JP2005243870A - Pattern drawing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To form a precise circuit pattern without relation to the joining portion at the time of drawing a pattern using a plurality of optical modulation units. <P>SOLUTION: A couple of DMDs are provided within the exposure unit of the pattern drawing apparatus. In view of respectively scanning (exposing) band scanning regions J1, J2, an exposure surface SU of the substrate is irradiated with the DMD. Moreover, the exposure areas EA1, EA2 is scanned along each scanning band K by shifting a drawing table on which the substrate is mounted in the main scanning direction (X direction), while the exposure unit in the sub-scanning direction (Y direction). In this case, the exposure areas EA1, EA2 are respectively scanned in the sequence of 1, 7, 2, 6, 3, 5, and 4. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a pattern drawing apparatus and a pattern forming method for forming a drawing pattern such as a circuit pattern directly on a photomask (reticle) serving as an original plate or a drawing object such as a wafer or a printed board.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a drawing apparatus that forms a circuit pattern on the surface of a drawing object (pattern forming object) such as a silicon wafer, an LCD, a printed board, or a glass substrate is known. A circuit pattern is formed by scanning an exposure surface with an electron beam or a laser beam based on pattern data created in advance, and exposing a photosensitive material such as a photoresist applied to an object to be drawn.

In a drawing device, instead of using an AOM (Acousto-Optic Modulator) to turn on / off the laser beam, light modulation is performed by arranging multiple light modulation elements such as a DMD (Digital Micro-mirror Device) or LCD in a matrix. It is possible to form a circuit pattern using the unit (for example, see Patent Documents 1 and 2). In this case, light is projected on the photoresist layer according to the circuit pattern by ON / OFF control of each light modulation element. And a circuit pattern is formed through processes, such as development processing, etching, and resist peeling.
JP 2003-15309 A JP 2003-57837 A

  When one drawing object is scanned with a plurality of light modulation units in order to shorten the drawing time, the plurality of light modulation units are arranged at predetermined intervals, and each light modulation unit scans a predetermined area in the entire exposure surface. Then, by scanning a plurality of irradiation areas (hereinafter referred to as exposure areas) by the plurality of light modulation units, a circuit pattern is formed on the entire drawing object. For example, when raster scanning is performed, the exposure area sequentially moves in a scanning area (hereinafter referred to as a scanning band) along the main scanning direction defined by the exposure area. At this time, the plurality of exposure areas move while maintaining a constant distance interval during scanning.

  The partial wiring of the circuit pattern is formed so as to intersect on the boundary line between adjacent scanning bands. Therefore, the circuit pattern formed on the substrate has a joint along the boundary line of the scanning band. Since the exposure area sequentially moves through a plurality of scanning bands, the border lines of adjacent scanning bands that become the connection between circuit patterns are sequentially exposed at different exposure timings.

  A photosensitive material such as a photoresist changes its material characteristics when a long time elapses after exposure (exposure). For this reason, when the time difference of the exposure timing is large, the unnecessary resist layer cannot be accurately removed by development processing for the portion corresponding to the joint. As a result, a residual photoresist film is formed at the joint of the photoresist layer remaining along the circuit pattern after development. This residual film deteriorates the etching accuracy with respect to the joint, and even if a circuit pattern is formed, adjacent wirings may be short-circuited at the joint.

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is to make it possible to form a precise circuit pattern regardless of the joint in pattern drawing using a plurality of light modulation units.

  A pattern writing apparatus according to the present invention is a device for forming a pattern on an exposure surface of a pattern forming body having a photosensitive material formed on a surface thereof, and includes a light source, a plurality of light modulation units, a scanning unit, and an exposure control unit. With. As the light source, for example, a laser light source is applied, and the light modulation unit is configured by, for example, a DMD or LCD. The scanning unit scans the exposure surface, which is an irradiation region by the plurality of light modulation units, along the main scanning direction with respect to the exposure surface. If the light modulation unit is a DMD or LCD, a rectangular exposure area moves relative to the exposure surface. The exposure control means controls the plurality of light modulation units in accordance with the relative positions of the plurality of exposure areas with respect to the exposure surface and predetermined pattern data for pattern formation. By scanning a scanning area (hereinafter referred to as a partial scanning area) defined for each exposure area by a predetermined scanning procedure, a circuit pattern is formed on the entire exposure surface.

