US5342738A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Resist film developing method and an apparatus for carrying out the same
Assignee: Sony Corp
•
Filing: 1992-06-04
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Granted: 1994-08-30
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Expires: 2012-06-04
Abstract
Abstract Disclosed is herein a method of developing an exposed resist film formed over a major surface of a substrate, the method comprising: holding the substrate carrying the resist film in contact with the supporting surface of a supporting member, having an area smaller than the surface area of the substrate, and supplying a developer onto the resist film so that the developer is retained in a developer puddle by surface tension on the surface of the resist film to develop the resist film, wherein the substrate carrying the resist film is separated from the supporting member during the progress of the development of the resist film.
Inventors
- 👤 Rikio Ikeda
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 23:38
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03F; G03F7/00; G03F7/26; G03F7/30; G03F7/3021
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
111 words
A method of developing an exposed resist film formed over a major surface of a substrate, said method comprising: holding the substrate carrying the resist film in contact with a supporting surface of a supporting member, said supporting surface having an area smaller than the surface area of the substrate; supplying a developer onto the resist film so that the developer is retained in a developer puddle by surface tension on the surface of the resist film to develop the resist film; separating the substrate carrying the resist film from the supporting member during the progress of the development of the resist film for preventing temperature variations in the resist film.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
111 words
A method of developing an exposed resist film formed over a major surface of a substrate, said method comprising: holding the substrate carrying the resist film in contact with a supporting surface of a supporting member, said supporting surface having an area smaller than the surface area of the substrate; supplying a developer onto the resist film so that the developer is retained in a developer puddle by surface tension on the surface of the resist film to develop the resist film; separating the substrate carrying the resist film from the supporting member during the progress of the development of the resist film for preventing temperature variations in the resist film.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
57 words
A method of developing an exposed resist film according to claim 1, wherein the step of separating the substrate carrying the resist film from the supporting member is by separately supporting the substrate off of the supporting member by supporting means having substantially point-contact with the substrate during the progress of the development of the resist film.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method of developing an exposed resist film according to claim 2, wherein the temperature of the separating means can be regulated.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
54 words
A method of developing an exposed resist film according to claim 1, wherein the step of separating the substrate carrying the resist film from supporting member is by lifting the substrate from the supporting member by a gas blown out through the supporting member during the progress of the development of the resist film.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
61 words
A method of developing an exposed resist film according to claim 1, wherein the step of separating the substrate carrying the resist film is to support the substrate separately from the supporting member by a gas blown out through the supporting member in directions oblique to the surface of the substrate during the progress of the development of the resist film.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
39 words
A method of developing an exposed resist film according to any one of claims 4 or 5, wherein the temperature of the gas blown through the supporting member is substantially equal to that of the atmosphere surrounding the substrate.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
156 words
A method of developing an exposed resist film formed over a major surface of a substrate, said method comprising: holding the substrate carrying the resist film by a first supporting member having a contact area with the substrate smaller than the surface area of the substrate; supplying a developer onto the resist film so that the developer is retained in a developer puddle by surface tension on the surface of the resist film to develop the resist film; engaging the substrate carrying the resist film with second supporting members having a substantially point-contact area with the substrate; relatively moving the first and second supporting members to separate the substrate engaged by second supporting member from the first supporting members during the progress of the development of the resist film for preventing a temperature variation of the resist film; and engaging and supporting the substrate by the first supporting member after the development of the resist film.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
156 words
A method of developing an exposed resist film formed over a major surface of a substrate, said method comprising: holding the substrate carrying the resist film by a first supporting member having a contact area with the substrate smaller than the surface area of the substrate; supplying a developer onto the resist film so that the developer is retained in a developer puddle by surface tension on the surface of the resist film to develop the resist film; engaging the substrate carrying the resist film with second supporting members having a substantially point-contact area with the substrate; relatively moving the first and second supporting members to separate the substrate engaged by second supporting member from the first supporting members during the progress of the development of the resist film for preventing a temperature variation of the resist film; and engaging and supporting the substrate by the first supporting member after the development of the resist film.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
162 words
A method of developing an exposed resist film formed over a major surface of a substrate, said method comprising: holding the substrate carrying the resist film by a first supporting member having a contact area with the substrate smaller than the surface area of the substrate; supplying a developer onto the resist film so that the developer is retained in a developer puddle by surface tension on the surface of the resist film to develop the resist film; supporting the substrate carrying the resist film by a gas blown out through first supporting member; separating the substrate supported by the gas from the first supporting member during the progress of the development of the resist film for preventing a temperature variation of the resist film; and engaging and supporting the substrate by the first supporting member after the development of the resist film, wherein the gas blown through the supporting member is substantially equal to that of the atmosphere surrounding the substrate.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
162 words
