JP4184124B2 - Substrate processing equipment - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a technique for feeding a processing liquid to be applied to a substrate.
[0002]
[Prior art]
When applying a processing solution such as a resist solution to the substrate, the resist solution is supplied by various pumps such as a syringe pump (piston pump), bellows pump, gear pump, or diaphragm pump, or the resist solution is supplied at a constant pressure. A pressure-feed type device is known.
[0003]
In particular, in a slit coater that applies a resist solution using a slit nozzle, the thickness of the resist solution applied to the substrate is determined by the moving speed of the slit nozzle and the amount of resist solution supplied. Therefore, in order to control the film thickness of the resist solution with high accuracy, conventionally, a bellows pump or a piston pump has been used.
[0004]
However, the bellows pump is apt to cause pulsation in the resist solution to be fed, and the existence of a narrow gap in the bellows part is unavoidable in structure, so it is practically impossible to completely wash the part. There are problems. Therefore, in the slit coater, a piston pump is mainly employed as a mechanism for feeding the resist solution. Thus, a slit coater using a piston pump is described in Patent Document 1, for example.
[0005]
FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing a structure of a liquid feeding mechanism 100 using a piston pump 110 used in a slit coater described in Patent Document 1. The liquid feeding mechanism 100 includes a piston pump 110, a piping mechanism 120, and a driving mechanism 130. The piston pump 110 includes a cylinder 111, a piston 112, a seal material 113, and a discharge port 114. The piping mechanism 120 includes a discharge pipe 121 and a discharge valve 122. Further, the drive mechanism 130 includes a motor 131, a ball screw 132, and a nut member 133. Although not shown, the drive mechanism 130 further includes a speed reducer for reducing the rotational speed of the motor 131.
[0006]
The discharge port 114 of the piston pump 110 is connected to a discharge pipe 121 of the piping mechanism 120, and the discharge pipe 121 is connected to a slit nozzle (not shown). The discharge pipe 121 is connected to the discharge port 114 by opening the discharge valve 122.
[0007]
In the liquid feeding mechanism 100, when the motor 131 rotates the ball screw 132, the nut member 133 moves along the ball screw 132. Since the piston 112 is fixed to the nut member 133, when the nut member 133 moves along the ball screw 132, the piston 112 moves along the Z axis along with the movement. The moving direction of the nut member 133 is defined by the rotating direction of the motor 131.
[0008]
When discharging the resist solution from the slit nozzle, the liquid feeding mechanism 100 opens the discharge valve 122 and drives the nut member 133 in the (+ Z) direction by the motor 131 to thereby move the piston 112 to the cylinder 111. The resist solution in the cylinder 111 is fed to the slit nozzle.
[0009]
Further, when the resist solution is sucked into the cylinder 111, the discharge valve 122 is closed, and the motor 131 is rotated in the opposite direction to that during discharge, and the piston 112 is removed from the cylinder 111 ((-Z ) Direction), the resist solution is sucked from a suction port (not shown). By such an operation, the slit coater described in Patent Document 1 is capable of feeding a resist solution to the slit nozzle.
[0010]
[Patent Document 1]
JP 2000-334355 A
[0011]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, the above-described apparatus has a problem that when the piston 112 is pushed in, a part of the inner wall of the cylinder 111 is exposed to the external atmosphere, and the attached resist solution R is altered. In this state, if the piston 112 is moved to suck a new resist solution into the cylinder 111, the altered resist solution R is mixed into the sucked resist solution, which causes particles.
[0012]
Further, in order to remove the resist solution R thus altered, the piston 112 and the seal material 113 must be removed and cleaned, and there is a problem that it takes time for maintenance of the pump.
[0013]
Further, since the processing accuracy and control accuracy of the drive mechanism (motor 131, ball screw 132 and nut member 133) for moving the piston 112 are low, the feeding accuracy of the nut member 133 (piston 112) is low, and as a result, the liquid feeding accuracy is low. There was a problem of lowering.
[0014]
Further, by driving the piston pump 110, the seal material 113 is worn by friction with the cylinder 111, and particles generated thereby are mixed into the processing liquid, or the seal material 113 must be periodically replaced. There was a problem.
[0015]
The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and a first object of the present invention is to supply a treatment liquid with high accuracy without generating particles.
[0016]
A second object is to send the processing liquid without using a member that wears out like the seal material 113.
[0017]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
  In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, an invention according to claim 1 is a substrate processing apparatus for forming a film of a predetermined processing liquid on a substrate, wherein a holding base for holding the substrate, and the predetermined processing liquid is supplied to a main substrate. A slit nozzle that discharges to the surface; a supply mechanism that supplies the predetermined processing liquid; a liquid feeding means that feeds the predetermined processing liquid to the slit nozzle; and the predetermined processing without passing through the liquid feeding means. A preliminary flow path for guiding the liquid to the slit nozzle, and a flow path selection means for selecting whether to send the liquid via the liquid supply means or the preliminary flow path,The supply mechanism stores the predetermined processing liquid, causes the liquid feeding means to suck the predetermined processing liquid under atmospheric pressure, replenishes the buffer tank with the predetermined processing liquid, and Replenishing means for feeding the predetermined treatment liquid stored in the tank to the slit nozzle at a predetermined pressure;The liquid feeding means changes and drives the internal volume of the container member that can change the internal volume, the tube member that can change the internal volume while the inside becomes the flow path of the predetermined processing liquid, and the internal volume of the container member. Drive means, the tube member is disposed inside the container member, and an indirect liquid is enclosed in the space between the container member and the tube member.The preliminary flow path is used when the predetermined processing liquid is pressurized and fed by the replenishing means..
[0018]
The invention of claim 2 is the substrate processing apparatus according to the invention of claim 1, wherein the container member is composed of first and second bellows having different inner diameters and communicating with each other inside, The driving means moves the vicinity of the boundary between the first and second bellows in a predetermined direction.
[0019]
The invention of claim 3 is the substrate processing apparatus according to the invention of claim 1 or 2, further comprising a control means for controlling the driving means, wherein the control means sends the liquid feeding means. There is provided a constant volume supply means for controlling a liquid feed amount of a predetermined treatment liquid, and a constant flow rate supply means for controlling a flow rate of the predetermined treatment liquid by the liquid feed means.
