KR100947481B1 - Bake unit and method - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a bake unit and method for heating a semiconductor substrate. The baking unit according to the present invention is installed so as to face the wafer placed in the housing for providing a space for performing a baking process therein, an exhaust member for exhausting air in the housing, a heating member for heating the wafer, during the baking process, A guide plate having a centrally convex shape and a gas supply member supplying a guide gas to the space between the guide plate and the wafer so that the hot air flow in the interspace is effectively discharged to the exhaust member during the baking process. The present invention effectively exhausts the hot air flow including the fume generated from the photosensitive liquid applied to the wafer surface during the baking process, and prevents the photoresist film on the wafer processing surface from being damaged by the hot air flow.

Semiconductor, wafer, bake, exhaust, photoresist, fume

Description

BAKE UNIT AND METHOD

The present invention relates to a baking unit for heating a semiconductor substrate and a baking process method of the baking unit.

A photo-lithography process is a process of forming a desired pattern on a wafer. Usually, the photographing process is performed in a spinner local facility in which exposure equipment is connected to continuously process an application process, an exposure process, and a developing process. Such spinner installations sequentially or selectively perform an application process, a baking process, and a developing process. Here, the baking process is a process of heating and cooling the wafer to strengthen the photosensitive liquid film formed on the wafer, or to satisfy the predetermined temperature of the wafer.

The unit performing the bake process includes a housing providing a space for performing the bake process therein, a heater installed inside the housing to heat the wafer during the process, and an exhaust line. The exhaust line is connected to the housing to discharge hot air (air) in the housing to the outside during the baking process. When the wafer is heated during the baking process, a large amount of fume is generated due to the photoresist applied to the wafer surface, so the exhaust line exhausts hot air including the fume in the housing from the inside of the housing.

However, when the hot air flow in the housing is exhausted through the exhaust line during the baking process, a phenomenon occurs in which the hot air flows from the inside of the housing to the exhaust line is concentrated in a specific area of the wafer. When the flow of hot air is concentrated in a specific region of the wafer, the heating temperature becomes uneven throughout the wafer during the baking process, and the photoresist film formed on the wafer processing surface is damaged.

The present invention provides a bake unit and method for improving the exhaust efficiency.

The present invention provides a baking unit and method for heating the entire wafer to a uniform temperature during the baking process.

The present invention provides a baking unit and method for preventing damage to the photoresist film applied to the wafer processing surface during the baking process.

Baking unit according to the present invention for solving the above problems has a housing for providing a space for performing a baking process therein, a heating member for heating the substrate placed on the upper surface during the baking process, And installed in the housing so as to face the substrate placed on the upper surface, and shaped to have a greater distance from an edge region of the substrate placed on the heating member than a distance between a center region of the substrate placed on the heating member during the process. It includes a guide plate.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the guide plate is shaped so that the distance from the substrate placed on the heating member gradually increases as the distance from the center of the substrate during the process.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the guide plate is convex downward.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the guide plate has a diameter larger than the diameter of the substrate seated on the heating member during the process.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the guide plate is opposed to the substrate placed on the heating member, the first plate having a convex shape and the upper portion of the first plate so as to be spaced apart at regular intervals from the upper wall of the housing It includes a second plate provided in.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the bake unit further includes a gas supply member supplying a guide gas to a space between the guide plate and the substrate.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the gas supply member supplies a guide gas to a space between the center of the guide plate and the center of the substrate.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the gas supply member is installed in the center of the guide plate, the injection port for supplying the guide gas in a direction away from the center of the guide plate toward the downward and guide gas to the injection port It includes a gas supply line for supplying.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the housing has an upper wall extending upwardly inclined from the top of the side wall of the housing toward the center of the housing, and the bake unit is connected to the center of the upper wall to supply gas in the housing. It further comprises an exhaust line for discharging from the housing.

Baking method according to the present invention for solving the above problems has a housing for providing a space for performing a baking process therein, a heating member for heating the substrate placed on the support surface having a support surface for supporting the substrate inside the housing The baking process is performed, but the hot air flow in the central region of the substrate placed on the heating member is guided to move to the edge region of the substrate.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the hot-air flow movement guide from the center region of the substrate to the edge region of the substrate is provided with a guide plate disposed to face the substrate seated on the heating member during the process, the guide plate and the The guide gas is supplied to the center region of the inter-substrate space, and the guide gas supplied is moved from the center region of the substrate to the edge region of the substrate to guide the hot air in the interspace to move to the edge of the substrate. .

