Resist pattern forming method, semiconductor apparatus using said method, and exposure apparatus thereof

• US 7,524,618 B2
• Filed: 03/21/2005
• Issued: 04/28/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kioxia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Ito, Shinichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Duda; Kathleen
• Application Number:
  US11/084,001
• Publication Number:
  US 20050221234A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,499 Days
• Field of Search: 430/311, 430/329, 430/330, 430/331, 134/1.3
• US Class Current: 430/311
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/2043 with the production of a chemical active agent from a fluid, e.g. an etching agent; with meterial deposition from the fluid phase, e.g. contamination resists
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/40 Treatment after imagewise removal, e.g. baking
• 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: H01L 21/30 Treatment of semiconductor bodies using processes or apparatus not provided for in groups H01L21/20 - H01L21/26 manufacture of electrodes thereon H01L21/28

Abstract

In immersion exposure, a resist pattern forming method suppressing resist pattern defects comprises mounting a substrate formed a resist film thereon and a reticle formed a pattern thereon onto an exposure apparatus, supplying a first chemical solution onto the resist film to selectively form a first liquid film in a local area on the resist film and draining the solution, the first liquid film having a flow and being formed between the resist film and a projection optical system, transferring the pattern of the reticle to the resist film through the first liquid film to form a latent image, supplying a second chemical solution onto the resist film to clean the resist film, heating the resist film, and developing the resist film to form a resist pattern from the resist film.

Claims

1. A resist pattern forming method comprising:

forming a resist film on a substrate;

mounting the substrate formed the resist film thereon and a reticle formed a pattern thereon onto an exposure apparatus comprising a projection optical system;

supplying a first chemical solution onto the resist film to selectively form a first liquid film in a local area on the resist film and draining the first chemical solution supplied, wherein the first liquid film has a flow, and wherein the first liquid film is being formed between the resist film and the projection optical system;

transferring the pattern formed on the reticle to the resist film, with the first liquid film being formed, to form a latent image in the resist film;

supplying a second chemical solution onto the resist film to form a second liquid film on a substantially entire surface of the substrate;

removing the second liquid film;

heating the resist film formed the latent image therein after the removal; and

developing the resist film to form a resist pattern from the resist film heated.

2. The resist pattern forming method according to claim 1, wherein the removing the liquid film includes:

spraying a gas from a gas injection portion to a part of the surface of the resist film; and

scanning the gas injection portion over substantially entire surface of the substrate.

3. The resist pattern forming method according to claim 1, wherein the second chemical solution is the same solution as the first chemical solution.

4. The resist pattern forming method according to claim 1, wherein heat of vaporization of the second chemical solution is smaller than that of the first chemical solution.

5. The resist pattern forming method according to claim 1, wherein the second chemical solution has a property to dissolve the first chemical solution.

6. The resist pattern forming method according to claim 1, wherein the second chemical solution is a solution containing the same material as that of the first chemical solution.

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

forming a protection film on the resist film before the mounting the substrate onto the exposure apparatus.

8. The resist pattern forming method according to claim 1, wherein one of materials constituting the resist film is an acid-forming agent or an acid-trapping agent,

the method further comprising:

cleaning the surface of the resist film to remove the acid-forming agent or the acid-trapping agent on the surface of the resist film before the transferring.

9. The resist pattern forming method according to claim 8, wherein the cleaning supplies a third chemical solution, which dissolves the acid-forming agent or the acid-trapping agent, onto the resist film.

10. The resist pattern forming method according to claim 9, wherein the third chemical solution is one of deionized water, ozone dissolved water, hydrogen dissolved water, or carbonate dissolved water.

11. A resist pattern forming method comprising:

forming a resist film on a substrate;

mounting the substrate formed the resist film thereon and a reticle formed a pattern thereon onto an exposure apparatus comprising a projection optical system;

supplying a first chemical solution onto the resist film to selectively form a first liquid film in a local area on the resist film and draining the first chemical solution supplied, wherein the first liquid film has a flow, and wherein the first liquid film is being formed between the resist film and the projection optical system;

transferring the pattern formed on the reticle to the resist film, with the first liquid film being formed, to form a latent image in the resist film;

spraying a gas from a gas injection portion to a part of a surface of the resist film;

scanning the gas injection portion over the substantially entire surface of the substrate to spray the gas on the surface of the resist film;

heating the resist film formed the latent image therein after the scanning; and

developing the resist film to form a resist pattern from the resist film heated.

12. The resist pattern forming method according to claim 11, wherein the gas injection portion is an air knife.

13. The resist pattern forming method according to claim 11, further comprising:

forming a protection film on the resist film before the mounting the substrate onto the exposure apparatus.

14. The resist pattern forming method according to claim 11, wherein one of materials constituting the resist film is an acid-forming agent or an acid-trapping agent,

the method further comprising:

cleaning the surface of the resist film to remove the acid-forming agent or the acid-trapping agent on the surface of the resist film before the transferring.

15. The resist pattern forming method according to claim 14, wherein the cleaning supplies a third chemical solution which dissolves the acid-forming agent or the acid-trapping agent onto the resist film.

16. A resist pattern forming method comprising:

forming a resist film on a substrate;

mounting the substrate formed the resist film thereon and a reticle formed a pattern thereon onto an exposure apparatus comprising a projection optical system;

supplying a first chemical solution onto the resist film to selectively form a first liquid film in a local area on the resist film and draining the first chemical solution supplied, wherein the first liquid film has a flow, and wherein the first liquid film is formed between the resist film and the projection optical system;

controlling a direction of the flow of the first liquid film to flow from an area to which the pattern is transferred towards an edge of the resist film on the substrate when the edge of the resist film is included in the area where the first liquid film is selectively formed;

transferring the pattern formed on the reticle to the resist film, with the first liquid film being formed, to form a latent image in the resist film;

heating the resist film formed the latent image therein after the removal; and

developing the resist film to form a resist pattern from the resist film heated.

17. The resist pattern forming method according to claim 16, wherein the transferring is carried out in accordance with a scanning exposure scheme which moves the substrate and the reticle horizontally with respect to the projection optical system, and

the substrate is moved in a direction substantially opposite to the direction of the liquid flow.

18. A method for manufacturing a semiconductor apparatus, comprising:

preparing a semiconductor wafer;

forming a resist film on the semiconductor wafer;

mounting the semiconductor wafer formed the resist film thereon and a reticle formed a pattern thereon onto an exposure apparatus comprising a projection optical system;

supplying a first chemical solution onto the resist film to selectively form a first liquid film in a local area on the resist film and draining the first chemical solution supplied, wherein the first liquid film has a flow, and wherein the first liquid film is formed between the resist film and the projection optical system;

transferring the pattern formed on the reticle to the resist film, with the first liquid film being formed, to form a latent image in the resist film;

supplying a second chemical solution onto the resist film to form a second liquid film on a substantially entire surface of the semiconductor wafer;

removing the second liquid film;

heating the resist film formed the latent image therein after the removing; and

forming a resist pattern on the semiconductor wafer by developing the resist film heated.