JP2009157249A - Exposure apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an exposure apparatus capable of preventing contamination in a conveyance passage of a workpiece due to dust generated on a stage in a first exposure section and capable of exposing each face of the workpiece while keeping the mask clean in each exposure section. <P>SOLUTION: A cleaning unit 12 provided in a first exposure section 2 removes dust on the upper face of a stage 8 and the surface of a mask 10. A cleaning unit 13 provided in an inverting section 3 removes dust on a second face of the workpiece W after inverted by an inverting device 9. A cleaning unit 12 provided in a second exposure section 4 removes dust on the upper face of the stage 8 and the surface of the mask 10. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an exposure apparatus for exposing a pattern to a planar base material (work) in which a photoresist layer is formed on both surfaces of an electronic circuit substrate, a glass substrate for a liquid crystal element, a glass element substrate for a PDP, and the like.

  Electronic circuit boards (printed circuit boards) are mounted on electronic devices such as mobile phones, various mobiles, and personal computers, for example, but it is necessary to mount a large number of circuit components on the board. There is a need for a substrate on which is formed. As an exposure apparatus used for manufacturing a substrate having a pattern formed on both the front and back surfaces, in order to improve processing efficiency, the workpiece is moved in one direction so that the front and back surfaces can be sequentially exposed. In general, an exposure unit for the first surface and an exposure unit for the second surface are separately provided, and a reversing device for reversing the workpiece between the two exposure devices is installed. In addition, as one of the exposure methods in each exposure unit, there is a contact method in which a mask is overlapped on the exposure target surface of the workpiece, and the photosensitive agent layer applied to the workpiece is exposed with light through the mask. The present invention relates to such a contact type exposure apparatus.

  In such a contact-type exposure apparatus, once a workpiece contaminated with dust in the external environment is carried in, the dust attached to each surface of the workpiece is transferred to the workpiece by contacting the workpiece. Contaminated. When the mask is contaminated in this way, the mask adheres to the transparent portion of the mask not only when the contaminated workpiece is exposed but also when a clean workpiece is subsequently carried in and exposed. The dust thus shielded from light causes the shadow to be reflected on the photoresist layer of the workpiece, which causes defects such as pattern defects after the development process.

  In order to prevent such contamination, a dust removing device for removing dust from the surface of the mask (the surface in contact with the workpiece) or the exposure target surface of the introduced workpiece (the surface in contact with the mask) is provided in each exposure unit. It is conceivable to provide it.

  For example, in the exposure apparatus described in Patent Document 1, as shown in FIG. 2, the dust removal roller 16 can swing up and down at the tip of a carry-in carrier 14 for carrying a work (substrate) onto a stage (exposure table 18). The surface of the mask (original plate 12) is removed by the dust removing roller 16 in accordance with the operation of carrying the workpiece (substrate) onto the stage (exposure table 18) and retracted from the stage (exposure table 18). A configuration is adopted in which the exposure target surface of the workpiece (substrate) is removed along with the operation.

  Further, in the exposure apparatus described in Patent Document 2, as shown in FIG. 1, a mask (original film 2) is placed on a traverser E that carries a work (substrate 1) onto a stage (substrate exposure stage C). And a roller (dust removal means 8) for dusting the exposure target surface of the workpiece (substrate 1) transferred by the traverser E immediately before the stage. Has been adopted.

  Further, in the exposure apparatus described in Patent Literature 3, the workpiece (substrate B) that is being transferred onto the stage (exposure stage 7) by the carry-in hand 3 immediately before and after the stage (exposure stage 7), respectively. A configuration in which a dust removing device (cleaning heads 1 and 2) for removing dust on the surface is fixed is employed.

  If the above known dust removing device is incorporated in each exposure unit for exposure of each surface in the exposure device, the mask surface and the exposure target surface of the workpiece can each be removed just before exposure in each exposure unit. It becomes possible.

Japanese Patent No. 353380 Japanese Patent No. 2847808 JP 2007-25436 A

  However, although contamination of the work carried into the exposure apparatus can be suppressed to a considerable extent by improving the external environment, a stage is provided by a fixing means such as a vacuum suction means in each exposure unit constituting the exposure apparatus. Since the work must be firmly fixed on the surface, the photoresist material, the base material piece and the like inevitably peel off from the work itself due to the action of the fixing means. The dust generated on the stage in this manner will contaminate the back surface of the workpiece fixed on the stage thereafter, and countermeasures against this will be important. In particular, dust generated on the stage in the first exposure unit that exposes the first surface of the workpiece contaminates the second surface of each workpiece to be exposed by the second exposure unit. Therefore, depending on the dust removing device provided in the second exposure unit, there is a possibility that dust cannot be sufficiently removed from the second surface of the workpiece contaminated in the first exposure unit. In addition, a large number of works contaminated one after another by dust remaining on the stage in the first exposure unit are transferred from the first exposure unit to the second exposure unit, so that the reversing device existing in the transfer path is changed. There is a possibility that dust will be scattered and contaminated on the device. Such a problem cannot be solved by the above-described known technique in which the surface of the mask and the surface to be exposed of the workpiece are simply removed at each exposure unit.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a reversing device between the first exposure unit for exposing the first surface of the workpiece and the second exposure unit for exposing the second surface, so that the workpiece is subjected to the first exposure. In an exposure apparatus that exposes both surfaces of the workpiece by moving in the order of the part, the reversing device, and the second exposure unit, contamination on the transfer path of the workpiece due to dust generated on the stage in the first exposure unit It is an object to provide an exposure apparatus capable of preventing and exposing each surface of a workpiece while keeping a mask clean in each exposure section.

