Photoresist developer spraying device for semiconductor patterning process and control method thereof

Abstract

The application relates to the technical field of semiconductor manufacturing, in particular to a photoresist developer spraying device for a semiconductor patterning process and a control method thereof. The device comprises a lifting mechanism, a rotating mechanism, a spraying mechanism and a liquid supply and return mechanism. The spraying disc is divided into five concentric annular zones, each zone is provided with different nozzles, the central zone is provided with solid cone nozzles, the middle zone is provided with fan-shaped nozzles, and the edge zone is provided with outwardly inclined slit nozzles. The liquid supply and return mechanism comprises multiple measuring tanks for measuring and pressure controlling the developer. The control method measures the liquid film thickness of each zone, adjusts the partition spraying flow and the wafer rotation speed, and keeps the developer update rate of the whole wafer surface constant. The photoresist developer spraying device for the semiconductor patterning process and the control method thereof provided by the application realize the uniform distribution of the developer on the whole wafer surface and the accurate control of the developing speed through the partition spraying structure and the closed-loop control strategy, and improve the consistency and repeatability of the patterning process.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of semiconductor manufacturing technology, specifically to a photoresist developer spraying device and its control method for semiconductor patterning processes. Background Technology In the photolithography process of semiconductor integrated circuit manufacturing, development is a crucial step following exposure. The developer spraying device is used to selectively dissolve the exposed photoresist pattern to form the desired graphic structure. As the feature size of integrated circuits continues to shrink, the requirements for development uniformity are increasing. Traditional developer spraying devices mostly employ single-point spraying or oscillating spraying methods, where the developer is sprayed onto the rotating wafer surface through one or more nozzles, relying on centrifugal force to achieve the spread of the developer across the entire wafer surface.

[0002] However, conventional developer spraying equipment still has the following shortcomings: 1. The distribution of developer on the wafer surface is dominated by centrifugal force. The thickness and renewal rate of the liquid film in the edge region are significantly different from those in the center region, resulting in uneven development rate and affecting the consistency of critical dimensions. 2. For photoresists of different thicknesses or wafers of different sizes, the spraying parameters need to be manually adjusted, lacking adaptive control capabilities; 3. With the widespread use of 300mm and larger wafers, the edge effect of traditional developing equipment has become more prominent, resulting in high consumption of developing solution and difficulty in achieving accurate metering and recycling. Summary of the Invention

[0003] To address the technical problems existing in the background art, the present invention provides a photoresist developer spraying device and its control method for semiconductor patterning processes. Through a partitioned spraying structure and a closed-loop control strategy, the device achieves uniform distribution of the developer on the entire wafer surface and precise control of the development rate, thereby improving the consistency and repeatability of the patterning process.

[0004] The technical solution adopted by this invention is: A photoresist developer spraying device for semiconductor patterning processes includes: The machine frame lifting shaft includes a lifting mechanism lifting shaft inside, and a rotating mechanism lifting shaft fixedly mounted on the lifting mechanism. An overflow tank lifting shaft is fixedly mounted at the upper end of the machine frame lifting shaft, and a recycling bin lifting shaft is fixedly mounted inside the overflow tank lifting shaft. A placement tray lifting shaft is rotatably mounted inside the recycling bin lifting shaft and coaxially connected to the rotating mechanism lifting shaft. A translation mechanism lifting shaft is mounted on the machine frame lifting shaft behind the overflow tank lifting shaft. A spray mechanism lifting shaft is mounted on the translation mechanism lifting shaft and can be moved to directly above the placement tray lifting shaft. A supply and return liquid mechanism lifting shaft, connected to the spray mechanism lifting shaft, is mounted above the translation mechanism lifting shaft.

[0005] Furthermore, the lifting mechanism lifting shaft includes: a fixed plate lifting shaft fixedly installed inside the frame lifting shaft; a sliding rod assembly lifting shaft fixedly installed on the fixed plate lifting shaft; a lifting plate lifting shaft slidably installed; a lifting motor lifting shaft fixedly installed at the lower end of the lifting plate lifting shaft; a lead screw lifting shaft coaxially driven on the lifting motor lifting shaft; and a screw seat lifting shaft screwed onto the lead screw lifting shaft and fixedly connected to the frame lifting shaft.

