Apparatus and method of forming resist film

• US 6,221,787 B1
• Filed: 04/19/1999
• Issued: 04/24/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Original Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Inventors: Ogata, Kunie
• Primary Examiner(s): Nelms, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dang, Phuc T.
• Application Number:
  US09/293,877
• Time in Patent Office: 736 Days
• Field of Search: 438/758, 438/780, 438/782, 438/763, 430/30, 430/311, 430/327, 430/270, 430/322, 430/935
• US Class Current: 438/758
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/162 Coating on a rotating support, e.g. using a whirler or a spinner
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/6715 Apparatus for applying a liquid, a resin, an ink or the like H01L21/67126 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67253 Process monitoring, e.g. flow or thickness monitoring

Abstract

An apparatus includes a coating section for coating a substrate with a resist film and a first film thickness detecting section for detecting the thickness of the resist film coated on the substrate, and sets conditions for exposing the resist film and for developing the exposed resist film according to the detected thickness of the resist film. For example, after a resist film is coated, the thickness of the resist film is detected. Subsequently, from the result of the detection, feedforward control of treatment conditions in an exposure process or a developing process following a resist film coating process is performed. Therefore, the line width of a resist pattern can be precisely controlled.

Claims

1. An apparatus for coating a substrate with a resist film and developing the exposed resist film, comprising:

a coating section for coating the substrate with a resist film;

a position detecting section for detecting the position of the substrate;

a carrier section for carrying the substrate at least between said coating section and said position detecting section,

a first film thickness detecting section for detecting thickness of the resist film coated on the substrate, said first film thickness detecting section being disposed on a path through which said carrier section carries the substrate to said position detecting section and detects the thickness of a coating film on the substrate passing through the path; and

means for setting at least either one condition of a condition for exposing the resist film or a condition for developing the exposed resist film according to the detected thickness of the resist film.

2. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further comprising,

a peripheral exposure section for peripherally exposing the substrate,

wherein said position detecting section is provided in said peripheral exposure section.

3. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further comprising,

a rotating section for substantially rotating the substrate 90 degrees, and

a second film thickness detecting section, disposed on a path through which said carrier section carries the substrate out, for detecting the thickness of a coating film on the substrate rotated by said rotating section and passing through the path.

4. The apparatus as set forth in claim 3, further comprising,

a delivery section for sending/receiving the substrate at least to/from said carrier section,

wherein said second film thickness detecting section is disposed on a path, through which said carrier section carries the substrate in, in said delivery section.

5. The apparatus as set forth in claim 3,

wherein said coating section supplies a coating solution onto the substrate while rotating the substrate and as said rotating section substantially rotates the substrate 90 degrees.

6. The apparatus as set forth in claim 3, further comprising,

a developing section for supplying a developing solution onto the substrate while rotating the substrate,

wherein said developing section as said rotating section substantially rotates the substrate 90 degrees.

7. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1,

wherein said first film thickness detecting section includes a light interference-type film thickness measuring device.

8. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1,

wherein said condition for exposing the resist film is exposure time.

9. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1,

wherein said condition for developing the exposed resist film is developing time.

10. An apparatus for coating a substrate with a resist film and developing the exposed resist film, comprising:

a coating section for coating the substrate with a resist film;

an atmospheric pressure detecting section for detecting atmospheric pressure at a predetermined timing; and

means for setting at least either one condition of a condition for exposing the resist film or a condition for developing the exposed resist film according to the detected atmospheric pressure.

16. The apparatus as set forth in claim 10, further comprising,

means for detecting the thickness of the resist film formed on the substrate.

11. An apparatus for coating a substrate with a resist film and developing the exposed resist film, comprising:

a coating section for coating the substrate with a resist film, said coating section having;

a substrate holding element for holding the substrate to be rotatable;

a driving element for rotating said substrate holding element;

a supply element for supplying a resist solution to the rotating substrate;

an atmospheric pressure detecting section for detecting atmospheric pressure at a predetermined timing; and

a rotational frequency control section for finding a desired value of the rotational frequency of the substrate to comply with targeted thickness of a coating film based on a detected value of atmospheric pressure by said atmospheric pressure detecting section, and controlling said drive element to fix the rotational frequency of the substrate at the desired value.

