JPH01283926A - Exposing method - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent the occurrence of peeling of a resist layer, by performing exposing treatment for the resist layer on a substrate in a compressed atmosphere. CONSTITUTION:A substrate 2 on which a resist layer is formed beforehand is held on a stage 1 in a chamber 12. The pressure in the chamber 12 is compressed to the specified pressure. Thereafter, a pattern is transferred to the resist layer by using a light source 3 and a mask 4. The increase in volume of nitrogen gas generated in the resist layer can be suppressed by the exposure in the compressed atmosphere like this. Since the occurrence of peeling of the resist layer from the substrate can be prevented, the highly accurate resist pattern can be obtained.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an exposure method used in a semiconductor manufacturing process.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, this type of exposure method is performed by the following procedure. That is, as shown in FIG. 2, a light source 3 and a mask 4 are used to form a pattern on a resist layer (not shown) formed by applying photoresist on the surface of a substrate (wafer) 2 on a stage 1 in advance. Transcribe. Thereafter, a predetermined resist pattern can be obtained by development. Here, reference numerals 5 and 6 in the figure are a condenser lens and a projection lens that focus a mask image on the resist layer (not shown). Note that as the light source 3, for example, an ultra-high pressure mercury lamp that emits ultraviolet light is used.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

By the way, in this type of exposure method, nitrogen gas is generated during photoreaction due to the photosensitive groups normally contained in the photoresist, and this gas is accumulated in the photoresist layer.

As a result, there was a problem in that the resist layer (not shown) peeled off from the substrate 2, making it impossible to obtain a highly accurate resist pattern.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and it is an object of the present invention to provide an exposure method that can prevent the occurrence of peeling of a resist layer from a substrate, and thereby can obtain a highly accurate resist pattern.

[Means to solve the problem]

The exposure method according to the present invention is an exposure method in which a resist layer on a substrate is exposed to light through a mask, and the resist layer is exposed to light in a pressurized atmosphere.

[For production]

In the present invention, an increase in the volume of nitrogen gas generated within the resist layer can be suppressed by exposing the resist layer to light under a pressurized atmosphere.

〔Example〕

The exposure method according to the present invention and the projection type exposure apparatus used in this method will be explained below.

FIG. 1 is a simplified diagram for explaining the exposure method according to the present invention, and in this figure, the same members as in FIG. 2 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed explanation will be omitted. In the figure, a container designated by reference numeral 11 has an opening 11a at the top, and a chamber 12 that forms a pressurized atmosphere and can house the stage 1 is provided inside. This container 11 is provided with an exposure window 13 made of quartz glass so as to close the opening 11a.

Next, the exposure method in the present invention will be explained.

First, a substrate 2 on which a resist layer (not shown) has been formed in advance is held on a stage 1 in a chamber 12 . Next, the inside of the chamber 12 is pressurized to a predetermined pressure with nitrogen gas. After that, a light source 3 is applied to the resist layer (not shown).
Then, the pattern is transferred using mask 4.

In this way, the resist layer (not shown) on the substrate 2 can be exposed to light.

That is, in the present invention, a resist layer (not shown)
The exposure process is performed under a pressurized atmosphere.

Therefore, in the present invention, an increase in the volume of nitrogen gas generated within the resist layer (not shown) can be suppressed by exposing the resist layer to light under a pressurized atmosphere.

Thereafter, after a predetermined resist pattern is formed by development, the pressure inside the chamber 12 is gradually reduced to return it to atmospheric pressure, and the substrate 2 is transported out.

In this example, an exposure apparatus in which the container II and the stage 1 are separate bodies is used, but the present invention is not limited to this. There is no problem in using . In this case, it is of course possible to house not only the stage l but also the entire exposure apparatus.

Furthermore, although this embodiment shows an example in which exposure is performed using a projection type exposure device, the present invention provides the same effect as in the embodiment even when exposure is performed using a contact type exposure device or a proximity type exposure device. play.

Furthermore, although this embodiment shows an example in which nitrogen gas is used to form a pressurized atmosphere within the chamber 12, the present invention is not limited to this, and other inert gases may also be used. Often, the type of gas can be changed as appropriate.

Incidentally, the exposure apparatus used in the present invention is capable of irradiating part or all of the resist layer (not shown).

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, according to the present invention, it is an exposure method in which a resist layer on a substrate is exposed to light through a mask, and since the exposure treatment for the resist layer is performed under a pressurized atmosphere, the It is possible to suppress an increase in the volume of nitrogen gas.

Therefore, since peeling of the resist layer from the substrate can be prevented, a highly accurate resist pattern can be obtained.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a simplified diagram for explaining an exposure method according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a simplified diagram for explaining a conventional exposure method. 2...Substrate, 3...Light source, 4...Mask,
12...Chamber. Agent Masuo Oiwa Figure 1 Figure 2 22 units 1 anti 3: Yotsu 4: Mask 12: Chida/Hai- 1, Indication of incident Patent application No. 63-L15263 No. 2
, Name of the invention Exposure method 3, Person making the correction 5, Detailed description of the invention in the specification subject to amendment 6, Contents of the amendment Page 4, lines 15 to 17, ``After this...'' ” is corrected to ``Then, the pressure inside the chamber 12 is gradually reduced to return it to atmospheric pressure, the substrate 2 is carried out, and a predetermined resist pattern is formed by development.''. that's all

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An exposure method that exposes a resist layer on a substrate to light through a mask, the exposure method comprising performing an exposure process on the resist layer in a pressurized atmosphere.