JP2014216498A - Substrate heat treatment apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a substrate heat treatment apparatus which allows for uniform heat treatment of all coated substrates by always giving a predetermined temperature profile.SOLUTION: A substrate heat treatment apparatus 1 is provided with a plurality of heat treatment stages 2 on which a substrate W is mounted and heat treated, and a plurality of transfer units 5 for transferring the substrate W to a heat treatment stage 2 of immediately downstream at respective heat treatment stages 2. In each heat treatment stage 2, the stage individual processing time that is the total of a mounting time for mounting the substrate W continuously, and a transfer time required for the transfer unit 5 to transfer the substrate W from the mounting position of the substrate W in this heat treatment stage 2 to the mounting position of the substrate W in the next heat treatment stage 2 is shorter than the time required for supplying the next substrate W after one substrate W is supplied to the substrate heat treatment apparatus 1.

Description

  The present invention relates to a substrate heat treatment apparatus for performing heat treatment on a substrate on which a coating film is formed.

  A flat panel display such as a liquid crystal display or a plasma display uses a substrate coated with a resist solution (referred to as a coated substrate). In this coated substrate, a coating film is formed by uniformly coating a resist solution on the substrate by a coating apparatus, and then, for example, the coating film is formed by a substrate heat treatment apparatus 91 as shown in Patent Document 1 and FIG. Is produced by drying and baking.

  The substrate heat treatment apparatus 91 has a plurality of heat treatment stages 92, and when the substrate W on which the coating film is formed by the coating apparatus 94 upstream of the substrate heat treatment apparatus 91 is carried into the most upstream heat treatment stage 92. The substrate W is placed on the heat treatment stage 92 for a predetermined time, and after the predetermined placement time has elapsed, the substrate W is transferred to the next heat treatment stage 92 by the transfer device 93 over a predetermined transfer time. The transfer operation and the placement operation are repeated, and the substrate W is successively transferred to the downstream heat treatment stage 92, whereby the heat treatment of the substrate W is performed by each heat treatment stage 92, and the coating film is dried and baked. Progresses. In addition, the transfer operation of all the substrates W on each heat treatment stage 92 is synchronized, and all the substrates W on the substrate heat treatment apparatus 91 are simultaneously transferred to the next heat treatment stage 92 by the transfer apparatus 93. This prevents the substrates W from interfering with each other.

JP 2012-248755 A

  However, the substrate heat treatment apparatus 91 described in Patent Document 1 has a problem in that the degree of heat treatment for each substrate W is not constant, and there is a possibility that a difference occurs in the drying and baking states of the coating film. Specifically, when the sum of the placement time and the transfer time of the substrate W in one heat treatment stage 92 is larger than the time interval during which the substrate W is supplied from the coating apparatus 94 to the substrate heat treatment apparatus 91, Even if the coating apparatus 94 completes the formation of the coating film on the substrate W, it must wait for the substrate W to be carried into the substrate heat treatment apparatus 91 until the transfer of the substrate W on the heat treatment stage 92 is completed. In the meantime, the solvent of the coating film was volatilized and the drying proceeded. When this waiting time is not constant, there is a possibility that a difference occurs in the drying and baking state of the coating film because a difference occurs in the degree of drying of the coating film when the substrate W is carried into the substrate heat treatment apparatus 91.

  Further, as in Patent Document 1, the transfer operation of the substrate W is synchronized, and all the substrates W on the substrate heat treatment apparatus 91 are simultaneously transferred to the next heat treatment stage 92, so that the cleaning operation of the coating apparatus 94 is performed. When the time interval for supplying the substrate W to the substrate heat treatment apparatus 91 becomes longer, the substrate W on the other heat treatment stage 92 is kept until the uppermost heat treatment stage 92 receives the substrate W from the coating apparatus 94. There has been a problem that a difference in the drying and baking states of the coating film occurs as a result of being placed on the heat treatment stage 92 over a predetermined time.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a substrate heat treatment apparatus capable of giving a predetermined temperature profile to a coating film and performing uniform heat treatment on all coated substrates. .

  In order to solve the above problems, a substrate heat treatment apparatus according to the present invention includes a plurality of heat treatment stages that place a substrate and heat-treat, and a plurality of transport units that transport the substrate to the heat treatment stage immediately downstream of each of the heat treatment stages. In each of the heat treatment stages, the substrate heat treatment apparatus is provided with a placement time that is a time during which the substrate continues to be placed, and the transfer unit moves from the placement position of the substrate on the heat treatment stage to the next. The stage individual processing time, which is the sum of the time required to transport the substrate to the substrate mounting position on the heat treatment stage, is the sum of the time required for the next substrate after the first substrate is supplied to the substrate heat treatment apparatus. It is characterized by being less than the time taken to be supplied.

  With the substrate heat treatment apparatus having the above-described configuration, it is possible to perform a uniform heat treatment on all coated substrates by giving a predetermined temperature profile to the coated film. Specifically, in each heat treatment stage, a placement time which is a time during which the substrate is continuously placed, and the transfer unit moves from the substrate placement position in this heat treatment stage to the substrate placement position in the next heat treatment stage. The stage individual processing time, which is the sum of the transfer time that is the time required to transfer the substrate, is less than or equal to the time required from the time when one substrate is supplied to the substrate heat treatment apparatus until the next substrate is supplied. No matter when the substrate is supplied to the substrate heat treatment apparatus, there is no waiting time for the substrate before the substrate heat treatment apparatus and between the heat treatment stages, and heat treatment of the same temperature profile is applied to all the substrates, Uniform heat treatment can be performed.

  Moreover, it is good to have a control part which controls operation | movement of each said conveyance unit, and the said control part is good to control, without synchronizing operation | movement of each said conveyance unit with operation | movement of the said other conveyance unit.

  By doing so, it is possible to set an arbitrary heat treatment time in each heat treatment stage, and it is possible to set a process temperature with a high degree of freedom.

  Each of the heat treatment stages has an abnormality detecting means for detecting an abnormality of the substrate, and the control unit detects the heat treatment downstream of the one heat treatment stage even when the abnormality of the substrate is detected by the one heat treatment stage. The transfer unit may be controlled so that the heat treatment on the substrate on the stage is continued.

  By doing so, even when a substrate abnormality occurs in one heat treatment stage, the heat treatment can be continuously performed on the substrate that has already completed the heat treatment in the heat treatment stage and has passed to the downstream heat treatment stage. As a result, the number of substrates that must be discarded can be reduced.

  According to the substrate heat treatment apparatus of the present invention, uniform heat treatment can be performed by always giving a predetermined temperature profile to the coating film.

It is the schematic of the substrate heat processing apparatus in one Embodiment of this invention. It is the schematic which shows the conveyance operation of the board | substrate in the substrate heat processing apparatus of this embodiment. It is a flowchart of the conveyance operation of the board | substrate in the substrate heat processing apparatus of this embodiment. It is a timing chart of the heat processing to the board | substrate in the substrate heat processing apparatus of this embodiment. It is an example of the temperature profile of the board | substrate which heat-processed with the substrate processing apparatus of this embodiment. It is the schematic of the conventional board | substrate heat processing apparatus.

  Embodiments according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a substrate heat treatment apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. 1 (a) is a top view and FIG. 1 (b) is a front view. The substrate heat treatment apparatus 1 is provided on the downstream side of the coating apparatus 7 and includes a plurality of heat treatment stages 2, a heater unit 3, and an ultrasonic wave generation unit 4. The heat treatment stage 2 is ultrasonically vibrated by the ultrasonic wave generation unit 4, and the substrate W on the heat treatment stage 2 is levitated by the radiation pressure due to the vibration. The heat treatment stage 2 is heated by the heater unit 3 and heats the substrate W by the radiant heat from the heated heat treatment stage 2.

  Each heat treatment stage 2 has a transfer unit 5 paired with the heat treatment stage 2. The substrate W is transferred from the heat treatment stage 2 to the heat treatment stage 2 immediately downstream by the transfer unit 5, and the substrate W is transferred. Done. The operation of the transport unit 5 is controlled by the control unit 6.

  In the following description, the direction in which the substrate W is transported is the Y-axis direction, the direction orthogonal to the Y-axis direction on the horizontal plane is the X-axis direction, and the direction orthogonal to both the X-axis and Y-axis directions is the Z-axis direction. The explanation will proceed as follows.

  The heat treatment stage 2 has one or a plurality of diaphragms 21. In this embodiment, the diaphragm 21 is a metal plate made of aluminum (made of aluminum alloy) and having a rectangular plate shape. When the heat treatment stage 2 is composed of a plurality of diaphragms 21, they are in the substrate transport direction. The heat treatment stage 2 is formed by continuously arranging in the (Y-axis direction).

  Here, the dimensions of the heat treatment stage 2 in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction are set larger than the dimensions of the substrate W when the substrate W is placed on the vibration plate 21 in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction. And good. Thereby, when the substrate W is heat-treated while floating on the heat treatment stage 2, the entire surface of the substrate W exists on the heat treatment stage 2 without the portion of the substrate W protruding from the heat treatment stage 2. The substrate W can be uniformly heat-treated by the heat treatment stage 2 heated by the heater unit 3.

  Further, when a plurality of heat treatment stages 2 are provided in the transport direction (Y-axis direction) of the substrate W, the temperature profile of the substrate W is set by setting the temperature of each heat treatment stage 2 to an arbitrary temperature by the heater unit 3. Can be set arbitrarily. For example, the temperature of the heat treatment stage 2a in FIG. 1A is set to a temperature at which the solvent of the coating film on the substrate W becomes active, the coating film is dried on the heat treatment stage 2a, and the temperature of the heat treatment stage 2b is The coating film is baked on the heat treatment stage 2b, set to a temperature higher than the temperature of the stage 2a, and the temperature of the heat treatment stage 2c is set to room temperature or lower, and cooled to the temperature of the substrate W on the heat treatment stage 2c. Thus, the temperature profile of the substrate W can be set.

  The heater unit 3 is located on the back surface side of the surface of the heat treatment stage 2 on which the substrate W is levitated, that is, on the lower surface side of the heat treatment stage 2, and controls the temperature of the heat treatment stage 2.

  The heater unit 3 includes a heater unit 31 and a spacer 32, and the spacer 32 is installed on the upper surface of the heater unit 31 to support the diaphragm 21, so that the heat treatment stage 2 and the heater unit 31 have a predetermined interval. Provided and spaced apart.

  In the present embodiment, the heater unit 31 is a plate heater configured by inserting a cartridge heater or a sheathed heater into a rectangular aluminum plate, but a mica heater may be used instead of the plate heater.

  Here, the dimension of the heater unit 31 in the X-axis direction is larger than the dimension of the heat treatment stage 2 in the X-axis direction, and the dimension of the heater unit assembly 33 in the Y-axis direction is equal to the Y-axis direction of the heat treatment stage 2. It is preferable that the area of the heat treatment stage 2 be within the area of the heater unit 31 when the heater unit 31 is viewed from the heat treatment stage 2 along the Z-axis direction. Accordingly, the heater unit 31 can simultaneously heat the entire surface of the heat treatment stage 2 and can heat the entire heat treatment stage 2 to a uniform temperature.

  The spacer 32 is, for example, a resin-made small-diameter block. In the present embodiment, the spacer 32 provides an interval of 1 mm between the heat treatment stage 2 and the heater unit 31. By separating the heat treatment stage 2 and the heater unit 31 in this way, heat transfer between the heater unit 31 and the heat treatment stage 2 is caused by convection as described later, and the heat treatment stage 2 and the heater unit 31 are in contact with each other. It is easy to make the temperature of the entire heat treatment stage 2 uniform compared to the case where heat transfer is performed directly.

  Further, when the heat treatment stage 2 and the heater unit 31 are in contact with each other, the heater unit 31 may interfere with the vibration of the heat treatment stage 2 due to a difference in vibration characteristics such as the natural frequency of both. By separating the two, the heat treatment stage 2 can vibrate as set without being disturbed by the heater unit 31.

  Here, the spacer 32 is desirably disposed on the heater unit 31 so as to support the diaphragm 21 at a position corresponding to a vibration node of the diaphragm 21. Thereby, since the vibration received by the spacer 32 from the diaphragm 21 can be minimized, the spacer 32 can be prevented from being worn by interference with the diaphragm 21.

  Further, instead of the heater unit 31, a cooling unit for cooling the heat treatment stage 2 may be used. Specifically, the cooling unit may be a unit that performs air cooling by applying air to the heat treatment stage, or a metal plate that is air or water cooled. In this case, the substrate W located on the heat treatment stage 2 is cooled by the cooled heat treatment stage 2.

  When a plurality of heat treatment stages 2 are provided in the substrate W transfer direction (Y-axis direction) as described above, the temperature of the heater unit 3 that controls the temperature of each heat treatment stage 2 is set to an arbitrary temperature. Thus, the temperature profile of the substrate W can be arbitrarily set. For example, the temperature of the heater unit 3a for controlling the temperature of the heat treatment stage 2a in FIG. 1A is set to a temperature at which volatilization of the solvent of the coating film on the substrate W becomes active, and the heater for controlling the temperature of the heat treatment stage 2b. The temperature of the part 3b may be set to a temperature at which the coating film is baked, and the temperature of the heater part 3c for controlling the temperature of the heat treatment stage 2c may be set to room temperature or lower.

  The ultrasonic generator 4 includes an ultrasonic transducer 41 and a horn 42. The ultrasonic transducer 41 is on the same side as the heater unit 31 with respect to the diaphragm 21 when viewed from the Z-axis direction, and is disposed at a position farther from the diaphragm 21 than the heater unit 31. A horn 42 is connected to the ultrasonic transducer 41, and the horn 42 penetrates the heater unit 31 and is in contact with the diaphragm 21.

  The ultrasonic transducer 41 excites an object based on an oscillation signal from an oscillator (not shown). For example, there is a Langevin type transducer having an electrode and a piezoelectric element. In the Langevin type vibrator, when a driving voltage is applied to an electrode by an oscillator, the piezoelectric element vibrates and oscillates with a predetermined amplitude and frequency. The vibration of the ultrasonic transducer 41 oscillated in this way propagates to the diaphragm 21 that is the object via the horn 42, and vibrates the diaphragm 21. When the diaphragm 21 vibrates, a radiated sound pressure is generated from the diaphragm 21, and an upward force is applied to the substrate W on the diaphragm 21 by the radiated sound pressure. As a result, the substrate W can be held in a state where it floats above the diaphragm 21 by a predetermined flying height.

  In addition, the amplitude and frequency of the vibration of the ultrasonic transducer 41 can be adjusted by controlling the drive voltage applied from the oscillator, thereby adjusting the flying height of the substrate W floating on the vibration plate 21. Is possible. The flying height of the substrate W is about 0.1 mm in this embodiment.

  The horn 42 has a shape in which a cylinder or a plurality of cylinders are connected, one end is connected to the ultrasonic transducer 41, the other end is in contact with the vibration plate 21, and vibration of the ultrasonic transducer 41 is emitted. The amplitude is amplified or attenuated and propagated to the diaphragm 21. Further, since the horn 42 is disposed so as to penetrate the heater unit 31, the heater unit 31 is provided with a through hole or notch at a position where the horn 42 is disposed to avoid interference with the horn 42.

  Here, in the present embodiment, considering that the conveyance of the substrate W is not hindered, the ultrasonic transducer 41 is viewed from the Z-axis direction on the same side as the heater unit 31 with respect to the diaphragm 21, that is, the substrate W. Although it is in contact with the diaphragm 21 on the opposite side, the contact may be made on the same side as the substrate W. Even if the ultrasonic transducer 41 is brought into contact with the same side as the substrate W, it is possible to obtain the effect of causing the substrate W to oscillate and float as in the case where the ultrasonic transducer 41 is brought into contact with the opposite side of the substrate W as in this embodiment. is there.

  The transport unit 5 includes a hand 51, an advance / retreat mechanism 52, and a travel mechanism 53. The transport unit 5 supports the substrate W and transports it in the Y-axis direction.

  The transport unit 5 is provided in pairs with the respective heat treatment stages 2 and performs a substrate transport operation from the pair of heat treatment stages 2 to the heat treatment stage 2 immediately downstream. In the example of FIG. 1A, the heat treatment stage 2a is provided with a transfer unit 5a that is paired with the heat treatment stage 2a, and performs the transfer operation of the substrate W from the heat treatment stage 2a to the heat treatment stage 2b. Similarly, the heat treatment stage 2b is provided with a transfer unit 5b paired with the heat treatment stage 2b to carry the substrate W from the heat treatment stage 2b to the heat treatment stage 2b, and the heat treatment stage 2c is paired with the transfer unit 5b. A unit 5c is provided to carry the substrate W further downstream from the heat treatment stage 2c.

  The hand 51 has two pins in this embodiment, and these pins are in contact with and support two sides of the substrate W at the corners of the substrate W. Two hands 51 are provided in the diagonal direction of the substrate W with respect to the support of one substrate W so that the diagonal of the substrate W can be positioned and supported.

  Each hand 51 is attached to an advance / retreat mechanism 52. The advance / retreat mechanism 52 is a linear motion mechanism such as an air cylinder, and moves each hand 51 when the substrate W is supported and when the support is released. By this advance / retreat mechanism 52, the hand 51 approaches the substrate W when the substrate W is supported, and retracts from the substrate W when the support is released.

  Here, in the state where the hand 51 is retracted, the substrate W is in a state where the restraints in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction are released. Therefore, when the hand 51 approaches next, the position of the substrate W is shifted. There is a possibility that the substrate W and the hand 51 are damaged by colliding with the hand 51. On the other hand, in this embodiment, a pin that moves up and down is provided on the heat treatment stage 2 so that when the hand 51 is retracted, the pin is raised to restrain the position of the substrate W. However, when the wafer is conveyed on the heat treatment stage 2, the pins are lowered so as not to disturb the conveying operation.

  Further, in order to prevent the hand 51 or the diaphragm 21 from being worn and particles from being brought into contact with the diaphragm 21, an air bearing is provided on the lower surface of the hand 51, so that the hand 51 and the diaphragm 21 are connected to each other. It is better to keep a certain interval.

  In this embodiment, the traveling mechanism 53 is a linear motion mechanism such as a linear stage whose moving direction is the Y-axis direction, and the hand 51 and the advance / retreat mechanism 52 are attached to the traveling mechanism 53. When the hand 51 approaches the corner of the substrate W and supports the substrate W, the traveling mechanism 53 moves the hand 51 and the advance / retreat mechanism 52 in the Y-axis direction so that the hand 51 supports the substrate 51. The substrate W is transported in the Y axis direction.

  Here, in order to prevent the adjacent traveling mechanisms 53 from interfering with each other, the traveling mechanisms adjacent to each other in the transport direction (Y-axis direction) of the substrate W are arranged in the X-axis direction as indicated by a distance d in FIG. They are arranged at a predetermined interval. Further, the cable connected to the traveling engine 53 is also arranged with a predetermined interval separation in the X-axis direction like the traveling mechanism 53.

  In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1A, the traveling mechanism 53b and its cable are provided in the + X direction with respect to the traveling mechanism 53a and its cable, and the traveling mechanism 53c and its cable are connected to the traveling mechanism 53b. And in the −X direction from the cable. That is, the traveling mechanism 53 and its cable are arranged so as to be in a staggered arrangement in the transport direction of the substrate W. With such an arrangement, it is possible to minimize the size of the entire substrate heat treatment apparatus 1 in the X-axis direction while preventing interference between adjacent traveling mechanisms 53.

  The control unit 6 includes a computer, a sequencer, and the like, and controls the holding time (mounting time) of the substrate W in each heat treatment stage 2 and the operation of each transfer unit 5. The control unit 6 includes a storage device that stores various types of information including a hard disk, a memory such as a RAM or a ROM, and the control data is stored in the storage device.

  In addition, the control unit 6 does not synchronize the operation of the transport unit 5 with the timing of completion of processing on the substrate W in the coating apparatus 7. Specifically, even if the processing of the substrate W in the coating apparatus 7 is delayed, the substrate W placed on each heat treatment stage 2 during that time waits for the completion of the processing in the coating apparatus 7. Instead, after a predetermined mounting time has elapsed, the transfer unit 5 sequentially controls the transfer to the next heat treatment stage 2. Further, in the transport units 5 as well, the operations of all the transport units 5 are individually controlled rather than synchronizing the operations of all the transport units 5.

  Next, the transfer operation of the substrate W in the substrate heat treatment apparatus 1 of the present embodiment is shown in FIG. Here, conveyance of the substrate W from the heat treatment stage 2a to the heat treatment stage 2b will be described.

  In addition, FIG. 3 shows an operation flow of the transport unit 5 at this time.

  First, when the substrate W is held on the heat treatment stage 2a for a predetermined time and ready to be transferred to the adjacent heat treatment stage 2b, as shown in FIG. 2 (a), the hand 51a is retracted. The advance / retreat mechanism 52a moves from a position Y3 described later to a position (Y-axis direction position = Y1) for receiving the substrate W at the placement position on the heat treatment stage 2b (step S1).

  In the state where the position of the advance / retreat mechanism 52a is Y1, as shown in FIG. 2B, the hand 51a approaches the substrate W and supports the substrate W (step S2). Here, when the heat treatment stage 2 has a mechanism in which a pin protrudes from the heat treatment stage 2 when placing the substrate W, this operation is also included in step S2, and after the hand 51a approaches the substrate W, The pin is lowered.

  In a state where the hand 51a supports the substrate W, as shown in FIG. 2C, the advancing / retreating mechanism 52a travels on the traveling mechanism 53a and passes the substrate W to the mounting position on the heat treatment stage 2b (Y axis). Move to direction position = Y2) (step S3). Note that the time required for the operation in step S3 is referred to as a conveyance time in this description.

  After the movement of the advance / retreat mechanism 52a to the position Y2 is completed, the hand 51a is retracted from the substrate W as shown in FIG. 2D, and the support of the substrate W is released (step S4). Here, when the heat treatment stage 2 has a mechanism in which a pin protrudes from the heat treatment stage 2 when placing the substrate W, the hand 51a is retracted after the pins of the heat treatment stage 2b are raised.

  After the hand 51a is retracted, as shown in FIG. 2 (e), the advance / retreat mechanism 52a moves to an intermediate position between the position Y1 and the position Y2 (Y-axis direction position = Y3) (step S5). Since the advance / retreat mechanism 52a is located at the position Y3, the hand 51a can be prevented from interfering with the upstream and downstream hands 51. If there is no possibility of interference between the hands 51, this operation may be omitted and the movement from the position Y2 to the position Y1 may be performed directly.

  Further, after the movement of the advance / retreat mechanism 52a to the position Y3 is completed, the advance / retreat mechanism 52a stands by at the position Y3 until permission to move to the position Y1 is lowered. Then, after the movement permission is lowered, the advance / retreat mechanism 52a moves to the position Y1 as shown in FIG. 2A and step S1. If the position Y3 is not provided, the advance / retreat mechanism 52a stands by at the position Y1 or the position Y2.

  Including such a transfer operation of the substrate W, the substrate W is placed on each heat treatment stage 2 at a predetermined placement position for a predetermined time, and then transferred to the next heat treatment stage 2 by the above transfer operation. A series of heat treatments are performed with a predetermined temperature profile.

  Here, the time during which the substrate W is placed on the heat treatment stage 2 (referred to as placement time in this description) is the time when the substrate W is transported to the placement position of the heat treatment stage 2a by the upstream transport unit 5. From the time point (the time point when step S3 in the upstream heat treatment stage 2 is completed) to the time point when the hand 51a approaches the substrate W (step S2) through the movement of the advance / retreat mechanism 52a (step S1) and the transfer of the substrate W starts. It refers to time.

  During this placement time, the pins of the heat treatment stage 2a are raised, the hand 51 of the upstream transport unit 5 is retracted (Step S4 in the upstream heat treatment stage 2), and the hand 51a approaches the substrate W (Step S4). S2) The pin of the heat treatment stage 2a is lowered. Accordingly, the placement time needs to be equal to or longer than the sum of the time taken for step S4 and the time taken for step S2.

  Next, FIG. 4 shows a timing chart of the heat treatment on the substrate W in the substrate heat treatment apparatus 1 of the present embodiment.

  FIG. 4 is a timing chart showing how the substrate W is placed and transported in three heat treatment stages 2 (denoted as 1st, 2nd, and 3rd). FIG. 4 (a) shows an immediately upstream apparatus (coating apparatus). When the supply time interval of the substrate W from 7) to the substrate heat treatment apparatus 1 (the time taken from the supply of one substrate W to the supply of the next substrate W) is constant, FIG. This is a case where the supply time interval of the substrate W from the immediately upstream apparatus varies.

  In this description, the supply time interval of the substrate W from the immediately upstream apparatus to the substrate heat treatment apparatus 1 means that the processing of one substrate W is completed in the immediately upstream apparatus and the substrate W is loaded into the substrate heat treatment apparatus 1. The time from the ready state to the same state with respect to the next substrate W is indicated. That is, the supply time interval of the substrate W to the substrate heat treatment apparatus 1 and the carry-in time interval of the substrate W to the substrate heat treatment apparatus 1 are strictly different, and for some reason after the processing of the substrate W is completed in the coating apparatus 7. When waiting occurs before the substrate W is carried into the substrate heat treatment apparatus 1, there is a difference between the supply time interval and the carry-in time interval.

