COATING AND DEVELOPING METHOD, COATING AND DEVELOPING SYSTEM AND STORAGE MEDIUM

Abstract

A resist film formed on a substrate is coated with a water-repellent protective film and the substrate is subjected to a developing process after the substrate has been processed by an immersion exposure process. The protective film is removed from the substrate after the resist film has been processed by the immersion exposure process, the substrate is processed by a heating process, and then the substrate is subjected to a developing process. The surface of the substrate is cleaned with a cleaning liquid before the protective film is removed and after the substrate has been processed by the immersion exposure process or the surface of the substrate is cleaned with a cleaning liquid after removing the protective film and before the substrate is subjected to the heating process.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a coating and developing system in a preferred embodiment according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the coating and developing system shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view of an interface block included in the coating and developing system shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4A is a schematic sectional view of a protective film removing unit included in the interface block;

FIG. 4B is a partly sectional schematic plan view of the protective film removing unit;

FIG. 5A is a perspective view of a chemical solution pouring nozzle and a cleaning liquid pouring nozzle included in the protective film removing unit;

FIG. 5B is a bottom view of the chemical solution pouring nozzle and the cleaning liquid pouring nozzle;

FIGS. 6A to 6K are views of assistance in explaining the flow of a wafer in the coating and developing system shown in FIG. 1;

FIGS. 7A to 7C are views of assistance in explaining processes to be carried out by the protective film removing unit;

FIG. 8 is a schematic sectional view of the protective film removing unit included in the interface block;

FIG. 9 is a graph of assistance in explaining results of experiments conducted to prove the effect of the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a view of assistance in explaining an exposure system for processing a wafer by an immersion exposure process; and

FIG. 11 is a view of assistance in explaining successively processing shot areas on a wafer by the exposure system.

Claims

1. A coating and developing method comprising the steps of: forming a resist film on a substrate;forming a protective film to protect the resist film during an immersion exposure process using a liquid layer by coating a surface of the substrate with a protective film forming solution containing a water-repellent material;removing the protective film from the substrate after the substrate has been processed by an immersion exposure process that exposes the resist film to light through a liquid layer formed over the resist film;heating the substrate by a heating process; andprocessing the resist film by a developing process.

2. The coating and developing method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of cleaning the surface of the substrate processed by immersion development with a cleaning liquid to be executed before the step of removing the protective film.

3. The coating and developing method according to claim 2 further comprising the step of cleaning the surface of the substrate with a cleaning liquid to be executed between the step of removing the protective film and the step of processing the substrate by the heating process.

4. The coating and developing method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of cleaning the surface of the substrate with a cleaning liquid to be executed between the step of removing the protective film and the step of processing the substrate by the heating process.

5. A coating and developing system comprising: a first coating unit for coating a substrate with a liquid resist film;a second coating unit for coating a surface of the substrate with a protective film forming solution containing a water-repellent material to protect the resist film during an immersion exposure process using a liquid layer;a protective film removing unit including a substrate holding device for horizontally holding the substrate, and a chemical solution pouring nozzle for pouring a chemical solution for removing the protective film onto the surface of the substrate processed by an immersion exposure process that forms a liquid layer over the resist film and held by the substrate holding device;a heating unit for heating the substrate by a heating process after the protective film has been removed from the substrate; anda developing unit for processing the substrate by a developing process after the substrate has been processed by the heating process.

6. The coating and developing system according to claim 5, wherein the protective film removing unit further includes a cleaning liquid pouring nozzle for pouring a cleaning liquid onto the surface of the substrate held by the substrate holding device.

7. The coating and developing system according to claim 6 further comprising a controller for controlling the respective positions of the cleaning liquid pouring nozzle and the chemical solution pouring nozzle and pouring operations of the cleaning liquid pouring nozzle and the chemical solution pouring nozzle so as to remove the protective film after cleaning the surface of the substrate.

8. The coating and developing system according to claim 7, wherein the cleaning liquid pouring nozzle and the chemical solution pouring nozzle are replaced with a single nozzle.

9. The coating and developing system according to claim 6 further comprising a controller for controlling the respective positions of the cleaning liquid pouring nozzle and the chemical solution pouring nozzle so as to clean the surface of the substrate after the protective film has been removed.

10. The coating and developing system according to claim 6, wherein the cleaning liquid pouring nozzle and the chemical solution pouring nozzle are replaced with a single nozzle.

11. The coating and developing system according to claim 6 further comprising a controller capable selectively executing either of a first processing mode in which the surface of the substrate is cleaned, and then the protective film is removed, and a second processing mode in which the protective film is removed, and then the surface of the substrate is cleaned.

12. The coating and developing system according to claim 11, wherein the controller can execute a third processing mode in which the surface of the substrate is cleaned, the protective film is removed, and then the surface of the substrate is cleaned.

13. The coating and developing system according to claim 5, wherein the cleaning liquid pouring nozzle and the chemical solution pouring nozzle are replaced with a single nozzle.

14. A storage medium storing computer-readable programs to be carried out by a coating and developing system for coating a substrate with a liquid resist film to form a resist film on a surface of the substrate, processing the substrate by a heating process after the substrate has been processed by an immersion exposure process that exposes the resist film to light through a liquid layer formed on the resist film and processing the substrate by a developing process, wherein the computer-readable programs include the steps of the coating and developing method according to claim 1.