Photolithography Process

Applications of
Photolithography
Main application: IC patterning
process
Other applications: Printed electronic
board, nameplate, printer plate, and
et al.
 Basic Steps of
Photolithography
Photoresist coating
Alignment and exposure
Development
 Basic Steps - Advanced
Technology
Wafer clean
Pre-bake and primer coating
Photoresist spin coatingPR coating
Track- Soft bake
stepper Alignment and exposure
integrat Post exposure bake
ed
Development
system Development
Hard bake
Pattern inspection
 Figure 6.5

Previo
us Clean Surface
PR Soft bake
Proces preparation Alignme
coating
s nt
Hard bake Development &
PEB
Exposur
Track system e
Photo
cell
Rejected
Strip
PR Inspection
Photo Bay
Approved

Etch Ion
Impla
nt
 Wafer Clean
Remove contaminants
Remove particulate
Reduce pinholes and other defects
Improve photoresist adhesion
Basic steps
Chemical clean
Rinse
Dry
 Photoresist Coating

Primer

Photoresist
Polysilicon
STI USG
P-Well
 Spin Coating
Wafer sit on a vacuum chuck
Slow spin ~ 500 rpm
Liquid photoresist applied at
center of wafer
Ramp up to ~ 3000 - 7000 rpm
Photoresist spread by
centrifugal force
Evenly coat on wafer surface
Photoresist Spin Coater

PR
Wafer

EBR
Water
Sleeve

Chuck
Drain Exhaust

Vacuum
Photoresist Applying

PR dispenser
nozzle

Wafer

Chuck
Spindle

To vacuum pump
Photoresist Suck Back

PR dispenser
PR suck back nozzle

Wafer

Chuck
Spindle

To vacuum pump
Photoresist Spin Coating

PR dispenser
PR suck back nozzle

Wafer

Chuck
Spindle

To vacuum
pump
Photoresist Spin Coating

PR dispenser
PR suck back nozzle

Wafer

Chuck
Spindle

To vacuum
pump
Photoresist Spin Coating

PR dispenser
PR suck back nozzle

Wafer

Chuck
Spindle

To vacuum
pump
Photoresist Spin Coating

PR dispenser
PR suck back nozzle

Wafer

Chuck
Spindle

To vacuum
pump
Photoresist Spin Coating

PR dispenser
PR suck back nozzle

Wafer

Chuck
Spindle

To vacuum
pump
Photoresist Spin Coating

PR dispenser
PR suck back nozzle

Wafer

Chuck
Spindle

To vacuum
pump
Photoresist Spin Coating

PR dispenser
PR suck back nozzle

Wafer

Chuck
Spindle

To vacuum
pump
Photoresist Spin Coating

PR dispenser
PR suck back nozzle

Wafer

Chuck
Spindle

To vacuum
pump
Photoresist Spin Coating

PR dispenser
PR suck back nozzle

Wafer

Chuck
Spindle

To vacuum
pump
 Edge Bead Removal

Solvent
Wafer

Chuck
Spindle

To vacuum
pump
 Edge Bead Removal

Solvent
Wafer

Chuck
Spindle

To vacuum
pump
Optical Edge Bead Removal
Exposure
Light source

Light beam Photoresist

Wafer

Exposed Chuck
Photoresist Spindle
Optical Edge Bead Removal
After alignment and exposure
Wafer edge expose (WEE)
Exposed photoresist at edge
dissolves during development
Ready For Soft Bake

Wafer

Chuck
Spindle

To vacuum
pump
 Purpose of Soft Bake

Evaporating most of solvents in PR

Solvents help to make a thin PR but
absorb radiation and affect adhesion
Soft baking time and temperature are
determined by the matrix evaluations
Over bake: polymerized, less photo-
sensitivity
Under bake: affect adhesion and
exposure
 Alignment
Gate
Mask

Photoresist
Polysilicon
STI USG
P-Well
 Exposure
Gate
Mask

Photoresist
Polysilicon
STI USG
P-Well
Ready for Post Exposure
Bake

Photoresist
Polysilicon
STI USG
P-Well
 Alignment and Exposure
Most critical process for IC fabrication
Most expensive tool (stepper) in an
IC fab.
Most challenging technology
Determines the minimum feature
size
Currently 0.18 m and pushing to
0.13 m
 Development

Developer solvent dissolves the

softened part of photoresist
Transfer the pattern from mask or
reticle to photoresist
Three basic steps:
Development
Rinse
Dry
 Development
Mask

PR PR

Film Film
Substrate Substrate
PR Coating Exposure

PR PR

Film Film
Substrate Substrate
Etching Development
 Development Profiles

PR PR

Substrate Substrate

Normal Development Incomplete Development

PR PR

Substrate Substrate

Under Development Over Development

 Developer Solution
+PR normally uses weak base
solution
The most commonly used one is the
tetramethyl ammonium hydride, or
TMAH ((CH3)4NOH).
 Photoresist Flow
Over baking can causes too much
PR flow, which affects
photolithography resolution.
P P
R Substrat R Substrat
e e
Normal Over
Baking Baking
 Types of Photoresist

Negative Positive
Photoresist Photoresist
Becomes Becomes
insoluble after soluble after
exposure exposure
When When
developed, the developed, the
unexposed exposed parts
parts dissolved. dissolved
Cheaper Better
 Negative and Positive
Photoresists
Photoresist
Substrate

UV light
Mask/reticle

Photoresist
Exposure
Substrate

Negative
Photoresist
Substrate After
Positive Development
Photoresist
Substrate
 Negative Photoresist

Mask
Negative
Photoresist
Expose

Development
 Negative Resist

Most negative PR are polyisoprene

type
Exposed PR becomes cross-linked
polymer
Cross-linked polymer has higher
chemical etch resistance.
Unexposed part will be dissolved in
development solution.
 Positive Photoresist

Novolac resin polymer

Acetate type solvents
Sensitizer cross-linked within the resin
Energy from the light dissociates the
sensitizer and breaks down the cross-
links
Exposed part dissolve in developer
solution
Image the same that on the mask
Higher resolution
Commonly used in IC fabs
 Positive Photoresists
Photoresist
Substrate

UV light
Mask/reticle

Photoresist
Exposure
Substrate

Substrate After
Positive Development
Photoresist
Substrate
 Disadvantages of Negative
Photoresist

Polymer absorbs the development

solvent
Poor resolution due to PR swelling
Environmental and safety issues
due to the main solvents xylene.