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the hot air flow guides from the center of the substrate to the edge of the substrate to inject the guide gas toward the center region of the substrate, and as the guide gas moves downward from the center of the guide plate. It proceeds to be sprayed so as to incline in a direction away.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the hot air flow guide from the center of the substrate to the edge of the substrate is performed by gradually increasing the distance between the guide plate and the substrate as the distance from the center of the guide plate.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the hot air flow guides from the center of the substrate to the edge of the substrate is made so that the diameter of the guide plate is larger than the diameter of the substrate.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the hot air flowing out of the interspace is discharged through the outlet formed in the center of the upper wall after moving to the space between the guide plate and the upper wall of the housing.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the baking method is a soft baking process performed after an application process of applying a photosensitive liquid to the processing surface of the substrate.

The baking unit and method according to the present invention effectively perform exhaust in the housing during the baking process to improve the baking process efficiency.

The baking unit and the method according to the present invention effectively perform the exhaust in the housing during the baking process to prevent unevenness of the entire wafer due to the exhausted hot air flow.

The baking unit and method according to the present invention prevent the photoresist film on the wafer from being damaged by the hot air exhausted during the baking process.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described herein and may be embodied in other forms. Rather, the embodiments introduced herein are provided to ensure that the disclosed subject matter is thorough and complete, and that the spirit of the present invention to those skilled in the art will fully convey. Portions denoted by like reference numerals denote like elements throughout the specification.

In addition, the present embodiment has been described as an example of the apparatus provided in the spinner facility to perform the baking process for adjusting the temperature of the semiconductor substrate, the present invention is applied to all semiconductor and flat panel display manufacturing apparatus for heating and cooling various kinds of substrates Application may be possible.

(Example)

1 is a plan view of a substrate processing apparatus according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a view showing a baking unit shown in FIG. 1. 3 is a view showing the bottom of the guide plate shown in FIG.

Referring to FIG. 1, an apparatus for treating substrate 1 according to the present invention continuously processes an application process, an exposure process, and a development process. As the substrate processing apparatus 1, a spinner local facility may be used. The substrate processing apparatus 1 includes an indexer member 10, a process treating member 20, an interface member 30, and an exposure process member 40. It includes.

The indexer portion 10 has a load port 12 and a transfer unit 14. The load port 12 has a rod portion on which a cassette C for accommodating a plurality of semiconductor substrates W is placed. The transfer unit 14 is disposed between the load port 12 and the process processor 20, and a semiconductor substrate (hereinafter referred to as a “wafer”) between the cassette C seated at the load port 12 and the process processor 20. (W).

The process processor 20 performs a substrate treatment process. In this case, the substrate treating process includes a coating process, a bake process, and a development process. To this end, the process treatment unit 20 includes a coater unit 22, a developer unit 24, and a plurality of bake units 100. The coating unit 22 applies a photoresist on the wafer W. As shown in FIG. The developing unit 24 supplies the developer to the wafer W on which the photoresist film is formed to develop the wafer W. As shown in FIG. The baking unit 100 heats the wafer W to a predetermined temperature. The process processor 20 includes at least one transfer robot 26. The transfer robot 26 transfers the wafer W between each of the units 22, 24, and 100.

The interface unit 30 transfers the wafer W between the process processor 20 and the exposure process unit 30, and the exposure process unit 40 processes the wafer W on the transferred wafer W from the interface unit 30. An exposure process is performed to form a desired pattern. As the exposure process unit 40, an exposure process apparatus such as a stepper that performs the exposure process may be used.

Subsequently, the configurations of the baking unit according to the present invention will be described. Each bake unit 100 has a substantially identical configuration and structure. In the present embodiment, any one of the baking units 100 will be described in detail.

2 and 3, the bake unit 100 according to the present invention includes a housing 110, an exhaust member 120, a heating member 130, and a guide member. guide plate 140, and a gas supply member 150.

The housing 110 provides a space therein for performing a bake process. The housing 110 has a first body 112 and a second body 114. The first body 112 has a container shape in which the upper portion is opened. The second body 114 is shaped to cover the open top of the first body 112. The second body 114 is installed to enable up / down up and down. Due to the up / down operation of the second body 114, the housing 110 is open or closed. The first body 112 has a sealing member 112a. The sealing member 112a is installed in the first body 112 that contacts the second body 114 when the housing 110 is sealed. An o-ring may be used as the sealing member 112a.

The second body 114 has a side wall 114a and an upper wall 114b. The upper wall 114b extends from the top of the side wall 114a to be inclined upward toward the center of the housing 110. A discharge port 114b ′ through which air in the housing 110 is discharged is formed at the center of the upper wall 114b. The inclination angle of the upper wall 114b is set so that the air in the housing 110 moves effectively toward the outlet 114b 'during the baking process.

The exhaust member 120 discharges air in the housing 110 to the outside during the baking process. The exhaust member 120 has an exhaust line 122. One end of the exhaust line 122 is connected to the outlet 114b 'of the upper wall 114b. The exhaust line 122 exhausts the air in the housing 110 discharged through the outlet 114b ′ during the baking process to the outside.

The heating member 130 heats the wafer W during the baking process. A heater may be used as the heating member 130. The heating member 130 includes a support body 132 and a heating plate 134. The support body 132 has an upper surface on which the wafer W is placed during the baking process. The support body 132 has a generally cylindrical shape and is installed in the center of the first body 112 of the housing 110. At least one heating plate 134 is installed in the support body 132. The heating plate 134 heats the wafer W loaded on the support body 132 to a predetermined process temperature during the baking process.

The guide member 140 guides the hot air (hereinafter, referred to as' hot air flow ') in the housing 110 to be effectively moved toward the outlet 114b' during the baking process. The guide member 140 has a guide plate 142. The guide plate 142 is installed to face the wafer W placed on the heating member 130 during the baking process. The guide plate 142 has a shape in which the center thereof is convex downward. Therefore, the distance between the guide plate 142 and the wafer W placed on the heating member 130 gradually increases as the distance from the center of the guide plate 142 increases (d1 <d2). In addition, the diameter of the guide plate 142 is larger than the diameter of the wafer W placed on the heating member 130 during the process.

Discharge holes 144 are formed in the central region of the guide plate 142. As shown in FIG. 3, the discharge holes 144 are disposed in an annular shape with respect to the center of the guide plate 142. Each of the discharge holes 144 sprays the guide gas supplied from the gas supply member 150 into the space C between the guide plate 142 and the wafer W during the baking process. At this time, the discharge holes 144 are provided so that the guide gas is inclined in a direction away from the center of the guide plate 142 during the baking process. Therefore, the guide gas discharged from the discharge holes 144 is moved from the center of the space C between the guide plate 142 and the wafer W to the edge and escapes from the inter space C.

In addition, the guide plate 142 is installed to be spaced apart from the upper wall (114b) of the second body (114). Accordingly, an inlet port (a) through which the hot air flowed from the interspace C is introduced between the upper wall 114b and the guide plate 142. During the process, the hot air flowing into the space between the guide plate 142 and the upper wall 114b through the inlet port a is moved toward the outlet port 114b '.

The gas supply member 150 supplies the guide gas to the space C in the housing 110. The gas supply member 150 includes an injection port 152 and a gas supply line 154. The injection port 152 is installed at the center of the guide plate 142. The injection port 152 receives the guide gas from the gas supply line 154 during the baking process, and supplies the guide gas to the center of the interspace c. Here, the guide gas is a gas for inducing hot air including a fume generated from the wafer W during the baking process to be effectively moved through the discharge port 114b '. As the guide gas, an inert gas such as nitrogen gas (N 2 gas) may be used.

In this embodiment, a plurality of discharge holes 144 are formed in the guide plate 142 to inject the guide gas, but the shape of the discharge hole for injecting the guide gas may be variously changed and modified. . For example, referring to FIG. 4, the guide plate 142a according to another embodiment of the present invention has a discharge hole 144a formed in a ring shape based on the center of the guide plate 142a.

In the present exemplary embodiment, the baking unit 100 having the guide plate 142 having a convex plate shape is described as an example, but the shape of the guide plate may be variously changed and modified. That is, referring to FIG. 5, the guide plate 140 ′ according to another embodiment of the present invention includes a first plate 142a and a second plate 142b. The first plate 142a has the same structure as the guide plate 140 described above. The second plate 142b is provided to allow the gas flowing into the inlet port a to move effectively toward the outlet port 114b '. The second plate 142b extends from the end of the first plate 142a toward the outlet 114b 'of the housing 110. The gap between the second plate 142b and the top wall 114b is provided to be constant. Alternatively, the interval between the second plate 142b and the upper wall 114b may be different for each section. The space between the second plate 142b and the upper wall 114b is provided as a passage for moving the gas introduced into the inlet port a to the outlet port 114b '. The guide plate 140a according to another embodiment of the present invention allows the gas introduced into the inlet port a to be effectively moved toward the outlet port 114b 'compared to the guide plate 140 according to the embodiment.