  For example, the scanning unit moves the support member relative to the storage member in the main scanning direction and the sub-scanning direction with respect to the storage member that stores the plurality of light modulation units, the support member that supports the pattern forming body, and the storage member. Moving means. Either the storage member or the support member may be moved relative to the main scanning direction and the other along the sub-scanning direction, or either the storage member or the support member may be moved in the main scanning direction or the sub-scanning direction. You may make relative movement along.

  In the drawing apparatus of the present invention, during the exposure operation (drawing operation), the distance intervals along the sub-scanning direction of the exposure areas adjacent to each other are kept constant for the plurality of exposure areas. Therefore, the scanning pattern (scanning method) for each partial scanning region is the same for every exposure area. Then, with respect to a series of scanning bands defined on the entire exposure surface by a plurality of exposure areas, the exposure area is scanned so as not to generate a residual film of the photosensitive material at a joint between arbitrary adjacent scanning bands. And That is, the scanning unit scans one of the first boundary scanning band and the second boundary scanning band adjacent to each other scanned by different exposure areas with respect to a series of scanning bands defined along the main scanning direction. And the number of scans intervening between the scanning period and the other scanning band, and the scanning period intervening between the scanning of one scanning band adjacent to the predetermined exposure area and the scanning of the other scanning band. A plurality of exposure areas are scanned so that there is no substantial difference between the number of times.

  The “number of scans” described here corresponds to the time interval from scanning one of the adjacent scanning bands to scanning the other, continuously scanning, that is, not scanning the other scanning bands Is also included in the number of scans as zero. The description that there is no substantial difference in the number of scans indicates that adjacent scan bands in the same exposure area are continuously scanned, while a number of scan bands are interposed with respect to the first and second boundary scan bands. This means that there is no such thing as scanning. In other words, in the case of the same exposure area, when 0, 1 or 2 scans are intervened, the 1st and 2nd boundary scan bands are similarly intervened 0, 1 or 2 scans. To do. Since there is no substantial difference in the number of scans, there is substantially no time difference in the time interval across the scans. Therefore, a residual film of the photosensitive material is hardly generated. Note that the number of scans may be determined so as not to exceed a time interval that changes depending on the relative movement speed of the exposure area in the main scanning direction and the sub-scanning direction and a remaining film of the photosensitive material is generated.

  In consideration of regular scanning, the scanning means sets the corresponding exposure area in the sub-scanning direction with a scanning band near the center as a boundary for the partial scanning area defined for each of the plurality of exposure areas. Scanning may be performed while regularly reciprocating along. As a result, it is possible to perform exposure without causing a large difference between the scanning time interval in the first and second boundary bands and the scanning time interval in other adjacent scanning bands.

  For example, with respect to the partial scanning areas defined for each of the plurality of exposure areas, the scanning unit alternately shifts the exposure areas from the scanning bands at both ends of the partial scanning areas toward the scanning bands near the center. And reciprocating along the line. For example, when the partial scanning region is composed of seven scanning bands, scanning is performed in the order of the first, seventh, second, sixth, third, fifth, fourth.

  Conversely, the scanning means subscans the exposure areas alternately from the scanning band near the center of the partial scanning area toward the scanning bands at both ends with respect to the partial scanning area defined for each of the plurality of exposure areas. The scanning may be performed while reciprocating along the direction. For example, the fourth, fifth, third, sixth, second, seventh, and first scans are performed.

  When raster data arranged in the order of scanning bands is sent, it is preferable to store the data in a memory such as a bitmap memory so as to correspond to the entire scanning area, and to read out the corresponding band data in accordance with the scanning order. That is, a memory capable of storing, as two-dimensional data, pattern data of a partial scanning area defined for each of a plurality of exposure areas based on sequentially sent raster data, and the exposure control means includes a plurality of exposure areas. Based on the relative position, band data corresponding to the scanning band to be scanned is sequentially read from the memory, and the light modulation unit may be controlled according to the read band data.

  The pattern forming method of the present invention is a pattern drawing method for forming a pattern on an exposure surface of a pattern forming body on which a photosensitive material is formed, and regularly arranges light from a light source with a plurality of light modulation elements. Led to a plurality of light modulation units, selectively irradiates light to the exposure surface, and scans the exposure surface, which is an irradiation area by the plurality of light modulation units, along the main scanning direction. A pattern drawing method for controlling a plurality of light modulation units according to a relative position of a plurality of exposure areas with respect to an exposure surface and predetermined pattern data for pattern formation. Adjacent to each other scanned by different exposure areas for a series of scan bands defined along the main scan direction, maintaining a constant distance interval along the sub scan direction In addition, the number of scans interposed between scanning one of the first boundary scan band and the second boundary scan band and scanning the other, and one of the adjacent scan bands scanned by the same exposure area A plurality of exposure areas are scanned so as not to cause a substantial difference from the number of scans interposed between scanning of the first scanning band and scanning of the other scanning band.

