Pattern forming method and method of manufacturing semiconductor device

• US 20060177777A1
• Filed: 02/09/2006
• Published: 08/10/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Ito, Shinichi, Kawamura, Daisuke
• Granted Patent: US 7,662,543 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 430/322
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/11 having cover layers or intermediate layers, e.g. subbing layers G03F7/091 - G03F7/093, B41N3/03 take precedence
• 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 7/7065 Defects, e.g. optical inspection of patterned layer for defects
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70958 Optical materials or coatings, e.g. with particular transmittance, reflectance or anti-reflection properties
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 430/162 Protective or antiabrasion layer

Abstract

A pattern forming method includes forming a resist film on a substrate, coating the resist film with a coating solution which forms a cover film on the resist film to form the cover film on the resist film, transferring a pattern onto the resist film by an immersion lithography method using a liquid immersion fluid to form a latent image on the resist film, removing the cover film after the formation of the latent image, conducting a first inspection to inspect whether or not the cover film has a defect between said forming the latent image and said removing the cover film, performing predetermined processing when the defect is found in the first inspection, and developing the resist film to form a resist pattern on the substrate after said removing the cover film.

Claims

1. A method of pattern forming comprising:

forming a resist film on a substrate;

coating the resist film with a coating solution which forms a cover film on the resist film to form the cover film on the resist film;

transferring a pattern onto the resist film by an immersion lithography method using a liquid immersion fluid to form a latent image on the resist film;

removing the cover film after the formation of the latent image;

conducting a first inspection to inspect whether or not the cover film has a defect between said forming the latent image and said removing the cover film;

performing predetermined processing when the defect is found in the first inspection; and

developing the resist film to form a resist pattern on the substrate after said removing the cover film.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said forming the cover film includes baking the coating solution after said coating the resist film with a coating solution.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first inspection is conducted between said forming the cover film and said forming the latent image;

and the predetermined processing includes;

putting the substrate on standby without forming the latent image on the resist film;

removing the cover film after the standby;

developing the resist film after said removing the cover film; and

removing the resist film after said developing, to return to said forming a resist film on a substrate.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first inspection is conducted between said forming the cover film and said removing the cover film;

a predetermined second inspection corresponding to a defective case is conducted for a substrate having the defect after said developing; and

the resist film is removed from the substrate which is judged to be defective in the second inspection, and the substrate is returned to said forming a resist film on a substrate.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein positional information of the defect is obtained in the first inspection;

and

the second inspection is conducted in accordance with the positional information.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising implementing post exposure bake for the resist film during a period after said forming the latent image on the resist film and before said removing the cover film.

7. A method of pattern forming comprising:

forming a resist film on a substrate;

transferring a pattern onto the resist film by an immersion lithography method using a liquid immersion fluid to form a latent image on the resist film;

conducting a first inspection to inspect whether or not the liquid immersion fluid remains on the resist film after said forming the latent image;

developing the resist film after the first inspection; and

performing predetermined processing when residual of the liquid immersion fluid is found in the first inspection.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the predetermined processing includes:

collecting the residual of the liquid immersion fluid; and

removing the resist film to return to said forming a resist film on a substrate.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein the predetermined processing includes:

conducting, after said developing, a predetermined second inspection corresponding to a case where the liquid immersion fluid remains, for a substrate on which the liquid immersion fluid remains; and

removing the resist film from the substrate which is judged to be abnormal as a result of the second inspection, to return to said forming a resist film on a substrate.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein positional information of the residual of the liquid immersion fluid is obtained during the first inspection;

and

the second inspection is conducted in accordance with the positional information.

11. The method according to claim 7, further comprising implementing processing to remove the liquid immersion fluid remaining on the resist film.

12. The method according to claim 7, further comprising forming a cover film on the resist film before said forming the latent image.

13. The method according to claim 7, further comprising rinsing the surface of the cover film by use of a rinsing liquid between the formation of the latent image and the post exposure bake;

and

removing the rinsing liquid on the cover film.

14. The method according to claim 7, wherein post exposure bake is implemented for the resist film during a period after the first inspection and before said developing.

15. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising:

forming a resist film on a semiconductor substrate;

transferring a semiconductor device pattern onto the resist film by an immersion lithography method using a liquid immersion fluid to form a latent image on the resist film;

conducting a first inspection to inspect whether or not the liquid immersion fluid remains on the resist film after the formation of the latent image;

implementing post exposure bake for the resist film after the first inspection;

developing the resist film after the post exposure bake; and

performing predetermined processing when residual of the liquid immersion fluid is found in the first inspection.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the predetermined processing includes:

collecting the residual of the liquid immersion fluid; and

removing the resist film to return to said forming a resist film on a semiconductor substrate.

17. The method according to claim 15, wherein the predetermined processing includes:

conducting, after said developing, a predetermined second inspection corresponding to a case where the liquid immersion fluid remains, for a substrate on which the liquid immersion fluid remains; and

removing the resist film from the substrate which is judged to be abnormal as a result of the second inspection to return to said forming a resist film on a semiconductor substrate.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein positional information of the residual of the liquid immersion fluid is obtained in the first inspection;

and

the second inspection is conducted in accordance with the positional information.

19. The method according to claim 15, further comprising implementing processing to remove the liquid immersion fluid remaining on the resist film.

20. The method according to claim 15, further comprising forming a cover film on the resist film before the formation of the latent image.