JP2524697Y2 - Exhaust communication device for rotary substrate processing equipment - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] << Industrial application field >> This invention is a rotary substrate processing apparatus used for surface-treating a thin plate-like substrate (hereinafter simply referred to as a substrate) such as a semiconductor substrate or a glass substrate for liquid crystal. More particularly, the present invention relates to an exhaust communication device that surrounds a radially outer side and a lower part of a rotating substrate and communicates with a forced evacuation unit in a spin cup, which is a cup-shaped member having an upper opening.

<< Conventional Technology >> As is well known, a rotary substrate processing apparatus is used for a photoresist coating process, a developing process, an etching process, and the like.
The thing disclosed in 66033 gazette is known.

As shown in FIG. 5, the spin cup 101 is provided so as to be movable up and down so that the substrate W can be attached to and detached from the spin chuck 105 at the lowered position of the spin cup 101, and the spin cup 101 rotates at the raised position. The spin cup 101 surrounds the substrate W. The spin cup 101 is configured to communicate with a forced exhaust box 113 connected to a forced exhaust unit (not shown) to forcibly exhaust the inside of the spin cup 101.

The forced evacuation of the spin cup 101 is performed in order to remove the processing liquid mist scattered from the rotating substrate W into a mist so as not to adhere to the substrate W. In order to generate an airflow that flows in and passes downward through the outer periphery of the substrate W, the processing liquid is uniformly applied to the substrate surface, or the solvent component of the processing liquid attached to the inner wall surface of the spin cup 101 flows out to the human work space. For other reasons, such as not to do so.

By the way, in the forced evacuation in the spin cup 101 of the rotary substrate processing apparatus in the form in which the spin cup 101 moves up and down as described above, it is necessary to airtightly communicate the spin cup 101 that moves up and down and the forced exhaust box 113 that does not move up and down. Therefore, a telescopic bellows tube 112 is interposed between the two.

<< Problems to be Solved by the Invention >> However, in the above-described conventional apparatus, since the forced exhaust box 113 is communicated with the bellows tube 112, the following problems occur.

I. Since the wall of the bellows tube 112 is wavy, the forced exhaust flow becomes turbulent due to, for example, generation of a vortex at the bent portion of the inner wall surface of the bellows tube 112, and the exhaust efficiency is reduced due to pressure loss.

B. Since the rotary substrate processing apparatus requires a high degree of cleanliness, it is necessary to frequently clean the spin cup 101, the bellows tube 112, and the like as part of maintenance, but the inner surface of the bellows tube 112 is wavy. Therefore, it is difficult to clean to remove the processing liquid mist and the like adhering there, and
Dirt is hard to remove.

C. In the bellows tube 112, the processing liquid mist contained in the forced exhaust flow may concentrate and adhere to the portion where the flow velocity of the forced exhaust flow has slowed down. May be impaired.

The present invention has been made in consideration of such circumstances.
It is an object of the present invention to solve the above-mentioned difficulties.

<< Means for Solving the Problems >> The present invention is configured as follows to solve the above problems.

That is, this is an exhaust communication device between a spin cup and a forced exhaust box in a rotary substrate processing apparatus in which a vertically movable spin cup surrounding a rotating substrate is communicated with a forced exhaust box so as to forcibly exhaust the inside of the spin cup. The upper end is connected to the spin cup and moves up and down together with the spin cup. The lower end is freely inserted through the exhaust pipe freely inserted into the forced exhaust box, and the upper end is exhausted. It is characterized in that it has a communication duct formed of an expandable and contractible tubular member airtightly connected to the peripheral surface of the pipe and a lower end airtightly connected to the forced exhaust box.

<< Operation >> In the present invention, the exhaust pipe whose upper end is connected to the spin cup has its lower end freely inserted into the forced exhaust box. The forced exhaust flow does not escape from the forced exhaust box and flows through the exhaust pipe.

In addition, the communication duct made of a stretchable tubular member has an upper end airtightly connected to the periphery of the exhaust pipe, and a lower end airtightly connected to the forced exhaust box, so that the vertically moving spin cup and the forced exhaust that does not move up and down are connected. The box is airtightly connected.

In this way, despite the fact that the spin cup and the forced exhaust box are air-tightly communicated by using the extendable communication duct, the lower end of the exhaust pipe is freely inserted into the forced exhaust box. As it can be freely moved up and down as the spin cup moves up and down, it does not expand or contract.

Therefore, as described above, the wall surface of the exhaust pipe that forms the flow path of the forced exhaust flow is not wavy, and the forced exhaust flow does not become turbulent.

In addition, since the exhaust pipe does not expand and contract, the pipe wall surface is not wavy, but the wavy shape slows down the flow velocity of the forced exhaust flow, causing the processing liquid mist to collectively adhere and the exhaust becomes unstable. Does not occur.

<< Example >> Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. First
The figure is a longitudinal sectional view of a rotary substrate processing apparatus provided with the exhaust communication device according to the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, the rotary substrate processing apparatus supports the spin cup 1 so as to be able to move up and down by an elevating means (not shown).
The substrate W is removably mounted on the spin chuck 5 at the cup lowering position to be sucked and held, and the spin chuck 5 holding the substrate W is rotated by the drive motor 6 at the cup raising position indicated by the solid line in FIG. It is configured such that a solvent such as a photoresist or a developer is uniformly supplied to the surface of W, or is shaken off by centrifugal force.

The spin cup 1 comprises a lower cup 1B and an upper cup 1A, and the upper cup 1A has an outside air intake 2 on an upper surface thereof,
3a is formed in an inclined shape, and the lower cup 1B is a peripheral wall 3a of the upper cup 1A.
To form a peripheral wall 3b, exhaust ports 4.4 on the left and right of the bottom wall 3c, and a drain port (not shown) before and after, so that the inside of the spin cup 1 is exhausted by the exhaust communication device 10. It is configured.

