JP2006261347A - Substrate holding structure, substrate treatment method, and substrate conveying method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a substrate holding structure capable of stabilizing the attitude of a substrate and effective for improving the efficiency of treatment performance without the possibility of the substrate's being damaged and without causing the substrates in a cassette to make contact with each other upon treatment such as the cleaning and drying of the substrates and upon housing and conveying the same, in a manufacturing process of a glass thin plate and a film substrate. <P>SOLUTION: In the substrate holding structure for housing the substrates 20, 21 in the cassette, the substrates are held in the cassette in a state that the substrates 20, 21 are rectangular plate-shaped and the substrates 20, 21 are deflected and curved. Further, in the substrate holding structure, the cassette includes an outer frame structural member and a substantially rectangular parallelepiped housing for housing the substrates 20, 21 therein. The substrates 20, 21 are disposed in a plurality of sheets in parallel with each other at a predetermined interval in the housing. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a substrate holding structure and a substrate for storing and holding the substrate in a cassette in a manufacturing process of a thin plate-like substrate such as a glass thin plate or a film substrate which is a main constituent member such as a liquid crystal display. The present invention relates to a substrate processing method for performing processing such as batch cleaning and drying, and a substrate transport method for transporting a substrate.

4A and 4B are external perspective views showing an example of a conventional substrate holding state.
FIG. 4 (1) shows a glass substrate storage cassette 400 for holding a cassette (outer box) 41 and a substrate 43 stored in the cassette 41 one by one at a distance from each other in a flat plate state. And a support member 42.
4 (2) is also a glass substrate storage cassette 500. The cassette 500 has a frame structure and includes a side plate 51, a bottom plate 52, and an upper plate 53 as support members. A slot 55 provided with a projection 56 for loading and arranging the glass substrate is formed, and a stopper 54 is provided for preventing the glass substrate inside from coming out backward.

In such a conventional glass substrate storage cassette, a large number of substrates are stored in a flat state with a little space between adjacent substrates, and transported / washed / dried, etc., as they are. Had gone. However, there are the following problems.
・ Plates supported at both ends and placed in a flat state are liable to change their posture due to the flow of liquid or air, vibration, etc. The substrate may be in contact with the substrate, and scratches due to the contact may occur.
・ During substrate transfer, the substrate in the cassette is vibrated by the influence of transfer or the like, and the substrate may be damaged.
During the substrate cleaning, the substrate in the cassette comes into contact with the adjacent substrate, and the contact portion is not sufficiently cleaned, and cleaning unevenness may occur.

In order to prevent the substrates in the cassette from coming into contact with other adjacent substrates, it is possible to increase the distance between the substrates, but there is a disadvantage that the number of substrates that can be stored in the cassette is reduced. .
In addition, in order to prevent the substrate in the cassette from coming into contact with other adjacent substrates, it is possible to adopt a method of holding using a roller on the front surface or back surface of the substrate, but between the roller and the substrate The contact sometimes causes a problem that the contact portion is poorly cleaned or poorly dried.

Examples of patent documents in the technical field of the present invention include the following.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 08-281234 JP 2002-299431 A JP 2002-16383 A

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described conventional problems, and in the production process of a plate-like material such as a glass thin plate or a film substrate which is a constituent member of a liquid crystal display or the like, batch cleaning and drying thereof. During processing, storage and transport, etc., the substrates in the cassette do not touch each other, there is no risk of damage to the substrates, etc., and the number of substrates stored in the cassette can be increased. It is an object of the present invention to provide a substrate holding structure, a substrate processing method, and a substrate transport method that can stabilize the posture and increase the efficiency of apparatus performance related to processing such as cleaning and drying.

(1) In a substrate holding structure for storing a substrate in a cassette,
The substrate has a rectangular plate shape,
The substrate has a bent curved surface and is held in the cassette.
Here, for example, the following means may be used in order to hold the substrate in a curved state.
(A) When a substrate is stored, a structural member of the cassette whose dimensions are controlled so as to be bent due to an external force applied from both opposite sides of the substrate, and the curved surface state of the substrate is maintained as it is.
(B) The substrate is bent and then housed in the cassette, and the curved surface state of the substrate is maintained using structural members of the cassette as necessary.
(C) The cassette structural member for holding (supporting) the substrate (such as a support member on the bottom surface or the side surface) is made movable, and the substrate is bent from the state in which the substrate is stored in the cassette. Then, the structural members are moved and fixed there, and the curved surface state of the substrate thereafter is maintained.
(2) In the substrate holding structure of (1),
The cassette includes an outer frame structural member, and a substantially rectangular parallelepiped storage portion for storing the substrate therein.
The substrate holding structure, wherein a plurality of the substrates are arranged in parallel in the storage portion at a predetermined interval.
(3) In the substrate holding structure of (1) or (2),
The substrate is arranged such that the substrate surface faces the horizontal direction or the top-to-bottom direction.

