JP3145576B2 - Surface treatment 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 semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, a liquid crystal manufacturing apparatus, and the like, which are used on a surface of various substrates such as a semiconductor wafer, a glass square substrate for a liquid crystal, a substrate for a color filter, a substrate for a photomask, and a printed substrate. A surface treatment apparatus including a wet treatment unit that supplies a predetermined treatment liquid to perform surface treatment and a dry treatment unit that performs surface treatment such as light irradiation on a substrate and heating / cooling of the substrate without using the treatment liquid About.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in the above surface treatment apparatus,
In order to perform a desired treatment on the substrate, for example, a dry processing unit such as an ultraviolet irradiation device that irradiates ultraviolet rays to decompose organic substances attached to the substrate surface, and then cleans the substrate surface with a brush while supplying a cleaning liquid to the substrate. And a wet processing unit such as a brush cleaning device for performing the above-mentioned operations are incorporated in the apparatus, and the substrate being processed is appropriately transferred between these units by a transfer robot. In addition, the wet processing unit is a part of a device that performs a surface treatment by supplying a predetermined processing liquid to the substrate surface, and in addition to the brush cleaning device described above, a spin scrubber, an ultrasonic cleaning device, a spin coater, a developing device, A spin developer, an etching device, a peeling device, etc. correspond to this. The dry processing unit is a part of the apparatus that performs surface treatment without supplying a processing liquid to the substrate surface, and includes a hot plate, a cool plate, an HMDS coating apparatus, and the like in addition to the ultraviolet irradiation apparatus described above. .

[0003]

Here, as described above, when it is necessary to perform cleaning with a brush immediately after removing organic substances on the substrate surface with, for example, ultraviolet rays, an ultraviolet irradiation apparatus and a brush cleaning are required. It is desirable to place the device in close proximity. However, it is not preferable to arrange these devices side by side because the occupied space as a whole increases. Therefore, it is conceivable to arrange the other device directly above one device to form a stacked configuration. Here, in the case of a stacked configuration, the transport robot needs to transport the substrate in the vertical direction. Therefore, in order to reduce the transport stroke as much as possible, it is desirable to minimize the vertical interval between the two devices. However, when the vertical distance between the two devices configured to be stacked is reduced, maintenance of the device disposed on the lower side becomes difficult. Such a situation does not occur only in the combination of the ultraviolet irradiation device and the brush cleaning device, but also occurs in any combination of the wet processing unit and the dry processing unit.

Accordingly, the present invention is to provide a surface processing apparatus which can efficiently arrange a plurality of processing units without increasing the space occupied by the entire apparatus and can maintain each processing unit. Aim.

Another object of the present invention is to provide the above-described surface treatment apparatus with a simple configuration.

Another object of the present invention is to provide the above-described surface treatment apparatus in which maintenance of each treatment unit is extremely easy.

Further, according to the present invention, a plurality of processing units and substrate transfer means between the processing units can be efficiently arranged without increasing the space occupied by the entire apparatus, and maintenance of each processing unit is possible. It is an object to provide a simple surface treatment device.

[0008]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a surface treatment apparatus comprising: a wet processing unit for supplying a predetermined processing liquid to a substrate to perform a wet processing on the substrate; And a dry processing unit which is provided above the wet processing unit and executes the operation thereof, and is movable to a retracted position retracted from above the wet processing unit.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a surface treatment apparatus, comprising: a support frame for supporting a dry processing unit at an operation position above a wet processing unit; and a dry processing unit supported by the support frame at an operation position and a retreat position. And a guide for movably guiding between the two.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, the retracted position of the dry processing unit is arranged in the horizontal direction of the operation position.

Further, the surface treatment apparatus according to a fourth aspect of the present invention further comprises a substrate transport means for transporting the substrate from one unit to the other unit beside the wet processing unit and the dry processing unit in the operating position. Features.

[0012]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the dry processing unit can be moved between the operating position above the wet processing unit and the retracted position retracted from above the wet processing unit. By moving, a work space is formed above the lower wet processing unit, and maintenance such as repair of the wet processing unit becomes possible. In this case, since the dry processing unit and the wet processing unit can be vertically stacked, there is no need to increase the space occupied by the surface processing apparatus.

In the surface treatment apparatus according to the second aspect, the dry processing unit is supported by the frame at the operating position above the wet processing unit, and can be moved to the retracted position by being guided by the guide.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the dry processing unit can be moved to an operating position above the wet processing unit and to a retracted position arranged horizontally therefrom.

In the surface treatment apparatus of the present invention, the substrate transfer means is provided beside the wet processing unit and the dry processing unit in the operating position, and the substrate transfer means allows one of the dry processing unit and the wet processing unit to be provided. The substrate is transported from one unit to the other unit.