The exhaust communication device 10 includes an exhaust port 4 of the spin cup 1.
· A straight pipe-type exhaust pipe 11 is connected to 4 downward, and its lower end is freely inserted into the forced exhaust box 13 through a hole provided corresponding to the upper surface of the forced exhaust box 13. , Each exhaust pipe 4
The exhaust pipe 11 and the forced exhaust box 13 are airtightly connected to each other through the communication duct 12, and a forced exhaust unit (not shown) is connected to the forced exhaust box 13. .

That is, the spin cup 1 is at the ascending position indicated by the solid line,
Even during the surface treatment, the lower end portion 11b of the exhaust pipe 11 does not fall out of the forced exhaust pipe 13.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the upper end portion 11a of the exhaust pipe 11 is provided with a mounting hole in the flange base frame 7 for instructing the spin cup 1 to be able to move up and down. During maintenance, only the spin cup 1 or the exhaust pipe 11 is detached from the flange base frame 7 so as to be cleaned. Reference numeral 4a in FIG. 2 is a seal member.

The communication duct 12 is a cylindrical upper member made of polypropylene, and its upper half 12a is closely fitted to the exhaust pipe 11, and the lower half 12b
Is formed into an expandable bellows shape so as to be expandable and contractable, and the outside of the exhaust pipe 11 is loosely fitted. As shown in FIG.
Connected to 3. As a result, no leakage of exhaust gas occurs.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a main part showing a modification of the communication duct. This communication duct 12 has a bellows portion 12b
The upper end is tightly fitted to the exhaust pipe 11, and the lower end is airtightly connected to the forced exhaust box 13.

In the above embodiment, the exhaust pipe 11 is detachably mounted on the flange base frame 7 in consideration of the convenience of maintenance.
And the exhaust pipe 11 may be integrated so as to form a part of the spin cup 1.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, an example in which the pair of left and right exhaust ports 4 are provided is illustrated, but the present invention is not limited to this.

Further, the upper end of the communication duct 12 is not limited to the one directly fitted around the exhaust pipe 11, and may be hermetically attached to the spin cup 1 or the flange base frame 7, for example.
In short, the airtight connection between the upper end of the communication duct 12 and the exhaust pipe 11 irrespective of whether there is any intervening member or not.

Further, the communication duct may be, for example, a plastic sheet material having flexibility processed into a cylindrical shape, and may not be a member having a shape like a bellows tube.

Further, the exhaust pipe 11 may be a square pipe or a round pipe. Further, the pipe may be a tapered pipe, and is not limited to a straight pipe.

<< Effects of the Invention >> As is apparent from the above description, in the exhaust communication device between the spin cup and the forced exhaust box in the rotary substrate processing apparatus according to the present invention, the spin cup and the forced communication are formed by using an extendable communication duct. Despite airtight communication with the exhaust box, the communication duct has an upper end airtightly connected to the periphery of the exhaust pipe, and a lower end airtightly connected to the forced exhaust box, so that the spin cup and the forced exhaust are connected. Since the exhaust pipe is airtightly communicated with the box, and as described above, the lower end of the exhaust pipe is inserted into the forced exhaust box, the exhaust pipe can freely move up and down as the spin cup moves up and down. The exhaust pipe that forms the flow path of the forced exhaust flow from the cup to the forced exhaust box that does not move up and down does not expand and contract, and the wall surface of the exhaust pipe is not wavy, and the forced exhaust flow may be turbulent. Is eliminated, and the following effects are obtained.

I. The disadvantage that the exhaust efficiency is reduced due to the pressure loss caused by the turbulence of the forced exhaust flow is eliminated.

B. Since the phenomenon that the flow of the forced exhaust flow is partially delayed due to the turbulent flow is eliminated, the treatment liquid mist is less likely to adhere to the inner wall surface of the exhaust pipe due to the uneven flow velocity. Therefore, the exhaust communication device according to the present invention requires less cleaning. In addition, since the treatment liquid mist is less adhered, a series of inconveniences such as non-uniform rotation processing caused by airflow fluctuation in the spin cup due to instability of the forced exhaust flow due to deposition of the treatment liquid mist are eliminated, The yield of the substrate to be rotated is improved.

C. Since the pipe wall surface of the exhaust pipe is not wavy, it is easy to clean even if the processing liquid mist adheres. It is much easier to clean than a bellows tube as in the conventional device.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a rotary substrate processing apparatus provided with an exhaust communication device according to the present invention, FIGS. 2 and 3 are enlarged sectional views of II and III parts in FIG. 1, respectively. FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a main part showing a modification of the communication duct, and FIG. 5 is a diagram corresponding to FIG. 1 showing a conventional example. 1 ... spin cup, 11 ... exhaust pipe, 12 ... communication duct, 12b ... bellows part of communication duct, 13 ... forced exhaust box.

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-61-101029 (JP, A) JP-A-62-102854 (JP, A) JP-A-64-89329 (JP, A) JP-A-63-103 86520 (JP, A)

Claims (1)

(57) [Scope of request for utility model registration] 1. An exhaust communication between a spin cup and a forced exhaust box in a rotary type substrate processing apparatus in which a liftable free spin cup surrounding a rotating substrate is communicated with a forced exhaust box to forcibly exhaust the inside of the spin cup. An exhaust pipe having an upper end connected to the spin cup and ascending and descending together with the spin cup, and a lower end freely inserted through the exhaust pipe into the forced exhaust box; An exhaust communication device of a rotary substrate processing apparatus, wherein a communication duct formed of an elastic tubular member is hermetically connected to a peripheral surface of an exhaust pipe and a lower end is airtightly connected to a forced exhaust box. .