JP2007012692A - Substrate treatment equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a substrate treatment equipment in which liquid adhering to the surface of a substrate can be removed stably while preventing the scattering of mist. <P>SOLUTION: A substrate W is carried in the moving direction (+X) with the facing surface 33 of a suction head 31 opposing the surface WS of the substrate such that treatment liquid adhering to the surface WS of the substrate is located lower than the liquid LL. The treatment liquid partitioned below the upstream side 35 and sandwiched by the facing surface 33 and the surface WS of the substrate has a thickness defined depending on the interval G between the facing surface 33 and the surface WS of the substrate. The quantity of liquid held between the head body 32 and the substrate W is made constant and the liquid is sucked and removed through suction openings 61 and 62. On the other hand, treatment liquid partitioned above the upstream side 35 and scratched by the side face 34 is introduced to a suction opening 63 and sucked and removed therefrom. When a part of the treatment liquid cannot be sucked, it does not adhere again to the surface WS of the substrate but is discharged limitedly to the outside of the substrate. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus that removes liquid from a substrate surface to which the liquid adheres. The substrate includes a semiconductor wafer, a photomask glass substrate, a liquid crystal display glass substrate, a plasma display glass substrate, an optical disk substrate, and the like.

  Conventionally, for example, in the manufacturing process of a liquid crystal display device, a liquid layer such as a developing solution, an etching solution, a stripping solution, and a cleaning solution is formed on the surface of a substrate to be conveyed while the substrate is conveyed by a conveying roller laid horizontally. Thus, a wet process is performed. Since the liquid used in the wet process adheres to the substrate surface that has been subjected to these wet processes, the liquid adhered to the substrate surface is removed for each wet process step in order to prevent the liquid from being taken out of the process chamber. It is necessary to remove it.

  Substrate processing in which a gas such as nitrogen gas is ejected from an air knife or the like toward the substrate surface, and the liquid on the substrate surface is drained by the pressure of the gas, as the liquid attached to the substrate surface is removed from the substrate surface. There exists an apparatus (refer patent document 1). In the apparatus described in Patent Document 1, the peeling liquid adhering to both surfaces of the substrate conveyed by the conveying roller is removed by ejecting high-pressure gas from the upper and lower pair of air knives to both surfaces of the substrate.

  In addition, there is a substrate processing apparatus that removes the liquid adhering to the substrate surface by sucking with a nozzle (see Patent Document 2). In the apparatus described in Patent Document 2, the tip of the suction nozzle is a suction port, and the suction port is positioned from directly above the substrate surface while performing a suction operation from one end of the substrate to the other end. The developer attached to the substrate surface is removed by the movement.

JP 2004-146414 A (FIG. 1) Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-342882 (FIG. 1)

  However, in the apparatus described in Patent Document 1, since the liquid adhering to the substrate surface is blown off by the gas pressure, the mist (mist-like liquid) is unavoidably scattered, and the scattered mist is downstream in the substrate transport direction. Re-adhering to the substrate caused non-uniform processing and unevenness. Further, in the liquid cutting with an air knife, the liquid that has been drained is blown off to the upstream side in the substrate transport direction, so that it has not been easy to sufficiently recover the liquid that has been drained.

  Further, in the apparatus described in Patent Document 2, if the amount of liquid adhering to the substrate surface fluctuates, the liquid cannot be sucked from the substrate surface according to the liquid amount, and as a result, the liquid is sufficiently removed from the substrate surface. There was a case that could not be done. Furthermore, depending on the processing contents of the substrate, the liquid may be removed from the substrate surface while leaving the liquid with a predetermined thickness. In this case, if the amount of liquid adhering to the substrate surface fluctuates, the liquid remaining on the substrate surface may be changed. The thickness becomes non-uniform. Thus, in the apparatus described in Patent Document 2, it has been difficult to stably remove the liquid from the substrate surface.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a substrate processing apparatus capable of stably removing liquid adhering to the substrate surface while preventing mist from scattering.

  The present invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus for removing a liquid from the surface of a substrate to which a liquid adheres, the substrate processing apparatus having a facing surface facing the substrate surface, and the facing surface against the liquid surface of the liquid adhered to the substrate surface. A head body spaced from the substrate surface so as to be positioned on the lower side, drive means for moving the head body relative to the substrate in a predetermined movement direction, and liquid adhering to the substrate surface is sucked from the head body. And a suction means for removing the liquid from the substrate surface. The head body is opened in the opposing surface and moves between a first opening that sucks liquid from between the opposing surface and the substrate surface, and a side that defines the opposing surface. An inclined surface which is connected to an upstream side located on the upstream side in the direction and extends from the upstream side in a direction away from the substrate surface while facing the upstream side in the moving direction with respect to the opposing surface, and the inclined surface The liquid on the inclined surface is opened Further includes a second opening that argument.

