JP2891895B2 - Spin dryer - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a spin drying apparatus configured to rotate a circular substrate such as a silicon wafer at a high speed to scatter and remove a cleaning liquid residue remaining on the substrate.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a conventional spin drying apparatus of this type, as shown in FIGS. 15 and 16, a circular suction disk 22 horizontally rotated by a rotating shaft 23 is disposed in a drying tank 21 (see FIG. 15 and FIG. 16). Hereinafter, "conventional device") is well known. That is, in the conventional apparatus, a suction groove 24a is formed on the upper surface of the suction disk 22, and a suction passage 24b is formed in the rotating shaft 23, the suction passage 24b opening to the suction groove 24a and communicating with a suction part (not shown) of the vacuum pump. The circular substrate 8 such as a silicon wafer is configured to be rotated at a high speed with its back surface being sucked and held on the upper surface of the suction disk 22. The cleaning liquid residue adhered to the surface is scattered and removed.

[0003]

However, in the conventional apparatus, since the back surface of the substrate is directly adsorbed to the upper surface of the suction plate 22, the back surface of the substrate is contaminated or damaged by contact with the suction plate 22. There is a fear. In addition, the cleaning liquid residue adhering to the base 8 may be sucked into the suction groove 24a without being scattered, and may enter the vacuum pump through the suction passage 24b. 8 may become unstable. In addition, unless the circular substrate 8 is held by the suction disk 22 in an appropriate state in which the center of gravity coincides with the rotation center of the suction disk 22, the circular substrate 8 separates from the suction disk 22 by centrifugal force and falls. There is a risk of damage. On the other hand, it is extremely difficult to set the circular substrate 8 on the turntable 22 so as to be in such an appropriate state, and considerable skill is required.

[0004] The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and can rotate a circular substrate at a high speed in a stable state without causing the above-described problems, and can perform good spin drying of the circular substrate. It is an object of the present invention to provide a spin drying apparatus.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A spin dryer according to the present invention, which solves the above problems, has a rotating disk disposed horizontally rotatable in a drying tank, and a drive mechanism for driving the rotating disk to rotate forward and reverse. , A holding action position which is arranged in parallel in a circular area around the center of rotation of the turntable at a fixed interval and is capable of engaging and holding a peripheral portion of the board to fix and hold the circular board in a horizontal state concentric with the turntable. And a plurality of movable claws rotatably supported over a holding action releasing position for releasing the engagement holding action, and a link mechanism interposed between each movable claw and the rotary plate, A first link fixed to the rotation support shaft of the movable pawl; a second link pivotally supported at a position near the rotation center of the turntable; and a third link pivotally connecting the two links.
By pivoting the link to a first position in which the link and the third link extend straight in the centrifugal direction, the movable pawl can be moved to the holding action position via the first link, and the second link can be moved to the first position. A link mechanism corresponding to the number of movable pawls configured so that the movable pawl can be moved to the holding action release position via the first link by rotating to the second position where the three links are bent, and provided in the drying tank. The second link is engaged with each second link and the second link is moved to the first position or the second position by the rotation of the turntable.
And a link operating body that can be moved up and down over a substrate attaching / detaching operation position that can be relatively displaced to a position and a standby position that cannot engage with each of the second links.

[0006]

When spin drying is performed, the substrate is set horizontally on the turntable area surrounded by the movable claw group located at the holding action release position, and each movable claw is operated to the holding action position. Then, the circular substrate is fixed and held on the turntable in a concentric horizontal state. The operation of the movable claw to the holding action position is performed as follows. That is, the link operating body is brought to the substrate attaching / detaching operation position, and the turntable is rotated by a predetermined amount, and the second link is moved from the second position to the first position by the link operating body.
Press and displace to the position. Thereafter, the link operating body is brought to the standby position, the turntable is rotated by a predetermined amount, and then the link operating body is again brought to the substrate attaching / detaching operation position.
It is located between the second link displaced to the position and the second link adjacent thereto. Then, in the same manner as above, the turntable is rotated by a predetermined amount, and the second
The link is pressed and displaced from the second position to the first position. Thereafter, the same operation is repeated to sequentially connect each second link to the first link.
By pressing and displacing to the position, all the movable claws are operated to the holding action position, and the circular substrate is fixedly held in a horizontal state concentric with the turntable.

[0007] Then, after the circular substrate is fixed and held on the turntable, spin drying is started. That is, the cleaning liquid residue remaining on the substrate is scattered and removed by rotating the rotating disk at a high speed.

At this time, the circular substrate is fixedly engaged only at the peripheral edge thereof by the movable claw.
The back surface of the substrate is not contaminated or damaged as in the conventional apparatus. Further, the circular substrate is held concentrically with the turntable in a state where the peripheral portion is prevented from moving in the radial direction by the fixing claw, and the centrifugal force due to the rotation straightens the second and third links. The circular substrate acts as an urging force for holding the movable claw in the holding action position, that is, the circular substrate is likely to separate from the turntable even if centrifugal force is applied thereto. Not at all.

After the spin drying is completed, the movable claw is brought to the holding action releasing position to release the engagement of the peripheral edge of the substrate, and the circular substrate is removed from the movable claw. The operation of the movable claw to the holding action release position can be easily performed by raising and lowering the link operating body and rotating the turntable, similarly to the operation to the holding action position described above. That is, the link operating body is brought to the substrate attaching / detaching operation position, and then the turntable is rotated by a predetermined amount, and the link operating body 7 presses and displaces the second link from the first position to the second position. Thereafter, the link operating body is brought to the standby position, the turntable is rotated by a predetermined amount, and then the link operating body is again brought to the substrate attaching / detaching operation position, and the link operating body is first displaced to the second position. It is located between a link and a second link adjacent to the link. Then, similarly to the above, the turntable is rotated by a predetermined amount, and the second link is pressed and displaced from the first position to the second position by the link operating body. After that, repeat the same operation,
By pressing and displacing all the second links to the second position, all the movable claws can be brought to the holding action release position.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The construction of the present invention will be specifically described below with reference to the embodiments shown in FIGS.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 14, the spin dryer of this embodiment has a drying tank 1, a turntable 2 disposed in the drying tank 1 so as to be rotatable in a horizontal direction, and drives this in a forward / reverse rotation. A driving mechanism 3 and three fixed claws 4 provided on the turntable 2
, And movable claws 5, a number of link mechanisms 6 corresponding to the number of movable claws interposed between the rotary disk 2 and each movable claw 5, and a link operating body 7 for operating the link mechanisms 6. It becomes.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the drying tank 1 has an upper and lower two-part structure including an upper tank part 1a and a lower tank part 1b. Thus, the upper tank portion 1a is fixed at a fixed position, while the lower tank portion 1b is
(Only one is shown), the substrate is removed at the highest position (the position shown in FIG. 2), the substrate is at the lowest position, and the substrate is loaded and unloaded (the position shown in FIG. 3). It can be held at any of the process positions (the position shown in FIG. 1). That is, in a state where the lower tank portion 1b is brought to the drying process position, as shown in FIG. 1, the space between the upper and lower tank portions 1a and 1b is closed, and the cleaning liquid residue during the drying process flows from between the both tank portions 1a and 1b. They are not scattered. In addition, in a state where the link operation body 7 is brought to the substrate attaching / detaching process position, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the link operating body 7 is raised to a position where it can be engaged with the link mechanism 6, and the link mechanism 6 can be operated. In addition, when brought to the substrate loading / unloading process position, as shown in FIG. 3, an opening 1c is formed between the upper and lower tank portions 1a and 1b for carrying the circular substrate 8 into and out of the tank 1 by a robot or the like. It has become so. In addition, an outlet 1d for the cleaning liquid residue is formed on the bottom wall of the lower tank portion 1b.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 5, the rotating disk 2 has a disk shape having a diameter larger than that of a circular substrate 8 such as a silicon wafer. The center of the rotating disk 2 is the center of the bottom wall of the lower tank portion 1b. Is fixed to the upper end of the rotating shaft 3b penetrated in the axial direction, so that it is supported in the drying tank 1 so as to be horizontally rotatable in the vertical position unchanged.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the drive mechanism 3 includes a forward / reverse rotation motor 3a with a transmission fixed below the drying tank 1 and a rotating shaft 3 connected to the output shaft and extending upward.
b, so that the rotary disk 2 is driven forward or reverse at a high speed or a very low speed. In addition, between the rotating shaft 3b and the center of the bottom wall of the lower tank portion 1b through which the rotating shaft 3b passes,
A seal member that does not prevent the lower tank portion 1b from moving up and down is interposed, and is devised so that the cleaning liquid residue does not leak from the rotating shaft penetrating portion.

As shown in FIGS. 4 to 10 and 14, the fixed claws 4 are arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction on an annular area around the center of rotation of the rotating disk 3, ie, an outer peripheral area of the upper surface of the rotating disk 3. They are arranged in parallel. These fixed claws 4 are arranged as shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 14, by placing the peripheral portion 8a of the circular substrate 8 on the step portion 4a formed at the upper end of each fixed claw 4, the circular substrate 8 is placed in a horizontal state concentric with the turntable 2 (hereinafter referred to as a horizontal state). (Referred to as “appropriate state”).
That is, the fixing claws 4 are for positioning the circular substrate 8 in an appropriate state.

