JP2000012430A - Treatment solution supplying device and solution treating device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent the smell of treatment solution from leaking, while finding the quantity of treatment liquid to be actually supplied by weighing the treatment solution inside a device. SOLUTION: In a treatment solution supplying device for supplying photoresist solution from a supply nozzle 7 to a wafer W supported by a spin chuck 1 and a surrounded by a scattering preventing cup 9 on the side, this device is provided with an electronic weighing device 21 for measuring the weight of a photoresist solution supplied from the supply nozzle 7 to the wafer W for each wafer W. Before and after supplying the photoresist liquid to the wafer W, the wafer W is raised by an elevating pin 13, the weight is measured by the electronic weighing device 21, and the quantity of photoresist liquid to be supplied is found by arithmetic.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a semiconductor wafer, a glass substrate for a photomask, a glass substrate for a liquid crystal display, and a substrate for an optical disk (hereinafter simply referred to as a substrate). The present invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus including a processing liquid supply device that supplies a processing liquid such as a processing liquid and a processing liquid supply unit that supplies a processing liquid to a substrate.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a conventional processing liquid supply apparatus of this kind,
For example, there is a substrate coating apparatus that supplies a photoresist solution to a substrate.

In this apparatus, a photoresist liquid is supplied from a supply nozzle to a substrate which is supported in a horizontal posture by a spin chuck and is laterally surrounded by a scattering prevention cup.
The photoresist solution is spread over the entire surface of the substrate, and the excess photoresist solution is shaken off to form a photoresist film having a constant thickness.

Meanwhile, it is important to control the amount of the photoresist liquid supplied from the supply nozzle and used for one substrate from the viewpoint of production control. Therefore, for example, in a state where the supply nozzle is moved to a standby position separated to the side of the substrate before processing the substrate, the photoresist liquid is discharged for a supply time specified in the coating processing program, and the photoresist liquid is discharged to a measuring cylinder or the like. After taking it out of the apparatus and taking it out of the apparatus, the amount actually supplied to the substrate is measured. If the measured amount deviates from the prescribed amount, the supply system for supplying the photoresist liquid to the supply nozzle is adjusted.

[0005]

However, the prior art having such a structure has the following problems. That is, since the graduated cylinder or the like from which the photoresist solution is taken is taken out of the scattered prevention cup of the exhausted substrate coating apparatus or the standby position of the supply nozzle, the odor caused by the organic solvent contained in the photoresist solution is taken out. Leaks to the surroundings.

The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and by measuring the processing liquid inside the apparatus, it is possible to obtain the actual supply amount of the processing liquid while obtaining the actual processing liquid supply amount. An object of the present invention is to provide a processing liquid supply device and a substrate processing device that can prevent odor leakage.

[0007]

The present invention has the following configuration in order to achieve the above object. That is, the treatment liquid supply device according to claim 1 is a treatment liquid supply device that supplies a treatment liquid from the treatment liquid supply unit to a substrate that is supported by the rotation support unit and is laterally surrounded by the scattering prevention cup. And weighing means for measuring the weight of the processing liquid supplied to the substrate from the processing liquid supply means together with the substrate.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided the processing liquid supply apparatus according to the first aspect, further comprising an elevating pin for raising and lowering the substrate with respect to the rotation support means, and The means is characterized in that the weight of the processing liquid is measured together with the substrate and the lifting pins while the substrate is raised with respect to the rotation support means by the lifting pins.

Further, the substrate processing apparatus according to claim 3 is
A substrate processing apparatus, comprising: a processing liquid supply unit configured to supply a processing liquid from a processing liquid supply unit to a substrate supported by a rotation support unit; and a substrate transport unit configured to transport a substrate to the processing liquid supply unit. In the method, a weighing unit for measuring the weight is provided, and the substrate to which the processing liquid is supplied by the processing liquid supply unit is transported to the weighing unit by the substrate transport means, and the weight of the processing liquid is measured together with the substrate. It is characterized by having made it.

[0010]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the processing liquid is supplied from the processing liquid supply means to the substrate which is supported by the rotation support means and is laterally surrounded by the scattering prevention cup. Because the weight is measured by the weighing means for each substrate whose weight is known, the weight of the processing liquid actually supplied in the scattering prevention cup which is usually exhausted is taken out without taking the processing liquid out of the apparatus. You can ask. In addition,
If the weight can be obtained, the supply amount can be easily obtained.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the substrate to which the processing liquid is supplied from the processing liquid supply means is lifted with respect to the rotary support means by the lifting pins, and the weight of the substrate and the lifting pins is known together with the weight. Since the weighing is performed by the means, after the supply of the processing liquid from the processing liquid supply means is completed, the lifting pin is raised to quickly obtain the weight of the processing liquid.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, after the processing liquid is supplied from the processing liquid supply unit to the substrate supported by the rotation support means by the processing liquid supply unit, the substrate is transferred by the substrate transfer unit. Since the substrate is transported to the weighing unit and the weight is measured for each substrate with a known weight, the processing liquid actually supplied in the unit that is normally exhausted without taking the processing liquid out of the apparatus Weight can be determined.

[0013]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. <Substrate Coating Apparatus> FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a substrate coating apparatus which is an example of a processing liquid supply apparatus according to the present invention.

The substrate W is suction-held in a horizontal posture by, for example, a vacuum chuck-type spin chuck 1. The rotating shaft 3 is fitted in the center of the lower surface of the spin chuck 1, and is rotated around the vertical axis by the electric motor 5 together with the rotating shaft 3. In addition, a scattering prevention cup 9 for preventing the photoresist liquid, which is the processing liquid supplied from the supply nozzle 7 to the substrate W, from scattering to the surroundings is provided around the periphery.
The inside of the scattering prevention cup 9 is exhausted from an exhaust pipe 10 at the bottom thereof. The supply nozzle 7 is configured to be movable between a supply position indicated by a solid line in the drawing and a standby position indicated by a dotted line, and a photoresist liquid is supplied from a coating liquid supply mechanism 11. . In addition, the above-mentioned spin chuck 1 corresponds to the rotation support means of the present invention,
The supply nozzle 7 corresponds to a processing liquid supply unit.

A substrate elevating mechanism 13 for transferring a substrate W to and from a substrate transport mechanism (not shown) is provided below the scattering prevention cup 9. This substrate lifting mechanism 13
A drive unit 15 having an operating shaft 15a that moves forward and backward in the vertical direction
And an annular base member 17 that is raised and lowered by the drive unit 15, and three lifting pins 19 (only two shown) standing upright on the base member 17. The substrate lifting / lowering mechanism 13 includes a driving unit 15 composed of an air cylinder.
Actuates to extend the operating shaft 15a upward, raises the base member 17, and causes the elevating pin 19 to protrude above the scattering prevention cup 9 (two-dot chain line in the figure). Conversely, by deactivating the drive unit 15, the operating shaft 15a is contracted, and the elevating pin 19 is retracted into the scattering prevention cup 9.

An electronic weighing device 21 corresponding to weighing means is disposed between the lower left surface of the base member 17 and the operating shaft 15a of the drive unit 15. In the electronic weighing device 21, the movable part is fixed at the time of elevating and lowering by the drive unit 15 and at the time of transferring the substrate W, and at the ascending position, the fixing of the movable part is released. An object to be measured (the substrate W or the photoresist liquid) is weighed together with the pins 19. The weighing result is provided to the control unit 27 which controls the supply of the photoresist liquid from the coating liquid supply mechanism 11 and the lifting and lowering of the lifting pins 19 by the driving unit 15.

The control unit 27 comprises a CPU (not shown) and a memory storing a processing program and the like. The control unit 27 determines the supply amount of the photoresist liquid based on the weighing result given from the electronic weighing device 21. Calculation unit 29 is connected. Further, a display unit 31 for displaying the contents of the processing program, displaying the supply amount of the photoresist liquid obtained as described later, and displaying an alarm or the like in accordance therewith is connected to the control unit 27. I have.

Next, the process of measuring the supply amount of the photoresist liquid in the substrate coating apparatus configured as described above will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

Step S1 (Place the substrate) The control section 27 causes the drive section 15 to extend while the supply nozzle 7 is moved to the standby position indicated by the dotted line in FIG. 1, and raises the operation shaft 15a. As a result, the elevating pin 19 projects above the scattering prevention cup 9, and a state shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 1 is obtained. In this state, a substrate transport mechanism (not shown) is controlled, and the substrate W (generally, a dummy substrate different from the product substrate) is carried in and placed on the elevating pins 19.

Step S2 (Initial Weight Measurement) First, the control unit 27 releases the fixation of the movable part of the electronic weighing device 21 and, before supplying the photoresist liquid, together with the base member 17 and the elevating pins 19, etc. Weigh the initial weight. This initial weight is provided to the calculation unit 29 via the control unit 27.

Step S3 (Supply of Photoresist Liquid) After the movable part of the electronic weighing device 21 is locked, the driving unit 1
The substrate W is sucked and held by the spin chuck 1 by lowering the elevating pin 19 by contracting the substrate 5. Then, after moving the supply nozzle 7 to the supply position shown by the solid line in FIG. 1, the coating liquid supply mechanism 11 is operated according to the supply time specified in the processing program without driving the electric motor 5, and the photoresist liquid is operated. Is supplied to the substrate W. After the supply is completed,
The supply nozzle 7 is returned to the standby position.

Step S4 (Measurement of Weight After Supply) The control unit 27 releases the suction operation of the spin chuck 1 and extends the drive unit 15 to move the lifting pin 19 to the raised position. Then, the lock of the movable portion of the electronic weighing device 21 is released, and the supplied weight including the supplied photoresist liquid, the substrate W, the base member 17, and the elevating pins 19 is weighed. The weighed post-supply weight is stored in the control unit 2.
7 to the arithmetic unit 29.

Step S5 (Determine Supply Amount) The calculation unit 29 determines the weight of the photoresist liquid supplied to the substrate W from the initial weight and the weight after supply. Further, the supply amount of the photoresist liquid is determined based on the weight and the physical quantity corresponding to the type of the photoresist liquid. The supply amount obtained in this way is, for example, the display unit 31
Will be displayed. If the supply amount is different from the supply amount intended in the processing program, the fact is displayed on the display unit 31. If the supply amount is significantly different, the fact is displayed on the display unit 31 and an alarm is issued. It may be. In such a case, the operator may adjust the application liquid supply mechanism 11 and the like so that the intended supply amount is obtained.

Step S6 (Removal of Photoresist Solution) The control section 27 causes the drive section 15 to contract and operate to
The substrate W to which the photoresist liquid has been supplied is sucked and held by the spin chuck 1. Then, a solvent is supplied from a solvent supply nozzle (not shown) while rotating the substrate W by the electric motor 5 to dissolve and remove the photoresist liquid on the surface of the substrate W.

Step S7 (Unloading of Substrate) After the rotation of the substrate W is stopped, the driving unit 15 is extended to move the substrate W to the ascending position, and the substrate W is unloaded by a substrate transport mechanism (not shown).

In step S5, when the actual supply amount of the photoresist liquid is normal, after step S7, the product substrate is carried in and the coating process is sequentially performed by a normal coating process program.

As described above, since the weight of the photoresist liquid supplied to the substrate W is measured together with the known weight of the substrate W inside the substrate coating apparatus, the photoresist liquid is taken out of the apparatus. The weight of the photoresist liquid actually supplied can be obtained without the need. Therefore, the actual supply amount of the photoresist liquid can be obtained based on this, and the odor of the photoresist liquid can be prevented from leaking.

Further, after the supply of the photoresist liquid from the supply nozzle 7 is completed, the weight of the photoresist liquid can be obtained by raising the elevating pins 19 without moving the substrate W to another apparatus. The weight of the photoresist solution can be quickly obtained.

In the above embodiment, the base member 17
The weight of the electronic weighing device 21 is set to the weight zero point, and the total weight of the substrate W and the photoresist liquid alone is weighed. You may.

In the above description, the supply amount is measured for the dummy substrate, and if the supply amount is normal, the product substrate is processed instead of the dummy substrate. Is also good.

That is, the product substrate W is placed at the position where the lifting pins 19 are raised, and the supply of the photoresist liquid from the supply nozzle 7 is started based on the application processing program.
Then, the weighing result is sequentially obtained, and the supply is stopped when the weighing result matches the intended supply amount. Next, the product substrate W is sucked and held on the spin chuck 1 by lowering the elevating pins 19, and then the product substrate W is rotated to form a photoresist film on the product substrate W surface. According to this, the supply amount of the photoresist liquid can be made to exactly match the amount intended by the coating processing program.

Although the electronic weighing device 21 is arranged between the drive unit 15 and the base member 17 in the above-described embodiment, a load cell 33 is provided on the base member 17 instead of the electronic weighing device 21. You may do so. In this case, as shown in FIG. 3, in order to reduce the weight on the load cell 33 and increase the ratio of the weight of the photoresist liquid to the total weight to be measured to improve the measurement accuracy, as shown in FIG. It is preferable that the load cell 33 is embedded in the base member 17.

As an example, FIG. 4 (a partially enlarged view of FIG. 3)
As shown in (1), a load cell 33 having a shape of a sensing portion having a straight beam shape is embedded in the base member 17. The elevating pins 19 are erected on the upper surface of the central portion of the beam portion 35, and strain gauges 37 (37a to 37d) are fixed to both surfaces of the beam portion 35. Then, using the respective strain gauges 37a to 37d as resistors of the bridge circuit, the controller 27 may detect a displacement current when the beam portion 35 is displaced as indicated by a two-dot chain line.

Further, the present invention is not limited to a substrate coating apparatus for supplying a photoresist liquid to perform a coating process. The present invention is also applicable to a substrate developing apparatus that performs paddle development while maintaining this state for a certain period of time.

<Substrate Processing Apparatus> FIG. 5 is a plan view showing a schematic configuration of a substrate processing apparatus according to the present invention.

The cassette C is for stacking and storing a plurality of substrates W, and the interface unit IF is for transporting the substrates W between the cassette C and the substrate transport robot 50. The substrate transfer robot 50 is configured to be rotatable, vertically movable and movable in the horizontal direction (the left-right direction in FIG. 5), and a substrate coating unit SC for forming a photoresist film on the substrate W; A substrate developing unit SD for developing the resist film, a weighing unit MU for measuring an actual supply amount of the photoresist liquid supplied by the substrate coating unit SC, and a soft bake or a hard bake for heating the substrate W Hop rate H
The substrate W is transported between P and a cool plate CP for cooling the substrate W.

The above-mentioned substrate coating unit SC corresponds to the processing liquid supply unit of the present invention, and the specific configuration is that of the above-mentioned <substrate coating apparatus> Lifting mechanism 13, electronic weighing device 2
1 is excluded.

The weighing unit MU is configured as shown in FIG. That is, the electronic weighing device 63 is evacuated from below and placed in the container 61 having the substrate transfer robot 50 side opened.
Is deployed. On the upper part of the electronic weighing device 63,
A base member 65 having a substantially circular shape in a plan view is attached, and three support pins 67 are erected on a circumferential portion of the base member 65. When the substrate W is placed on the support pins 67 by the substrate transfer robot 50, the electronic weighing device 63 measures the weight of the photoresist liquid together with the substrate W. In addition, the weighing unit MU includes a post-natal part 27 of the above-described substrate coating apparatus,
It has the same components as the calculation unit 29 and the display unit 31. The measured weight is provided to the calculation unit 29 via the control unit 27 as in the above-described substrate coating apparatus, and the supply amount is determined.

Next, the supply amount measuring process will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

Step T1 (Initial Weight Measurement) The substrate transfer robot 50
The (dummy) substrate W is received from the cassette C via F and transported to the weighing unit MU. Then, when the substrate W is placed on the support pins 67 of the weighing unit MU, the weight of only the substrate W is measured from the electronic weighing device 63 and given to the control unit 27 as an initial weight.

Step T2 (Supply of photoresist solution) The substrate transfer robot 50 moves the substrate W from the weighing unit MU.
Is taken out and carried into the substrate coating unit SC. In the substrate coating unit SC, the photoresist liquid is supplied to the substrate W according to the supply time specified in the coating processing program.

Step T3 (Measurement of Weight After Supply) The substrate transfer robot 50 transfers the substrate W supplied with the photoresist liquid by the substrate coating unit SC to the weighing unit MU.
Transport to In the weighing unit MU, the electronic weighing device 63
, The total weight of the substrate W and the photoresist liquid is measured and given to the control unit 27 as the post-supply weight.

Step T4 (Determine Supply Amount) The operation part 29 determines the weight of the photoresist liquid supplied to the substrate W from the initial weight and the post-supply weight, and supplies the photoresist liquid based on this. Find the quantity. The supply amount thus obtained is displayed on the display unit 31, for example. Depending on the result, an alarm may be issued. When an alarm is issued, the operator may adjust the coating liquid supply mechanism of the substrate coating unit SC.

Step T5 (Removal of Photoresist Liquid) The substrate transport robot 50 transports the substrate W from the weighing unit MU to the substrate coating unit SC. Substrate coating unit S
In C, a solvent is supplied to dissolve and remove the photoresist liquid on the surface of the substrate W.

In step T4, when the actual supply amount of the photoresist liquid is normal, the product substrate is carried in after step T5, and the coating process is sequentially performed by a normal coating process program.

After the photoresist liquid is supplied by the substrate coating unit SC as described above, the substrate W is transported to the weighing unit MU by the substrate transport robot 50, and the weight of the substrate W is measured. The weight of the photoresist liquid actually supplied can be obtained in the weighing unit MU that is normally exhausted without taking it outside. Therefore, the odor of the photoresist liquid can be prevented from leaking while the actual supply amount of the photoresist liquid can be obtained based on this.

[0047]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the first aspect of the present invention, the weight of the processing liquid supplied to the substrate is measured by the weighing means for each substrate whose weight is known. The weight of the processing liquid actually supplied can be obtained without taking the processing liquid out of the apparatus. Therefore, the actual supply amount of the processing liquid can be obtained based on this, and the odor of the processing liquid can be prevented from leaking.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the weight of the processing liquid can be obtained by raising the lifting pins after the supply of the processing liquid from the processing liquid supply means is completed, so that the processing can be performed quickly. The supply amount of the liquid can be obtained.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, after the processing liquid is supplied by the processing liquid supply unit, the substrate is transported to the weighing unit by the substrate transport means and the weight of the substrate together with the substrate is measured. The weight of the processing liquid actually supplied can be obtained in the unit that is normally evacuated without taking the liquid out of the apparatus. Therefore, the odor of the processing liquid can be prevented from leaking while the actual supply amount of the processing liquid can be obtained based on this.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a substrate coating apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a process of measuring a supply amount of a photoresist liquid.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a modification of the weighing device.

FIG. 4 is a partially enlarged view of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a plan view illustrating a schematic configuration of a substrate processing apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a main part of the weighing unit.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a process of measuring a supply amount of a photoresist liquid.

[Explanation of symbols]

 W ... substrate 1 ... spin chuck 7 ... supply nozzle 9 ... scattering prevention cup 15 ... drive unit 10 ... exhaust pipe 17 ... base member 19 ... elevating pin 21 ... electronic weighing device

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A processing liquid supply apparatus for supplying a processing liquid from a processing liquid supply unit to a substrate supported by a rotation support unit and surrounded on a side by a scattering prevention cup, wherein the processing liquid supply unit supplies the substrate with a processing liquid. A processing liquid supply device, comprising: a weighing means for measuring the weight of the processing liquid supplied thereto together with the substrate. 2. The processing liquid supply device according to claim 1, further comprising an elevating pin for raising and lowering the substrate with respect to the rotation supporting means, wherein the weighing means supports the substrate by the elevating pin. The processing liquid supply device is characterized in that the weight of the processing liquid is measured together with the substrate and the elevating pins while being raised with respect to the means. 3. A processing liquid supply unit for supplying a processing liquid from a processing liquid supply unit to a substrate supported by a rotation support unit, and a substrate transport unit for transporting the substrate to the processing liquid supply unit. In the substrate processing apparatus, a weighing unit for measuring the weight is provided, and the substrate to which the processing liquid is supplied by the processing liquid supply unit is transported to the weighing unit by the substrate transporting unit to reduce the weight of the processing liquid. A substrate processing apparatus characterized in that measurement is performed for each substrate.