JP2002372789A - Exposure device and exposure method using the same - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an exposure device and exposure method with which the detection and removal of the dust on both front and rear surfaces of a substrate coated with a photoresist can be performed without degrading productivity, the occurrence of a defective substrate requiring regeneration treatment in photoresist patterns can be reduced and the yield in pattern formation can be improved. SOLUTION: The substrate 7 is conveyed to a dust detecting mechanism section 10 before undergoing exposure processing and both surfaces of the substrate are simultaneously irradiated with belt-like light 15 emitted from light exit ports 13 installed on both the front and rear sides of the substrate 7. The pickup of the dust on both the front and rear surfaces of the substrate 7 is then simultaneously detected. The substrate 7 with which the dust is detected is conveyed to a dust removing mechanism section 20 where the dust is blown off by an ion high-pressure gaseous stream and the blown off dust is sucked and discharged from a discharge port 22, by which both the front and rear surfaces of the substrate are simultaneously subjected to the dust removal treatment.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an exposure apparatus used for forming an array pattern on an array substrate constituting a liquid crystal display device, for example, and an exposure method using the exposure apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An exposure apparatus is a transfer apparatus for transferring a pattern on a reticle to a photoresist applied to a substrate such as a glass substrate. When dust adheres to the photoresist, light is shielded by the dust. If the portion to be exposed is not exposed and the photoresist pattern is defective, and dust adheres to the back surface of the substrate, the dust locally lowers the flatness of the substrate and causes defocus. To cause defects in the photoresist pattern on the surface. Conventionally, in the manufacture of an array substrate that constitutes a liquid crystal display device, a glass substrate coated with a photoresist for forming an array pattern is transported to an exposure apparatus without inspecting the presence or absence of dust on the front and back, and exposure processing is performed. Had been given.

[0003]

Conventionally, when performing exposure processing on a photoresist-coated substrate, dust is not detected on the front and back of the photoresist-coated substrate. If the photoresist is adhered, the dust causes a defect in the photoresist pattern. These defects in the photoresist pattern are recognized only after the photoresist is exposed and developed, and it is impossible to prevent the occurrence beforehand. The defective substrate is produced by reprocessing (resist stripping, resist coating, exposure, and development) of the defective substrate. There is a problem that the performance is lowered and the yield in pattern formation is lowered. Further, when the substrate to which the dust adheres is transported to the exposure processing unit, and the dust attached to the substrate separates from the substrate and adheres to the substrate holding unit that holds the substrate when performing the exposure process,
There has been a problem that a photoresist pattern may be defective on a subsequent substrate, and the number of defective substrates may be increased.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 61-208051 discloses a method of detecting dust on a substrate (wafer) holding table of an exposure apparatus by scanning a laser beam or the like. However, when the present invention is applied to the array substrate, there is a problem in that the size of the array substrate is large, the inspection requires time, and the processing tact time is reduced.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and it is possible to detect and remove dust on both front and back surfaces of a photoresist-coated substrate without reducing productivity. It is another object of the present invention to provide an exposure apparatus and an exposure method capable of reducing the occurrence of defective substrates requiring a regenerating process in a photoresist pattern and improving the yield in pattern formation.

[0006]

An exposure apparatus according to the present invention for projecting a pattern on a reticle onto a photoresist applied to a substrate, removes dust adhering to the photoresist-coated substrate before exposure processing. It is provided with a dust detection mechanism for simultaneously detecting both the front and back surfaces. In addition, a dust removal mechanism is provided for simultaneously removing dust detected by the dust detection mechanism on the front and back surfaces of the substrate. In addition, the dust detection mechanism is configured to generate an alarm when dust on the substrate is not removed by repeating the dust removal operation in the dust removal mechanism for a predetermined number of times.

[0007] The dust detection mechanism includes a light exit port for emitting a band-shaped light beam having a width capable of scanning the entire surface of the substrate by transporting the substrate once in one direction; A light-receiving sensor for receiving light reflected on the front or back surface of the substrate; and a light-emitting port and a light-receiving sensor for detecting the dust on both the front and back surfaces of the substrate at the same time. It is provided on both sides. The dust removal mechanism is
An ionic high-pressure gas flow outlet for discharging the ionized high-pressure substrate flow toward the substrate to which dust adheres, and an outlet for sucking and discharging dust blown off from the substrate; Are provided on both the front and back sides of the board to be conveyed so that dust can be removed from both sides of the board at the same time.

In order to project a pattern on a reticle onto a photoresist applied to a substrate according to the present invention,
An exposure method for exposing a photoresist on a substrate through a reticle is a process of simultaneously and automatically detecting dust adhering to the photoresist-coated substrate on both front and back surfaces of the substrate before performing exposure processing. And a step of simultaneously and automatically removing the dust detected in the detection step on both the front and back surfaces of the substrate, and a step of transporting the substrate on which the removal of the attached dust has been confirmed to the exposure stage.

[0009]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiment 1 Hereinafter, an exposure apparatus and an exposure method according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram for explaining an exposure apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a dust detection mechanism and a dust removal mechanism provided in the exposure apparatus according to Embodiment 1, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the dust detection mechanism of FIG. 2, and FIG. 4 is a side view showing the dust removal mechanism of FIG.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes an exposure apparatus, 2 denotes an exposure stage of the exposure apparatus 1, 3 denotes a substrate loading section to the exposure apparatus 1,
Is an installation portion of the dust detection mechanism and the dust removal mechanism, 5 and 6 are transfer arms, and 7 is a substrate. Reference numeral 10 denotes a dust detection mechanism, a light source 11 that emits light having a wavelength that does not expose the photoresist, such as an LED light source or a lamp light source, an optical fiber 12 that guides light emitted from the light source 11 to a light emission port 13,
And a light receiving sensor 14 that receives light emitted from the light emitting port 13 and reflected on the front surface or the back surface of the substrate 7. Reference numeral 15 denotes a band-like light for dust detection, which is applied to the substrate 7 from the light exit 13. Reference numeral 20 denotes a dust removing mechanism, which is an ion high-pressure gas flow injection port 21 and a discharge port 2 for sucking and discharging dust blown off from the substrate 7 by the high-pressure gas flow jetted from the ion high-pressure gas flow injection port 21.
2

A denotes the direction in which the substrate 7 is transported in the dust detection mechanism 10 and the dust removal mechanism 20, and 8 denotes a direction in which the end of the substrate 7 is transported in the dust detection mechanism 10 and the dust removal mechanism 20. Arm. The light emitting port 13 and the light receiving sensor 14 of the dust detecting mechanism 10 and the ion high pressure gas flow jetting port 21 and the discharging port 22 of the dust removing mechanism 20 detect and remove dust on the front and back surfaces of the substrate 7. Since they are performed simultaneously, they are provided on both the front and back sides of the substrate 7 to be transported.

Next, an exposure process using the exposure apparatus according to the present embodiment will be described. First, after the completion of the preceding process, the substrate 7 carried into the substrate carrying-in section 3 of the exposure apparatus 1 is carried by the carrying arm 5 to the dust detection mechanism 10. next,
The substrate 7 conveyed to the dust detection mechanism 10 is conveyed while being supported by the arm 8 while the light emission port 13 and the light receiving sensor 14 are provided on both sides, so that light is emitted from both surfaces of the substrate 7. By scanning with the band-like light 15 emitted from the opening 13 and detecting the reflected light by the light receiving sensors 14 provided on both sides of the substrate 7, the presence or absence of dust on the front surface and the rear surface of the substrate 7 is simultaneously inspected.

The band-like light 15 has the same spread as the length of the substrate 7 in a direction perpendicular to the direction of travel of the substrate 7,
The entire surface of the substrate 7 can be scanned by transporting once in one direction between the light emitting ports 13 provided on both sides. In the manufacture of a liquid crystal display device, the size of dust which is a problem in a photoresist exposure step for forming a pattern is one.
Since the diameter is 0 μm or more, it is possible to detect a foreign matter which becomes a problem in the photoresist exposure step even by using the simple detection mechanism described above.

Next, the substrate 7 from which dust is detected by the dust detection mechanism 10 is transported to the dust removal mechanism 20.
The substrate 7 from which no dust is detected by the dust detection mechanism 10 is transferred to the exposure stage 2 by the transfer arm 6 and subjected to exposure processing. The substrate 7 to which the dust conveyed to the dust removing mechanism unit 20 adheres is supported by the arm 8 while the ionic high-pressure gas flow injection port 21 and the discharge port 22 are provided on both sides, and the ionic high-pressure gas flow injection port is provided. The dust on the substrate 7 is conveyed toward the ionized high-pressure gas flow spouted from 21, so that the electrostatic adhesion is alleviated by neutralization of static electricity, and the dust is blown off. Dust blown off to discharge
It is sucked and discharged from 2.

Next, the substrate 7 on which the dust removal operation has been completed in the dust removal mechanism section 20 is transported again to the dust detection mechanism section 10 to check for the presence or absence of dust in order to confirm the state of dust removal. The substrate 7 from which no dust is detected is transferred to the exposure stage 2 by the transfer arm 6 and subjected to exposure processing, and the substrate 7 from which dust is detected is again transferred to the dust removing mechanism 20 to remove the dust. Is repeated.
It should be noted that an alarm is issued for the substrate 7 on which the dust removal on the substrate 7 is not completed even after the dust removal operation in the dust removal mechanism 20 is repeated a preset number of times, so that the substrate 7 is carried out. Constitute.

According to the present embodiment, the substrate 7 to be subjected to the exposure processing is transported to the dust detection mechanism 10 before the substrate 7 is transported to the exposure stage 2 of the exposure apparatus 1, and the surface of the substrate 7 is By simultaneously irradiating the belt-like light 15 on the back and the back, the dust adhering to the front and back surfaces of the substrate 7 can be efficiently detected, and the substrate 7 on which the dust is detected is removed by the dust removal mechanism unit 20.
, And subjected to dust removal processing, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of defects in the photoresist pattern due to the adhesion of dust.

[0017]

As described above, according to the present invention, the dust adhering to the photoresist-coated substrate is simultaneously detected on both the front and back surfaces of the substrate before performing the exposure processing, thereby making it possible to detect the dust on the substrate. Can efficiently detect dust and prevent the occurrence of pattern defects due to dust.

In addition, by simultaneously removing the detected dust on both the front and back surfaces of the substrate, the dust on the substrate can be efficiently removed, and the occurrence of defective substrates that require a regenerating process in the photoresist pattern is generated. Can be reduced,
In addition, the yield in pattern formation can be improved.

If dust on the substrate cannot be removed even after the dust removal operation is repeated a predetermined number of times, an alarm is issued, and productivity is increased by repeating unnecessary removal processing for defects that cannot be removed. Drop can be prevented.

Further, by using a belt-like light having a spread corresponding to the substrate size for the dust detection mechanism, the time required for dust detection can be shortened, and a decrease in productivity due to dust detection can be prevented.

In addition, by using an ionized high-pressure substrate flow for the dust removing mechanism, the electrostatic adhesion of the attached dust can be eased and easily blown off. By providing the outlet, re-adhesion of the blown dust can be prevented.

Further, by removing dust adhering to the photoresist-coated substrate before performing exposure processing on the substrate, and transporting the substrate from which the dust has been removed to an exposure stage,
Since no dust is brought into the exposure processing unit, it is possible to prevent the number of defective substrates from occurring due to dust adhering to the exposure processing unit and causing defects in subsequent substrates.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram for explaining an exposure apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a dust detection mechanism and a dust removal mechanism provided in the exposure apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a dust detection mechanism provided in the exposure apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a dust removing mechanism provided in the exposure apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 exposure apparatus, 2 exposure stage, 3 substrate loading section, 4
Installation part of dust detection mechanism and dust removal mechanism, 5 transfer arm, 6 transfer arm, 7 substrate, 8 arm 10 Dust detection mechanism, 11 light source, 12 optical fiber, 13 light emission port 13, 14 light receiving sensor, 15 Strip-shaped light, 20 dust removing mechanism, 21 ion high pressure gas flow injection port, 22 discharge port.

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. An exposure apparatus for projecting a pattern on a reticle onto a photoresist applied to a substrate, wherein dust adhering to the photoresist-coated substrate before exposure processing is simultaneously applied to both front and back surfaces of the substrate. An exposure apparatus comprising a dust detection mechanism for detecting. 2. The exposure apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a dust removing mechanism for simultaneously removing dust detected by the dust detecting mechanism on both front and back surfaces of the substrate. 3. The dust detection mechanism is configured to generate an alarm when dust on the substrate is not removed by repeating the dust removal operation in the dust removal mechanism a predetermined number of times. The exposure apparatus according to claim 2, wherein: 4. A light emission port for emitting a band-like light having a spread capable of scanning the entire surface of the substrate by transporting the substrate once in one direction, the dust detection mechanism unit;
A light-receiving sensor that receives reflected light emitted from the light-emitting opening and reflected on the front surface or the back surface of the substrate; 2. The exposure apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the exposure apparatus is provided on each of the front and back sides of the substrate to be conveyed so as to be able to detect the position. 5. A dust removing mechanism comprising: an ion high-pressure gas flow jet for jetting a high-pressure substrate stream ionized toward a substrate to which dust is attached; and an exhaust port for sucking and discharging dust blown off from the substrate. The ion high-pressure gas flow injection port and the discharge port are disposed on both the front and back sides of the conveyed substrate so that dust can be simultaneously removed from the front and back sides of the substrate. The exposure apparatus according to claim 2, wherein: 6. An exposure method for exposing a photoresist on a substrate through the reticle to project a pattern on the reticle onto the photoresist applied to the substrate, wherein the photoresist is coated before the exposure processing. Simultaneously and automatically detecting dust adhering to the substrate on the front and back surfaces of the substrate, and automatically and automatically removing the dust detected in the detection process on the front and back surfaces of the substrate And a step of transporting the substrate on which removal of attached dust has been confirmed to an exposure stage.