photoacid generator reacts with the resist resin in the photoresist layer, thereby altering the solubility of the resist in the photoresist layer during subsequent development processes.

[0004] After exposure and baking, the substrate, especially the photoresist layer, can be developed and rinsed. Depending on the type of photoresist used, the areas of the substrate exposed to electromagnetic radiation can be either removable or more easily removable. After development and rinsing, the mask pattern is transferred to the substrate using a wet or dry etching process.

[0005] The evolution of chip design necessitates faster circuit systems and greater circuit density. This demand for greater circuit density requires smaller integrated circuit components. As the size of integrated circuit components decreases, more elements can be placed within a given area on a semiconductor integrated circuit. Therefore, photolithography is used to transfer even smaller features onto a substrate to accommodate the shrinking size of integrated circuit components.

[0006] Precise and accurate photolithography largely depends on the resolution of the photoresist layer deposited on the substrate to be patterned. Current developments involve applying an electric field to the photoresist layer on the substrate using electrode assemblies before or after exposure processing to modify the chemical properties of the desired portion of the photoresist layer, thereby improving exposure / development resolution. However, the challenges of realizing these systems have not yet been overcome.

[0007] Therefore, improved methods and equipment are needed for improved immersion-guided post-exposure baking processes. Summary of the Invention

[0008] This disclosure relates generally to a method and apparatus for post-exposure baking treatment using immersion field guidance. In one embodiment, the method includes positioning a substrate on a plurality of lifting pins within a first space and moving the lifting pins to a first position. A substrate support is moved to the first position to engage the substrate and then moved to a second position adjacent to a second space, the second space being partially defined by the substrate and electrodes. A processing fluid is introduced into the second space, and an electric field is generated between the electrodes and the substrate.

[0009] In one embodiment, the method includes positioning a substrate on a plurality of lifting pins within a first space of a processing chamber. The substrate is moved to a pre-processing position adjacent to the top plate of the processing chamber, and then a substrate support is moved to the pre-processing position to contact the substrate. The substrate is vacuum-attracted to the substrate support, and the substrate support is moved to a processing position to form a second space within the processing chamber. A processing fluid is introduced into the second space, generating an electric field therein.

[0010] In one embodiment, the method includes positioning a substrate on a plurality of lifting pins at a first position disposed within a first space of a processing chamber, and moving the plurality of lifting pins to a second position. A substrate support is moved to the second position to contact and vacuum-adsorb the substrate. The substrate support with the substrate adsorbed thereon is moved to a third position within the first space, the substrate support being positioned in the third position to form a second space within the processing chamber partially defined by the substrate. A processing fluid is introduced into the second space, generating an electric field therein. Attached Figure Description

[0011] To gain a more detailed understanding of the features described above in this disclosure, a more specific description of the disclosure, which has been briefly summarized above, can be obtained by referring to the embodiments, some of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. However, it should be noted that the drawings illustrate exemplary embodiments only and should not be considered as limiting their scope, and other equivalent embodiments are permissible.

[0012] Figure 1 The operation of the method for processing a substrate is illustrated in the embodiments described herein.

[0013] Figure 2 According to the embodiments described herein, the illustrations are shown in... Figure 1 The first stage of the method involves processing the chamber.

[0014] Figure 3 According to the embodiments described herein, the illustrations are shown in... Figure 1 The second phase of the method Figure 2The processing chamber.

[0015] Figure 4 According to the embodiments described herein, the illustrations are shown in... Figure 1 The third stage of the method Figure 2 The processing chamber.

[0016] Figure 5 According to the embodiments described herein, the illustrations are shown in... Figure 1 The fourth stage of the method Figure 2 The processing chamber.

[0017] To facilitate understanding, the same reference numerals have been used as much as possible to denote common elements in the figures. It should be understood that elements and features of one embodiment may be beneficially incorporated into other embodiments without further description. Detailed Implementation

[0018] The embodiments described herein relate to methods and apparatus for post-exposure processing. More specifically, the embodiments described herein relate to a field-guided post-exposure baking (iFGPEB) chamber and processing. In one embodiment, a substrate is conveyed into a post-exposure processing chamber and then lifted to a pre-processing position by a plurality of lifting pins. A substrate support is then lifted to engage with the substrate, and the substrate is vacuum-adsorbed onto it prior to the iFGPEB processing.