A method of developing an exposed resist film formed over a major surface of a substrate, said method comprising: holding the substrate carrying the resist film by a first supporting member having a contact area with the substrate smaller than the surface area of the substrate; supplying a developer onto the resist film so that the developer is retained in a developer puddle by surface tension on the surface of the resist film to develop the resist film; supporting the substrate carrying the resist film by a gas blown out through first supporting member; separating the substrate supported by the gas from the first supporting member during the progress of the development of the resist film for preventing a temperature variation of the resist film; and engaging and supporting the substrate by the first supporting member after the development of the resist film, wherein the gas blown through the supporting member is substantially equal to that of the atmosphere surrounding the substrate.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
111 words
A method of developing an exposed resist film formed over a major surface of a substrate, said method comprising: holding the substrate carrying the resist film in contact with a supporting surface of a supporting member, said supporting surface having an area smaller than the surface area of the substrate; and supplying a developer onto the resist film so that the developer is retained in a developer puddle by surface tension on the resist film to develop the resist film; wherein the temperature of the substrate carrying the resist film is lower than that of the developer supplied onto the resist film for preventing a temperature variation in the resist film.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
111 words
A method of developing an exposed resist film formed over a major surface of a substrate, said method comprising: holding the substrate carrying the resist film in contact with a supporting surface of a supporting member, said supporting surface having an area smaller than the surface area of the substrate; and supplying a developer onto the resist film so that the developer is retained in a developer puddle by surface tension on the resist film to develop the resist film; wherein the temperature of the substrate carrying the resist film is lower than that of the developer supplied onto the resist film for preventing a temperature variation in the resist film.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method of developing an exposed resist film according to claim 9, wherein the substrate carrying the resist film is cooled before supplying the developer onto the resist film.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
40 words
A method of developing an exposed resist film according to claim 9, wherein the difference between the temperature of the substrate carrying the resist film and that of the developer is in the range of 5° C. to 10° C.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
57 words
A method of developing an exposed resist film according to claim 9, which after the step of supplying a developer onto the resist film includes a step of covering the substrate carrying the exposed resist film by a covering member for suppressing a evaporation of the developer puddle and preventing a temperature variation of the resist film.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method of developing an exposed resist film according to claim 12, wherein the covering member is maintained at substantially a constant temperature.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
161 words
A method of developing an exposed resist film formed over a major surface of a substrate, said method comprising steps of: holding the substrate carrying the resist film in contact with a supporting surface of a supporting member, said supporting surface having an area smaller than the surface area of the substrate; supplying pure water onto the surface of the resist film so that the pure water is retained on the surface of the resist film; leaving the substrate with the retained water to cool the substrate and the resist film by the evaporation of the pure water retained on the surface of the resist film and for preventing any temperature variations in the resist film; removing the pure water remaining on the surface of the resist film; and supplying a developer onto the resist film so that the developer is retained in a developer puddle by surface tension on the surface of the resist film to develop the resist film.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
161 words
A method of developing an exposed resist film formed over a major surface of a substrate, said method comprising steps of: holding the substrate carrying the resist film in contact with a supporting surface of a supporting member, said supporting surface having an area smaller than the surface area of the substrate; supplying pure water onto the surface of the resist film so that the pure water is retained on the surface of the resist film; leaving the substrate with the retained water to cool the substrate and the resist film by the evaporation of the pure water retained on the surface of the resist film and for preventing any temperature variations in the resist film; removing the pure water remaining on the surface of the resist film; and supplying a developer onto the resist film so that the developer is retained in a developer puddle by surface tension on the surface of the resist film to develop the resist film.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
52 words
A method of developing an exposed resist film according to claim 14, wherein the temperature of pure water to be supplied onto the surface of the resist film is adjusted to a temperature lower than that of the substrate carrying the resist film and the supporting member by 5° C. or higher.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
118 words
A method of developing an exposed resist film formed over a major surface of a substrate, said method comprising: holding the substrate carrying the resist film in contact with a supporting surface of a supporting member, said supporting surface having an area smaller than the surface of the substrate; supplying a developer onto the resist film so that the developer is retained in a developer puddle by surface tension on the surface of the resist film to develop the resist film; and covering the substrate carrying the resist film by a covering member after supplying the developer onto the resist film for suppressing the evaporation of the developer and for preventing a temperature variation of the resist film.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
118 words
A method of developing an exposed resist film formed over a major surface of a substrate, said method comprising: holding the substrate carrying the resist film in contact with a supporting surface of a supporting member, said supporting surface having an area smaller than the surface of the substrate; supplying a developer onto the resist film so that the developer is retained in a developer puddle by surface tension on the surface of the resist film to develop the resist film; and covering the substrate carrying the resist film by a covering member after supplying the developer onto the resist film for suppressing the evaporation of the developer and for preventing a temperature variation of the resist film.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method of developing an exposed resist film according to claim 16, wherein the covering member is in contact with the developer puddle.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4851311A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1997-08-29 | 1998-02-28 | 1998-08-30 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2001-08-29 | 2002-02-28 | 2002-08-30 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2005-08-29 | 2006-02-28 | 2006-08-30 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |