IP Library Granted Patent US 12704779
Granted Patent B2
US 12704779 · App. 18/184,141 · Granted Aug 11, 2026

Substrate treatment method, storage medium, and substrate treatment apparatus

Inventor: Takashi Yamauchi (Koshi City, JP)
Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
G03F7/0035G03F7/168G03F7/2041H10P72/3304
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12704779
App. No.
18/184,141
Granted
Aug 11, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A substrate treatment method performs a treatment for forming a pattern of a metal-containing resist on a substrate. The method includes changing an acid concentration in a substrate existence space where the substrate exists in a substrate treatment apparatus before a developing treatment of a film of the metal-containing resist.

Claims (37)

1 . A substrate treatment method of performing a treatment for forming a pattern of a metal-containing resist on a substrate, the substrate treatment method comprising

increasing an acid concentration in a substrate existence space where the substrate exists in a substrate treatment apparatus during a period after an exposure treatment on a film of the metal-containing resist and before transferring into a part for performing a post exposure bake treatment.

2 . The substrate treatment method according to claim 1 , wherein:

the substrate existence space includes:

a treatment space where a predetermined treatment is performed on the substrate; and

a transfer space where a transfer mechanism configured to transfer the substrate to the treatment space is provided; and

the acid concentration in the treatment space is increased, when the acid concentration in the substrate existence space is changed; and

the acid concentration in the transfer space is maintained equal to or lower than a minimum acid concentration in the treatment space by feeding air with an adjusted acid concentration.

3 . The substrate treatment method according to claim 2 , wherein:

the acid concentration of the air is adjusted by a collection component that collects acidic fluid.

4 . The substrate treatment method according to claim 1 , wherein

the acid concentration in the substrate existence space is increased between a formation of the film of the metal-containing resist and an exposure treatment on the film.

5 . The substrate treatment method according to claim 1 , wherein

the acid concentration in the substrate existence space is increased between an exposure treatment on the film of the metal-containing resist and a post exposure bake treatment.

6 . The substrate treatment method according to claim 1 , wherein

the acid concentration in the substrate existence space is increased between a post exposure bake treatment and the exposure treatment.

7 . The substrate treatment method according to claim 1 , wherein

the acid concentration in the substrate existence space is increased between transfer of the substrate to an inside of the substrate treatment apparatus and a formation of the film of the metal-containing resist.

8 . The substrate treatment method according to claim 1 , wherein

the acid concentration in the substrate existence space is increased in each of a plurality of periods included before the exposure treatment.

9 . The substrate treatment method according to claim 8 , wherein the plurality of periods are before the post exposure bake treatment and after the post exposure bake treatment.

10 . A substrate treatment apparatus for performing a treatment for forming a pattern of a metal-containing resist on a substrate, the substrate treatment apparatus comprising

an acid concentration change part configured to increase an acid concentration in a substrate existence space where the substrate exists in the substrate treatment apparatus during a period after an exposure treatment on a film of the metal-containing resist and before transferring into a part for performing a post exposure bake treatment.

11 . The substrate treatment apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein:

the substrate existence space includes:

a treatment space where a predetermined treatment is performed on the substrate; and

a transfer space where a transfer mechanism configured to transfer the substrate to the treatment space is provided; and

the acid concentration change part increases the acid concentration in the treatment space when changing the acid concentration in the substrate existence space; and

the acid concentration in the transfer space is maintained equal to or lower than a minimum acid concentration in the treatment space by feeding air with an adjusted acid concentration.

12 . The substrate treatment apparatus according to claim 11 , further comprising:

a collection component that collects acidic fluid, wherein the acid concentration of the air is adjusted by the collection component.

13 . The substrate treatment apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein

the acid concentration change part increases the acid concentration in the substrate existence space in each of a plurality of periods included before the exposure treatment.

14 . A substrate treatment method of performing a treatment for forming a pattern of a metal-containing resist on a substrate, the substrate treatment method comprising

increasing an acid concentration in a substrate existence space where the substrate exists in a substrate treatment apparatus during a period after transferring out from a part for performing a post exposure bake treatment and before a developing treatment of a film of the metal-containing resist.

15 . A substrate treatment apparatus for performing a treatment for forming a pattern of a metal-containing resist on a substrate, the substrate treatment apparatus comprising

an acid concentration change part configured to increase an acid concentration in a substrate existence space where the substrate exists in the substrate treatment apparatus during a period after transferring out from a part for performing a post exposure bake treatment and before a developing treatment of a film of the metal-containing resist.