Method and apparatus for drying a substrate having a resist film with a ...

[54] METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DRYING A SUBSTRATE HAVING A RESIST FILM WITH A MINIATURIZED PATTERN

[75] Inventors: Kenji Sugimoto; Hiroaki Sugimoto;

Masaru Kitagawa, all of Kyoto, Japan

[73] Assignee: Dainippon Screen Mig. Co., Ltd., Japan

[21] Appl. No.: 417,133

[22] Filed: Apr. 4, 1995

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data

Apr. 6, 1994 [JP] Japan 6-093822

Aug. 23, 1994 [JP] Japan 6-222447

[51] Int CI.6 G03D 3/02; G03D 5/00

[52] U.S. CI 396/611; 396/627

[58] Field of Search 354/317,325;

156/643; 430/30, 325, 326, 311, 331; 396/611,

604, 627

[56] References Cited

U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS

5,135,608 8/1992 Okutani 156/643

5,273,589 12/1993 Griswddetal 134/21

5,326,672 7/1994 Tanakaetal 430/322

5,374,502 12/1994 Tanakaetal 430/322

FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS

5-299336 11/1993 Japan .

5- 315241 11/1993 Japan .

6- 224116 8/1994 Japan 396/611

OTHER PUBLICATIONS

"Mechanism of Resist Pattern Collapse During Development Process ", (Extended Abstracts, The 40th Spring Meeting, 1993); The Japan Society of Applied Physics and Related Societies, p. 509,29p-L-3. (Translation attached to reference).

"The Collapse Mechanism of High Aspect Ratio Resist Patterns", (Extended Abstracts, The 40th Spring Meeting, 1993); The Japan Society of Applied Physics and Related Societies, p. 509, 29p-L-4. (Translation attached to reference).

Primary Examiner—-D. Rutledge

Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Ostrolenk, Faber, Gerb & Soffen, LLP

[57] ABSTRACT

A method of processing a substrate includes the steps of developing a substrate having a photo-sensitive resin film formed on its surface; washing the substrate by supplying washing liquid to the surface of the substrate, and rotating the substrate on a perpendicular axis in a horizontal plane and thereby drying the surface of the substrate, and atmosphere in which the substrate is placed is adjusted to be at a pressure lower than the atmospheric pressure in the step of drying the surface of the substrate. Instead of or in addition to this, washing liquid in which prescribed gas is dissolved may be used in the step of washing the substrate. In this case, in the step of drying the surface of the substrate, washing liquid supplied to the surface of the substrate is preferably supersaturated with gas. A substrate processing apparatus including a controller for implementing such a method is also disclosed.

14 Claims, 9 Drawing Sheets