1. Field of the Invention
The general inventive concept relates to an exposure apparatus, an exposure method and a blind for the exposure apparatus, and more particularly to an exposure apparatus, an exposure method and a blind for the exposure apparatus with improved reliability of an exposure process.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a semiconductor device is fabricated through a plurality of processes such as an ion implantation process, a deposition process, a diffusion process and a photolithography process, for example. Among these processes, the photolithography process is typically performed to form a predetermined pattern on a substrate.
The photolithography process typically includes a coating process for coating a photoresist solution on a substrate, a baking process for hardening the coated photoresist solution to form a photoresist film, an exposure process for transferring a pattern of a mask to the photoresist film, and a developing process for forming a photoresist pattern using the mask pattern.
The exposure process is a process for optically reducing and transferring a pattern of a mask on a substrate with a photoresist film formed thereon using an optical system to form an optical path. The exposure process is performed using an exposure apparatus, e.g., a scanner.
Recently, the price of the mask used in the exposure process increases geometrically due to the increased size of the substrate, and a bending phenomenon of the mask or the like occurs.
Accordingly, an exposure apparatus using a plurality of small masks during the exposure of the substrate (so-called small mask exposure apparatus) has been proposed. The small mask exposure apparatus may provide many advantages such as mask cost reduction, reduction of the bending phenomenon of the mask, and accuracy of alignment.
In the small mask exposure apparatus, however, the operation of the blind performing a light blocking function causes a difference in the amount of exposure, thereby generating stains on the entire surface of the substrate. Although the blind stains may be invisible in a transmission mode, it is difficult to distinguish the blind stains from other stains, e.g., coating stains, foreign substance stains or the like. Accordingly, it may cause determination errors in the panel inspection. Further, the blind stains may be visible in the panel operation, thereby substantially reducing reliability of exposure.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds