Developing Treatment Method for Semiconductor Substrate
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Solution Overview
Problem
In photolithography processes for semiconductor manufacturing, the miniaturization of resist patterns leads to issues with pattern collapse and defects due to residual cleaning liquids, especially when using resist films with high water repellency, as the remaining rinse liquids cause stress between patterns, leading to contact angle-related problems.
Innovation Solution
A developing treatment method involving a sequence of supplying a developing solution, a water-based cleaning liquid, an aqueous solution of a water-soluble polymer to form a hydrophilic layer, and a rinse liquid, with controlled substrate rotation speeds to minimize liquid retention and promote uniform hydrophilic layer formation, thereby reducing pattern collapse and defects.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a water-based cleaning liquid is used to clean the substrate, then the cleaning effect is improved, but the rinse liquid remains on the substrate causing pattern collapse and defects
Solution Approach 1:
A hydrophilic layer is introduced as an intermediary between the water-based cleaning liquid and the resist pattern. This layer modifies the interaction with rinse liquid, enabling effective cleaning while preventing harmful effects such as pattern collapse by controlling liquid distribution through its hydrophilic properties
Solution Approach 2:
The contact angle parameter of the substrate surface is changed by forming a hydrophilic layer. This parameter change transforms the surface from hydrophobic to hydrophilic, altering how rinse liquid interacts with the substrate and preventing liquid accumulation that causes pattern collapse
2Productivity
If the substrate rotation speed is increased during cleaning, then liquid removal efficiency is improved, but uniform hydrophilic layer formation is hindered
Solution Approach 1:
The substrate rotation speed is dynamically adjusted during the cleaning process. The rotation speed is increased during the cleaning phase to improve liquid removal efficiency, then decreased during the hydrophilic layer formation phase to ensure uniform distribution, optimizing both productivity and manufacturing precision
Solution Approach 2:
The substrate rotation speed is varied periodically through distinct phases: a high-speed cleaning phase followed by a low-speed hydrophilic layer formation phase. This periodic variation in rotation speed allows the process to achieve both efficient liquid removal and uniform layer formation
3Loss of time
If the deceleration rate is increased during rotation speed control, then the process time is reduced, but liquid distribution uniformity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The deceleration rate parameter is optimized to balance process time and liquid distribution uniformity. By controlling the deceleration rate within a specific range, the system achieves both time efficiency and manufacturing precision, preventing liquid break while maintaining uniform hydrophilic layer formation
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
The method effectively decreases the number of defects and prevents pattern collapse by reducing the likelihood of rinse liquid retention on the substrate, even with resist films having a large contact angle with water, ensuring more uniform hydrophilic layer formation and efficient cleaning.
Implementation Method 1
supplying a water-based cleaning liquid to the developed substrate to clean the substrate with the water-based cleaning liquid
Implementation Method 2
supplying a water-based cleaning liquid to the developed substrate to clean the substrate with the water-based cleaning liquid
Implementation Method 3
applying an aqueous solution of a water-soluble polymer to the substrate cleaned with the water-based cleaning liquid to form a hydrophilic layer having a hydrophilic property on a surface of the substrate
Implementation Method 4
applying an aqueous solution of a water-soluble polymer to the substrate cleaned with the water-based cleaning liquid to form a hydrophilic layer having a hydrophilic property on a surface of the substrate
Implementation Method 5
cleaning the substrate on which the hydrophilic layer has been formed, with a rinse liquid
Implementation Method 6
cleaning the substrate on which the hydrophilic layer has been formed, with a rinse liquid
Data Source
AI summary
A developing treatment method for performing a developing treatment on a resist film on a substrate, includes the following. (A) supplying a developing solution to the substrate and developing the resist film to form a resist pattern; (B) supplying a water-based cleaning liquid to the developed substrate to clean the substrate with the water-based cleaning liquid; (C) applying an aqueous solution of a water-soluble polymer to the substrate cleaned with the water-based cleaning liquid to form a hydrophilic layer having a hydrophilic property on a surface of the substrate; and (D) cleaning the substrate on which the hydrophilic layer has been formed, with a rinse liquid. (B) includes (a) accelerating a rotation speed of the substrate; and (b) after (a), decelerating the rotation speed of the substrate until a start of (C), wherein a deceleration in (b) is lower than an acceleration in (a).