(4) Using a substrate holding device to which any of the substrate holding structures (1) to (3) is applied,
In the substrate processing method, a cleaning process or a drying process is performed in a state where the substrate is stored in the substrate holding apparatus.
(5) Using a substrate holding apparatus to which any of the substrate holding structures (1) to (3) is applied,
A substrate transfer method is provided in which the substrate holding device is transferred while the substrate is housed in the apparatus.

・ During substrate cleaning, contact between adjacent substrates in the cassette is eliminated, so that damage to the substrates can be prevented.
-During the substrate cleaning, the adjacent substrates in the cassette are not in contact with each other, so that the cleaning liquid, ultrasonic waves, etc. can be uniformly applied, and the cleaning performance is improved and stabilized.
-During substrate cleaning, contact between adjacent substrates in the cassette is eliminated, so that the airflow is uniformly applied, so that the drying performance is improved and stabilized.
-Since the posture of the substrate in the cassette is stabilized, the interval pitch between the substrates can be reduced, and the number of substrates stored in the cassette can be increased.

・ By stabilizing the posture of the substrate in the cassette, it is possible to eliminate the holding due to contact with the front / back surface of the substrate, so that the cleaning liquid and ultrasonic waves can be uniformly applied, and the cleaning performance can be greatly improved and stabilized. it can.
・ By stabilizing the posture of the substrate in the cassette, it is possible to eliminate the holding due to contact with the front / back surface of the substrate, so that the airflow for drying flows uniformly and the liquid to the contact portion with the substrate This eliminates dry spots because the rest can be eliminated.
In the conventional cassette, a substrate holding component such as a roller is added between the substrate surfaces to prevent contact between the substrates. However, in the present invention, such an additional member is not necessary.

Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.
FIG. 1 is a view for showing an example of the structure of a cassette which is an outer frame member of a substrate holding structure according to the present invention, FIG. 1 (1) is a top view of a cassette C100, and FIG. 1 (2) is a front view thereof. It is. FIG. 2 is an external perspective view showing the substrate holding device 100 including a substrate holding structure that places and holds substrates in a curved state in the cassette C100 of FIG. FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram showing another example of the substrate holding device, in which FIG. 3 (1) is a top view of the substrate holding device 200, and FIG. 3 (2) is a front view thereof.

  The cassette C100 shown in FIG. 1 has a substantially cubic frame combination structure as a whole, and has a large number of structural members such as a beam-like horizontal support member that is horizontally mounted in a horizontal direction and a columnar vertical support member that is vertically oriented. They are combined and framed to form a single unit. In FIGS. 1 (1) and 2 (2), the horizontal-facing component members include front side support members (10a, 10b, 10c), rear side support members (10m,...), And the right side. There are lateral support members (10d, 10e, 10f, 10g) on the surface side, lateral support members (10h, 10i, 10j, 10k) on the left side surface, and bottom support members (15a, 15b) on the bottom surface side. 15c, 10d, 10e). As the vertical support members facing the top and bottom, the vertical support members (11a, 11b, 11c, 10d) on the front side and the vertical support members (11f, 11i) at the corners on the rear surface side are shown in FIG. As is apparent from (2), there are other similar vertical support members (not shown) on the rear side, the right side, and the left side.

In the cassette C100, the substrates to be stored are positioned in parallel with the lateral support members (10d, 10e, 10f) on the right side or the lateral support members (10h, 10i, 10j) on the left side. Position setting members (14a, 14b,...), (14f, 14g,...) Are provided.
The position setting members (14a, 14b,... 14f, 14g,...) Disposed on the side of the cassette C100 are formed in the shape of an elongated cylindrical body, and the positions of the position setting members are received by receiving the side edges of the substrate. A plurality of circumferential grooves having a predetermined depth are provided, and they are set so as to be regularly arranged at predetermined intervals. Further, a support shaft (12a, 12f,...) Penetrates or is attached to the center of these position setting members (14a, 14f,...), And both ends of the support shafts (12a, 12f,...) Are fixed members. (13a-13a, 13f-13f,...) Are fixed to the vertical support members (11a-11i, 11d-11f,...) At the four corners of the cassette C100.

