JP3831478B2 - Vacuum drying processing equipment - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a vacuum drying processing apparatus, and more particularly to a vacuum drying processing apparatus used in a drying process accompanying color filter manufacturing in a liquid crystal substrate manufacturing process.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, for example, a vacuum drying apparatus shown in FIG. 3 is known as a vacuum drying processing apparatus that receives a sample (wafer or photomask, etc.) that has been subjected to a predetermined process in a manufacturing process of a semiconductor product and performs a drying process in a vacuum. ing.
[0003]
Number 31 in the figure is a stage. A receiving portion 33 that supports the sample 32 is provided at an appropriate location on the upper surface of the stage 31. A vacuum chamber 35 is provided around the upper surface of the stage 31 via a sealing material 34. The vacuum chamber 35 covers the entire sample 32 around the stage and keeps the inside in a vacuum state. The vacuum chamber 35 is formed in an appropriate box shape and can be opened and closed in the vertical direction. A through hole is formed in one side wall of the vacuum chamber 35, and a vacuum pump 37 is connected to the through hole through a pipe 36. Here, by operating the vacuum pump 37 to suck air in the vacuum chamber 35, the vacuum chamber 35 can be brought into a vacuum state. A heat generation lamp 38 is provided on the inner wall of the vacuum chamber 35 corresponding to the sample 32. Reference numeral 39 indicates a solvent applied to the sample 32.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the conventional vacuum drying apparatus, since the sample 32 is heated by the upper heat generating lamp 38, the heat generating lamp 38 is transferred to the sample 32, and the substrate cannot be heated uniformly. Further, since the air in the vacuum chamber 35 is sucked from one side wall of the vacuum chamber 35, the solvent applied to the sample 32 dries quickly on the suction side and is difficult to dry on the opposite side, resulting in uneven drying of the applied solvent. There was a problem.
[0005]
Although not shown, in a vacuum drying processing apparatus used in a drying process associated with color filter manufacturing in the manufacturing process of a liquid crystal substrate, the substrate is placed on a heating plate and sequentially sent to a heating plate at a different temperature, and the substrate is transferred to a predetermined substrate. Heating to temperature and drying were performed. However, even in such an apparatus, there are problems such as non-uniform heating of the substrate and uneven drying, and heat insulation on the opposite side of the heating surface is not sufficient, and there are problems in terms of safety and apparatus protection.
[0006]
The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and by improving the heating means for the substrate and the exhaust means in the housing, the substrate can be heated uniformly, and the occurrence of uneven drying can be suppressed. An object of the present invention is to provide a vacuum drying processing apparatus that can efficiently heat the above.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The present invention relates to a vacuum drying apparatus for drying a solvent applied to a substrate in a vacuum, and a box-like lower chamber having an upper opening, and a casing that is attached to the box-like lower chamber and is attached to the box-like lower chamber. A box-shaped upper chamber having an opening at the bottom, a heat equalizing plate provided with a support pin for supporting the substrate on the upper portion, and a heater disposed below the heat equalizing plate. Equipped,
A vacuum characterized in that a plurality of exhaust ports are provided in an outer peripheral edge portion of the soaking plate, and a vacuum passage is performed by forming a passage communicating with the exhaust port between the soaking plate and the heater and an inner wall of the housing. It is a drying processing apparatus.
[0008]
In the present invention, it is preferable to provide a heat insulating material for suppressing the heat from the heater from being transmitted downward at the lower portion of the (first) heater. As a result, the heat from the heater is prevented from being dispersed downward, and a large amount of heat is transmitted to the substrate via the heat equalizing plate and the support pins. Moreover, it is safe when an operator handles the apparatus, and is preferable from the viewpoint of protecting the apparatus.
[0009]
In this invention, it is preferable to provide the 2nd heater covered with the heat insulating material in the upper part of the box-shaped upper chamber. Thereby, a board | substrate can be efficiently heated from the upper and lower sides with a 1st heater, and it can suppress that the heat | fever of a 2nd heater is disperse | distributed upwards with the heat insulating material of the upper part of a 2nd heater.
[0010]
In the present invention, as described above, a plurality of exhaust ports communicating with the passage are provided. Thereby, the drying unevenness of the substrate can be suppressed and the apparatus can be easily handled. Although the exhaust port can be provided on the upper side of the housing, the exhaust port and the exhaust pump are usually connected by a bellows-like connecting member, which is not preferable in terms of handling of the apparatus.
[0011]
In the present invention, it is preferable that the diameter of the support pin is about 1 mm and the tip is needle-shaped. Moreover, it is preferable that the support pins can be removed so that substrates of different sizes and numbers can be handled for each lot. Furthermore, it is preferable that the support pin is erected at a position where heat from the heater does not directly affect the product substrate.
[0012]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. Here, FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a vacuum drying apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a schematic development view of the vacuum drying apparatus of FIG.
[0013]
Reference numeral 1 in the figure is a box-like lower chamber having an upper opening. The box-shaped lower chamber 1 is crowned with a box-shaped upper chamber 2 having a lower portion opened through a part of a soaking plate 9 described later. On the side wall of the box-shaped upper chamber 2, a protrusion 2a for locking an up-and-down mechanism member described later is provided. A casing 3 is constituted by the box-shaped lower chamber 1, a part of the soaking plate 9 and the box-shaped upper chamber 2. Sealing properties are maintained between the box-shaped lower chamber 1 and the soaking plate 9 and between the soaking plate 9 and the box-shaped upper chamber 2 by heat-resistant O-rings 4a and 4b, respectively.