[0006] Furthermore, the rotating mechanism lifting shaft includes: a reduction gearbox lifting shaft fixedly disposed in the center of the lifting plate lifting shaft; a rotary motor lifting shaft coaxially connected to the input shaft of the reduction gearbox lifting shaft; a rotary joint lifting shaft coaxially connected to the output shaft of the reduction gearbox lifting shaft; a stationary joint lifting shaft connected to a vacuum system on the stationary side wall of the rotary joint lifting shaft; a moving joint lifting shaft on the moving side wall; and a screw hole lifting shaft for fixing and connecting the disc lifting shaft at the center of the upper end of the moving part.

[0007] Furthermore, a lifting shaft is coaxially provided at the lower end of the placement tray lifting shaft, and the lifting shaft is movably inserted into the shaft hole of the recycling bin lifting shaft. The lower end of the lifting shaft is provided with a screw lifting shaft that is screwed to the screw hole lifting shaft. The lower side wall of the lifting shaft is provided with a negative pressure interface lifting shaft that communicates with the moving joint lifting shaft. The upper end of the placement tray lifting shaft is provided with a negative pressure air hole lifting shaft that communicates with the negative pressure interface.

[0008] Furthermore, the spray mechanism lifting shaft includes: an extension frame lifting shaft fixedly installed on the upper end of the translation frame lifting shaft and extending forward; a hanging frame lifting shaft fixedly installed at the front end of the extension frame lifting shaft and extending downward; a spray plate lifting shaft fixedly installed at the lower end of the hanging frame lifting shaft; a central air chamber and multiple concentric annular liquid chambers are provided inside the spray plate lifting shaft; an air knife nozzle lifting shaft communicating with the central air chamber is provided at the center of the lower end face of the spray plate lifting shaft; and multiple spray head lifting shafts communicating with each liquid chamber are provided on the lower end face of the spray plate lifting shaft.

[0009] Furthermore, an annular partition plate is provided on the lower end plate of the spray plate lifting shaft, dividing the plate into five areas: central circular area, inner ring area, middle ring area, outer ring area, and edge area. Among them: the spray head in the central circular area is a solid cone-shaped nozzle, the spray heads in the inner ring area, middle ring area and outer ring area are fan-shaped nozzles, and the spray head in the edge area is a slit-type nozzle that is tilted outward at 5°-15°.

[0010] Furthermore, the lifting and lowering shaft of the supply and return liquid mechanism includes: Multiple metering tank lifting shafts are provided. The lower end of each metering tank lifting shaft is connected to a liquid phase valve lifting shaft and a gas phase valve lifting shaft. The liquid phase valve lifting shaft is a three-way valve, which is connected to the liquid supply pipe lifting shaft and the liquid inlet pipe lifting shaft respectively. The gas phase valve lifting shaft is a three-way valve, which is connected to the vacuum pipe lifting shaft and the compressed air pipe lifting shaft respectively. The liquid inlet pipe lifting shaft is connected to the spray pipe lifting shaft, and the compressed air pipe lifting shaft is connected to the compressed air system.

[0011] Furthermore, the liquid supply and return mechanism has five parallel lifting shafts, each corresponding to and connected to one of the five liquid chambers within the lifting shaft of the spray plate.

[0012] A method for controlling a photoresist developer spraying apparatus in a semiconductor patterning process includes the following steps: S1. Place the wafer coaxially on the placement tray, fix it by vacuum adsorption, and lower the placement tray into the recycling bin; S2. The developer is metered through the supply and return mechanism until the set threshold is reached; S3. Start the rotary motor to drive the placement tray to rotate, and control the liquid supply and return mechanism to spray the developing solution onto the wafer through the spray head; S4. After spraying, compressed air is blown onto the wafer through the air knife nozzle to remove excess developer.

[0013] Furthermore, in step S3, a zone control method is used to achieve uniform spraying of the developer, including: The wafer is divided into multiple annular regions, and the liquid film thickness in each region is measured. The required change in the refresh rate of each region is calculated based on PID and model predictive control. The spray flow rate is adjusted first, and the wafer rotation speed is adjusted when the flow rate exceeds the allowable range so that the refresh rate of the developer in each region remains constant.

[0014] The beneficial effects of the photoresist developer spraying device and its control method in the semiconductor patterning process of the present invention are as follows: 1. By dividing the spray plate into five independent concentric ring areas and configuring nozzles of different types and spray angles for different areas, the influence of centrifugal force on the distribution of developer is effectively compensated, which significantly improves the uniformity of developer coverage on the entire wafer surface, ensures the consistency of key dimensions, and achieves uniform development on the entire wafer surface.

[0015] 2. By adopting a zoned closed-loop control method, the liquid film thickness in each zone is monitored in real time. By prioritizing the adjustment of the spray flow rate in each zone and adjusting the wafer rotation speed when necessary, the developer renewal rate in each zone is kept constant, which effectively solves the edge effect problem, improves the repeatability of the patterning process and the product yield, and makes the development rate precise and controllable.

[0016] 3. The metering tank of the liquid supply and return mechanism, together with the level gauge and the interlocking valve, enables precise control of the amount of developer injected; after development, the wafer surface is purged with compressed air by the air knife nozzle to quickly remove excess developer, avoid over-development and liquid residue, and reduce developer consumption costs. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 This is a general perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the lifting mechanism of an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a three-dimensional exploded view of the rotating mechanism and the placement disk in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a three-dimensional cross-sectional schematic diagram of the recycling bin according to an example of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the translation mechanism in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6 This is an example of the present invention. Figure 1 A partially enlarged 3D schematic diagram of the spray mechanism in section A; Figure 7 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the spraying mechanism according to an example of the present invention; Figure 8 This is an example of the present invention. Figure 1 A partially enlarged 3D schematic diagram of the fluid supply and return mechanism in section B.

[0018] In the picture: 10. Frame; 11. Lifting mechanism; 2. Rotating mechanism; 3. Overflow box; 4. Recycling bin; 5. Placement tray. 6. Translation mechanism; 7. Spraying mechanism; 8. Liquid supply and return mechanism; 111. Fixed plate; 112. Slide rod assembly; 113. Lifting plate; 114. Lifting motor; 115. Lead screw; 116. Screw connector. 21. Gearbox; 22. Rotary motor; 23. Mounting bracket; 24. Rotary joint; 25. Screw hole; 26. Stationary joint. 27. Moving joint, 41. Tank; 42. Overflow baffle; 43. Shaft hole; 44. Sealing ring assembly; 45. Inner overflow groove; 46. Outer overflow groove. 51. Negative pressure vent; 52. Lifting shaft; 53. Negative pressure interface; 54. Screw. 61. Slide rail; 62. Slider; 63. Translation frame; 64. Translation cylinder. 71. Extension rack; 72. Hanger; 73. Manifold; 74. Air knife duct; 75. Spray pipe; 76. Spray tray. 77. Divider plate; 78. Air knife nozzle; 79. Spray head. 80. Metering tank; 81. Liquid phase valve; 82. Liquid supply pipe; 83. Liquid inlet pipe; 84. Gas phase valve; 85. Vacuum pipe. 86. Compressed air pipe; 87. Pressure gauge; 88. Level gauge. Detailed Implementation

[0019] To more clearly and explicitly illustrate the specific objectives and implementation methods of this invention, a complete description of the technical solution of this invention will be provided below. The described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this invention, not all of them. Without creative effort, all other embodiments based on the embodiments described in this invention are within the protection scope of this invention.

[0020] The present invention relates to a photoresist developer spraying device for semiconductor patterning processes, such as... Figure 1 As shown, it includes: A frame 10 is installed on a horizontal ground. A lifting mechanism 11 is installed inside the frame 10, and a rotating mechanism 2 is fixedly installed on the lifting mechanism 11. An overflow box 3, a translation mechanism 6, and a liquid supply and return mechanism 8 are fixedly installed at the upper end of the frame 10. A recycling bin 4 is fixedly installed in the center of the overflow box 3. A placement tray 5 is rotatably installed inside the recycling bin 4. The placement tray 5 is coaxially rotatably connected to the rotating mechanism 2. The translation mechanism 6 is located behind the overflow box 3, and a spraying mechanism 7 is installed on the translation mechanism 6. The liquid supply and return mechanism 8 is located above the translation mechanism 6 behind the overflow box 3 and is interconnected with the spraying mechanism 7.

[0021] Lifting mechanism 11, such as Figure 2 As shown, it includes: The fixing plate 111 is horizontally fixed inside the frame 10. A sliding rod assembly 112 perpendicular to the plate surface is fixedly installed on the fixed plate 111. A lifting plate 113 is slidably installed on the sliding rod assembly 112. The plate surface of the lifting plate 113 is arranged in the horizontal direction. A lifting motor 114 is fixedly installed at the lower end of the lifting plate 113. The rotating shaft of the lifting motor 114 extends vertically upward and two motors are symmetrically arranged in the left and right directions. A lead screw 115 is coaxially driven on the rotating shaft of the lifting motor 114. A screw seat 116 is screwed onto the lead screw 115. The screw seat 116 is fixedly connected to the frame 10.

[0022] Rotating mechanism 2, such as Figure 3 As shown, it includes: A reduction gearbox 21 is fixedly installed in the center of the lifting plate 113. A rotary motor 22 is coaxially driven at the input shaft of the reduction gearbox 21. The output shaft of the reduction gearbox 21 extends vertically upward. A rotary joint 24 is coaxially driven at the output shaft of the reduction gearbox 21. A mounting bracket 23 is fixedly installed on the stationary part at the lower end of the rotary joint 24. The mounting bracket 23 is fixedly installed on the upper end surface of the reduction gearbox 21 at the output shaft. A stationary joint 26 is connected to the stationary side wall of the rotary joint 24. The stationary joint 26 is interconnected with the vacuum system. A moving joint 27 is connected to the moving side wall of the rotary joint 24. The moving joint 27 is interconnected with the stationary joint 26 through the rotary joint 24. A screw hole 25 is coaxially provided in the center of the upper end of the moving part of the rotary joint 24.

[0023] The lower end of the overflow tank 3 is connected to a drain outlet, which is connected to the recovery tank via a transfer pump.

[0024] like Figure 4 As shown, the recycling bin 4 has an upward-opening bin compartment 41 in the center, and an upward-protruding annular anti-overflow plate 42 at the edge of the bin compartment 41. The bottom center of the bin compartment 41 has a shaft hole 43 that penetrates the recycling bin 4. The inner wall of the shaft hole 43 has an annular groove. Multiple annular grooves are arranged side by side along the axial direction of the shaft hole 43, and each of them accommodates a sealing ring assembly 44. The bottom of the bin compartment 41 outside the shaft hole 43 has a concave annular inner overflow groove 45. The upper outer wall of the recycling bin 4 has a protruding annular outer overflow groove 46. The inner overflow groove 45 and the outer overflow groove 46 are respectively provided with overflow holes that communicate with the anti-overflow box 3.

[0025] like Figure 3As shown, a downwardly extending lifting shaft 52 is coaxially provided at the lower end of the placement plate 5. The lifting shaft 52 is movably inserted into the shaft hole 43 and sealed by the sealing ring group 44 to ensure the sealing of the axial rotation and radial lifting of the lifting shaft 52. A negative pressure interface 53 is provided on the lower side wall of the lifting shaft 52, and the negative pressure interface 53 is connected to the moving joint 27. A negative pressure air hole 51 is provided on the upper plate surface of the placement plate 5, and the negative pressure air hole 51 is connected to the negative pressure interface 53. A screw 54 is coaxially provided at the lower end of the lifting shaft 52, and the screw 54 is screwed and fixed in the screw hole 25.

[0026] Translation mechanism 6, such as Figure 5 As shown, it includes: A slide rail 61 is fixedly mounted on the frame 10. The slide rail 61 extends in the front-to-back direction and two slide rails are arranged side by side in the left-to-right direction. A slider 62 is slidably mounted on the slide rail 61. Multiple sliders 62 are arranged along the extension direction of the slide rail 61. A translation frame 63 is fixedly mounted on the upper end of the slider 62. The translation frame 63 is shaped like an "L" with its front end flush. An angled support plate is fixedly mounted at the "L"-shaped connection of the translation frame 63. A translation cylinder 64 is fixedly mounted on the frame 10 on one side of the slide rail 61. The stroke end of the translation cylinder 64 extends backward and is fixedly connected to the horizontal part of the "L"-shaped translation frame 63.

[0027] Spraying mechanism 7, such as Figure 6 , Figure 7 As shown, it includes: An extension frame 71 is fixedly mounted on the upper end of the translation frame 63 and extends forward. A manifold 73 is fixedly mounted on the upper end of the extension frame 71, extending in the front-rear direction. The front end of the manifold 73 bends downward. An air knife pipe 74 and a spray pipe 75 are installed inside the manifold 73. The air knife pipe 74 is connected to a compressed air system. Multiple spray pipes 75 are provided. A downward-extending hanger 72 is fixedly mounted on the front end of the extension frame 71. A spray plate 76 is fixedly mounted on the lower end of the hanger 72. A circular air chamber is provided in the center of the spray plate 76, which is connected to the air knife pipe 74. Five concentric annular liquid chambers are provided in the spray plate 76 outside the air chamber, and the liquid chambers are connected to multiple spray pipes 75 respectively. Annular partition plates 77, air knife nozzles 78, and spray heads 79 are provided on the lower end plate of the spray plate 76. Four partition plates 77 are provided and are located below the adjacent liquid chambers respectively. The air knife nozzles 78 are located in the center of the lower end plate of the spray plate 76 and are connected to the air chamber in the center of the spray plate 76.