  The program of the present invention is a pattern drawing program in a pattern drawing apparatus for forming a pattern on an exposure surface of a pattern-formed body on which a photosensitive material is formed, each of which selectively emits light from a light source to the exposure surface. An exposure control means for controlling a plurality of light modulation units in which a plurality of light modulation elements to be regularly arranged are controlled according to relative positions of a plurality of exposure areas with respect to an exposure surface and predetermined pattern data for pattern formation; Scanning means for scanning a plurality of exposure areas, which are irradiation areas by the light modulation unit, along the main scanning direction with respect to the exposure surface is caused to function. The distance between the exposure areas adjacent to each other along the sub-scanning direction is kept constant for a plurality of exposure areas, and a series of scanning bands defined along the main scanning direction is scanned with different exposure areas. Between the first boundary scanning band and the second boundary scanning band that are adjacent to each other and the number of scans that are interposed between the time when scanning the other and the time when the other is scanned, The scanning means is configured to scan the plurality of exposure areas so that there is no substantial difference between the number of scans interposed between scanning one of the scan bands and scanning the other scan band. It is made to function.

  The method for manufacturing a pattern forming body (drawing body) according to the present invention is a method for manufacturing a pattern forming body in which a pattern is formed, and 1) a photo is formed on the surface of the pattern forming body on which a layer to be processed is formed. A resist layer is applied, 2) the exposed surface of the pattern forming body on which the photoresist layer is formed is exposed according to the drawing pattern, 3) development processing is performed to remove an unnecessary resist film, and 4) processing is performed. Etching to form a layer pattern and 5) removing the remaining resist film. In the exposure process, the light from the light source is guided to a plurality of light modulation units in which a plurality of light modulation elements are regularly arranged, and the exposure surface is selectively irradiated with light to be irradiated by the plurality of light modulation units. The plurality of exposure areas are scanned along the main scanning direction with respect to the exposure surface, and for pattern formation, a plurality of light modulation units are provided in accordance with the relative positions of the plurality of exposure areas with respect to the exposure surface and predetermined pattern data. Draw a pattern to control. Furthermore, with respect to a plurality of exposure areas, the distance between the adjacent exposure areas in the sub-scanning direction is kept constant, and a series of scanning bands defined along the main scanning direction is scanned with different exposure areas. Between the first boundary scanning band and the second boundary scanning band that are adjacent to each other and the number of scans that are interposed between the time when scanning the other and the time when the other is scanned, A plurality of exposure areas are scanned so that there is no substantial difference between the number of scans interposed between scanning one of the scanning bands and scanning the other scanning band. To do. In the substrate manufactured by this manufacturing method, the residual film of the photoresist layer is not substantially generated at the joint.

  According to the present invention, in pattern drawing using a plurality of light modulation units, it becomes possible to form a precise circuit pattern regardless of the joint.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing a pattern drawing apparatus according to this embodiment. FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing a configuration of an exposure unit provided in the pattern drawing apparatus.

  The pattern drawing apparatus 10 includes a gate-like structure 12 and a base 14. A guide rail 19X that supports the drawing table 18 is mounted on the base 14, and the drawing table 18 on which the substrate SW is installed is movable along the direction in which the guide rail 19X guides. A guide rail 19Y that supports the exposure unit 20 is mounted on the gate-shaped structure 12, and the exposure unit 20 is movable along the direction in which the guide rail 19Y guides. The moving direction of the drawing table 18 (hereinafter referred to as X direction) and the moving direction of the exposure unit 20 (hereinafter referred to as Y direction) are orthogonal to each other, and the X direction is defined as the main scanning direction and the Y direction is defined as the sub scanning direction. Further, the pattern drawing apparatus 10 is provided with an X-direction drive mechanism and a Y-direction drive mechanism (not shown here) for moving the drawing table 18 and the exposure unit 20, respectively. A drawing control unit (not shown here) for controlling the movement and operation of the exposure unit 20 is provided.

