JPS6238034B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a wet processing apparatus, and more particularly to a wet processing apparatus used in photoetching technology, particularly in the step of supplying a chemical solution to a substrate surface.

Conventionally, as a method for wet treatment of the substrate surface,
As shown in FIG. 1, there is a dip method in which a cassette 2 containing a substrate 1 is immersed in a processing tank 4 filled with a chemical solution 3, and as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a vacuum chuck 5 holds the substrate 1 by suction. While rotating,
As shown in the figure, there is a spray method in which the atomized chemical solution 3 is sprayed by a nozzle 6, and a nozzle 7, which is a hollow pipe with one end 7a closed as shown in FIG. Many small holes 7
A shower method is known in which a chemical solution is dripped from b.

However, each of these methods has advantages and disadvantages. In other words, the dip method is suitable for wet processing when a film of a substance with low mechanical strength is formed on the substrate surface, such as when developing a positive photoresist film, to achieve high quality without mechanically damaging the resist surface. It has the advantage of being developable. On the other hand, since new liquid is not supplied to the substrate surface,
Foreign matter adheres. It also has drawbacks such as difficulty in continuous production and automation. On the other hand, the spray method and shower method have the advantage of easily realizing continuous production and constantly supplying new chemical solution to the substrate surface, but for example, when developing a film with weak mechanical strength such as positive photoresist. However, the surface of the resist film is mechanically destroyed, resulting in poor quality. Furthermore, the spray method has the disadvantage that the chemical mist adheres to the walls of the device around the substrate, condenses, and drips onto the substrate, resulting in defective products.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a wet treatment apparatus that eliminates the drawbacks of the spray method.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be explained with reference to illustrated embodiments.
FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of the wet treatment apparatus according to the present invention. As shown in the figure, the substrate 1 is held by a vacuum chuck 5 and rotated, and a nozzle body 8, which is a hollow pipe with one end 8a closed, is disposed above the substrate 1 and parallel to the substrate 1. This is the same as before.

In the present invention, the nozzle body 8 is provided with a slit 8b on the lower surface as shown in FIG. 5, and a porous material 9 is fixed to the lower surface by welding or the like so as to cover the slit 8b. Here, the material of the nozzle body 8 is stainless steel, quartz glass, Teflon, etc., and the porous material 9 is a sintered material such as stainless steel, Pyrex, Teflon, etc.

Next, the operation of the device having such a configuration will be explained. Porous material 9 provided in nozzle body 8
is disposed close to the substrate 1 (a distance of about several mm), and the chemical solution 3 is supplied to the nozzle body 8 from the chemical solution supply port 8c of the nozzle body 8 while rotating the vacuum chuck 5 at a low speed of about 100 rpm. As a result, the chemical solution 3 flows into the porous material 9 through the slit 8b, and flows out onto the substrate 1 from there. Now, since the substrate 1 rotates at a low speed and the porous material 9 is disposed close to the substrate 1, the chemical solution 3 flowing out from the porous material 9 adheres to the substrate 1 due to surface tension, and the substrate 1 Wet processing is performed by forming a lens-shaped liquid film of the chemical liquid on the entire surface. In this case, the old chemical solution 3 supplied to the substrate 1 is discharged from the substrate 1 by centrifugal force, and the chemical solution film formed on the substrate is always gently replaced with a new solution. Furthermore, since the chemical liquid 3 is supplied to the substrate 1 through a porous material 9 having a porous discharge port, the chemical liquid 3 is constantly replaced with a new liquid uniformly so that it oozes gently from the entire surface of the nozzle. Therefore, even the film with weak mechanical strength formed on the substrate will not be destroyed.
Furthermore, since condensed chemical liquid does not drip onto the substrate as in the conventional method, high-quality wet processing can be performed.

In the above embodiments, the case of photoresist development has been described, but it goes without saying that the present invention can be similarly applied to other wet treatments such as etching, dyeing, washing, etc.

As is clear from the above description, according to the wet processing apparatus of the present invention, high quality wet processing can be performed on the surface of a substrate on which a film with low mechanical strength is formed.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figures 1, 2, and 3 show conventional wet treatment equipment, with Figure 1 being a sectional view of the dip type, Figure 2 being a perspective view of the spray type, and Figure 3 being a perspective view of the shower type. FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of the wet treatment apparatus according to the present invention, in which a is a front view, b is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line A-A of a, and FIG. 5 is a nozzle shown in FIG. Part cutaway front view, b is a sectional view taken along the line B-B of a. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Substrate, 3... Chemical solution, 5... Vacuum chuck, 8... Nozzle body, 9... Porous material.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A wet processing apparatus comprising a substrate holding means for holding and rotating a substrate, and a nozzle for supplying a chemical onto the substrate, wherein a discharge port of the nozzle is made of a porous material.