[0028] The partition plate 77 divides the lower end of the spray tray 76 into four areas, namely: The central circular area, with a radial range of 0-50mm, accounts for 11% of the total area. The inner ring region, with a radial range of 50-100mm, accounts for 33% of the total area. The central ring area, with a radial range of 100-130mm, accounts for 28% of the total area. The outer ring region, with a radial range of 130-145mm, accounts for 18% of the total area. The edge area, with a radial range of 145-150mm, accounts for 10% of the total area.

[0029] Multiple spray heads 79 are provided, including: The central circular area has 6 spray heads 79, which are solid cone-shaped nozzles with a spray angle of 60°-80°. There are 12 spray heads 79 in the inner ring area, 18 spray heads 79 in the middle ring area, and 24 spray heads 79 in the outer ring area. The spray heads 79 are set as fan-shaped nozzles with a spray angle of 90°-110°. There are 30 spray heads 79 in the edge area. The spray heads 79 are set as slit nozzles with micro-pore arrays and are tilted 5°~15° to the outside of the wafer to compensate for the edge centrifugal throwing effect. The spray angle is 120°-140°.

[0030] Five liquid supply and return mechanisms 8 are arranged in parallel and are interconnected with five liquid chambers, such as... Figure 8 As shown, it includes: A metering tank 80 is fixedly installed on the frame 10. A level gauge 88 is connected to the outer wall of the metering tank 80. A liquid phase valve 81 is connected to the lower end of the metering tank 80. The liquid phase valve 81 is a three-way valve and is connected to a supply pipe 82 and an inlet pipe 83. The supply pipe 82 is connected to the developer storage tank. The inlet pipe 83 extends into the manifold 73 and is connected to the spray pipe 75. A gas phase valve 84 is connected to the lower end of the metering tank 80. The gas phase valve 84 is a three-way valve and is connected to a vacuum pipe 85 and a compressed air pipe 86. The vacuum pipe 85 is connected to the vacuum system. A pressure gauge 87 is connected to the compressed air pipe 86 and is connected to the compressed air system. The pressure of the compressed air pipes 86 on the five metering tanks 80 is controlled by a pressure dividing valve.

[0031] It also includes: a control mechanism; a lifting motor 114 and its encoder, a rotary motor 22, a translation cylinder 64, a liquid phase valve 81, a gas phase valve 84, a pressure gauge 87, a level gauge 88, and a pressure divider valve, which are electrically connected to the control mechanism respectively; the liquid phase valve 81 and the gas phase valve 84 are interlocked.

[0032] Based on the specific structure of the photoresist developer spraying device for the semiconductor patterning process in the above embodiments, its working process will be further explained below: S1, Wafer Placement The stroke end of the control translation cylinder 64 extends, the translation mechanism 6 moves backward, and drives the spraying mechanism 7 away from the placement tray 5; the control rotary motor 22 rotates in the forward direction, the lifting mechanism 11 rises upward, and drives the placement tray 5 to rise upward.

[0033] The wafer is placed coaxially on the placement tray 5. The valve at the vacuum end is controlled so that the negative pressure vent 51 is connected to the vacuum system through the negative pressure interface 53, the moving connector 27, and the stationary connector 26 in sequence, and negative pressure is generated to adsorb and fix the wafer on the placement tray 5.

[0034] Control the rotary motor 22 to rotate in the opposite direction, and the lifting mechanism 11 to descend, driving the placement tray 5 to descend until the wafer on the placement tray 5 is in the recycling bin 4; control the translation cylinder 64 to retract its stroke end, and the translation mechanism 6 to move forward, driving the spraying mechanism 7 to approach the placement tray 5 and be directly above the placement tray 5.

[0035] S2, Measurement of developer Control the liquid phase valve 81 to connect the metering tank 80 to the developer storage tank via the liquid supply pipe 82 and inject developer into the metering tank 80; control the gas phase valve 84 to connect the metering tank 80 to the vacuum system via the vacuum pipe 85 and extract the air from the metering tank 80 to accelerate the liquid injection speed of the metering tank 80.

[0036] The amount of developer injected into the metering tank 80 is measured by the level gauge 88 until the set threshold is reached.

[0037] S3, developer spraying The rotary motor 22 is started, which drives the wafer on the placement disk 5 to rotate.

[0038] Control the gas phase valve 84 to connect the metering tank 80 to the compressed air system via the compressed air pipe 86; at the same time, control the liquid phase valve 81 to allow the developer in the metering tank 80 to pass sequentially through the liquid inlet pipe 83, the spray pipe 75, and the liquid chamber in the spray plate 76, until it is sprayed onto the wafer on the placement plate 5 by the spray head 79.

[0039] S4. Purge of developer Control the gas phase valve 84 to connect the metering tank 80 to the vacuum system via the vacuum tube 85, so that the developer flows back into the metering tank 80.

[0040] Control the valve at the compressed air end so that the compressed air passes through the air knife pipe 74 and the air chamber in the spray plate 76 in sequence, until it is blown out at the air knife nozzle 78 to blow away the excess developer on the wafer placed on the tray 5.

[0041] Based on the specific structure of the photoresist developer spraying device for the semiconductor patterning process in the above embodiments, the control method for uniformly spraying the photoresist developer will be further explained below: The development rate R(r) is directly proportional to the local developer turnover rate U(r), which is determined by the tangential flow velocity caused by rotation and the normal flow rate of the spray. ; in: ω is the angular velocity of the wafer rotation; R represents the radial position; Q(r) is the spray flow rate per unit area at this radial position; k1 and k2 are empirical coefficients.

[0042] The goal is to keep U(r) constant over r = 0 - R, where R is the wafer radius.

[0043] To address this, the wafer is divided into N annular regions, where N ≥ 3, corresponding to N sets of spray heads 79, and the target is controlled as follows: ; in: r i Let be the characteristic radius of the i-th region, and be the distance from the sprinkler head 79 to the axis within the region; q i (t) represents the real-time spray flow rate density in the i-th zone; α is the weighting coefficient, which is obtained through calibration; C(t) is the desired update rate, which varies with the development process.

[0044] The calculation process is executed according to the control cycle: Measure the liquid film thickness h in each region i (t), calculate the deviation e i =h targe th i (t); Based on PID and model predictive control, the required update rate change ΔU for each region is obtained. i ; ΔU i Assigned to Δω and Δq i middle: To improve response speed, q is adjusted first. i When q i If the value exceeds the allowable range, adjust ω.

[0045] ; in: β i γ and δ are tuning parameters.

[0046] Output a new q i The flow rate of the developer is controlled and converted into the air supply pressure of the compressed air pipe 86, which is regulated by the pressure divider valve. The new ω is output as the control speed of the placement disk 5, and the gear ratio of the reduction gearbox 21 is adjusted by the encoder of the lifting motor 114.

[0047] In summary, the above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Based on the above description, those skilled in the art can make various changes and modifications without departing from the inventive concept. The technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the contents of the specification; all equivalent variations and modifications of the shape, structure, features, and spirit described within the scope of the claims should be included within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A photoresist developer spraying apparatus for semiconductor patterning processes, characterized in that, include: A frame (10) is provided with a lifting mechanism (11) inside the frame (10), and a rotating mechanism (2) is fixedly provided on the lifting mechanism. An overflow box (3) is fixedly installed at the upper end of the frame (10), and a recycling bin (4) is fixedly installed inside the overflow box (3). The recycling bin (4) is rotatably equipped with a placement plate (5) that is coaxially rotatably connected to the rotating mechanism (2); A translation mechanism (6) is installed on the frame (10) behind the overflow box (3); The translation mechanism (6) is equipped with a spraying mechanism (7) and can be moved to be directly above the placement tray (5); A liquid supply and return mechanism (8) is provided above the translation mechanism (6) and is connected to the spraying mechanism (7).

2. The photoresist developer spraying apparatus for semiconductor patterning process according to claim 1, characterized in that: The lifting mechanism (11) includes: A fixed plate (111) is fixedly installed inside the frame (10). A slide rod assembly (112) is fixedly installed on the fixed plate (111). A lifting plate (113) is slidably installed. A lifting motor (114) is fixedly installed at the lower end of the lifting plate (113). A lead screw (115) is coaxially driven on the lifting motor (114). A screw seat (116) is screwed onto the lead screw (115) and fixedly connected to the frame (10).