[0019] Figure 1 The operation of a representative method 100 for processing a substrate is illustrated in the embodiments described herein. Figures 2 to 5 The illustration shows schematic cross-sectional views of the substrate 201 within the processing chamber 200 at different stages of method 100. Therefore, when necessary, it will be... Figure 1 The discussion of method 100 includes... Figures 1 to 5 References to the above. The method 100 for processing substrate 201 has multiple operations. These operations can be performed in any order or simultaneously (unless the context precludes such a possibility), and the method 100 may include one or more other operations performed before any defined operation, between two defined operations, or after all defined operations (unless the context precludes such a possibility). Not all embodiments include all of the described operations.

[0020] Generally, at operation 110, method 100 includes positioning substrate 201 on a plurality of lifting pins 266 disposed at transfer position 270 within processing chamber 200, and heating substrate support 208 to a desired temperature. At operation 120, substrate 201 positioned on lifting pins 266 is lifted to pre-processing position 272 while substrate support 208 remains stationary. Then, at operation 130, substrate support 208 is raised to engage substrate 201 in pre-processing position 272. At operation 140, substrate support 208 is further lifted to processing position 274, after which substrate 201 is processed at operation 150.

[0021] Figure 2 The diagram illustrates the processing chamber 200 at operation 110. In one embodiment, the processing chamber 200 is configured to perform an immersion field-guided post-exposure bake (iFGPEB) process. Figure 2 As depicted, chamber 200 includes a chamber body 202 having sidewalls 204 and a bottom 206 that at least partially define a space 203. A slit valve 205, sized to accommodate a passage through which a substrate 201 passes, is disposed in the sidewall 204. In one embodiment, chamber body 202 has a substantially cylindrical shape. In another embodiment, chamber body 202 has a polygonal shape, such as a cube or similar shape. Chamber body 202 is made of a material suitable for maintaining a vacuum pressure therein, such as a metallic material. For example, chamber body 202 is made of aluminum, stainless steel, and alloys and combinations thereof. Alternatively, chamber body 202 is made of a polymeric material, such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), or a high-temperature plastic, such as polyetheretherketone (PEEK).

[0022] The top plate 210 is coupled to the chamber body 202 and further defines the space 203. In one embodiment, the top plate 210 is made of a metallic material, such as aluminum, stainless steel, and alloys and combinations thereof. In another embodiment, the top plate 210 is made of a polymeric material, such as PTFE, PEEK, and similar materials. The top plate 210 may be formed of the same material used to form the chamber body 202. Alternatively, the top plate 210 may be formed of a different material than the chamber body 202.

[0023] A top plate 210 is coupled to and supports an electrode 212. In one embodiment, the electrode 212 is removably coupled to the top plate 210. In another embodiment, the electrode 212 is fixedly coupled to the top plate 210. The electrode 212 may be formed of a conductive metallic material. Furthermore, the material used for the electrode 212 may be a non-oxidizing material. The material selected for the electrode 212 provides desired current uniformity and low resistance across the surface of the electrode 212. A first O-ring 214 is further coupled to the electrode 212 along its outer diameter. The first O-ring 214 is also configured to contact the sidewall 216 of the top plate 210. The first O-ring 214 is configured to prevent process fluid from flowing behind the electrode 212 during processing.

[0024] A heat source 218, a temperature sensing device 220, a power supply 222, and a sensing device 224 are coupled to an electrode 212. The heat source 218 provides power to one or more heating elements (not shown), such as resistive heaters, disposed within the electrode 212. The heat source 218 is configured to facilitate preheating of the processing fluid during iFGPEB processing. In addition to or different from preheating the processing fluid, the heat source 218 may also be used to maintain a desired temperature of the processing fluid during substrate processing. In one embodiment, the heat source 218 is configured to heat the electrode 212 to a temperature between about 70°C and about 150°C, for example, between about 90°C and about 130°C. For example, the heat source 218 is configured to heat the electrode 212 to a temperature between about 100°C and about 120°C, for example, about 110°C.