  In FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B, the arrow provided on the frame of each heat treatment stage 2 indicates that the substrate W is placed on the heat treatment stage 2 in the time zone in which the arrow is provided. The length of the arrow represents the mounting time of the substrate W in each heat treatment stage 2.

  Moreover, the broken line provided in the frame of each heat treatment stage 2 represents the movement of the hand 51 (advance / retreat mechanism 52). For example, in the first heat treatment stage 2 in FIG. The hand 51 is at the position Y3 shown in FIG. 2, and the hand 51 moves from the position Y3 to the position Y1 during the second to seventh seconds (5 seconds), and from the seventh to the 17th seconds (10 seconds). This indicates that the hand 51 moves from the position Y1 to the position Y2 during the movement of the position Y1 and moves from the position Y2 to the position Y3 during the 17th to 22nd seconds (5 seconds).

  In FIG. 4, the movement time from the position Y3 of the hand 51 to the position Y1 (5 seconds) is included until the hand 51 approaches the substrate W and the pin of the heat treatment stage 2 is lowered. That is, the time until the operations of Step S1 and Step S2 in FIG. 3 are completed is the movement time from the position Y3 to the position Y1 in FIG. 4, and the end of this movement time is the time of the substrate W in the heat treatment stage 2 At the end of the loading time.

  In FIG. 4, the movement time (10 seconds) of the hand 51 from the position Y1 to the position Y2 does not include the operation in which the pin of the next heat treatment stage 2 rises and the hand 51 is retracted from the substrate W. The time required for this operation is included in the time (5 seconds) for the hand 51 to move from the position Y2 to the position Y3. That is, the time until the operation of step S3 in FIG. 3 is completed is the moving time of the hand 51 from the position Y1 to the position Y2 in FIG. 4, and is the transport time in this description. Therefore, the end of this time is the start of the placement time of the substrate W in the next heat treatment stage 2.

  In FIG. 4A, the time interval for completing the processing on the substrate W in the immediately upstream apparatus (coating apparatus 7) is constant every 25 seconds, and the supply time of the substrate W to the substrate heat treatment apparatus 1 is accordingly adjusted. The interval is constant every 25 seconds.

  On the other hand, the mounting time of the substrate W in each heat treatment stage 2 (1st, 2nd, and 3rd) is 7 seconds, 15 seconds, and 10 seconds, respectively. In addition, since the transfer time of the substrate W between each heat treatment stage 2 is 10 seconds, the sum of the placement time and the transfer time (hereinafter referred to as individual stage treatment time) in each heat treatment stage 2 is immediately upstream. It is less than the supply time interval of the substrate W from the apparatus.

  In this way, by setting the placement time and the transfer time of each heat treatment stage 2 so that the stage individual treatment time is equal to or less than the supply time interval of the substrate W from the immediately upstream apparatus, the substrate W in each heat treatment stage 2 is set. Can be placed for a predetermined time without excess or deficiency, and a predetermined temperature profile can be given to the coating film of the substrate W.

  Specifically, the time interval between the timing at which the substrate W is carried in each heat treatment stage 2 and the timing at which the preceding and following substrates W are carried in is carried into the substrate heat treatment apparatus 1 from the immediately upstream apparatus. Therefore, if the stage individual processing time in each heat treatment stage 2 is equal to or less than the supply time interval of the substrate W from the immediately upstream apparatus, The transfer of the substrate W to the next heat treatment stage 2 is completed before the next substrate W is carried into the heat treatment stage 2. Therefore, the substrate W does not stay in each heat treatment stage 2, and the substrate W can be placed for a predetermined time without excess or deficiency.

  Further, as in the present embodiment, the transfer operation of the substrate W between the respective heat treatment stages 2 by the transfer unit 5 is not synchronized with the completion timing of the processing on the substrate W in the coating apparatus 7, for example, FIG. Even if the supply time interval of the first substrate W and the second substrate W shown in b) is longer than the normal supply time interval, it is placed on each heat treatment stage 2 during that time. The waiting substrate W is sequentially transferred to the next heat treatment stage 2 after a predetermined mounting time has elapsed without waiting for the completion of the processing by the coating apparatus 7. As a result, it is possible to prevent the substrate W from being placed in excess of a predetermined time and having a different temperature profile, so that the substrate W is not excessively heat-treated.

