JP3766193B2 - Etching device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to the etching equipment for etching an object to be processed.
[0002]
[Prior art]
For example, in a liquid crystal manufacturing apparatus or a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, there is a process in which an object to be processed such as a glass substrate for liquid crystal or a semiconductor wafer is subjected to a cleaning process and a drying process.
[0003]
The etching process is performed to remove the oxide film formed on the surface of the object to be processed. If the etching liquid is sprayed on the object to be processed and etching is performed for a predetermined amount (predetermined time), Further, in order to stop the etching from progressing, a rinse liquid is sprayed to wash away the etching liquid adhering to the object to be processed. As a result, the object to be processed is etched in a constant state.
[0004]
Since the etching solution is relatively expensive, it is desirable to use it repeatedly. However, in the etching process, as described above, a rinsing process must be performed after the etching process. Therefore, when the etching solution is collected, the rinse solution is mixed in the etching solution, and the performance of the etching solution is deteriorated. Therefore, the etching solution may not be used repeatedly.
[0005]
In order to prevent the rinsing liquid from being mixed into the etching liquid, it is conceivable to perform the etching process and the rinsing process in separate chambers. However, if these processes are performed in separate chambers, not only will a considerable time elapse before the object to be etched and rinsed, but also the time will vary. Etching of an object may proceed more than necessary, or the etching state may vary.
[0006]
On the other hand, when an object to be processed is etched, if the particles generated by the etching process are not reliably washed and removed, the next process such as formation of a circuit pattern is accurately performed on the object to be processed. I can't do it.
[0007]
In view of this, a processing apparatus is generally known in which a cleaning processing unit and a drying processing unit are provided in parallel with an etching processing unit so that the various processes described above can be performed sequentially.
[0008]
In this type of conventional processing apparatus, a loader is disposed on the etching processing unit side, and an unloader is disposed on the drying processing unit side. A transfer device is provided between the loader and the etching processing unit, between the drying processing unit and the unloader, and between each processing unit, and the processing object is transferred from the loader to each processing unit. After that, it is sequentially transferred to the unloader.
[0009]
However, according to the processing apparatus having such a configuration, the loader, the unloader, the plurality of processing units, and the transfer apparatus have to be arranged in a line, so that the total length of the apparatus becomes long, and the installation place of the apparatus is increased. There may be restrictions.
[0010]
In addition, a plurality of delivery devices are required to deliver the object to be processed from the loader to the unloader via various processing units. Usually, a robot apparatus is used as the delivery apparatus, but the robot apparatus is expensive. For this reason, the cost of a conventional device that must use a plurality of robotic devices may increase significantly.
[0011]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
As described above, in the conventional etching processing apparatus in which the etching process and the rinsing process are sequentially performed, when the etching liquid is collected, the rinsing liquid may be mixed in the etching liquid.
[0013]
An object of the present invention is to provide an etching apparatus capable of reliably collecting only an etching solution without mixing a rinsing solution.
[0014]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The invention of claim 1 is an etching processing apparatus in which an object to be processed is etched with an etching liquid and then rinsed with a rinsing liquid.
A chamber;
A holding member that is swingably provided in the chamber and holds the object to be processed on its upper surface;
A first supply means for supplying an etchant and a second supply means for supplying a rinsing liquid to the object to be processed which is disposed in the upper part of the chamber and held by the holding member;
Driving means for inclining the holding member in different directions when supplying an etching liquid to the object to be processed and performing an rinsing process by supplying a rinsing liquid; and
Etching solution recovery means for recovering the etching solution dripped from the lower end side in the inclination direction of the processing object when the processing object is etched,
Rinsing liquid recovery means for recovering the rinsing liquid dripped from the lower end side in the inclination direction of the object to be processed when the object to be processed is rinsed is provided.
[0015]
According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the invention, the etching solution recovery means is a first receiver that is provided at the inner bottom portion of the chamber and receives the etching solution dropped from the lower end in the tilt direction of the workpiece during the etching process. And a recovery tank provided in communication with the first receiving part for recovering the etching solution, and the recovery tank and the first supply means connected to each other, and the etching recovered in the recovery tank in the middle And a circulation pipe provided with a pump for circulating the liquid to the first supply means.
[0018]
According to the first aspect of the present invention, the holding member on which the workpiece is placed is tilted in different directions during the etching process and during the rinsing process, and is dropped from the lower end side in the tilt direction of the workpiece during the etching process. Since the etching solution is recovered, the etching solution can be recovered without mixing the rinse solution.
[0019]
According to the second aspect of the present invention, when the etching solution in which the rinsing solution is not mixed is recovered, the etching solution can be circulated, so that the etching solution can be used repeatedly.
[0022]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
1 and 2 show a processing apparatus 1 having a plurality of processing units to be described later. The processing apparatus 1 has a main body 2. The main body 2 has a rectangular box shape, and a running path 3 located in the center portion in the width direction is formed linearly over the entire length in the longitudinal direction.
[0023]
A robot 4 as a delivery device is provided on the travel path 3 so as to be able to travel. The travel path 3 is provided with a linear motor 5 over its entire length, and the robot 4 is driven along the travel path 3 by the linear motor 5.
[0024]
The plurality of processing units, in this embodiment, the etching processing unit 6, the cleaning processing unit 7, and the drying processing unit 8 are sequentially arranged on one side of the traveling path 3.
[0025]
On the other side of the traveling path 3, processing is performed by a loader 11 storing a liquid crystal glass substrate W (hereinafter referred to as a substrate) as an unprocessed object and the processing units 6, 7, and 8. An unloader 12 in which the processed substrate W is stored is disposed.
[0026]
When processing the substrate W in the processing apparatus 1 having the above configuration, first, the robot 4 takes out the unprocessed substrate W from the loader 11 and supplies it to the etching processing unit 6. When the substrate W is processed by the etching processing unit 6, the substrate W is taken out from the etching processing unit 6 and supplied to the cleaning processing unit 7.
[0027]
When the cleaning processing of the substrate W is completed in the cleaning processing unit 7, the robot 4 takes out the substrate W and supplies it to the drying processing unit 8. When the drying processing in the drying processing unit 8 is finished, the substrate W is taken out by the robot 4 and stored in the unloader 12, so that a series of processing on the substrate W is finished.
[0028]
As described above, the three processing units 6, 7, and 8 are disposed on one side of the traveling path 3, and the loader 11 and the unloader 12 are disposed on the other side. The overall length can be shortened.
[0029]
By providing the robot 4 on the travel path 3 so that it can run freely, the robot 4 can supply and take out the substrate W to and from the processing units 6, 7, 8 provided on one side of the travel path 3. In addition, the substrate W can be taken out from the loader 11 provided on the other side of the traveling path 3, and the processed substrate W can be stored in the unloader 12.
[0030]
That is, the substrate W can be transferred to the processing units 6, 7, 8, the loader 11, and the unloader 12 only by providing one robot 4 in the processing apparatus 1.
[0031]
On the other hand, the etching processing unit 6 has a chamber 21 as shown in FIGS. An entrance / exit 22 is formed in the front surface of the chamber 21 facing the traveling path 3, and the entrance / exit 22 is opened and closed by a door 23.
[0032]
A flat plate-like holding member 24 is disposed in the middle of the chamber 21 in the height direction. Support portions 25 are provided on the lower surfaces of both sides of the holding member 24 in the width direction, and the support portions 25 are attached to a drive shaft 26 that is rotatably provided along the front-rear direction of the chamber 21.
[0033]
The holding member 24 has a rectangular shape that is sufficiently larger than the planar shape of the substrate W.
One end of the drive shaft 26 protruding from the back surface of the chamber 21 is connected to a drive source 27 provided on the back surface side. The drive source 27 rotates the drive shaft 26 in the left-right direction by a predetermined angle.
[0034]
In other words, the drive source 27 has the holding member 24 in a substantially horizontal neutral state, an etching process state inclined downward to the left as shown by a solid line in FIG. 3, and an inclination downward to the right as shown by a chain line in FIG. It can be positioned in the rinsed state.
[0035]
A plurality of support pins 28 are provided on the upper surface of the holding member 24, and the substrate W is supported by the support pins 28. It should be noted that, on the one end side and the other end side in the longitudinal direction of the holding member 24, there are a plurality of restrictions that restrict the substrate W supported by the support pins 28 from moving in the inclined direction when the holding member 24 is inclined. Pins 29 are provided.
[0036]
A first flange 31 is provided over almost the entire length in the front-rear direction of the chamber 21 at one end side in the width direction of the lower part in the chamber 21, that is, at a portion corresponding to the lower end side in the inclination direction when the holding member 24 is inclined in the etching state. The second flange 32 is provided over the substantially entire length in the front-rear direction at a portion corresponding to the lower end side in the inclination direction of the holding member 24 in the rinse treatment state, which is the other end side.