[0016]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an entire surface treatment apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. This surface treatment device includes an indexer unit 1, a cleaning unit 2, and a substrate transfer device 3.

The indexer unit 1 includes a plurality of substrates,
For example, a cassette mounting portion 11 for mounting a cassette 4 capable of storing 25 sheets is provided. For this reason, when the cassettes 4 conveyed to the apparatus by an AGV (automated guided vehicle) (not shown) are transferred to each cassette mounting portion 11, the three cassettes 4 are aligned in the X direction in the indexer portion 1. And the substrate transfer device 3 can take out the substrate from the cassette 4 and store the substrate in the cassette 4.

The cleaning unit 2 supports the substrate in a horizontal position and reciprocates in the horizontal direction while supplying a cleaning liquid such as pure water to the substrate while supplying the substrate with upper and lower surfaces (only the lower surface if necessary).
Module 21 for cleaning the surface with a brush, and spin module 22 for cleaning the upper surface while rotating the substrate
Are arranged substantially in parallel with the arrangement direction X of the cassette 4 in a state where they are separated from the indexer unit 1 by a certain distance in the Y direction. Note that both the brush module 21 and the spin module 22 are wet processing units that perform surface treatment of the substrate using a processing liquid such as water. Above the brush module 21, a UV module 23 that performs a process of irradiating ultraviolet rays to the substrate surface to burn and ash organic substances on the substrate surface, that is, a dry cleaning process is disposed. The UV module 23 is a dry processing unit that performs a surface treatment without using a processing liquid.

As described above, the cleaning processing unit 2 is provided with a plurality of cleaning processing units (hereinafter, the terms are generally used when the brush module 21, the spin module 22, and the UV module 23 are collectively referred to). The cleaning process is performed on the substrate in each cleaning processing unit while transporting the substrate in an appropriate order. In this embodiment,
As shown in FIG. 1, the cleaning unit 2
A transfer hand 5 for transferring a substrate from the brush module 21 to the spin module 22 is provided on the rear side of the transfer module 5. The transfer hand 5 transfers the substrate supplied with the cleaning liquid in the brush module 21 to the spin module 22.
In order to prevent the substrate transport device 3 from being wetted or stained by the cleaning liquid attached to the substrate when transporting the substrate,
This is provided exclusively for transferring the substrate from the brush module 21 to the spin module 22.

In the substrate processing apparatus configured as described above,
The substrate is cleaned, for example, as follows. First, unprocessed substrates in the cassette 4 are removed by the substrate transfer device 3
The wafer is carried into the V module 23 and subjected to dry cleaning treatment with ozone under irradiation of ultraviolet rays. Next, the substrate after the dry cleaning process in the UV module 23 is carried into the brush module 21 by the substrate transfer device 3, and the brush module 21 and the spin module 22 perform the wet cleaning process in this order. The substrate after the wet processing is returned into a predetermined cassette 4 by the substrate transfer device 3.

FIGS. 2 and 3 are a plan view and a side view for explaining a part of the cleaning section 2 of the apparatus shown in FIG.

The brush module 21 disposed on the lower side as a wet processing unit is configured to move the substrate in the X direction at a constant speed while supplying water to the upper and lower surfaces of the horizontally supported substrate. By contacting the tip of a rotating roll brush (not shown), the surface of the substrate is wiped and cleaned to remove attached particles and the like. For this reason, a water storage tank (not shown) is provided below the main body 121 of the brush module 21, and a water supply / drainage pipe 221 is connected to the tank. The opening 321 provided on the upper left side of the main body 121 is
It is an entrance for unprocessed substrates. An opening (not shown) provided on the upper right side of the main body 121 serves as an outlet for the processed substrate.

The UV module 23 disposed above the brush module 21 as a dry processing unit generates ozone by irradiating ultraviolet rays while supplying a gas containing oxygen to the surface of the horizontally supported substrate,
The organic substance on the substrate surface is decomposed or the surface of the substrate is hydrophilized to enhance the cleaning effect in the subsequent cleaning step. The opening 323 provided in the main body 123 serves as a substrate loading / unloading port. The lid 423 opens and closes in a hinged manner with respect to the main body 123, and the fixed support rod 5
23 fixes the open state.

The frame 25 supports the UV module 23 as a dry processing unit on the brush module 21 as a wet processing unit. This frame 25
Is a horizontal support member 1 that directly supports the UV module 23.
25 and a vertical support member 225 vertically connected thereto. The ends of the support members 125 and 225 are supported on a frame 27 for the brush module 21 via a pair of slide guides 325 and 325. These slide guides 325, 325 are composed of side rails and rollers, and enable the frame 25 to move smoothly horizontally in the + X or -X direction. As a result, the frame 25
The upper UV module 23 is an operating position above the brush module 21 (a normal position for performing dry processing,
It reciprocates between a wet processing unit (shown by a solid line in FIG. 2) and an evacuation position (a position for maintenance work, which is shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 2), which is retracted from above the wet processing unit and slid laterally. It is movable.

