JP3386656B2 - Method and apparatus for preventing coating liquid from drying - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a coating solution for a supply port of a coating head applied to a coating apparatus for forming a coating film such as a photoresist solution on various substrates such as semiconductor wafers and glass substrates for liquid crystal displays. TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a method for preventing a coating liquid from drying and a device for preventing the coating liquid from drying.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As shown in FIG. 10, a conventional coating apparatus has a coating head having a stage 201 for vacuum-adsorbing a substrate W and a slit-shaped supply port 202 that moves along the substrate W on the stage 201. And a coating film is formed on the substrate W by moving the coating head 203 at a constant speed while supplying the coating liquid from the slit-shaped supply port 202.

A solvent pot 204 containing a solvent S is vertically movable at a standby position on the terminal side in the moving direction of the coating head 203, and the coating head 203 which has finished the coating film formation operation is When moved to the standby position, the solvent pot 204 rises and the coating head 203
The side of the supply port 202 is placed in a solvent atmosphere to prevent the coating liquid from the supply port 202 of the coating head 203 during standby from drying.

[0004]

In the coating apparatus described above, the solvent head 2 is provided on the supply port 202 side of the coating head 203.
When placed in the solvent atmosphere of No. 04, the solvent infiltrates from the supply port 202 of the coating head 203 and the coating liquid is thinned in the vicinity, so that the coating liquid is tentatively ejected immediately before the coating film is formed on the substrate W. Therefore, it is necessary to discharge the mixed portion of the solvent, and as a result, a provisional ejection area and a receiving portion for the provisionally ejected coating liquid are required, resulting in an increase in size of the apparatus and waste of the coating liquid. .

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and does not increase the size of the coating apparatus, and suppresses the waste of the coating liquid as much as possible to coat the supply port of the coating head in standby. An object of the present invention is to provide a method for preventing drying of a coating solution and an apparatus therefor capable of preventing the solution from drying.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is a method for preventing drying of a coating solution by blocking the supply port of the coating head from the air. A predetermined amount of coating liquid is interposed in the gap between the supply port and the facing sealing member, and a coating film that covers the supply port is formed by drying the coating liquid (claim 1).

According to this method for preventing the coating liquid from drying, the coating port at the coating head is covered with the coating film formed by drying the coating liquid and is shielded from the outside air, so that the coating liquid at the supply port is dried. To be prevented.

Further, according to the present invention, in the method for preventing the coating liquid from drying, the coating liquid interposed in the gap between the coating head and the sealing member makes the supply port of the coating head and the sealing member predetermined. After being disposed opposite to each other with a gap therebetween, the ink is discharged from the supply port of the coating head into the gap (claim 2).

According to this method for preventing the coating liquid from drying, the coating liquid is supplied so as to fill the gap between the supply port of the coating head and the sealing member, so that the drying of the coating liquid at the supply port is reliably prevented. .

Further, the present invention is a coating solution drying prevention device for preventing the coating solution from drying by shutting off the supply port of the coating head from the outside air, and can face the entire area of the supply port of the coating head. A sealing member having a size, a means for disposing the supply port of the coating head and the sealing member so as to face each other, and a predetermined amount of the coating liquid from the supply port of the coating head to the gap. And a means for discharging (claim 3).

According to this coating liquid drying prevention device, the coating liquid supplied so as to fill the gap between the supply port of the coating head and the sealing member is exposed to the outside air and dried, whereby the coating film is formed. Is formed, and the supply port is covered with this coating film so as to be shielded from the outside air, so that the coating liquid at the supply port is prevented from being dried.

Further, in the present invention, in the apparatus for preventing the coating liquid from drying, the dried coating liquid adhered to the coating head and the sealing member after the coating head and the sealing member are separated from each other. It is provided with means for removing (claim 4).

According to this coating liquid drying prevention apparatus, the dried coating liquid adhering to the coating head and the sealing member is removed after the coating head and the sealing member are separated from each other.