[0037]
One end of a first recovery pipe 33 is connected to the first rod 31. The other end of the first recovery pipe 33 is connected to a first recovery tank 34 in which an etching solution E is stored. One end of a first circulation pipe 35 is connected to the first recovery tank 34. As shown in FIG. 5, the other end of the circulation pipe 35 is connected to a plurality of etching nozzles 36 arranged at predetermined intervals along the front-rear direction in the upper portion of the chamber 21. A first pump 37 is provided in the middle of the circulation pipe 35.
[0038]
Therefore, when the first pump 37 is operated while the holding member 24 is inclined to the etching processing state, the etching liquid E of the first recovery layer 34 is supplied to the etching nozzle 36, so that the etching is performed. The liquid E is sprayed from the nozzle 36 toward the substrate W held on the upper surface of the holding member 24.
[0039]
The etching solution E sprayed onto the substrate W flows along the upper surface, flows into the first tub 31 disposed on the lower end side, and passes through the first recovery pipe 33 from the first tub 31 to the first tub 31. It is collected in the collection tank 34.
[0040]
One end of a second recovery pipe 38 is connected to the second rod 32. The other end of the second recovery pipe 38 is connected to a second recovery tank 39 in which a rinsing liquid R made of pure water is accommodated. One end of a second circulation pipe 41 is connected to the second recovery tank 39. The other end of the second circulation pipe 41 is connected to a plurality of rinsing nozzles 42 disposed at predetermined intervals along the front-rear direction in the upper part of the chamber 21.
[0041]
In FIG. 3, the rinsing nozzle 42 and the etching nozzle 36 are arranged at different heights for easy understanding, but these nozzles 36 and 42 may be arranged at the same height. Of course.
[0042]
A three-way switching valve 43 is provided in the middle of the second recovery pipe 38. The second recovery pipe 38 is connected to two ports of the three-way switching valve 43, and a drainage pipe 44 is connected to the remaining one port. Further, a second pump 45 and the other end of a supply pipe 46 whose one end is connected to a supply source of the rinsing liquid R (not shown) are connected to the middle portion of the second circulation pipe 41. The supply pipe 46 is provided with an opening / closing valve 47.
[0043]
Therefore, when the second pump 45 is operated while the holding member 24 is inclined to the rinse treatment state, the rinse liquid R in the second recovery tank 39 is supplied to the rinse nozzle 42. The liquid R is ejected from the nozzle 42 toward the substrate W held on the upper surface of the holding member 24.
[0044]
The rinse liquid R sprayed onto the substrate W flows along the upper surface, flows into the second tub 32 disposed on the lower end side, and passes through the second recovery pipe 38 from the second tub 32 to the second tub 32. It is collected in the collection tank 39.
[0045]
When the rinsing liquid R starts to be ejected from the rinsing nozzle 42, the etching liquid E is mixed into the rinsing liquid E collected in the second tub 32. Therefore, during a predetermined time from the start of the rinsing process, the three-way switching valve 43 is switched so that the rinsing liquid R that has flowed from the second tub 32 to the second recovery pipe 38 is discharged from the drainage pipe 44. After a lapse of time, the rinsing liquid R is recovered in the second recovery tank 39. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the rinse liquid R mixed with the etching liquid E from being collected in the second collection tank 39. That is, the rinsing liquid R can be partially recovered and reused.
[0046]
If the rinse liquid R stored in the second recovery tank 39 is reduced, a new rinse liquid R is ejected from the rinse nozzle 42 through the supply pipe 46 and recovered in the second recovery tank 39. It can be replenished.
[0047]
Both end portions in the width direction of the holding member 24 are formed in bent portions 24a that are bent upward as shown in FIG. Thereby, the etching solution E and the rinsing solution R sprayed onto the substrate W are prevented from dripping from both sides of the holding member 24 in the width direction.
[0048]
A drain pipe 48 that discharges the etching solution E and the rinsing solution R that are jetted onto the substrate W and not collected by the first and second rods 31 and 32 is connected to the bottom of the chamber 21.
[0049]
A case where the substrate W is etched by the etching apparatus having the above-described configuration will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. First, the holding member 24 is placed in a horizontal state and the entrance / exit 22 of the chamber 21 is opened. Next, the substrate W taken out from the loader 11 by the robot 4 is supplied onto the holding member 24 and the entrance / exit 22 is closed.
[0050]
Next, as shown by S (step) 1 in FIG. 6, the holding member 24 is tilted into the etching state, and the first pump 37 is operated as shown by S2, and the etching solution E is supplied from the etching nozzle 36. Spray toward the substrate W. As a result, the substrate W is etched.
[0051]
The etching solution E sprayed on the upper surface of the substrate W flows from the upper surface of the substrate W to the first trough 31 and is recovered in the first recovery tank 34, so that it can be used repeatedly.
[0052]
As shown in S3, when such an etching process is performed for a predetermined time, the first pump 37 is stopped as shown in S4, and at the same time, the holding member 24 is inclined to the rinse state as shown in S5. Then, as shown by S6, the second pump 45 is operated to spray the rinsing liquid R in the second recovery tank 39 from the rinsing nozzle 42 toward the substrate W, and the substrate W is rinsed. The etching of the substrate W is prevented from proceeding beyond a predetermined level. Next, when the rinsing process is performed for a predetermined time as shown in S7, the second pump 45 is stopped as shown in S8, and the holding member 24 is leveled as shown in S9, thereby performing the etching process. Ends.
[0053]
When the etching process is finished, the entrance / exit 22 is opened, the substrate W rinsed by the robot 4 is taken out, and the substrate W is supplied to the cleaning processing unit 7 to be cleaned. When the cleaning process of the substrate W is completed, the series of processes for the substrate W is completed by supplying it to the drying processing unit 8 and performing the drying process. The substrate W processed in this way is taken out from the drying processing unit 8 by the robot 4 and stored in the unloader 12.
[0054]
The present invention is not limited to the one embodiment described above and can be variously modified. For example, although the etching processing unit 6, the cleaning processing unit 7 and the drying processing unit 8 are arranged as processing units on one side of the traveling path 3, other processing units necessary for forming a circuit pattern on the substrate W, For example, a processing unit for performing CVD or ashing may be provided, and the type and number of processing units are not limited.
Further, the object to be processed is not limited to the glass substrate for liquid crystal, but may be a semiconductor wafer or the like, and the point is not limited at all.
[0055]
【The invention's effect】
According to the first aspect of the present invention, the holding member on which the workpiece is placed is tilted in different directions during the etching process and during the rinsing process, and is dropped from the lower end side in the tilt direction of the workpiece during the etching process. Etching solution was collected.
[0056]
Therefore, it is possible to prevent the rinsing liquid during the rinsing process from being mixed into the etching liquid collected during the etching process, so that the etching liquid can be used repeatedly.
[0057]
In addition, since the etching solution and the rinsing liquid can be collected separately, the etching process and the rinsing process can be performed in one chamber without causing any trouble in the collection of the etching liquid.
[0058]
According to the second aspect of the present invention, the etching solution in which the rinsing solution is not mixed can be collected and circulated, so that the etching solution can be used repeatedly.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a plan view of a schematic configuration of a processing apparatus showing an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a side view of the processing apparatus.
FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the same etching apparatus.
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the same etching apparatus.
FIG. 5 is a plan view of an arrangement state of an etching nozzle and a rinsing nozzle.
FIG. 6 is a flowchart when the substrate is similarly etched.
[Explanation of symbols]
2 ... Device body 3 ... Running path 4 ... Robot (delivery device)
6 ... Etching unit 7 ... Cleaning unit 8 ... Drying unit 11 ... Loader 12 ... Unloader 21 ... Chamber 24 ... Holding member 27 ... Drive source (drive means)
31 ... 1st spear (etching liquid recovery means)
32 ... Second bowl (rinse solution recovery means)
34 ... 1st collection tank (etching liquid collection means)
36... Etching nozzle 37... First pump (etching solution recovery means)
39 ... Second recovery tank (rinse solution recovery means)
42 ... Rinse nozzle 45 ... Second pump (rinse solution recovery means)

Claims (2)

In the etching processing apparatus for rinsing with an rinsing liquid after etching an object to be processed with an etching liquid,
A chamber;
A holding member that is swingably provided in the chamber and holds the object to be processed on its upper surface;
A first supply means for supplying an etchant and a second supply means for supplying a rinsing liquid to the object to be processed which is disposed in the upper part of the chamber and held by the holding member;
Driving means for inclining the holding member in different directions when supplying an etching liquid to the object to be processed and performing an rinsing process by supplying a rinsing liquid; and
Etching solution recovery means for recovering the etching solution dripped from the lower end side in the inclination direction of the processing object when the processing object is etched,
An etching processing apparatus comprising: a rinsing liquid recovery means for recovering a rinsing liquid dripped from the lower end side in the inclination direction of the object to be processed when the object to be processed is rinsed.   The etching solution recovery means is provided at the inner bottom portion of the chamber and is provided in communication with the first receiving portion for receiving the etching solution dropped from the lower end in the inclination direction of the workpiece during the etching process. A recovery tank for recovering the etching liquid, and a pump for connecting the recovery tank and the first supply means to circulate the etching liquid recovered in the recovery tank to the first supply means in the middle. The etching processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a circulating pipe provided.

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