Apparatus for removing liquid in immersion lithography process and method of immersion lithography

• US 20050243291A1
• Filed: 04/28/2005
• Published: 11/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DONGBU ELECTRONICS CO., LTD. (DB HiTek Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Dongbuanam Semiconductor, Inc. (DB HiTek Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Kim, Jin Youp
• Granted Patent: US 7,498,118 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 355/30
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70341 Details of immersion lithography aspects, e.g. exposure media or control of immersion liquid supply chemical composition of immersion liquids G03F7/2041
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70866 of mask or workpiece
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70983 Optical system protection, e.g. pellicles or removable covers for protection of mask

Abstract

An apparatus for removing an immersion lithography liquid and a method of immersion lithography are disclosed, that rapidly and easily remove liquid from a wafer before development and after exposure. The apparatus includes a housing device configured to prevent the exposure chamber from being contaminated with a scattered liquid; a (rotatable) stage inside the housing device, configured to support a substrate; and (i) a motor configured to rotate the stage or (ii) a gas-spraying device or nozzle above the stage, configured to spray the substrate with an inert gas. The method generally includes coating a photoresist on a substrate; immersing the substrate in a liquid; exposing the substrate; removing the liquid from the substrate by (i) rotating the stage and/or substrate or (ii) spraying the substrate with an inert gas; and developing the photoresist.

Claims

1. An apparatus for removing an immersion lithography liquid, comprising:

a housing device configured to prevent contamination of an exposure device or chamber with a scattered liquid;

a rotatable stage inside the housing device, configured to support a substrate; and

a motor configured to rotate the substrate and/or stage.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a power-transmission device configured to transmit rotary power from the motor to the stage.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one gas inlet on or near a top of the housing device, configured to introduce an inert gas into the housing device; and

at least one outlet on or near a bottom of the housing device, configured to discharge the inert gas and any contaminant from the housing device.

4. An immersion lithography apparatus, comprising the liquid-removing apparatus of claim 1, in the exposure device or chamber.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the stage further includes a chuck configured to fix or hold the substrate.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one gas-spraying device above the stage in the housing device, configured to spray the substrate with an inert gas.

7. An apparatus for removing an immersion lithography liquid, comprising:

a housing device configured to prevent contamination of an exposure device or chamber with a scattered liquid;

a stage inside the housing device, configured to support a substrate; and

at least one gas-spraying device above the stage in the housing device, configured to spray the substrate with an inert gas.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising:

at least one gas inlet on or near a top of the housing device, configured to introduce the inert gas into the housing device; and

at least one outlet on or near a bottom of the housing device, configured to discharge the inert gas and any contaminant from the housing device.

9. An immersion lithography apparatus, comprising the liquid-removing apparatus of claim 7, in the exposure device or chamber.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the stage further includes a chuck configured to fix or hold the substrate.

11. A method of immersion lithography comprising:

coating a photoresist on a substrate;

immersing the substrate in a liquid;

exposing the substrate;

removing the liquid from the substrate by rotating the stage and/or substrate at high speed; and

developing the photoresist.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the substrate is rotated at 3000 rpm or more.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising spraying the substrate with an inert gas when removing the liquid from the substrate.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of removing the liquid from the substrate is performed in an exposure device or chamber.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of removing the liquid from the substrate is performed in a development device or chamber.

16. A method of immersion lithography comprising:

coating a photoresist on a substrate;

immersing the substrate in a liquid;

exposing the substrate;

removing the liquid from the substrate by spraying the substrate with an inert gas; and

developing the photoresist.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the inert gas comprises nitrogen (N₂).

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the inert gas consists essentially of nitrogen (N₂).

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of removing the liquid from the substrate is performed in an exposure device or chamber.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of removing the liquid from the substrate is performed in a development device or chamber.