  In the invention configured as described above, the head main body is spaced apart from the substrate surface so that the facing surface of the head main body is located below the liquid level of the liquid adhering to the substrate surface, and the head main body is fixed to the substrate. Move relative to the direction of movement. Thereby, the liquid adhering to the substrate surface is partitioned in the vertical direction by the upstream side portion of the head body. For this reason, the liquid located below the upstream side is defined to have a predetermined thickness (liquid amount) according to the gap between the opposing surface and the substrate surface, and the liquid having the predetermined thickness is opened to the opposing surface. Suction is performed through the first opening. Therefore, regardless of the amount of liquid adhering to the substrate surface, the liquid can be reliably removed by suction with the amount of liquid sandwiched between the head body and the substrate being constant. On the other hand, the liquid located above the upstream side portion is scraped off by the inclined surface, guided to the second opening portion opened in the inclined surface, and sucked and removed from the second opening portion. At this time, depending on various conditions such as the amount of liquid, the type of liquid, and the amount of suction, a part of the liquid may stay without being sucked, but the space between the opposing surface and the substrate surface is in a liquid-tight state. Therefore, the staying liquid is discharged from the substrate surface without reattaching to the substrate surface. That is, while the liquid is stably sucked and removed from the first opening, the liquid is sucked and removed from the second opening according to the amount of liquid adhering to the substrate surface, and the outside of the substrate is limited to the case where the liquid cannot be sucked. Is discharged. Therefore, the liquid adhering to the substrate surface can be stably removed regardless of the amount of liquid adhering to the substrate surface.

  Further, as described above, since the liquid adhering to the substrate surface is not removed by gas blowing, the liquid does not scatter as a mist (mist-like liquid). Therefore, it is possible to prevent the mist from reattaching and to make the process uniform. Furthermore, the liquid can be efficiently recovered without being dissipated by sucking with the first opening opened on the opposing surface and the second opening opened on the inclined surface.

  Here, when the direction parallel to the substrate surface and perpendicular to the moving direction is the width direction, in the head body, the width in the width direction of the facing surface and the inclined surface is at least greater than the width in the width direction of the substrate. It is preferable to form the first opening and the second opening so as to form slits extending in the width direction. According to this configuration, by moving the head main body relative to the substrate, it is possible to remove the liquid from the entire surface of the substrate at a time while obtaining the above-described effects over the entire width direction of the substrate. Can be improved.

  Moreover, you may comprise a 1st opening part so that it may have a some suction opening opened to the opposing surface, keeping predetermined space | interval mutually along the moving direction. For example, the suction port may be configured in two stages along the moving direction. According to this configuration, the liquid sandwiched between the head body and the substrate surface can be sucked and removed more reliably. Moreover, as a result of the liquid being sucked and removed from the suction port (upstream suction port) located upstream in the movement direction, the amount of liquid sucked from the suction port (downstream suction port) located downstream in the movement direction is the upstream side. The amount is surely reduced as compared with the amount of liquid sucked by the suction port. Therefore, the thickness of the liquid sucked from the downstream suction port is surely smaller than the gap between the facing surface and the substrate surface, and the liquid can be sucked and removed from the substrate surface more stably.

  Furthermore, by configuring the suction ports in multiple stages along the moving direction in this way, it is possible to recover and reuse the liquid from the substrate surface with high efficiency. On the other hand, since the liquid can be reliably sucked from the substrate surface, the liquid can be removed while relatively moving the head body and the substrate at a high speed. As a result, the throughput of the apparatus can be improved.

  In addition, the second opening is preferably provided on the inclined surface in the vicinity of the upstream side. By comprising in this way, the opportunity which a 2nd opening part is located under a liquid level and exposed to external atmosphere is reduced. Thereby, entrainment of gas, such as air which is external atmosphere, can be suppressed, and the fall of the suction efficiency of a liquid can be prevented.

  In addition, the shape of the upstream end portion of the head body is preferably configured so that the opposing surface and the inclined surface form an acute angle. With this configuration, the liquid partitioned upward by the upstream side portion can be reliably supported on the inclined surface, and the liquid can be prevented from staying at the upstream end portion of the head body. Furthermore, the liquid on the inclined surface can be reliably guided to the second opening and sucked from the second opening.

  Further, a position adjusting means for adjusting the height position of the head main body with respect to the substrate surface by driving the head main body is provided, and the position adjusting means is controlled to adjust the gap between the facing surface of the head main body and the substrate surface. The thickness of the liquid sandwiched between the surface and the opposing surface may be controlled. According to this configuration, it is possible to freely control the distribution ratio between the amount of liquid adhering to the substrate surface and the amount of liquid sandwiched between the substrate surface and the facing surface and the amount of liquid scraped off by the inclined surface. For this reason, the optimum suction state from the first and second openings is selected according to the type of liquid adhering to the substrate surface (for example, the viscosity of the liquid), the relative movement speed between the head body and the substrate, and other process conditions. The liquid can be satisfactorily removed from the substrate surface.

  According to the present invention, the head body is disposed away from the substrate surface so that the facing surface of the head body is located below the liquid level of the liquid adhering to the substrate surface, and the head body is in a predetermined movement direction with respect to the substrate. It is moved relative. For this reason, the liquid that is partitioned downward by the upstream side of the head body and sandwiched between the facing surface and the substrate surface is regulated in accordance with the gap between the facing surface and the substrate surface. The liquid is surely removed by suction through the first opening. On the other hand, the liquid that is partitioned upward by the upstream side portion of the head body and scraped off by the inclined surface is guided to the second opening and is removed by suction, and the substrate surface is not fully sucked. It is discharged out of the substrate without being attached again. As a result, the liquid adhering to the substrate surface can be stably removed regardless of the amount of liquid adhering to the substrate surface. Moreover, since the liquid is not removed by gas blowing, the liquid does not scatter as a mist. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the mist from reattaching and to make the process uniform.

<Overall configuration of substrate processing apparatus>
FIG. 1 is a side sectional view showing an embodiment of a substrate processing apparatus according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a control configuration of the substrate processing apparatus of FIG. This substrate processing apparatus etches the substrate W with a processing liquid such as an etching liquid (corresponding to “liquid” in the present invention) while horizontally transporting the substrate W (specifically, a rectangular glass substrate for a liquid crystal display device). A carry-in unit 10 that receives the substrate W from the previous process, a processing unit 20 that performs an etching process on the substrate W, and a liquid draining unit 30 that removes the processing liquid remaining on the surface WS of the substrate W. It is integrally formed. Moreover, the receiving tank 40 which stores a process liquid is provided.

  A plurality of conveying rollers 1 are arranged in the horizontal direction X in the tank of each of the component parts 10, 20, 30 formed integrally, and a horizontal conveyance path crossing each component part 10, 20, 30 is formed. Forming. The roller drive unit 2 rotates a part (or all) of the transport roller 1 as the “drive unit” of the present invention in accordance with a control command from the control unit 50 (control unit) that controls the entire apparatus. W is conveyed linearly in the (+ X) direction. Thus, in this embodiment, the horizontal direction (+ X) corresponds to the “predetermined movement direction” of the present invention, and in the following description, the horizontal direction (+ X) is simply referred to as the “movement direction”. The plurality of transport rollers 1 are supported by a support shaft (not shown) disposed in a direction substantially perpendicular to the horizontal direction X, and support and transport the substrate W in a substantially horizontal posture.

  Further, through holes 3a, 3b, 3c, and 3d are provided in the tank walls of the respective components 10, 20, and 30 so that the substrate W that is transported on the transport path can pass therethrough. In addition, doors 4a and 4b are provided in the through holes 3b and 3c provided in the tank wall of the processing unit 20 to prevent the processing liquid from flowing out, and can be opened and closed according to an operation command from the control unit 50. Is done.

  The processing unit 20 constitutes a processing tank in which the processing liquid can be stored. When the etching process is performed on the substrate W, the processing unit 20 is immersed to the extent that the substrate W transported on the transport path is immersed. The processing liquid is stored in the tank. The processing unit 20 includes a plurality of nozzles 21 and 22 that are divided into upper and lower portions and arranged along the horizontal direction X so as to sandwich the transport path of the substrate W from above and below. These nozzles 21 and 22 are connected to the receiving tank 40, and supply the processing liquid sent from the receiving tank 40 to the substrate W.