[0014]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 is an overall perspective view of a coating apparatus to which the coating solution drying preventing method and apparatus of the present invention are applied. This coating apparatus includes a stage 10 for sucking and holding a substrate W, and a coating head 20 for supplying a coating liquid such as a photoresist liquid onto the substrate W sucked and held by the stage 10.
And moving the coating head 20 along the substrate W
A moving unit 30, a second moving unit 40 for moving the coating head 20 in the vertical direction orthogonal to the surface of the substrate W, and a surface facing the coating head 20, which is disposed on the terminal side in the moving direction of the coating head 20. Sealing member 50 and sealing member 50
A head cleaner 60 as a cleaning means disposed on the same terminal side as the cleaning means, a third moving means 70 for moving the head cleaner 60 in a state of being in contact with the coating head 20 and the sealing member 50, and coating on the coating head 20. A coating liquid supply unit 80 for supplying a liquid and a solvent supply unit 90 for supplying a solvent to the head cleaner 60 are provided.

The stage 10 is provided with a mounting portion 11 for mounting the substrate W formed in the central portion thereof, and on both sides of the mounting portion 11, and a sliding body 3 of the first moving means 30 which will be described later.
It is provided with guide rails 12 and 13 for moving 2, 33. The mounting portion 11 is formed with a plurality of through holes 14 penetrating in the vertical direction. The substrate W is mounted on the mounting portion 11 of the stage 10 by a transfer robot (not shown), and is vacuum-sucked from the lower surface side through the through holes 14 to be fixed on the mounting portion 11. There is.

As shown in FIG. 2, the coating head 20 has a pair of opposed walls 21 and 22 butted against each other, has a supply passage 23 for the coating liquid therein, and has a slit-shaped supply which is connected to the supply passage 23 on the lower surface. The mouth 24 is configured to be open, and is arranged in an elongated shape in the width direction of the substrate W. Further, a feed pipe 25 is attached to the central portion of the upper surface of the coating head 20, and the coating liquid such as a photoresist liquid is supplied from the supply tank 81 of the coating liquid supply means 80 via the feeding pipe 25 at a constant pressure. It is adapted to be fed into the coating head 20.

The first moving means 30 moves on the rails 12 and 13 at both end portions of the stage 10. The first moving means 30 is provided below the stage 10 in the width direction and the base portion 31. The sliding portions 32 and 33 are bent upward on both sides and the upper ends of the sliding portions 32 and 33 are formed to be bent inward, and a female screw formed in the center of the base 31 in the same direction as the rails 12 and 13. The screw shaft 34 screwed together and a coating head moving motor 35, which is fixed to a body frame (not shown) and has a rotation shaft connected to the screw shaft 34, such as a stepping motor, are provided. As a result, when the coating head moving motor 35 is rotationally driven and the screw shaft 34 is rotated, the base 31 is moved in the front-rear direction, whereby the sliding bodies 32, 33 are moved.
Moves on the rails 12 and 13 of the stage 10, and the coating head 20 moves along the surface of the substrate W via the second moving means 40.

The second moving means 40 has support members 41 and 42 for fixedly supporting the fixed shafts 26 and 27 projecting from both ends of the coating head 20 in the longitudinal direction, and penetrates downward from the upper surfaces of the support members 41 and 42. And the screw shafts 43 and 44 whose distal ends are pivotally supported by the sliding bodies 32 and 33, and the sliding body 32, which is not shown in the figure.
The coating head elevating motors 45 and 46, which are fixed to the motor 33 and have rotating shafts connected to the screw shafts 43 and 44, respectively, are stepping motors and the like. As a result, when the coating head elevating motors 45 and 46 are simultaneously driven to rotate and the screw shafts 43 and 44 rotate, the support bodies 41 and 42 move up and down with respect to the sliding bodies 32 and 33, whereby the coating head 20.
Moves up and down.

The sealing member 50 is composed of a long metal block having a facing surface 51 having a size capable of facing the entire area of the supply port 24 of the coating head 20, and the facing surface 51 is mounted on the stage 10. It is arranged along the width direction of the substrate W so as to be located on substantially the same plane as the substrate W on the portion 11.
The sealing member 50 forms a coating film of the coating liquid supplied in the minute gap between the supply port 24 of the coating head 20 in standby and the facing surface 51, as described later, so that the supply port 24 is exposed to the outside air. Is to prevent the coating liquid in the supply port 24 from drying.

The head cleaner 60 includes a support body 61, a guide plate 62 projecting forward from the support body 61 in the horizontal direction, and an upper surface side (one surface side) of the guide plate 62.
And a take-up roller 64 arranged at a position close to the support 61, and a take-up roller 64 arranged at a position on the lower surface side (other surface side) of the guide plate 62 close to the support 61. And a take-up motor 65 including a stepping motor as a driving means for rotating the take-up roller 64, and an elongated wiping member 66 wound around the supply roller 63.

The wiping member 66 is made of a sheet-shaped material such as felt and tetrafluoroethylene polymer material, and is taken up from the supply roller 63 by being wound by the winding roller 64 and is also guided by the guide plate 62. The direction is reversed at the tip of the guide plate 6
It is designed to move along both sides of 2. The guide plate 62 is positioned such that the wiping member 66 on the lower surface side is in a height position where it comes into contact with the facing surface 51 of the headrest 50. In addition, the guide plate 6
A roundness is formed at the tip of the second member 2 so as not to hinder the reversal of the direction of the wiping member 66. Instead of forming this roundness, a roller may be provided.

The third moving means 70 is screwed into a horizontal female screw formed in the support body 61, and has a screw shaft 71 arranged along the width direction of the substrate W, and a body frame (not shown). And a rotation shaft connected to the screw shaft 71 and a wiping motor 72 such as a stepping motor. The rotation of the wiping motor 72 rotates the screw shaft 71 to move the head cleaner 60 to one end side. It reciprocates between the retracted position and the other end. The retracted position of the head cleaner 60 is shown in the drawing as a wiping member 66.
Although a part thereof overlaps the end portion of the headrest 50, it may be completely separated from the headrest 50.

The coating liquid supply means 80 contains a coating liquid such as a photoresist liquid therein and is pressurized by introducing a pressurized gas such as nitrogen, and the liquid tank 81. The tip portion is inserted into the inside of the coating head 2
The tank side supply pipe 82 to which the 0 supply pipe 25 is connected to the other end, and the flow rate adjusting control valve 83 connected to the middle of the tank side supply pipe 82 are provided. The supply of the coating liquid to the coating head 20 is stopped when the control valve 83 is closed, but the coating liquid is supplied to the coating head 20 when the control valve 83 is opened, and the opening amount of the control valve 83 is increased. The supply amount of the coating liquid is adjusted according to the above.

The solvent supply means 90 contains a solvent suitable for wiping off the coating liquid, and a solvent tank 91 arranged at an upper position of the head cleaner 60, and the solvent in the solvent tank 91 is wiped off by the wiping member 66 side. The supply pipe 92 that discharges the solvent to the front end of the supply pipe 92 and the supply port 93 that supplies the solvent in the width direction of the wiping member 66 and the supply pipe 92 that is disposed in the middle of the supply pipe 92. And a solenoid valve 94 for controlling the supply to the supply port 93.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the main control configuration of the coating apparatus configured as described above. Control unit 10
0 is a CPU 10 for controlling the overall operation of this device
1, a ROM 102 in which a predetermined control program therefor is stored, a RAM 103 for temporarily storing data generated during control processing, and the like.

That is, the CPU 101 receives a predetermined signal from a start switch SW, a position sensor, or the like (not shown), so that the motor drive circuits 35a, 45a, 46
a, 65a, 72a, control valve drive circuit 83a, and solenoid valve drive circuit 94a, respectively, the coating head moving motor 35, the coating head elevating motors 45, 46, the winding motor 65, the wiping motor 72, the control valve 83, and Each operation of the solenoid valve 94 is controlled.

Although not shown, the CPU 101
Controls the transfer robot that transfers the substrate W via the transfer robot drive circuit, and controls the vacuum device that sucks and holds the substrate W on the stage 10 via the vacuum device drive circuit.

The coating apparatus constructed as described above operates as follows. First, based on a command from the control unit 100, when the substrate W is placed on the stage 10 by the transfer robot, the substrate W is suction-held on the stage 10 by the vacuum device, and the coating head 20 moves the coating head lifting motor 45, Four
A predetermined height position on the substrate W is set by driving 6 and the coating head moving motor 35 is driven to move the starting end position on the front side in FIG.

Simultaneously with the start of movement of the coating head 20,
The control valve 83 of the coating liquid supply means 80 is opened by a predetermined amount to supply the coating liquid from the liquid tank 81 to the inside of the coating head 20,
The coating head 20 moves to the end position while supplying the coating liquid from the supply port 24 onto the substrate W at a constant supply pressure. As a result, a coating film is formed on the substrate W. Coating head 2
When 0 reaches the end position, the control valve 83 is closed to stop the supply of the coating liquid to the coating head 20, and the substrate W on which the coating film is formed is transferred to the next step by the transfer robot. Then, the next substrate W is sequentially transferred to the stage 10.
The coating head 20 is placed on the substrate W and suction-held, and the coating head 20 returns to the starting end position to form a coating film on the substrate W in the same manner as described above.