A positioning tool 128 composed of pins and holes is mounted between the UV module 23 and the frame 25. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the structure of the positioning tool 128. As shown in the figure, a cylindrical pin 128b having a tapered tip fixed to the UV module 23 side is fitted into a circular hole 128a formed on the frame 25 side (the state shown by a chain line in the figure), and The relative position between 23 and frame 25 can be adjusted precisely and quickly. That is, even when the UV module 23 is detached from the frame 25 and maintenance is performed, when the UV module 23 is installed again after the maintenance is completed, the reproducibility of the relative positions can be easily and quickly increased, and the substrate transfer can be performed. An accurate transfer operation of the substrate transfer device 3 can be achieved without correcting the teaching of the device 3.

A positioning tool 228 composed of a pin and a hole is also mounted between the brush module 21 and the frame 27. The structure of the positioning tool 228 is UV
Since it is the same as the positioning tool 128 of FIG. 4 formed between the module 23 and the frame 25, its detailed description is omitted. By providing the positioning tool 228, even when the brush module 21 is detached from the frame 27 and maintenance is performed, when the brush module 21 is re-installed after the maintenance is completed, the reproducibility of the mutual relative position can be easily and quickly performed. Can be increased, and an accurate transfer operation of the substrate transfer device 3 can be achieved without correcting teaching of the substrate transfer device 3.

A positioning tool 328 composed of pins and holes is also mounted between the frame 25 for the UV module 23 and the frame 27 for the brush module 21. The structure of the positioning tool 328 is the same as that of the positioning tool 128 of FIG.
By providing the positioning tool 328, the frame 25 on which the UV module 23 is mounted is moved in the -X direction to complete the maintenance of the brush module 21.
The UV module 23 is moved by moving the frame 25 in the X direction.
Can be easily reproducible relative to each other even when the substrate is returned to the original position, and the accurate transport operation of the substrate transport device 3 is achieved without correcting the teaching of the substrate transport device 3. it can. In addition, since the UV module 23 moves rigidly to the left and right together with the frame 25, even if the rigidity of the UV module 23 main body is weak to some extent, the precise transfer operation of the substrate transfer device 3 is possible.

FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the brush module 21 and the UV module 23 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 during maintenance.

FIG. 5A is a diagram for explaining maintenance of only the UV module 23 which is a dry processing unit. At this time, the UV module 23 on the frame 25
Remain in the operating position. The worker at the position M can open the cover 423 of the UV module 23 to inspect, clean, repair, or replace components in the main body 123.

FIG. 5B mainly illustrates maintenance of the brush module 21 as a wet processing unit. First, the UV module 23 is slid together with the frame 25 to the retreat position in the horizontal direction to expose the upper part of the brush module 21. The worker at the position M 'can open the lid (not shown) formed on the upper part of the brush module 21 while fixing the entire brush module 21 to inspect, clean, repair, or replace the internal components. . At this time, the worker at the position L can also perform inspection, cleaning, repair, replacement, and the like of the components of the UV module 23.

As described above, in the surface treatment apparatus of the first embodiment, the UV module 23, which is the upper dry processing unit, is moved to the retracted position, and the work space is moved above the brush module 21, which is the lower wet processing unit. Is formed to enable maintenance such as repair of the brush module 21. Therefore, these U
The V module 23 and the brush module 21 can be vertically stacked close to each other, and the workability during maintenance can be improved without increasing the space occupied by the surface treatment device. Moreover, since the UV module 23 and the brush module 21 are very close to each other, the stroke of the substrate transfer device 3 in the vertical direction (Z direction) is reduced.
The processing tact in the surface treatment device can be reduced. In addition, since the brush module 21 as a wet processing unit is disposed on the lower side and does not necessarily need to be moved during maintenance, complicated steps such as attachment and detachment of the pipe 221 are not required, and leakage of the processing liquid, breakage of the tank, etc. Can be prevented.

During the maintenance of the surface treatment apparatus of the first embodiment, the substrate transfer device 3 is connected to another module (specifically, the spin module 2) disposed in the horizontal direction.
2) can be accessed. Therefore, during maintenance, other modules can be operated without interference from maintenance.

Hereinafter, a surface treatment apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. Since the structure of the entire surface treatment apparatus of the second embodiment is almost the same as that shown in FIG. 1, detailed description of the entire structure will be omitted.