[0020]
The invention according to claim 4 is the substrate processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the liquid feeding means includes suction ports and discharge ports respectively located at both ends of the tube member. And the height position of any one of the suction port and the discharge port is lower than the other.
[0022]
  Claims5The invention of claim1 to 4In this substrate processing apparatus, the liquid level of the buffer tank is set to be lower than the discharge port of the slit nozzle.
[0024]
  Claims6The invention of claim1Or5The substrate processing apparatus according to any one of the inventions, wherein the supply mechanism further includes a measuring unit that measures the amount of the predetermined processing liquid stored in the buffer tank.
[0026]
  Claims7The invention of claimAny one of 1 to 6In the substrate processing apparatus according to the invention, when the predetermined processing liquid is supplied to the slit nozzle, either one of liquid supply by driving the driving means and liquid supply by the replenishing means It further includes liquid feeding selection means for selecting.
[0027]
  Claims8The invention of claim 1 to claim 17The substrate processing apparatus according to any one of the above aspects, wherein the flow path selecting means includes a valve for opening and closing the preliminary flow path.
[0028]
  Claims9The invention of claim 1 to claim 18The substrate processing apparatus according to any one of the above, wherein the liquid feeding unit includes a plurality of the container members and a plurality of the tube members for one slit nozzle.
[0032]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0033]
<1. First Embodiment>
<1.1 Description of configuration>
FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing a substrate processing apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a front view of the main body 2 of the substrate processing apparatus 1.
[0034]
The substrate processing apparatus 1 is roughly divided into a main body 2 and a control system 6, and a rectangular glass substrate for manufacturing a screen panel of a liquid crystal display device is a substrate 90 to be processed, and an electrode layer formed on the surface of the substrate 90. In the process of selectively etching, etc., it is configured as a coating device (slit coater) for applying a resist solution to the surface of the substrate 90. Therefore, in this embodiment, the slit nozzle 41 discharges the resist solution to the substrate 90. In addition, the substrate processing apparatus 1 can be modified and used not only as a glass substrate for a liquid crystal display device but also as a device for applying a processing liquid (chemical solution) to various substrates for a flat panel display.
[0035]
The main body 2 includes a stage 3 that functions as a holding table for mounting and holding the substrate to be processed 90 and also functions as a base for each attached mechanism. The stage 3 is made of an integral stone having a rectangular parallelepiped shape, and its upper surface (holding surface 30) and side surfaces are processed into flat surfaces.
[0036]
The upper surface of the stage 3 is a horizontal plane and serves as a holding surface 30 for the substrate 90. A number of vacuum suction ports are distributed and formed on the holding surface 30, and the substrate 90 is held at a predetermined horizontal position by sucking the substrate 90 while the substrate processing apparatus 1 processes the substrate 90.
[0037]
A pair of running rails 31a extending in parallel in a substantially horizontal direction are fixed to both ends of the holding surface 30 across the holding area of the substrate 90 (region where the substrate 90 is held). The traveling rail 31a guides the movement of the bridging structure 4 together with the support blocks 31b fixed to both ends of the bridging structure 4 (the moving direction is defined in a predetermined direction), and the bridging structure 4 is positioned above the holding surface 30. A linear guide that is supported by is constructed.
[0038]
Above the stage 3, a bridging structure 4 is provided that extends substantially horizontally from both sides of the stage 3. The bridging structure 4 is mainly composed of a nozzle support portion 40 that uses carbon fiber resin as an aggregate, and lifting mechanisms 43 and 44 that support both ends thereof.
[0039]
A slit nozzle 41, a gap sensor 42, and a liquid feeding mechanism 80 are attached to the nozzle support portion 40.
[0040]
The slit nozzle 41 extending in the horizontal Y direction is connected to a liquid feeding mechanism 80 that feeds a chemical (resist liquid) to the slit nozzle 41. The slit nozzle 41 is fed with a resist solution by a solution feeding mechanism 80 and scans the surface of the substrate 90, whereby the resist solution is applied to a predetermined region (hereinafter referred to as “resist application region”) on the surface of the substrate 90. Discharge.
[0041]
The gap sensor 42 is attached to the nozzle support portion 40 of the bridging structure 4 at a position facing the surface of the substrate 90, and is located between a certain direction (−Z direction) and an entity (for example, the substrate 90 and the resist film). The distance (gap) is detected, and the detection result is output to the control system 6.
[0042]
As described above, the slit nozzle 41 and the gap sensor 42 are attached to the nozzle support portion 40, so that their relative positional relationship is fixed. Therefore, the control system 6 can detect the distance between the surface of the substrate 90 and the slit nozzle 41 based on the detection result of the gap sensor 42. The substrate processing apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment includes two gap sensors 42. However, the number of gap sensors 42 is not limited to this, and more gap sensors 42 may be provided. .
[0043]
The nozzle support portion 40 is provided with a liquid feeding mechanism 80 at a position above the slit nozzle 41. FIG. 3 is a diagram schematically showing a configuration for supplying and feeding the resist solution to the slit nozzle 41. In addition, although illustration is abbreviate | omitted in FIG. 3, each structure is connected with the control system 6 in the state which can transmit / receive a signal as needed, and each operation | movement according to the control signal from the control system 6 It is possible to do.
[0044]
The substrate processing apparatus 1 includes a replenishing device 71, a buffer tank 72, and a sensor 73 as a supply mechanism 70 for supplying a resist solution, and a main pipe 74, an open / close valve as a piping mechanism for guiding the resist solution to the slit nozzle 41. 75, 76, a filter 77, a check valve 78, on-off valves 83, 84, and a spare pipe 85.
[0045]
The replenishing device 71 has a function of supplying a resist solution to a buffer tank 72 from a resist bottle (not shown). Also, it has a function of pumping the resist solution stored in the buffer tank 72.
[0046]
The buffer tank 72 is provided for separating and removing air mixed in the resist solution by temporarily storing the resist solution. That is, the air mixed in the resist solution gathers in the upper part of the storage tank of the buffer tank 72 while the resist solution is stored in the buffer tank 72, and an air vent valve 88 described later is opened. Therefore, the air is exhausted outside the apparatus through the air exhaust pipe 89. The buffer tank 72 also has a function of sucking under atmospheric pressure when the resist pump 81 sucks the resist solution.
[0047]
The sensor 73 is provided to detect the amount of resist solution stored in the buffer tank 72. More specifically, the sensor 73 is composed of three liquid level sensors, and each liquid level sensor can detect an overflow, an upper limit amount, and a lower limit amount. The liquid surface position information detected by the sensor 73 is transmitted to the control system 6, and the control system 6 generates a control signal based on the detection result to control the replenishing device 71. As a result, an appropriate amount of resist solution can be stored in the buffer tank 72.
[0048]
Although not shown in FIG. 2, the buffer tank 72 is provided on the side of the lifting mechanism 43 at substantially the same height as the slit nozzle 41, and the liquid level in the buffer tank 72 is higher than the discharge port 41 a of the slit nozzle 41. It is set to be a slightly lower position.
[0049]
The main pipe 74 is a pipe that guides the resist solution to the slit nozzle 41 via the resist pump 81. The resist solution is sent to the slit nozzle 41 through the main pipe 74 when both the opening and closing valves 75 and 76 that open and close the flow path in response to a control signal from the control system 6 are open.
[0050]
As shown in FIG. 3, the filter 77 is provided on the primary side of the resist pump 81 and has a function of removing foreign substances from the resist solution fed to the slit nozzle 41. The check valve 78 is arranged to prevent the resist solution in the main pipe 74 from flowing backward, and allows the resist solution to pass only in the right direction in FIG.
[0051]
The on-off valves 83 and 84 and the spare pipe 85 are configured to send the resist solution without going through the resist pump 81. That is, when the opening / closing valve 75 is closed and the opening / closing valves 83, 84 are opened, the resist solution is sent to the slit nozzle 41 through the spare pipe 85 without passing through the main pipe 74 and the resist pump 81. . That is, the control system 6 and the opening / closing valves 75, 83, and 84 mainly correspond to the flow path selection means in the present invention.
[0052]
In addition, the substrate processing apparatus 1 includes a liquid feeding mechanism 80 that generates a driving force for feeding from the supply mechanism 70 to the slit nozzle 41.
[0053]
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing details of the liquid feeding mechanism 80. The liquid feeding mechanism 80 is mainly composed of a resist pump 81 and a drive mechanism 82. FIG. 4 shows a cross section of the resist pump 81.
[0054]
The resist pump 81 includes a first bellows 811, a second bellows 812, a joining member 813, and a tube 814. In addition, the resist pump 81 is provided with a suction port 815 that serves as an inlet for the resist solution when the resist solution is sucked and a discharge port 816 that serves as an exit for the resist solution when the resist solution is discharged. The suction port 815 is connected to the supply mechanism 70 via the main pipe 74, the discharge port 816 is connected to the slit nozzle 41 via the main pipe 74, and the suction port 815 is positioned below the discharge port 816. Is installed.
[0055]
In order to improve the discharge accuracy from the slit nozzle 41, it is desirable to shorten the distance from the discharge port 816 of the resist pump 81 to the slit nozzle 41. In the substrate processing apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment, since the liquid feeding mechanism 80 is disposed on the nozzle support portion 40 and is disposed so that the distance becomes shorter, the discharge accuracy of the slit nozzle 41 can be improved. it can.
[0056]
The first bellows 811 and the second bellows 812 are configured by members that can be expanded and contracted along the Z-axis direction, and the end on the (−Z) side of the first bellows 811 via the joining member 813, and the second The end of the bellows 812 on the (+ Z) side is fixed to each other, and the inside communicates with each other. Further, both ends of the first bellows 811 and the second bellows 812 are supported by a rigid body (not shown) via a lid 810 so that the total length (X in the figure) is constant. Since the inner diameter area of the first bellows 811 (the area of the surface perpendicular to the Z-axis) is smaller than the inner diameter area of the second bellows 812, the first bellows 811 extends and the second bellows 812 extends. The volume of the resist pump 81 can be changed by changing the state between them.
[0057]
A tube 814 is disposed inside the first bellows 811 and the second bellows 812. The tube 814 is formed of a tubular plastic member, and both ends thereof are connected to the suction port 815 and the discharge port 816, respectively. That is, the tube 814 forms a flow path for the resist solution. In the substrate processing apparatus 1 in the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the tube 814 is disposed in a substantially vertical direction along the Z axis.
[0058]
An indirect liquid LQ is enclosed in the space surrounded by the first and second bellows 811 and 812 and the tube 814. As the indirect liquid LQ, a liquid having a low volume change rate with respect to changes in pressure, temperature and the like is used. Thereby, even if the first bellows 811 and the second bellows 812 are deformed by expansion and contraction, the volume of the indirect liquid LQ hardly changes.
[0059]
With such a configuration, in the substrate processing apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment, when the first bellows 811 is extended (when the bonding member 813 is moved downward), the inside of the first and second bellows of the resist pump 81 is increased. As the volume decreases, the indirect liquid LQ is pressurized. Since the indirect liquid LQ is a liquid whose volume hardly decreases even when pressurized, the tube 814 is contracted (squeezed) by the pressurized indirect liquid LQ, and the inside of the tube 814 is pressurized. If the waste liquid valve 86 is closed at this time, since the check valve 78 is provided on the suction port 815 side, the resist solution in the tube 814 does not flow backward from the suction port 815. If the open / close valve 76 is open, the resist solution in the tube 814 is discharged from the discharge port 816 and fed toward the slit nozzle 41.
[0060]
On the other hand, when the second bellows extends (when the joining member 813 is moved upward), the volume inside the first and second bellows of the resist pump 81 increases and the indirect liquid LQ is depressurized. Since the indirect liquid LQ is a liquid whose volume hardly increases even under reduced pressure, the tube 814 is expanded by the indirect liquid LQ, and the inside of the tube 814 is depressurized. At this time, if the opening / closing valve 76 is closed, the resist solution does not flow into the tube 814 from the discharge port 816, and the resist solution in the buffer tank 72 is sucked from the suction port 815.
[0061]
That is, the resist pump 81 can repeatedly perform the resist solution suction operation and the discharge operation by reciprocating the bonding member 813 along the Z-axis direction, and has a function of feeding the resist solution. .
[0062]
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing details of the drive mechanism 82. The drive mechanism 82 includes a base 820, a drive motor 821, a ball screw 822, a nut member 823, a mounting member 824, a guide 825, a bearing member 826, and a guide fixing member 827, and the resist pump 81 feeds the resist solution. For generating a driving force for the purpose. In the substrate processing apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment, the rotational driving force generated by the driving motor 821 is converted into the linear driving force mainly by the configuration including the ball screw 822 and the nut member 823, and the driving force of the resist pump 81 is converted. And
[0063]
The base 820 is a member for mounting and integrating the components of the drive mechanism 82. Although not shown in FIG. 5, the base 820 is appropriately provided with a member for fixing to the nozzle support portion 40. Thus, driving accuracy can be improved by fixing to the nozzle support part 40 in the state which made each structure of the drive mechanism 82 integral structure. The base 820 is fixed to the nozzle support portion 40 so that a guide direction by a guide 825 described later is along the Z axis.
[0064]
The drive motor 821 is a DD (Direct Drive) motor with high speed accuracy at low speed rotation (500 rpm or less). By adopting the DD motor as the drive motor 821 in this way, the substrate processing apparatus 1 in the present embodiment can directly connect the ball screw 822 and the drive motor 821 without using a reduction gear. In addition to being able to reduce the cost and size, it is possible to prevent the feeding accuracy of the nut member 823 from being lowered due to the accuracy of the reduction gear, backlash, or the like. Furthermore, since the rigidity value can be maintained as compared with the case where a timing belt or the like is used, it is possible to suppress a reduction in rotational unevenness and control characteristics (such as a response delay with respect to a rapid speed change). The drive motor 821 used for the drive mechanism 82 in the present embodiment is not limited to the DD motor, and other types of motors can be used as long as they have high speed accuracy (1% or less at 100 rpm) at low speed rotation. May be used. In addition, when using a motor with insufficient speed accuracy at low speed, it may be used in combination with a so-called high-accuracy reducer with little backlash, but even in this case, the motor has a high resolution (217 p / rev or more). ).
[0065]
Although not shown in FIG. 5, the drive motor 821 is connected to the control system 6 in a state where signals can be transmitted and received, and the rotation amount and the rotation speed according to the control signal from the control system 6. Can be controlled. As the drive motor 821, a motor that can be rotationally positioned by a control signal from the control system 6, such as an AC servo motor, a stepping motor, or a DD motor, can be used. In the substrate processing apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment, A DD motor is used in consideration of accuracy during low-speed rotation. In order to improve the feeding accuracy, a DD motor having a high resolution (with a resolution of 217 p / rev or higher) is used.
[0066]
The ball screw 822 is a cylindrical rod-shaped member having a central axis P, and is attached to the base 820 by a pair of bearing members 826 attached to both ends. In addition, a spiral lead for screwing onto the nut member 823 is provided on the cylindrical surface of the ball screw 822. The lead pitch D of the ball screw 822 is 3 mm to 6 mm.
[0067]
The nut member 823 is provided with a through-hole for screwing with the ball screw 822, and a spiral groove is formed on the inner wall of the through-hole so as to be engaged with a lead provided on the ball screw 822. An attaching member 824 is fixed to the nut member 823, and the attaching member 824 is attached to the joining member 813 of the resist pump 81.
[0068]
When the ball screw 822 is screwed into the through hole of the nut member 823 while rotating, the nut member 823 linearly moves in a predetermined direction with respect to the ball screw 822 along the central axis P. Since the nut member 823 and the joining member 813 are connected via the mounting member 824, when the nut member 823 is moved as described above, the joining member 813 moves in the same direction in conjunction with it. In this way, in the substrate processing apparatus 1, the rotational driving force around the central axis P by the drive motor 821 is converted to the linear driving force of the registration pump 81 in the Z-axis direction. The rotation direction of the drive motor 821 when the nut member 823 moves to the drive motor 821 side along the ball screw 822 is referred to as a “forward direction”.
[0069]
Further, the nut member 823 is provided with a guide portion (not shown) for receiving the guide 825. The guide portion is provided with a plurality of balls, and the nut member 823 and the guide 825 can receive friction through the balls, thereby suppressing friction when the nut member 823 moves. Also, resin spacers or spacer balls are disposed between the balls. Thereby, since the vibration and feed unevenness accompanying the rolling and circulation of the ball can be suppressed, the speed accuracy of the nut member 823 can be improved.
[0070]
The guide 825 is assembled and fixed integrally with the ball screw 822 to the base 820 by a pair of guide fixing members 827 with sufficient accuracy and rigidity while receiving a guide portion (not shown) of the nut member 823. The guide 825 has a linear guide shaft J, and by engaging with the nut member 823, the moving direction of the nut member 823 that moves by the rotation of the ball screw 822 is defined in a direction along the guide shaft J. It has a function.
[0071]
As described above, the nut member 823 moves along the central axis P of the ball screw 822 as the ball screw 822 rotates, but the direction of the central axis P varies depending on the driving vibration of the ball screw 822 and the like. Therefore, the moving direction of the nut member 823 cannot be accurately defined only by the ball screw 822. On the other hand, since the guide 825 is stationary, the direction of the guide shaft J is more stable than the center axis P. Therefore, since the movement direction of the nut member 823 of the drive mechanism 82 is defined by the guide shaft J, the movement speed and accuracy of the movement direction of the nut member 823 can be improved.
[0072]
A bearing for support (not shown) is provided inside the bearing member 826, and the bearing abuts against the ball screw 822. Accordingly, the ball screw 822 can be attached to the base 820 without hindering the rotation of the ball screw 822 around the central axis P. In addition, in order to improve the rotational rigidity of the ball screw 822, the bearing uses a member having appropriate rigidity in consideration of the axial load. Moreover, the stability of rotation of the ball screw 822 can be improved by using a relatively large bearing.
[0073]
Returning to FIG. 3, the substrate processing apparatus 1 includes a waste liquid valve 86, a waste liquid pipe 87, an air vent valve 88, and an air exhaust pipe 89 as a piping mechanism mainly used in maintenance and the like.
[0074]
The waste liquid valve 86 is a valve for opening and closing a flow path between the main pipe 74 and the waste liquid pipe 87. The waste liquid valve 86 is controlled to open and close in response to a control signal from the control system 6. The waste liquid pipe 87 is connected to a recovery mechanism (not shown), and when the waste liquid valve 86 is opened, the resist liquid in the resist pump 81 and the main pipe 74 is recovered to the recovery mechanism via the waste liquid pipe 87. Is done.
[0075]
The air vent valve 88 is a valve for opening and closing a flow path between the buffer tank 72 and the air exhaust pipe 89. The air vent valve 88 is controlled to open and close in response to a control signal from the control system 6. The air exhaust pipe 89 is connected to an exhaust pump (not shown). When the air vent valve 88 is opened, the air separated from the resist solution in the buffer tank 72 passes through the air exhaust pipe 89. Exhausted. All valves used in this apparatus are so-called cancel type valves that do not cause a pressure change or volume change in the liquid in the pipe by the operation of the valve.
[0076]
Returning to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the elevating mechanisms 43 and 44 are divided on both sides of the slit nozzle 41 and connected to the slit nozzle 41 by the nozzle support portion 40. The elevating mechanisms 43 and 44 are used for moving the slit nozzle 41 in translation and adjusting the posture of the slit nozzle 41 in the YZ plane.
[0077]
A pair of AC coreless linear motors (hereinafter simply abbreviated as “linear motors”) 50, 51 arranged separately along the edges on both sides of the stage 3 are fixed to both ends of the bridge structure 4. Established.
[0078]
The linear motor 50 includes a stator (stator) 50a and a mover 50b. The bridge structure 4 is moved in the X-axis direction (direction along the surface of the substrate 90) by electromagnetic interaction between the stator 50a and the mover 50b. It is a motor which produces | generates the driving force for making it move to. Further, the moving amount and moving direction of the linear motor 50 can be controlled by a control signal from the control system 6. The linear motor 51 has substantially the same function and configuration.
[0079]
Each of the linear encoders 52 and 53 includes a scale unit and a detector (not shown), detects the relative positional relationship between the scale unit and the detector, and transmits the relative positional relationship to the control system 6. Each detector is fixed to both ends of the bridge structure 4, and the linear encoders 52 and 53 have a function of detecting the position of the bridge structure 4.
[0080]
The control system 6 includes an arithmetic unit 60 that processes various data according to a program and a storage unit 61 that stores the program and various data. In addition, an operation unit 62 for an operator to input necessary instructions to the substrate processing apparatus 1 and a display unit 63 for displaying various data are provided on the front surface.
[0081]
The control system 6 is connected to each mechanism attached to the main body 2 by a cable (not shown), and based on signals from the operation unit 62 and various sensors, the stage 3, the bridge structure 4, the lifting mechanisms 43 and 44, linear The components such as the motors 50 and 51, the supply mechanism 70, and the liquid feeding mechanism 80 are controlled.
[0082]
In particular, the control system 6 performs opening / closing control of the opening / closing valves 75, 76, 83, 84 based on an instruction input from the operator, thereby guiding the resist solution via the main pipe 74 or via the spare pipe 85. Make a selection. Further, the rotation direction of the drive motor 821, the rotation amount per stroke, and the rotation speed are controlled by the control signal. In the substrate processing apparatus 1, the amount of movement of the bonding member 813 of the registration pump 81 (volume change amount of the registration pump 81) is determined by the amount of rotation per stroke of the drive motor 821. Therefore, the amount of rotation is controlled. Corresponds to controlling the amount of the resist solution fed by the resist pump 81. In the substrate processing apparatus 1, since the moving speed of the bonding member 813 (volume change speed of the resist pump 81) is determined by the rotational speed of the drive motor 821, the rotational speed is controlled by the resist pump. This corresponds to controlling the flow rate of the liquid.
[0083]
As a specific configuration of the control system 6, the storage unit 61 corresponds to a RAM that temporarily stores data, a read-only ROM, a magnetic disk device, and the like, and stores a portable magneto-optical disk, a memory card, and the like. It may be a medium and a reading device thereof. The operation unit 62 includes buttons and switches (including a keyboard and a mouse) for an operator to input instructions to the substrate processing apparatus 1. The operation unit 62 also has the function of the display unit 63 like a touch panel display. It may be. The display unit 63 corresponds to a liquid crystal display or various lamps.
[0084]
<1.2 Explanation of operation>
Next, the operation of the substrate processing apparatus 1 will be described. In the substrate processing apparatus 1, there are mainly three operation modes (coating mode, pre-coating mode, and maintenance mode). Which of the operation modes is selected is determined by the control system 6 according to an instruction input from the operator. This is done by controlling the configuration.
[0085]
<1.2.1 Application mode operation>
First, the operation in the normal coating mode will be described. When the application mode is selected by an instruction input from the operator, the control system 6 closes the open / close valves 83 and 84, the waste liquid valve 86 and the air vent valve 88 and opens the open / close valve 75. As a result, the main pipe 74 is selected as the resist solution flow path.
[0086]
At this time, it is assumed that the resist solution is stored in the buffer tank 72 up to the upper limit position by the replenishing device 71 based on the detection result from the sensor 73. Thereafter, the resist solution is supplied to the buffer tank 72 up to the upper limit position under the control of the control system 6 except when the resist pump 81 is performing the suction operation of the resist solution.
[0087]
In the substrate processing apparatus 1, when the substrate 90 is transported to a predetermined position by an operator or a transport mechanism (not shown), the stage 3 sucks and holds the substrate 90 at a predetermined position on the holding surface 30. Subsequently, based on a control signal from the control system 6, the elevating mechanisms 43 and 44 set the gap sensor 42 attached to the nozzle support portion 40 to a predetermined altitude (hereinafter referred to as “measurement altitude”) higher than the thickness of the substrate 90. ").
[0088]
When the gap sensor 42 is set at the measurement altitude, the linear motors 50 and 51 move the gap sensor 42 to above the resist coating region by moving the bridging structure 4 in the X direction. Here, the resist application region is a region in the surface of the substrate 90 where the resist solution is to be applied, and is usually a region obtained by excluding a region having a predetermined width along the edge from the entire area of the substrate 90. It is. At this time, the control system 6 controls the position of the gap sensor 42 in the X-axis direction by giving control signals to the linear motors 50 and 51 based on the detection results of the linear encoders 52 and 53.
[0089]
Next, the gap sensor 42 starts measuring the gap between the surface of the substrate 90 and the slit nozzle 41 in the resist coating region on the surface of the substrate 90. When the measurement is started, the linear motors 50 and 51 further move the bridging structure 4 in the X direction so that the gap sensor 42 scans the resist coating region and transmits the measurement result during the scanning to the control system 6. At this time, the control system 6 stores the measurement result of the gap sensor 42 in the storage unit 61 in association with the horizontal position detected by the linear encoders 52 and 53.
[0090]
When the bridging structure 4 passes over the substrate 90 in the X direction and the scanning by the gap sensor 42 is finished, the control system 6 stops the bridging structure 4 at that position, and based on the detection result from the gap sensor 42. The posture of the slit nozzle 41 in the YZ plane is an appropriate posture (the posture in which the interval between the slit nozzle 41 and the resist application region is an appropriate interval for applying the resist solution. Hereinafter, referred to as “appropriate posture”). The position of the nozzle support portion 40 is calculated, and a control signal is given to each of the lifting mechanisms 43 and 44 based on the calculation result. Based on the control signal, the respective lifting mechanisms 43 and 44 move the nozzle support portion 40 in the Z-axis direction to adjust the slit nozzle 41 to an appropriate posture.
[0091]
Thus, in order to realize uniform application of the resist solution, it is necessary to strictly adjust the distance between the slit nozzle 41 and the surface of the substrate 90. In the substrate processing apparatus 1, the control system 6 adjusts the distance by controlling the lifting mechanisms 43 and 44 based on the detection result of the gap sensor 42.
[0092]
Further, the linear motors 50 and 51 move the bridging structure 4 in the −X direction, and move the slit nozzle 41 to the discharge start position. Here, the ejection start position is a position where the slit nozzle 41 substantially extends along one side of the resist coating region.
[0093]
When the slit nozzle 41 moves to the discharge start position, the control system 6 gives a control signal to the linear motors 50 and 51. Based on the control signal, the linear motors 50 and 51 move the bridging structure 4 in the −X direction so that the slit nozzle 41 scans the surface of the substrate 90.
[0094]
At this time, the control system 6 also gives a control signal to the opening / closing valve 76 and the drive motor 821, while the scanning is performed by the slit nozzle 41, the opening / closing valve 76 is opened and the drive motor 821 is moved in the forward direction. And the joining member 813 of the resist pump 81 is moved in the (−Z) direction. By this operation, the first bellows of the resist pump 81 extends and the second bellows contracts, so the indirect liquid LQ is pressurized. When the indirect liquid LQ is pressurized, the tube 814 contracts and the resist liquid sucked into the tube 814 is sent from the discharge port 816 to the slit nozzle 41.
[0095]
As a result, the slit nozzle 41 discharges the resist solution to the resist application region, and a layer of the resist solution is formed on the surface of the substrate 90. In the substrate processing apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment, since the joining member 813 of the resist pump 81 moves smoothly together with the nut member 823, the resist solution to be fed does not cause pulsation due to pumping or the like. Liquid unevenness can be suppressed.
[0096]
Further, in this configuration, the buffer tank 72 is arranged and the liquid level is set so that the height of the discharge port 41a of the slit nozzle 41 is higher than the level of the resist liquid in the buffer tank 72. Yes. As a result, undesired liquid outflow from the slit nozzle 41 does not occur during application.
[0097]
Further, the rotational speed of the drive motor 821 at this time is controlled by the control system 6 so that the layer thickness of the resist solution to be formed becomes a set value over the entire surface of the resist coating region. For the rotational speed distribution of the drive motor 821 for the control system 6 to perform such control, an appropriate value is obtained in advance through experiments or the like. In order to improve the liquid feeding accuracy of the resist liquid, it is preferable to feed the resist liquid at a relatively low speed, but a general motor is stable at high speed rotation. Since the drive mechanism 82 of the substrate processing apparatus 1 in the present embodiment employs a DD motor with good low-speed rotation accuracy for the drive motor 821, accurate control is performed even when the resist solution is fed at low speed. It is possible to improve the discharge accuracy of the slit nozzle 41.
[0098]
Further, by using the drive motor 821 having a high rotational accuracy at such a low speed rotation, the lead pitch D of the ball screw 822 is set to 3 mm to 6 mm with a high processing accuracy without being less than 3 mm at which the processing accuracy decreases. And the accuracy can be improved.
[0099]
When the slit nozzle 41 moves to the discharge end position, the control system 6 gives a control signal to the drive mechanism 82, the elevating mechanisms 43 and 44, and the linear motors 50 and 51. Based on the control signal, the drive mechanism 82 stops, and the discharge of the resist solution from the slit nozzle 41 stops, and the elevating mechanisms 43 and 44 move the gap sensor 42 to the measurement altitude. Further, the control system 6 controls the open / close valve 76 to be in a closed state.
[0100]
The amount of resist solution discharged from the slit coater is substantially determined by the amount of resist solution supplied to the slit nozzle. In the substrate processing apparatus 1 in the present embodiment, the amount of the resist solution fed from the resist pump 81 during the period from the start of discharge of the resist solution to the end of discharge (during one stroke) is determined by the drive motor 821 during one stroke. The amount of rotation is controlled by the control system 6. Here, since the drive motor 821 has a high resolution of 217 p / rev or higher with respect to the control by the control system 6, the control accuracy of the rotation amount can be improved. Therefore, the accuracy of the discharge amount of the slit nozzle 41 can be improved.
[0101]
Next, the linear motors 50 and 51 move the bridging structure 4 in the X direction so that the gap sensor 42 scans the resist coating region, measures the gap with the resist film formed on the substrate 90, and controls the control system 6. To communicate. The control system 6 calculates the difference between the gap value (distance between the surface of the substrate 90) measured before the resist coating and the gap value (distance between the resist film surface) measured after the resist coating. By calculating, the thickness dimension of the resist film formed on the substrate 90 is calculated.
[0102]
Further, according to the calculated thickness dimension, the quality of the coating process performed on the substrate 90 is determined by comparing with a predetermined value that is set in advance as an allowable thickness dimension range. The result is displayed on the display unit 63.