  The substrate SW is composed of a silicon wafer, a printed substrate, or a glass substrate, and a substrate (blanks) before patterning is placed on the drawing table 18. For blanks production, the substrate is polished, washed, etc., and a material to be processed for forming a circuit pattern such as a conductive material is coated on the substrate in advance, or a light-shielding film for a photomask is formed on the substrate. After performing polishing, cleaning, coating, etc., a photoresist layer, which is a photosensitive material, is applied onto the substrate SW by a rotational spin method or the like. After the photoresist layer is formed on the substrate SW, a pre-bake process is performed. Thereafter, the substrate SW is placed on the drawing table 18, and patterning is started.

  The exposure unit 20 is composed of at least one semiconductor laser 21 used as a light source and a plurality of exposure optical systems, and FIG. 2 shows one exposure optical system 20A. The exposure optical system 20A includes a DMD (Digital Micro-mirror Device) 22A, an illumination optical system 24, and an imaging optical system 26. The illumination optical system 24 is disposed between the semiconductor laser 21 and the DMD 22A, and the DMD 22A An imaging optical system 26 is disposed between the substrate SW. In this embodiment, it is comprised from two exposure optical systems, and the other exposure optical system is also a structure similarly. The two exposure optical systems are arranged at regular intervals.

The laser beam emitted from the semiconductor laser 21 is guided to the illumination optical system 24 through an optical fiber bundle (not shown). The illumination optical system 24 includes a convex lens 24A and a collimator lens 24B. When the laser beam LB passes through the illumination optical system 24, the DMD 22A is irradiated with laser light as a light beam for illuminating the DMD 22A as a whole. The DMD 22A is a light modulation unit in which minute rectangular micromirrors having an order of micrometers are arranged in a matrix, and each micromirror rotates its axis (changes its posture) by an electrostatic field effect. In the present embodiment, M × N square micromirrors are arranged in a matrix, and “X _ij ” (1 ≦ i ≦ M, 1 ≦ j) according to the position (i, j). ≦ N).

The micromirror X _ij is positioned in one of the first posture for reflecting the laser beam LB from the semiconductor laser 21 in the direction of the exposure surface SU of the substrate SW and the second posture for reflecting in the direction outside the exposure surface SU. The posture is switched by a control signal from the drawing control unit. When the micromirror X _ij is positioned in the first posture, the light reflected by the micromirror Xij is guided toward the imaging optical system 26. The imaging optical system 26 includes two convex lenses 26A and 26C and a reflector lens 26B. Light passing through the imaging optical system 26 has a predetermined minute amount on the exposure surface SU covered with the photoresist layer. Irradiate the area.

On the other hand, when the micro mirror X _ij is positioned in the second posture, the laser beam LB reflected by the micro mirror X _ij is guided toward the light absorbing plate 29, and no light is irradiated on the exposure surface SU. Hereinafter, a state in which the micromirror X _ij is supported in the first posture is referred to as an ON state, and a state in which the micromirror X _ij is supported in the second posture is referred to as an OFF state. Further, the magnification of the imaging optical system 26 in the present embodiment is defined to 1x, the size of the projected spot Yij of the exposure surface SU by light from a predetermined micro-mirror X _ij (width, height), Micro It matches the size of the mirror _Xij .

When the width of the micromirror X _ij is represented by W and height H (W = H), when all the micromirrors of the DMD 22A are in the ON state, (M × W) × (N × H) is present on the exposure surface SU. ), A projection spot (hereinafter referred to as an exposure area) EA is formed. In the DMD 22A, the micromirrors X _ij are independently turned on / off, so that the light irradiated on the entire DMD 22A is divided into light composed of light beams selectively reflected by the micromirrors. The As a result, light is irradiated on the exposed surface SU on which the photoresist layer is formed, according to the circuit pattern to be formed at that location.

  When the drawing table 18 is moved along the X direction, the exposure area EA moves relative to the substrate SW in a scanning area (hereinafter referred to as a scanning band) defined along the main scanning direction (X direction). Thus, the photoresist layer is exposed according to the circuit pattern to be formed in one scanning band. Then, an exposure operation according to a scanning order different from the conventional raster scanning is executed, and the drawing table 18 and the exposure unit 20 are moved in the main scanning direction (X direction) and the sub scanning direction (Y direction), respectively, at predetermined timings. As a result, a circuit pattern is formed on the entire exposed surface SU.

  When the circuit pattern is formed on the entire exposed surface SU, the substrate SW is removed from the drawing table 18, and processing such as development processing, post-baking, descum, etching, resist stripping / cleaning is performed. The development process is performed by a dipping method, a spray method, or a paddle method. By etching after the resist layer surface is processed by descum, a circuit pattern is formed in a layer to be processed which is a lower layer of the photoresist. Then, the resist layer is removed by resist peeling / washing, and the substrate SW on which the circuit pattern is formed is finally manufactured.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a drawing control unit in the pattern drawing apparatus 10.

  The drawing control unit 30 includes a system control circuit 32, a DMD control unit 34, a table control unit 38, a position detection unit 40, a raster conversion unit 42, and a light source control unit 44. The system control circuit 32 including a CPU The entire apparatus 10 is controlled.

  When the circuit pattern data is sent as CAM data to the raster conversion unit 42 of the drawing control unit 30, the CAM data is converted into raster data and stored in the bitmap memory 33 of the DMD control unit 34. The bitmap memory 33 stores pattern data so as to correspond to the two-dimensional pattern on the exposure surface SU, and can be read out for each data (band data) for one scanning band.

  The table control unit 38 controls the X-direction drive mechanism 46 and the Y-direction drive mechanism 48 that include actuators such as motors, and the movement and stop timings and movement speeds of the drawing table 18 and the exposure unit 20 are controlled. The position detector 40 detects the relative position of the exposure area on the substrate SW based on the position data of the exposure unit 20 and the drawing table 18 sent from the stage controller 38. Then, the relative position data is output to the DMD control unit 34.

  In the DMD control unit 34, corresponding band data is read from the bitmap memory 33 based on the relative position of the exposure area. Then, control signals are output to the DMDs 22A and 22B in order to control the micromirrors independently. The system control circuit 32 outputs a control signal to the DMD control unit 34 and the light source control unit 44 that controls the semiconductor laser 21.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an exposure (drawing) operation, and FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a movement (scanning) path of the exposure area. In FIG. 5, two exposure areas by the two DMDs 22A and 22B are defined as “EA1” and “EA2”, respectively. Further, as shown in FIG. 5, the number of scanning bands in each exposure area is 7, which are represented as 1, 2,.

  The exposure areas EA1 and EA2 have the same size, and a series of scanning bands K are defined on the entire exposure surface SU. Since the DMDs 22A and 22B maintain a constant interval in the exposure unit 20, and the exposure unit 20 and the drawing table 18 move relative to each other, the exposure areas EA1 and EA2 by the two DMDs 22A and 22B are in the Y-axis direction. Each scan band is scanned at the same timing and speed, keeping constant intervals along. That is, the scanning order and movement pattern of the exposure areas EA1 and EA2 are the same in the respective band scanning areas J1 and J2 (partial scanning areas).

  In step S101, a scan count variable “n” for counting the number of scans of the exposure area is set to zero. In step S102, the band variable “m” indicating the number (1 to 7) of the scanning band to be scanned is set to 0.

  In step S103, it is determined whether or not the previous scan for one band was a scan according to the forward path. Here, a path in which the exposure area moves in the −X-axis direction (left to right in FIG. 5) is defined as an “outward path”, and a path in the opposite X-axis direction (from right to left) is defined as “return path”. "

  If it is determined in step S103 that it is not “outbound”, the process proceeds to step S106, and 1 is added to the band variable “m”. In step S107, the exposure areas EA1 and EA2 move relative to the mth band, and the drawing operation is executed. That is, raster data corresponding to the mth band is read from the bitmap memory 33 according to the forward path (−X direction), and the DMD control unit 34 controls the DMDs 22A and 22B based on the read pattern data. When step S107 is executed, the process proceeds to step S108.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S103 that the previous drawing is “outbound”, the process proceeds to step S104. In step S104, the value of the conversion band variable “k” is determined by the following equation. However, N = 7 here.

k = N− (m−1) (1)

The conversion band variable “k” is a variable indicating the number of the scanning band scanned in the return path, and changes depending on the value of the band variable m. For example, when m = 1, the N (= 7) th band is a scanning target, and when m = 2, the N−1 (= 6) th band is a drawing target. In step S105, the exposure areas EA1 and EA2 move with respect to the kth band, and the exposure operation is executed. That is, pattern data corresponding to the k-th band is read from the bitmap memory 33 according to the return path (X direction), and the DMD control unit 34 controls the DMDs 22A and 22B based on the band data. When step S105 is executed, the process proceeds to step S108.

