The semiconductor integrated circuit (IC) industry has experienced rapid growth. Technological advances in IC materials and design have produced generations of ICs where each generation has smaller and more complex circuits than the previous generation. However, these advances have increased the complexity of processing and manufacturing ICs and, for these advances to be realized, similar developments in IC processing and manufacturing are needed. In the course of IC evolution, functional density (i.e., the number of interconnected devices per chip area) has generally increased while geometry size (i.e., the smallest component (or line) that can be created using a fabrication process) has decreased.
To achieve the shrinking geometry sizes, advanced lithography processes have been developed. During the lithography process, a general purpose (GP) nozzle is used to dispense a developer solution on a semiconductor wafer. Over time, the tip of the GP nozzle may have a buildup of water drop or water residue, which can adversely affect the intended operation of the GP nozzle. Consequently, semiconductor fabrication performance may be degraded.
Therefore, while existing lithography processes have been generally adequate for their intended purposes, they are not entirely satisfactory in every aspect.