JP3788789B2 - Substrate development method and development apparatus - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a developing method and a developing apparatus by using a developer placed on the surface of a thin and flexible substrate such as a glass substrate.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In order to form a resist film having a predetermined pattern on a glass substrate used as a liquid crystal substrate or the like, the resist film is exposed to a predetermined pattern, and only the resist film having the predetermined pattern is left by development.
[0003]
In addition, after the development is completed, it is necessary to remove the developer from the substrate surface. Conventionally, the substrate is rotated in the cup and the developer is scattered from the substrate by centrifugal force. In the removal, the developer was scattered around and contaminated the surrounding devices, and it was difficult to recover. Even when it was recovered, the recovery rate was poor and accompanied by contamination.
[0004]
Therefore, a method of sucking and collecting the developer with a nozzle has been proposed (Patent Document 1). Similarly, a method of sucking and collecting the developer from the periphery of the substrate (Patent Document 2), a method of covering the substrate with a casing, supplying the developer from above, and sucking and collecting from the side are also proposed. ing. (Patent Document 3)
In addition, a method has been proposed in which one end of the substrate is lifted by two pins, the substrate is inclined, and the developer is allowed to flow down. (Patent Document 4)
[0005]
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-8-45832 (paragraph 0016)
[Patent Document 2]
JP-A-9-310028 (paragraph 0018)
[Patent Document 3]
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-12540 (paragraph 0032, FIG. 1)
[Patent Document 4]
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-142340 (paragraph 0018, FIG. 3)
[0006]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, as disclosed in Patent Documents 1 to 3, the structure in which the developer is sucked by the nozzle takes time to suck, and recently, in order to increase the processing efficiency, the area of the substrate is large (the long side is long). 2m), it will take more time. Further, when the substrate area becomes large, the developer cannot be sucked in part and the developer remains, and development unevenness tends to occur.
[0007]
On the other hand, according to the method of Patent Document 4, the time for removing the developer can be shortened even when the substrate area is increased, but there is a problem of bending of the substrate. That is, in FIG. 3 of Patent Document 4, the substrate is lifted obliquely without being bent, but such a bending does not become a problem only in a semiconductor wafer or an extremely small glass substrate.
[0008]
As described above, the glass substrate tends to increase in size, and even when the substrate area is increased, the thickness is as thin as about 0.7 mm. Does not flow down and spills to the side, and near the opposite side is almost horizontal, so the developer remains.
[0009]
The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a substrate developing method and a developing apparatus capable of collecting a developer in a short time without imposing a burden on the substrate.
[0010]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above-described problems, a developing method according to the present invention transports a substrate on which a developer is placed on a surface to a developer recovery unit by a transport line including a plurality of rollers (cylindrical rollers). The substrate is temporarily stopped and the lower center portion of the substrate is raised by the elevating member, and the substrate is bent so that the center portion is high and both ends in the transport direction are low, and the developer on the surface of the substrate is lowered. It was made to flow down from both ends. As the elevating member, a roller that can be moved up and down can be used.
Thus, by lifting the central portion of the substrate, both ends in the transport direction are lowered by its own weight, and the developer flows down in a short time.
[0011]
Further, if the flowed developer is collected by the bowl-shaped collection unit located below both ends of the stopped substrate, there is no waste, and the same flow and collection of the rinse solution may be performed.
[0012]
The developing device according to the present invention includes a transport line composed of a plurality of rollers aligned in a direction orthogonal to the transport direction of the substrate, a developer supply unit provided on the transport line, and a developer recovery unit The developer recovery unit is provided with an elevating member that pushes up the central part in the substrate transport direction from below. The roller may be a lifting member.
[0013]
Further, in the case where the rinsing liquid is similarly flowed down and collected, the developer collecting section and the rinsing liquid supply / collecting section may be provided at the same location.
[0014]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Here, FIG. 1 is an overall plan view of the developing device according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the developer recovery unit. A developer recovery unit 3, a rinsing liquid supply / recovery unit 4 and a drying unit 5 are arranged.
[0015]
The transport line 1 is composed of a plurality of rollers (cylindrical rollers) 10, the rollers 10 are spaced apart at equal intervals, and their axes are arranged in a direction perpendicular to the substrate transport direction, and the length thereof is the substrate W to be transported. The width is set to be slightly longer than this width, and is further rotated synchronously by a motor (not shown).
[0016]
Among the plurality of rollers 10 arranged in the developer supply unit 2, the roller 10a located at the intermediate portion is freely movable up and down, and the length of the long side of the substrate W is approximately upstream and downstream from the roller 10a. A bowl-shaped collection member 6 is provided below the position that becomes ½, and a lid 7 is attached to the bowl-shaped collection member 6 so as to be freely opened and closed (see FIGS. 3B and 3C).
[0017]
Similarly, in the rinse liquid supply / recovery unit 4, a bowl-shaped recovery member 16 having a roller 15 a and a lid body 17 (see FIG. 3D) that can be moved up and down is disposed.
[0018]
Next, a specific developing method will be described with reference to FIG. First, as shown in FIG. 3A, the glass substrate that has been transported in a roll is stopped at the developer supply unit 2, and the developer is developed by a slit nozzle 8 having a discharge port having a length substantially equal to the width of the glass substrate. Is placed on the surface of the glass substrate.
[0019]
After standing for a predetermined time and developing, as shown in FIG. 3 (b), the roller 10a can be moved up and down to the adjacent developer recovery unit 3 and the roller 10a that can be moved up and down is moved in the glass substrate transfer direction (longitudinal direction). The glass substrate is stopped when it is positioned in the middle.
[0020]
Next, as shown in FIG. 3C, the roller 10a is raised. Then, the center of the glass substrate is lifted and curved into a mountain shape with both ends lowered, and the developer accumulated on the glass substrate surface flows down from both ends. At this time, since the lid 7 is rotated and opened, the developer is recovered in the bowl-shaped recovery member 6.
[0021]
Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 3 (d), the glass substrate is roller-transported, moved to the rinsing liquid supply / recovery unit 4 and stopped. As shown in FIG. 3E, in the rinsing liquid supply / recovery unit 4, the roller 15 a is raised to bend the glass substrate into a mountain shape, and at the same time, a nozzle 9 is formed at the center of the highest glass substrate. Supply rinse solution from. The supplied rinse liquid flows down toward both ends along the surface of the glass substrate.
[0022]
As for the rinsing liquid, since the rinsing liquid at the beginning of supply is dirty, the rinsing liquid is discharged as it is, and after a predetermined time has elapsed, as shown in FIG. It collects in the recovery member 16. Thereafter, the glass substrate is roller-transferred toward the drying unit 5.
[0023]
Instead of raising the intermediate roller, the upstream and downstream rollers of the intermediate roller may be lowered to bend the substrate.
Further, the bowl-shaped collection members 6 and 16 may be movable in position so as to be applicable to the size of the substrate.
[0024]
FIGS. 4-6 shows the example which used the raising / lowering bar 21 (rod) instead of the roller as a raising / lowering member. That is, in this alternative embodiment, a support 20 that moves up and down is disposed below a plurality of rollers 10 constituting the developer recovery section and / or the rinsing liquid supply / recovery section. A lifting bar 21 is attached. Each of the three lifting bars 21 is disposed between the rollers 10 in plan view, and the central lifting bar 21 is set slightly higher than the left and right lifting bars 21.
[0025]
Thus, in the standby state, as shown in FIG. 5, all the three lifting bars 21 are located below the roller 10, and after the glass substrate stops at a predetermined position, the support 20 is raised as shown in FIG. The center part of the glass substrate is lifted by the three lifting bars 21 and both ends are hung down.
[0026]
7 to 9 show another embodiment in which a bar 31 and a comb-like support 32 are used instead of rollers as lifting members. FIG. 7 is a plan view (a) and a cross-sectional view (b) of a developing device according to another embodiment, FIG. 8 is a side view of the developing device shown in FIG. FIG. 8 is a side view of a state in which a lifting device of the developing device shown in FIG. 7 is raised.
[0027]
As shown in FIG. 7, an elevating bar 31 is arranged below the plurality of rollers 10 constituting the developer collecting unit and / or the rinsing liquid supply / collecting unit, and a thin plate-like comb-like support body 32 is provided in the elevating bar. A plurality of lift members 33 are attached to the lift bar 31 at the same time as a plurality of the lift members 33 are attached to a position perpendicular to the lift 31. In order to continue to hold the comb-shaped support body 32 without displacement, the comb-shaped support bodies 32 are connected together with the lifting bar 31 by two support body connecting rods 34. Furthermore, as shown in FIG.7 (b), the raising / lowering bar 31 and the two support body connection bars 34 differ in the position (height) which has connected the comb-shaped support body 32. As shown in FIG. The raising / lowering member 33 is attached to the raising / lowering bar 31, and is raising / lowering the raising / lowering bar 31 (it is not attached to the support body connection rod 34).
[0028]
As shown in FIG. 8, the upper part of the comb-like support body 32 is a substrate support portion 32 a, and supports the substrate W here. The substrate support portion 32a has a shape (mountain shape) slightly lowering from the center to the left and right, that is, the height is slightly changed from the center to the left and right. By adopting such a shape, the substrate W can be supported in a shape along the natural deflection of the substrate W when the substrate W is lifted.
[0029]
Further, the comb-like support body 32 has a comb shape when viewed from the cross section. The seven substrate support portions 32a are connected downward. The comb shape prevents the transfer roller 10 from getting in the way when it is raised. Further, the comb-like support body 32 is connected to the substrate support portion 32 a at the center portion by the elevating bar 31, and the lower part of the comb-like support body 32 is connected by the two support body connecting rods 33.
