Yield and line width performance for liquid polymers and other materials

Abstract

Systems and methods are described for improved yield and line width performance for liquid polymers and other materials. A method for minimizing precipitation of developing reactant by lowering a sudden change in pH includes: developing at least a portion of a polymer layer on a substrate with an initial charge of a developer fluid; then rinsing the polymer with an additional charge of the developer fluid so as to controllably minimize a subsequent sudden change in pH; and then rinsing the polymer with a charge of another fluid. An apparatus for minimizing fluid impingement force on a polymer layer to be developed on a substrate includes: a nozzle including: a developer manifold adapted to supply a developer fluid; a plurality of developer fluid conduits coupled to the developer manifold; a rinse manifold adapted to supply a rinse fluid; and a plurality of rinse fluid conduits coupled to the developer manifold. The developer manifold and the rinse manifold can be staggered so as to reduce an external width of the nozzle compared to a nominal external width of the nozzle achievable without either intersecting the fluid manifold and the another manifold or staggering the fluid manifold and the another manifold. The systems and methods provide advantages including improve yield via reduced process-induced defect and partial counts, and improved critical dimension (CD) control capability.

1 . A multi-port nozzle for reducing sudden changes in the pH of developing fluids on a polymer layer being developed on a substrate, comprising: 
 a nozzle body;    a plurality of manifolds within the nozzle body for distributing fluids;    a plurality of supply inlets coupled to the plurality of manifolds to supply fluids to the manifolds;    one or more fluid conduits coupled to each manifold for dispensing the fluid from each manifold onto the surface of the polymer layer on the substrate;    wherein the plurality of manifolds and supply inlets comprise:    a first supply inlet for supplying a first developer fluid having a first chemistry to a first manifold; and    a second supply inlet for supplying a second fluid to a second manifold, wherein the second fluid supplied comprises a second developer fluid having a second chemistry.    
   
   
       2 . The nozzle of  claim 1 , wherein the first chemistry of the first developer fluid supplied is different than the second chemistry of the second developer fluid supplied.  
   
   
       3 . The nozzle of  claim 1 , wherein the second fluid further comprises a buffer for reducing sudden changes in pH of the developing fluids.  
   
   
       4 . The nozzle of  claim 1 , further comprising a buffer inlet for supplying a buffer fluid to a buffer manifold, wherein the buffer fluid has a chemistry to reduce sudden changes in pH of the developing fluids.  
   
   
       5 . The nozzle of  claim 1 , further comprising a rinse inlet for supplying a rinse fluid to a rinse manifold.  
   
   
       6 . The nozzle of  claim 5 , wherein the rinse fluid supplied comprises a third developer fluid having a third chemistry different than the first and second chemistries of the first and second developer fluids.  
   
   
       7 . The nozzle of  claim 5 , wherein the rinse fluid supplied comprises de-ionized (DI) water.  
   
   
       8 . The nozzle of  claim 5 , wherein the rinse manifold is coupled to a plurality of rinse fluid conduits for dispensing the rinse fluid in a plurality of locations on the surface of the polymer layer.  
   
   
       9 . The nozzle of  claim 5 , further comprising a plurality of tubular rinse inserts located within the plurality of rinse conduits, wherein the inserts are internally extended into the rinse fluid manifold for providing a fine disperse of rinse fluid onto the surface of the polymer layer.  
   
   
       10 . The nozzle of  claim 1 , wherein the first manifold is coupled to a plurality of first fluid conduits for dispensing the first developer fluid in a plurality of locations on the surface of the polymer layer; and 
 wherein the second manifold is coupled to a plurality of second fluid conduits for dispensing the second fluid in a plurality of locations on the surface of the polymer layer.    
   
   
       11 . The nozzle of  claim 10 , wherein at least some of the pluralities of first and second conduits are staggered so as to reduce the size of the nozzle body.  
   
   
       12 . The nozzle of  claim 1 , wherein at least some of the plurality of manifolds are staggered so as to reduce the size of the nozzle body.  
   
   
       13 . The nozzle of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more tubular inserts located within one or more fluid conduits, wherein the tubular inserts extend externally beyond the bottom of the nozzle body.  
   
   
       14 . The nozzle of  claim 13 , wherein the one or more tubular inserts extend internally into one or more manifolds.  
   
   
       15 . The nozzle of  claim 13 , wherein the inserts have small radius ends for reducing the surface area that would allow a fluid to cling, thus reducing cross-contamination between developer fluids having different chemistries in the same nozzle body.  
   
   
       16 . The nozzle of  claim 13 , wherein the insert further comprise tips at the ends of the inserts, wherein the tips comprise radial edges, which provides a very smooth inner surface, thus reducing fluid clinging.  
   