FIG. 6 is a view for explaining the main parts of the surface treatment apparatus of the second embodiment. The illustrated part corresponds to FIG. 2 showing the part of the surface treatment apparatus of the first embodiment, so that the same reference numerals are given to the common parts, and the description thereof will be omitted. The hot plate module 1023 and the cool plate module 2023, which are disposed above the brush module 21 as dry processing units, respectively perform a desired heating process and a cooling process on the substrate. Upper hot plate module 1023 and lower cool plate module 2
023 are mutually fixed.

The frame 25 supports the hot plate module 1023 and the cool plate module 2023 on the brush module 21. As a result, the two modules 1023 and 2023 on the frame 25 are moved from the operating position (the position indicated by the solid line) above the brush module 21 to the retracted position (the position indicated by the alternate long and two short dashes line) retracted from above the wet processing unit and slid laterally. ).

When the hot plate module 1023 and the cool plate module 2023 are maintained, both the modules 1023 and 202 on the frame 25 are maintained.
Reference numeral 3 is arranged at one of the operation position and the retreat position. In this state, the maintenance worker can check the inside 16 of one of the two modules 1023 and 2023.
23, 2623 can be pulled out in the horizontal direction (indicated by a dashed line) to inspect, clean, repair, replace, etc. the components in the interior 1623, 2623.

When the brush module 21 is maintained, the hot plate module 1023 and the cool plate module 2023 are slid together with the frame 25 to the retracted position in the horizontal direction.
Expose the top of the While maintaining the entire brush module 21, the maintenance worker can open the lid (not shown) formed on the upper part of the brush module 21 to inspect, clean, repair, or replace the internal components.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to the embodiment, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. For example, in the first embodiment, the dry processing unit U
A structure may be employed in which the V module 23 is displaced in the vertical direction (Z direction in FIG. 2). In this case, the UV module 23
Is movable in the Z direction, and the UV module 23 is moved between the operating position immediately above the brush module 21 and the retracted position moved further upward.

[0039]

As described above, in the surface treatment apparatus according to the first aspect, the dry processing unit can be moved to the operating position above the wet processing unit and the retracted position retracted from above the wet processing unit. Therefore, by moving the dry processing unit to the retracted position, a work space is formed above the wet processing unit below the dry processing unit,
Maintenance such as repair of the wet processing unit becomes possible. In this case, since the dry processing unit and the wet processing unit can be vertically stacked, there is no need to increase the space occupied by the surface processing apparatus. In addition, since maintenance can be performed while the wet processing unit is installed on the lower side, there is no need to remove and attach a pipe for a processing liquid or the like extending from the wet processing unit, and the workability of maintenance is improved.

In the surface treatment apparatus according to the second aspect, the dry processing unit is supported by the frame at the operating position above the wet processing unit, and can be moved to the retracted position by being guided by the guide. This device can be realized by the configuration.

In the surface treatment apparatus according to the third aspect, the dry processing unit can be moved to the operating position above the wet processing unit and to the retracted position arranged horizontally from the wet processing unit. This device can be realized with a simple configuration.

In the surface treatment apparatus of the fourth aspect, the substrate transfer means is provided on the side of the wet processing unit and the dry processing unit in the operating position, and the substrate transfer means provides one of the dry processing unit and the wet processing unit. The substrate is transferred from one unit to the other unit, so that a plurality of processing units and substrate transfer means between the processing units can be efficiently arranged without increasing the occupied space of the entire apparatus, and each processing can be performed. It is possible to provide a surface treatment apparatus capable of performing unit maintenance.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a substrate processing apparatus according to a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a front view of a main part of the substrate transfer device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side view of a main part of the substrate processing apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of a positioning tool.

FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating a main part of a substrate processing apparatus according to a second embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Indexer part 2 Cleaning processing part 3 Substrate transfer apparatus 21 Brush module 22 Spin module 23 UV module 25 Frame for UV module 27 Frame for brush module

Continuation of the front page Examiner Hideo Sakai (56) References JP-A-3-8483 (JP, A) JP-A-1-73389 (JP, U) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) ) H01L 21 / 304,21 / 306,21 / 68 B08B 3/00-3/14

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] 1. A surface treatment apparatus for treating a surface of a substrate, comprising: a wet treatment unit for supplying a prescribed treatment liquid to the substrate to perform a wet treatment on the substrate; A surface treatment apparatus comprising: an operation position provided above and performing an operation thereof; and a dry processing unit movable to a retreat position retracted from above the wet processing unit. 2. A support frame for supporting the dry processing unit at an operation position above the wet processing unit, and moving the dry processing unit supported by the support frame between the operation position and the retreat position. The surface treatment apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a guide that guides as possible. 3. The retracted position of the dry processing unit,
The surface treatment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the surface treatment apparatus is arranged in a horizontal direction of the operation position. 4. The surface according to claim 1, further comprising a substrate transfer means for transferring the substrate from one unit to the other unit, beside the wet processing unit and the dry processing unit in the operating position. Processing equipment.