Parallel plate development with multiple holes in top plate for control of developer flow and pressure

• US 6,688,784 B1
• Filed: 10/10/2001
• Issued: 02/10/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
• Inventors: Templeton, Michael K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mathews, Alan A.
• Application Number:
  US09/974,620
• Time in Patent Office: 853 Days
• Field of Search: 396/604, 396/611, 396/627, 438/747, 438/758, 427/240, 134/902, 118/52
• US Class Current: 396/611
• CPC Class Codes: G03D 5/04 using liquid sprays liquid sprayers per se B05B
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 134/902 Semiconductor wafer

Abstract

A system and method is provided for applying a developer to a photoresist material layer disposed on a semiconductor substrate. The developer system and method employ a developer plate having a plurality of a application apertures for dispensing developer and a plurality of exit apertures for allowing excess developer to be removed from between the developer plate and the photoresist material layer. Preferably, the developer plate has a bottom surface with a shape that is similar to the wafer. The developer plate is disposed above the wafer and substantially and/or completely surrounds the top surface of the wafer during application of the developer. A small gap is formed between the wafer and the bottom surface of the developer plate. The wafer and the developer plate form a parallel plate pair, such that the gap can be made small enough so that the developer fluid quickly fills the gap with excess developer exiting through the exit apertures.

Claims

1. A system for applying a material onto a photoresist material layer disposed on a substrate, the system comprising:

a parallel plate having a generally planar surface that has a shape adapted to substantially surround the top surface of the photoresist material layer disposed on the substrate, the general planar surface having a plurality of application apertures and a plurality of exiting apertures extending therethrough, the parallel plate being adapted to receive the material and apply the material onto the photoresist material layer through the plurality of application apertures, the parallel plate being positioned above the photoresist material layer during application of the material forming a gap therebetween wherein excess material exits through the plurality of exit apertures for providing control of the rate of application of the material.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the material comprises a developer material.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the material comprises a washing solution.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the gap having a size from about 0.5 to about 5 mm.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the parallel plate having the generally planar surface has a shape adapted to completely surround the top surface of the photoresist material layer.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a developer supply system, wherein the developer supply system further comprising at least one developer supply nozzle coupled to the parallel plate, the developer supply nozzle being adapted to supply the parallel plate with the material.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a rotating shaft coupled to the parallel plate, the rotating shaft being adapted to rotate the parallel plate during application of the material.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the rotating shaft having a material supply tube extending therethrough, the material supply tube being adapted to supply the parallel plate with the material.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the general planar surface having a generally circular shape with a circumference approximately equal to a circumference of the substrate.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising a vacuum system having at least one vacuum tube for removing excess material that excess material exits through the plurality of exit apertures.

11. A system for applying a developer material onto a photoresist material layer disposed on a substrate, the system comprising:

a developer plate having a generally planar surface that has a shape adapted to substantially surround the top surface of the photoresist material layer disposed on the substrate, the general planar surface having a plurality of application apertures and a plurality of exit apertures extending therethrough, the parallel plate being adapted to receive the developer material and apply the developer material onto the photoresist material layer through the plurality of application apertures, the parallel plate being positioned above the photoresist material layer during application of the material forming a gap therebetween wherein excess material exits through the plurality of exit apertures for providing control of the rate of application of the material; and

a developer supply system connected to the developer plate and a supply of developer material, the developer supply system being adapted to provide the developer plate with developer material.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the developer supply system further comprising at least one developer supply nozzle coupled to the developer plate, the developer supply nozzle being adapted to supply the developer plate with the developer material.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the generally planar surface further comprising a plurality of apertures extending therethrough for receiving a washing solution material and applying the washing solution material to the photoresist material layer.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising at least one washing solution nozzle coupled to the developer plate, the washing solution nozzle being adapted to supply the developer plate with the washing solution material.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the gap having a size from about 1 to about 3 mm.

16. The system of claim 11, further comprising a rotating shaft coupled to the developer plate, the rotating shaft being adapted to rotate the developer plate during application of the developer.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the rotating shaft having a material supply tube extending therethrough, the material supply tube being coupled to the developer supply system and being adapted to supply the developer plate with the developer.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the general planar surface having a generally circular shape with a circumference approximately equal to a circumference of the substrate.

19. The system of claim 11, further comprising a vacuum system having at least one vacuum tube for removing excess material that excess material exits through the plurality of exit apertures.

20. A system for applying a material onto a photoresist material layer disposed on a substrate, the system comprising:

a developer plate having a plurality of application apertures extending therethrough, the developer plate being adapted to receive developer material and supply developer material onto the photoresist material layer through the application apertures;

means for supplying a developer material to the developer plate;

means for allowing excess developer to exit through the developer plate from between the developer plate and the photoresist material layer; and

means for rotating at least one of the photoresist material layer and the developer plate during application of a developer material onto the photoresist material layer.

21. The system of claim 20, further comprising means for removing excess material after the excess material exits from between the developer plate and the photoresist material layer.