Substrate temperature adjustment apparatus for estimating a time taken until a substrate temperature falls within a target temperature range

• US 6,552,308 B2
• Filed: 09/05/2001
• Issued: 04/22/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Nishimura, Naosuke
• Primary Examiner(s): PASCHALL, MARK H
• Application Number:
  US09/945,728
• Publication Number:
  US 20020027000A1
• Time in Patent Office: 594 Days
• Field of Search: 219/494, 219/492, 219/497, 219/499, 219/501, 219/121.43, 392/416, 118/724, 118/725, 156/345, 29/250.2
• US Class Current: 219/497
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1919 characterised by the type of controller
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1951 with control of the working time of a temperature controlling device

Abstract

A substrate temperature adjustment apparatus includes a temperature adjustment device for adjusting a temperature of a substrate, and a temperature measurement device for measuring a temperature of the temperature adjustment device, when the temperature is out of a target temperature range. The time taken until the temperature of the substrate falls within the target temperature range is predicted on the basis of the temperature of the temperature adjustment device measured by the temperature measurement device.

Claims

1. A substrate temperature adjustment apparatus comprising:

temperature adjustment means for adjusting a temperature of a substrate; and

temperature measurement means for measuring a temperature of said temperature adjustment means, when the temperature is out of a target temperature range,

wherein a time taken until the temperature of the substrate falls within the target temperature range is predicted on the basis of the temperature of said temperature adjustment means measured by said temperature measurement means.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an initial temperature of the substrate is determined on the basis of the temperature of said temperature adjustment means measured by said temperature measurement means.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said temperature measurement means measures the temperature of said temperature adjustment means after a predetermined time has elapsed after the substrate is placed on said temperature adjustment means.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said temperature adjustment means lowers the temperature of the substrate.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said temperature adjustment means includes a plate on which the substrate is placed,

wherein said temperature adjustment means adjusts the temperature of the substrate with a gap between the substrate and the plate.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said temperature adjustment means includes a plate on which the substrate is placed, a Peltier element layer formed of a plurality of Peltier elements and a heat dissipating layer for discharging heat transmitted by the Peltier element layer,

wherein said temperature adjustment means adjusts the temperature of the substrate by controlling a current value for supplying the Peltier element layer.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said Peltier element layer is formed of a plurality of Peltier elements arranged at an interval.

8. An exposure apparatus for exposing a substrate, said apparatus comprising:

an exposure unit for exposing the substrate; and

a substrate temperature adjustment unit, wherein said substrate temperature adjustment unit includes (i) temperature measurement means for adjusting a temperature of the substrate; and

(ii) temperature measurement means for measuring a temperature of said temperature adjustment means, when the temperature is out of a target temperature range,

wherein a time taken until the temperature of the substrate falls within the target temperature range is predicted on the basis of the temperature of said temperature adjustment means measured by said temperature measurement means.

9. A resist coating apparatus, comprising:

a resist coating unit for applying a resist to a substrate; and

a substrate temperature adjustment unit, wherein said substrate temperature adjustment unit includes (i) temperature adjustment means for adjusting a temperature of a substrate and (ii) temperature measurement means for measuring a temperature of said temperature adjustment means, when the temperature is out of a target temperature range,

wherein a time taken until the temperature of the substrate falls within the target temperature range is predicted on the basis of the temperature of said temperature adjustment means measured by said temperature measurement means.

10. A loading/unloading apparatus for loading/unloading a substrate between a resist coating apparatus and an exposure apparatus, said loading/unloading apparatus comprising:

a transfer unit for transferring the substrate between the resist coating apparatus and the exposure apparatus; and

a substrate temperature adjustment unit, wherein said substrate temperature adjustment unit includes (i) temperature adjustment means for adjusting a temperature of a substrate, and (ii) temperature measurement means for measuring a temperature of said temperature adjustment means, when the temperature is out of a target temperature range,

wherein a time taken until the temperature of the substrate falls within the target temperature range is predicted on the basis of the temperature of said temperature adjustment means measured by said temperature measurement means.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising a load-lock mechanism.

12. A device manufacturing method comprising:

an application step of applying a resist to a substrate;

an exposure step of exposing the substrate by an exposure apparatus having a substrate temperature adjustment unit, wherein the substrate temperature adjustment unit includes (i) temperature adjustment means for adjusting a temperature of a substrate, and (ii) temperature measurement means for measuring a temperature of the temperature adjustment means, when the temperature is out of a target temperature range,

wherein a time taken until the temperature of the substrate falls within the target temperature range is predicted on the basis of the temperature of the temperature adjustment means measured by the temperature measurement means; and

a step of developing the substrate that has been exposed.