The movable claws 5 are, as shown in FIGS.
The rotating disk 3 is arranged in an annular area around the rotation center at a position facing each fixed claw 4 with the rotation center interposed therebetween, and is arranged in parallel at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. Each movable claw 5
Is shown in FIGS. 4, 5, 7, and 11 to 14,
It has a rotary support shaft 5a rotatably fitted to and supported by the rotating disk 3 at the lower end and a linear engaging groove 5b at the upper end, and a circular substrate 8 placed on the fixed claws 4. Holding position (position shown in FIGS. 5, 11 and 12) in which the peripheral portion 8 a of the substrate is engaged with a part of the engagement groove 5 b and the substrate peripheral portion 8.
a is rotatable over a holding action releasing position (position shown in FIGS. 7, 13 and 14) for releasing the a from the engaging groove 5b. 7, 13 and 14 in the state where the movable claws 5 are brought to the holding action release position.
As shown in the figure, the circular substrate 8 can be properly placed on the step 4a of the fixed claws 4 and the circular substrate 8 can be taken out from the fixed claws 4 and the movable claws 5. . When the movable claws 5 are rotated from the holding action releasing position to the holding action position, as shown in FIGS. 5, 11, and 12, the circular substrate 8 is brought into an appropriate state by the engaging action of the engaging grooves 5b. It can be held fixed. As shown in FIGS. 12 and 14, each movable claw 5 has a downwardly inclined shape connected to the lower surface of the engaging groove 5b in order to smoothly engage and disengage the peripheral portion 8a of the substrate with the engaging groove 5b. Guiding surface 5
c is formed.

As shown in FIGS. 4 to 10, each link mechanism 6 is disposed on the lower surface of the turntable 2, and has a short first link 11 fixed to the rotation support shaft 5 a of the movable claw 5. A short second link 12 pivotally supported at a position near the center of rotation of the turntable 2 and the two links 11, 12 are pivotally connected 13a, 1
3b. Thus, each link mechanism 6 connects the second link 12 with the third link 1.
5 and FIG. 11 by rotating to the first position (the position shown in FIGS. 5 and 6) extending straight in the centrifugal direction.
As shown in FIG. 7, the movable claw 5 can be moved to the holding action position via the first link 11, and the second link 12 is moved to the second position where this and the third link 13 are bent (shown in FIGS. 7 and 8). 7 and 13, the movable claw 5 can be moved to the holding action release position via the first link 11 as shown in FIGS. By the way, in the state where the link mechanisms 6 bring the second links 12 to the first position to fix and hold the circular substrate 8, the second and third links 12, 13 extend straight in the centrifugal direction. Therefore, when the rotary disk 2 is rotated at a high speed, the straight state of each of the second and third links 12 and 13 is maintained as it is by the centrifugal force. That is, the function of holding the substrate by the movable claws 5 is not released by the rotation of the turntable 2 and is maintained as it is.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 10, the link operating body 7 has an arm 7 projecting horizontally from the inner wall of the lower tank portion 1b.
a by moving the lower tank portion 1b up and down, the lower tank portion 1b can be engaged with a substrate attaching / detaching operation position (position shown in FIGS. 2 and 4) which can be engaged with the second link 12 in the vertical direction. The robot is raised and lowered over a standby position (the position shown in FIG. 1 or FIG. 3). That is, when the lower tank portion 1b is located at the drying process position or the substrate loading / unloading process position, as shown in FIG. 1 or FIG. 3, the link operating body 7 is in a standby position that does not hinder the rotation of the turntable 2, that is, the link. The mechanism 6 is located in the lower direction, but when the lower tank portion 1b is located at the substrate detaching process position, as shown in FIGS.
The link operating body 7 is located at a board detaching operation position where the rotating plate 2 can be engaged with the second link 12 in the rotation direction, and the second link 12 is relatively moved to the first or second position by the normal / reverse rotation of the rotating plate 2. Can be displaced.

Therefore, the movable claws 5 can be operated between the holding action position and the holding action releasing position by raising and lowering the lower tank portion 1b and rotating the turntable 2.

That is, when the holding of the substrate 8 by the movable claws 5 is released, the lower tank portion 1b is brought to the substrate attaching / detaching process position, and the link operating body 7 is located at the substrate attaching / detaching operation position (FIG. 2, FIG. 2). (See FIG. 4). Then, the turntable 2 is rotated in the reverse direction (B direction) at a very low speed, and first, the link operating body 7 is connected to the first link 12 and the second link 12 of the one link mechanism 6.
The connection portion with the link 13 is brought into abutment (see FIG. 6). In this state, when the rotary disk 2 is further rotated in the reverse direction by a predetermined speed, the second link 12 is pressed and displaced from the first position to the second position by the link operating body 7 (FIG. 1).
0), the movable pawl 5 connected to the link mechanism 6 is operated from the holding action position to the holding action release position (FIG. 1).
3). Thereafter, the lower tank portion 1b is lowered to the drying process position (see FIG. 1), and then the rotating plate 2 is rotated at a low speed by a predetermined amount, so that the link operating body 7 is displaced to the second position. And the second link 12 adjacent thereto. Then, in the same manner as described above, the lower tank portion 1b is raised to the substrate attaching / detaching step position, and the rotating disk 2 is rotated by a predetermined amount in the reverse direction at a very low speed. Pressing and displacing from the first position to the second position. Thereafter, by repeating the same operation and pressing and displacing the last second link 12 to the second position, all the movable claws 5 can be brought to the holding action releasing position as shown in FIG.

When the substrate 8 is fixedly held by the movable claws 5 in an appropriate state, the substrate 8 is positioned on the turntable 2 by the fixed claws 4, and the lower tank portion 1b is moved to the substrate attaching / detaching process position. To move the link operating body 7 to the substrate attaching / detaching operation position (see FIGS. 2 and 4). Then, the turntable 2 is rotated by a predetermined amount in the normal rotation direction (A direction) at a very low speed,
As shown in FIG. 9, the second link 12 is
From the second position to the first position. Thereafter, the lower tank portion 1b was lowered to the drying process position (FIG. 1).
Then, the rotating disk 2 is rotated at a low speed by a predetermined amount to position the link operating body 7 between the second link 12 displaced to the first position and the second link 12 adjacent thereto. And
In the same manner as described above, the lower tank portion 1b is raised to the substrate attaching / detaching process position, and then the rotating disk 2 is rotated by a predetermined amount in the forward direction at a very low speed. Pressing and displacing from the position to the first position. Thereafter, the same operation is repeated to push and displace the last second link 12 to the first position, thereby bringing all the movable claws 5 to the holding action position as shown in FIG. Can be fixedly held.

According to the spin drying apparatus configured as described above, the spin drying of the circular substrate 8 can be easily and satisfactorily performed as follows without causing the problem as in the case of using the conventional apparatus. it can.

In starting the spin drying, first, the lower tank portion 1b is positioned at the substrate loading / unloading process position, and then the substrate 8 is loaded into the tank 1 through the opening 1c between the upper and lower tank portions 1a and 1b. 8 is set on the turntable 2 in a concentric horizontal state, and such setting can be performed easily and accurately. That is, after the substrate 8 is positioned and held on the rotating disk 2 by the fixed claws 4, the movable claws 5 are operated to the holding action position to fix and hold the substrate 8 in an appropriate state (see FIG. 5). The operation of the movable claws 5 to the holding action position can be easily and accurately performed by raising and lowering the lower tank portion 1b and rotating the rotating disk 2 at a low speed, as described above.

Then, after the circular substrate 8 is fixed and held on the turntable 2 in this manner, spin drying is started with the lower tank portion 1b held at the drying step position. That is, in the spin drying, the cleaning liquid residue remaining on the substrate 8 is scattered and removed by rotating the rotating disk 2 at a high speed in the normal rotation direction. Note that the scattered cleaning liquid residue does not scatter outside the tank 1 because the lower layer portion 1b is located at the drying process position and the opening 1c is closed, and the cleaning solution residue is discharged from the outlet 1d of the lower tank portion 1b. Is discharged.

At this time, the circular substrate 8 has a peripheral portion 8a.
Since only the movable claws 5 are engaged and held, the back surface of the substrate is not contaminated or damaged as in the conventional apparatus. Also, the circular substrate 8
In a state where the peripheral edge 8a is prevented from moving in the radial direction and the vertical direction by the fixed claws 4 and the movable claws 5,
And the centrifugal force due to the rotation acts as an urging force for holding the second and third links 12 and 13 in a straight state, that is, an urging force for holding the movable claws 5 in the holding action position. Therefore, even when the centrifugal force acts on the circular substrate 8, the circular substrate 8 never separates from the turntable 2 or falls. In addition, since the center of gravity of the circular substrate 8 is generally located at the center thereof, if the circular substrate 8 is held in an appropriate state concentric with the turntable 2 as described above, the center of gravity of the circular substrate 8 and the turntable 2 Since the center of rotation coincides with the center of rotation, there is no fear that the circular substrate 8 is deviated in the radial direction due to centrifugal force.

After the spin drying is completed, the movable claws 5 are brought to the holding action releasing position to separate the engagement grooves 5b from the substrate peripheral portion 8a (see FIGS. 7 and 13), and a lower tank portion 1b is lowered to the substrate carrying-in / out process position, and the circular substrate 8 is carried out of the tank 1 through the opening 1c between the upper and lower tank portions 1a and 1b. The operation of the movable claws 5 to the holding action release position is as follows.
As described above, it can be easily performed by raising and lowering the lower tank portion 1b and rotating the turntable 2 at a low speed.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, but can be appropriately changed and improved without departing from the basic principle of the present invention. For example, the numbers and shapes of the fixed claws 5 and the movable claws 4 are arbitrary, and can be appropriately set according to the shape of the substrate 8 and the like. Further, the drying tank 1 may have an integral structure. In this case, the link operation body 7 is provided in the drying tank 1 so as to be able to move up and down, and is configured to be moved up and down by a cylinder or the like.

[0028]

As will be easily understood from the above description, according to the present invention, the substrate is securely held at an appropriate position on the rotating disk without contaminating or damaging the rear surface of the substrate. In a state, it can be rotated stably.
In addition, the mounting and removal of the substrate on and from the turntable can be performed easily and efficiently. Therefore, the substrate can be spin-dried extremely well and efficiently without the above-described problems.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional front view showing an embodiment of a spin dryer according to the present invention, in a state where a lower tank portion is located at a drying step position.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional front view corresponding to FIG. 1 and showing a state in which a lower tank portion is located at a substrate attaching / detaching process position.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional front view corresponding to FIG. 1, showing a state where a lower tank portion is located at a substrate loading / unloading process position.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged detail view showing a main part of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional plan view showing a fixed holding state of the substrate (the cross section is along the line VV in FIG. 2).

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional bottom view showing the same state (the cross section is VI-VI in FIG. 2).
Along the line).

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional plan view corresponding to FIG. 5 and showing a state of releasing and holding the substrate.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional bottom view corresponding to FIG. 6 and showing the same state.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional bottom view corresponding to FIG. 6, showing a start state of fixing and holding the substrate.

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional bottom view corresponding to FIG. 6 and showing a start state of release of holding and holding the substrate.

FIG. 11 is an enlarged detail view showing a main part of FIG. 5;

FIG. 12 is a vertical sectional side view taken along line XII-XII of FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is an enlarged detail view showing a main part of FIG. 7;

FIG. 14 is a longitudinal sectional side view taken along line XIV-XIV in FIG. 7;

FIG. 15 is a longitudinal sectional front view of a main part showing a conventional apparatus.

16 is a cross-sectional plan view taken along the line XVI-XVI of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Drying tank, 2 ... Rotary disk, 3 ... Drive mechanism, 4 ... Fixed nail,
5 movable claws, 6 link mechanism, 7 link operating body, 8
Circular substrate, 11: first link, 12: second link, 13
... the third link.

Continuation of the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁶ , DB name) H01L 21/304 F26B 11/08

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A rotating disk arranged horizontally rotatably in a drying tank, a driving mechanism for driving the rotating disk to rotate forward and reverse, and a rotating disk arranged in an annular region around a rotation center at a fixed interval in parallel. It is freely rotatable between a holding position where the peripheral portion of the substrate can be engaged and held to fix and hold the circular substrate in a horizontal state concentric with the turntable, and a holding operation releasing position where the engagement holding function is released. A plurality of movable pawls pivotally supported by the movable pawl, a link mechanism interposed between the movable pawls and the turntable, and a first link fixed to a rotary support shaft of the movable pawl and a rotation center of the turntable. A second link pivotally supported by a nearby portion and a third link pivotally connecting the two links, and rotating the second link to a first position where the second link and the third link extend straight in the centrifugal direction; To move the movable claw to the holding action position via the first link. A movable claw equivalent number configured to be able to move the movable claw to the holding action release position via the first link by rotating the second link to the second position where the second link and the third link bend. And a substrate detaching operation position, which is provided in the drying tank, is engaged with each of the second links and can relatively displace the second link to the first position or the second position by rotating the turntable. A link operating body that can move up and down over a standby position that cannot engage with the second link.