   
       17 . A developer module for reducing precipitation of developing reactants by stabilizing sudden changes in pH of developing fluids on a polymer layer being developed on a substrate, said module comprising: 
 a first developing fluid supply, having a first developer chemistry;    a second developing fluid supply, having a second developer chemistry, wherein the first chemistry is different than the second chemistry;    a multi-port nozzle; wherein the multi-port nozzle comprises: 
 a nozzle body;  
 a first supply inlet coupled to the first developing fluid supply for supplying a first developer fluid to a first developer manifold; and  
 a second supply inlet coupled to the second developing fluid supply for supplying a second developing fluid to a second developer manifold;  
   a plurality of first fluid conduits coupled to the first developer manifold for dispensing the first developer fluid from the first developer manifold onto the surface of the polymer layer on the substrate;    a plurality of second fluid conduits coupled to the second developer manifold for dispensing the second developer fluid from the second developer manifold onto the surface of the polymer layer on the substrate; and    a data processing apparatus for transforming signals that characterize the state of the polymer developing process so as to actuate interconnected discrete hardware elements of the module to control the developing process.    
   
   
       18 . The module of  claim 17 , wherein the second developing fluid supplied further comprises a buffer.  
   
   
       19 . The module of  claim 17 , further comprising a buffer inlet for supplying a buffer fluid to a buffer manifold, wherein the buffer fluid has a chemistry to reduce sudden changes in pH of the developing fluids.  
   
   
       20 . The module of  claim 17 , further comprising a rinse inlet for supplying a rinse fluid to a rinse manifold; and 
 a plurality of rinse conduits coupled to the rinse manifold for dispensing the rinse fluid.    
   
   
       21 . The module of  claim 17 , further comprising a chamber encompassing the multi-port nozzle, wherein the chamber is adapted to provide a laminar airflow field.  
   
   
       22 . The module of  claim 17 , wherein the data processing apparatus controls the spin speed of the substrate, wherein the data processing apparatus stores instructions to dwell the first developing fluid on the polymer, so as to only partially develop the polymer at the time that either the second developing fluid or the buffer is mixed with the residual fluids remaining on the polymer layer from the application of the first developing fluid.  
   
   
       23 . The module of  claim 17 , wherein the data processing apparatus stores instructions to controls the spin speed of the substrate, the position of the nozzle, and the process temperatures, to reducing precipitation of developing reactants and reduce cross contamination during dispensing.  
   
   
       24 . The module of  claim 17 , further comprising a rotary cylinder actuator for nozzle motion from a drain location to a single dispense location, wherein the nozzle further comprises two rows of dispensing orifices for dispensing two develop fluids having distinct chemistries, and one row of orifices for rinsing with deionized water (DI), wherein the rows of holes are strategically placed so that all dispensing can be done with one head position.  
   
   
       25 . A wafer track system with improved overall critical dimension (CD) control capability comprising: 
 a stepper coupled to the wafer track system for exposing the polymer layer; and    a developer fluid module coupled to the wafer track system for developing the exposed polymer layer, wherein the developer fluid module for reducing precipitation of developing reactants by stabilizing sudden changes in pH of developing fluids on a polymer layer being developed on a substrate, comprises:    a first developing fluid supply, having a first developer chemistry;    a second developing fluid supply, having a second developer chemistry, wherein the first chemistry is different than the second chemistry;    a multi-port nozzle; wherein the multi-port nozzle comprises: 
 a nozzle body;  
 a first supply inlet coupled to the first developing fluid supply for supplying a first developer fluid to a first developer manifold; and  
 a second supply inlet coupled to the second developing fluid supply for supplying a second developing fluid to a second developer manifold;  
   a plurality of first fluid conduits coupled to the first developer manifold for dispensing the first developer fluid from the first developer manifold onto the surface of the polymer layer on the substrate;    a plurality of second fluid conduits coupled to the second developer manifold for dispensing the second developer fluid from the second developer manifold onto the surface of the polymer layer on the substrate; and    a data processing apparatus for transforming signals that characterize the state of the polymer developing process so as to actuate interconnected discrete hardware elements of the module to control the developing process.    
   
   
       26 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the developer fluid module further comprises a buffer inlet for supplying a buffer fluid to a buffer manifold, wherein the buffer fluid has a chemistry to reduce sudden changes in pH of the developing fluids.  
   
   
       27 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the developer fluid module further comprises a rinse inlet for supplying a rinse fluid to a rinse manifold; and 
 a plurality of rinse conduits coupled to the rinse manifold for dispensing the rinse fluid.    
   
   
       28 . The system of  claim 27 , wherein the developer fluid module further comprise a plurality of orifices for dispensing each of the first and second developer fluids and the rinse fluid, so as to apply the fluids with a low impinging force, so as to reduce damage to the patterned polymer layer.