  Further, in the present embodiment, since the operation of each transport unit 5 is individually controlled by the control unit 6, as shown in FIGS. 4 (a) and 4 (b), the mounting time in each heat treatment stage 2 is arbitrarily set. It is possible to set a temperature profile with a high degree of freedom. Specifically, if the operations of all the transfer units 5 are synchronized, the control becomes easy. However, since it is necessary to transfer the substrates W all at the same time in all the heat treatment stages 2, the placement time is reduced. Becomes unified, and the degree of freedom in setting the temperature profile is low. On the other hand, when the operation of each transfer unit 5 is individually controlled, the substrate can be freely transferred between the heat treatment stages 2 regardless of the operation of the other transfer units 5. There is no need to unify time. Thereby, as shown in FIG. 5, an arbitrary placement time can be set in each heat treatment stage 2, and a temperature profile with a high degree of freedom can be given to the substrate W and the coating film.

  In addition, when the control unit 6 individually controls the operation of each transport unit 5 as described above, it is preferable to provide each heat treatment stage 2 with an abnormality detection unit that detects an abnormality of the substrate W. Thus, the abnormality detection means is provided, and even when an abnormality such as cracking of the substrate W is detected in one heat treatment stage 2, the heat treatment to the substrate W in the heat treatment stage 2 downstream from the heat treatment stage 2 is continued. When the control unit 6 controls each transfer unit 5, even when a substrate abnormality occurs in one heat treatment stage 2, the substrate that has already completed the heat treatment in the heat treatment stage 2 and has passed to the downstream heat treatment stage 2. For W, heat treatment can be continued without stopping the transfer operation. As a result, since the substrate W in the heat treatment stage 2 downstream from the heat treatment stage 2 in which the substrate abnormality has occurred can be sent to the subsequent process without being discarded, the number of substrates W that must be discarded when the substrate abnormality occurs Can be reduced.

  This abnormality detection means may be configured using a commercially available photoelectric sensor or the like.

  According to the substrate heat treatment apparatus described above, it is possible to perform a uniform heat treatment on all coated substrates by always giving a predetermined temperature profile to the coated film.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Substrate heat treatment apparatus 2 Heat treatment stage 2a Heat treatment stage 2b Heat treatment stage 2c Heat treatment stage 3 Heater part 3a Heater part 3b Heater part 3c Heater part 4 Ultrasonic wave generation part 5 Carrying unit 5a Carrying unit 5b Carrying unit 5c Carrying unit 6 Control part 7 Application | coating Device 21 Diaphragm 31 Heater unit 32 Spacer 41 Ultrasonic vibrator 42 Horn 51 Hand 51a Hand 51b Hand 51c Hand 52 Advance / Retreat mechanism 52a Advance / Retreat mechanism 52b Advance / Retreat mechanism 53 Travel mechanism 53a Travel mechanism 53b Travel mechanism 53c Travel mechanism 91 Substrate Heat treatment device 92 Heat treatment stage 93 Transfer device 94 Coating device W substrate

Claims (3)

A plurality of heat treatment stages for placing and heat-treating the substrate;
A plurality of transfer units for transferring the substrate to the heat treatment stage immediately downstream for each heat treatment stage;
A substrate heat treatment apparatus provided with
In each of the heat treatment stages, a placement time which is a time during which the substrate is continuously placed, and the transfer unit moves the substrate from the substrate placement position in the heat treatment stage to the substrate placement position in the next heat treatment stage. The stage individual processing time, which is the sum of the transfer time, which is the time required to transfer, is equal to or less than the time required to supply the next substrate after the first substrate is supplied to the substrate heat treatment apparatus. A substrate heat treatment apparatus that is characterized.   It further has a control part which controls operation of each of the above-mentioned conveyance units, and the above-mentioned control part controls the operation of each of the above-mentioned conveyance units, without synchronizing with the operation of other above-mentioned conveyance units, The substrate heat treatment apparatus according to claim 1.   Each of the heat treatment stages has an abnormality detecting means for detecting an abnormality of the substrate, and even when the abnormality of the substrate is detected in one of the heat treatment stages, the control unit applies the heat treatment stage downstream of the one heat treatment stage. The substrate heat treatment apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the transfer unit is controlled so that heat treatment on a certain substrate is continued.

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