Hereinafter, the baking process of the baking unit 100 according to the present invention will be described in detail. 6A to 6D are views for explaining a baking process of the baking unit according to the present invention. Here, the baking step performs a step of heating and cooling the substrate. The heating step of the substrate may be a step performed before the coating step (e.g., an adjuvant step), or a step performed after a photoresist coating step (e.g., a soft bake step), a step performed before a developing step (e.g., a bake step after an exposure step) And, it may include a process (for example, a hard bake process) performed after the development process.

Referring to FIG. 6A, the second body 114 is raised to open the housing 110. When the housing 110 is opened, the transfer robot 26 loads the wafer W into the baking unit 100 which performs a soft baking process among the baking units, and then loads the wafer W into the heating member 120. (loading)

Referring to FIG. 6B, the second body 114 is lowered to seal the housing 110. When the housing 110 is sealed, the heating member 120 heats the wafer W at a predetermined process temperature. At this time, since the photosensitive liquid is coated on the surface of the wafer W, a large amount of fume is generated during the baking process. Accordingly, the guide plate 140 and the gas supply member 150 allow the fume to be effectively discharged from the housing 110.

That is, referring to FIG. 6C, the gas supply line 154 supplies the guide gas to the injection port 152. The injection port 152 injects the supplied guide gas into the interspace c. The injected guide gas is moved from the center of the interspace c to the edge, and guides the hot air flow including the fume remaining in the interspace c toward the inlet a. The hot air flow and the mist gas to the inlet (a) is discharged through the discharge port 114b ′ and then exhausted to the outside of the housing 110 by the exhaust line 122. At this time, since the center of the guide plate 140 is convex downward, the hot air flow in the interspace c is effectively discharged from the interspace c. In addition, since the distance between the guide plate 142 and the wafer W has a shape that increases as the distance from the center of the guide plate 142, the hot air flow in the interspace c is applied to a specific region of the interspace c. Efficiently discharged without stagnation.

Referring to FIG. 6D, the second body 114 is raised to open the housing 110, and the wafer W heated to a predetermined process temperature is removed from the housing 110 by the transfer robot 26. The exposure process is transferred to the exposure process unit 40.

As described above, the present invention improves the baking process efficiency by effectively evacuating the housing 110 during the baking process. That is, the present invention effectively exhausts the hot air generated from the photoresist applied to the surface of the wafer W during the baking process, thereby preventing the phenomenon that the heating temperature of the entire wafer W is uneven due to the exhausted hot air is prevented from being exhausted. It is prevented that the photoresist film applied to the wafer W processing surface is damaged by the hot air flow.

The foregoing detailed description illustrates the present invention. In addition, the foregoing description merely shows and describes preferred embodiments of the present invention, and the present invention can be used in various other combinations, modifications, and environments. That is, changes or modifications may be made within the scope of the concept of the invention disclosed in this specification, the scope equivalent to the disclosed contents, and / or the skill or knowledge in the art. The above-described embodiments are for explaining the best state in carrying out the present invention, the use of other inventions such as the present invention in other state known in the art, and the specific fields of application and uses of the present invention. Various changes are also possible. Accordingly, the detailed description of the invention is not intended to limit the invention to the disclosed embodiments. Also, the appended claims should be construed to include other embodiments.

1 is a plan view of a substrate processing apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a view illustrating the bake unit illustrated in FIG. 1.

3 is a view showing the bottom of the guide plate shown in FIG.

4 is a view showing the bottom of the guide plate according to another embodiment of the present invention.

5 is a view showing a baking unit having a guide plate according to another embodiment of the present invention.

6A to 6D are views for explaining a baking process of the baking unit according to the present invention.

