JP2868461B2 - Resist coating equipment - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a resist coating apparatus, and more particularly, to a resist coating apparatus used in a manufacturing process of a semiconductor device or a liquid crystal display.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional resist coating apparatus, first, as shown in FIG.
The resist film 8 applied on the substrate 1 is uniformly spread by rotating the turntable 3 while sucking and fixing the resist from the substrate suction port 10. Next, as shown in FIG. 4B, a thinner is supplied from a thinner nozzle 11 for resist removal disposed around the substrate 1 to remove unnecessary resist films 8 on the upper and lower surfaces and the end surface of the substrate 1. I do. At this time, FIG.
As shown in (c), a gap is formed between the substrate 1 and the holding component 4, and the resist film 8 flows into this gap.

In order to improve this disadvantage, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No.
In Japanese Patent No. 5536, as shown in FIG. 5, the substrate 1 placed on the turntable 3 is fixed by suction through the substrate suction port 10, and then, a part of the surface of the substrate 1 is fixed by the holding component 4. You. Next, a resist is dropped on the substrate 1 and the turntable 3
Is rotated to spread the resist film uniformly. However, in any of the horizontal movement method shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B and the inverted method shown in FIG. 6C, a gap is formed between the substrate 1 and the holding component 4. The resist flows into this gap.

[0004]

A first problem in the prior art is that the resist is not applied to the peripheral portion of the substrate when the resist is uniformly spread. The reason for this is that since the resist is removed after the resist film is uniformly spread over the peripheral portion, the number of steps is increased and the productivity is reduced.

[0005] The second problem is that in the prior art,
That is, the resist enters into a minute gap between the substrate and a pressing component that masks the periphery of the substrate. The reason is that a mechanical seal cannot completely seal the contact tightly.

An object of the present invention is to improve the quality of a product and improve productivity by having a function of preventing unnecessary resist from adhering to the periphery of a substrate and a function of self-cleaning a holding part. That is.

[0007]

Means for Solving the Problems The feature of the present invention, in the resist coating apparatus for forming a support fixed to the resist film of the substrate on the turntable, the protruding substrate from the turntable surface
A plurality of supporting pins and a shape between the turntable and the substrate.
Means for flowing a space to the inert gas is made, all the pressing parts and comprises Ru resist coating unit der for pressing the peripheral portion of the substrate by openable mechanisms to the rotary table around
You . In addition, thinner is supplied to both upper and lower surfaces of the holding part.
It is desirable to have a thinner nozzle.

According to the resist coating apparatus of the present invention, the substrate 1 is placed on the plurality of pins 2 arranged on the turntable 3 and then fixed from above by the pressing component 4. Then, the substrate 1
Gas flows from the inert gas inlet 5 into the space formed between the substrate 1 and the pin 2 and the holding part 4 to seal a small gap formed between the substrate 1 and the holding part 4. Here, a resist is dropped on the substrate 1 and the turntable 3 is rotated to spread the resist uniformly from the resist supply nozzle 7. Finally, presser part 4
After the substrate 1 is taken out, the turntable 3 is rotated while flowing the thinner 9 from the thinner nozzle 6 disposed at the upper and lower positions of the presser component 4 to wash the presser component 4.

[0009]

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

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an example of a resist coating apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIGS. 2A and 2B are cross-sectional views taken along the line AA of FIG. It is sectional drawing. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2A and 2B, an example of a resist coating apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a turntable 3 having a plurality of pins 2 and a peripheral portion of a substrate 1. It has a holding component 4 for holding the entire circumference, and an inert gas inlet 5 for injecting an inert gas into a space formed when the substrate 1 is sandwiched between the holding component 4 and a plurality of pins 2. Substrate 1
After being placed on the pins 2 provided on the turntable 3, the holding component 4 moves from the position indicated by the broken line and fixes the substrate 1 with the pins 2 on the turntable 3. Turntable 3 and substrate 1 formed at this time
By flowing the inert gas from the inert gas injection port 5 into the space, the space between the holding component 4 and the substrate 1 is filled with the inert gas, so that the resist does not flow into this space.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line AA of FIG. 1 for explaining the cleaning operation of one embodiment of the embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 3, the resist film 8 adhered to the pressing component 4 is cleaned by a thinner 10 supplied from a thinner nozzle 6. At this time, the thinner nozzle 6 is moved to the left and right in synchronization with the rotation speed of the turntable 3 so that the thinner 9 is uniformly supplied to the pressing part 4, and the resist film 8 attached to the pressing part 4 is discharged to the outside. I do.

Next, the operation of the resist coating apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described. First, the substrate 1 is placed on the turntable 3 with the holding part 4 opened. Next, the holding part 4 is closed to hold the periphery of the substrate 1, and an inert gas is injected from the inert gas inlet 5. Thus, the gap between the substrate 1 and the holding component 4 and between the holding components 4 is filled with the inert gas. In this state, a resist is dropped from the resist supply nozzle 7 onto the surface of the substrate 1 and the turntable 3 is rotated to spread the resist film 8 evenly. The resist dropped at the center spreads around the substrate as the turntable 3 rotates.
And the presser plate 4 are filled with gas and cannot enter. Accordingly, the substrate 1 passes through the upper tapered portion of the holding component 4.
It is blown out without going around the end surface or back surface. Next, after the resist film 8 has spread uniformly, the holding component 4 is opened and the substrate 1 is taken out.

Further, the thinner 9 is supplied from the thinner nozzle 6.
Is supplied to the front and back of the holding part 4, and the turntable 3 is rotated again with the holding part 4 open to remove the resist film 8 attached to the holding part 4. At this time, the thinner nozzle 6 rotates the turntable 3 so as to supply the thinner 9 to the front end of the holding part 4.
Synchronize with and move left and right.

[0014]

The first effect is that the resist does not adhere to the end face and the back face of the substrate. The reason is that an inert gas is used to hold down the peripheral portion of the substrate and to prevent the resist from entering.

The second effect is that unnecessary resist adhering to the mechanism can be self-cleaned by a thinner. The reason for this is that the holding part in the peripheral part is divided so as to be fully open.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an example of a resist coating apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

2A and 2B are a cross-sectional view taken along line AA of FIG. 1 and a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of a peripheral portion thereof.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line AA of FIG. 1 for explaining a cleaning operation of one example of the embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 4A to 4C are cross-sectional views illustrating a conventional resist coating method.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an example of a conventional resist coating apparatus.

6 (a) to 6 (c) are side views for explaining the operation of the pressing part of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Substrate 2 Pin 3 Turntable 4 Holding part 5 Inert gas injection port 6 Thinner nozzle 7 Resist supply nozzle 8 Resist film 9 Thinner 10 Substrate suction port 11 Thinner nozzle for resist removal

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁶ , DB name) H01L 21/027 B05C 11/08 G03F 7/16 H01L 21/68

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A resist coating apparatus for supporting and fixing a substrate on a turntable to form a resist film.
A plurality of pins projecting from the
Flowing an inert gas into the space formed between
Means Komu to, resist coating apparatus, characterized in that it comprises all of the pressing part for pressing the peripheral portion of the substrate by openable mechanism on the turntable periphery. 2. A thinner is provided on both upper and lower surfaces of the holding part.
The resist coating apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a thinner nozzle for supplying the resist.