JP2005185998A - Treating liquid coating device and method for the same - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To uniformly carry out a predetermined treatment over a whole substrate by uniformly and rapidly coating the pre-treated surface of the substrate with a treating liquid and prevent the substrate from damaging. <P>SOLUTION: The pre-treated surface of the substrate 2 is coated with a developing liquid 11 while a developing liquid coating nozzle 9 is moved from the starting position of coating in the opposite direction to the conveying direction of the substrate 2. After the substrate 2 is coated with the developing liquid 11, the coating nozzle 2 moves to the starting position of coating at a speed higher than the conveying speed of the substrate 2, thereby enabling the coating of a next substrate to be coated with the developing liquid 11. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a processing liquid coating apparatus and a processing liquid coating method for coating a substrate with a processing liquid used for performing a predetermined processing.

  Conventionally, for example, in a developing device for developing a resist formed on a substrate and an etching device for etching a film material formed on the substrate, a developer used for performing a developing process And a processing liquid coating apparatus for coating a processing liquid such as an etching liquid used for performing the etching process on the substrate.

  FIG. 4 is a schematic conceptual view showing a developing device as an example of a conventional processing liquid coating apparatus. As shown in FIG. 4, in the developing device 25, a substrate having a resist 26 formed on one surface. 27 is carried from a developing device inlet 28 and is conveyed to a cleaning device 31 for washing away the resist 26 dissolved in response to the developing solution 29 via a developing solution applying device 30 for applying a developing solution 29 to the substrate 27. It has become so.

  A developing solution application nozzle 33 for applying the developing solution 29 onto the resist forming surface of the substrate 27 is fixed so as to face the resist forming surface of the substrate 27 at the downstream portion of the developing device 30 in the transport direction of the substrate 27. Is provided. As shown in FIG. 5, the developer application nozzle 33 is formed to have a width corresponding to the width of the substrate 27, and the developer application nozzle 33 is connected to a central portion in the width direction. A developing solution 29 is supplied from one pipe 34, and the developing solution 29 is always discharged in a curtain form from a slit-like discharge port 35 of the developing solution application nozzle 33. In the developer coating device 30, the substrate 27 is horizontally transported by a substrate transporting means such as a transport belt below the developer coating nozzle 33 that discharges the developer 29 from the discharge port 35, whereby the substrate The developer 29 is applied to the entire surface 27.

  However, according to such a conventional developer application device 30, the developer 29 is applied to the entire surface of the substrate 27 by horizontally transporting the substrate 27 below the fixed developer application nozzle 33. Therefore, there is a difference in the developing time of the resist 26 between the portion where the developer 29 is first applied and the portion where the developer 29 is finally applied on one substrate 27.

  In addition, the developer 29 applied to the substrate 27 partially flows upstream in the transport direction of the substrate 27 due to the surface tension at both ends of the substrate 27 in the width direction, and further, the developer application nozzle In some cases, the developer 29 discharged from 33 scatters to a portion of the resist formation surface of the substrate 27 where the developer 29 is not applied.

  In the above case, there is a difference in the reaction time of the resist 26 with the developing solution 29. As a result, there is a problem that uneven development occurs on the resist forming surface of the substrate 27.

  Furthermore, the width dimension of the conventional developer coating nozzle 33 is formed corresponding to the width dimension of the substrate 27 as described above, and the developer coating nozzle 33 is connected to the central portion in the width direction. The developer is supplied from one pipe 34. For this reason, the developer 29 is first supplied to the central portion inside the developer application nozzle 33, and the developer 29 is supplied to both ends, so that the developer application nozzle 33 discharges from both ends thereof. The amount of the developing solution 29 is small compared to the amount of the developing solution discharged from the central portion. For this reason, in the developer coating apparatus 30, a large amount of developer may be discharged from the central portion of the resist forming surface of the substrate 27.

  In order to solve the above problem, it is conceivable to increase the transport speed of the substrate 27 in the developer coating apparatus 30. However, the transport belt 37 of the developer coating apparatus 30, the developing device inlet 28, and the cleaning device 31 are considered. Each of the conveyor belts 38 and 39 had to be driven separately. Further, when the substrate 27 is transferred from the transfer belt 38 of the developing device inlet 28 to the transfer belt 37 of the developer applying device 30 or when transferred from the transfer belt 37 of the developer applying device 30 to the transfer belt 39 of the cleaning device 31. In addition, the substrate 27 may be damaged, and further, the substrate 27 may be damaged when the substrate 27 is being transported at a high speed in the developer coating apparatus 30.

  The present invention has been made in view of these points, and by applying a treatment liquid uniformly and at high speed to the pretreatment surface of the substrate, the entire substrate can be uniformly treated in a short time, and It is an object of the present invention to provide a processing liquid coating apparatus and a processing liquid coating method capable of preventing damage to a substrate.

  In order to achieve the above object, the processing liquid coating apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention is characterized in that the substrate is transported by including a substrate transporting means for transporting in a horizontal direction a substrate whose one surface is preprocessed. In a processing liquid coating apparatus having a processing liquid coating nozzle that applies a processing liquid for performing a predetermined process on the pretreatment surface of the coating, the processing liquid coating nozzle starts coating of the processing liquid on the substrate. It is provided so that the processing liquid can be applied to the pretreatment surface of the substrate while moving in the direction opposite to the substrate transport direction from the start position.

  The processing liquid coating apparatus according to the second aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, after the processing liquid coating nozzle has applied the processing liquid to the substrate, the coating liquid starts up to the coating start position at a speed faster than the transport speed of the substrate. The treatment liquid is provided so as to be applied to a substrate that moves and is transported next to the substrate.

  The process liquid coating apparatus according to claim 3 is characterized in that the process liquid coating nozzle applies the process liquid to the substrate transported next to the substrate after the process liquid is applied to the substrate. In the meantime, it is provided so that the discharge of the processing liquid can be stopped.

  A feature of the processing liquid coating apparatus according to the fourth aspect of the invention is that the processing liquid coating nozzle is formed to have a width corresponding to the width of the substrate, and the inside of the processing liquid coating nozzle is inside the processing liquid coating nozzle. The partition wall is divided into a central portion and both end portions in the width direction to form a treatment liquid application chamber, and a pipe for supplying the treatment liquid to each treatment liquid application chamber is provided. .

  Furthermore, the feature of the processing liquid coating method according to the invention of claim 5 is that the substrate on which one surface is preprocessed is transported horizontally by the substrate transport means, and the pretreated surface of the substrate to be transported is In the treatment liquid application method for applying a treatment liquid for performing a predetermined treatment by a treatment liquid application nozzle, the treatment liquid application nozzle is moved from the application start position at which application of the treatment liquid to the substrate is started. And moving the processing liquid application nozzle to the application start position at a speed faster than the transport speed of the substrate, while moving in the opposite direction to the pretreatment surface of the substrate, The processing liquid is applied to a substrate transported next to the substrate.

  According to the processing liquid coating apparatus and the processing liquid coating method described in the present invention, the processing liquid coating apparatus transports the substrate horizontally and moves the processing liquid coating nozzle at a high speed in the direction opposite to the substrate transport direction. Since the treatment liquid is applied to the pretreatment surface of the substrate by the treatment liquid application nozzle, the treatment liquid can be applied to the substrate at a high speed.

  Further, by moving the treatment liquid application nozzle in the direction opposite to the substrate conveyance direction, the treatment liquid can be applied to the substrate at high speed without increasing the substrate conveyance speed in the treatment liquid application apparatus. .

  In addition, the interior of the treatment liquid application nozzle is partitioned into a central treatment liquid application chamber and each treatment liquid application chamber at both ends, and individual pipes are connected to each treatment liquid application chamber. By supplying the processing liquid to each processing liquid coating chamber, the processing liquid coating apparatus can uniformly discharge the processing liquid from the discharge port of the processing liquid coating nozzle.

  As described above, according to the treatment liquid coating apparatus and the treatment liquid coating method according to the present invention, the first portion of the pretreatment surface of the substrate to which the treatment liquid is applied and the last portion to which the treatment liquid is applied are formed. The difference in reaction time due to the treatment liquid can be shortened. In addition, since the processing liquid can be applied at high speed, it is possible to reduce that the processing liquid partially flows or scatters to the upstream side in the substrate transport direction. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of a difference in the reaction time due to the processing liquid, to prevent the occurrence of problems due to the predetermined processing such as development unevenness, and to perform the processing uniformly.

  Furthermore, since it is possible to prevent a large amount of processing liquid from being applied to the central portion of the substrate, it is possible to prevent processing unevenness and perform uniform processing over the entire surface of the substrate.

