The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 05, 2006
Filed:
Sep. 20, 2005
Kiyohisa Tateyama, Kumamoto-Ken, JP;
Masafumi Nomura, Kumamoto-Ken, JP;
Taketora Shinogi, Kumamoto-Ken, JP;
Kiyohisa Tateyama, Kumamoto-Ken, JP;
Masafumi Nomura, Kumamoto-Ken, JP;
Taketora Shinogi, Kumamoto-Ken, JP;
Tokyo Electron Limited, Tokyo-To, JP;
Abstract
In this developing method and apparatus, a concentration measuring unitpicks part of developing fluid in a blending tankto measure the resist concentration by an absorption photometry and feeds the detected resist concentration to a control unit. The control unitcontrols respective valvesof a TMAH concentrate solution, a solvent pipeand a drain pipein a manner that the developing fluid in the blending tankhas a TMAH concentration corresponding to a measured resist-concentration value to accomplish a constant developing rate, performing component control of the developing fluid. The developing fluid transferred from the blending tankto a supply tankis fed to a developer nozzle DN in a developing sectionthrough a developer pipeowing to the drive of a pump. Accordingly, even if the developing fluid is reused in the developing process in multiple times, it is possible to make sure of the uniformity in development.