  The liquid draining unit 30 includes a suction head 31 that can face the surface W of the substrate W while being close to the surface. The suction head 31 is fixedly arranged in the moving direction. The suction head 31 is communicated with the receiving tank 40 by a recovery pipe 41 in which a drainage pump 5a is inserted. As a result, the control unit 50 operates the drainage pump 5 a to suck the processing liquid adhering to the substrate surface WS from the suction head 31 and collect it in the receiving tank 40. Further, the actuator 7 is connected to the suction head 31, and the height position of the suction head 31 from the substrate surface WS is adjusted by operating the actuator 7 in accordance with an operation command from the control unit 50, and suction is performed. It is possible to control the gap between the head 31 and the substrate surface WS. Thus, in this embodiment, the drainage pump 5a functions as the “suction unit” of the present invention, and the actuator 7 functions as the “position adjusting unit” of the present invention. The configuration and operation of the suction head 31 will be described in detail later.

  The receiving tank 40 stores the processing liquid therein, and communicates with the nozzles 21 and 22 through a liquid feeding pipe 42 in which a liquid feeding pump 5b is inserted. Specifically, the liquid supply pipe 42 inserted from the receiving tank 40 through the liquid supply pump 5b is branched from the middle of the pipe toward the nozzles 21 and 22, and the branch pipes 42a and 42b include an on-off valve 43a. , 43b are respectively inserted. As a result, the control unit 50 activates the liquid feed pump 5b and controls the opening / closing valves 43a and 43b so that the processing liquid can be ejected from the nozzles 21 and 22 to the processing unit 20 independently. Yes.

  Moreover, each component 10, 20, and 30 is connected with the receiving tank 40 via the collection pipes 44a, 44b, and 44c, respectively. An opening / closing valve 45 is inserted in the collection pipe 44b connected to the processing unit 20, and the processing liquid stored in the processing unit 20 can be discharged by opening the opening / closing valve 45. Yes.

  Next, the operation of the substrate processing apparatus will be described. The substrate W is transported by the transport roller 1 and subjected to each process while sequentially passing through the carry-in unit 10, the processing unit 20, and the liquid draining unit 30. The doors 4a and 4b and the on-off valves 43a, 43b and 45 are all closed.

  First, when the substrate W is carried into the carry-in unit 10 from the through-hole 3a, the door 4a is temporarily opened, so that the substrate W passes through the through-hole 3b and is carried into the processing unit 20. At this time, the height position of the liquid level of the processing liquid stored in the processing unit 20 is set to a position lower than the through hole 3b. When the substrate W is carried into the processing unit 20 and the door 4a is closed, the processing liquid is supplied from the nozzle 21 to the processing unit 20, and the processing liquid is stored in the tank of the processing unit 20 as the substrate W is immersed. Is done. Thereby, it is prevented that the process liquid in the tank of the process part 20 flows out from the through-hole 3b.

  However, the opening area of the through-hole 3b is made small as long as there is no obstacle to the passage of the substrate W, and the height difference between the liquid surface of the processing liquid and the through-hole 3b is relatively small. Therefore, it is possible to temporarily open the door 4a in a state where the processing liquid is stored in the processing unit 20 as the substrate W is immersed. In this case, the outflow amount of the processing liquid from the through-hole 4b is limited, and the outflowing processing liquid is recovered in the receiving tank 40 through the recovery pipe 44a.

  The substrate W carried into the processing unit 20 is subjected to an etching process by reciprocating along the transport path for a predetermined time while being immersed in the processing liquid. Note that the etching process may be performed by directly supplying the processing liquid from the nozzle 22 to the surface WS of the substrate W instead of or in addition to the immersing process.

  The substrate W that has been subjected to the predetermined etching process in the processing unit 20 is carried into the liquid draining unit 30 through the through hole 3c when the door 4b is opened. At this time, the processing liquid is collected in the receiving tank 40 to such an extent that the substrate W is exposed from the processing liquid by opening the on-off valve 45 before the door 4b is opened. Also in this case, the door 4b may be opened without collecting the processing liquid in the receiving tank 40 for the same reason as in the case of the through hole 3b on the inlet side. Note that the processing liquid overflowing from the through holes 3b and 3c is circulated and used by being returned to the receiving tank 40 through the recovery pipes 44a and 44c from the bottoms of the carry-in unit 10 and the liquid draining unit 30.

  Then, when the substrate W is carried into the liquid draining unit 30 and the door 4b is closed, a predetermined liquid draining process is performed on the substrate W. The liquid draining process in the liquid draining unit 30 will be described in detail later. Thus, when the liquid draining process is executed, the substrate W is unloaded from the through hole 3d.

<Suction head>
Next, the configuration and operation of the suction head 31 provided in the liquid draining unit 30 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a liquid draining part of the substrate processing apparatus of FIG. Further, FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the suction head provided in the liquid draining part of the substrate processing apparatus of FIG. The suction head 31 includes a head main body 32, and the head main body 32 is disposed so as to face the surface WS of the substrate W being transported on the transport path. As shown in FIG. 4, the head main body 32 is a columnar body having a substantially trapezoidal vertical cross section and extending in a direction perpendicular to the moving direction, and one side surface (lower surface) 33 thereof is parallel to the substrate surface WS. It is a facing surface that spreads in a planar shape while facing. Further, the other side surface 34 is an upstream side (−X) in the movement direction and faces upward. Specifically, the side surface 34 is connected to the upstream side portion 35 positioned on the upstream side (−X) in the moving direction among the side portions that define the facing surface 33, and from the upstream side portion 35 to the upstream side in the moving direction (− Inclined in a direction away from the substrate surface WS while facing X), and corresponds to the “inclined surface” of the present invention. At the upstream end of the head body 32, the facing surface 33 and the side surface 34 form an acute angle θ. For example, the angle θ formed by the facing surface 33 and the side surface 34 is 15 degrees to 30 degrees.

  Then, the processing liquid is disposed by being slightly spaced from the substrate surface WS so that the facing surface 33 of the head body 32 is positioned below the liquid level LL of the processing liquid adhering to the substrate surface WS. Is partitioned in the vertical direction (Z direction) by the upstream side portion 35 of the head body 32. As a result, the processing liquid positioned below the upstream side portion 35 enters the space SP sandwiched between the facing surface 33 and the substrate surface WS to be in a liquid-tight state, while the processing solution positioned above the upstream side portion 35. Liquid is scraped off by the side surfaces 34. The width W1 of the facing surface 33 and the side surface 34 in the direction parallel to the substrate surface WS and perpendicular to the moving direction (Y direction; corresponding to the “width direction” of the present invention) is the Y direction of the substrate W. The substrate W is formed with a size equal to or larger than the width W2, and the entire surface of the substrate can be processed by the suction head 31 when the substrate W is transported along the transport path.

  One or a plurality of (two in this embodiment) suction ports 36 are attached to the upper surface of the head body 32, that is, on the side surface adjacent to the downstream side of the side surface 34. These suction ports 36 are communicated with a manifold 37 provided inside the head body 32. In addition, two suction ports 61 and 62 (corresponding to the “first opening” of the present invention) that are aligned in the movement direction and extend in a slit shape in the Y direction are opened on the facing surface 33 with a predetermined interval therebetween. These suction ports 61 and 62 communicate with the manifold 37. On the other hand, a suction port 63 (corresponding to the “second opening” of the present invention) that opens in a slit shape in the direction orthogonal to the moving direction (Y direction) is opened on the side surface 34 in the vicinity of the upstream side portion 35. The suction port 63 communicates with the manifold 37. For this reason, the drainage pump 5a is operated according to the operation command from the control unit 50, so that the processing liquid can be sucked from the suction ports 61 to 63 and collected in the receiving tank 40 via the suction port 36. It has become. In this embodiment, the processing liquid is collected upward (Z direction) from the upper surface of the head main body 32. However, the processing liquid is collected from the side surface of the head main body 32 to the side (Y direction). May be.

The suction ports 61 and 62 are opened on the facing surface 33 at positions away from the upstream side 35 to the downstream side (+ X). As a result, the processing liquid partitioned below the upstream side 35 and sandwiched between the facing surface 33 and the substrate surface WS has a predetermined thickness (liquid amount) according to the gap G between the facing surface 33 and the substrate surface WS. And then removed by suction from the suction ports 61 and 62. On the other hand, the suction port 63 is opened on the side surface 34 at a position close to the upstream side portion 35. Specifically, the following inequality (1) is satisfied, where D is the distance from the upstream side 35 to the suction port 63 (opening end on the downstream side in the movement direction of the suction port 63) along the side surface 34. It is preferable to provide the suction port 63 as described above. Here, TH represents the thickness of the liquid adhering to the substrate surface WS before the liquid draining process, G represents the gap between the facing surface 33 and the substrate surface WS, and θ represents the angle formed by the facing surface 33 and the side surface 34.
Dsinθ <TH-G (1)

  With this configuration, the suction port 63 is positioned below the processing liquid level LL, and the suction port 63 is buried in the processing liquid. Thereby, it is possible to suppress the entry of air that is an external atmosphere, and to prevent a reduction in the suction efficiency of the treatment liquid that is a removal target.