  Further, the processing liquid application nozzle stops the discharge of the processing liquid until the processing liquid is applied to the next transported substrate after the processing liquid has been applied to the substrate. The amount of the processing solution used in can be reduced.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of a treatment liquid coating apparatus and a treatment liquid coating method according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3. Here, in the present embodiment, a developer application apparatus that applies a developer as a treatment liquid will be described. However, the treatment liquid applied using the treatment liquid application apparatus of the present invention is not limited to the developer. For example, it can be used when various treatment liquids such as an etching liquid are applied.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic conceptual view showing a developing device provided with a developing solution coating apparatus according to the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the developing device 1 includes a resist 3 formed on a substrate 2. Development processing is performed.

  The developing device 1 has a developing device inlet portion 5 at the most upstream portion in the transporting direction of the substrate 2 in the developing device 1, and the developing device inlet portion 5 transports a plurality of substrates 2 continuously and horizontally. As a conveyor belt 6.

  The developing device 1 includes a developing solution application device 8 that applies a developing solution to the resist 3 formed on the substrate 2 on the downstream side of the developing device inlet portion 5 in the transport direction of the substrate 2.

  The developer coating apparatus 8 has a transport belt 12 as a substrate transport means for transporting a plurality of substrates 2 transported from the developing device inlet 5 continuously and horizontally, and has a predetermined area above the transport belt 12. Is provided with a developer application nozzle 9 for applying a developer to the resist 3 of the substrate 2 so as to face the resist formation surface of the substrate 2, and a discharge port formed below the developer application nozzle 9. From 10, the developer 11 is discharged.

  In the developer application apparatus 8, the most downstream side in the transport direction of the substrate 2 is the application start position at which application of the developer 11 to the substrate 2 is started, and the developer application nozzle 9 is moved from the application start position to the substrate. After moving in the direction opposite to the conveying direction of 2, the reciprocating movement is possible so as to return to the coating start position at a speed faster than the conveying speed of the substrate 2.

  The developer application nozzle 9 applies the developer 11 to the substrate 2 while moving in the direction opposite to the conveyance direction of the substrate 2 from the application start position, and after applying the developer 11 to the substrate 2, the developer When the substrate 2 is returned to the coating start position at the same speed as the transport speed of the substrate 2 in the coating apparatus 8 or faster than the transport speed of the substrate 2, and the next substrate 2 is transported to the coating start position, the substrate 2 develops The liquid 11 is applied.

  The developer application nozzle 9 is provided so that the developer 11 can be intermittently discharged from the discharge port 10. The developer application nozzle 9 moves so as to return to the application start position after applying the developer 11 to the substrate 2, and then discharges until the developer 11 is applied to the next transported substrate 2. When the discharge of the developer 11 from the outlet 10 is stopped and the substrate 2 to be transported next is transported to the coating start position, the developer 11 is ejected from the discharge port 10.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the developer coating nozzle 9 is formed to have a width corresponding to the width of the substrate 2, and a central portion in the width direction is formed inside the developer coating nozzle 9 by a partition wall 22. A developer coating chamber 13 is provided which is divided into a part and both end parts. Each developer application chamber 13 is connected to a pipe 14 for supplying the developer to each developer application chamber 13. Further, the central pipe 14a connected to the developer coating chamber 13a in the central portion and the end pipes 14b connected to the developer coating chambers 13b in both end portions have a developer tank 15 in which the developer 11 is stored. The developer 11 pumped up by different pumps 16a and 16b is supplied separately to each developer application chamber 13, and different amounts of developer 11 are fed by the central pipe 14a and each end pipe 14b. It can be supplied at different speeds.

  In the present embodiment, the central pipe 14a is formed in a size that is twice as long as the diameter of each end pipe 14b, and the central pipe 14a per minute by the pump 16a. The amount of the developer 11 sent to is reduced to be smaller than the amount of the developer 11 sent to each end pipe 14b by the pump 16b. As a result, the discharge speed of the developer 11 discharged from the developer application chamber 13a at the central portion is slower than the discharge speed of the developer 11 discharged from each developer application chamber 13b at both ends.

