Wafer Resist Edge Cut Width Adjustment Using Surface Inspection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing substrate processing technologies face challenges in accurately adjusting the cut width of the peripheral portion of resist coating films on wafers, leading to inefficiencies and inaccuracies in film removal and reuse of wafers for further processing.
Innovation Solution
A substrate processing apparatus and method that includes a film forming unit for forming and removing resist coating films, a surface inspection unit for acquiring surface information, and a controller for adjusting the cut width based on imaging data, allowing for precise removal and peeling of the films, enabling effective reuse of wafers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the film is formed on the substrate and the peripheral portion is removed to adjust cut width, then the manufacturing precision of the film pattern is improved, but the substrate is discarded after use leading to loss of substance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the discarding and recovering principle by peeling off the film from the substrate after the peripheral portion has been removed and the cut width adjusted. The substrate, now free of the film, can be reused for subsequent processing steps. This recovers the substrate value that would otherwise be lost, while maintaining the manufacturing precision benefits of the cut width adjustment process.
2Manufacturing precision
If the cut width of the peripheral portion is adjusted based on surface information, then the manufacturing precision is improved, but the process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback by acquiring surface information of the substrate and using this information to adjust the cut width of the peripheral portion. The surface inspection unit measures the actual substrate surface state, and this measurement feedback is used to control the film formation and removal process, ensuring precise cut width adjustment while maintaining a relatively simple process flow.
3Loss of substance
If the film is peeled after peripheral portion removal, then the substrate can be reused improving substrate utilization, but the process time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by designing the film formation process to include built-in peeling capability. The film is formed with specific properties that enable easy peeling after the peripheral portion removal. This preliminary design of the film characteristics allows for rapid peeling operation, reducing the time penalty that would otherwise result from the additional peeling step, while still achieving improved substrate utilization.
Data Source
AI summary
A controller performs an adjustment processing including: forming a film on a surface of a substrate by a film forming unit; removing a peripheral portion of the film by the film forming unit; acquiring surface information indicating a state of the surface of the substrate including the film, from which the peripheral portion has been removed, by a surface inspection unit and adjusting a cut width of the peripheral portion based on the surface information; and peeling the film, from which the peripheral portion has been removed, by the film forming unit, and a process processing including: forming the film on the surface of the substrate by the film forming unit; and removing the peripheral portion by the cut width adjusted in the adjustment processing in the film forming unit.