  The exposure apparatus of the present invention devised to solve the above problems includes a transfer means between a first exposure unit that exposes a first surface of a workpiece and a second exposure unit that exposes a second surface. The first exposure unit includes a mask, a stage having a fixed surface to which a workpiece is fixed with the first surface facing the mask, and the mask and the stage relative to each other. A moving mechanism for bringing the mask and the first surface of the workpiece into contact with each other, a light source for irradiating the first surface of the workpiece through the mask, and a surface on the workpiece side of the mask And a first dust removing device for removing dust from the fixed surface of the stage, wherein the second exposure unit has a mask and a fixed surface to which the workpiece is fixed with the second surface facing the mask side. And the mask and the stage A moving mechanism for bringing the mask and the second surface of the work into contact with each other by approaching each other, a light source for irradiating light on the second surface of the work through the mask, and the work side of the mask A second dust removing device that removes the surface of the first exposure unit, wherein the transfer means reverses the workpiece that has been exposed to the first surface by the first exposure unit, and the workpiece is removed from the first exposure unit. It is installed on a transfer path of a workpiece by a transfer mechanism that transfers from the stage to the stage of the second exposure unit via the reversing device and the transfer mechanism from the reversing device to the stage of the second exposure unit. And a third dust removing device for removing dust from the second surface of the workpiece.

  When configured in this way, the first dust removing device has a surface in contact with the workpiece in the mask of the first exposure unit, and the second dust removing device has a surface in contact with the workpiece in the mask of the second exposure unit, Remove each dust. Furthermore, the first dust removing device removes dust from a fixed surface that fixes the workpiece on the stage of the first exposure unit. Therefore, when dust is generated by fixing the workpiece by the stage, the workpiece itself with the dust adhered to the second surface is transferred to the stage of the second exposure unit by the transfer mechanism. Since the 2nd surface of the said work used as the exposure object surface in 2 exposure parts is dust-removed by the 3rd dust removal apparatus after the reversal by a reversing apparatus, the bad influence by the dust adhering to a 2nd surface can be suppressed to some extent. Even if dust remains on the second surface and is transferred to the workpiece, the second dust removing device removes the dust after that, so that the influence can be further suppressed during subsequent exposure of the workpiece. In addition, since the dust generated on the fixed surface of the stage of the first exposure unit is eliminated by the first dust removing device removing the fixed surface, it does not contaminate the workpieces that are subsequently conveyed. The progress of contamination in the transfer mechanism can be stopped. In addition, when the work causing the generation of dust is transferred, the inside of the moving mechanism is contaminated only once, but dust scattered in the transfer mechanism due to the work is transferred to the second surface of the work to be transferred thereafter. Even if it adheres, the third dust removing device removes dust, so that adverse effects caused by it are minimized.

  According to the exposure apparatus of the present invention configured as described above, the reversing device is installed between the first exposure unit for exposing the first surface of the workpiece and the second exposure unit for exposing the second surface. In the exposure apparatus that exposes both surfaces of the workpiece by transferring the workpiece in the order of the first exposure unit, the reversing device, and the second exposure unit, the workpiece caused by dust generated on the stage in the first exposure unit Thus, it is possible to perform exposure on each surface of the workpiece while keeping the mask clean in each exposure section.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

<Overall configuration of exposure apparatus>
In the exposure apparatus according to the present embodiment, a planar substrate formed by laminating a metal film and a photoresist layer remaining as circuit wirings after exposure and etching processes on both surfaces is used as a workpiece W, and a photoresist layer on each surface of the workpiece W is formed. In contrast, the pattern is exposed by a contact method. Therefore, in addition to incorporating a dust removing device (cleaning unit 13) for removing dust from the second surface of the work W after being reversed by the reversing device 9 in the reversing unit 3, each exposure for exposing each surface of the work W, respectively. It is necessary to incorporate a dust removing device for removing dust from the lower surface of the mask 10 (the surface in contact with the workpiece W) in the portions 2 and 4. If the dust is attached to the light transmitting portion of the mask 10, the above-described drawing defect occurs, and even if dust is attached to the light shielding portion, the dust is caused by the mask 10 coming into contact with the workpiece. This is because it is transferred to the workpiece W, which contaminates the downstream apparatus. Further, in order to ensure the dust removal on the second surface of the work W by the dust removing device 1 of the reversing unit 3, the first surface exposure unit (first surface) that comes into contact with the second surface before the dust removing device 1 is provided. It is necessary to remove dust from the upper surface of the table 8 in the exposure unit 2). This dust removal is devised so that it can be performed by the same dust removing device as that for the mask 10.

  FIG. 1 is a side perspective view showing a schematic configuration of the exposure apparatus according to the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, this exposure apparatus is arranged in a horizontal direction (from the left side to the right side in FIG. 1). It is configured by arranging the part 5.

  The input unit 1 includes a stage 1a on which an operator or a robot (not shown) places an unexposed workpiece W so as to be picked up by the first handler 6.

  The first handler 6 has arms extending in the left-right direction in FIG. 1, and is provided with pads that can removably attract the workpiece W at both ends of the arms, respectively. Then, by moving the entire first handler 6 in the left-right direction of FIG. 1 by a linear slide (not shown), the workpiece W adsorbed by the pad at the left end in the figure is transferred from the input unit 1 to the first exposure unit 2 The workpiece W left on the stage 8 and sucked by the rightmost pad in the drawing is transferred from the first exposure unit 2 to the reversing unit 3 and left in the reversing device 9.

  The first exposure unit 2 superimposes the mask 10 on the first surface of the workpiece W transferred from the input unit 1, and irradiates light (for example, ultraviolet light) in a wavelength band for exposing the photoresist layer through the mask 10. Is a device for exposing the photoresist layer on the first surface to the pattern drawn as the translucent portion of the mask 10. For this reason, when the work W is placed by the first handler 6, the first exposure unit 2 brings the stage 8 into close contact with the work W toward the mask 10, and the stage 8 so as to separate the work W. Is composed of a lifting mechanism 55 (see FIG. 5, corresponding to a moving mechanism), a holder 11 that holds the mask 10, and a light source 14 that emits light for exposing the photoresist layer. Note that a number of suction ports communicating with a suction pump (not shown) are opened on the upper surface of the stage 8, and the work W is sucked and fixed on the surface of the stage 8 by sucking air through these suction ports. (That is, the upper surface functions as a fixed surface). In FIG. 1, the handler 6 is depicted so as to be directly below the mask 10, but the mask 10 is disposed at a position shifted in a direction perpendicular to the paper surface with respect to the first handler 6. Also good. In this case, the stage 8 needs to have a function of moving horizontally in a direction perpendicular to the paper surface in addition to the function of moving up and down. When such a configuration is adopted, it is not necessary to retract the first handler 6 when the table 8 is raised and lowered, and light leakage from the light source 14 can be easily blocked. The cleaning unit 12 is provided between the input unit 1 and the first exposure unit 2 and corresponds to a first dust removing device for removing dust from the lower surface of the mask 10 and the upper surface of the stage 8 of the first exposure unit 2. This will be described in detail later.

  The reversing unit 3 includes a reversing device 9 for reversing the workpiece W on which the first surface transferred from the first exposure unit 2 by the first handler 6 has been exposed, and the first of the workpieces W reversed by the reversing device 9. A cleaning unit 13 as a third dust removing device for removing dust on the two surfaces is incorporated. Detailed configurations of the reversing device 9 and the cleaning unit 13 will be described in detail later.

  The second exposure unit 4 has the same configuration as the first exposure unit 2. Accordingly, in FIG. 1, parts of the second exposure unit 4 that are common to the first exposure unit 2 are assigned the same numbers as those of the first exposure unit 2, and individual descriptions are omitted. The cleaning unit 12 included in the second exposure unit 4 corresponds to a second dust removing device.

  The second handler 7 has arms extending in the left-right direction in FIG. 1, and is provided with pads for detachably adsorbing the workpiece W at both ends of the arms so as to be lifted and lowered. Then, by moving the entire second handler 7 in the left-right direction in FIG. 1 by a linear slide (not shown), the workpiece W adsorbed by the leftmost pad in the figure is transferred from the reversing unit 3 to the second exposure unit 4 and The workpiece W left on the stage 8 and sucked by the rightmost pad in the figure is transferred from the second exposure unit 4 to the discharge unit 5 and left on the stage 5a of the discharge unit 5. Thus, the exposed workpiece W placed on the stage 5a of the discharge unit 5 is taken out by an operator or a robot (not shown) and moved to the next processing step. The cleaning unit 12 provided between the second exposure unit 4 and the discharge unit 5 and for removing dust from the lower surface of the mask 10 and the upper surface of the stage 8 of the second exposure unit 4 will be described in detail later.

  The first handler 6, the reversing unit 3, and the second handler 7 correspond to transfer means, and the first handler 6 and the second handler 7 among them correspond to a transfer mechanism.

<Reversing device of reversing unit>
2 is a perspective view showing the reversing device 9 in the initial state with the viewpoint on the upper left in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 shows the state of the reversing device 9 after performing the reversing operation. FIG.

  As shown in these drawings, the reversing device 9 includes a pair of guide rails 20 and 20 laid on a frame (not shown) in the reversing unit 3 in parallel with the handlers 6 and 7, Between the pair of linear slides 23, 23 guided by 20 so as to be slidable only in the longitudinal direction, and the linear slides 23, 23, the longitudinal direction is referred to as the direction of each rail 20 (hereinafter referred to as “z direction” for convenience). ) And a vertical direction (for convenience, hereinafter referred to as “y direction”), respectively, and spanned and fixed in directions orthogonal to each other (for convenience, hereinafter referred to as “x direction”), and both ends thereof (support portions 24a, 24a). ) Is bent at a right angle upward in the y direction, and a support member 24 having a shape equivalent to that of the support member 24, and a rotary shaft (movement of the workpiece W) provided in the vicinity of the upper ends of the support portions 24a and 24a in the x direction. And a pair of rotary plates 25 and 25 each made of a plate-like member held inside the column member 24 so as to be rotatable around a rotation axis provided in a direction perpendicular to the direction). The lifting tables 26, 26 having a rectangular shape fixed on the inner side surface thereof in the initial direction in the y direction, and the lifting tables 26 are disposed so as to sandwich the lifting tables 26 from both sides in the z direction. 26, two sets (total four) of prismatic sliders 27, 27 that are slidably held only in the y direction in the initial state, and one end surface of each set of sliders 27, 27 (in the initial state) Cylinder pedestal 28 spanned between the lower end surfaces) and fixed so as to project inward (near the center of the reversing device 9), and at an angle formed by each pair of sliders 27 and 27 and the cylinder pedestal 28 Contact An opening / closing base bracket 29 fixed in such a manner, a pair of opening / closing bases 21 and 22 pivotally supported with respect to each of the opening / closing brackets 29 and 29 by an axis directed in the z direction, and both the lifting tables 26 and 26. The suction base 30 is fixed between the inner surfaces, and is fixed to the downstream side (the right side in FIG. 1) of the frame (not shown) of the reversing unit 3, and one end thereof is connected to the center of the column member 24. A reversing device moving cylinder 33 for projecting and retracting the shaft 32 directed in the direction, a rotation driving motor (servo motor) 34 fixed to the outer surface of one of the support columns 24a and rotating the rotating plate 25 via a rotating shaft, A shaft 36 fixed to the surface (lower surface in the initial state) of each cylinder pedestal 28 and having one end passing through each cylinder pedestal 28 and connected to the lifting table 26 is provided. Lifting cylinders 35, 35 to be submerged, and opening / closing motors 37, 37 fixed to the respective opening / closing base brackets 29, 29 and rotating the respective opening / closing bases 21, 22 relative to the respective opening / closing base brackets 29, 29. Has been.

  The suction base 30 has a rectangular planar shape, and is sandwiched and fixed between the lifting and lowering sliders 26 and 26 so that the downstream side surface is flush with one slider 27 in the initial state. Has been. The inner surface of the suction base 30 (the surface facing both the open / close bases 21 and 22) is recessed so as to have a rectangular cross section, leaving ribs 30a and 30a formed along both side edges in the X direction. This recess is an accommodation recess 30b for accommodating the workpiece W. A large number of suction ports (not shown) communicating with a suction pump 44 (see FIG. 5) serving as vacuum suction means are opened on the surface of the housing recess 30b, and through a vacuum exhaust pipe communicating with the suction port. By sucking air, the workpiece W accommodated in the accommodation recess 30b is vacuum-sucked.

  The open / close base brackets 29 and 29 have a shape equivalent to a shape obtained by cutting a central portion in the X direction from a rectangular frame having an outer edge overlapping the outer edge of the suction base 30. The open / close bases 21 and 22 are accommodated in the X direction inside the inner edges of the open / close base brackets 29 and 29 with a slight clearance. Each of the open / close bases 21 and 22 is pivotally supported by a rotating shaft that is stretched in the z direction between the bent portions at both ends in the z direction of each open / close base bracket 29, Opened and closed in the center. The clearance described above is provided in order to avoid interference between the open / close bases 21 and 22 and the open / close base brackets during the rotation. Each open / close bracket 29 is fixed to the pair of sliders 27 and 27 and the cylinder base 28 so that both end surfaces in the z direction and side surfaces in the x direction are flush with the suction base 30 and parallel to the ribs 30a. Has been.

  Each open / close motor 37 is fixed to the end face of each open / close base bracket 29 located on the downstream side in the initial state, and rotationally drives each open / close base 21, 22 through the rotating shaft.

  Each of the open / close bases 21 and 22 is two rectangular plates, and the positions in the z direction coincide with each other in the vicinity of the open / close motors 37 and 37 on the inner side surface (the surface facing the suction base 30). In addition, positioning pins 21a and 22a (see FIG. 6) having the same shape are formed to protrude. The heights of the positioning pins 21a and 22a are lower than the depth of the accommodating recess 30a of the suction base 30 and the thickness of the workpiece W.

  With the above configuration, when the reversing device moving cylinder 33 retracts the shaft 32, the entire device constructed on the slider 23, in particular, the suction base 30 and the open / close bases 21 and 22 are moved along the guide rail 20 with z. It moves toward the direction downstream side (right side in FIG. 1).

  Further, when the rotary drive motor 34 drives the rotary plate 25 to rotate, the entire apparatus constructed between the two column portions 24a, 24a, in particular, the suction base 30 and the open / close bases 21, 22 along the rotary axis. And the posture is maintained by the friction of the rotational drive motor 34 itself.

  When both lift cylinders 35 retract the shaft 36, each slider 27 slides along the lift table 26, and both open / close base brackets 29, 29 and open / close bases 21, 22 fixed thereto are suction bases 30. And the open / close base brackets 29 and 29 are stopped at the positions where they come into contact with the ribs 30a and 30a of the suction base 30. Conversely, when both the lift cylinders 35 extend the shaft 36, the sliders 27 slide along the lift table 26, and the open / close base brackets 29, 29 and the open / close bases 21, 22 fixed thereto are suction bases 30. Before the both open / close bases 21 and 22 and the suction base 30 are reversed, the inner surfaces of the open / close bases 21 and 22 are lowered on the surface of the table 8 in the exposure units 2 and 4 (the dashed line in FIG. 1). Stop at a position that is flush with the pass level indicated by.

  Further, when both opening / closing motors 37, 37 rotate both opening / closing bases 21, 22, both opening / closing bases 21, 22 are perpendicular to the suction base 33 as shown in FIG. Thus, the housing recess 30b of the suction base 33 is exposed to the outside.

<Reversing unit cleaning unit>
FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the entire cleaning unit 13 from the same direction as FIG. As shown in FIG. 4, the cleaning unit 13 is held in the reversing unit 3 by a YZ table 40 as a moving table. The Z-Y table 40 has a pair of guide rails 41 and 41 fixed to a frame (not shown) of the reversing unit 3 in the y direction, and a pair of slidably held in the y direction by the guide rails 41. Y tables 42, 42, a guide rail 43 spanned between the two y tables 42, 42 in the z direction, a z table 44 slidably held in the z direction by the guide rails, and x It is comprised from the stay 45 fixed so that it might protrude from the z table 44 toward the direction. The y tables 42 and 42 and the z table 44 are slid and positioned with respect to the guide rails 41 and 43 by built-in actuators, respectively.

  The cleaning unit 13 is accommodated in a box-shaped frame as shown in FIG. 4, and the lower edge of the upstream side (left side in FIG. 1) is cut away, and the rotation axis is placed in the opening formed thereby. An adhesive roller 46 oriented in the direction is rotatably attached. A longitudinal section along the YZ plane of the cleaning unit 13 is shown in FIG. As shown in this longitudinal section, the adhesive roller 46 comes into contact with a transfer roller 47 (FIG. 12) that is rotatably held via a rotating shaft parallel thereto, and is driven by the rotation of the transfer roller 47. And roll on the surface to be dedusted. Since an adhesive layer is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the adhesive roller 46, dust adhering to the dust removal target surface is entangled by the adhesive force of the adhesive. On the other hand, the transfer roller 47 is rotationally driven by a drive motor 48 via a known transmission device such as a chain or gear, and a tape having a stronger adhesive force than the adhesive roller 46 is provided on the outer peripheral surface thereof. Is wound outward. As a result, the dust adhering to the outer peripheral surface of the adhesive roller 46 is transferred to the surface of the transfer roller 47 and collected. The dust collected by the transfer roller 47 in this manner is discarded by stripping off the adhesive tape from the outer peripheral surface of the transfer roller 47 by one volume.

<Inverter control system>
The above-described suction pump 44, reversing device moving cylinder 33, rotation drive motor 34, elevating cylinders 35 and 35, rotation motors 37 and 37, y tables 42 and 42, z table 43, and drive motor 48 are shown in FIG. As shown in the figure, it is connected to an inverting unit controller 49 which is a control device for controlling the operation of the entire inverting unit 3 and is supplied with a control signal and driving power from the inverting unit controller 49 to perform an operation according to a predetermined sequence. . The reversing unit controller 49 itself is connected to an overall controller 50 that is a control device that controls the operation of the entire exposure apparatus, and the operation timing and the like are controlled by the overall controller 50. Hereinafter, a sequence in which the reversing unit controller 49 controls each unit of the reversing unit will be described with reference to FIGS. Since the cleaning unit 13 remains stopped while the operations shown in FIGS. 6 to 11 are performed, the illustration thereof is omitted.

  FIG. 6 shows the reversing device 9 in the initial state. In this initial state, both the open / close bases 21 and 22 are parallel to the suction base 30, the both open / close base brackets 29 and 29 are separated from the ribs 30 a and 30 a of the suction base 30, and the column member 24 is the most. It moves to the downstream side (right side in the figure), and the suction base 30 is positioned above each of the open / close bases 21 and 22 and held at a rotational position that faces the horizontal direction. In the initial state shown in FIG. 6, as described above, the inner surfaces of both the open / close bases 21 and 22 are flush with the pass level (the chain line in FIG. 6). In this state, under the control of the overall controller 50, the first handler 6 described above transfers the work W that has been exposed on the first surface by the first exposure unit 2 to both the open / close bases 21 and 22 and the suction base 30. And placed on the inner surfaces of both the open / close bases 21 and 22 at positions where they contact the positioning pins 21a and 22a. This state is shown in FIG.

  Next, the reversing unit controller 49 controls the elevating cylinders 35 and 35 so that both the open / close base brackets 29 and 29 are raised and stopped at positions where they come into contact with the ribs 30a and 30a of the suction base 30. In this position, the first surface of the workpiece W comes into contact with the inner surface of the housing recess 30 a of the suction base 30. However, at this time, the reversing unit controller 49 does not operate the suction pump 44. This state is shown in FIG.

  Next, the reversing unit controller 49 synchronizes the rotation drive motor 34 and the reversing unit moving cylinder 33 to rotate both the open / close bases 21 and 22 and the suction base 30 in the clockwise direction in the drawing, and the column member 24 to the upstream side. Move. By this control, the state of the reversing device 9 changes in the order of FIG. 9, FIG. 10, and FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 9, when both the open / close bases 21 and 22 start to tilt, since the vacuum suction by the suction base 30 is not performed at this time, the workpiece W is positioned by the positioning pins 21a, Since a state of completely abutting 22a can be secured, its posture and position are corrected. At this point, the reversing unit controller 49 operates the suction pump 44 to attract the work W to the inner surface of the housing recess 30 a of the suction base 30. As a result, since the alignment of the workpiece W is automatically completed, it is not necessary to provide a special pre-alignment mechanism in front of the second exposure unit 4.

  In the state of FIG. 11, both the open / close bases 21 and 22 and the suction base 30 are horizontal, and the column member 24 has moved to the most upstream position. From the state shown in FIG. 11, the reversing unit controller 49 further controls the rotation drive motor 34 to further rotate both the open / close bases 21 and 22 and the suction base 30, so that the housing recess 30 a of the suction base 30 faces upward. And it stops in the state which the front-end | tip inclined downward from the horizontal direction (refer FIG. 12). This angle is, for example, 30 degrees from the horizontal direction.

  Next, the reversing unit controller 49 controls both rotary motors 37 and 37 to open both open / close bases 21 and 22. This state is shown in FIG. 13 is a movement locus of the cleaning unit 13 set in advance in the reversing unit controller for controlling the YZ table 40 (in the drawing, the movement of the center of the adhesive roller 46). Shown as a trajectory). That is, the reversing unit controller 49 controls both the y table 42 and the z table 43 so as to move the cleaning unit along the movement locus shown by the broken line.

  Specifically, the cleaning unit 13 first descends from the position shown in FIG. 13 to the position shown in FIG. 14, and adheres to the surface of the second surface of the workpiece W fixed in the housing portion 30 a of the suction base 30. The contact surface of the roller 46 is made to coincide. Next, the cleaning unit 13 moves in parallel to the suction base 30 so as to descend obliquely toward the downstream side while synchronously rotating the adhesive roller 46 via the transfer roller 47 by the drive motor 48. In the middle of this movement, the adhesive roller 46 rolls while pressing on the second surface of the work W, and removes the second surface (see FIG. 15). When the adhesive roller 46 reaches the end of the housing portion 30a (see FIG. 16), the cleaning unit 13 is once separated vertically from the suction base 30 (see FIG. 17) and then parallel to the suction base 30. Then, it moves so as to rise obliquely toward the upstream side (see FIG. 18). Then, when the adhesive roller 46 reaches the end of the accommodating portion 30a, the cleaning unit 13 rises vertically and returns to the initial position shown in FIG.

  Next, the reversing unit controller 49 reverses the rotation drive motor 34 and returns it to the rotation position where the suction base 30 is horizontal (see FIG. 19). At this time, the inner surface of the housing recess 30a of the suction base 30 is flush with the pass level. Therefore, the reversing unit controller 49 stops the suction by the suction pump 44. Then, under the control of the overall controller 50, the above-described handler 7 picks up the workpiece W and moves it to the second exposure unit 4 (see FIG. 20).

  Next, the reversing unit controller 49 controls both rotary motors 37 to close both open / close bases 21 and 22 and return them to a position parallel to the suction base 30. Further, the lift cylinders 35 and 35 are controlled so that the both open / close base brackets 29 and 29 are separated from the ribs 30 a and 30 a of the suction base 30. FIG. 3 described above shows this state.

  Next, the reversing unit controller 49 controls the reversing device moving cylinder 33 so that the column member 24 moves to the most downstream side (right side in the figure), while the suction base 30 is positioned above the open / close bases 21 and 22. Further, the rotation drive motor 34 is controlled so as to face the horizontal direction, thereby returning to the initial state shown in FIG.

<Cleaning unit for each exposure unit>
The cleaning units (first dust removing device and second dust removing device) 12 and 12 of the exposure units 2 and 4 have the same structure as that shown in FIG. It is supported by the YZ table, and moves along a preset trajectory in the YZ plane. FIG. 1 also shows a longitudinal section of the cleaning units 12 and 12 in the YZ plane.

  Each cleaning unit 12 is accommodated in a box-shaped casing. However, unlike FIG. 4, the lower edge and the upper edge on the upstream side (left side in FIG. 1) are cut out, and adhesive rollers 57, 57 with the rotation axis directed in the x direction are formed in the openings formed thereby. Each is attached rotatably. FIG. 21 is a perspective view showing a state in which each cleaning unit 13 is viewed from the upstream side. As shown in FIGS. 21 and 1, both adhesive rollers 57, 57 come into contact with a transfer roller 58 that is rotatably held via a rotation shaft parallel to the rotation roller, and the transfer roller 58 rotates. , Rolls on the dust removal target surface, entangles the dust adhering to the dust removal target surface, and transfers the dust onto the surface of the transfer roller 58 having a stronger adhesive force. The configurations and functions of the rollers 57 and 58 are exactly the same as those of the cleaning unit 13 of the reversing unit 3 described above. However, the transfer roller 58 is rotationally driven by a drive motor 53 fixed outside the casing.

<Control of each exposure unit>
As shown in FIG. 5, the overall controller 50 further has a first exposed portion controller 56 for controlling the first exposed portion 2 and a second exposed portion controller 51 for controlling the second exposed portion 4. , Supplying control signals. The YZ table 52, the drive motor 53, the raising mechanism 55 of the stage 8, the suction pump 54 of the stage 8, and the light source 14 are connected to the exposed portion controllers 51 and 55, respectively. 51 and 55 are supplied with control signals and driving power, respectively (only those connected to the second exposure unit controller 51 are shown in FIG. 5 and connected to the first exposure unit controller 56). The illustration of what is present is omitted.) Hereinafter, a sequence in which the exposure unit controllers 51 and 56 control the cleaning units 12 of the exposure units 2 and 4 will be described with reference to FIGS. Note that the control performed by the first exposure unit controller 51 and the control performed by the second exposure unit controller 56 are the operation timing and the retracted position of the cleaning unit 12 (the cleaning unit 12 of the first exposure unit 2 is in the carry-in unit 1, The cleaning unit 12 of the two exposure unit 4 is the same except for the discharge unit 5). Therefore, the following description will be given by taking the second exposure unit controller 51 as an example.

  FIG. 22 shows a state in which the work W adsorbed on the stage 8 by the suction pump 54 is brought into contact with the mask 10 by raising the stage 8 by the raising mechanism 55 in the second exposure unit 4. Yes. In this state, the second exposure unit controller 51 exposes the pattern drawn on the mask 10 by exposing the second surface of the workpiece W over the mask 10 by causing the light source 14 to emit light. At this time, the cleaning unit 12 is retracted into the discharge unit 5 by the YZ table 52 controlled by the second exposure unit controller 51.

  Next, the second exposure unit controller 51 controls the raising mechanism 55 to lower the stage 8 until the upper surface thereof is flush with the pass level, and stops the suction pump 54. In this state, the handler 7 grips the workpiece W on the stage 8 (see FIG. 23) and moves it to the discharge unit 5 (see FIG. 1).

  Next, the second exposure unit controller 51 controls the YZ table 52 to bring the cleaning unit 12 into the initial position shown in FIG. 24, that is, the upper adhesive roller 57 contacts one end on the lower surface of the mask 10. Move to the specified position. The broken line drawn in FIG. 24 is the movement locus of the cleaning unit 12 set in advance in the second exposure unit controller 51 in order to control the YZ table 52 (in the drawing, the upper adhesive roller 57 shown as a movement locus at the center). That is, the second exposure unit controller 51 controls the YZ table 52 so as to move the cleaning unit 12 along the movement locus shown by the broken line.

  Specifically, the cleaning unit 12 first horizontally moves in the z direction from the position shown in FIG. 24 to the position shown in FIG. During this time, the second exposure unit controller 51 rotates the drive motor 53 to rotate the upper adhesive roller 57 counterclockwise in the drawing in synchronization with the moving speed of the cleaning unit 12 itself. As a result, the lower surface of the mask 10 rolls while being pressed by the adhesive roller 57, and the lower surface of the mask 10 is dedusted.

  Next, the stage 8 is slightly raised, and the cleaning unit 12 is lowered from the position shown in FIG. 25 to the position shown in FIG. 26 to bring the lower adhesive roller 57 into contact with the upper surface of the stage 8.

  Next, the cleaning unit 12 horizontally moves in the z direction from the position shown in FIG. 26 to the position shown in FIG. During this time, since the drive motor 53 continues to rotate in the same direction, the lower adhesive roller 57 rotates counterclockwise in the figure in synchronization with the moving speed of the cleaning unit 12 itself. As a result, the adhesive roller 57 rolls on the upper surface of the stage 8 and dust is removed from the upper surface of the stage 8.

  In FIG. 28, dust is removed from the lower surface of the mask 10 in the first exposure unit 2, dust from the second surface of the workpiece W is removed in the reversing unit 3, and the upper surface of the stage 8 is removed in the second exposure unit 4. It shows a state where dust is being removed.

  Note that the dust removal timing in each of the exposure units 2 and 4 may be any timing that allows a space between the stage 8 and the mask 10, and dust removal may be started in a predetermined exposure cycle in advance, or any The dust removal may be started when the exposure is completed and the workpiece W is discharged.

<Advantages of this embodiment>
1. Advantage of providing cleaning unit 13 for removing dust on second surface of work W above reversing device 9 in reversing unit 3

  According to this embodiment, the cleaning unit 13 for removing dust from the second surface of the workpiece W is installed above the reversing device 9 in the reversing unit 3. Accordingly, since it is not necessary to secure a space for installing the dust removing device between the reversing device 9 and the second exposure unit 4, the size of the entire exposure device in the z direction (direction in which the workpiece W moves) can be suppressed.

2. In addition to removing the second surface of the workpiece W at the reversing unit 3, the merit of removing the dust at the lower surface of the mask 10 and the upper surface of the stage 8 at each exposure unit 2 and 4

  As described above, if dust is removed from the second surface of the workpiece W by the cleaning unit 13 on the way from the reversing device 9 to the stage of the second exposure unit 4, the dust is attached to the second surface in the first exposure unit. Thus, it is possible to solve the problem that the pattern formed on the second surface has a defect. However, if there is too much dust adhering at the first exposure unit 2, there is a possibility that dust removal by the cleaning unit 13 is not sufficiently performed. Therefore, it is desirable to remove dust so that dust does not adhere to the second surface of the workpiece W in the first exposure unit 2 in the first place. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the cleaning unit 12 is provided in the first exposure unit 2 to perform dust removal on the upper surface of the stage 8 that is in contact with the second surface of the workpiece W.

  Further, even if the second surface of the workpiece W is removed by the cleaning unit 13 before fixing the workpiece W on the stage 8 of the second exposure unit 4, the lower surface of the mask 10 of the second exposure unit 4 (particularly, the transparent surface thereof). If dust adheres to the light part), the above-described defects will still occur. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the cleaning unit 12 is provided in the second exposure unit 4 to perform dust removal on the upper surface of the lower surface of the mask 10.

  Further, a pattern defect caused by dust adhering to the lower surface of the mask 10 also occurs on the first surface during exposure of the first surface of the work W in the first exposure unit 2. obtain. Therefore, in this embodiment, the cleaning unit 12 of the first exposure unit 2 also removes dust from the lower surface of the mask 10.

  Further, in the present embodiment, dust is removed from the upper surface of the stage 8 by the cleaning unit 12 of the second exposure unit 4. Since the dust generated on the upper surface of the stage 8 does not affect the exposure of each surface of the workpiece W unless it is transferred to the lower surface of the mask 10 due to convection or electrostatic force, the upper surface of the stage 8 is not affected. The need for dust removal is relatively low. However, there is some possibility of such transfer, and there is a possibility that the dust is transferred to the exposed first surface, which may adversely affect the subsequent processing. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the second exposure unit The upper surface of the stage 8 is also removed by the cleaning unit 12.

3. Advantages of the cleaning units 12 of the exposure units 2 and 4 having adhesive rollers 57 and 57 on the upper and lower sides.

  In the present embodiment, the cleaning unit 12 of each exposure unit 2, 4 is provided with adhesive rollers 57, 57 on the top and bottom, and is in contact with the same transfer roller 58. By adopting such a configuration, according to the present embodiment, while the single cleaning unit 12 is reciprocated in the z direction, dust can be removed from the lower surface of the mask 10 and the upper surface of the stage 8 during one reciprocation. it can. Such an effect is possible even with a cleaning unit having only one adhesive roller. However, in order to realize this, the adhesive roller has a larger diameter than the transfer roller, the adhesive roller is configured to revolve with respect to the transfer roller, or the adhesive roller is moved independently from the transfer roller. Ingenuity is required. However, if the adhesive roller has a diameter larger than that of the transfer roller, there arises a problem that the life of the transfer roller is shortened, and the mechanism is complicated to configure the adhesive roller so that it can revolve with respect to the transfer roller. If the adhesive roller is moved independently from the transfer roller, there arises a problem that the adhesive force of the adhesive roller is reduced during dust removal. In the present embodiment, the cleaning unit 12 includes an adhesive roller 57 installed at a position higher than the transfer roller 58 for the mask lower surface and an adhesive roller 57 installed at a position lower than the transfer roller 58 for the stage upper surface. Therefore, there is a merit that such a problem does not occur at all.

<Modification>
In the present embodiment, the cleaning unit 13 as a dust removing device is disposed on the reversing device 9, and dust removal is performed on the second surface of the work W that is in the state of being sucked by the suction base 30 of the reversing device 9. However, the configuration for achieving the present invention is not limited to this, and a dust removing device may be arranged at a position while being transferred from the reversing device 9 to the stage 8 of the second exposure unit 4. In that case, the configuration in which the cleaning unit 13 is moved by the ZY table 40 is not necessarily required. For example, the second surface is disposed between the adhesive roller constituting the dust removing device and the roller facing the adhesive roller. The structure by which the workpiece | work W is carried in toward the side may be sufficient.

  In the present embodiment, both the upper surface of the stage 18 and the lower surface of the work 10 are dust-removed by the single cleaning unit 12 in each of the exposure units 2 and 4. May be. In the second exposure unit 4, only dust removal on the lower surface of the mask 10 may be performed.

1 is a schematic side perspective view of an exposure apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. Perspective view of the reversing device in the initial state Perspective view of reversing device after reversing Perspective view of cleaning unit and YZ table Block diagram showing circuit configuration of control system of exposure apparatus Explanation of operation of reversing device Explanation of operation of reversing device Explanation of operation of reversing device Explanation of operation of reversing device Explanation of operation of reversing device Explanation of operation of reversing device Operation explanatory diagram of reversing device and cleaning unit Operation explanatory diagram of reversing device and cleaning unit Operation explanatory diagram of reversing device and cleaning unit Operation explanatory diagram of reversing device and cleaning unit Operation explanatory diagram of reversing device and cleaning unit Operation explanatory diagram of reversing device and cleaning unit Operation explanatory diagram of reversing device and cleaning unit Operation explanatory diagram of reversing device and cleaning unit Operation explanatory diagram of reversing device and cleaning unit Front perspective view of the cleaning unit of each exposure unit Operation explanatory diagram of cleaning unit of each exposure unit Operation explanatory diagram of cleaning unit of each exposure unit Operation explanatory diagram of cleaning unit of each exposure unit Operation explanatory diagram of cleaning unit of each exposure unit Operation explanatory diagram of cleaning unit of each exposure unit Operation explanatory diagram of cleaning unit of each exposure unit The figure which shows the state in which each cleaning unit is performing dust removal, respectively.

Explanation of symbols

2 First exposure unit 3 Inversion unit 4 Second exposure unit 8 Stage 9 Inversion device 10 Mask 12 Cleaning unit 13 Cleaning unit 14 Light source 49 Inversion unit controller 50 Overall controller 51 Second exposure unit controller 52 YZ table 53 Drive motor 55 Lifting mechanism 56 First exposure unit controller

Claims (4)

An exposure apparatus comprising a transfer means between a first exposure unit that exposes a first surface of a workpiece and a second exposure unit that exposes a second surface,
The first exposure unit includes a mask, a stage having a fixed surface to which a workpiece is fixed with the first surface facing the mask, and the mask and the stage by relatively approaching the mask. A moving mechanism that makes contact with the first surface of the workpiece, a light source that irradiates light to the first surface of the workpiece through the mask, a surface on the workpiece side of the mask, and a fixed surface of the stage are dedusted And a first dust removing device that
The second exposure unit includes a mask, a stage having a fixed surface to which a work is fixed with the second surface facing the mask, and the mask and the stage by relatively approaching the mask. A moving mechanism for contacting the second surface of the workpiece, a light source for irradiating light on the second surface of the workpiece through the mask, and a second dust removing device for removing dust on the workpiece-side surface of the mask And
The transfer means reverses a work that has been exposed on the first surface by the first exposure unit, and the second exposure of the work from the stage of the first exposure unit via the reversing device. A third mechanism for removing dust from the second surface of the workpiece, which is installed on a workpiece transfer path by the transfer mechanism from the reversing device to the stage of the second exposure unit. An exposure apparatus comprising the apparatus. Each of the dust removing devices includes an adhesive roller having an adhesive layer on an outer peripheral surface and rolling in contact with the dust removal target surface, a frame for rotatably holding the adhesive roller, and moving the adhesive roller together with the frame. 2. The exposure apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a moving table that causes the adhesive roller to contact the dust removal target surface and roll on the surface. The said 1st and 3rd dust removal apparatus has a 1st adhesion roller which contacts the surface by the side of the said workpiece | work of the said mask, and a 2nd adhesion roller which contacts the fixed surface of the said stage. 1. The exposure apparatus according to 1. 2. The exposure apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second dust removing device has an adhesive roller that contacts the second surface of the workpiece after being inverted.