Immersion field guided exposure and post-exposure bake process

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9829790-B2
Application number	US-201514733923-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 8, 2015
Priority date	Jun 8, 2015
Publication date	Nov 28, 2017
Grant date	Nov 28, 2017

Abstract

Methods disclosed herein provide apparatus and method for applying an electric field and/or a magnetic field to a photoresist layer without air gap intervention during photolithography processes. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a processing chamber comprising a substrate support having a substrate supporting surface, a heat source embedded in the substrate support configured to heat a substrate positioned on the substrate supporting surface, an electrode assembly configured to generate an electric field in a direction substantially perpendicular to the substrate supporting surface, wherein the electrode assembly is positioned opposite the substrate supporting surface having a downward surface facing the substrate supporting surface, wherein the electrode assembly is spaced apart from substrate support defining a processing volume between the electrode assembly and the substrate supporting surface, and a confinement ring disposed on an edge of the substrate support or the electrode assembly configured to retain an intermediate medium.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for processing a substrate, the apparatus comprising:
a processing chamber, the processing chamber comprising:
a substrate support having a substrate supporting surface;
a heat source embedded in the substrate support configured to heat a substrate positioned on the substrate supporting surface;
an electrode assembly configured to generate an electric field in a direction substantially perpendicular to the substrate supporting surface, wherein the electrode assembly is positioned opposite the substrate supporting surface having a downward surface facing the substrate supporting surface, wherein the electrode assembly is spaced apart from substrate support defining a processing volume between the electrode assembly and the substrate supporting surface; and
a confinement ring disposed on an edge of the substrate support or the electrode assembly configured to retain an intermediate medium, wherein the intermediate medium has a dielectric constant greater than 10.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the intermediate medium is configured to be disposed in the processing volume.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the intermediate medium positioned in the processing volume is in close approximation to the substrate supporting surface and the downward surface of the electrode assembly.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processing chamber is coupled to a remote plasma source.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
an intermediate medium dispensing tool disposed in the processing chamber configured to dispense the intermediate medium in the processing volume.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the intermediate medium is DI water.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the intermediate medium is a solid state medium.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the intermediate medium is quartz.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the intermediate medium is substantially filled in the processing volume defined between the electrode assembly and the substrate supporting surface without air gap.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the confinement ring disposed on the edge of the electrode assembly is configured to retain the intermediate medium when the electrode assembly is actuated to a processing position.

11. An apparatus for processing a substrate, the apparatus comprising:
a processing chamber, the processing chamber comprising:
a substrate support comprising a substrate supporting surface;
an electrode assembly comprising a first electrode disposed in the substrate support and a second electrode positioned opposite the substrate supporting surface, the first and the second electrodes defining a processing volume inbetween configured to generate an electric field in a direction substantially perpendicular to the substrate supporting surface; and
an intermediate medium positioned in the processing volume, wherein the intermediate medium has a dielectric constant greater than 10.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , further comprising:
a heating element disposed in the substrate support.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 , further comprising:
an intermediate medium dispensing tool disposed in the processing chamber configured to dispense the substance or liquid medium in the processing volume.

14. The apparatus of claim 11 , further comprising:
a confinement ring disposed on an edge of the substrate support or an edge of the second electrode configured to retain the intermediate medium.

15. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the intermediate medium is DI water.

Assignees

• Applied Materials Inc

Inventors

• Buchberger Jr Douglas A
• Nam Sang Ki
• Babayan Viachslav
• Ouyang Christine Y
• Godet Ludovic
• Nemani Srinivas D

Classifications

• G03F7/70

  Microphotolithographic exposure; Apparatus therefor (photo-masks G03F1/00) · CPC title

• G03F7/0045 Primary

  with organic non-macromolecular light-sensitive compounds not otherwise provided for, e.g. dissolution inhibitors · CPC title

• G03F7/38

  Treatment before imagewise removal, e.g. prebaking {(G03F7/265 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• G03F7/70866

  of mask or workpiece · CPC title

• G03F7/70808

  Construction details, e.g. housing, load-lock, seals or windows for passing light in or out of apparatus · CPC title