JP2012113135A - Adjustment method of resist and resist adjusting device - Google Patents

Adjustment method of resist and resist adjusting device Download PDF

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JP2012113135A
JP2012113135A JP2010262206A JP2010262206A JP2012113135A JP 2012113135 A JP2012113135 A JP 2012113135A JP 2010262206 A JP2010262206 A JP 2010262206A JP 2010262206 A JP2010262206 A JP 2010262206A JP 2012113135 A JP2012113135 A JP 2012113135A
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resist
viscosity
solid content
content concentration
solvent
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JP5664171B2 (en
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Yuichi Nakagawa
雄一 中川
Junichi Shiraishi
淳一 白石
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Toppan Inc
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Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide means of quickly and accurately determining a solid concentration in a recycled resist not by heating residue method and also to provide means of adjusting the resist viscosity so as to reduce variation of film thickness.SOLUTION: An adjustment method of a used resist is characterized by comprising: a step of reducing, by adding a solvent, the viscosity of a used resist which has been collected to a prescribed viscosity set higher than an intended viscosity; a step of calculating the solid concentration of a diluted resist on the basis of a calibration curve showing a relation between a pre-determined refractive index and a solid concentration; a step of adding water to the diluted resist until the solid concentration becomes a prescribed value; and a step of further adding a solvent until the resist diluted with a solvent and water has intended viscosity and solid concentration, while measuring the refractive index and the viscosity. Also provided is a device thereof.

Description

本発明は、未使用レジストの成分バラツキの調整、あるいは一度使用したレジストを回収して再使用に供するためのレジストの調整方法とそのための装置に関する。   The present invention relates to a method for adjusting a resist for adjusting a component variation of an unused resist, or a resist adjusting method for recovering a used resist and reusing it, and an apparatus therefor.

カラーフィルタ基板の製造では、着色画素の形成には着色レジストが使われ、スペーサや配向制御層、保護層の形成には対応する透明レジストが使用される。レジストの塗布には、スピンコート、スリットコート、ロールコート、インキジェット等が目的に応じて選択されるが、基板塗布時に飛散したレジスト、インキ供給用配管内や塗布装置内に残留・滞留したレジストは回収され、回収した使用済みレジスト類は再生して再使用するのが経済的であり好ましい態様である(例えば、特許文献1参照)。   In the production of the color filter substrate, a colored resist is used for forming colored pixels, and a corresponding transparent resist is used for forming the spacer, the orientation control layer, and the protective layer. For resist application, spin coating, slit coating, roll coating, ink jet, etc. are selected according to the purpose. Resist scattered during substrate coating, resist remaining or staying in the ink supply pipe or coating device It is economical and preferable to recycle and reuse the recovered used resists (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

回収された使用済みレジスト(以下、単にレジストとも記す。)は、一般に装置内で凝集したものが混在するとか、空気中に一度暴露されたことで水分を吸収したり、溶媒が揮発して固形分濃度が高くなっている。その程度は、バッチごとばらばらであるが、該レジストは、フィルタで凝集異物を濾過してからタンク内に集められて、溶媒を添加しながら攪拌され、できるだけ使用前のレジスト組成に近づくように調整される。   Collected used resist (hereinafter simply referred to as “resist”) generally contains agglomerates in the apparatus, or once exposed to the air, absorbs moisture or volatilizes the solvent and becomes solid. The partial concentration is high. The degree of dispersion varies from batch to batch, but the resist is collected in the tank after filtering the aggregated foreign matter with a filter, stirred while adding solvent, and adjusted to be as close to the resist composition as possible before use. Is done.

使用済みレジストの組成を使用前の当初のレジスト組成に近づける、あるいは異なるバッチに属する使用済みレジストの組成をできるだけ一致させるには、当該レジストに溶媒を添加してその粘度を指標として、粘度が未使用のレジストと同程度か、バッチの異なるレジスト間で同じになるように調整するのが一般的である。粘度が一致すれば組成が一致していると見なす再生方法と言える。   To bring the composition of the used resist closer to the initial resist composition before use, or to match the composition of the used resist belonging to different batches as much as possible, a solvent is added to the resist and its viscosity is used as an index. It is common to adjust to the same degree as the resist used or the same between different resists in a batch. If the viscosities match, it can be said that the composition is regarded as a regenerating method.

そこで、フォトスペーサ形成に供された使用済みレジストをバッチごと回収して、粘度が所定の値(回転粘度計の測定値)となるように溶媒を添加してレジストとして再生させることを試みた。同時に未使用のレジストの粘度を測定し対比用サンプルとした。これらのレジストを使用して、スピンコート法により同一塗布条件でフォトスペーサ(以下、PSとも記す。)を形成して、乾燥後の膜厚を調べた。   Therefore, an attempt was made to collect the used resist provided for the formation of the photospacer in batches, add a solvent so that the viscosity becomes a predetermined value (measured value of the rotational viscometer), and regenerate the resist. At the same time, the viscosity of the unused resist was measured and used as a comparative sample. Using these resists, photo spacers (hereinafter also referred to as PS) were formed under the same coating conditions by spin coating, and the film thickness after drying was examined.

図1に示すように、再生レジストの粘度(△)は、粘度が同一になるように調整するので、目標値±2%に収まっていたが、膜厚は、目標値±4%と未使用のレジストに比べてバラツキが2倍程度となった。一方、未使用レジストの粘度(◆)のバラツキは再生レジストより大きいが、膜厚のバラツキは小さく一定値に収束する傾向であった。したがって、レジストの再生を粘度に基づいて行うという従来方法は膜厚制御の安定性に欠けるという問題がある。   As shown in FIG. 1, the viscosity (Δ) of the regenerated resist was adjusted so that the viscosity was the same, so it was within the target value ± 2%, but the film thickness was unused as the target value ± 4% The variation was about twice that of the previous resist. On the other hand, the variation in the viscosity (♦) of the unused resist is larger than that of the recycled resist, but the variation in the film thickness is small and tends to converge to a constant value. Therefore, the conventional method of performing the resist regeneration based on the viscosity has a problem that the film thickness control is not stable.

ところで、一般にレジスト溶液の粘度は、溶媒に溶解させた固形分の量に依存すると予想されるので、再生レジストの固形分濃度と粘度の相関を見たところ、図示はしないが固形分濃度が基準値±0.5%の範囲に収まっており、その範囲で粘度はほぼ一定であった。次に、固形分濃度とPS膜厚の相関を見たところ、図2に示すようにPS膜厚は固形分濃度が増えれば厚くなるという当然な結果であったが、再生レジスト(△)における膜厚バラツキは未使用レジスト(◆)に比べて大きいものであった。   By the way, in general, the viscosity of the resist solution is expected to depend on the amount of solid content dissolved in the solvent. The value was within a range of ± 0.5%, and the viscosity was almost constant within the range. Next, when the correlation between the solid content concentration and the PS film thickness was observed, it was a natural result that the PS film thickness became thicker as the solid content concentration increased as shown in FIG. The film thickness variation was larger than that of the unused resist (♦).

一般に、使用済みレジストに溶媒を添加して粘度調整を行って得られた再生レジストを使用してPSを形成すると、粘度調整を行ったわりには膜厚制御が十分に行えないという問題があり、このことは再生レジストの組成に何かしらの違いがあり、固形分濃度の観点
からもレジストの組成を制御することが必要であるということを示唆する。ところで、レジスト中の固形分濃度は、通常加熱残分法を用いて算出する。加熱残分法とは加熱前の重量と加熱後の重量の比から求めるものであるが、名前が示唆するごとくオフラインの測定手段であってインライン測定に適した方法ではないという問題がある。
In general, when PS is formed using a regenerated resist obtained by adjusting the viscosity by adding a solvent to the used resist, there is a problem that the film thickness cannot be sufficiently controlled after adjusting the viscosity. This suggests that there is some difference in the composition of the regenerated resist, and it is necessary to control the composition of the resist from the viewpoint of the solid content concentration. By the way, the solid content concentration in the resist is usually calculated using a heating residue method. The residual heating method is obtained from the ratio of the weight before heating to the weight after heating, but as the name suggests, there is a problem that it is an off-line measuring means and not a method suitable for in-line measurement.

特開2003−340354号公報JP 2003-340354 A

異なるバッチで使用された後回収されたされた使用済みレジストを再使用するためには、再生したレジストを使用して所定のパターンを形成した場合、当該パターン形状のバッチ間のバラツキが小さくなければ生産性が低くて使い物にならない。   In order to reuse used resist collected after being used in different batches, when a predetermined pattern is formed using regenerated resist, the variation between batches of the pattern shape must be small. Productivity is low and not useful.

そこで、本発明は、異なるバッチに属した組成が異なると考えられる使用済みレジストを、従来方法とは異なる方法で組成が同じレジストに再生するための調整方法と調整装置を提供することを目的とした。当然、未使用レジストの組成のバラツキを低減して均一化するためのレジストの調整方法ともなるものである。   Therefore, the present invention has an object to provide an adjustment method and an adjustment apparatus for regenerating used resists that are considered to have different compositions belonging to different batches into resists having the same composition by a method different from the conventional method. did. Of course, this is also a resist adjustment method for reducing the uniformity of the composition of the unused resist and making it uniform.

具体的には、使用しようとするレジストの組成が一致すると見なせるための、レジスト特性を特徴付ける新たな指標を導入すること、及び、レジスト中の固形分濃度を迅速正確に見積もるための、加熱残分法に代わる測定手段を提供することである   Specifically, it introduces a new index that characterizes the resist characteristics so that the composition of the resist to be used can be considered to be consistent, and the heating residue to quickly and accurately estimate the solid content concentration in the resist. To provide an alternative to the law

本発明になる請求項1に記載の発明は、回収した使用済みレジストに溶剤と水分とを添加してレジストの粘度と固形分濃度とを調整することを特徴とするレジストの調整方法としたものである。   The invention according to claim 1 according to the present invention is a method for adjusting a resist, characterized in that the viscosity and solid content concentration of the resist are adjusted by adding a solvent and moisture to the collected used resist. It is.

本発明は、使用済みレジストの組成が同じと見なせる指標として、粘度に加えて固形分濃度を選択したものである。   In the present invention, the solid content concentration is selected in addition to the viscosity as an indicator that the composition of the used resist can be regarded as the same.

また、請求項2に記載の発明は、回収した使用済みレジストの粘度と固形分濃度とを見積もる工程、前記レジストの粘度を、溶媒を添加して目標とする粘度よりは高く設定された所定の粘度にまで希釈する工程、希釈したレジストの固形分濃度が所定の値になるまで水を添加する工程、屈折率の測定と粘度の測定を行いつつ、希釈したレジストが目標の粘度と固形分濃度になるまでさらに溶剤を添加する工程、とを有することを特徴とするレジストの調整方法としたものである。   Further, the invention according to claim 2 is a step of estimating the viscosity and solid content concentration of the collected used resist, and the viscosity of the resist is set to a predetermined value set higher than the target viscosity by adding a solvent. The step of diluting to the viscosity, the step of adding water until the solid content concentration of the diluted resist reaches a predetermined value, the refractive resist is measured and the viscosity is measured, while the diluted resist is the target viscosity and solid content concentration And a step of further adding a solvent until it becomes a resist adjusting method.

本発明は、使用済みレジストを再生する具体的な手続きを特定したもので、粘度に加えて固形分濃度を成分調整の指標としたもので、屈折率ある。   The present invention specifies a specific procedure for reclaiming a used resist. The solid content concentration is used as an index for component adjustment in addition to viscosity, and has a refractive index.

また、請求項3に記載の発明は、未使用レジストに溶剤と水分とを添加してレジストの粘度と固形分濃度とを調整することを特徴とするレジストの調整方法としたものである。   According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a resist adjustment method comprising adjusting a resist viscosity and solid content concentration by adding a solvent and moisture to an unused resist.

本発明は、未使用レジストの組成が同じと見なせる指標として、粘度に加えて固形分濃度を選択したものである。   In the present invention, the solid content concentration is selected in addition to the viscosity as an index that can be considered that the composition of the unused resist is the same.

また、請求項4に記載の発明は、未使用レジストの粘度と固形分濃度とを見積もる工程、
前記レジストの粘度を、溶媒を添加して目標とする粘度よりは高く設定された所定の粘度にまで希釈する工程、希釈したレジストの固形分濃度が所定の値になるまで水を添加する工程、屈折率の測定と粘度の測定を行いつつ、希釈したレジストが目標の粘度と固形分濃度になるまでさらに溶剤を添加する工程、とを有することを特徴とするレジストの調整方法としたものである。
The invention according to claim 4 is a step of estimating the viscosity and solid content concentration of an unused resist.
The step of diluting the viscosity of the resist to a predetermined viscosity set higher than the target viscosity by adding a solvent, the step of adding water until the solid content concentration of the diluted resist reaches a predetermined value, And a step of adding a solvent until the diluted resist reaches the target viscosity and solid content concentration while measuring the refractive index and measuring the viscosity. .

また、請求項5に記載の発明は、前記レジストの固形分濃度は、予め求めてある屈折率と固形分濃度との関係を示す検量線に基づき屈折率の値から見積もることを特徴とする請求項1から請求項4のいずれか1項に記載のレジストの調整方法としたものである。   Further, the invention described in claim 5 is characterized in that the solid content concentration of the resist is estimated from the value of the refractive index based on a calibration curve showing the relationship between the refractive index and the solid content concentration obtained in advance. The resist adjusting method according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

本発明は、レジスト中の固形分濃度の測定方法として、屈折率測定を特定したものである。   The present invention specifies refractive index measurement as a method for measuring the solid content concentration in a resist.

また、請求項6に記載の発明は、レジストの粘度と固形分濃度とを、粘度測定と屈折率測定に基づいて管理するための粘度計と屈折率計とを備えることを特徴とするレジストの調整装置としたものである。   According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a resist comprising a viscometer and a refractometer for managing the viscosity and solid content concentration of the resist based on viscosity measurement and refractive index measurement. This is an adjustment device.

本発明になる、回収した使用済みレジストの調整装置を用いて粘度と固形分濃度の両方を調整した再生レジストを使用して形成したレジストパターンは、粘度だけを調整した再生レジストに比べてパターンの形状安定性が優れている。PS用レジストに関しては、異なるバッチ間の膜厚(PS高さ)のバラツキが少なく製造歩留まりが向上する。
レジスト中の固形分濃度の測定を加熱残分法から屈折率測定に切り替えたことで、廃レジストの回収から、溶剤と水を添加する調整・再生までの工程がインライン化され高速処理が可能となった。
また、本発明は、未使用レジストの組成のバラツキを抑制するためにも使用できる。
これらによりレジスト全体の使用効率が増大し、同時にカラーフィルタ基板の生産性が大幅に向上し、コスト低下に資するところが大きい。
The resist pattern formed by using the regenerated resist in which both the viscosity and the solid content concentration are adjusted using the recovered used resist adjusting device according to the present invention is compared with the regenerated resist in which only the viscosity is adjusted. Excellent shape stability. With respect to PS resist, there is little variation in film thickness (PS height) between different batches, and the manufacturing yield is improved.
By switching the measurement of solids concentration in the resist from the heating residue method to the refractive index measurement, the process from the recovery of the waste resist to the adjustment / regeneration of adding solvent and water is inlined, enabling high-speed processing. became.
The present invention can also be used to suppress variations in the composition of unused resists.
As a result, the use efficiency of the entire resist increases, and at the same time, the productivity of the color filter substrate is greatly improved, which greatly contributes to cost reduction.

PS用再生レジストと未使用PS用レジストの粘度とPS膜厚の関係を説明する図である。△は粘度揃えの再生レジスト、◆は未使用レジストである。It is a figure explaining the relationship between the viscosity of PS reproduction resist and unused PS resist, and PS film thickness. Δ is a regenerated resist having a uniform viscosity, and ♦ is an unused resist. PS用再生レジストと未使用PS用レジストの固形分濃度とPS膜厚の関係を明する図である。△は粘度揃えの再生レジスト、◆は未使用レジストである。It is a figure which clarifies the relationship between the solid content density | concentration of PS reproduction | regeneration resist and unused PS resist, and PS film thickness. Δ is a regenerated resist having a uniform viscosity, and ♦ is an unused resist. 再生レジスト中の固形分濃度と水分量(重量%)の関係を示す図である。It is a figure which shows the relationship between the solid content concentration in a reproduction | regeneration resist, and a moisture content (weight%). 未使用レジストに水を添加して水分量を上げた場合の粘度の変化を示す図である。It is a figure which shows the change of the viscosity at the time of adding water to an unused resist and raising water content. レジスト中の固形分濃度と屈折率の関係を説明する図である。□は未使用レジストで△は未使用レジストに純水を添加して固形分濃度を変えた場合である。It is a figure explaining the relationship between the solid content concentration in a resist, and a refractive index. □ indicates an unused resist, and Δ indicates a case where pure water is added to the unused resist to change the solid content concentration. 本発明になるレジスト再生装置の概略構成図である。It is a schematic block diagram of the resist reproduction | regeneration apparatus which becomes this invention. 本発明を適用して得られた膜厚と固形分濃度との関係を説明する図である。□は粘度と固形分濃度を揃えたもの(本発明)、△は粘度揃え(従来法)、×は未使用のレジストである。It is a figure explaining the relationship between the film thickness obtained by applying this invention, and solid content concentration. □ is a uniform viscosity (invention), Δ is a uniform viscosity (conventional method), and x is an unused resist.

本発明は、使用済みレジストの再生あるいは未使用レジストの使用前の調整を溶媒添加による粘度調整に頼ってきた従来方法の問題点を明確にする過程で得られた知見に基づくものである。以下、その点につき簡単に説明する。   The present invention is based on the knowledge obtained in the process of clarifying the problems of the conventional method that has relied on viscosity adjustment by addition of a solvent to regenerate a used resist or to adjust an unused resist before use. This point will be briefly described below.

缶単位(20リットル)で回収した異なるバッチに属する使用済みPS用レジスト(ア
クリル系)を6缶用意した。実験は同じ缶から3回に分けて評価用試料を採取して評価を行い、その平均値をその缶の当該評価の値とした。尚、未使用のレジスト缶も6缶を用意して同じ実験を行った。
Six cans of used PS resists (acrylic) belonging to different batches collected in can units (20 liters) were prepared. The experiment was divided into three times from the same can and evaluated by collecting samples for evaluation, and the average value was taken as the value of the evaluation of the can. The same experiment was conducted with 6 unused resist cans prepared.

次に、回収した使用済みレジスト缶に所定の希釈用溶媒を添加しては、希釈されたレジストを採取して回転粘度計で粘度を測定し、所定の目標粘度になるまでこれを繰り返して再生レジストとしての粘度調整を行った。未使用品については希釈処理は行わず原液を使用して測定した。   Next, add a predetermined dilution solvent to the collected used resist cans, collect the diluted resist, measure the viscosity with a rotary viscometer, and repeat this until the target viscosity is reached. Viscosity adjustment as a resist was performed. The unused product was measured using the stock solution without dilution.

次に、これらのPS用レジストをガラス基板上にスピンコート法により塗布し、仕上がりの膜厚が4.00μmとなる標準的な条件(回転数600rpmで10秒間回転し、230℃で44分乾燥)で塗布・乾燥し、膜厚を測定した。結果は、図1に示した。
図1によれば、再生レジストの粘度(△)は±0.02mPa・sの範囲に収まっているが、粘度調整をしていない未使用品(◆)は±0.15mPa・s程度のバラツキを有していた。
Next, these PS resists are applied onto a glass substrate by a spin coat method, and the standard film thickness is 4.00 μm (rotating at 600 rpm for 10 seconds and drying at 230 ° C. for 44 minutes) ) And dried, and the film thickness was measured. The results are shown in FIG.
According to FIG. 1, the viscosity (Δ) of the regenerated resist is in the range of ± 0.02 mPa · s, but the unused product (◆) whose viscosity is not adjusted varies about ± 0.15 mPa · s. Had.

しかしながら、再生レジストは、粘度を同じになるようにしてバラツキが小さいにもかかわらず膜厚のバラツキは±0.04μmと大きなものであった。これに対し、未使用品は、粘度は±0.02μmの範囲でバラツクが、その範囲で膜厚は粘度が高くなると増すという傾向が見られた。すなわち、使用済みレジストの再生の指標として粘度を採用し、この値を揃えても、得られる膜厚は一定とならずバラツキが大きいということである。   However, the regenerated resist had a large variation in film thickness of ± 0.04 μm even though the variation was small with the same viscosity. On the other hand, there was a tendency for the unused product to vary in viscosity within the range of ± 0.02 μm, and in this range, the film thickness increased as the viscosity increased. In other words, even when the viscosity is adopted as an index for regeneration of the used resist, and this value is made uniform, the obtained film thickness is not constant and the variation is large.

この傾向は、再生レジストを使用して、目標の膜厚を薄くすればするほど強まると予想され、レジストの再生を溶媒添加の粘度調整だけ頼るのは問題と言える。着色レジストの膜厚はPSの膜厚より一般に薄く、今後とも薄くなることが予想されるので、粘度調整は使えなくなる。PS用レジストの再生に限ってみても、膜厚のバラツキを未使用品と同程度に収める必要がある。   This tendency is expected to become stronger as the target film thickness is made thinner by using the regenerated resist, and it can be said that it is a problem to rely on the viscosity adjustment of the solvent addition for the regeneration of the resist. The thickness of the colored resist is generally thinner than that of PS, and it is expected to become thinner in the future, so viscosity adjustment cannot be used. Even if it is limited to the regeneration of the resist for PS, it is necessary to keep the variation in film thickness to the same level as that of an unused product.

そこで粘度調整したレジストの膜厚がバラツク原因を探るために、比較的測定が容易な固形分濃度と水分濃度とを、それぞれ加熱残分法(230℃、1時間保持)とカールフィッシャー法で測定した。図2に固形分濃度とPS膜厚の関係を示した。再生レジスト(△)についても未使用品(◆)についても固形分濃度が高いと膜厚が厚いという自然な結果であるが、再生レジストの方が固形分濃度に対する膜厚の依存性が弱く(傾きが少ない)バラツキが大きい傾向であった。尚、加熱後の残成分はアクリル系の樹脂成分である。   Therefore, in order to find the cause of the variation in the film thickness of the resist whose viscosity has been adjusted, the solid content concentration and moisture concentration, which are relatively easy to measure, are measured by the residual heating method (230 ° C, held for 1 hour) and the Karl Fischer method, respectively. did. FIG. 2 shows the relationship between the solid content concentration and the PS film thickness. Both the regenerated resist (△) and the unused product (◆) have a natural result that the film thickness is thick when the solid content concentration is high, but the regenerated resist is less dependent on the film thickness with respect to the solid content concentration ( There was a tendency for variation to be small. The remaining component after heating is an acrylic resin component.

図3に、再生レジストの固形分濃度と水分量(重量%)の関係を示した。該レジスト中の水分量は一定でなく0.5%から1.8%の範囲に広がっていた。図4は、水分の影響を見るために未使用レジストに水を添加して水分量を上げた場合の粘度の変化を示したものである。水が添加されても粘度が低下することが明らかで、水分量が粘度のバラツキに関係があることを示唆している。但し、水は溶媒に対して7重量%程度しか溶けないので、それ以上は添加できない。   FIG. 3 shows the relationship between the solid content concentration of the regenerated resist and the amount of moisture (% by weight). The amount of water in the resist was not constant and spread from 0.5% to 1.8%. FIG. 4 shows the change in viscosity when water is increased by adding water to an unused resist in order to see the effect of moisture. It is clear that the viscosity decreases even when water is added, suggesting that the amount of water is related to viscosity variation. However, since water dissolves only about 7% by weight with respect to the solvent, it cannot be added any more.

以上の結果をまとめると、使用済みレジストに溶媒を添加して粘度を揃えてもPS膜厚のバラツキは未使用レジストの膜厚バラツキより大きい。PSの膜厚は、未使用レジストにおいては粘度と固形分濃度に相関があるが、再生レジストにおいては、粘度との相関は弱く固形分濃度とよい相関があるように見える。粘度と固形分濃度は含有される水分量と相関がある、ということである。要するに粘度が同じでも再生レジストの組成に何らかの違いがあるということである。   To summarize the above results, even if a solvent is added to the used resist to make the viscosity uniform, the PS film thickness variation is larger than the unused resist film thickness variation. The film thickness of PS has a correlation between the viscosity and the solid content concentration in the unused resist, but in the regenerated resist, the correlation with the viscosity is weak and seems to have a good correlation with the solid content concentration. This means that the viscosity and the solid content concentration are correlated with the amount of water contained. In short, even if the viscosity is the same, there is some difference in the composition of the regenerated resist.

これらのことから、定かではないが再生レジストの塗布時の形状(膜厚)バラツキが大
きいのは、粘度が一定であっても再生レジスト中の水分量にバラツキがあるためと推測した。未使用レジストの水分は0.2%以下と少ないが、使用済みレジスト中ではレジストの吸湿あるいは水分や溶剤の揮発等によって、溶剤と水分量の配合がバッチごとに様々と考えられる。
From these facts, although not certain, it was assumed that the variation in the shape (film thickness) at the time of applying the regenerated resist was due to variations in the amount of water in the regenerated resist even when the viscosity was constant. The moisture of the unused resist is as low as 0.2% or less, but in the used resist, the blending of the solvent and the amount of water is considered to vary from batch to batch due to moisture absorption of the resist or volatilization of moisture and solvent.

そこで本発明では、回収した缶(バッチ)ごとの物性値の調整を、粘度が同じになるように溶媒だけを添加していくのではなく、固形分濃度と粘度の両方が同じになるように、溶媒と水を添加して調整することで缶(バッチ)ごとの組成の相違を解消することにした。   Therefore, in the present invention, the physical property value of each recovered can (batch) is adjusted not to add only the solvent so that the viscosity is the same, but to make both the solid content concentration and the viscosity the same. Then, it was decided to eliminate the difference in composition for each can (batch) by adding and adjusting the solvent and water.

ここで問題になるのは、レジスト中の固形分濃度の評価方法であるが、加熱残分法はリアルタイム測定が難しくインライン化が不可能なので、それに代わるものとして、固形分濃度と相関がある物理量を探したところ、レジストの屈折率とよい相関があることを見出した。図5に、水分量が0.2重量%である未使用レジスト(□)に純水を添加して固形分濃度を変化させたレジスト(△)の屈折率を測定した結果の一例を示した。   The problem here is the method for evaluating the solid content concentration in the resist, but since the heat residue method is difficult to measure in real time and cannot be inlined, a physical quantity that correlates with the solid content concentration is an alternative. And found that there is a good correlation with the refractive index of the resist. FIG. 5 shows an example of the result of measuring the refractive index of a resist (Δ) in which pure water was added to an unused resist (□) having a water content of 0.2% by weight to change the solid content concentration. .

屈折率はアッベ屈折率計にて光源波長589nm(D線)、液温25℃で測定した。固形分濃度は加熱残分法で測定した。加熱残分法で得られた固形分濃度と屈折率には図5で示す直線的な相関があり、検量線として使えることがわかった。水の屈折率は溶剤の屈折率より小さい。屈折率差が小さい組み合わせに対しては適用が難しいという問題はあるが、屈折率の値から固形分濃度を見積もることができた。   The refractive index was measured with an Abbe refractometer at a light source wavelength of 589 nm (D line) and a liquid temperature of 25 ° C. The solid content concentration was measured by a heating residue method. The solid content concentration obtained by the heating residue method and the refractive index have a linear correlation as shown in FIG. 5 and can be used as a calibration curve. The refractive index of water is smaller than the refractive index of the solvent. Although there is a problem that it is difficult to apply to a combination having a small refractive index difference, the solid content concentration can be estimated from the refractive index value.

レジストは、固形分濃度が同じでも、溶媒と水分の混合比によって、屈折率が異なるが、溶媒に対する水の溶解度は7重量%程度以下なので、混合比による屈折率の差は実際上無視した。しかしながら、混合比ごとに、検量線を作成すればレジスト組成のより精密な予測が可能となる。   Even though the resist has the same solid content concentration, the refractive index differs depending on the mixing ratio of the solvent and the water, but the solubility of water in the solvent is about 7% by weight or less, so the difference in the refractive index due to the mixing ratio was practically ignored. However, if a calibration curve is created for each mixing ratio, the resist composition can be predicted more accurately.

次に、粘度と固形分濃度とを所定の値にむけて調整していく具体的な手順と装置について説明する。   Next, a specific procedure and apparatus for adjusting the viscosity and the solid content concentration to predetermined values will be described.

上記の特性を調整するレジスト調整装置1は、図6に示すように、回収した使用済みのレジスト9を調合する液調合用タンク2(20リットル程度)、該タンクに回収した使用済みレジスト9を送り込む回収ライン3、再生されたレジストを塗布装置まで配送する供給ライン4からなっている。タンク2には、粘度計5(振動式粘度計)、屈折率計6、温度計7等と液回転機構8が備えられており、リアルタイムに測定可能となっている。勿論、タンク2は、レジストの回収・供給ラインと接続されている必要はなく、回収した廃液缶から注入する方式の独立方式でも構わない。図が煩雑になるので、レジストと純水の添加機構は省略してある。   As shown in FIG. 6, the resist adjusting apparatus 1 for adjusting the above characteristics includes a liquid preparation tank 2 (about 20 liters) for preparing the collected used resist 9, and the used resist 9 collected in the tank. It consists of a collection line 3 for feeding in and a supply line 4 for delivering the regenerated resist to the coating device. The tank 2 is provided with a viscometer 5 (vibrating viscometer), a refractometer 6, a thermometer 7 and the like, and a liquid rotating mechanism 8, and can measure in real time. Of course, the tank 2 does not need to be connected to the resist collection / supply line, and may be an independent method of pouring from the collected waste liquid can. Since the figure becomes complicated, the resist and pure water addition mechanism is omitted.

再生すべき使用済みレジストは、異物除去等のフィルタリングの後、液調合用タンク2に回収されよく混合され、付属の測定装置にて粘度と固形分濃度が測定される。調合の開始時には、水分量の測定も行っておくことが望ましい。水分量と固形分濃度が既知であれば、粘度と固形分濃度を目標値に持っていく際に水分量のバラツキをより効果的に抑えることができる。但し、必ずしも水分量の特定は必要でないが、この場合には下記の手順中でトライアンドエラーの要素が多くなる。   The used resist to be regenerated is collected in the liquid preparation tank 2 after filtering such as foreign matter removal and mixed well, and the viscosity and solid content concentration are measured by the attached measuring device. It is desirable to measure the amount of water at the start of blending. If the water content and the solid content concentration are known, the variation in the water content can be more effectively suppressed when bringing the viscosity and the solid content concentration to the target values. However, it is not always necessary to specify the amount of water, but in this case, there are many elements of trial and error in the following procedure.

使用済みレジストは、未使用のレジストに比べて、溶剤成分の揮発により粘度は高い(固形分比が高い)が、水分量については、未使用レジスト自体のバラツキや吸湿により過多がある。そこで、目標とする粘度と固形分濃度を、前述の実測値に基づいて溶媒と水分を添加する方向で設定する。バッチが異なる使用済みレジストに対しては、溶媒と水分の
比ができるだけ同じになるように、溶媒の量でなく水の量を基準にしてそれぞれの添加量を調整するのが好ましく、水分量の目標値は、概ね5〜6重量%の範囲である。
The used resist has a higher viscosity (higher solid content ratio) due to the volatilization of the solvent component than the unused resist, but the water content is excessive due to variations in the unused resist itself and moisture absorption. Therefore, the target viscosity and solid content concentration are set in the direction in which the solvent and moisture are added based on the above-described measured values. For used resists in different batches, it is preferable to adjust the amount of each additive based on the amount of water, not the amount of solvent, so that the ratio of solvent and moisture is as similar as possible. The target value is generally in the range of 5 to 6% by weight.

設定値と溶媒と水の添加量が概略決まると、先ず溶媒を添加して粘度を下げるが、後で水を添加しても粘度が下がるので、仮の目標粘度は本当の目標粘度よりも高く設定する。粘度測定装置の目盛りを参照しながら溶媒を添加する。添加量は、見積もった添加量よりは少ないのが普通である。溶媒と水の混合比ごとに屈折率の検量線があると溶媒と水の添加量がより正確に見積もれる。この点は以下同様である。   When the set value and the amount of solvent and water added are roughly determined, the solvent is first added to lower the viscosity, but even if water is added later, the viscosity decreases, so the provisional target viscosity is higher than the actual target viscosity. Set. Add the solvent while referring to the scale of the viscometer. The amount added is usually less than the estimated amount added. If there is a calibration curve of refractive index for each mixing ratio of solvent and water, the amount of solvent and water added can be estimated more accurately. This is the same in the following.

溶媒を添加した後、屈折率を測定して予め作製してある検量線から固形分濃度を見積もる。固形分濃度は目標値よりも高いであろう。次に、固形分濃度が、前記の値よりは低いが、目標値よりは若干高い程度まで(残りの溶剤を添加すると固形分濃度が目標値に達する)純水を添加する。これにより粘度も低下して目標粘度に近づく。   After adding the solvent, the refractive index is measured, and the solid content concentration is estimated from a calibration curve prepared in advance. The solids concentration will be higher than the target value. Next, pure water is added until the solid content concentration is lower than the above value but slightly higher than the target value (the solid content concentration reaches the target value when the remaining solvent is added). As a result, the viscosity also decreases and approaches the target viscosity.

最後に、粘度と固形分濃度が目標値に到達するまで溶媒を添加する。残っている溶媒を添加していくことになる。何らかの手違いがあって、二つの指標とも目標値に到達しない場合には、濃い目の未使用レジストを加えて最初からやりなおせばよい。尚、上記の手順は、未使用レジストの缶(バッチ)やロットごとの組成のバラツキを低減するためのレジスト調整にそのまま使えることは明らかである。   Finally, the solvent is added until the viscosity and solids concentration reach target values. The remaining solvent will be added. If there are some mistakes and neither of the two indicators reaches the target value, it is sufficient to add a dark unused resist and start over. It is obvious that the above procedure can be used as it is for resist adjustment to reduce the variation in composition of each unused resist can (batch) or lot.

未使用のPS用レジスト(アクリル系フォト樹脂を用いたクリアーレジスト)を6缶、該レジストの廃液缶を10缶を用意した。廃液については4缶を従来法に従って粘度だけが揃うようにレジスト用溶媒分を添加して再生した。残りの4缶については、粘度と固形分濃度の両方が揃うように溶剤と純水を上記に記載の手順で添加した。   Six cans of unused PS resists (clear resists using an acrylic photo resin) and 10 cans of waste liquids of the resists were prepared. As for the waste liquid, four cans were regenerated by adding a solvent for resist so that only the viscosity was obtained according to the conventional method. About the remaining 4 cans, the solvent and the pure water were added by the procedure as described above so that both the viscosity and the solid content concentration were prepared.

それぞれの缶からレジストを採取し、ガラス基板上にスピンコート法により所定の条件(700rpm、6秒間回転保持、230℃で44分乾燥)で塗布した。図7に乾燥後の膜厚と固形分濃度の関係を横軸を固形分濃度にとって示した。△は粘度揃え、□は粘度と固形分濃度を揃えたもの、×は未使用のレジストである。   A resist was collected from each can and applied on a glass substrate by a spin coating method under predetermined conditions (700 rpm, kept rotating for 6 seconds, dried at 230 ° C. for 44 minutes). FIG. 7 shows the relationship between the film thickness after drying and the solid content concentration, with the horizontal axis representing the solid content concentration. Δ is a uniform viscosity, □ is a uniform viscosity and solid content concentration, and x is an unused resist.

固形分濃度のバラツキは、粘度揃えの再生レジストが大きく、他に比べて2倍以上のバラツキであった。膜厚のバラつきは、粘度と固形分濃度揃えの調整処理で大幅に改善され、どちらかと言えば新規品(×)よりも小さい傾向が見られた。   The variation in the solid content concentration was large in the regenerated resist having the same viscosity, and the variation was more than twice as much as the others. The variation in the film thickness was greatly improved by adjusting the viscosity and the solid content concentration, and there was a tendency to be smaller than the new product (×).

本発明になる調整装置を使用して、使用済みレジストのそれぞれに、粘度と固形分濃度が揃うように溶剤と水分とを添加して得られる再生レジストは、回収にいたるプロセスがどうであれ組成がほぼ等しい再生レジストになる。
以上、使用済みのPS用レジストについて述べたが、本発明は、組成が異なる着色レジスト及び未使用の各種レジストについても適用できる。
The regenerated resist obtained by adding the solvent and moisture so that the viscosity and solid content concentration are equal to each of the used resists using the adjusting device according to the present invention has a composition regardless of the process leading to recovery. Becomes a regenerated resist with almost equal.
The used PS resist has been described above, but the present invention can also be applied to colored resists having different compositions and various unused resists.

1、レジスト再生装置
2、液調合用タンク
3、回収ライン
4、供給ライン
5、回転粘度計
6、屈折率計
7、温度計
8、液回転機構
9、レジスト
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1, Resist reproduction | regeneration apparatus 2, Liquid preparation tank 3, Recovery line 4, Supply line 5, Rotational viscometer 6, Refractometer 7, Thermometer 8, Liquid rotation mechanism 9, Resist

Claims (6)

回収した使用済みレジストに溶剤と水分とを添加してレジストの粘度と固形分濃度とを調整することを特徴とするレジストの調整方法。   A method for preparing a resist, comprising adding a solvent and moisture to the collected used resist to adjust the viscosity and solid content concentration of the resist. 回収した使用済みレジストの粘度と固形分濃度とを見積もる工程、
前記レジストの粘度を、溶媒を添加して目標とする粘度よりは高く設定された所定の粘度にまで希釈する工程、
希釈したレジストの固形分濃度が所定の値になるまで水を添加する工程、
屈折率の測定と粘度の測定を行いつつ、希釈したレジストが目標の粘度と固形分濃度になるまでさらに溶剤を添加する工程、とを有することを特徴とするレジストの調整方法。
A process for estimating the viscosity and solid content concentration of the collected used resist,
A step of diluting the viscosity of the resist to a predetermined viscosity set higher than a target viscosity by adding a solvent;
Adding water until the solid content concentration of the diluted resist reaches a predetermined value;
And a step of adding a solvent until the diluted resist has a target viscosity and solid content concentration while performing refractive index measurement and viscosity measurement, and a resist adjustment method.
未使用レジストに溶剤と水分とを添加してレジストの粘度と固形分濃度とを調整することを特徴とするレジストの調整方法。   A method for adjusting a resist, comprising adding a solvent and moisture to an unused resist to adjust the viscosity and solid content concentration of the resist. 未使用レジストの粘度と固形分濃度とを見積もる工程、
前記レジストの粘度を、溶媒を添加して目標とする粘度よりは高く設定された所定の粘度にまで希釈する工程、
希釈したレジストの固形分濃度が所定の値になるまで水を添加する工程、
屈折率の測定と粘度の測定を行いつつ、希釈したレジストが目標の粘度と固形分濃度になるまでさらに溶剤を添加する工程、とを有することを特徴とするレジストの調整方法。
A process of estimating the viscosity and solid content concentration of the unused resist,
A step of diluting the viscosity of the resist to a predetermined viscosity set higher than a target viscosity by adding a solvent;
Adding water until the solid content concentration of the diluted resist reaches a predetermined value;
And a step of adding a solvent until the diluted resist has a target viscosity and solid content concentration while performing refractive index measurement and viscosity measurement, and a resist adjustment method.
前記レジストの固形分濃度は、予め求めてある屈折率と固形分濃度との関係を示す検量線に基づき屈折率の値から見積もることを特徴とする請求項1から請求項4のいずれか1項に記載のレジストの調整方法。   5. The solid content concentration of the resist is estimated from a refractive index value based on a calibration curve indicating a relationship between a refractive index and a solid content concentration determined in advance. The resist adjustment method described in 1. レジストの粘度と固形分濃度とを、粘度測定と屈折率測定に基づいて管理するための粘度計と屈折率計とを備えることを特徴とするレジストの調整装置。   An apparatus for adjusting a resist, comprising a viscometer and a refractometer for managing the viscosity and solid content concentration of the resist based on viscosity measurement and refractive index measurement.
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