  In step S108, 1 is added to the scan count variable “n”. In step S109, it is determined whether n is N (= 7), that is, whether the exposure areas EA1 and EA2 have respectively scanned the entire band scanning areas J1 and J2. If it is determined that n = N, the process proceeds to step S110, and the exposure operation ends. On the other hand, if it is determined that n is not N, the process proceeds to step S111.

In step S111, it is determined whether or not the next exposure operation is scanning along the backward path, that is, whether or not the exposure areas EA1 and EA2 move in the positive Y-axis direction for the next exposure operation. If it is determined that it is a return path, the process proceeds to step S112, and the exposure unit 20 moves so that the exposure areas EA1 and EA2 move by the following distance L. However, the distance that the exposure area moves by one band along the Y-axis direction is represented by “B”.

L = B × (N−n) (2)

While the exposure unit 20 is moving, no exposure operation is performed. When step S112 ends, the process returns to step S103.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S112 that it is not the return path but the forward path, that is, the exposure areas EA1 and EA2 move in the negative Y-axis direction, the process proceeds to step S113, and the exposure areas EA1 and EA2 move by the following distance L. Thus, the exposure unit 20 moves.

L = −B × (N−n) (3)

When step S113 ends, the process returns to step S103.

  By repeating steps S103 to S113, the exposure areas EA1 and EA2 move to the seventh band after scanning the first band (see arrow (A)), and the second band after scanning the seventh band. (See arrow (B)). Then, the scanning band is moved in the order of the second, sixth, third, fifth, and fourth, and the exposure operation is performed. As a result, the entire scanning surface is exposed by scanning the band scanning areas J1 and J2, and the exposure operation ends.

  6 is a view showing a part of the substrate SW after the development processing, and FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the substrate along I-I ′ shown in FIG. 6. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a moving path of the exposure area according to normal raster scanning. The remaining film of the photoresist layer will be described with reference to FIGS. 6, 7, and 8.

  When the wiring of the circuit pattern is formed along the Y-axis direction, the photoresist layers PL1 and PL2 remaining after the development process (resist layer removal process) are also formed along the Y-axis direction. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 5, boundary lines KB1 to KB7 (see FIG. 5) between adjacent bands intersect with the photoresist layers PL1 and PL2. In FIG. 6, the boundary line KB7 is shown.

  At the joints CP1 and CP2 of the resist layer on the boundary line of the scanning band, unlike the areas other than the boundary line, the end pieces of the exposure area EA1 pass through two adjacent scanning bands between the boundary lines at different timings. . A photosensitive material such as a photoresist has a property that the material characteristics change with the passage of time after the exposure. If the time difference of the exposed (exposed) time is large, the remaining film KL1 is formed at the joint of the photoresist layer after the development process. , KL2 remains.

  For example, unlike the scanning procedure shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, when the exposure areas EA1, EA2 are moved in the band order of 1, 2, 3,..., 7 as shown in FIG. The time difference in exposure timing at the joint of the photoresist layer is very large. That is, in the other boundary lines KB1 to KB6, the same exposure area continuously scans adjacent scanning bands, while in the boundary line KB7, the two exposure areas EA1 and EA2 are adjacent to the adjacent seventh scanning band. The first scanning band (first and second boundary scanning bands) must be moved, and in particular, the exposure area EA2 scans the first scanning band and then the exposure area EA1 moves the seventh scanning band. The time interval until scanning becomes very long compared to other scanning bands, and the characteristics of the photosensitive material change greatly.

  This change in the characteristics of the photosensitive material causes a resist residual film as shown by a broken line KL in FIG. 7 after the development processing, which adversely affects circuit pattern formation. That is, when the layer to be processed MP is removed by etching, the joint is not accurately etched due to the influence of the remaining film, and the cross-sectional shape of the joint is broken. This may cause a short circuit between adjacent wirings.

  However, in the present embodiment, the exposure areas EA1 and EA2 move the scanning band in the order of 1, 7, 2, 6, 3, 5, and 4. Therefore, a large time difference does not occur until the exposure area EA1 moves the seventh band after the exposure area EA2 moves the first scan band. In addition, since scanning is performed while reciprocating along the sub-scanning direction (Y direction) alternately from the scanning bands on both sides of the band scanning areas J1 and J2 to the central scanning band, one of the adjacent scanning bands is scanned. Between scanning and scanning of the other scanning band, scanning for one band is interposed, or scanning is performed continuously. This indicates that the exposure timing shift at the boundary line of any adjacent scanning band is approximately constant in the entire exposure surface, and the time difference of the exposure timing at any boundary line is at most one band. This means that only the scanning time of 生 じ has occurred. The scanning time for one band hardly affects the material change of the resist layer. Therefore, a residual film is not formed on the photoresist layer not only at the boundary lines KB1 to KB6 due to the same exposure area but also at the boundary line KB7 due to the adjacent exposure area, and the cross-sectional shapes JL1 of the photoresist layers PL1 and PL2 after the development processing, JL2 also has almost no risk of short-circuiting at the circuit pattern joints along the band boundary line with high accuracy.