  Next, the operation of the suction head 31 configured as described above will be described. A large amount of the processing liquid is attached to the surface WS of the substrate W that has been immersed in the processing liquid and subjected to the etching process in the processing unit 20. And when the board | substrate W is carried in into the liquid draining part 30 by the conveyance roller 1, the control part 50 will operate the drainage pump 5a. Further, the control unit 50 operates the actuator 7 in advance according to the process conditions such as the type of the processing liquid (for example, the viscosity of the processing liquid) and the conveyance speed of the substrate W, thereby height of the suction head 31 from the substrate surface WS. Adjust the position. Thereby, the gap G between the facing surface 33 and the substrate surface WS is adjusted, and the thickness of the processing liquid sandwiched between the substrate surface WS and the facing surface 33 is controlled to the gap G. As a result, the distribution ratio between the amount of the processing liquid adhering to the substrate surface WS (thickness TH) and the amount of the processing liquid sandwiched between the substrate surface WS and the facing surface 33 and the amount of the processing liquid scraped off by the side surface 34 is It is controlled, and an optimum suction state from each of the suction ports 61 to 63 can be realized according to the process conditions. In this case, the control unit 50 stores a plurality of job data that correlates the process recipe that defines the content of the liquid draining process, the gap G between the opposing surface 33 and the substrate surface WS, and various process conditions, The job data corresponding to the processing recipe may be read from the control unit 50 according to the processing content, and the height position may be controlled by moving the suction head 31.

  When the substrate W reaches the position where the suction head 31 is disposed, the processing liquid adhering to the substrate surface WS is partitioned in the vertical direction by the upstream side portion 35. As a result, the processing liquid partitioned downward from the upstream side portion 35 is sandwiched between the facing surface 33 and the substrate surface WS in a liquid-tight state, and the thickness (liquid amount) depends on the gap G. It is prescribed to a predetermined amount. Then, the processing liquid having a predetermined thickness G is removed by suction from the suction ports 61 and 62 opened in the facing surface 33. Here, the processing liquid is first sucked and removed from the upstream suction port 61 disposed on the upstream side (−X), and as a result, is sucked from the downstream suction port 62 disposed on the downstream side (+ X). The liquid volume is surely reduced as compared with the liquid volume sucked from the upstream suction port 61. Therefore, the thickness of the processing liquid sucked from the downstream suction port 62 is surely smaller than the gap G between the opposing surface 33 and the substrate surface WS, and the processing liquid is stably sucked and removed from the substrate surface WS. .

  On the other hand, the processing liquid partitioned above the upstream side portion 35 is scraped off by the side surface 34 and guided to the suction port 63 opened in the side surface 34, and is sucked and removed from the suction port 63. At this time, depending on various conditions such as the amount of the processing liquid, the type of the processing liquid, and the suction amount, a part of the processing liquid may stay in the upstream end of the head body 32 without being sucked. Since the space between the surface 33 and the substrate surface WS is in a liquid-tight state, the staying processing liquid is gently discharged laterally from the substrate surface WS without reattaching to the substrate surface WS. In this way, the processing liquid is removed from the entire substrate surface WS by being transported in the moving direction by the transport roller 1 while the processing liquid is being removed from the substrate surface WS over the entire Y direction of the substrate W.

  Further, by removing the processing liquid from the substrate surface WS as described above, all the processing liquid is removed from the substrate surface WS as much as possible, and the substrate surface WS is left so as to leave a predetermined amount of the processing liquid on the substrate surface WS. It is also easy to control the amount of liquid remaining in the liquid. That is, when a liquid film is left with a predetermined thickness on the substrate surface WS in order to prevent the etching unevenness after the etching process, the head main body 32 and the substrate surface regardless of the amount of the processing liquid adhering to the substrate surface WS. Since the amount of liquid sandwiched between WSs is fixed, stable removal of the processing liquid is realized, and the thickness of the processing liquid remaining on the substrate surface WS can be made uniform. Furthermore, the thickness of the processing liquid remaining on the substrate surface WS can be finely controlled by changing the setting of the height position and suction amount of the suction head 31.