  Here, as for the position setting members (14a, 14b,... 14f, 14g,...), Cylindrical members are used in the examples of FIGS. Instead, prismatic bodies or other shapes may be used, and the position setting means for the position setting member and the substrate side edge is not limited to the circumferential groove, Simple recesses and depressions may be provided, and in setting these positions, a known technique may be applied as appropriate.

  On the bottom surface of the cassette C100, the bottom support members (15a, 15b, 15c, 10d, 10e) are supported by the bottom support members, and the position setting members (16a, 16b, 16c, 16d, 16e) are provided. The position of the substrate can be set by these position setting members, and the substrate can be held at a predetermined position in the cassette C100. Position setting members (16a, 16b, 16c, 16d, 16e) provided on these bottom support members (15a, 15b, 15c, 15d, 15e) attach a known fastening member, clip member, or the like to a predetermined position. Thus, the position of the substrate can be easily set.

  Here, when a plurality of substrates are arranged and set, the position setting member may be arranged only at the position of the outermost substrate, or the positions of all the plurality of substrates are set. A position setting member may be provided. Further, even when these position setting members (16a, 16b, 16c, 16d, 16e) are not provided at the bottom, the position setting members (14a, 14b,...), (14f, 14g,. Thus, the arrangement of the substrate can be set.

  The cassette C100 shown in FIG. 1 can accommodate a large number of substrates arranged in parallel, and can be moved and transported while the substrates are stored in the cassette. A pair of auxiliary members (18a, 18b) are provided on both sides of the upper part of the cassette C100, and this part can be used as a gripping part or a handle for operation or transportation. In addition, triangular plate-shaped auxiliary members (17a, 17b, 17c, 17d) are arranged in the top and bottom directions at the corners that follow the lateral support members at the upper four corners, and are used as structural reinforcement parts. In addition, rollers (19a, 19b,...) Are provided at the bottom, and can be used for movement and transportation at the manufacturing site.

FIG. 2 is an external perspective view showing a substrate holding apparatus 100 having a substrate holding structure that holds and arranges a large number of substrates (20, 21,...) In a curved state in the cassette C100 of FIG. In this substrate holding apparatus 100, a large number of substrates (20, 21,...) Can be accommodated with the inside of the outer frame structural member as a cubic shaped accommodating portion, and depending on the combination configuration of each component member, position setting member, etc. Various dimensions are defined.
The plurality of rectangular plate-like substrates (20, 21,...) Accommodated in the substrate holding device 100 are bent to have a predetermined size by external forces from the opposite side edges, and each is similar. These substrates are set to be curved, and a plurality or a large number of these substrates are arranged in parallel or in parallel at a predetermined interval or an equal interval, and are stored and held in the cassette C100. .

In the substrate holding device 100 of FIG. 2, the left and right dimensions (horizontal width) of the plurality of substrates (20, 21,...) Stored in the cassette C100 and the left and right position setting members (14a) on the opposite left and right sides. , 14b,...) And (14f, 14g,...) Are accurately set and managed. Here, the distance between the left and right position setting members (14a, 14b,...) And (14f, 14g,...) Is slightly smaller than the left and right dimensions (lateral width) of the substrate (20, 21,...). The board is designed and set to have a predetermined amount of deflection.
Thus, the substrates (20, 21,...) In the substrate holding device 100 are arranged so as to be sandwiched between the position setting members (14a, 14b,...) And (14f, 14g,. Since an external force is applied from the left and right edges of (20, 21,...) In a direction along the substrate surface, each substrate 20 is uniformly bent, and the bent shape of the plurality of substrates is obtained. And the curved surface state are formed in the same manner.

  In the substrate holding device 100 of FIG. 2, the substrate surfaces of the plurality of substrates (20, 21,...) Arranged are oriented in the horizontal direction, the left and right edges are supported, and the rear side of FIG. However, the arrangement of the substrates is not limited to this. In other words, the position of the substrate surface may face in the vertical direction / horizontal direction / other directions, and the edge of the substrate may be supported on either the left / right / up / down sides, The direction may be any of backward / forward / left / right / upward / downward / other directions /. However, when the substrate surface of the substrate is installed facing downward, depending on the material of the substrate, there may be a large amount of downward deflection due to its own weight, so when making the direction of deflection downward, There is a need for more appropriate design.