* Description of symbols on the main parts of the drawings *

1: substrate processing apparatus

10: indexer part

20 process processing unit

30: interface unit

40: exposure step

100: bake unit

110: housing

120: exhaust member

130: support member

140: guide member

150: gas supply member

Claims (17)

A housing that provides a space for carrying out a baking process therein; A heating member having an upper surface on which the substrate is placed, which heats the substrate placed on the upper surface in a baking process, and The guide is installed to face the substrate placed on the upper surface inside the housing, and is formed so that the distance between the edge region of the substrate placed on the heating member is greater than the center region of the substrate placed on the heating member during the process. Bake unit comprising a plate. The method of claim 1, The guide plate, The baking unit, characterized in that it is shaped so that the distance from the substrate placed on the heating member gradually increases as the distance from the center of the substrate. The method of claim 2, The guide plate, Bake unit, characterized in that the convex shape down. The method of claim 3, wherein The guide plate, The baking unit, characterized in that having a diameter larger than the diameter of the substrate seated on the heating member during the process. The method of claim 1, The guide plate, A first plate opposed to the substrate placed on the heating member and having a convex shape downward; And a second plate provided on an upper portion of the first plate to be spaced apart from the upper wall of the housing at regular intervals. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, The baking unit, And a gas supply member supplying a guide gas to a space between the guide plate and the substrate. The method of claim 6, The gas supply member, The baking unit, characterized in that for supplying a guide gas to the space between the center of the guide plate and the center of the substrate. The method of claim 7, wherein The gas supply member, It is installed in the center of the guide plate, the injection port for supplying the guide gas in a direction away from the center of the guide plate toward the bottom, And a gas supply line for supplying a guide gas to the injection port. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, The housing, Has an upper wall extending upwardly inclined toward the center of the housing from an upper end of the side wall of the housing, The baking unit, And an exhaust line connected to the center of the upper wall to exhaust gas in the housing from the housing. delete delete Performing a bake process with a housing providing a space for performing a bake process therein, and having a support surface for supporting a substrate in the housing and a heating member for heating the substrate placed on the support surface, The hot air flow in the central region of the substrate placed on the heating member is guided to move to the edge region of the substrate, Hot air flow guides from the center region of the substrate to the edge region of the substrate, A guide plate disposed to face the substrate seated on the heating member during the process, and supplying a guide gas to a center region of the space between the guide plate and the substrate, wherein the guide gas is supplied from the center region of the substrate. While moving to the edge region of the substrate proceeds by guiding the hot air in the interspace to move to the edge region of the substrate, The guide method injects the guide gas toward the center region of the substrate, and the guide gas is directed to be inclined in a direction away from the center of the guide plate toward the bottom. Performing a bake process with a housing providing a space for performing a bake process therein, and having a support surface for supporting a substrate in the housing and a heating member for heating the substrate placed on the support surface, The hot air flow in the central region of the substrate placed on the heating member is guided to move to the edge region of the substrate, Hot air flow guides from the center region of the substrate to the edge region of the substrate, A guide plate disposed to face the substrate seated on the heating member during the process, and supplying a guide gas to a center region of the space between the guide plate and the substrate, wherein the guide gas is supplied from the center region of the substrate. While moving to the edge region of the substrate proceeds by guiding the hot air in the interspace to move to the edge region of the substrate, Bake method characterized in that the distance between the guide plate and the substrate is gradually increased as the distance from the center of the guide plate. The method of claim 13, Hot air flow guides from the center region of the substrate to the edge region of the substrate, The baking method characterized by making the diameter of the said guide plate larger than the diameter of the said board | substrate. The method according to any one of claims 12 to 14, The housing, Has an upper wall extending upwardly inclined toward the center of the housing from an upper end of the side wall of the housing, The hot air flowing out from the interspace is Bake method characterized in that the discharge through the outlet formed in the center of the upper wall after moving to the space between the guide plate and the upper wall of the housing. The method of claim 15, The baking method, A baking method, characterized in that the soft baking process performed after the coating step of applying a photosensitive liquid to the processing surface of the substrate. Performing a bake process with a housing providing a space for performing a bake process therein, and having a support surface for supporting a substrate in the housing and a heating member for heating the substrate placed on the support surface, The hot air flow in the central region of the substrate placed on the heating member is guided to move to the edge region of the substrate, Hot air flow guides from the center region of the substrate to the edge region of the substrate, A guide plate disposed to face the substrate seated on the heating member during the process, and supplying a guide gas to a center region of the space between the guide plate and the substrate, wherein the guide gas is supplied from the center region of the substrate. While moving to the edge region of the substrate proceeds by guiding the hot air in the interspace to move to the edge region of the substrate, The housing, Has an upper wall extending upwardly inclined toward the center of the housing from an upper end of the side wall of the housing, The hot air flowing out from the interspace is Bake method characterized in that the discharge through the outlet formed in the center of the upper wall after moving to the space between the guide plate and the upper wall of the housing.

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