[0014]
At the bottom of the box-shaped lower chamber 1 that constitutes a part of the housing 3, a column 6 that supports the storage member 5 that is open at the top is erected. The storage member 5 is provided with a film-like first heater 8 via a heat insulating material 7 made of Teflon. A soaking plate 9 is placed on the storage member 5 and the heater 8. Here, a heat-resistant O-ring 10 is embedded in the surface of the storage member 5 in contact with the soaking plate 9. An exhaust port 12 is provided at the outer peripheral edge of the surface of the heat equalizing plate 9. A substrate 14 is supported on the heat equalizing plate 9 via a large number of support pins (proxy pins) 13 arranged at substantially equal intervals. The support pin 13 is replaceable, has a diameter of about 1 mm, and has a needle-like tip.
[0015]
The storage member 5, the heat insulating material 7, the heater 8 and the heat equalizing plate 9 are laminated, and a passage (manifold) 15 is formed between these and the inner wall surface of the housing 3. The passage 15 communicates with the exhaust port 12 of the heat equalizing plate 9. The passage 15 is connected to an exhaust pump through a bellows-like pipe 16. A second heater 17 is provided in the upper part of the box-shaped upper chamber 2, and the heater 17 is covered with a heat insulating material 18 made of Teflon. Reference numeral 19 in the figure is a vertical mechanism member having a notch 19a that engages with the protrusion 2a of the box-like upper chamber 2.
[0016]
In the vacuum drying apparatus having such a configuration, the box-shaped upper chamber 2 is first opened and the substrate 14 coated with the solvent is placed on the support pins 13 before the vacuum drying process. Further, after closing the box-like upper chamber 2, the inside of the housing 3 is exhausted from an exhaust pump (not shown) through a bellows-like pipe 16.
[0017]
The vacuum drying apparatus having the above-described configuration has the following effects.
(1) Since the heat from the first heater 8 is transmitted to the substrate 14 through the heat equalizing plate 9 and a large number of support pins 13 arranged at equal intervals, the conventional substrate 14 Therefore, the substrate 14 can be heated uniformly.
[0018]
(2) A plurality of exhaust ports 12 are provided at the outer peripheral edge of the surface of the heat equalizing plate 9, and the storage member 5, the heat insulating material 7, the heater 8, and the heat equalizing plate 9 are respectively laminated. Since the passage 15 is provided between the wall surfaces, and the passage 15 is communicated with the exhaust port 12, the air around the substrate 14 can be exhausted over the entire surface of the substrate, thereby causing uneven drying of the substrate. Can be suppressed.
[0019]
(3) The heat insulating material 7 is provided on the back surface of the first heater 8 for heating the substrate 14 to suppress the heat from the heater 8 from being transmitted downward, and the other for heating the substrate 14. Since the upper portion of the second heater 17 is covered with the heat insulating material 18 and the heat from the heater 17 is prevented from being transmitted upward, the substrate 14 can be efficiently heated. Further, for the same reason, it is possible to ensure the safety of an operator who handles the apparatus, and it is preferable from the viewpoint of protection of the apparatus.
[0020]
(4) Since an exhaust port is provided on the lower side of the housing 3 and the exhaust port is evacuated by an exhaust pump through a bellows-like pipe 16, workability is good.
In the above embodiment, the case where Teflon is used as the heat insulating material has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and any material may be used as long as it has heat insulating properties and low power generation. Moreover, although the case where the exhaust port of the housing is provided in the lower part has been described in the above embodiment, it can be provided in the upper part of the housing.
[0021]
In the above embodiment, the case where a part of the soaking plate is used as a part of the casing has been described. However, the casing is composed of a box-like lower chamber and a box-like upper chamber, and the soaking plate is in the casing. It may be in a state of being completely housed.
[0022]
【The invention's effect】
As described above in detail, according to the present invention, the heating means for the substrate and the exhaust means in the housing are improved, so that the smoothness of the substrate is not impaired and the occurrence of uneven drying is further suppressed. It is possible to provide a vacuum drying processing apparatus that can efficiently heat the gas.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a vacuum drying apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a schematic development view of the vacuum drying processing apparatus of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a conventional vacuum processing apparatus.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 ... Box-shaped lower chamber,
2 ... Box-shaped upper chamber,
3 ... Case,
4 ... O-ring,
5. Storage member,
7, 18 ... heat insulation,
8, 17 ... heater,
9 ... soaking plate,
12… Exhaust port,
14 ... substrate
15 ... Aisle,
16 ... Piping.

Claims (3)

In a vacuum drying processing apparatus for drying a solvent applied to a substrate in a vacuum, a box-shaped lower chamber having an upper opening, and at least a part of a housing that is attached to the box-shaped lower chamber and is attached to the box-shaped lower chamber Comprising a box-shaped upper chamber having an opening at the bottom, a heat equalizing plate in which a support pin for supporting the substrate is erected on the upper portion, and a heater disposed below the heat equalizing plate,
A vacuum characterized in that a plurality of exhaust ports are provided in an outer peripheral edge portion of the soaking plate, and a vacuum passage is performed by forming a passage communicating with the exhaust port between the soaking plate and the heater and an inner wall of the housing. Drying processing equipment.   The vacuum drying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a heat insulating material for suppressing heat from the heater from being transmitted downward is provided at a lower portion of the heater.   The vacuum processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a heater covered with a heat insulating material is provided on an upper portion of the box-shaped upper chamber.

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