US5897982A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Resist develop process having a post develop dispense step
Assignee: Toshiba Corp
•
Filing: 1996-03-05
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Granted: 1999-04-27
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Expires: 2016-03-05
Abstract
Abstract A resist develop process involves the steps of dispensing a developer on a resist on a semiconductor wafer, forming the developer into a puddle where a portion of the resist dissolves into the developer, dispensing additional developer following development, rinsing the wafer with a rinsing agent, and drying the wafer surface. The additional developer dispense step replaces developer with resist dissolved therein with new developer prior to the rinsing step to prevent potential resist precipitation during the rinsing step which can lead to bridging.
Inventors
- 👤 Tsuyoshi Shibata
- 👤 Eric A. Lehner
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 19:18
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03F; G03F7/00; G03F7/26; G03F7/30; G03F7/3021
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim
102 words
A resist develop process for manufacturing a semiconductor device comprising the steps of: dispensing a first developer on a semiconductor wafer coated with a resist to form a puddle; developing the resist on the wafer surface by dissolving portions of the resist in the first developer; spin drying the dissolved portions of the resist; and after said step of spin drying, dispensing a second developer onto the wafer surface while rotating the wafer to reduce the concentration of the first developer containing dissolved portions of the resist on the wafer surface without forming another puddle, the second developer replacing the first developer.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
102 words
A resist develop process for manufacturing a semiconductor device comprising the steps of: dispensing a first developer on a semiconductor wafer coated with a resist to form a puddle; developing the resist on the wafer surface by dissolving portions of the resist in the first developer; spin drying the dissolved portions of the resist; and after said step of spin drying, dispensing a second developer onto the wafer surface while rotating the wafer to reduce the concentration of the first developer containing dissolved portions of the resist on the wafer surface without forming another puddle, the second developer replacing the first developer.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
27 words
The resist develop process of claim 1, wherein said step of dispensing the second developer occurs in a period of less than or equal to five seconds.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
14 words
The resist develop process of claim 2, wherein the period is approximately two seconds.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
20 words
The resist develop process of claim 3, wherein approximately twenty-five milliliters of the second developer is dispensed during the period.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
39 words
The resist develop process of claim 1, wherein said step of dispensing the second developer includes dispensing the second developer while the wafer rotates on a wafer chuck at a rate of between 100 and 1000 revolutions per minute.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
37 words
The resist develop process of claim 1, wherein said step of dispensing the second developer includes dispensing the second developer while the wafer rotates on a wafer chuck at a rate of approximately 1000 revolutions per minute.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
34 words
The resist develop process of claim 1, wherein said steps of dispensing the first developer and developing the resist are repeated at least three times prior to said step of dispensing the second developer.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
24 words
The resist develop process of claim 1, wherein said step of spin drying does not completely spin dry the dissolved portions of the resist.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
25 words
The resist develop process of claim 1, wherein the second developer is different from the first developer, but compatible with the wafer and the resist.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
21 words
The resist develop process of claim 1, wherein the second developer contains a different amount of surfactant than the first developer.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
18 words
The resist develop process of claim 1, wherein the first developer and the second developer are the same.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
31 words
The resist develop process of claim 1, wherein the first developer is tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH) and the second developer is tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH) having a different normality than the first developer.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
13 words
The resist develop process of claim 1, wherein the resist is chemically amplified.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
27 words
The resist develop process of claim 1, further comprising the step of rinsing the wafer surface with water after starting said step of dispensing the second developer.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
23 words
The resist develop process of claim 14, wherein said steps of dispensing the second developer and rinsing the wafer surface are approximately simultaneous.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
25 words
The resist develop process of claim 15, wherein said steps of dispensing the second developer and rinsing the wafer surface are performed in immediate succession.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
35 words
The resist develop process of claim 1, wherein said step of dispensing the second developer includes spinning a wafer chuck holding the wafer to remove the first developer with the dissolved portions of the resist.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
20 words
The resist develop process of claim 1, wherein the semiconductor device has line/space structures less than 5 μm in size.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
94 words
A resist develop process for manufacturing a semiconductor device comprising the steps of: dispensing a first developer on a semiconductor wafer coated with a resist to form a puddle; developing the resist on the wafer surface by dissolving portions of the resist in the first developer; dispensing a second developer onto the wafer surface without forming another puddle while removing the first developer having dissolved portions of the resist by spinning the wafer; and repeating the steps of developing and dispensing the first developer prior to performing the step of dispensing the second developer.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
94 words
A resist develop process for manufacturing a semiconductor device comprising the steps of: dispensing a first developer on a semiconductor wafer coated with a resist to form a puddle; developing the resist on the wafer surface by dissolving portions of the resist in the first developer; dispensing a second developer onto the wafer surface without forming another puddle while removing the first developer having dissolved portions of the resist by spinning the wafer; and repeating the steps of developing and dispensing the first developer prior to performing the step of dispensing the second developer.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
106 words
A resist develop process for manufacturing a semiconductor device comprising the steps of: dispensing a first developer on a semiconductor wafer coated with a resist to form a puddle; developing the resist on the wafer surface by dissolving portions of the resist in the first developer; and dispensing a second developer onto the wafer surface while rotating the wafer to reduce the concentration of the first developer containing dissolved portions of the resist on the wafer surface without forming another puddle, the second developer replacing the first developer, wherein the second developer is different from the first developer, but compatible with the wafer and the resist.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
106 words
A resist develop process for manufacturing a semiconductor device comprising the steps of: dispensing a first developer on a semiconductor wafer coated with a resist to form a puddle; developing the resist on the wafer surface by dissolving portions of the resist in the first developer; and dispensing a second developer onto the wafer surface while rotating the wafer to reduce the concentration of the first developer containing dissolved portions of the resist on the wafer surface without forming another puddle, the second developer replacing the first developer, wherein the second developer is different from the first developer, but compatible with the wafer and the resist.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
92 words
A resist develop process for manufacturing a semiconductor device comprising the steps of: dispensing a first developer on a semiconductor wafer coated with a resist to form a puddle; developing the resist on the wafer surface by dissolving portions of the resist in the first developer; and dispensing a second developer onto the wafer surface without forming another puddle while removing the first developer having dissolved portions of the resist by spinning the wafer, wherein the second developer is different from the first developer, but compatible with the wafer and the resist.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
92 words
A resist develop process for manufacturing a semiconductor device comprising the steps of: dispensing a first developer on a semiconductor wafer coated with a resist to form a puddle; developing the resist on the wafer surface by dissolving portions of the resist in the first developer; and dispensing a second developer onto the wafer surface without forming another puddle while removing the first developer having dissolved portions of the resist by spinning the wafer, wherein the second developer is different from the first developer, but compatible with the wafer and the resist.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2002-04-26 | 2002-10-26 | 2003-04-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2006-04-26 | 2006-10-26 | 2007-04-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2010-04-26 | 2010-10-26 | 2011-04-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |