JP3840388B2 - Substrate processing equipment - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus such as a resist coating apparatus that coats a resist solution on a glass substrate used in a liquid crystal display device, for example.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In the manufacture of a liquid crystal display device, a resist solution is applied to a glass rectangular substrate to form a resist film, the resist film is exposed in accordance with a circuit pattern, and this is developed, so-called photolithography. A circuit pattern is formed by the technique.
[0003]
As a technique for applying the resist solution on the glass substrate, a so-called spin coating method is generally used in which the resist solution is supplied onto the glass substrate while rotating the glass substrate, and the resist solution is extended over the entire surface of the glass substrate by centrifugal force. is there. After that, a step of adjusting the film thickness of the resist film by rotating the substrate again is performed.
[0004]
In this way, when the resist solution is applied by the spin coating method and then the substrate is rotated again, a strong air current is generated near the outer periphery of the glass substrate, which causes uneven coating. Therefore, for example, a glass substrate is accommodated in a container and the container itself is rotated in synchronization with the rotation of the glass substrate.
[0005]
And in such a container, the outflow hole for discharging | emitting the resist liquid shaken off from the glass substrate out of the container is provided in the container outer periphery, for example. In addition, a wall plate is arranged so as to surround the outer periphery of such a container, and a discharge port is provided below the wall plate, and the resist solution discharged from the outflow hole is discharged to the outside through the discharge port. Has been. Further, an exhaust passage is provided on the back surface of the wall plate so as to straddle the bottom of the wall plate, and the gas-liquid separated gas is exhausted to the outside through an exhaust port connected to the exhaust passage.
[0006]
However, in the above-described configuration, there is a problem that the resist solution discharged from the outflow hole of the container adheres to the inside of the wall plate and the resist is likely to be stained. In particular, the resist solution discharged from the outflow hole of the container hits the wall plate to be in a mist state, and the resist solution in the mist state reaches the exhaust passage without being discharged from the discharge port and adheres to, for example, the upper portion of the exhaust passage. Yes.
[0007]
Therefore, for example, conventionally, the inside of a wall plate is cleaned about once in one lot (for example, about 40 sheets). Such cleaning is performed, for example, by rotating the container while supplying thinner as a cleaning liquid into the container and discharging the thinner from the outlet hole of the container toward the wall plate.
[0008]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in this case, although the resist stain of the portion is removed by the thinner directly hitting the wall plate, the above-described mist is generated when the thinner hits the portion, which further increases the adhesion of the resist in the exhaust passage. There is a problem of becoming.
[0009]
The present invention has been made based on such circumstances, and it is difficult for the liquid discharged from the outflow hole of the container to adhere to the wall plate or the like, and such liquid is difficult to adhere or reattach in the form of a mist. The object is to provide a device.
[0010]
Another object of the present invention is to provide a substrate processing apparatus capable of reducing the amount of cleaning liquid such as thinner as much as possible and performing cleaning processing in a short time.
[0011]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve this problem, a substrate processing apparatus of the present invention includes a holding member that rotatably holds a substrate, a supply unit that supplies a predetermined liquid to the substrate held by the holding member, and the holding member that holds the substrate. A container having an outflow hole that accommodates the substrate and can be rotated in synchronization with the holding member and can discharge the liquid on the outer periphery; and an opening that receives the liquid discharged from the outflow hole. And a flange that is continuously disposed along the outer periphery of the container, a wall plate is disposed along the outer periphery of the container, and the wall plate is recessed in a U-shaped cross section. Accordingly, the flange portion is configured, and a first exhaust passage that communicates from below the wall plate to the back side of the wall plate is provided, and a second exhaust passage that communicates from above the wall plate to the back side of the wall plate. An exhaust passage is provided, the first exhaust passage An exhaust port is connected to the second exhaust passage, and an airflow flowing from the first exhaust passage toward the exhaust port and an airflow flowing from the second exhaust passage toward the exhaust port are the flanges. The inclination angle of the ceiling portion of the heel portion and the inclination angle of the floor portion are made substantially equal so as to be line-symmetric with respect to each other.
[0012]
According to the present invention, since the liquid discharged from the outflow hole of the container is collected through the buttock, it is possible to suppress only the local contamination of the buttock. Further, since the mist is confined in the buttocks, the mist is less likely to be scattered in the exhaust passage or the like. Therefore, according to the present invention, there is provided a substrate processing apparatus in which liquid discharged from an outflow hole of a container is difficult to adhere to a wall plate or the like, and such liquid is in a mist form and is difficult to adhere or reattach. Can do. In addition, according to the present invention, the cleaning range may be only the buttocks, so that the amount of cleaning liquid such as thinner can be reduced as much as possible, and the cleaning process can be performed in a short time.
In addition, since the inclination angle of the ceiling portion and the inclination angle of the floor portion are substantially equal, the inclination angle of the rear surface of the ceiling portion and the inclination angle of the rear surface of the floor portion are substantially equal on the back side of the heel portion, and the first The airflow that flows from the exhaust passage toward the exhaust port and the airflow that flows from the second exhaust passage toward the exhaust port are substantially the same, and turbulence such as vortices is not generated on the back side of the wall plate. It is possible to effectively prevent mist from scattering.
Another substrate processing apparatus of the present invention contains a holding member that rotatably holds a substrate, a supply unit that supplies a predetermined liquid to the substrate held by the holding member, and a substrate held by the holding member In addition, a container having an outflow hole that can rotate in synchronization with the holding member and can discharge the liquid on the outer periphery, and an opening that receives the liquid discharged from the outflow hole face the outflow hole. Provided, and a wall plate is disposed along the outer periphery of the container, and a wall plate is disposed along the outer periphery of the container, and the wall plate is recessed in a U-shaped cross section. A first exhaust passage that communicates from below the wall plate to the back side of the wall plate, and a second exhaust passage that communicates from above the wall plate to the back side of the wall plate. The first exhaust passage and the second exhaust passage. Exhaust port is connected, the the first exhaust passage on is provided a guide plate with its upper part open, the guide plate is characterized in that provided below the floor of the trough.
According to the present invention, since the liquid discharged from the outflow hole of the container is collected through the buttock, it is possible to suppress only the local contamination of the buttock. Further, since the mist is confined in the buttocks, the mist is less likely to be scattered in the exhaust passage or the like. Therefore, according to the present invention, there is provided a substrate processing apparatus in which liquid discharged from an outflow hole of a container is difficult to adhere to a wall plate or the like, and such liquid is in a mist form and is difficult to adhere or reattach. Can do. In addition, since the guide plate is provided below the floor portion of the collar portion, the thickness of the first exhaust passage can be easily adjusted by adjusting the height of the guide plate.
In this case, it is characterized in that the ceiling portion of the U-shaped saddle portion is inclined so as to open toward the container.
In addition, the ceiling portion is curved.
Furthermore, a discharge port for discharging the liquid is provided below the wall plate. In this case, the pipe | tube for making a liquid flow out from the said collar part to the said discharge port is arrange | positioned toward the said discharge port from the floor part of the said collar part.
Further, a mesh member is disposed between the first exhaust passage and the exhaust port. In this case, the exhaust port is provided with a damper for opening and closing the exhaust port.
Furthermore, the outflow hole faces the slope of the ceiling portion of the flange portion.
The apparatus further includes means for supplying a cleaning liquid into the container, and the cleaning liquid is discharged from the outflow hole by rotating the container while the cleaning liquid is supplied, and the inside of the collar portion is cleaned by the discharged cleaning liquid. It is characterized by that.
In this case, the apparatus further comprises means for controlling the rotational speed of the container when the inside of the collar portion is cleaned with the cleaning liquid. The apparatus further comprises a switching valve for reusing the predetermined liquid collected by the collar and discharging the cleaning liquid collected by the collar.
Moreover, the surface in the said collar part is covered with the protective member which can be attached or detached.
Further, the collar portion is provided with a Teflon (registered trademark) coating . In this case, a Teflon (registered trademark) coating is applied to the first region of the heel portion that directly contacts the liquid discharged from the outflow hole of the container, and the second region above the first region. Is not provided with a Teflon (registered trademark) coating. Moreover, the collar part is provided in the upper part of the outflow hole of the said container outer periphery.
[0013]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0014]
FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a resist coating / development processing system for a substrate to which the present invention is applied.
[0015]
This coating / development processing system includes a cassette station 1 on which a cassette C that accommodates a plurality of substrates G is placed, and a processing including a plurality of processing units for performing a series of processes including resist coating and development on the substrates G. And an interface unit 3 for transferring the substrate G between the exposure unit (not shown), and the cassette station 1 and the interface unit 3 are disposed at both ends of the processing unit 2, respectively. Yes.
[0016]
The cassette station 1 includes a transport mechanism 10 for transporting a substrate between the cassette C and the processing unit 2. Then, the cassette C is loaded and unloaded at the cassette station 1. Further, the transport mechanism 10 includes a transport arm 11 that can move on a transport path 10 a provided along the cassette arrangement direction, and the transport arm 11 can transport the substrate G between the cassette C and the processing unit 2. Done.
[0017]
The processing section 2 is divided into a front stage section 2a, a middle stage section 2b, and a rear stage section 2c. Each of the processing sections 2 has transport paths 12, 13, and 14 at the center, and each processing unit is disposed on both sides of these transport paths. Yes. And between these, the relay parts 15 and 16 are provided.
[0018]
The front section 2a includes a main transport device 17 that can move along the transport path 12, and two cleaning units (SCRs) 21a and 21b are arranged on one side of the transport path 12, and the transport path 12, the processing block 25 in which the ultraviolet irradiation unit (UV) and the cooling unit (COL) are stacked in two stages, the processing block 26 in which the heating processing unit (HP) is stacked in two stages, and the cooling unit. A processing block 27 in which (COL) is stacked in two stages is arranged.
[0019]
The middle stage 2 b includes a main transfer device 18 that can move along the transfer path 13. On one side of the transfer path 13, a resist coating processing unit (CT) 22 and a resist on the peripheral edge of the substrate G are provided. The peripheral resist removing unit (ER) 23 for removing the substrate is integrally provided, and on the other side of the conveyance path 13, the processing block 28 in which the heating processing units (HP) are stacked in two stages, the heating processing unit A processing block 29 in which (HP) and a cooling processing unit (COL) are vertically stacked and a processing block 30 in which an adhesion processing unit (AD) and a cooling unit (COL) are vertically stacked are arranged. .
[0020]
Further, the rear stage portion 2 c includes a main transport device 19 that can move along the transport path 14, and three development processing units (DEV) 24 a, 24 b, and 24 c are disposed on one side of the transport path 14. On the other side of the conveyance path 14, a heat treatment unit (HP) is stacked in two stages, and a heat treatment unit (HP) and a cooling processing unit (COL) are stacked vertically. Processing blocks 32 and 33 are arranged.
[0021]
In the processing unit 2, only a spinner system unit such as the cleaning processing unit 21a, the resist processing unit 22, and the development processing unit 24a is disposed on one side of the conveyance path, and the heating processing unit is disposed on the other side. Only a thermal processing unit such as a cooling processing unit is arranged.
[0022]
Further, a chemical liquid supply unit 34 is disposed at a portion of the relay portions 15 and 16 on the spinner system unit arrangement side, and a space 35 for performing maintenance of the main transfer device is further provided.
[0023]
The main transport devices 17, 18, and 19 each include a two-direction X-axis drive mechanism, a Y-axis drive mechanism, and a vertical Z-axis drive mechanism in a horizontal plane, and further rotate around the Z-axis. A drive mechanism is provided, and arms 17a, 18a, 19a for supporting the substrate G are provided.
[0024]
The main transfer device 17 transfers the substrate G to and from the arm 11 of the transfer mechanism 10, loads / unloads the substrate G to / from each processing unit of the front stage 2 a, and further transfers the substrate to / from the relay unit 15. It has a function to deliver G. The main transfer device 18 transfers the substrate G to and from the relay unit 15, and loads and unloads the substrate G to / from each processing unit of the middle stage 2 b, and further transfers the substrate G to and from the relay unit 16. It has a function to perform. Further, the main transfer device 19 transfers the substrate G to and from the relay unit 16, loads and unloads the substrate G to / from each processing unit of the rear-stage unit 2 c, and transfers the substrate G to and from the interface unit 3. It has a function to perform. The relay parts 15 and 16 also function as cooling plates.
[0025]
The interface unit 3 includes an extension 36 that temporarily holds a substrate when the substrate is transferred to and from the processing unit 2, two buffer stages 37 that are provided on both sides of the substrate and that are provided with buffer cassettes, and these And a transfer mechanism 38 that carries in and out the substrate G between the exposure apparatus (not shown). The transport mechanism 38 includes a transport arm 39 that can move on a transport path 38 a provided along the arrangement direction of the extension 36 and the buffer stage 37. The transport arm 39 allows the substrate G to be transferred between the processing unit 2 and the exposure apparatus. Is carried out.
[0026]
By consolidating and integrating the processing units in this way, it is possible to save space and improve processing efficiency.
[0027]
In the resist coating / development processing system configured as described above, the substrate G in the cassette C is transported to the processing unit 2, and the processing unit 2 firstly includes an ultraviolet irradiation unit (UV) of the processing block 25 of the preceding stage 2 a. ) Is subjected to surface modification / cleaning processing and cooled by a cooling processing unit (COL), and then scrubber cleaning is performed by cleaning units (SCR) 21a and 21b. After being heated and dried by HP), it is cooled by one of the cooling units (COL) in the processing block 27.
[0028]
Thereafter, the substrate G is transported to the middle stage 2b and subjected to a hydrophobic treatment (HMDS process) in the upper adhesion processing unit (AD) of the processing block 30 in order to improve the fixing property of the resist, and the lower cooling processing unit ( After cooling by COL), a resist is applied by a resist coating unit (CT) 22, and excess resist on the periphery of the substrate G is removed by a peripheral resist removal unit (ER) 23. Thereafter, the substrate G is pre-baked by one of the heat processing units (HP) in the middle stage 2b and cooled by the lower cooling unit (COL) of the processing block 29 or 30.
[0029]
Thereafter, the substrate G is transported from the relay section 16 to the exposure apparatus via the interface section 3 by the main transport apparatus 19, where a predetermined pattern is exposed. And the board | substrate G is again carried in via the interface part 3, and after performing a post-exposure baking process in the heat processing unit (HP) of the process blocks 31, 32, and 33 of the back | latter stage part 2c as needed, Development processing is performed in one of the development processing units (DEV) 24a, 24b, and 24c, and a predetermined circuit pattern is formed. The developed substrate G is subjected to a post-baking process in any one of the heat treatment units (HP) in the rear stage 2c, and is then cooled in any cooling unit (COL). 18 and 17 and the transport mechanism 10 are accommodated in a predetermined cassette on the cassette station 1.
[0030]
Next, a resist coating unit (CT) 22 to which the substrate processing apparatus of the present invention is applied will be described.
[0031]
As shown in FIG. 2, the resist coating unit (CT) 22 is provided with a spin chuck 41 as a holding member that is rotated by a substrate rotating means, for example, a driving device 40. The substrate G is placed while being adsorbed while keeping its surface horizontal. Further, a rotating cup 42 having a bottomed cylindrical shape is provided which can be rotated in synchronization with the spin chuck 41 and surrounds the spin chuck 41 and the substrate G from below.
[0032]
A drain cup 44 that covers the outer peripheral side and the lower side of the rotary cup 42 is disposed on the outer peripheral side of the rotary cup 42.
[0033]
An annular lid 45 having an opening 46 in the center is attached to the upper opening of the rotating cup 42 by a mounting arm (not shown). The annular lid 45 is configured to rotate together with the rotating cup 42 when the rotating cup 42 is rotated together with the substrate G. In the opening 46 of the lid body 45, a cylindrical tubular member 47 is erected to prevent the resist solution from scattering when the resist solution is discharged.
[0034]
An outer lid 60 is mounted on the rotating cup 42 by a mounting arm (not shown). Above the outer lid 60, a nozzle 49 for supplying a resist solution and a solvent to the substrate G is moved between a standby position and the upper portion of the opening 46 by an arm (not shown). The nozzle 49 is provided with a multi-system nozzle unit including a coating solution discharge nozzle, for example, a resist solution discharge nozzle 51 for discharging a resist solution and a solvent discharge nozzle 52 for discharging a solvent such as thinner. ing.
[0035]
A small lid 53 is attached to the opening 46 of the annular lid 45. The small lid 53 can be moved up and down by an arm (not shown).
[0036]
A plurality of outflow holes 58 having an inner diameter of, for example, about 4 to 5 mm are provided on the outer circumference side portion of the bottom of the rotating cup 42, and the outer circumference side portion of the annular lid 45 is provided on the circumference. A plurality of air inflow holes 59 are provided. By rotating the rotating cup 42, centrifugal force acts on the air in the rotating cup 42, and as shown by the arrows in FIG. 2, the air and the resist solution are discharged from the outflow hole 58 of the rotating cup 42 to the outside. An air flow is formed such that air is introduced from the outside through the inflow hole 59 of the lid 45. By adjusting the air flow by changing the sizes of the outflow holes 58 and the inflow holes 59, the drying speed of the resist solution around the substrate G can be adjusted to adjust the diffusion speed. The thickness can be controlled and the uniformity of the film thickness can be maintained.
[0037]
The drain cup 44 has a wall plate 71 disposed along the outer periphery of the rotating cup 42. The wall plate 71 is provided with a flange 73 provided along the outer periphery of the rotary cup 42 by recessing the wall plate 71 itself in a U-shaped cross section. By integrating the flange portion 73 and the wall plate 71 in this way, the manufacture is easy and the sealing performance is good, but the flange portion 73 may be detachable from the wall plate 71, thereby maintaining. It can be easily performed. The flange 73 is provided so as to face the outflow hole 58 of the rotating cup 42, and has an opening 72 that receives the resist solution discharged from the outflow hole 58 of the rotating cup 42. The surface of the flange 73 is preferably coated with, for example, Teflon (registered trademark of DUPONT) or the like so that the resist solution does not easily adhere.
[0038]
The ceiling portion 74 of the flange portion 73 is inclined so as to open toward the rotary cup 42. The inclination angle θ1 is 10 ° to 45 °, more preferably 20 °. The outflow hole 58 of the rotating cup 42 faces the slope of the ceiling portion 74. As a result, the resist solution discharged from the outflow hole 58 of the rotating cup 42 can be reliably recovered by the flange 73 .
[0039]
Below the wall plate 71, there are provided, at six locations, for example, concentric circles at six outlets 76 for discharging the collected resist solution to the outside. Further, a pipe 77 for allowing the resist solution to flow out from the flange 73 to the discharge port 76 is disposed from the floor 75 of the flange 73 toward each discharge port 76. As a result, the resist solution recovered by the collar 73 and the resist solution that cannot be recovered by the collar 73 can be efficiently discharged to the outside through the discharge port 76.
[0040]
The drain cup 44 is provided with a first exhaust passage 78 that leads from below the wall plate 71 to the back side of the wall plate 71, and an exhaust port 79 is connected to the first exhaust passage 78. An exhaust pump (not shown) is connected to the exhaust port 79 so that the drain cup 44 is exhausted. This makes it possible to reliably recover the gas that has been gas-liquid separated. Moreover, generation | occurrence | production of the turbulent flow in the drain cup 44 can be prevented, and scattering of mist can be prevented effectively.
[0041]
Further, the drain cup 44 is provided with a second exhaust passage 80 that leads from above the wall plate 71 to the back side of the wall plate 71. Thus, turbulent flow such as vortex is not generated above the back side of the wall plate 71, and mist can be effectively prevented from being scattered.
[0042]
In addition, since the lower end part of the pipe | tube 77 is inserted in each discharge port 76, ie, the lower end part of the pipe | tube 77 is arrange | positioned below the upper end part of each discharge port 76, it is a micro droplet after flowing down the pipe | tube 77. And the like are reduced from the inside of each discharge port 76 to the first exhaust passage 78 side. The first exhaust passage 78 also serves as a removing function for removing minute droplets contained in the exhaust. By bending the first exhaust passage 78 up and down, the minute exhaust contained in the exhaust gas is exhausted. The possibility that the droplets are separated below the first exhaust passage 78 and discharged to the respective discharge ports 76 is improved.
[0043]
Further, the floor portion 75 of the collar portion 73 described above is inclined so as to be opened toward the rotary cup 42 in the same manner as the ceiling portion 74. The inclination angle θ1 of the ceiling portion 74 and the inclination angle θ2 of the floor portion 75 are made substantially equal. By inclining the floor portion 75 in this manner, the resist solution can be reliably discharged from the floor portion 75 to the discharge port 76 through the pipe 77. Further, since the inclination angle of the ceiling portion 74 and the inclination angle of the floor portion 75 are substantially equal, the inclination angle of the back surface of the ceiling portion 74 and the inclination angle of the back surface of the floor portion 75 are substantially the same on the back surface side of the flange portion 73. The airflow flowing from the first exhaust passage 78 toward the exhaust port 79 becomes substantially equal to the airflow flowing from the second exhaust passage 80 toward the exhaust port 79, and a vortex is generated on the back side of the wall plate 71. Such a turbulent flow is not generated, and mist can be effectively prevented from scattering.
[0044]
In addition, a guide plate 81 having an open top is provided on the first exhaust passage 78. Thus, mist does not flow from the first exhaust passage 78 to the back side of the wall plate 71. Further, since the guide plate 81 is provided below the floor portion 75 in the collar portion 73, the thickness of the first exhaust passage 78 can be easily adjusted by adjusting the height of the guide plate 81. It becomes possible.
[0045]
Further, a mesh is disposed between the second exhaust passage 80 and the exhaust port 79. This prevents mist from entering the exhaust port 79 side. Further, a damper is inserted in the exhaust port 79. When the resist is applied on the substrate G, the damper is in an open state, and in other cases, the exhaust port 79 is closed by the damper . This also prevents mist from entering the exhaust port 79 side.
[0046]
Next, the operation of the resist coating unit (CT) 22 configured as described above will be described with reference to FIG.
[0047]
The lid 45 is removed from the rotary cup 42 by a transfer arm (not shown), and the substrate G is transferred onto the spin chuck 41 by the main transfer device 18 and is adsorbed (step 1).
[0048]
Next, the lid 45 is attached to the upper opening of the rotary cup 42 by a transfer arm (not shown) (step 2), the resist solution discharge nozzle 51 and the solution discharge nozzle 52 are above the substrate G, and the opening of the lid 45 is opened. Before the rotation of the substrate G starts, a solvent such as thinner is discharged from the solution discharge nozzle 52 to the substrate G through the opening 46 of the lid 45 (step 3).
[0049]
Next, when the resist solution is discharged from the resist solution discharge nozzle 51 to the substrate G through the opening 46 of the lid 45 (step 4), the rotation of the substrate G and the rotating cup 42 is started (step 5). Thus, by rotating the substrate G while discharging the resist solution, the resist solution diffuses on the substrate G, and a resist film is formed on the substrate G.
[0050]
After the resist film is formed in this way, the discharge of the resist solution and the rotation of the substrate G and the rotating cup 42 are stopped (step 6), and the small lid 53 is conveyed by an arm (not shown) to It is attached to the opening 46 (step 7).
[0051]
Next, the substrate G and the rotating cup 42 are rotated again to adjust the thickness of the resist film (step 8). In the present embodiment, in particular, when the thickness of the resist film is adjusted in this way, since the small lid 53 is attached to the opening 46 of the lid body 45, scattering of the resist solution to the outside is prevented. Further, intrusion of air from the opening 46 can be prevented, and an air flow that adversely affects the processing does not occur around the substrate, thereby preventing the resist film from becoming non-uniform.
[0052]
Thereafter, the rotation of the substrate G and the rotary cup 42 is stopped (step 9), the outer lid 60 and the lid 45 are removed, and the substrate G is carried out to the next process (step 10).
[0053]
Here, when the substrate G and the rotating cup 42 are rotated (steps 5 and 8), the gas and the resist solution are flowed out from the outflow hole 58 of the rotating cup 42 toward the outer periphery of the rotating cup 42, and the resist solution Is reached to the flange 73 by centrifugal force and discharged to the outside through the flange 73, the pipe 77 and the discharge port 76.
[0054]
As described above, according to the present embodiment, since the collar portion 73 is provided on the wall plate 71 along the outer periphery of the rotating cup 42, the resist solution flowing out from the outflow hole 58 of the rotating cup 42 is removed from the collar portion 73. Thus, it can be reliably collected. Therefore, for example, the resist solution is less likely to be scattered in the form of a mist as compared to a case where the resist solution flowing out from the outflow hole 58 of the rotating cup 42 directly hits the wall plate 71 without the flange 73. . In addition, since the portion where the resist solution is stained can be localized only in the collar portion 73, the cup cleaning time can be shortened and the amount of cleaning thinner used can be reduced.
[0055]
Next, a cleaning process in the resist coating unit (CT) 22 configured as described above will be described. The following cleaning process is performed about once per lot (about 40 substrates), for example.
[0056]
In the cleaning process, the lid body 45 is removed from the rotating cup 42 by a transport arm (not shown), and the substrate G is transported and sucked onto the spin chuck 41 by the main transport device 18, and the lid body 45 is sucked by the transport arm (not shown). The resist solution discharge nozzle 51 and the solution discharge nozzle 52 are mounted above the substrate G and above the opening 46 of the lid 45 to rotate the substrate G and the rotation cup 42. However, the thinner is discharged from the solution discharge nozzle 52 to the substrate G through the opening 46 of the lid 45. Thereby, the thinner flows out from the outflow hole 58 of the rotating cup 42 toward the outer periphery of the rotating cup 42, reaches the flange 73 by centrifugal force, and the flange 73 can be cleaned by the thinner.
[0057]
In the cleaning with such thinner, the cleaning position S (position where the thinner reaches) can be varied as shown in FIG. 4 by appropriately changing the rotation speeds of the substrate G and the rotating cup 42. As a result, the entire surface of the collar 73 can be efficiently cleaned.
[0058]
Further, a dummy substrate may be used in place of the substrate G at the time of cleaning, or a dedicated cleaning nozzle 91 is provided in the rotating cup 42 as shown in FIG. May be.
[0059]
In addition, this invention is not limited to embodiment mentioned above.
[0060]
For example, as shown in FIG. 6, the pipe 77 is not connected to the discharge port 76 as it is, but is connected to, for example, a three-way valve 92. The collected thinner or the like may be discharged. Thereby, it is possible to reduce the consumption of the resist solution.
[0061]
Further, as shown in FIG. 7, the collar part 73 may be divided into two vertically (the collar parts 73 a and 73 b), and the surface may be covered with a removable protective member 94. Thereby, it becomes possible to clean the collar part 73 easily and reliably.
[0062]
Further, as described above, it is preferable to apply Teflon coating to the surface of the flange portion 73. In this case, however, the surface of the flange portion 73 flows out from the outlet hole 58 of the rotating cup 42 as shown in FIG. More preferably, Teflon coating is applied to the lower region 102 that is directly exposed to the resist solution, and Teflon coating is not applied to the upper region 103 of the collar portion 73 that is not directly exposed to the resist solution. Note that the flange 73 is made of a metal material such as SUS, and thus the metal material is exposed in the upper region 103. According to experiments by the present inventors, as shown in FIG. 9A, when Teflon coating is applied to the entire collar portion 73, the raw solution A of the resist solution adheres, whereas FIG. As shown in (b), when the Teflon coating is not applied to the upper region 103 where the resist solution is not directly applied in the collar portion 73, only a mist-like resist solution adheres as compared with the above portion. It was. Accordingly, the cleaning performance is improved when the Teflon coating is not applied to the upper region 103 where the resist solution is not directly applied to the collar portion 73.
[0063]
Moreover, as shown in FIG. 10, it is good also considering the ceiling part 74 of the collar part 73 as a curved shape . As a result, the mist-like resist solution only adheres to the ceiling portion 74 of the flange portion 73 as described above, and the cleaning performance is improved.
[0064]
Further, as shown in FIG. 11, a flange 104 may be provided on the outer periphery of the rotating cup 42 and on the upper portion of the outflow hole 58. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the mist and the resist solution from splashing upward.
[0065]
In the above-described embodiment, the glass substrate is described as an example of the substrate, but the present invention can be applied to other substrates such as a semiconductor wafer. In addition, the resist solution has been described as an example of the predetermined solution, but the present invention is naturally applicable to other types of solution.
[0066]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, the liquid discharged from the outflow hole of the container is difficult to adhere to the wall plate or the like, and such liquid is difficult to adhere or reattach in the form of a mist. Further, the amount of cleaning liquid such as thinner can be reduced as much as possible, and the cleaning process can be performed in a short time.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a resist coating / development processing system for a substrate to which the present invention is applied.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a configuration of a resist coating unit (CT) to which the substrate processing apparatus of the present invention is applied.
FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the resist coating unit (CT) shown in FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of a resist coating unit (CT) for explaining a modification of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a rotating cup for explaining a modification of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a schematic view for explaining a modification of the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of a resist coating unit (CT) for explaining a modification of the present invention.
FIG. 8 is a schematic view for explaining a modified example of the present invention.
FIG. 9 is a photograph showing a result of an experiment conducted for confirming the effect of the modification shown in FIG.
FIG. 10 is a schematic view for explaining another modified example of the present invention.
FIG. 11 is a schematic view for explaining still another modified example of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
22 Resist coating unit (CT)
41 Spin chuck 42 Rotating cup 44 Drain cup 51 Resist liquid discharge nozzle 52 Solvent discharge nozzle 58 Rotating cup outlet hole 71 Wall plate 72 Opening 73 Hook 74 74 Hook ceiling 75 Hook floor 76 Discharge port 77 Pipe 78 First exhaust passage 79 Exhaust port 80 Second exhaust passage 81 Guide plate

Claims (19)

A holding member for holding the substrate rotatably;
A supply unit for supplying a predetermined liquid to the substrate held by the holding member;
A container having an outflow hole that accommodates the substrate held by the holding member, can rotate in synchronization with the holding member, and can discharge the liquid on the outer periphery;
An opening for receiving the liquid discharged from the outflow hole is provided so as to face the outflow hole, and has a flange portion continuously disposed along the outer periphery of the container ,
A wall plate is disposed along the outer periphery of the container,
The collar portion is configured by denting the wall plate into a U-shaped cross section,
A first exhaust passage leading from the lower side of the wall plate to the back side of the wall plate is provided;
A second exhaust passage leading from the upper side of the wall plate to the back side of the wall plate is provided,
An exhaust port is connected to the first exhaust passage and the second exhaust passage,
The ceiling of the flange portion so that the airflow flowing from the first exhaust passage toward the exhaust port and the airflow flowing from the second exhaust passage toward the exhaust port are axisymmetric with respect to the flange portion. The substrate processing apparatus is characterized in that the inclination angle of the portion is substantially equal to the inclination angle of the floor portion . A holding member for holding the substrate rotatably;
A supply unit for supplying a predetermined liquid to the substrate held by the holding member;
A container having an outflow hole that accommodates the substrate held by the holding member, can rotate in synchronization with the holding member, and can discharge the liquid on the outer periphery;
An opening for receiving the liquid discharged from the outflow hole is provided so as to face the outflow hole, and has a flange portion continuously disposed along the outer periphery of the container ,
A wall plate is disposed along the outer periphery of the container,
The collar portion is configured by denting the wall plate into a U-shaped cross section,
A first exhaust passage leading from the lower side of the wall plate to the back side of the wall plate is provided;
A second exhaust passage leading from the upper side of the wall plate to the back side of the wall plate is provided,
An exhaust port is connected to the first exhaust passage and the second exhaust passage,
A guide plate having an open top is provided on the first exhaust passage,
The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the guide plate is provided below a floor portion in the collar portion. In the substrate processing apparatus of Claim 1 or Claim 2 ,
A substrate processing apparatus, wherein the ceiling portion of the U-shaped saddle portion is inclined so as to open toward the container. In the substrate processing apparatus of Claim 1 or Claim 3,
The substrate processing apparatus, wherein the ceiling portion has a curved shape. In the substrate processing apparatus of any one of Claims 1-4,
A substrate processing apparatus, wherein a discharge port for discharging the liquid is provided below the wall plate. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 5 ,
A substrate processing apparatus, wherein a tube for allowing a liquid to flow out from the flange to the discharge port is disposed from the floor of the flange toward the discharge port. In the substrate processing apparatus of any one of Claims 1-6 ,
A substrate processing apparatus, wherein a mesh member is disposed between the first exhaust passage and the exhaust port. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 7 ,
A substrate processing apparatus, wherein a damper for opening and closing the exhaust port is inserted in the exhaust port. In the substrate processing apparatus of any one of Claims 1-8 ,
The substrate processing apparatus, wherein the outflow hole faces a slope of a ceiling portion of the flange portion. The substrate treating apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 9,
Means for supplying cleaning liquid into the container;
A substrate processing apparatus, wherein the cleaning liquid is discharged from the outflow hole by rotating the container while supplying the cleaning liquid, and the inside of the collar portion is cleaned by the discharged cleaning liquid. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein
A substrate processing apparatus, further comprising means for controlling a rotation speed of the container when the inside of the collar portion is cleaned with the cleaning liquid. In the substrate processing apparatus of Claim 10 or Claim 11 ,
A substrate processing apparatus, further comprising a switching valve for reusing a predetermined liquid collected by the collar and discharging the cleaning liquid collected by the collar. The substrate treating apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 12,
The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a surface of the collar is covered with a removable protective member. The substrate treating apparatus according to any one of claims 13 claim 1,
2. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the collar portion is provided with a Teflon (registered trademark) coating. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein
A Teflon (registered trademark) coating is applied to a first region of the collar portion where the liquid discharged from the outflow hole of the container directly contacts, and a second region above the first region is coated with Teflon ( A substrate processing apparatus having no registered trademark coating. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein
A substrate processing apparatus, wherein a flange is provided on an upper part of the outflow hole on the outer periphery of the container. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 ,
A substrate processing apparatus, wherein a guide plate having an open top is provided on the first exhaust passage. In the substrate processing apparatus of Claim 1 or Claim 17 ,
The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the guide plate is provided below a floor portion in the collar portion. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 2,
A substrate processing apparatus, wherein an inclination angle of a ceiling portion of the flange portion and an inclination angle of a floor portion are substantially equal.

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