In the present invention, as shown in FIG. 2, the substrate cleaning process and the substrate drying process can be performed in a state in which these substrates (20, 21,...) Are stored in the substrate holding device 100. it can. The cassette of the substrate holding device 100 in FIG. 2 is a storage unit having a frame structure composed of a combination of rod-shaped members, and has a very large gap portion. Even when spraying or blowing air on the substrate in the structure, There is almost no effect.
In the present invention, the substrate (20, 21,...) Can be transported together with the substrate holding device 100 while the substrate (20, 21,...) Is stored in the substrate holding device 100, and the substrate can be moved or transported.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing another example of the substrate holding structure according to the present invention. FIG. 3 (1) is a top view of the substrate holding device 200, and FIG. 3 (2) is a front view thereof.
The substrate holding device 200 has the same basic structure as the substrate holding device 100, but is different in that an auxiliary structural member (28x, 28y) is provided as an upper constituent member. Moreover, although the auxiliary member 28a is described in the front view of FIG. 3 (2), the auxiliary structural member 28a is omitted in FIG. 3 (1).

  In the substrate holding device 200 of FIG. 3, the substrates (30, 31,..., 41, 42) before being stored in the cassette C200 have a single substrate size and a horizontal width (horizontal length in the horizontal direction) of H1. The rectangular plate has a vertical width (length in the vertical direction) of H2 and a thickness of t. The substrates (30, 31,..., 41, 42) are curved and deflected by an external force from opposite ends, and are held in the cassette C200. The distance dimension between the left and right position setting members (24a,...) And (24f,...) Of the substrate holding device 200 is set to a curved surface having a height α and a bending lateral width h. Are strictly managed by design and the layout is set.

It is a block diagram for showing an example of the cassette which is an outer frame member of the board | substrate holding structure by this invention, (1) is a top view of cassette C100, (2) is the side view. 1 is an external perspective view showing a substrate holding apparatus 100 having a substrate holding structure according to the present invention. 3A and 3B are configuration diagrams of a substrate holding apparatus 200 according to the present invention, in which FIG. 3A is a top view and FIG. 3B is a front view thereof. It is an external appearance perspective view which shows the example of the conventional board | substrate holding apparatus, (1) is the cassette 400 for glass substrate accommodation, (2) is the cassette 500 for glass substrate accommodation.

Explanation of symbols

100, 200 Substrate holding device C100, C200 Cassette 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d, 10e, 10f, 10h, 10i, 10j, 10k, lateral support member 15a, 15b, 15c, 10d, 10e bottom support member 11a, 11b, 11c , 10d, 11f, 11i Vertical support members 14a, 14b, ..., 14f, 14g, ... Position setting members 12a, 12b, ... 12f, ... Positioning member support shaft members 13a, ..., 13f, ... Fixing member 15a , 15b, 15c, 10d, 10e Bottom support member 16a, 16b, 16c, 16d, 16e Position setting member 20, 21, ... Substrate 30, 31, ..., 41, 42 Substrate H1 Horizontal width (horizontal length in the horizontal direction) Sa)
Vertical width of H2 board (length in the vertical direction)
t Substrate thickness α Height when the substrate is bent h Horizontal width when the substrate is bent

Claims (5)

In the substrate holding structure for storing the substrate in the cassette,
The substrate has a rectangular plate shape,
The substrate holding structure, wherein the substrate is held in the cassette in a bent curved state. The substrate holding structure according to claim 1,
The cassette includes an outer frame structural member, and a rectangular parallelepiped storage portion for storing the substrate therein.
The substrate holding structure, wherein a plurality of the substrates are arranged in parallel in the storage portion at a predetermined interval. The substrate holding structure according to claim 3,
The substrate holding structure, wherein the substrate is disposed such that a substrate surface thereof faces in a horizontal direction or a top-to-bottom direction. A substrate holding device to which the substrate holding structure according to any one of claims 1 to 3 is applied,
A substrate processing method, wherein a cleaning process or a drying process is performed in a state where the substrate is stored in the substrate holding apparatus. A substrate holding device to which the substrate holding structure according to any one of claims 1 to 4 is applied,
A substrate transfer method, wherein the substrate holding device is transferred in a state where the substrate is stored in the apparatus.

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