  As described above, according to this embodiment, the substrate W while facing the substrate surface WS so that the facing surface 33 of the head main body 32 is positioned below the liquid level LL of the processing liquid adhering to the substrate surface WS. In the moving direction (+ X). In this state, the processing liquid is sucked from the suction ports 61 and 62 opened in the facing surface 33 and the suction port 63 opened in the side surface 34. Therefore, the thickness of the processing liquid that is partitioned below the upstream side 35 and is sandwiched between the facing surface 33 and the substrate surface WS is regulated according to the gap G between the facing surface 33 and the substrate surface WS, and the head body 32. The liquid is surely removed by suction through the suction ports 61 and 62 with the amount of liquid sandwiched between the substrate W and the substrate W fixed. On the other hand, the processing liquid that is partitioned above the upstream side portion 35 and scraped off by the side surface 34 is guided to the suction port 63 and removed by suction from the suction port 63, and a part of the processing liquid cannot be sucked. Without being reattached to the substrate surface WS, it is discharged out of the substrate in a limited manner. As a result, the processing liquid can be stably removed regardless of the amount of the processing liquid adhering to the substrate surface WS.

  Further, since the processing liquid adhering to the substrate surface WS is not removed by gas blowing, the processing liquid does not scatter as a mist (mist-like processing liquid). Therefore, it is possible to prevent the mist from re-adhering to the downstream side of the substrate W and to achieve uniform processing.

  Further, according to this embodiment, the two suction ports 61 and 62 are opened on the opposing surface 33 along the moving direction. For this reason, the processing liquid can be stably removed from the substrate surface WS, and the processing liquid can be recovered and reused with high efficiency. On the other hand, since the processing liquid can be reliably removed from the substrate surface WS, the processing liquid can be removed while transporting the substrate W at a high speed. As a result, the throughput of the apparatus can be improved.

  Further, since the opposing surface 33 and the side surface 34 form an acute angle θ at the upstream end portion of the head body 32, the processing liquid partitioned upward by the upstream side portion 35 is supported on the side surface 34. Thus, the treatment liquid can be prevented from staying at the upstream end of the head body 32. Further, it is advantageous in that the processing liquid is surely guided to the suction port 63 and sucked and removed from the suction port 63.

  Further, since the suction port 63 is opened on the side surface 34 in the vicinity of the upstream side portion 35, the opportunity for the suction port 63 to be positioned below the processing liquid level LL and exposed to the external atmosphere is reduced. Therefore, entrainment of gas such as air that is an external atmosphere can be suppressed, and a reduction in the suction efficiency of the processing liquid can be prevented.

  In the above embodiment, the height position of the suction head 31 is controlled to adjust the thickness of the processing liquid sandwiched between the opposing surface 33 and the substrate surface WS. It is possible to freely control the distribution ratio between the amount of the processing liquid to be collected and the amount of the processing liquid scraped off by the inclined surface that is the side surface. For this reason, an optimum suction state from the suction ports 61 and 62 and the suction port 63 can be realized in accordance with process conditions such as the viscosity of the processing liquid, and the processing liquid can be efficiently suctioned and removed.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications other than those described above can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, in the above-described embodiment, the two suction ports 61 and 62 are arranged in the movement direction and opened on the facing surface 33 as the “first opening” of the present invention, but one or more suction ports are arranged in the movement direction. Alternatively, the openings may be arranged in multiple stages. Similarly, the “second opening” of the present invention is not limited to the single suction port 63, and a plurality of suction ports may be arranged in the movement direction and opened on the side surface 34.

  Moreover, although each suction port 61-63 is made into the slit-shaped single opening extended in the width direction (Y direction), you may comprise so that several opening may be arranged in the width direction. As described above, as long as the suction ports are respectively opened on the opposing surface 33 and the side surface 34, the shape, number, arrangement, and the like of the suction ports are arbitrary.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 5, the opening shape of the suction port 63 opened in the side surface 34 may be changed. Specifically, of the upper opening surface 63a (upper inner wall surface) and the lower opening surface 63b (lower inner wall surface) that form the suction port 63, the length in the X direction of the upper opening surface 63a is defined as the lower opening surface. You may make it form long with respect to the length of the same direction of 63b. In this way, by extending the upper opening surface 63a toward the upstream side in the moving direction, air can be prevented from entering the suction port 63 from the external atmosphere, and a space extending below the upper opening surface 63a can be provided. Can be filled with processing solution. Thereby, the entrainment of air into the suction port 63 can be suppressed and the suction efficiency of the processing liquid can be increased. The extending direction of the upper opening surface 63a is not limited to the X direction, and the side surface 34 located below the lower opening surface 63b is moved backward with respect to the movement direction (+ X) without changing the upper opening surface 63a. Thus, the upper opening surface 63a may be extended relative to the lower opening surface 63b.

  Moreover, in the said embodiment, the suction ports 61-63 are each connected by the one manifold 37 provided in the inside of the head main body 32, and it operates collectively from each suction port 61-63 by operating the drainage pump 5a. Although the processing liquid is sucked, the suction amount may be adjusted independently for each of the suction ports 61 to 63. By configuring in this way, it is possible to realize an optimum suction state from each suction port in accordance with the process conditions together with the height position adjustment of the suction head.

  Moreover, in the said embodiment, although the process liquid adhering to this board | substrate surface WS is removed from the surface WS of the board | substrate W conveyed in one direction (+ X direction), it is not limited to this. For example, the present invention can also be applied to a substrate processing apparatus that removes a processing liquid from a surface WS such as a rotated semiconductor wafer or glass substrate.

  Moreover, in the said embodiment, although the suction head 31 is fixed to a moving direction and it carries out the liquid drain process while conveying the board | substrate W, it is not limited to this. For example, the substrate W may be fixed, and the liquid draining process may be performed while moving the suction head 31, or the liquid draining process may be performed while moving both the substrate W and the suction head 31.

  In the above embodiment, the etching solution adhering to the substrate surface WS after the etching process is drained, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the developer, stripping solution, cleaning solution or the like may be removed as “liquid”.

  The present invention applies a wet process from the surface of a general substrate including a semiconductor wafer, a glass substrate for a liquid crystal display device, a substrate for a plasma display panel (PDP), or a glass substrate or a ceramic substrate for a magnetic disk. The present invention can be applied to a substrate processing apparatus that removes adhering liquid.

It is a sectional side view which shows one Embodiment of the substrate processing apparatus concerning this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the control structure of the substrate processing apparatus of FIG. It is a perspective view which shows the structure of the liquid draining part of the substrate processing apparatus of FIG. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a suction head provided in a liquid draining part of the substrate processing apparatus of FIG. 1. It is a figure which shows the deformation | transformation form of a suction head.

Explanation of symbols

2 ... Roller drive section (drive means)
5a ... Drainage pump (suction means)
7. Actuator (position adjustment means)
32 ... Head body 33 ... Opposing surface 34 ... Side surface (inclined surface)
35 ... Upstream side 61 ... Suction port (first opening)
62 ... Suction port (first opening)
63 ... Suction port (second opening)
G: Gap between the opposing surface and the substrate surface LL: Liquid level of the liquid adhering to the substrate surface W ... Substrate W1: Width in the width direction of the opposing surface and the inclined surface W2: Width in the substrate width direction WS ... Substrate surface X ... Movement direction Y ... Width direction θ ... Acute angle

Claims (6)

In the substrate processing apparatus for removing the liquid from the surface of the substrate to which the liquid adheres,
A head body having a facing surface facing the substrate surface, the head main body being spaced apart from the substrate surface so that the facing surface is positioned below the liquid surface of the liquid adhering to the substrate surface;
Drive means for moving the head body relative to the substrate in a predetermined movement direction;
A suction means for sucking out the liquid adhering to the substrate surface from the head body and removing it from the substrate surface;
The head main body is opened on the facing surface and is disposed on the upstream side in the moving direction among a first opening for sucking the liquid from between the facing surface and the substrate surface, and a side portion defining the facing surface. An inclined surface that is connected to the upstream side portion that is positioned and extends from the upstream side portion in a direction away from the substrate surface while facing the upstream side in the movement direction with respect to the facing surface, and an opening in the inclined surface And a second opening for sucking the liquid on the inclined surface. When the direction parallel to the substrate surface and perpendicular to the moving direction is the width direction,
In the head body, the width in the width direction of the facing surface and the inclined surface is at least equal to or greater than the width in the width direction of the substrate,
The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of the first opening and the second opening forms a slit extending in the width direction.   3. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first opening has a plurality of suction ports opened in the facing surface while being spaced apart from each other along the movement direction.   The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second opening is opened in the inclined surface in the vicinity of the upstream side.   The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the opposing surface and the inclined surface form an acute angle at an upstream end portion of the head body.   Position adjustment means for adjusting the height position of the head body relative to the substrate surface by driving the head body; and controlling the position adjustment means to adjust a gap between the facing surface of the head body and the substrate surface. 6. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising control means for controlling a thickness of the liquid sandwiched between the substrate surface and the facing surface.

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