When the work of forming the coating film on the substrate W is completed, the coating head 20 is moved to the position of the sealing member 50 which is the standby position by driving the coating head moving motor 35. Then, the supply port 24 is driven by the coating head lifting motors 45 and 46 so that the supply port 24 is closed by the sealing member 50 as shown in FIG.
To the position where a minute gap G is formed between the sealing member 50 and the facing surface 51 of the sealing member 50. The size of this gap G is, for example, 0.1 mm.
Through 1. It is about several mm.

Then, the control valve 83 is slightly opened, and a predetermined amount of the coating liquid is discharged from the supply port 24 of the coating head 20, that is, at least the gap G is filled and the supply liquid is shut off from the outside air. , Is supplied to the gap G. The coating liquid supplied to the gap G is dried at least in the outer peripheral portion in contact with the outside air, and forms a coating film F covering the supply port 24 of the coating head 20 as shown in FIG. The coating film F shields the supply port 24 from the outside air, and the supply port 2
The drying of the coating liquid of No. 4 is prevented. In this state, the coating head 20 stands by until the next coating film forming operation on the substrate W. It should be noted that the coating film F can be supplied to the supply port 24
However, the solvent is inevitably dried on the outer peripheral portion in contact with the outside air as described above because the solvent evaporates. Note that the inner side is also dried over time.

By covering the supply port 24 with the coating film F as described above, the coating liquid at the supply port 24 is prevented from drying.
Due to the fact that the horizontal postures of the coating head 20 and the sealing member 50 cannot be accurately maintained, the supply port 2 is moved in the longitudinal direction of the supply port 24.
Even if there is some difference in the size of the gap between 4 and the facing surface 51, it is possible to reliably prevent the drying.

When the control unit 100 issues a command for the next work of forming a coating film on the substrate W, the coating head 2 which is in a state of being opposed to the facing surface 51 of the headrest 50.
0 moves upward from the position of the sealing member 50 by the drive of the coating head lifting motors 45 and 46, and the supply port 24 is at a height position equal to that of the wiping member 66 located on the upper surface side of the guide plate 62 of the head cleaner 60. Stop.

On the other hand, when the forming operation command is issued, the solenoid valve 94 of the solvent supply means 90 is opened and the solvent tank 91 is opened.
The solvent is supplied to the wiping member 66 from the supply pipe 92 and the supply port 93. Then, the winding motor 65 is driven while the solvent is being supplied, and the wiping member 66 is wound around the winding roller 64. As a result, the wiping members 66 to which the solvent is supplied are arranged on the upper and lower surfaces of the guide plate 62. At this point, the solenoid valve 94 is closed and the supply of solvent is stopped. The solvent supplied to the wiping member 66 is absorbed by the wiping member 66 at the supply position.

Then, the wiping motor 72 is driven,
The head cleaner 60 at the retracted position on the one end side reciprocates between the head cleaner 60 and the other end side. At this time, the wiping member 66 on the upper surface side of the guide plate 62 has the supply port 2 of the coating head 20
4 and the wiping member 66 on the lower surface side of the guide plate 62 is in contact with the facing surface 51 of the sealing member 50, the head cleaner 60 is coated with the wiping member 66 as shown in FIG. Supply port 24 of head 20
And the opposing surface 51 of the sealing member 50 are in contact with each other.

Therefore, while the coating head 20 is on standby, the coating film F of the coating liquid adhered to the supply port 24 of the coating head 20 and the facing surface 51 of the sealing member 50 is dissolved by the solvent supplied to the wiping member 66. At the same time, it is wiped off by the wiping member 66 by the frictional force, so that both the supply port 24 of the coating head 20 and the facing surface 51 of the sealing member 50 are cleaned at the same time. Since the wiping member 66 is arranged along the surface of the guide plate 62, when it comes into contact with the supply port 24 of the coating head 20 and the facing surface 51 of the sealing member 50, it is lightly pressed against the guide plate 62. Then, the supply port 24 and the facing surface 51 can be reliably cleaned.