[0103]
As a result, it is possible to promptly determine whether or not the processing liquid layer (resist film) is formed on the surface of the substrate 90, and therefore, based on the determination result displayed on the display unit 63, for example, an operator Etc. can respond quickly to the processing situation. In the inspection using the gap sensor 42, the abnormality in the X-axis direction can be mainly detected. Therefore, for example, the resist solution is not applied (resist solution shortage), the discharge start position and the discharge end position. It is also possible to detect an abnormality such as a shift in thickness or a thickening phenomenon occurring at the coating end position. Further, based on the film pressure measurement result, for example, when the film thickness is smaller than the desired thickness, the resist pump 81 is flexibly controlled depending on the situation, such as increasing the speed of the drive motor 821 at the next application. It is suitable for obtaining a desired application result.
[0104]
During this time, the control system 6 reversely rotates the drive motor 821 of the drive mechanism 82 by the control signal, and moves the nut member 823 in the (+ Z) direction. Thereby, since the joining member 813 moves in the (+ Z) direction, the first bellows 811 contracts and the second bellows 812 extends. Therefore, the indirect liquid LQ is decompressed, the tube 814 expands, and the resist liquid is sucked from the supply mechanism 70 into the tube 814 through the suction port 815.
[0105]
As described above, the resist pump 81 does not expose the portion that becomes the flow path of the resist solution to the outside air in the discharge operation and the suction operation. Therefore, unlike the apparatus using the piston pump shown in FIG. 6, the resist solution exposed to the outside air is not altered and mixed, and the substrate processing apparatus 1 can suppress the generation of particles.
[0106]
When the inspection of the resist film is completed, the stage 3 stops the adsorption of the substrate 90, and the operator or the transport mechanism picks up the substrate 90 from the holding surface 30 and transports it to the next processing step.
[0107]
The above is the operation in the coating mode of the substrate processing apparatus 1 in the present embodiment.
[0108]
<1.2.2 Pre-coating mode operation>
Next, the pre-coating mode of the substrate processing apparatus 1 will be described. The pre-coating mode is a mode in which the substrate processing apparatus 1 sends a resist solution to the slit nozzle 41 without driving the resist pump 81.
[0109]
In the substrate processing apparatus 1, for example, prior to the coating mode, the tip of the slit nozzle 41 is not in a state where the resist solution cannot be normally discharged due to drying or the like, or the resist solution that has deteriorated at the tip of the slit nozzle 41 is removed. Pre-coating (trial coating) is performed for reasons such as waste liquid removal. Further, pre-coating is also performed in a process such as air bleeding after cleaning.
[0110]
When the pre-coating mode is selected in accordance with an instruction from the operator, the control system 6 first opens the on-off valves 75 and 76 by the control signal, and opens the on-off valves 83 and 84, the waste liquid valve 86 and the air vent valve 88. Closed. As a result, the main pipe 74 is selected as a resist solution flow path from the supply mechanism 70 to the slit nozzle 41.
[0111]
Next, the control system 6 controls the linear motors 50 and 51 to move the bridging structure 4 from the standby position to a position where pre-coating is performed (position where coating is performed on a pre-coating plate not shown).
[0112]
Further, the control system 6 controls the buffer tank 72 to send the resist solution to the slit nozzle 41 by atmospheric pressure.
[0113]
In the pre-coating process of the substrate processing apparatus 1, it is not necessary to perform highly accurate discharge, and it is not necessary to perform highly accurate control of the discharge amount and the discharge flow rate by controlling the resist pump 81. Therefore, the control system 6 does not generate the driving force by selecting the method for supplying the resist solution by the atmospheric pressure of the buffer tank 72 without using the resist pump 81 as the method for supplying the resist solution. The liquid can be fed.
[0114]
In the slit coater, when a resist solution having a high viscosity is used, or when the resist solution and particles that have deteriorated during cleaning and waste liquid are swept away at once, it is necessary to perform liquid feeding at a high pressure. The substrate processing apparatus 1 in the present embodiment can cope with such processing by pre-coating.
[0115]
When pre-coating with high pressure is selected by an instruction input from the operator, first, the control system 6 opens the open / close valves 83 and 84 by a control signal, and the open / close valve 75, waste liquid valve 86 and air vent valve 88. Is closed. As a result, the preliminary pipe 85 is selected as the resist solution flow path from the supply mechanism 70 to the slit nozzle 41.
[0116]
Next, the control system 6 controls the linear motors 50 and 51 to move the bridge structure 4. At this time, when applying to the substrate 90, after the measurement by the gap sensor 42 and the like are performed as in the application mode, the bridging structure 4 is disposed at the above-described discharge start position. Moreover, when apply | coating to a pre application | coating plate, the bridge | crosslinking structure 4 is arrange | positioned in the above-mentioned pre application position.
[0117]
When the bridging structure 4 is disposed at a predetermined position, the control system 6 controls the linear motors 50 and 51 to scan the slit nozzle 41 while moving the bridging structure 4 in a predetermined direction. At this time, the control system 6 opens the open / close valve 76 and controls the replenishing device 71 of the supply mechanism 70 to pressurize the resist solution. As a result, the pressurized resist solution is fed from the supply mechanism 70 toward the slit nozzle 41, and the resist solution is discharged from the slit nozzle 41.
[0118]
As described above, since the substrate processing apparatus 1 includes the auxiliary pipe 85 and the control system 6 has a function of appropriately selecting the auxiliary pipe 85, for example, the tube 814 of the resist pump 81 may be damaged. Even when a certain amount of high pressure is applied to the resist solution, the substrate processing apparatus 1 can send the resist solution. Therefore, the substrate processing apparatus 1 can be used as a processing solution even if it is a highly viscous resist solution.
[0119]
When a predetermined amount of discharge is executed, the linear motors 50 and 51 retract the bridging structure 4 to the standby position, and the pre-coating mode ends. The above is the description of the operation in the pre-coating mode in the substrate processing apparatus 1.
[0120]
<1.2.3 Operation in maintenance mode>
Next, the operation in the maintenance mode of the substrate processing apparatus 1 will be described. In the substrate processing apparatus 1, maintenance such as cleaning the pipe (main pipe 74, spare pipe 85, waste liquid pipe 87, etc.) and the resist pump 81 or replacing the resist liquid is performed as appropriate.
[0121]
In the substrate processing apparatus 1, when the maintenance mode is selected by an instruction input from the operator, the waste liquid valve 86 is opened by the control system 6.
