METHOD FOR DEVELOPING RESIST AND DEVICE THEREFOR

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enhance the efficiency of utilization of a developer without deteriorating the precision and controllability of development by successively calculating the pH of the developer or value corresponding to the pH from the electric conductivity and absorbance of the developer and keeping it in a prescribed range by control. SOLUTION: Resist films formed on plural substrates and exposed in prescribed patterns are successively developed by circularly feeding an alkali developer. During this development, the electric conductivity and absorbance of the developer are measured and monitored, value shown by the formula A.log(ρ)+B.Ab is successively calculated from the measured values and it is kept in a prescribed range by control. In the formula, ρ is the electric conductivity of the developer, Ab is the absorbance of the developer and A and B are constants. The pH of the developer or value corresponding to the pH can be calculated from the measured electric conductivity and absorbance of the developer and it can be controlled by monitoring the measured values.