  In addition, a partition wall 22 for partitioning the interior of the developer application nozzle 9 into each developer application chamber 13 is provided, and each partition wall 22 is a discharge port inside the developer application nozzle 9. 10 is provided so as not to contact 10. Thereby, each developing solution application | coating chamber 13 is provided so that it may connect in the downward direction in the inside of the developing solution application nozzle 9. FIG.

  A storage tank 18 is provided below the transport belt 12 in the developer application device 8 to store excess developer 11 that flows down among the developer 11 applied to the substrate 2.

  The developing device 1 has a cleaning device 20 for cleaning the resist 3 dissolved in the developer on the downstream side of the developer coating device 8 in the transport direction of the substrate 2.

  The cleaning device 20 includes a transport belt 21 for continuously and horizontally transporting the plurality of substrates 2 transported from the developer application device 8, and the resist 3 dissolved while transporting the substrate 2 by the transport belt 21. To wash away.

  Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described.

  First, the developing device 1 transports the substrate 2 horizontally by the transport belt 6 driven at a speed of 1 m / min of the developing device inlet 5, and subsequently applies the developer applied at a speed of 1 m / min. The substrate 2 is transported horizontally by the transport belt 12 of the apparatus 8. Further, the developer 11 is sent out from the developer tank 15 to the pipes 14 by the pumps 16a and 16b.

  Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 3A, when the leading end portion of the substrate 2 transported in the developer application apparatus 8 reaches the application start position, the developer application nozzle 9 moves from the discharge port 10 to the developer 11. And the application of the developer 11 to the substrate 2 is started.

  When the application of the developer 11 is started, the developer application nozzle 9 discharges the developer 11 from the discharge port 10 as shown in FIG. Move at speed. During this time as well, the substrate 2 is horizontally transported by the transport belt 12 at a constant speed.

  Next, when the application of the developer 11 to the substrate 2 is completed, the developer application nozzle 9 conveys the substrate 2 after the application of the developer 11 and the substrate 2 after the application, as shown in FIG. The movement with respect to the substrate 2 being stopped is stopped and the discharge of the developer 11 is stopped, and then the substrate 2 is moved at a speed of 1 m / min or more in the same direction as the conveyance direction of the substrate 2.

  Then, after the developer application nozzle 9 reaches the application start position, when the leading end portion of the next transported substrate 2 reaches the application start position, as shown in FIG. The liquid 11 is discharged, and the application of the developer 11 to the substrate 2 is started.

  At this time, in the developer application nozzle 9, the developer 11 in an amount of 20 l / min pumped from the developer tank 15 by the pump 16b is supplied to the developer application chambers 13b at both ends via the end pipes 14b. While being supplied, the developer 11 in an amount of 10 l / min pumped up by the pump 16a is supplied to the developer application chamber 13a in the central portion through the central pipe 14a. Then, the developer 11 is simultaneously discharged from each developer application chamber 13 through the discharge port 10, but is faster from the developer application chamber 13 at both ends than from the developer application chamber 13 at the center. The developer 11 is discharged at a speed.

  Further, the developing device 1 transports the substrate 2 by the transport belt 21 of the cleaning device 20 driven at a speed of 1 m / min. The cleaning device 20 reacts with the developer 11 while being transported, and dissolves. The resist 3 is washed.

  The moving speed of the developer application nozzle 9 and the transport belts 6, 12, and 21, the supply amount of the developer 11 to each developer application chamber 13, and the like are not limited to those of the present embodiment.

  According to the present embodiment, the developer application apparatus 8 conveys the substrate 2 and moves the developer application nozzle 9 in the direction opposite to the conveyance direction of the substrate 2 by the developer application nozzle 9 to the substrate 2. Since the developer 11 is applied, the developer 11 can be applied to the substrate 2 at a high speed.

  Therefore, the difference in the development time of the resist 3 can be shortened between the front end portion to which the developer 11 is first applied and the rear end portion to which the developer 11 is finally applied. . Further, since the developer 11 can be applied at high speed, it is possible to reduce the possibility that the developer 11 partially flows upstream in the transport direction of the substrate 2 or scatters to a portion where the developer 11 is not applied. can do. Thereby, it is possible to prevent a difference in reaction time due to the developer 11 from occurring on the resist forming surface of the substrate 2, to prevent development unevenness, and to perform uniform development.

  Further, by transporting the developer coating nozzle 9 in the direction opposite to the transport direction of the substrate 2, the developer 11 can be rapidly applied to the substrate 2 without increasing the transport speed of the substrate 2 in the developer coating apparatus 8. Can be applied.