[0025] Temperature sensing devices 220, such as thermocouples or similar devices, are communicatively coupled to heat source 218 to provide temperature monitoring and facilitate heating of electrode 212. Power source 222 is configured to supply power, for example, between about 0 W and about 100 W, such as between about 25 W and about 75 W, to electrode 212. Depending on the type of fluid being processed, the current generated by power source 222 can be in the range of tens of nanoamperes to hundreds of milliamperes. In one embodiment, power source 222 is configured to generate an electric field ranging from about 0 V / mm to about 2000 V / mm. For example, power source 222 is configured to generate an electric field ranging from about 100 V / mm to about 1800 V / mm, such as between about 500 V / mm and about 1200 V / mm, such as between about 800 V / mm and about 1000 V / mm. In some embodiments, power source 222 is configured to operate in a voltage-controlled or current-controlled mode. In both modes, power supply 222 can output AC, DC, and / or pulsed DC waveforms. Square or sine waves can be used, if desired. Power supply 222 can be configured to provide power at frequencies between approximately 0.1 Hz and approximately 1 kHz, for example, frequencies between approximately 100 Hz and approximately 750 Hz, such as between approximately 250 Hz and approximately 500 Hz. The duty cycle of the pulsed DC or AC power can be between approximately 5% and approximately 95%, for example, between approximately 25% and approximately 75%.

[0026] The rise and fall times of the pulsed DC or AC power can be between about 1 nanosecond and about 1 millisecond, for example, between about 100 nanoseconds and about 1 millisecond. A sensing device 224, such as a voltmeter or the like, is communicatively coupled to the power supply 222 to provide electrical feedback and facilitate control of the power applied to the electrode 212. The sensing device 224 can also be configured to sense the current applied to the electrode 212 through the power supply 222.

[0027] A plurality of first fluid ports 226 are formed in the top plate 210 via sidewalls 216. A plurality of second fluid ports 228 are also formed in the sidewalls 216 and are opposite to the plurality of first fluid ports 226. The plurality of first fluid ports 226 are in fluid communication with a processing fluid source 232 via a first conduit 234. The plurality of second fluid ports 228 are in fluid communication with a fluid outlet 236 via a second conduit 238. The processing fluid source 232 is configured, alone or in combination with other devices, to preheat the processing fluid to a temperature between about 70°C and about 150°C, for example, between about 80°C and about 140°C, prior to processing of the substrate 201, and to transfer fluid during iFGPEB processing. For example, the processing fluid is heated to a temperature between about 100°C and about 120°C, for example, about 110°C.

[0028] In one embodiment, the purified gas source 250 is also in fluid communication with a plurality of first fluid ports 226 via a first conduit 234. The gas supplied by the purified gas source 250 may include one or more of the following: nitrogen, hydrogen, inert gases, and the like, to purify the treatment space 290 (shown in [location not specified]) before, during, or after iFGPEB treatment. Figure 5 (Middle). When desired, the purified gas can be discharged from the processing space 290 via the fluid outlet 236.

[0029] A substrate support 208 is disposed in space 203. In one embodiment, the substrate support 208 is coupled to a shaft 244 disposed through an opening 240 in the bottom 206 of the chamber body 202. The substrate support 208 is raised and lowered within space 203 by an actuator assembly 246 coupled to shaft 244. In some embodiments, the substrate support 208 may also rotate about its central axis.

[0030] Vacuum chuck 242 is coupled to substrate support 208. Vacuum chuck 242 may be formed of a non-metallic material or other insulating material, such as ceramic or similar materials. Furthermore, vacuum chuck 242 may be formed of a non-oxidizing material to substantially reduce or avoid the possibility of substrate oxidation through the reaction of the processing fluid with vacuum chuck 242. Similar to electrode 212, the material utilized by vacuum chuck 242 provides desired current uniformity during processing of substrate 201. Specifically, the material utilized by vacuum chuck 242 is selected to have a negligible effect on the electric field generated in processing chamber 200 during processing.