When the head cleaner 60 reciprocates to return to the original retracted position or when the forward movement is completed, the coating head lifting motors 45 and 46 and the coating head moving motor 35 are driven, and the coating head 20 moves to a predetermined height. Then, the work of forming the coating film on the substrate W is started. In the standby state, the coating head 20 uses the coating film F formed between the coating head 20 and the sealing member 50 to supply the supply port 24.
The coating liquid is prevented from being dried, and the supply port 24 is cleaned by the head cleaner 60 before the start of the coating film forming operation. Therefore, the coating liquid is normally supplied from the supply port 24 to a predetermined thickness on the substrate W. A coating film can be formed.

In the above embodiment, the supply port 24 of the coating head 20 and the sealing member 50 are arranged to face each other with the second moving means 40 for raising and lowering the coating head 20 and the controller 100. A means is configured to discharge the coating liquid from the supply port 24 of the coating head 20 to the gap G from the coating liquid supply unit 80 that supplies the coating liquid to the coating head 20 and the control unit 100, and the sealing is performed. Member 5
0 and each of these means constitute a drying prevention device for the coating liquid of the coating head. Then, with this drying prevention device, the supply port 24 of the coating head 20 and the sealing member 50 are arranged to face each other with a gap G therebetween, and the coating liquid is discharged from the supply port 24 of the coating head 20 into the gap G. The method for preventing the coating liquid from drying at the supply port of the coating head, which forms the coating film F that covers the supply port 24 by the drying of the coating liquid, is carried out, but the following various modifications are possible. .

That is, in the above-described embodiment, the coating film F covering the supply port 24 of the coating head 20 has a gap G formed between the supply port 24 of the coating head 20 and the facing surface 51 of the sealing member 50. Although it is formed by supplying the coating liquid from the supply port 24, it may be formed by the following method. That is, as shown in FIG. 7, the position where the supply port 24 of the coating head 20 is separated from the facing surface 51 of the sealing member 50,
For example, a predetermined amount of coating liquid is discharged from the supply port 24 onto the facing surface 51 at a position on the extension line of the substrate W surface, and then the coating head 20 is moved downward to seal the coating head 20 with the coating head 20 as shown in FIG. The stop member 50 is brought close to a position where a gap equal to or close to the gap G shown in FIG. 4 is formed so that the discharged coating liquid adheres to both the supply port 24 and the facing surface 51. Further, the coating head 20 is supplied onto the facing surface 51 while being lowered toward the sealing member 50 from a position on the extension line of the substrate W surface to a position where a gap equal to or close to the gap G shown in FIG. 4 is formed. A predetermined amount of coating liquid is discharged from the mouth 24, and when reaching the above position, the supply port 24 and the facing surface 5
The discharged coating liquid may be attached to both of the two. In either case, the coating liquid is then dried to form the coating film F.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the coating head 20 has the coating head lifting motor 4 with respect to the sealing member 50.
5, 46 can be moved in the vertical direction. Instead of this configuration, the coating head 20 is fixed above the sealing member 50 so that the sealing member 50 can be moved in the vertical direction. Good. Even in this case, as in the case of the above embodiment, the coating of the supply port 24 is performed by the coating film F formed between the supply port 24 of the coating head 20 and the sealing member 50 while the coating head 20 is on standby. It is possible to prevent the liquid from drying.

In the above embodiment, the sealing member 50 is made of a metal block, but as shown in FIG. 9, a sealing portion made of silicon rubber or the like facing the supply port 24 of the coating head 20. 52 and a holding portion 53 that stores and holds the surface of the sealing portion 52 facing the supply port 24 in an exposed state.

[0042]

As described above, the method for preventing the coating liquid from drying according to the present invention prevents the coating liquid from drying by blocking the supply port of the coating head from the outside air. A predetermined amount of the coating liquid is interposed in the gap between the supply port and the sealing member facing the supply port, and a coating film covering the supply port is formed by drying the coating liquid. Even when applied, it is possible to prevent the coating solution from drying at the supply port of the coating head during standby without increasing the size of the coating device. Further, since the coating liquid for forming the coating film may be small, it is possible to prevent the coating liquid from drying at the supply port of the coating head during standby without causing unnecessary waste of the coating liquid.