  Further, the developer application nozzle 9 stops the discharge of the developer 11 until the application of the developer 11 to the next transported substrate 2 after the application of the developer 11 to one substrate 2 is completed. Therefore, the amount of the developer 11 used for the substrate 2 in the developer coating device 8 can be reduced.

  Furthermore, the developer application nozzle 9 is partitioned into a developer application chamber 13 at the central portion and the developer application chambers 13 at both ends, and each developer application chamber 13 has a separate pump 16a, 16b. The developer 11 pumped up by is supplied to each developer application chamber 13 via different pipes 14. For this reason, in the developing solution application apparatus 8, the developing solution 11 can be discharged from the developing solution application nozzle 9 uniformly. Thereby, it is possible to prevent a large amount of the developer 11 from being applied to the central portion of the substrate 2, to prevent development unevenness, and to develop the resist 3 uniformly.

  Further, the partition wall 22 that partitions each developer application chamber 13 is formed so as not to contact the discharge port 10, and each developer solution chamber 13 is connected to each adjacent developer solution chamber 13 in the vicinity of the discharge port 10. Since it is provided, the developer 11 supplied to each developer application chamber 13 can be integrally discharged from the discharge port 10, and the developer 11 can be more uniformly applied to the substrate 2.

  In addition, this invention is not limited to the said embodiment, A various change is possible as needed.

The typical conceptual diagram which shows one Embodiment of the processing apparatus provided with the processing liquid coating device which concerns on this invention. The typical side view which shows the process liquid application nozzle of the process liquid application apparatus of FIG. 1 from A direction (A) (b) (c) (d) is typical explanatory drawing which shows the process liquid coating method of the process liquid coating apparatus of FIG. Schematic conceptual diagram showing an example of a processing apparatus provided with a conventional processing liquid coating apparatus The typical side view which shows the process liquid application nozzle of the process liquid application apparatus of FIG. 4 from B direction

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Developing apparatus 2 Board | substrate 5 Developing apparatus inlet part 8 Developer application apparatus 9 Developer application nozzle 10 Discharge port 11 Developer 13a, 13b Developer application chamber 14a, 14b Piping 15 Developer tank 16a, 16b Pump 22 Partition wall

Claims (5)

A processing liquid coating nozzle that includes a substrate transport means for transporting a substrate whose one surface is preprocessed in the horizontal direction, and that applies a processing liquid for performing a predetermined process on the pretreatment surface of the substrate to be transported In a treatment liquid coating apparatus having
The treatment liquid application nozzle can apply the treatment liquid to the pretreatment surface of the substrate while moving in a direction opposite to the substrate transport direction from the application start position where the treatment liquid is applied to the substrate. A treatment liquid coating apparatus is provided.   After the treatment liquid application nozzle applies the treatment liquid to the substrate, the treatment liquid application nozzle moves to the application start position at a speed faster than the conveyance speed of the substrate, and applies the treatment liquid to the substrate conveyed next to the substrate. The treatment liquid coating apparatus according to claim 1, which is provided so as to be able to perform.   The treatment liquid application nozzle is provided to stop the discharge of the treatment liquid after applying the treatment liquid to the substrate and before applying the treatment liquid to the substrate transported next to the substrate. The treatment liquid coating apparatus according to claim 1 or 2.   The treatment liquid application nozzle is formed to have a width corresponding to the width of the substrate, and the inside of the treatment liquid application nozzle is divided into a central portion and both end portions in the width direction by a partition wall provided therein. 4. The processing liquid coating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processing liquid coating chamber is provided with a pipe for supplying the processing liquid to each of the processing liquid coating chambers. 5. A substrate having one surface pretreated is conveyed in the horizontal direction by the substrate conveying means, and a treatment liquid application is performed by applying a treatment liquid for performing a predetermined treatment to the conveyed pretreatment by a treatment liquid application nozzle. In the method
Applying the treatment liquid to the pretreatment surface of the substrate while moving the treatment liquid application nozzle in a direction opposite to the conveyance direction of the substrate from an application start position for starting application of the treatment liquid to the substrate; Next, the processing liquid is applied to the substrate transported next to the substrate by moving the processing liquid coating nozzle to the coating start position at a speed higher than the transport speed of the substrate. Application method.