[0031] Vacuum chuck 242 is configured to support substrate 201 thereon during processing and has a planar support surface 242A. Support surface 242A is sized to accommodate attachment of substrate 201 thereon and for positioning adjacent to top plate 210. Vacuum source 258 is in fluid communication with substrate support surface 242A. Generally, vacuum source 258 is coupled to vacuum chuck 242 via substrate support 208. Vacuum source 258 is configured to vacuum-adsorb substrate 201 onto support surface 242A of vacuum chuck 242 during processing.

[0032] Similar to electrode 212, vacuum chuck 242 is coupled to heat source 248, temperature sensing device 252, and power supply 254. Heat source 248, temperature sensing device 252, power supply 254, and sensing device 256 may function similarly to heat source 218, temperature sensing device 220, power supply 222, and sensing device 224. For example, heat source 248 provides power to one or more heating elements disposed within vacuum chuck 242, such as resistive heaters or ceramic heaters. Generally, heat source 248 is configured to heat vacuum chuck 242 to facilitate heating of substrate 201 and / or processing fluid during iFGPEB processing. In one embodiment, heat source 248 is configured to heat vacuum chuck 242 to a temperature between about 75°C and about 150°C, for example, between about 100°C and about 125°C, for example, between about 110°C and about 120°C. Temperature sensing devices 252, such as thermocouples or similar, are communicatively coupled to heat source 248 to provide temperature monitoring and facilitate heating of vacuum chuck 242.

[0033] In one embodiment, a second O-ring 280 is disposed on the substrate support surface 242A within a vacuum chuck 242. The second O-ring 280 may be positioned on the vacuum chuck 242 at a distance between approximately 1 mm and approximately 12 mm radially inward from the outer diameter of the substrate 201 when the substrate is disposed thereon. For example, the second O-ring 280 may be positioned on the vacuum chuck 242 at a distance between approximately 2 mm and approximately 10 mm radially inward from the outer diameter of the substrate 201, such as a distance between approximately 4 mm and approximately 8 mm. It is contemplated that the second O-ring 280 can prevent processing fluid from leaking from the processing space 290 into the area behind the substrate 201 during processing.

[0034] The vacuum chuck 242 further includes a bracket 282 disposed radially outside the second O-ring 280 and coupling the substrate support surface 242A to the upper surface 242B of the vacuum chuck 242. The upper surface 242B is disposed below and radially outside the bracket 282 and the substrate support surface 242A. In one embodiment, a third O-ring 284 is disposed on the upper surface 242B within the vacuum chuck 242. The first lower surface 215 of the top plate 210 is shaped and sized to contact the edge region of the substrate 201 when the substrate support 208 is in the processing position 274. The second lower surface 217 of the top plate 210 is shaped and sized to extend radially inward from and adjacent to the outer diameter of the substrate support surface 242A to contact the vacuum chuck 242. The third lower surface 219 of the top plate 210 is shaped and sized to contact the upper surface 242B. In one embodiment, when the substrate support 208 is positioned in the processing position 274, the third O-ring 284 contacts the third lower surface 219. It is contemplated that the third O-ring 284 can prevent processing fluid from leaking from the processing space 290 beyond the outer diameter of the vacuum chuck 242 during processing.

[0035] Each of the substrate support 208 and the vacuum chuck 242 includes a plurality of lifting pin holes 262 and 264. The plurality of lifting pin holes 262 and 264 are aligned. A plurality of lifting pins 266 are movably disposed through the plurality of lifting pin holes 262 and 264 and through a plurality of holes 241 in the bottom of the chamber 206. The plurality of lifting pins 266 are coupled to a lifting pin actuator 268, which, through the bottom of the chamber 206, the substrate support 208, and the vacuum chuck 242, moves the lifting pins 266 to a conveying position 270 and a pre-processing position 272 (shown in…). Figure 3 (in the middle) and processing location 274 (shown in Figure 5 Shift between (middle) and (middle).

[0036] At operation 110, substrate 201 is conveyed through slit valve 205 and into space 203 by machine blades or other suitable conveying means (not shown), and positioned on the upper ends 267 of a plurality of lifting pins 266. The upper ends 267 of the lifting pins 266 are located at conveying position 270, raised above substrate support 208 but slightly below slit valve 205. Substrate support 208, having coupled vacuum chuck 242, is positioned at a lowered position (e.g., against chamber bottom 206) such that substrate 201 does not contact substrate support surface 242A during operation 110. In one example, the upper ends 267 of the lifting pins 266 are located at a distance between approximately 10 mm and approximately 110 mm from substrate support surface 242A, for example, between approximately 30 mm and approximately 90 mm. In another example, the upper end 267 of the lifting pin 266 is located at a distance between approximately 50 mm and approximately 90 mm from the substrate support surface 242A, for example, a distance between approximately 60 mm and approximately 80 mm. After the substrate 201 is positioned in the processing chamber 200, the vacuum chuck 242 is heated by the heat source 248 to a temperature between approximately 75°C and approximately 150°C, for example, between approximately 100°C and approximately 125°C, for example, approximately 115°C.

[0037] At operation 120 and at Figure 3 The diagram depicts a substrate 201, positioned on lifting pins 266, being raised to a pre-processing position 272. A lifting pin actuator 268 raises multiple lifting pins 266 from a transport position 270 to the pre-processing position 272. In one embodiment, the substrate 201 moves from the transport position 270 to the pre-processing position 272 over a period between approximately 2 seconds and approximately 6 seconds, for example, between approximately 2 seconds and approximately 4 seconds, or for example, approximately 3 seconds. In another embodiment, the substrate 201 is raised to a pre-processing position 272 at a distance between approximately 1 mm and approximately 25 mm from the lower surface 213 of the electrode 212, the distance being, for example, between approximately 5 mm and approximately 20 mm. For example, the pre-processing position 272 has a distance between approximately 10 mm and approximately 15 mm, for example, approximately 12 mm.

[0038] At operation 130 and at Figure 4The diagram depicts a substrate support 208 being raised to a pre-processing position 272 such that the substrate support surface 242A of the vacuum chuck 242 is slightly higher than or substantially coplanar with the tip 267 of the lifting pin 266. Therefore, the substrate support 208 engages the substrate 201 to support the substrate 201 thereon. The vacuum source 258 is then activated to vacuum-adsorb the substrate 201 onto the support surface 242A of the vacuum chuck 242. In one embodiment, the substrate support 208 is raised to the pre-processing position 272 and the substrate 201 is engaged during a period between approximately 2 seconds and approximately 5 seconds, such as between approximately 2 seconds and approximately 4 seconds, for example, approximately 3 seconds. By avoiding contact between the substrate support 208 and the substrate 201 before operation 130, the vacuum chuck 242 can be heated to the desired temperature without any direct heat transfer to the substrate 201, and the heating of the substrate 201 can be delayed until the same time as the application of the electric field during the iFGPEB process.

[0039] At operation 140 and at Figure 5 As depicted, after the substrate 201 is adsorbed onto the vacuum chuck 242, the substrate support 208 is raised to the processing position 274, where the vacuum chuck 242 and the substrate 201 contact the top plate 210. For example, the edge region of the substrate 201 contacts the first lower surface 215, the edge region of the substrate support surface 242A contacts the second lower surface 217, and the upper surface 242B and the third O-ring 284 contact the third lower surface 219. Placing the substrate support 208 in the processing position 274 results in the formation of a processing space 290 between the substrate 201 and the electrode 212, which is fluid-sealed by the first O-ring 214, the second O-ring 280, and the third O-ring 284.