12. The apparatus as set forth in claim 11,

wherein said rotational frequency control section includes a storage element which previously stores data showing a correlation between atmospheric pressure and a desired value of the rotational frequency for obtaining targeted film thickness, and finds the desired value of the rotational frequency based on the detected value of atmospheric pressure and the data.

13. The apparatus as set forth in claim 11, further comprising,

a humidity detecting section for detecting humidity,

wherein said rotational frequency control section finds a desired value of the rotational frequency of the substrate to comply with targeted thickness of a resist film based on a detected value of atmospheric pressure by said atmospheric detecting section and a detected value of humidity by said humidity detecting section, and controls said driving element to fix the rotational frequency of the substrate at the desired value.

14. The apparatus as set forth in claim 13,

wherein said rotational frequency control section includes a storage element which previously stores data showing a correlation among atmospheric pressure, humidity, and a desired value of the rotational frequency for obtaining targeted thickness, and finds the desired value of the rotational frequency based on a detected value of atmospheric pressure, a detected value of humidity, and the data.

15. The apparatus as set forth in claim 11, further comprising,

a coating solution temperature control section for controlling the temperature of a resist solution,

a temperature detecting section for detecting the temperature of atmosphere, and

a temperature control section for controlling the temperature of a coating solution via said coating solution temperature control section based on a detected value of temperature by said temperature detecting section.

17. An apparatus, comprising:

a coating section for coating a substrate with a resist film;

a film thickness detecting section for detecting thickness of the resist film coated on the substrate; and

means for controlling the humidity of said coating section according to the detected thickness of the resist film.

18. An apparatus for holding a substrate on a substrate holding section rotated by a driving section, supplying a coating solution to the substrate while rotating the substrate, and forming a coating film over the substrate by spreading the coating solution by centrifugal force of the rotation, said apparatus comprising:

an atmospheric pressure detecting section for detecting atmospheric pressure at a predetermined timing; and

a rotational frequency control section for finding a desired value of the rotational frequency of the substrate to comply with targeted thickness of a coating film based on a detected value of atmospheric pressure by said atmospheric pressure detecting section, and controlling said drive section to fix the rotational frequency of the substrate at the desired value.

19. The apparatus as set forth in claim 18,

wherein said rotational frequency control section includes a storage element which previously stores data showing a correlation between atmospheric pressure and a desired value of the rotational frequency for obtaining targeted thickness, and finds the desired value of rotational frequency based on a detected value of atmospheric pressure and the data.

20. The apparatus as set forth in claim 18, further comprising,

a humidity detecting section for detecting humidity,

wherein said rotational frequency control section finds a desired value of the rotational frequency of the substrate to comply with targeted thickness of a coating film based on a detected value of atmospheric pressure by said atmospheric detecting section and a detected value of humidity by said humidity detecting section, and controls said driving section to fix the rotational frequency of the substrate at the desired value.

21. The apparatus as set forth in claim 20,

wherein said rotating frequency control section includes a storage element which previously stores data showing a correlation among atmospheric pressure, humidity, and a desired value of the rotational frequency for obtaining targeted thickness, and finds the desired value of the rotational frequency based on a detected value of atmospheric pressure, a detected value of humidity, and the data.

22. The apparatus as set forth in claim 18, further comprising,

a coating solution temperature control section for controlling the temperature of a coating solution,

a temperature detecting section for detecting the temperature of atmosphere, and

a temperature control section for controlling the temperature of the coating solution via said coating solution temperature control section based on a detected value of temperature by said temperature detecting section.

23. The apparatus as set forth in claim 19, further comprising,

means for detecting the thickness of the coating film formed on the substrate.

24. A method, comprising the steps of:

coating a substrate with a resist film at a coating section;

detecting the position of the substrate at a position detecting section;

carrying the substrate at least between said coating section and said position detecting section;

detecting the thickness of the resist film coated on the substrate while the substrate is being carried at least between said coating section and said position detecting section; and

setting a least either one condition of a condition for exposing the resist film or a condition for developing the exposed resist film according to the detected thickness of the resist film.

25. A method, comprising the steps of:

coating a substrate with a resist film;

detecting atmospheric pressure at a predetermined timing; and

setting at least either one condition of a condition for exposing the resist film or a condition for developing the exposed resist film according to the detected thickness of the resist film.

26. A method, comprising the steps of:

coating a substrate with a resist film;

detecting the thickness of the resist film coated on the substrate; and

controlling humidity at the time of coating the substrate with the resist film according to the detected thickness of the resist film.