[0030]
Thus, in the standby state, as shown in FIG. 8, the elevating bar 31 and the comb-like support 32 are both positioned below the roller 10, and after the glass substrate W stops at a predetermined position, the elevating bar as shown in FIG. 31 is raised by the elevating member 33 and the central portion of the glass substrate W is lifted by the elevating bar 31 and the comb-like support body 32 and both ends are hung down. At this time, the glass substrate W is supported by the substrate support portion 32a, which has a considerably large support area.
[0031]
Thus, since one comb-like support body 32 supports the substrate W with the seven substrate support portions 32a, the number of the six support members 32 supports the substrate W with a total of 42 points. The number of support points increases as the size of the substrate W increases and the number of comb-shaped supports 32 increases or the number of substrate support portions 32a increases.
[0032]
Lifting the center of the glass substrate with one lifting bar or roller increases the bending angle of the substrate and increases the load on the substrate. However, three or two lifting bars, or lifting bars and combs If the glass substrate is lifted by using the cylindrical support, the substrate will bend gently and the load will be reduced.
[0033]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the development method (apparatus) of the substrate according to the present invention, utilizing the characteristic that the thin and large substrate is easily bent, the central portion of the substrate is lifted, and both ends of the substrate are suspended, As a result, the developer is dropped and collected as necessary, so that the development process can be performed in a short time without any burden on the substrate.
[0034]
In particular, the above effect can be achieved without increasing the number of components by allowing one of the rollers for transporting the substrate to move up and down as a member for lifting the central portion of the substrate.
[0035]
Further, the same method can be applied to the recovery of the rinse liquid, and the line configuration can be simplified. In particular, the developer can be further simplified by using the developer recovery unit also as the rinsing liquid supply / recovery unit.
In addition, since the rinsing liquid is supplied to the highest portion of the mountain shape when the rinsing liquid is supplied, the flow of the rinsing liquid is in a certain direction, and uniform processing is possible.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is an overall plan view of a developing device according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a developer collecting unit. FIGS. 3A to 3F are steps from supplying a developing solution to collecting a rinsing solution. FIG. 4 is a plan view of a main part of a developing device according to another embodiment. FIG. 5 is a side view of the developing device shown in FIG. FIG. 7A and FIG. 7B are a plan view and a cross-sectional view of a developing device according to another embodiment, respectively. FIG. FIG. 9 is a side view of the developing device when the lifting device is lowered. FIG. 9 is a side view of the developing device when the lifting device of the developing device is lifted.
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Conveyance line, 2 ... Developer supply part, 3 ... Developer recovery part, 4 ... Rinse solution supply / recovery part, 5 ... Drying part, 6, 16 ... Spear-like recovery member, 7, 17 ... Cover body, 8 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS ... Slit nozzle, 9 ... Rinsing liquid supply nozzle, 10 ... Roller for conveyance, 10a, 15a ... Roller which can be moved up and down, 21, 31 ... Lifting bar, 32 ... Comb-like support body, 32a ... Substrate support part, 33 ... Elevating member, 34 ... support connecting rod.

Claims (9)

The substrate on which the developer is placed is transported to the developer recovery unit by a transport line composed of a plurality of rollers, and the substrate is temporarily stopped by the developer recovery unit and the central portion of the lower surface of the substrate is raised by the lifting member. Then, the substrate is bent such that the central portion is high and both end portions in the transport direction are low, and the developing solution on the surface of the substrate is allowed to flow down from the low end portions. 2. The method for developing a substrate according to claim 1, wherein one of a plurality of rollers provided in a developer recovery section as the elevating member is raised. 3. The method for developing a substrate according to claim 1, wherein a rinsing liquid is supplied after the developing solution is caused to flow down, and the rinsing liquid is caused to flow down from the substrate in a manner similar to the recovery of the developing solution. A development method of a substrate characterized by the above. 4. The method for developing a substrate according to claim 1, wherein the developer or the rinsing liquid flowing down from the substrate is collected. A developing device comprising a transport line composed of a plurality of rollers aligned in a direction orthogonal to the transport direction of the substrate, a developer supply unit provided on the transport line, and a developer recovery unit, A developing device for a substrate, wherein the developing solution recovery unit is provided with a lifting member that pushes up a central portion in the substrate transport direction from below. 6. The substrate developing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the elevating member is configured to be able to move up and down one of a plurality of rollers disposed in the developer recovery unit. Development device. 7. The developing device according to claim 5, wherein the developer recovery unit also serves as a rinsing liquid supply / recovery unit. 8. The developing device according to claim 5, wherein a supply / recovery unit for rinsing liquid is provided on a transport line downstream of the developer recovery unit, and the supply / recovery unit for the rinse liquid is also provided. An apparatus for developing a substrate, comprising a lifting member for pushing up the center of the substrate from below. 9. The developing device according to claim 5, wherein a collecting means for collecting the developing solution or the rinsing solution is disposed below the conveying line on the upstream side and the downstream side of the elevating member. Development device.

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