[0040] In one embodiment, the substrate support 208 is lifted from the preprocessing position 272 to the processing position 274 in a time period between about 0.1 seconds and about 2 seconds, said time period being, for example, between about 0.5 seconds and about 1.5 seconds. For example, the substrate support 208 is lifted from the preprocessing position 272 to the processing position 274 in a time period between about 0.75 seconds and about 1.25 seconds, said time period being, for example, about 1 second. Therefore, the total time required to move the substrate from the transfer position 270 to the processing position 274 can be between about 0.1 seconds and about 3 seconds, for example, between about 0.5 seconds and about 2.5 seconds. For example, the total time required to move the substrate 201 from the transfer position 270 to the processing position 274 is between about 1 second and about 2 seconds, for example, about 1.5 seconds.

[0041] In one embodiment, the processing space 290 has a height 292 defined between the substrate 201 and the lower surface 213 of the electrode 212. In one example, the height 292 of the processing space 290 is between about 1 mm and about 10 mm, for example, between about 2 mm and about 8 mm. For example, the height 292 of the processing space 290 is between about 4 mm and about 6 mm, for example, about 5 mm. The relatively small distance between the substrate 201 and the electrode 212 reduces the space of the processing space 290, thereby enabling the use of a reduced amount of processing fluid during iFGPEB processing. Furthermore, the reduced height 292 across the surface of the substrate 201 provides a substantially more uniform electric field, and thus improves the patterning features during iFGPEB processing. In addition, the power required to generate the desired electric field and heat the processing fluid during iFGPEB can be reduced.

[0042] After the substrate support 208 is positioned in the processing position 274 and the processing space 290 is formed, the substrate 201 is exposed to the iFGPEB process at operation 150. During the iFGPEB process, the processing space 290 is filled with a processing fluid, such as a gas or liquid, having a flow path originating from a processing fluid source 232 and traveling through a first conduit 234. The processing fluid exits the first conduit 234 into the processing space 290 through a plurality of first fluid ports 226. The flow rate of the processing fluid into the processing space 290 can be modulated to reduce turbulence within the processing space 290 and to reduce or eliminate bubble formation therein. For example, the flow rate of the processing fluid into the processing space 290 can be modulated to be between 1 L / min and about 12 L / min, for example, between about 5 L / min and about 10 L / min. The processing fluid can also be preheated to the processing temperature before being introduced into the processing space 290. For example, the processing fluid may be preheated by the processing fluid source 232 to a temperature between about 70°C and about 170°C, such as between about 90°C and about 150°C. For example, the processing fluid may be heated to a temperature between about 110°C and about 130°C, such as about 120°C.

[0043] Once the processing space 290 is filled with the processing fluid, an electric field is applied to the substrate 201 via the electrode 212. In one embodiment, the electric field may be applied to the substrate 201 for a period between about 10 seconds and about 90 seconds, for example, between about 25 seconds and about 75 seconds, for example, between about 40 seconds and about 60 seconds, for example, about 50 seconds. In some embodiments, the fluid disposed in the processing space 290 is stagnant during the processing of the substrate 201. In some embodiments, the fluid volume in the processing space 290 is circulated or replaced. In these embodiments, while the processing space 290 is filled with processing fluid via the first conduit 234 and the first fluid port 226, the processing fluid also exits the processing space 290 via the second fluid port 228 and the second conduit 238, and is finally removed from the processing chamber 200 at the fluid outlet 236. After the electric field is applied, the processing fluid can be drained from the processing space 290, and the substrate support 208 on which the processed substrate 201 is adsorbed can be reduced.

[0044] The methods and apparatus described above enhance the efficiency of iFGPEB processing by reducing the amount of time the substrate is exposed to heat before the application of an electric field. By bonding the substrate to the heated substrate support precisely before the application of the electric field, unwanted heat transfer between the heated substrate support and the substrate is minimized. Therefore, random thermal diffusion of acid generated by photoacid generators within the photoresist can be substantially reduced, thus reducing thermally triggered photoresist deprotection. Reducing photoresist pretreatment deprotection enhances the development / exposure resolution of the photoresist by increasing control over the diffusion of charged species generated by photoacid generators, and thus enables more precise transfer of circuit features during photolithography.

[0045] In summary, apparatus and methods for improving iFGPEB processing are provided. The processing chamber described herein can effectively utilize processing fluids and improve the application of the electric field during iFGPEB operation. Furthermore, by reducing the amount of time the substrate is exposed to the increased temperature before the electric field is applied, the reaction of photoresist chemical species prior to iFGPEB processing is reduced, thereby improving photoresist resolution. Therefore, iFGPEB processing operation can be improved by utilizing the apparatus and methods described herein.

[0046] Although the above describes the embodiments disclosed herein, other and further embodiments of the present disclosure may be designed without departing from the basic scope of the present disclosure, the scope of which is determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A substrate processing method, comprising: The substrate is positioned on a plurality of lifting pins within a first space of the processing chamber, the plurality of lifting pins being disposed in a first position; The plurality of lifting pins on which the substrate is positioned are moved to a second position within the first space; The substrate support disposed in the first space is moved to the second position to engage the substrate so that the substrate is heated by the engagement with the substrate support. The substrate support having the substrate coupled thereto is moved to a third position adjacent to a second space in the processing chamber, wherein the second space is partially defined by the substrate and electrodes disposed in the top plate of the processing chamber; and The substrate is processed within the second space.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein when in the first position, the upper end of the lifting pin is positioned at a distance between 10 mm and 100 mm from the substrate support.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the substrate support is heated to a temperature between 75°C and 150°C before being moved to the second position.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein after being heated, the substrate support moves to the second position during a period of 2 to 5 seconds.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the substrate support joins the substrate by vacuum adsorbing the substrate onto the upper surface of the substrate support.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the substrate support moves from the second position to the third position during a time period between 0.1 seconds and 2 seconds.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the total time for moving the substrate from the first position to the third position is between 0.1 seconds and 3 seconds.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of processing the substrate further comprises: Introduce the processing fluid into the second space; and An electric field is generated in the second space.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein when the substrate is disposed in the third position, the height of the second space is defined between the substrate and the electrode.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the height of the second space is between 1 mm and 10 mm.

11. A substrate processing method, comprising: The substrate is positioned on multiple lifting pins within the first space of the processing chamber; Move the substrate to a pre-processing position adjacent to the top plate of the processing chamber; The substrate support is moved to the pretreatment position to contact the substrate so that the substrate is heated by contact with the substrate support. The substrate is vacuum-adsorbed onto the substrate support; The step of moving the substrate support on which the substrate is vacuum-adsorbed to the processing position results in the formation of a second space in the processing chamber, wherein the second space is partially defined by the substrate and the electrodes disposed in the top plate of the processing chamber. Introduce the processing fluid into the second space; and An electric field is generated in the second space.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein before moving to the preprocessing position, the upper end of the lifting pin is positioned at a transfer position between 30 mm and 90 mm from the substrate support.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the substrate support moves from the preprocessing position to the processing position during a time period between 0.5 seconds and 1.5 seconds.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the total time for moving the substrate from the transfer position to the processing position is between 0.5 seconds and 2.5 seconds.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the substrate support is heated to a temperature between 100°C and 125°C before being moved to the pretreatment position.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein after heating, the substrate support is moved to the pre-treatment position during a period of 2 to 4 seconds.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the second space is fluid-sealed by one or more O-rings disposed in the substrate support or electrode.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the processing fluid is introduced into the second space at a flow rate between 1 L / min and 12 L / min.

19. A substrate processing method, comprising: The substrate is positioned on a plurality of lifting pins located at a first position within a first space of the processing chamber. Move the plurality of lifting pins to a second position within the first space of the processing chamber; The substrate support is moved to the second position to contact and vacuum-adhere the substrate, wherein the substrate is heated by the contact with the substrate support; The substrate support on which the substrate is adsorbed is moved to a third position in the first space of the processing chamber. The substrate support is placed in the third position to form a second space in the processing chamber. The second space is partially defined by the substrate and the electrode disposed in the top plate of the processing chamber. The processing fluid is introduced into the second space; and An electric field is generated in the second space.

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