JP2010135452A - Substrate processing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an apparatus capable of improving uniformity of processing quality in the whole of the principle plane of a substrate by reducing unevenness of a processing speed in a substrate plane, even if the thickness of a film formed on the substrate is not uniform or film quality differs depending on a location on the substrate. <P>SOLUTION: This substrate processing apparatus includes a processing chamber 36, a carrier roller 42 to horizontally carry the substrate W in the processing chamber, a spray nozzle 44 to discharge etching liquid 48 to the top of the substrate carried by the carrying roller, and a gas discharge nozzle 52 to discharge cold air or warm air to a required region on the top of the substrate carried by the carrier roller. The temperature of the etching liquid on the upside of the substrate is partially adjusted depending on regions by discharging cold air or warm air to the upside of the substrate W from the gas discharge nozzle 52. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a glass substrate for a liquid crystal display (LCD), a plasma display (PDP), an organic light emitting diode (OLED), a field emission display (FED), a vacuum fluorescent display (VFD), etc., a magnetic / optical disk The present invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus that performs wet processing with a processing solution such as an etching solution on various substrates such as glass / ceramic substrates, semiconductor wafers, and electronic device substrates.

  For example, in the manufacturing process of devices such as LCD and PDP, as a method of performing wet processing, for example, wet etching processing, on a glass substrate, a dip method (dipping method) in which processing is performed while the substrate is immersed in an etching solution. System), spray system that performs processing by discharging the etching liquid from the spray nozzle to the surface of the substrate while transporting the substrate in the horizontal direction, and substrate surface by discharging the etching liquid from the slit nozzle to the surface of the substrate in the form of a curtain There is a paddle system in which processing is performed by reciprocating the substrate in the horizontal direction in a state where the liquid is accumulated. Among these processes, for example, a substrate processing apparatus that performs dip processing has a substrate entrance 2 and an exit 3 as shown in a schematic side sectional view in FIG. 1 is provided. The substrate carry-in port 2 and the carry-out port 3 of the storage tank 1 are provided with shutters 5 and 6 for opening and closing the respective openings. Inside the storage tank 1, a roller conveyor configured by arranging a plurality of transport rollers 7 in parallel with each other along the transport direction of the substrate W is installed, and the plurality of transport rollers 7 are rotated forward and backward, respectively. By doing so, the substrate W is reciprocated (oscillated) in the storage tank 1 in the direction along its main surface, in the illustrated example, in the horizontal direction. A processing liquid supply port 8 is provided at the bottom of the storage tank 1, and a processing liquid supply pipe 9 that is connected to a processing liquid tank, which will be described later, is connected to the supply port 8. Although not shown, a drainage valve that adjusts the liquid level of the processing liquid 4 in the storage tank 1 is inserted at the bottom of the storage tank 1 and is connected to the processing liquid tank through a flow path. Piping for communication is connected. Then, the processing liquid 4 in the storage tank 1 is collected in the processing liquid tank through the drainage pipe, and processed by the pump from the processing liquid tank through the processing liquid supply pipe 9 and the supply port 8. The liquid is supplied into the storage tank 1 and the processing liquid is circulated.

In the substrate processing apparatus having the above-described configuration, after the entrance 2 is opened and the substrate W is carried into the storage tank 1 and the entrance 2 is closed by the shutter 5 (at this time, the exit 3 is closed by the shutter 6). 7), the processing liquid is supplied into the storage tank 1 through the processing liquid supply pipe 9 by a pump, and the liquid level of the processing liquid 4 in the storage tank 1 is changed to the surface of the substrate W as shown in FIG. Raise to a liquid level higher than the top surface. In this state, the substrate W is subjected to processing such as etching while the substrate W is swung by the roller conveyor. When the processing of the substrate W is completed, the carry-out port 3 is opened (at this time, the carry-in port 2 remains closed by the shutter 5), and the substrate W is carried out from the storage tank 1. In such a dip process, the process liquid is uniformly applied to the entire surface of the substrate W (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-305449 (page 4-5, FIG. 1)

In the conventional substrate processing apparatus, the processing liquid adjusted to a predetermined temperature is pumped up and supplied into the storage tank 1, and the processing liquid 4 is stored in the storage tank 1 so as to have a predetermined liquid level. . Therefore, the temperature of the treatment liquid 4 in the storage tank 1 was uniform in the tank. For this reason, the whole main surface of the substrate W could be processed at a uniform temperature. When the entire main surface of the substrate is processed at a uniform temperature, for example, an etching process in this way, it is desirable that the substrate formed uniformly on the main surface can be processed uniformly. However, when the thickness of the film formed on the substrate is non-uniform, especially when a laminated film is formed on the main surface of the substrate, the entire main surface of the substrate is etched at a uniform temperature, There will be a difference between the etching rate at the center of the substrate and the etching rate at the periphery of the substrate. Even when there are differences in film quality depending on the location on the substrate, such as differences in metal density, hardness, and surface condition (eg, an oxide film is partially formed), the entire main surface of the substrate is uniform. When etching is performed at a temperature, there is a problem that the etching rate varies depending on the part of the substrate.
The situation as described above is not limited to an apparatus that performs dip processing, but can be similarly applied to an apparatus that performs wet processing using a spray method or a paddle method.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and even if the thickness of the film formed on the substrate is non-uniform or there is a difference in film quality depending on the part on the substrate, the substrate surface It is an object of the present invention to provide a substrate processing apparatus that can alleviate non-uniform processing speed and improve processing quality uniformity over the entire main surface of the substrate.

  According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a substrate processing apparatus for processing a substrate with a processing liquid while transporting the substrate, a substrate transporting means for transporting the substrate in a direction along the main surface, and a processing liquid to the main surface of the substrate. The processing liquid supply means to supply and the temperature of the processing liquid on the main surface of the substrate to the required area of the main surface of the substrate so as to be partially adjusted by the area in the plane along the main surface of the substrate And a gas discharge means for discharging gas.

  The invention according to claim 2 is the substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the gas discharge means discharges the cooling gas.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the substrate processing apparatus of the first aspect, the gas discharge means discharges heated gas.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the substrate processing apparatus according to any one of the first to third aspects of the present invention, the substrate processing apparatus includes a storage tank that has a processing liquid supply port and stores the processing liquid. The substrate is transported in the processing liquid stored in the storage tank, and the processing liquid is supplied into the storage tank through the supply port by the processing liquid supply means.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the substrate processing apparatus according to any one of the first to third aspects, further comprising a processing chamber, wherein the substrate is transferred in the horizontal direction in the processing chamber by the substrate transfer means, and the processing is performed. A processing liquid is discharged from the spray nozzle constituting the liquid supply unit to the main surface of the substrate transported by the substrate transport unit.

  A sixth aspect of the present invention is the substrate processing apparatus according to any one of the first to third aspects, further comprising a processing chamber, wherein the substrate is transferred in the horizontal direction in the processing chamber by the substrate transfer means, and the processing is performed. The entire widthwise direction of the slit-shaped discharge port of the slit nozzle constituting the processing liquid supply means disposed near the inlet of the chamber to the main surface of the substrate carried into the processing chamber and transported by the substrate transporting means The treatment liquid is discharged in a curtain shape and accumulated on the main surface of the substrate.

In the substrate processing apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention, the cooled or heated gas is discharged from the gas discharge means to the required region of the main surface of the substrate, so that the film is formed on the substrate to be processed. Accordingly, it is possible to partially adjust the temperature of the processing liquid on the main surface of the substrate. In this case, since the liquid thickness on the main surface of the substrate is reduced by receiving the wind pressure from the gas discharge means, the processing liquid on the main surface of the substrate is easily cooled or warmed. Effective temperature control. For this reason, for example, when etching a substrate, the processing liquid on a portion where the etching rate is higher than other portions on the substrate is partially cooled, or compared with other portions on the substrate. By partially heating the treatment liquid on the part where the etching rate is reduced, the difference in the etching rate at each part of the substrate can be reduced.
Therefore, when the substrate processing apparatus of the invention according to claim 1 is used, even if the thickness of the film formed on the substrate is uneven or there is a difference in film quality depending on the part on the substrate, The nonuniformity of the processing speed is alleviated, and the uniformity of the processing quality on the entire main surface of the substrate is improved. As a result, the product yield of devices such as LCD and PDP is improved.

  In the substrate processing apparatus according to the second aspect of the present invention, for example, when the substrate is etched, the cooling gas is supplied from the gas discharge means toward the processing liquid on the part where the etching rate is higher than that on the other part on the substrate. By being discharged, the processing liquid on the part is partially cooled. For this reason, the difference of the etching rate in each site | part on a board | substrate can be decreased.

  In the invention according to claim 3, for example, when the substrate is etched, the heated gas is discharged from the gas discharge means toward the processing liquid on the part where the etching rate is lower than that on the other part on the substrate. As a result, the treatment liquid on the part is partially heated. For this reason, the difference of the etching rate in each site | part on a board | substrate can be decreased.

  In the substrate processing apparatus according to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the heated or cooled gas is discharged from the gas discharge means toward the liquid level of the processing liquid stored in the storage tank, whereby the main surface of the substrate. It is possible to partially adjust the temperature of the treatment liquid. Therefore, when the dipping process is performed, a difference in processing speed such as an etching speed at each part of the substrate can be reduced.

  In the substrate processing apparatus of the invention according to claim 5, heated or cooled gas is discharged from the gas discharge means toward the liquid film of the processing liquid discharged from the spray nozzle and staying on the main surface of the substrate. Thus, the temperature of the processing liquid on the main surface of the substrate can be partially adjusted. Therefore, when the wet process is performed by the spray method, the difference in the processing speed such as the etching speed in each part of the substrate can be reduced.

  In the substrate processing apparatus according to the sixth aspect of the present invention, the gas is discharged from the slit discharge port of the slit nozzle in the form of a curtain and heated from the gas discharge means toward the surface of the processing liquid layer deposited on the main surface of the substrate. By discharging the cooled gas, the temperature of the processing liquid on the main surface of the substrate can be partially adjusted. Therefore, when wet processing is performed by the paddle method, a difference in processing speed such as an etching speed at each part of the substrate can be reduced.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, the best embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
1 and 2 are side sectional views showing a schematic configuration of a storage tank of a dip type substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a plan sectional view thereof.

  Similar to the conventional apparatus shown in FIG. 7, this substrate processing apparatus has a substrate inlet 12 and an outlet 14 provided with open / close shutters 16 and 18, respectively, and stores a processing liquid, for example, an etching liquid 20. A storage tank 10 is provided. An etching solution supply port 22 is provided at the bottom of the storage tank 10, and a processing solution supply pipe 24 is connected to the supply port 22. In addition, although not shown, a drain valve for adjusting the liquid level height of the etching solution 20 in the storage tank 10 is inserted at the bottom of the storage tank 10 and is connected to the processing liquid tank through a flow path. The piping is connected in communication. Then, the etching liquid 20 in the storage tank 10 is collected in the processing liquid tank through the drainage pipe, and the etching liquid is supplied from the processing liquid tank through the processing liquid supply pipe 24 through the supply port 22 by the pump. It is supplied into the storage tank 10 and an etching solution is circulated. In addition, inside the storage tank 10, a roller conveyor configured by arranging a plurality of transport rollers 26 (not shown in FIG. 2) in parallel with each other along the transport direction of the substrate W is installed. By this roller conveyor, the substrate W is reciprocated (oscillated) in the etching liquid 20 stored in the storage tank 10 in the direction along the main surface, in the illustrated example, in the horizontal direction.

  In this apparatus, a gas discharge nozzle 28 having a plurality of discharge ports 30 is disposed above the storage tank 10. The plurality of discharge ports 30 of the gas discharge nozzle 28 are formed downward so as to face mainly the peripheral region of the main surface (upper surface) of the substrate W swung by the roller conveyor. When the etching rate differs between the central portion and the peripheral portion of the substrate W due to the difference in thickness and film quality of the laminated film formed on the substrate W depending on the portion on the substrate W, for example, the substrate W In the case where the etching rate at the peripheral edge of the substrate is large and the etching rate decreases toward the center of the substrate W as indicated by the broken arrow, a cooled gas, for example, air (cold air) is supplied to the gas discharge nozzle 28. It sprays toward the liquid level of the etching liquid 20 in the storage tank 10 from the some discharge port 30. FIG. As a result, the etchant present mainly between the peripheral region on the upper surface of the substrate W and the liquid surface is cooled, and the temperature of the etchant in that region is partially reduced. At this time, the pressure of the cold air discharged from the discharge port 30 of the gas discharge nozzle 28 pushes the etching solution present between the upper surface of the substrate W and the liquid surface to the surroundings, and the liquid thickness of that portion is increased. Since it becomes thinner, the processing liquid in the portion where the cold air hits can be easily cooled. For this reason, the difference in the etching rate between the peripheral portion and the central portion of the substrate W is alleviated, and the uniformity of the processing result on the entire main surface of the substrate W is improved. Note that the etching rate in each region of the substrate W can be controlled by adjusting the flow rate, pressure, temperature, discharge time, and the like of the air discharged from the discharge port 30 of the gas discharge nozzle 28.

  Conversely, when the etching rate at the peripheral portion of the substrate W is smaller than the etching rate at the central portion of the substrate W, heated gas, for example, air (warm air) is supplied to the gas discharge nozzle 28. It sprays toward the liquid level of the etching liquid 20 in the storage tank 10 from the some discharge port 30. FIG. As a result, the etchant existing mainly between the peripheral region and the liquid surface on the upper surface of the substrate W is heated, and the temperature of the etchant in that region partially rises. For this reason, the difference in the etching rate between the peripheral portion and the central portion of the substrate W is alleviated.

  Next, in the apparatus whose plan sectional view of the storage tank is shown in FIG. 3, a plurality of gas discharge nozzles 32 having a plurality of discharge ports 34 are arranged in parallel above the central portion of the storage tank 10. The plurality of discharge ports 34 of the plurality of gas discharge nozzles 32 are formed downward so as to face mainly the central region of the upper surface of the substrate W that is swung by the roller conveyor. For example, when the etching rate at the center of the substrate W is large and the etching rate decreases toward the peripheral edge of the substrate W as shown by the broken line arrows, a plurality of cooled gases, for example, cold air, are used. It sprays toward the liquid level of the etching liquid 20 in the storage tank 10 from the some discharge port 34 of the gas discharge nozzle 32. FIG. As a result, the etchant present mainly between the central region on the upper surface of the substrate W and the liquid surface is cooled, and the temperature of the etchant in that region is partially reduced. For this reason, the difference in the etching rate between the central portion and the peripheral portion of the substrate W is alleviated. On the other hand, when the etching rate at the central portion of the substrate W is smaller than the etching rate at the peripheral portion of the substrate W, heated gas, for example, hot air, is discharged from the plurality of gas discharge nozzles 32. It sprays toward the liquid level of the etching solution 20 in the storage tank 10 from the outlet 34. As a result, the etching solution existing mainly between the central region on the upper surface of the substrate W and the liquid surface is heated, and the temperature of the etching solution in that region is partially increased. Therefore, the difference in etching rate between the central portion and the peripheral portion of the substrate W is alleviated.

4 and 5 show another embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 4 is a side view schematically showing a schematic configuration of a spray-type substrate processing apparatus, and FIG. 5 is a schematic plan view thereof. is there.
The substrate processing apparatus includes a processing chamber 36 having a substrate carry-in port 38 and a carry-out port 40. Inside the processing chamber 36, a roller conveyor configured by arranging a plurality of transport rollers 42 (not shown in FIG. 5) in parallel with each other along the transport direction of the substrate W is installed. The substrate W is reciprocated (oscillated) in the horizontal direction in the processing chamber 36 by the conveyor. In addition, a plurality of spray nozzles 44 for discharging a processing liquid, for example, an etching liquid 48, downward from a plurality of discharge ports 46 provided in a row are arranged in parallel with each other above the substrate transport path inside the processing chamber 36. It is arranged. A drainage pipe 50 for discharging the etching solution discharged from the spray nozzle 44 and flowing down from the substrate W is connected to the bottom of the processing chamber 36.

  In this apparatus, a gas discharge nozzle 52 having a plurality of discharge ports 54 is disposed above the substrate transfer path inside the processing chamber 36. As in the apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the plurality of discharge ports 54 of the gas discharge nozzle 52 face downward so as to face mainly the peripheral region of the main surface (upper surface) of the substrate W that is swung by the roller conveyor. Is shaped. Then, when there is a difference in the etching rate between the central portion and the peripheral portion of the substrate W, for example, the etching rate at the peripheral portion of the substrate W is large, and the etching rate decreases toward the central portion of the substrate W. For this purpose, a cooled gas, for example, cold air is blown from a plurality of discharge ports 54 of the gas discharge nozzle 52 toward the liquid film of the etching solution on the upper surface of the substrate W. Thereby, the etching solution mainly on the peripheral region on the upper surface of the substrate W is cooled, and the temperature of the etching solution in that region is partially reduced. On the contrary, when the etching rate at the peripheral portion of the substrate W is smaller than the etching rate at the central portion of the substrate W, a heated gas, for example, hot air, is used as the plurality of discharge ports 54 of the gas discharge nozzle 52. To the liquid film of the etchant on the upper surface of the substrate W. As a result, the etching solution mainly on the peripheral region on the upper surface of the substrate W is heated, and the temperature of the etching solution in that region is partially increased. As described above, the difference in the etching rate between the peripheral portion and the central portion of the substrate W is alleviated.

  Similarly to the apparatus shown in FIG. 3, a plurality of gas discharge nozzles are arranged so that a plurality of discharge ports are opposed mainly to the central region of the upper surface of the substrate swung by the roller conveyor, and the plurality of gas It can be configured such that cold air or warm air is blown from a plurality of discharge ports of the discharge nozzle toward the liquid film of the etching solution on the upper surface of the substrate.

Next, FIG. 6 shows a further embodiment of the present invention, and is a side view schematically showing a schematic configuration of a paddle type substrate processing apparatus.
The substrate processing apparatus includes a processing chamber 56 having a substrate carry-in port 58 and a carry-out port 60, and a plurality of transfer rollers 62 are arranged in the process chamber 56 in parallel with each other along the transfer direction of the substrate W. A configured roller conveyor is installed. By this roller conveyor, the substrate W is reciprocated (oscillated) in the horizontal direction in the processing chamber 56. A slit nozzle 64 is installed in the vicinity of the carry-in port 58 inside the processing chamber 56 so as to be orthogonal to the substrate transfer direction immediately above the substrate transfer path. A slit-like discharge port is formed on the lower surface of the slit nozzle 64 in the longitudinal direction. Then, a processing liquid, for example, an etching liquid is discharged in a curtain shape over the entire width direction from the slit-shaped discharge port of the slit nozzle 64 to the upper surface of the substrate W which is carried into the processing chamber 56 and conveyed by the roller conveyor. As a result, liquid is deposited on the entire upper surface of the substrate W, and an etching liquid layer 66 is formed on the upper surface of the substrate W.

  In this apparatus, a gas discharge nozzle 68 having a plurality of discharge ports 70 is disposed above the substrate transfer path inside the processing chamber 56. The plurality of discharge ports 70 of the gas discharge nozzle 68 are mainly peripheral regions on the main surface (upper surface) of the substrate W that is swung by a roller conveyor, as in the apparatuses shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 4, and 5. It is shaped downward to face Alternatively, the plurality of discharge ports of the gas discharge nozzle are shaped downward so as to face mainly the central region of the upper surface of the substrate W that is swung by the roller conveyor, as in the apparatus shown in FIG. When a difference in etching rate occurs between the central portion and the peripheral portion of the substrate W, a cooled gas, for example, cold air, or a heated gas, for example, hot air is supplied from the plurality of discharge ports 70 of the gas discharge nozzle 68. It sprays toward the liquid layer 66 of the etching liquid on the upper surface of the substrate W. As a result, the etching solution mainly on the peripheral region on the upper surface of the substrate W is cooled or heated, and the temperature of the etching solution in that region is partially lowered or increased, and the central region mainly on the upper surface of the substrate W. The upper etchant is cooled or heated, and the temperature of the etchant in that region is partially reduced or increased. In this way, the difference in etching rate between the peripheral edge portion and the central portion of the substrate W is alleviated.

  In the above-described embodiment, the gas discharge nozzle is disposed such that the plurality of discharge ports face the peripheral region or the central region of the upper surface of the substrate. It is not limited to things. Moreover, the shape of the discharge port of the gas discharge nozzle is not limited to a plurality of small holes arranged in a line, but may be a slit shape. Furthermore, although the substrate processing apparatus for etching a substrate has been described in the above embodiment, the present invention can be similarly applied to a substrate processing apparatus for performing processing other than etching processing, for example, development processing.

It is side surface sectional drawing which shows one example of embodiment of this invention and shows schematic structure of the storage tank of a dip type | mold substrate processing apparatus. It is a plane sectional view of the device shown in FIG. FIG. 6 is a plan sectional view showing a schematic configuration of a storage tank of a dip type substrate processing apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a side view schematically showing a schematic configuration of a spray-type substrate processing apparatus according to still another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a schematic plan view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 4. FIG. 10 is a side view schematically showing a schematic configuration of a paddle type substrate processing apparatus according to still another embodiment of the present invention. It is a schematic sectional side view which shows the structural example of the conventional substrate processing apparatus which performs a dip process.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Reservoir 20, 48 Etching liquid 22 Etching liquid supply port 24 Processing liquid supply pipe 26, 42, 62 Conveying roller 28, 32, 52, 68 Gas discharge nozzle 30, 34, 54, 70 Gas discharge nozzle discharge port 36 56 Processing chamber 44 Spray nozzle 46 Spray nozzle discharge port 64 Slit nozzle 66 Etching liquid layer W substrate

Claims (6)

In a substrate processing apparatus for processing a substrate with a processing liquid while conveying the substrate,
Substrate transport means for transporting the substrate in a direction along its main surface;
A processing liquid supply means for supplying a processing liquid to the main surface of the substrate;
A gas discharge means for discharging gas to a required region of the main surface of the substrate so as to partially adjust the temperature of the processing liquid on the main surface of the substrate by a region in a plane along the main surface of the substrate; ,
A substrate processing apparatus comprising: The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1,
The substrate processing apparatus, wherein the gas discharge means discharges a cooling gas. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1,
The substrate processing apparatus, wherein the gas discharge means discharges heated gas. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:
A storage tank having a processing liquid supply port and storing the processing liquid is provided,
The substrate transport means is for transporting a substrate in a processing liquid stored in the storage tank,
The substrate processing apparatus, wherein the processing liquid supply means supplies a processing liquid into the storage tank through a supply port. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:
A processing chamber,
The substrate transport means transports a substrate in the horizontal direction in the processing chamber,
The substrate processing apparatus, wherein the processing liquid supply means includes a spray nozzle that discharges the processing liquid onto the main surface of the substrate transported by the substrate transporting means. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:
A processing chamber,
The substrate transport means transports a substrate in the horizontal direction in the processing chamber,
The processing liquid supply means is disposed near the inlet of the processing chamber and is supplied from the slit-like discharge port to the main surface of the substrate which is carried into the processing chamber and is transported by the substrate transporting means over the entire width direction thereof. A substrate processing apparatus comprising a slit nozzle that discharges liquid in a curtain shape to pour liquid onto the main surface of the substrate.

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