3. The photoresist developer spraying apparatus for semiconductor patterning process according to claim 1, characterized in that: The rotating mechanism (2) includes: A gearbox (21) is fixedly installed in the center of the lifting plate (113). The input shaft of the gearbox (21) is coaxially connected to a rotary motor (22), and the output shaft of the gearbox (21) is coaxially connected to a rotary joint (24). The static side wall of the rotary joint (24) is provided with a static joint (26) that communicates with the vacuum system, and the moving side wall is provided with a moving joint (27). The upper center of the moving part is provided with a screw hole (25) for fixing and connecting the placement plate (5).

4. The photoresist developer spraying apparatus for semiconductor patterning process according to claim 3, characterized in that: The lower end of the placement tray (5) is coaxially provided with a lifting shaft (52), which is movably inserted into the shaft hole (43) of the recycling bin (4). The lower end of the lifting shaft (52) is provided with a screw (54) that is screwed into the screw hole (25). The lower side wall of the lifting shaft (52) is provided with a negative pressure interface (53) that communicates with the moving connector (27). The upper end of the placement tray (5) is provided with a negative pressure air hole (51) that communicates with the negative pressure interface.

5. The photoresist developer spraying apparatus for semiconductor patterning process according to claim 1, characterized in that: The spraying mechanism (7) includes: An extension frame (71) is fixedly installed on the upper end of the translation frame (63) and extends forward. A hanging frame (72) extending downward is fixedly installed at the front end of the extension frame (71). A spray plate (76) is fixedly installed at the lower end of the hanging frame (72). A central air chamber and multiple concentric annular liquid chambers are provided inside the spray plate (76). An air knife nozzle (78) communicating with the central air chamber is provided at the center of the lower end face of the spray plate (76). Multiple spray nozzles (79) communicating with each liquid chamber are provided on the lower end face of the spray plate (76).

6. The photoresist developer spraying apparatus for semiconductor patterning process according to claim 5, characterized in that: The spray plate (76) has an annular partition plate (77) on its lower end plate surface, which divides the plate surface into five areas: central circular area, inner ring area, middle ring area, outer ring area, and edge area. Among them: the spray head in the central circular area is a solid cone-shaped nozzle, the spray heads in the inner ring area, middle ring area and outer ring area are fan-shaped nozzles, and the spray head in the edge area is a slit-type nozzle that is tilted outward at 5° to 15°.

7. The photoresist developer spraying apparatus for semiconductor patterning process according to claim 1, characterized in that: The liquid supply and return mechanism (8) includes: Multiple metering tanks (80) are connected to a liquid phase valve (81) and a gas phase valve (84) at the lower end of each metering tank (80). The liquid phase valve (81) is a three-way valve and is connected to the liquid supply pipe (82) and the liquid inlet pipe (83) respectively. The gas phase valve (84) is a three-way valve and is connected to the vacuum pipe (85) and the compressed air pipe (86) respectively. The liquid inlet pipe (83) is connected to the spray pipe (75), and the compressed air pipe (86) is connected to the compressed air system.

8. The photoresist developer spraying apparatus for semiconductor patterning process according to claim 7, characterized in that: The liquid supply and return mechanism (8) consists of five parallel units, each corresponding to and connected to one of the five liquid chambers in the spray plate (76).

9. A control method for a photoresist developer spraying apparatus using the semiconductor patterning process according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: S1. Place the wafer coaxially on the placement tray, fix it by vacuum adsorption, and lower the placement tray into the recycling bin; S2. The developer is metered through the supply and return mechanism until the set threshold is reached; S3. Start the rotary motor to drive the placement tray to rotate, and control the liquid supply and return mechanism to spray the developing solution onto the wafer through the spray head; S4. After spraying, compressed air is blown onto the wafer through the air knife nozzle to remove excess developer.

10. The photoresist developer spraying apparatus for semiconductor patterning process according to claim 9, characterized in that: In step S3, a zone control method is used to achieve uniform spraying of the developer, including: The wafer is divided into multiple annular regions, and the liquid film thickness in each region is measured. The required change in the refresh rate of each region is calculated based on PID and model predictive control. The spray flow rate is adjusted first, and the wafer rotation speed is adjusted when the flow rate exceeds the allowable range so that the refresh rate of the developer in each region remains constant.

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