  As described above, according to this embodiment, the DMDs 22A and 22B irradiate the exposure surface SU of the substrate SW, and the exposure areas E1 and E2 move through the scanning bands KB1 to KB7, thereby scanning the band scanning regions J1 and J2. (Exposed) At this time, the exposure areas EA1 and EA2 move in the scanning band in the order of 1, 7, 2, 6, 3, 5, and 4.

  Next, a second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a scanning path of the exposure area in the second embodiment. In the second embodiment, unlike the first embodiment, the exposure areas EA1 and EA2 move in the order of the fourth, fifth, third, sixth, second, seventh, and first scanning bands. To go.

  The number of DMDs, that is, the number of exposure areas is not limited, and may be two or more. Further, the number of scanning bands constituting the scanning area of the exposure area is not limited to seven. A light modulation unit other than the DMD such as an LCD may be applied.

  The scanning order of exposure areas may be the band order of 1, 2, 7, 6, 3, 5, 4 or the scanning order of 4, 5, 3, 6, 7, 2, 1. Adjacent scanning bands may be scanned within a predetermined time interval so that no resist residual film is generated.

It is the perspective view which showed schematically the pattern drawing apparatus which is this embodiment. It is the figure which showed typically the structure of the exposure unit provided in the pattern drawing apparatus. It is a block diagram of the drawing control part in a pattern drawing apparatus. It is the figure which showed the flowchart of exposure (drawing) operation | movement. It is the figure which showed the movement (scanning) path | route of an exposure area. It is a figure showing a part of substrate SW after development processing. It is sectional drawing of the board | substrate along I-I 'shown in FIG. It is the figure which showed the movement path | route of the exposure area according to normal raster scanning. It is the figure which showed the scanning path | route of the exposure area in 2nd Embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

10 Pattern drawing device 21 Semiconductor laser (light source)
22A, 22B DMD (light modulation unit)
33 Bitmap memory (memory)
34 DMD controller EA1, EA2 Exposure area X Main scanning direction Y Sub scanning direction SU Exposure surface SW Substrate

Claims (10)

A pattern drawing apparatus for forming a pattern on an exposure surface of a pattern forming body having a photosensitive material formed on a surface thereof,
A light source that emits light;
A plurality of light modulation units each regularly arranging a plurality of light modulation elements for selectively guiding light from the light source to the exposure surface;
Scanning means for scanning a plurality of exposure areas, which are irradiation areas by the plurality of light modulation units, along the main scanning direction with respect to the exposure surface;
Exposure control means for controlling the plurality of light modulation units according to relative positions of the plurality of exposure areas with respect to the exposure surface and predetermined pattern data for pattern formation;
The scanning means comprises:
For the plurality of exposure areas, the distance interval along the sub-scanning direction of the adjacent exposure areas is kept constant,
For a series of scanning bands defined along the main scanning direction, scan one of the first boundary scanning band and the second boundary scanning band adjacent to each other scanned by different exposure areas, and then scan the other. Between the number of scans intervening until scanning and the number of scans intervening after scanning one of the adjacent scanning bands scanned by the same exposure area until the other scanning band is scanned. A pattern drawing apparatus that scans the plurality of exposure areas so that a substantial difference does not occur.   The scanning means regularly reciprocates the corresponding exposure area along the sub-scanning direction with a scanning band near the center as a boundary with respect to a partial scanning area defined for each of the plurality of exposure areas. The pattern drawing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the pattern drawing apparatus is scanned while moving.   The scanning means alternately scans the exposure area from a scanning band at both ends of the partial scanning area toward a scanning band near the center with respect to the partial scanning area defined for each of the plurality of exposure areas. 3. The pattern writing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein scanning is performed while reciprocating along a direction.   The scanning unit alternately scans the exposure area from the scanning band near the center of the partial scanning area toward the scanning bands at both ends with respect to the partial scanning area defined for each of the plurality of exposure areas. 3. The pattern drawing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the exposure area is scanned while reciprocating along the direction. The scanning means comprises:
A housing member for housing the plurality of light modulation units;
A support member for supporting the pattern forming body;
5. The pattern drawing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a moving unit that moves the support member relative to the housing member along a main scanning direction and a sub-scanning direction. 6. Further comprising a memory capable of storing, as two-dimensional data, pattern data of a partial scanning region defined for each of the plurality of exposure areas, based on raster data sent sequentially.
The exposure control means sequentially reads out band data corresponding to a scanned scanning band from the memory based on relative positions of the plurality of exposure areas, and controls the light modulation unit according to the read band data. The pattern drawing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the pattern drawing apparatus is a pattern drawing apparatus. A pattern drawing method for forming a pattern on an exposure surface of a pattern forming body having a photosensitive material formed on a surface thereof,
Directing light from a light source to a plurality of light modulation units in which a plurality of light modulation elements are regularly arranged, selectively irradiating the exposure surface with light,
A plurality of exposure areas, which are irradiation areas by the plurality of light modulation units, are scanned along the main scanning direction with respect to the exposure surface,
A pattern drawing method for controlling the plurality of light modulation units according to relative positions of the plurality of exposure areas with respect to the exposure surface and predetermined pattern data for pattern formation,
For the plurality of exposure areas, the distance interval along the sub-scanning direction of the adjacent exposure areas is kept constant,
For a series of scanning bands defined along the main scanning direction, scan one of the first boundary scanning band and the second boundary scanning band adjacent to each other scanned by different exposure areas, and then scan the other. Between the number of scans intervening until scanning and the number of scans intervening after scanning one of the adjacent scanning bands scanned by the same exposure area until the other scanning band is scanned. A pattern drawing method, wherein the plurality of exposure areas are scanned so that a substantial difference does not occur. A pattern drawing program in a pattern drawing apparatus for forming a pattern on an exposure surface of a pattern forming body having a photosensitive material formed on a surface thereof,
A plurality of light modulation units, each of which regularly arranges a plurality of light modulation elements that selectively guide light from the light source to the exposure surface, are formed on the exposure surface with respect to the exposure surface. Exposure control means for controlling according to the relative position and predetermined pattern data;
A scanning unit that scans a plurality of exposure areas, which are irradiation areas by the plurality of light modulation units, along the main scanning direction with respect to the exposure surface;
For the plurality of exposure areas, the distance interval along the sub-scanning direction of the adjacent exposure areas is kept constant,
For a series of scanning bands defined along the main scanning direction, scan one of the first boundary scanning band and the second boundary scanning band adjacent to each other scanned by different exposure areas, and then scan the other. Between the number of scans intervening until scanning and the number of scans intervening after scanning one of the adjacent scanning bands scanned by the same exposure area until the other scanning band is scanned. A pattern drawing program for causing a scanning unit to function so as to scan the plurality of exposure areas so that a substantial difference does not occur. A method of manufacturing a pattern forming body on which a pattern is formed,
1) A photoresist layer is applied to the surface of the pattern forming body on which the processing layer is formed,
2) Exposing the exposure surface of the pattern forming body on which the photoresist layer is formed according to the drawing pattern;
3) Developing to remove unnecessary resist film,
4) Etching to form the pattern of the layer to be processed,
5) including a step of removing the remaining resist film,
In the exposure step,
Directing light from a light source to a plurality of light modulation units in which a plurality of light modulation elements are regularly arranged, selectively irradiating the exposure surface with light,
A plurality of exposure areas, which are irradiation areas by the plurality of light modulation units, are scanned along the main scanning direction with respect to the exposure surface,
For pattern formation, in accordance with the relative position of the plurality of exposure areas with respect to the exposure surface and predetermined pattern data, pattern drawing for controlling the plurality of light modulation units, and
For the plurality of exposure areas, the distance interval along the sub-scanning direction of the adjacent exposure areas is kept constant,
For a series of scanning bands defined along the main scanning direction, scan one of the first boundary scanning band and the second boundary scanning band adjacent to each other scanned by different exposure areas, and then scan the other. Between the number of scans intervening until scanning and the number of scans intervening after scanning one of the adjacent scanning bands scanned by the same exposure area until the other scanning band is scanned. A method of manufacturing a pattern forming body, wherein the plurality of exposure areas are scanned so that a substantial difference does not occur. A substrate which is a pattern forming body manufactured by the manufacturing method according to claim 9.

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