In the method for preventing the coating liquid from drying, the coating liquid interposed in the gap between the coating head and the sealing member is arranged so that the supply port of the coating head and the sealing member face each other with a predetermined gap. After that, since the liquid is discharged from the supply port of the coating head into the gap, it is possible to reliably supply the coating liquid between the supply port of the coating head and the sealing member. Can be reliably prevented from drying.

The coating liquid drying prevention apparatus of the present invention is
A coating member for preventing the coating liquid from drying by blocking the supply port of the coating head from the outside air, and a sealing member having a size capable of facing the entire area of the supply port of the coating head; Since a means for disposing the supply port of the head and the sealing member to face each other with a predetermined gap provided, and a means for discharging a predetermined amount of the coating liquid from the supply port of the coating head to the gap, Even when applied to a coating apparatus, it is possible to prevent the coating solution from drying at the supply port of the coating head during standby without increasing the size of the coating apparatus. Further, since the coating liquid for forming the coating film may be small, it is possible to prevent the coating liquid from drying at the supply port of the coating head during standby without causing unnecessary waste of the coating liquid.

Further, in the above-mentioned coating liquid drying prevention device, there is provided a means for removing the dried coating liquid adhering to the coating head and the sealing member after the coating head and the sealing member are separated from each other. Therefore, the dry coating liquid adhering to the coating head and the sealing member is accurately removed, and the coating liquid can be normally supplied from the supply port of the coating head after standby, Even during the subsequent standby, the supply port of the coating head can be accurately covered with the coating film.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall perspective view of a coating apparatus according to the present invention, in which a coating liquid drying method and apparatus are applied.

FIG. 2 is a side sectional view of a main part of a coating head applied to the coating apparatus shown in FIG.

3 is a block diagram showing a control configuration of the coating apparatus shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a side sectional view of an essential part for explaining a method of forming a coating film on a supply port of a coating head in the coating apparatus shown in FIG.

5 is a side sectional view of an essential part for explaining a method of forming a coating film on a supply port of a coating head in the coating apparatus shown in FIG.

6 is a side view for explaining a contact state of a coating head, a sealing member and a head cleaner in the coating apparatus shown in FIG.

FIG. 7 is a side sectional view of an essential part for explaining another method of forming a coating film on the supply port of the coating head.

FIG. 8 is a side sectional view of an essential part for explaining another method of forming a coating film on the supply port of the coating head.

9 is a perspective view of another configuration example of the sealing member in the coating apparatus shown in FIG.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a conventional coating device.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 stages 11 Placement section 14 through holes 20 coating head 21,22 opposite wall 24 supply port 30 First moving means 40 Second moving means 50 sealing member 51 Opposing surface 60 head cleaner 70 Third means of movement 80 coating liquid supply means 90 Solvent supply means 100 control unit

Continuation of the front page (56) Reference JP-A-6-326017 (JP, A) Actual development 2-52430 (JP, U) Actual development 3-28721 (JP, U) (58) Fields investigated (Int .Cl. ⁷ , DB name) H01L 21/027 B05C 5/02 G03F 7/16

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] 1. A method for preventing the drying of a coating liquid by blocking the supply port of the coating head from the outside air, which comprises a supply port of the coating head and a sealing member facing the supply port. A method for preventing the drying of a coating liquid, characterized in that a predetermined amount of the coating liquid is interposed in a gap between the coating liquid and the coating liquid to form a coating film covering the supply port. 2. The coating liquid interposed in the gap between the coating head and the sealing member is disposed in the gap after the supply port of the coating head and the sealing member are arranged to face each other with a predetermined gap. The method for preventing drying of a coating liquid according to claim 1, wherein the coating liquid is discharged from a supply port of the coating head. 3. A coating solution drying prevention device for preventing the coating solution from drying by shutting off the supply port of the coating head from the outside air, and having a size capable of facing the entire area of the supply port of the coating head. A sealing member, means for disposing the supply port of the coating head and the sealing member so as to face each other with a predetermined gap, and means for discharging a predetermined amount of coating liquid from the supply port of the coating head to the gap. A coating liquid drying prevention device comprising: 4. The coating liquid drying prevention apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the dried coating liquid adhered to the coating head and the sealing member after the coating head and the sealing member are separated from each other. An apparatus for preventing drying of a coating solution, which is provided with a means for removing the coating solution.