Method of manufacturing semiconductor devices

Abstract

A system for manufacturing a semiconductor device comprises an edge coating device. The edge coating device comprises a first stage, a first shielding disk, one or more first openings, one or more second openings, and a resist dispensing module.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising:
 an edge coating device comprising:
 a first stage configured to mount a substrate, wherein the first stage comprises a heating element; 
 a first shielding disk mounted over the first stage, spaced-apart and parallel to a main surface of the first stage wherein the first shielding disk is configured to cover a central region of a substrate to be mounted on the first stage, and expose an edge region of the substrate; 
 one or more first openings over the first shielding disk, wherein the one or more first openings are configured to direct a solvent as a gas over the first shielding disk to the edge region of the substrate to be mounted on the first stage to produce an edge-coated substrate; 
 one or more second openings passing through the first shielding disk, wherein the one or more second openings are configured to direct a purge gas through a gap between the edge-coated substrate mounted on the first stage and first shielding disk; and 
 a resist dispensing module comprising a second stage configured to dispose a resist layer on a central region of the edge-coated substrate mounted on the second stage. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the edge coating device further comprises:
 a second disk mounted in parallel to the main surface of the first stage, wherein the second disk is configured to direct the purge gas parallel to the main surface of the first stage.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the edge coating device further comprises:
 a flow-temperature controller coupled to the heating element of the first stage and configured to control a temperature of the first stage.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the edge coating device further comprises:
 first and second input gas ports;   a first gas tank containing a solvent and coupled to the flow-temperature controller;   a second gas tank containing the purge gas and coupled to the flow-temperature controller;   a first pipe connected between the first gas tank and the first input gas port and configured to deliver the solvent to the one or more first openings over the first shielding disk, wherein the flow-temperature controller is configured to control a flow rate of the solvent in the edge coating device and a time period the solvent is deposited on an edge region of a substrate mounted on the first stage; and   a second pipe connecting the second gas tank and the second input gas port and configured to deliver the purge gas to the one or more second openings over a second shielding disk, wherein the flow-temperature controller is configured to control a flow rate of the purge gas in the edge coating device; and   one or more output gas ports, wherein the one or more output gas ports are configured to provide a path for the purge gas and a portion of the solvent that is not deposited to exit the edge coating device.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a main controller; and   an analyzer module coupled to the main controller,   wherein the resist dispensing module further comprises a metal particle sensor coupled to the second stage configured to measure a number of metal particles per unit area on the second stage,   wherein the metal particle sensor is coupled to the analyzer module, and wherein the analyzer module is configured to receive the measured number of metal particles per unit area on the second stage,   wherein the analyzer module is configured to determine the flow rate of a solvent gas in the edge coating device and the time period a solvent is deposited on an edge region of a substrate in the edge coating device based on the measured number of metal particles, and   wherein the main controller is configured to adjust the flow rate of the solvent gas in the edge coating device and the time period the solvent is deposited on the edge region of the substrate in the edge coating device based on the determination of the analyzer module.   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an exposure device configured to project a layout pattern of a reticle on a resist layer on an edge-coated substrate to produce an exposed resist layer;   a developer module configured to develop an exposed resist layer on the edge-coated substrate to produce a resist pattern; and   a rinsing module configured to rinse an edge region of the edge-coated substrate after the development of the resist pattern.   
     
     
         7 . A system, comprising:
 a pipe configured to flow a hydrophobic solvent as a gas over an edge region of a wafer;   a shielding barrier configured to cover a central region of the wafer and leave an edge region of the wafer exposed, wherein the shielding barrier is further configured to direct the hydrophobic solvent to contact the edge region of the wafer and form a layer of the hydrophobic solvent on the edge region of the wafer;   a resist dispensing nozzle configured to dispose a photo resist layer on a top surface of the wafer, wherein the photo resist layer is enclosed by the layer of the hydrophobic solvent and the photo resist layer includes a metal-containing photo resist material;   a metal particle sensor configured to measure a number of metal particles per unit area after the photo resist layer is disposed on the top surface of the wafer;   an analyzer module configured to determine a flow rate of the hydrophobic solvent and a time period the hydrophobic solvent is deposited on the edge region of the wafer based on the measured number of metal particles per unit area; and   a flow-temperature controller configured to adjust the flow rate of the hydrophobic solvent and the time period the hydrophobic solvent is deposited on the edge region of the wafer when the number of metal particles per unit area exceeds a threshold value.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , further comprising a shielding disk in a gap between the wafer and the shielding barrier. 
     
     
         9 . A system of  claim 8 , wherein a width of the shielding disk is between 5 percent and 50 percent of a width of the shielding barrier. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein a flow rate of the hydrophobic solvent is from 0.1 liters per minute to 4 liters per minute. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 7 , further comprising an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) device configured to project a photo mask pattern onto the photo resist layer enclosed by the layer of the hydrophobic solvent using EUV radiation. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 7 , further comprising a heating element, coupled to the flow-temperature controller, configured to provide heat to the wafer. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 7 , further comprising a stage configured to support the wafer, wherein the shielding barrier is positioned over an opposite side of the wafer than the stage. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 7 , further comprising a main controller coupled to the analyzer module. 
     
     
         15 . A system, comprising:
 a first substrate stage, wherein the first substrate stage is configured to support a substrate to be mounted thereon;   a first shielding disk including a plurality of holes, wherein the first shielding disk is configured to be mounted over the substrate and spaced-apart and parallel to a main surface of the first stage, wherein the first shielding disk covers a central region of the substrate and exposes an edge region of the substrate when mounted, and the plurality of holes are configured to direct a solvent gas over the first shielding disk to the edge region of the substrate to produce an edge-coated substrate;   a resist dispensing nozzle configured to dispose a metal-containing photo resist layer on a top surface of the edge-coated substrate;   a metal particle sensor configured to measure a number of metal particles per unit area after the photo resist layer is disposed on the top surface of the edge-coated substrate;   an analyzer module configured to determine a flow rate of the solvent gas and a time period the solvent gas is deposited on the edge region of the edge-coated substrate based on the measured number of metal particles per unit area;   and a flow-temperature controller configured to adjust the flow rate of the solvent gas and the time period the solvent gas is deposited on the edge region of the edge-coated substrate when the number of metal particles per unit area exceeds a threshold value.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , further comprising a heating element coupled to the flow-temperature controller, configured to heat the first substrate stage. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 15 , further comprising an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) device configured to project a photo mask pattern onto the photo resist layer using EUV radiation. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 15 , further comprising a main controller coupled to the analyzer module. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein a flow rate of the solvent gas is from 0.1 liters per minute to 4 liters per minute. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 15 , further comprising a second shielding disk between the substrate and the first shielding disk.