Developing method

US10684548B2 · US · B2

Patent metadata
FieldValue
Publication numberUS-10684548-B2
Application numberUS-201816212917-A
CountryUS
Kind codeB2
Filing dateDec 7, 2018
Priority dateJan 7, 2015
Publication dateJun 16, 2020
Grant dateJun 16, 2020

How to read this patent

A practical reading order for non-experts. Skip the full description unless you need deep technical detail.

  1. Title

    What the patent document calls the invention.

  2. Abstract

    A short plain-language summary of the technical disclosure.

  3. Assignees and inventors

    Who owns or filed the patent and who is credited as inventor.

  4. Key dates

    Filing, priority, publication, and grant dates set the timeline.

  5. First independent claim

    The legal scope of protection — read this for what is actually claimed.

  6. CPC / IPC classifications

    Technology tags used to group this patent with similar filings.

  7. Citations and related patents

    Prior art links and similar publications in this corpus.

Abstract

Official abstract text for this publication.

In a developing method, a developing nozzle starts discharge of developer to a position set in advance on a substrate, spinning about the center thereof, away from the center. This causes a flow of the developer at the center having a small centrifugal force immediately after the discharge is started. Accordingly, a dissolution product of a resist can be ejected outside the substrate more efficiently than the case when the discharge of the developer to the center is started. Moreover, this achieves distributed arrival positions of the developer directly discharged from the developing nozzle immediately after the discharge is started. Consequently, thin resist patterns especially at the center of the substrate are eliminated to obtain suppression in treatment variation.

First claim

Opening claim text (preview).

What is claimed is: 1. A developing method for performing development to a substrate, the developing method comprising: a spinning step of spinning the substrate about the center of the substrate with a spin holder; a coating step of starting continuous discharge of a prewet liquid through a single discharge port of a prewet nozzle to a prewet liquid position set in advance on the spinning substrate away from the center, and coating the center with spread of the prewet liquid immediately after starting the discharge of the prewet liquid while generating flow of the prewet liquid at the center; and a discharge starting step of starting discharge of developer through a developing nozzle on the spinning substrate after stopping the discharge of the prewet liquid. 2. The developing method according to claim 1 , further comprising: a coating step of starting continuous discharge of a rinse liquid through a single discharge port of a rinse nozzle to a rinse liquid position set in advance on the spinning substrate away from the center after stopping the discharge of the developer, and coating the center with spread of the rinse liquid immediately after starting the discharge of the rinse liquid while generating flow of the rinse liquid at the center. 3. A developing method for performing development to a substrate, the developing method comprising: a spinning step of spinning the substrate about the center of the substrate with a spin holder; a discharge starting step of starting discharge of developer through a developing nozzle on the spinning substrate; and a coating step of starting continuous discharge of a rinse liquid through a single discharge port of a rinse nozzle to a rinse liquid position set in advance on the spinning substrate away from the center after stopping the discharge of the developer, and coating the center with spread of the rinse liquid immediately after starting the discharge of the rinse liquid while generating flow of the rinse liquid at the center.

Assignees

Inventors

Classifications

  • Apparatus for applying a liquid, a resin, an ink or the like · CPC title

  • of organic photoresist masks · CPC title

  • Liquid compositions therefor, e.g. developers · CPC title

  • Additives or means to improve the lithographic properties; Processing solutions characterised by such additives; Treatment after development or transfer, e.g. finishing, washing; Correction or deletion fluids · CPC title

  • Spin coating · CPC title

Patent family

Related publications grouped by family.

External sources

Frequently asked questions

Answers are generated from the same data shown on this page.

What does patent US10684548B2 cover?
In a developing method, a developing nozzle starts discharge of developer to a position set in advance on a substrate, spinning about the center thereof, away from the center. This causes a flow of the developer at the center having a small centrifugal force immediately after the discharge is started. Accordingly, a dissolution product of a resist can be ejected outside the substrate more effic…
Who is the assignee on this patent?
Screen Holdings Co Ltd
What technology area does this patent fall under?
Primary CPC classification G03F7/3021. Mapped technology areas include Physics.
When was this patent published?
Publication date Tue Jun 16 2020 00:00:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time) (B2). Legal status and post-grant events are not shown on this page.
What related patents are in patentsdb?
We list 1 related publication on this page (citations in our corpus or others sharing the same primary CPC).