JP2580056B2 - Drying equipment - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a drying apparatus in a substrate cleaning apparatus used in a semiconductor manufacturing process.

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 3 is a plan view showing an outline of a general cleaning apparatus used for cleaning a wafer or a glass substrate in a semiconductor manufacturing process, and FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the cleaning apparatus. For example, the cleaning process of a glass substrate in a manufacturing process of a liquid crystal panel is performed in a state where 10 to 40 glass substrates as one lot are usually set in a cassette which is a container for storing glass substrates.

The cleaning method of the cleaning device used in this case includes:
There are two types: a single-wafer processing method in which glass substrates are taken out of the cassette one by one and washed, and a batch processing method in which the glass substrates are washed together. The cleaning apparatus shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 is of the batch processing type.

In the above-described cleaning apparatus, the loader 1 is an apparatus for holding a cassette containing glass substrates in a standby state to carry the cassette into the cleaning chamber 2. In the washing room 2 adjacent to the loader 1, a chemical solution tank 3, a primary washing tank 4, a final washing tank 5, and a drying tank 6 are arranged in a line in this order from the loader 1 side. A transfer robot 8 is provided above the cleaning chamber 2 to transfer the cassette guided by a rail 7.

Further, an unloader 9 is arranged adjacent to the drying tank 6 side of the cleaning chamber 2 to hold the glass substrate having been subjected to the cleaning process in a cassette and take it out of the cleaning apparatus while taking it out of the cleaning apparatus. A clean bench 10 is provided above the installation space of the loader 1 and the unloader 9 and above the washing room 2 for keeping these spaces at a high degree of cleanliness.

In the above-described cleaning apparatus, the cassette set in the loader 1 is lifted by the chucking arm 11 of the transfer robot 8, and is first immersed in the chemical solution tank 3 to perform the chemical treatment on the glass substrate. After the chemical treatment, the glass substrate of the cassette is further immersed in the next primary washing tank 4 by the transfer robot 8 to be washed. Next, the glass substrate is immersed in the final washing tank 5 and subjected to the washing treatment again, and further the drying treatment of the glass substrate is carried out in the drying tank 6.

In this case, the drying tank 6 and the transfer robot 8 constitute a pull-up drying device.

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a schematic configuration of the pulling-drying device. The drying tank 6 has a double structure including an outer tank 6a and an inner tank 6b, and the inner tank 6b is filled with cleaning water 12. The washing water 12 is supplied or drained through a water supply / drain pipe 14 which communicates with the bottom of the inner tank 6b and is opened and closed by a valve 13.

The cassette 15 immersed in the washing water 12 of the inner tank 6b by the transfer robot 8 is 20 to 30 mm by the same transfer robot 8.
The glass substrate 16 in the cassette 15 is dried to an ideal state without stains due to the surface tension of the cleaning water 12 and the cleaning water 12 when the glass substrate 16 is exposed from the liquid surface during the pulling period. Is done. The cassette 15 is moved up and down by the chucking arm 11 of the transfer robot 8 gripping a projection 17 provided on the outer surface of the cassette 15.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION However, in the case of the pulling-drying device in the above-described conventional cleaning device, the drying tank 6 by the transfer robot 8 is used.
The pulling operation of the cassette 15 from above is performed right above the drying tank 6 and the pulling operation is performed at a low speed for a long time, so that dust generated by driving the transfer robot 8 is generated for a long time. Therefore, there is a problem in that the glass substrate 16 continues to enter the drying tank 6 and adversely affects the glass substrate 16 to be dried.

Further, since the time occupied in the pull-up drying process in the operation time of the transfer robot 8 becomes longer, there is also a problem that the amount of work that the entire cleaning apparatus processes per unit time, that is, the throughput is reduced accordingly. This problem can be solved by providing a pulling and drying robot separately from the transport robot. However, this requires two robots, which complicates the configuration and greatly increases the cost of the apparatus. Problems arise.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a drying apparatus which is simple in configuration without generating dust and can efficiently perform a drying process on a plate-like object without reducing the efficiency of other processes performed in conjunction with the drying process. It is to provide.

Means for Solving the Problems The present invention has a processing tank containing a processing liquid for processing a plate-like object, and a bottom formed by a punching plate in a box shape with a bottom and inclined with respect to the bottom of the processing tank. A cassette accommodating body for accommodating a cassette in which the plate-like object is erected, and a treatment liquid discharged from the treatment tank at a constant speed to lower a treatment liquid level, and the plate-like object is gradually removed from the treatment liquid. A processing liquid discharging means to be exposed to the air, supplying high clean air from above the plate-like object,
An airflow generating unit that generates an airflow by discharging the air from an exhaust port that moves as the processing liquid level moves down, thereby providing a drying apparatus.

According to the present invention, a cassette accommodating a plate-like object set up in a cassette container provided in a processing tank is immersed in the processing liquid, and the processing liquid is discharged from the processing tank at a constant speed. The processing liquid level is lowered to gradually expose the surface of the plate-shaped object, and a highly clean air flow is supplied to the exposed surface of the plate-shaped object from above the plate-shaped object to lower the processing liquid level. The surface of the exposed plate-like object is dried by the air flow that discharges the air from the exhaust port that moves with the exhaust port, so that the plate-like object in the processing tank is pulled up by a robot above the processing tank as in the prior art. In addition, dust associated with the movement of the robot does not enter the processing tank, and the robot can be used for other processing linked to the drying processing, thereby improving the efficiency. In addition, since a constant air flow is generated in the vicinity of the processing liquid surface toward both wall surfaces of the processing tank, there is little waving, and the plate-like object is quickly dried over the entire surface.

Further, the cassette housing body for housing the cassette for erection of the plate-like object is formed in a box shape with a bottom by a punching plate, and the bottom surface thereof is inclined with respect to the bottom surface of the processing tank. Is inclined, and the processing liquid level in the cassette container also decreases as the processing liquid level in the processing tank decreases, so that the liquid at the bottom of the plate-like object runs well.

Embodiment FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a schematic configuration of a drying apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a sectional view line of FIG.
It is sectional drawing seen from II-II.

This drying apparatus is an apparatus that performs a drying process of a glass substrate in the above-described batch processing type substrate cleaning apparatus, and has a plurality of holes 19a inside a drying tank 18 that fills the cleaning water 12.
A cassette container 20 formed in a box shape with a bottom by punching plates 19 interspersed therewith is arranged. This cassette container 20 is supported on the bottom of the drying tank 18 via a support 19b so that its bottom surface is slightly raised from the bottom surface of the drying tank 18,
The bottom surface of the cassette container 20 is set to be slightly inclined with respect to the horizontal bottom surface of the drying tank 18 as shown in FIG.

Partial side wall of the drying tank 18 and a cassette container facing the side wall
A float 21 floating above the washing water 12 is arranged in a space interposed between the side walls of the washing water 12 so as to be able to move up and down. Is hanging. In addition, duct cover 23
An exhaust port 23a is formed at the lower end of the.

The drying tank 18 is connected to a metering pump 25 via a pipe 24 at the bottom surface thereof, and the metering pump 25 supplies and drains the washing water 12 to and from the drying tank 18.
A valve 26 for opening and closing the pipe 24 is provided in the middle of the pipe 24.

A projection 27 is provided on the bottom surface of the cassette housing body 20 to slightly lift the cassette 15 to be housed from the bottom surface, and to effectively drain the washing water 12 from the hole 19a of the punching plate 19 on the bottom surface. Is provided.

In order to accommodate the cassette 15 accommodating the plurality of glass substrates 16 in the cassette accommodating body 20 and pull it up from the cassette accommodating body 20, the transfer robot 8 is used as in the case of the conventional drying apparatus. In addition, a clean bench (not shown) through which high-purity air flows is provided above the drying tank 18, and a projection 17 for holding by the chucking arm 11 of the transfer robot 8 is provided on the outer surface of the cassette 15. This is the same as in the conventional case.

Next, the operation of the drying apparatus for drying the glass substrate 16 will be described.

After the cassette 15 transported by the transport robot 8 is stored in the cassette container 20 of the drying tank 18 that is sufficiently filled with the cleaning water 12, the glass substrate 16 is completely immersed in the cleaning water 12, The washing water 12 in the drying tank 18 is drained slowly at a speed of about 20 to 30 mm per minute. At that time, in order to prevent the liquid level in the tank from dropping and the water pressure to change the drainage amount, a constant volume pump is provided to keep the drainage amount constant.

The glass substrate 16 is gradually exposed from the cleaning water 12 with the water level drop, and the surface of the glass substrate 16 exposed by the surface tension of the cleaning water 12 at that time is efficiently drained.
Further, the glass substrate 16 from which a highly clean air flow supplied from a clean bench (not shown) above the drying tank 18 is exposed.
And the drying time can be reduced. After the transfer robot 8 stores the cassette 15 in the cassette housing 20, the transfer robot 8 is retracted from above the drying tank 18, and during this time, dust caused by the drive of the transfer robot 8 does not drop from above.

In this way, an ideal drying process without stains is efficiently performed on the glass substrate 16. The clean bench is located at the upper part of the drying device as in the prior art, and the air flow supplied from the clean bench enters the cassette housing 20 from above, and the panchink plate constituting the cassette housing 20 is provided.
Out of 19, through the hole 19a in the side wall portion exposed from the cleaning water 12, the air is exhausted to the outside of the drying device through the exhaust duct 22 from the exhaust port 23a provided on the float 21 which is lowered with the drop of the cleaning water 12 through the exhaust duct 22. Is done. At that time, the exhaust port 23a is in the vicinity of the washing water surface, and the air flow can be obtained near the washing water surface,
The exhaust pressure can be kept constant, the air flow can be adjusted, and the ripples on the washing water surface can be reduced.

Further, since the cassette 15 is accommodated in the cassette housing 20 in an inclined posture, the glass substrate 16 also has the same inclined posture,
The drainage at the lower end is better and the drying time is correspondingly shorter. Furthermore, since the bottom surface of the cassette container 20 is arranged so as to slightly rise from the bottom surface of the drying tank 18, even if some of the cleaning water 12 remains at the bottom of the drying tank 18, the cleaning water 12 remains at the bottom of the cassette 15. Will not adhere.

When the washing water 12 in the drying tank 18 is completely drained, the cassette
15 is gripped by the transfer robot 8 and transferred to an unloader (not shown), whereby the drying process ends.

Effects of the Invention As described above, according to the drying apparatus of the present invention, the processing liquid is discharged from the processing tank at a constant speed to lower the processing liquid level, and the plate-like object and the surface of the cassette on which the plate-like object is erected. Is gradually exposed from the processing liquid, and a high-purity air flow is generated from above the processing liquid surface to both wall surfaces of the processing tank in the vicinity of the processing liquid surface to generate a plate-like object exposed by the air flow. Since the surface is dried and a transport robot that carries the plate-like object from another processing stage is not used during the drying process, dust does not fall from above the processing tank and the processing liquid level And the plate-like object can be dried in a state where dirt does not adhere.
Further, the drying process can be performed efficiently without lowering the efficiency of other processes linked to the drying process.

Further, since the bottom surface of the cassette housing body for housing the cassette is inclined with respect to the bottom surface of the processing tank, the lower end of the plate-like object standing upright in the cassette is preferably drained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a schematic configuration of a drying apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along a section line II-II in FIG. 1, and FIG. Plan view showing an outline of a typical batch processing type substrate cleaning apparatus, FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view showing an outline of the substrate cleaning apparatus, and FIG. 5 shows a schematic configuration of a pull-up drying apparatus in the substrate cleaning apparatus. FIG. 12 ... Washing water, 15 ... Cassette, 16 ... Glass substrate, 18
…… Drying tank, 19 …… Punching plate, 20 …… Cassette container, 22 …… Exhaust duct, 24 …… Pipe, 25 …… Metering pump

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A processing tank for storing a processing liquid for processing a plate-like object, and a bottom surface formed by a punching plate in a box shape with a bottom and inclined with respect to the bottom surface of the processing bath, A cassette accommodating body for accommodating a cassette set up inside, and a processing liquid discharge for discharging the processing liquid from the processing tank at a constant speed to lower the processing liquid level and gradually exposing the plate-like object from the processing liquid. Means for supplying air having a high degree of cleanness from above the plate-shaped object, and discharging the air from an exhaust port which moves as the processing liquid level falls, thereby generating an air flow. A drying device comprising: