Immersion exposure method and apparatus, and manufacturing method of a semiconductor device

• US 7,423,728 B2
• Filed: 12/23/2005
• Issued: 09/09/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kioxia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Ito, Shinichi, Kono, Takuya, Matsunaga, Kentaro
• Primary Examiner(s): Rutledge; Della J.
• Application Number:
  US11/315,000
• Publication Number:
  US 20060177776A1
• Time in Patent Office: 991 Days
• Field of Search: 355/30, 355/67
• US Class Current: 355/67
• 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

Abstract

There is disclosed an immersion exposure method of carrying out an exposure process in a state that liquid is at least partly filled between a substrate to be exposed and a projection optical system of an exposure apparatus carrying out the exposure process, comprising carrying out a process of making large a contact angle to the liquid with at least outer peripheral portion of a main surface of the substrate compared with a contact angle to the liquid with an area adjacent to the outer peripheral portion of the substrate, which area is a part of a surface of a substrate supporting side of a substrate support member supporting the substrate included in the exposure apparatus, and carrying out the exposure process.

Claims

1. An immersion exposure method of carrying out an exposure process in a state that liquid is at least partly filled between a substrate to be exposed and a projection optical system of an exposure apparatus to carry out the exposure process, comprising:

carrying out a process of making a large contact angle between the liquid and at least an outer peripheral portion of a main surface of the substrate when compared with a contact angle between the liquid and an area adjacent to the outer peripheral portion of the substrate, the area being a part of a surface of a substrate supporting side of a substrate support member to support the substrate included in the exposure apparatus; and

carrying out the exposure process.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

providing a layer contacting with the liquid on the main surface at an angle larger than the contact angle of the liquid at the area of the substrate support member, the layer covering a resist layer during the process of making the large contact angle after providing the resist layer on the main surface of the substrate.

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising:

carrying out an O² plasma treatment with respect to the layer contacting with the liquid at an angle larger than the contact angle of the liquid at the area of the substrate support member before carrying out the exposure process.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

carrying out a water repellent treatment to the main surface of the substrate during the process of making the large contact angle.

5. The method according to claim 4, further comprising:

blowing fluorocarbon gas to the main surface of the substrate as the water repellent treatment.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the liquid is any liquid containing pure water, ionized water, organic matter, and liquid containing a silicon compound.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

carrying out a hydrophilic treatment for atomizing ozone with respect to the main surface of the substrate.

8. An immersion exposure method of carrying out an exposure process in a state that liquid is at least partly filled between a substrate to be exposed and a projection optical system of an exposure apparatus to carry out the exposure process, comprising:

providing an absorption layer contacting with the liquid at a first angle on a main surface of a side to be exposed of the substrate;

providing a resist layer on the absorption layer and on a surface facing the projection optical system;

providing a top coat layer contacting with the liquid at a second angle and covering the resist layer, the top coat layer being provided on the surface facing the projection optical system;

supporting the substrate provided with the absorption layer, the resist layer, and the top coat layer by a substrate support member included in the exposure apparatus, and providing an auxiliary member contacting with the liquid at an angle smaller than the first angle at an area adjacent to the outer peripheral portion of the substrate, the area being a part of a surface layer of the substrate supporting side of the substrate support member;

carrying out the exposure process with respect to the substrate; and

developing a pattern exposed to the resist layer by the exposure process.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising:

providing a layer for adjusting a phase of multiple reflection of exposure light used for the exposure process between the absorption layer and the resist layer.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein the liquid is any liquid containing pure water, ionized water, organic matter, and liquid containing a silicon compound.

11. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the liquid is any liquid containing pure water, ionized water, organic matter, and liquid containing a silicon compound.

12. An immersion exposure apparatus, comprising:

a substrate support member to support a substrate which is exposed to a pattern by an exposure process; and

a projection optical system to project the pattern to the substrate,

wherein the apparatus is configured to carry out the exposure process after carrying out a process of making a large contact angle between the liquid and at least an outer peripheral portion of a main surface of the substrate when compared with a contact angle between the liquid and an area adjacent to the outer peripheral portion of the substrate, the area being a part of a surface of a substrate supporting side of a substrate support member to support the substrate included in the exposure apparatus; and

the apparatus carrying out the exposure process in a state that liquid is at least partly filled between the substrate and the projection optical system, and a surface outside the outer peripheral portion of the substrate supported by the substrate support member, the surface being a part of a surface of a substrate supporting side of the substrate support member, is set to a state that a contact angle of the liquid becomes small continuously or intermittently from the outer peripheral portion of the substrate toward the surface outside the outer peripheral portion.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising:

an auxiliary member provided at an area adjacent to the outer peripheral portion of the substrate supported by the substrate support member, the area being a part of a surface layer of the substrate supporting side of the substrate support member, the auxiliary member having a surface set to the state that the contact angle of the liquid becomes small continuously or intermittently from the outer peripheral portion of the substrate toward the surface outside the outer peripheral portion; and

a liquid recovery mechanism provided at an area outside the auxiliary member, where the area is the part of the surface layer of the substrate supporting side of the substrate support member.

14. The apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising:

a liquid supply/drain mechanism to supply the liquid between the projection optical system and the substrate to be processed, and to drain unnecessary liquid between the projection optical system and the substrate.

15. A manufacturing method of a semiconductor device, carrying out an exposure process in a state that liquid is at least partly filled between a semiconductor substrate to be exposed and a projection optical system of an exposure apparatus carrying out the exposure process, comprising:

carrying out a process of making a large contact angle between the liquid and at least an outer peripheral portion of a main surface of the semiconductor substrate when compared with a contact angle between the liquid and an area adjacent to the outer peripheral portion of the semiconductor substrate, the area being a part of a surface of a substrate supporting side of a substrate support member to support the semiconductor substrate included in the exposure apparatus; and

forming a pattern on the main surface of the semiconductor substrate by carrying out the exposure process.

16. The method according to claim 15, further comprising:

providing a layer contacting with the liquid on the main surface at an angle larger than the contact angle of the liquid at the area of the substrate support member, the layer covering a resist layer during the process of making a large contact angle after providing the resist layer on the main surface of the semiconductor substrate.

17. The method according to claim 15, further comprising:

carrying out a water repellent treatment to the main surface of the semiconductor substrate during the process of making the large contact angle.

18. The method according to claim 15, wherein the liquid is any liquid containing pure water, ionized water, organic matter, and liquid containing a silicon compound.

19. A manufacturing method of a semiconductor device, carrying out an exposure process in a state that liquid is at least partly filled between a semiconductor substrate to be exposed and a projection optical system of an exposure apparatus to carry out the exposure process, comprising:

forming an absorption layer contacting with the liquid at a first angle on a main surface of a side to be exposed of the semiconductor substrate;

providing a resist layer on the absorption layer and on a surface facing the projection optical system;

providing a top coat layer contacting with the liquid at a second angle and covering the resist layer, the top coat layer being provided on the surface facing the projection optical system;

supporting the semiconductor substrate provided with the absorption layer, the resist layer, and the top coat layer by a substrate support member included in the exposure apparatus, and providing an auxiliary member contacting with the liquid at an angle smaller than the first angle at an area adjacent to the outer peripheral portion of the semiconductor substrate, the area being a part of a surface layer of the substrate supporting side of the substrate support member;

exposing a pattern onto the resist layer by carrying out the exposure process with respect to the semiconductor substrate; and

forming the pattern on the main surface of the semiconductor substrate by developing the pattern.

20. The method according to claim 19, further comprising:

providing a layer for adjusting a phase of multiple reflection of exposure light used for the exposure process between the absorption layer and the resist layer.