JP2000331918A - Resist film removal equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) Abstract: Provided is a resist film removing apparatus capable of removing a resist film applied to a semiconductor wafer without using a resist stripper. SOLUTION: A wafer 6 is loaded into a processing chamber 1,
The resist film applied to the wafer 6 can be removed by irradiating ultraviolet light from an excimer lamp of the lamp house 7 and injecting pure water from the water jetting device 4.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a resist film removing apparatus for removing a resist film attached to a wafer by ultraviolet light emitted from an excimer lamp.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In order to form a pattern, a method of removing a resist film applied on a semiconductor substrate has conventionally been to immerse a target semiconductor wafer in a bath containing a resist stripping solution mainly containing sulfuric acid, A method of washing a resist stripper with water and removing a resist film has been used.

[0003]

However, this method requires handling of a large amount of resist stripping solution and waste treatment of the resist stripping solution, which hinders the simplification of the resist film stripping process. On the other hand, in recent years, the problem of environmental pollution tends to be regarded as important, and there is a demand for a study of a waste liquid treatment method that does not adversely affect the environment.

An object of the present invention is to provide a resist film removing apparatus capable of removing a resist film applied to a semiconductor wafer without using a resist stripping solution. And

[0005]

According to the present invention, there is provided a resist film removing apparatus comprising: a processing chamber into which a target wafer is inserted; an excimer lamp capable of irradiating ultraviolet light into the processing chamber; And a water jetting device for jetting pure water to the wafer inserted into the processing chamber while applying pressure thereto.

[0006]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In recent years, dry cleaning using an excimer lamp has been used as a method for cleaning contaminant organic substances adhered to a semiconductor wafer. When a rare gas such as xenon is brought into an excited state, the rare gas atoms or rare gas molecules in the excited state combine with the rare gas atoms or rare gas molecules in the ground state to form a dimer called excimer. This excimer has the property of generating ultraviolet light when returning to the ground state. Excimer lamps are lamps that use this property. By applying a high voltage between the electrodes to generate discharge plasma,
The enclosed rare gas is excited and irradiated with ultraviolet light. The ultraviolet light has a function of decomposing molecular bonds of organic substances, and irradiates the wafer to decompose contaminated organic substances adhered to the wafer. Ultraviolet light irradiated from an excimer lamp using xenon gas has stronger photon energy and higher decomposition ability of organic substances than ultraviolet light from a conventional mercury lamp.

On the other hand, it has been confirmed that when an object is irradiated with ultraviolet light from an excimer lamp, the hydrophilicity of the surface of the object is increased. By irradiating the wafer with ultraviolet light from an excimer lamp, the hydrophilicity of the wafer surface is increased, and contaminated organic substances can be efficiently washed with water. Since the raw material of the resist film is an organic substance, the same effect can be obtained in removing the resist film.

FIG. 1 is an example of a configuration diagram of a processing chamber of a resist film removing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
The processing chamber 1 accumulates in the processing chamber 1 by a wafer carrying-in port 2 for carrying a wafer to be removed of a resist film into the inside, a water jet device 4 for spraying pure water onto the wafer by applying pressure, and a water jet. It has a drainage pipe 5 for discharging water. A stage 3 on which a wafer 6 is placed is provided inside the processing chamber 1. A lamp house 7 is provided on the processing chamber 1, and the lamp house 7 includes a plurality of excimer lamps. Ultraviolet light emitted from the excimer lamp passes through the quartz glass 8 and irradiates the wafer 6 inside the processing chamber 1.

Here, it is desirable that the lamp house 7 has such a structure that all the ultraviolet light from the excimer lamp can be irradiated into the processing chamber 1.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart of a resist film removing process in the resist film removing apparatus according to the embodiment. Hereinafter, the operation of the resist film removing apparatus will be described with reference to FIG.

When the removal of the resist film is started in step S 1, the resist film removing apparatus loads one wafer 6 coated with the resist film into the processing chamber from the wafer loading port 2 in step S 2 and places it on the stage 3. Put on.

In step S3, the resist film removing device irradiates the wafer 6 with ultraviolet light from the excimer lamp of the lamp house 7 for a predetermined time. By irradiating the ultraviolet light, the resist film applied to the wafer 6 is decomposed, and many cracks are generated on the surface of the resist film. Here, the resist film removing device may be capable of adjusting the irradiation time of the ultraviolet light.

In step S 4, the resist film removing device injects pure water from the water jet device 4 to the wafer 6 under pressure after irradiating the ultraviolet light. The resist film has cracks and is easily peeled off. Since the surface of the wafer 6 is more hydrophilic, the resist film is sprayed from the surface of the wafer 6 by spraying pure water under pressure. Can be peeled off. The water jet device 4 includes a wafer 6
It is preferable that the water pressure at the time of injection or the angle of the injection port can be adjusted so that pure water can be injected at an appropriate water pressure. Further, it is preferable that the stage 3 can fix the wafer 6 so that the wafer 6 is not moved by the injection of pure water. Here, the resist film removing apparatus may be capable of adjusting the amount of pure water to be sprayed or the spraying time.

In step S5, the resist film removing apparatus drains the water jetted in step S4 and accumulated in the processing chamber 1 from the processing chamber 1 through the drain pipe 5.

In step S6, the resist film removing device confirms that the water has been drained, and unloads the wafer 6 from the processing chamber 1 through the wafer transfer port 2. Thus, the removal of the resist film from one wafer is completed.

In step S7, the resist film removing apparatus checks whether or not there is another wafer from which the resist film is to be removed. If there is, the process returns to step 2 to start removing the resist film of a new wafer; otherwise, step S
Then, the process goes to 8 to end the removal of the resist film. The above is the operation of the resist film removing apparatus.

In this embodiment, the resist film is decomposed by irradiating the wafer 6 coated with the resist film with ultraviolet light from an excimer lamp.
Has the effect of increasing the hydrophilicity of the surface of the resist film, so that the resist film can be efficiently removed by spraying pure water with pressure.

A drying device for drying the wafer 6 may be provided inside the processing chamber 1 and may be operated before the unloading of the wafer 6 in step S6.

[0019]

As described above, according to the present invention,
By irradiating the processing chamber in which the wafer coated with the resist film is inserted with ultraviolet light of an excimer lamp and applying a pressure of pure water to the wafer, the resist film can be efficiently removed. In this resist film removing apparatus, a resist stripping solution is not used, so that the resist stripping process can be simplified. Further, since there is no need to treat the resist stripping liquid as a waste liquid, it is very effective for environmental pollution countermeasures.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a processing chamber and a lamp house of a resist film removing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart of the resist film removing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 processing chamber, 2 wafer loading / unloading, 3 stage, 4 water jetting device, 5 drainage pipe, 6 wafer,
7 Lamp house, 8 Quartz glass.

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page F term (reference) 2H096 AA25 BA09 EA05 GA60 LA02 LA03 5F043 AA40 BB30 DD08 5F046 MA04 MA13

Claims (1)

[Claims] A processing chamber for inserting a target wafer into the processing chamber; and an excimer lamp capable of irradiating the inside of the processing chamber with ultraviolet light. A resist film removing device comprising a water jet device for jetting water by applying pressure.