Aerosol Developing Apparatus for Semiconductor Wafer Throughput
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional developing processes for semiconductor wafers are time-consuming and inefficient, especially when using high water-repellent resist, leading to incomplete wetting and increased processing costs, and existing solutions do not allow for simultaneous operation of developing and cleaning apparatuses, limiting throughput.
Innovation Solution
A developing apparatus that forms a liquid film on the wafer using mist or vapor of a developing solution within an airtightly sealed processing vessel, followed by drying to stop the reaction, enabling parallel processing with cleaning apparatuses.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a great amount of developing solution is supplied to form a uniform liquid film, then process uniformity is improved, but processing time and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies aerosol technology (pneumatic principle) to supply developing solution as fine particles suspended in gas instead of liquid film. The aerosol is generated by a nozzle that atomizes the developing solution into微小 particles, which are then carried by gas flow to uniformly deposit on the wafer surface. This reduces the amount of developing solution needed while maintaining process uniformity and reducing processing time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state of developing solution delivery from liquid film to aerosol particles. By controlling parameters such as gas flow rate, aerosol concentration, and deposition time, the system achieves uniform coating with minimal solution usage, resolving the contradiction between uniformity and processing time.
2Reliability
If high water-repellent resist is used to suppress liquid influence, then resist performance is improved, but wetting uniformity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The aerosol delivery system overcomes the water-repellent property of the resist by delivering developing solution as fine particles carried by gas flow. The aerosol particles can penetrate and adhere to the hydrophobic resist surface more effectively than liquid, achieving uniform coverage without compromising resist performance.
3Device complexity
If developing and cleaning mechanisms are installed in the same apparatus, then device complexity is reduced, but throughput decreases due to sequential operation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the processing sequence into distinct segments: aerosol developing followed by separate cleaning. The aerosol developing step is designed to be rapid and complete within a short time, allowing the wafer to be quickly transferred to the cleaning mechanism. This segmentation enables efficient sequential operation while maintaining high throughput.
4Loss of time
If mist of developing solution is supplied to form liquid film, then processing time is reduced, but simultaneous operation with cleaning mechanism becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the developing solution from liquid form and delivers it as aerosol particles in gas carrier. This extraction of the liquid phase allows the developing process to be completed rapidly without creating a persistent liquid film, enabling quick transition to the cleaning stage and facilitating high-throughput sequential operation.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach significantly reduces processing time, improves throughput, and prevents pattern deterioration by allowing simultaneous developing and cleaning operations, while minimizing the amount of developing solution used.
Implementation Method 1
supplying an atmosphere gas containing mist of a developing solution into the processing vessel to form a liquid film of the developing solution on a surface of a substrate loaded into the processing vessel
Implementation Method 2
a drying unit that dries the substrate in order to stop a developing process by the liquid film. Herein, the surface of the substrate is dried to remove a liquid in the liquid film from the substrate
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided a developing apparatus capable of achieving high throughput. The developing apparatus includes an airtightly sealed processing vessel that forms a processing atmosphere therein; an atmosphere gas supply unit that supplies an atmosphere gas containing mist of a developing solution into the processing vessel in order to form a liquid film of the developing solution on a surface of a substrate loaded into the processing vessel; and a drying unit that dries the substrate in order to stop a developing process by the liquid film. A reaction between a resist and the developing solution can be stopped. Therefore, a developing process can be performed in parallel with a cleaning process performed by a cleaning module and high throughput is achieved.