[0122]
In the substrate processing apparatus 1, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the tube 814 of the resist pump 81 is arranged in the direction along the Z axis. That is, the resist solution is fed in the resist pump 81 so that the direction of feeding is along the Z axis, and the height of the suction port 815 is lower than the height of the discharge port 816. Yes.
[0123]
As described above, in the substrate processing apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment, the suction port 815 side, which is disposed at a position where the height position is low among the suction port 815 and the discharge port 816, is connected to the waste liquid pipe 87, thereby performing control. Since the system 6 opens the waste liquid valve 86, the resist solution in the resist pump 81 can be easily extracted.
[0124]
In addition, the inner wall of the tube 814 serving as a resist solution flow path is not formed with complicated irregularities, and the resist solution in the resist pump 81 is transferred to the waste solution pipe 87 simply by opening the waste solution valve 86. Guided and extracted smoothly. Therefore, maintenance such as cleaning can be easily performed.
[0125]
In addition, since the bubbles in the resist pump 81 efficiently escape upward due to such an arrangement, the bubble removal operation can be easily performed.
[0126]
In the substrate processing apparatus 1, when the waste liquid valve 86 is opened, the open / close valve 76 is also opened, so that the resist solution in the slit nozzle 41 can be efficiently recovered. Note that, when the waste liquid valve 86 is opened, the control system 6 may control the collection mechanism (not shown) so that the waste liquid pipe 87 is vacuum-sucked. In that case, the resist solution can be more easily extracted.
[0127]
When the predetermined time has elapsed and the waste liquid / cleaning / removal process is completed, the substrate processing apparatus 1 ends the maintenance mode and displays on the display unit 63 that the maintenance work has been completed. As a result, the operator can know that the substrate processing apparatus 1 is ready to start the coating process.
[0128]
As described above, in the substrate processing apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment, when the liquid feeding mechanism 80 performs the discharge operation and the suction operation, the flow path (cylinder) of the processing liquid as in the piston pump 110 shown in FIG. 111 is not exposed to the external atmosphere, and the generation of particles can be prevented.
[0129]
Further, since the liquid feeding mechanism 80 feeds the processing liquid by contracting the tube 814, it is possible to suppress the pulsation of the flow of the processing liquid, so that liquid feeding can be performed with high accuracy. A slit coater such as the substrate processing apparatus 1 is particularly effective because the discharge accuracy is greatly influenced by the accuracy with which the resist solution is fed to the slit nozzle 41.
[0130]
In addition, since the resist pump 81 does not use a worn member (for example, an O-ring or the like) like the sealing material 113 of the conventional piston pump 110, the replacement frequency of parts can be suppressed.
[0131]
Further, since the internal shape of the resist pump 81 is a simple cylindrical shape (tube 814), the processing liquid inside the resist pump 81 can be easily drained, and the processing liquid can be easily cleaned and removed. Therefore, maintenance work can be easily performed. In particular, it is suitable for application of a color resist because the replacement of the treatment liquid is better than a general bellows pump.
[0132]
Further, by disposing one of the suction port 815 and the discharge port 816 at a low height, the bubbles in the resist pump 81 can be easily removed from the upper part, and the processing liquid is easily drained from the lower part. be able to. This also facilitates maintenance work.
[0133]
In addition, the control system 6 selects liquid feeding by driving the drive motor 821 of the driving mechanism 82 and liquid feeding by the replenishing device 71, thereby performing liquid feeding according to the usage status of the substrate processing apparatus 1. Can do.
[0134]
Further, in the substrate processing apparatus 1, the processing liquid to be used is selected by selecting whether the resist liquid is sent via the resist pump 81 and the main pipe 74 or the resist liquid is sent via the auxiliary pipe 85. The liquid can be sent according to the situation.
[0135]
<2. Second Embodiment>
In the substrate processing apparatus 1 in the first embodiment, a resist solution is sent to the slit nozzle 41 by one resist pump 81. Here, when the substrate 90 to be processed becomes large and it is necessary to increase the discharge amount per stroke in the coating process, conventionally, the resist pump 81 is replaced with a large pump having a large discharge amount. It was. However, since such a large pump is difficult to manufacture with high accuracy, there is a problem that coating accuracy is lowered as a result. In the present invention, like the substrate processing apparatus 1 shown in the first embodiment, the pump for feeding the resist solution is not limited to one, and a plurality of pumps may be used.
[0136]
FIG. 7 is a view showing a liquid feeding mechanism 80 of the substrate processing apparatus 1 in the second embodiment configured based on such a principle. In FIG. 7, the illustration of the substantially same configuration as that of the first embodiment such as the auxiliary pipe 85 is omitted.
[0137]
The substrate processing apparatus 1 in the present embodiment is different from the substrate processing apparatus 1 in the first embodiment in that it includes two resist pumps 81a and 81b and two drive mechanisms 82a and 82b. Further, as shown in FIG. 7, the main pipe 74 a is disposed so as to guide the resist solution discharged from the respective resist pumps 81 a and 81 b to the supply port 410 of the slit nozzle 41. The resist solutions discharged from the resist pumps 81a and 81b merge at the connection point CP and are supplied from the supply port 410 to the slit nozzle 41.
[0138]
Each of the resist pumps 81a and 81b has the same structure as the resist pump 81 in the first embodiment, and includes a first bellows 811, a second bellows 812, and a tube member 814. The drive mechanisms 82a and 82b have the same structure as the drive mechanism 82 in the first embodiment. The resist pump 81a is driven by a drive mechanism 82a, and the resist pump 81b is driven by a drive mechanism 82b.
[0139]
The control system 6 performs the same control as that of the first embodiment except that the drive mechanisms 82a and 82b are driven to be driven synchronously.
[0140]
As described above, since the substrate processing apparatus 1 in the second embodiment uses the pump having the same structure as the resist pump 81 in the first embodiment to send the resist solution, the same effect is obtained. be able to.
[0141]
Further, since the resist solution is fed by the two resist pumps 81a and 81b, the amount of the resist solution supplied to the slit nozzle 41 becomes the total amount of the resist pumps 81a and 81b. The discharge amount can be increased. When the substrate 90 is enlarged and the amount of resist solution discharged per stroke is increased, two small pumps processed with high accuracy are used instead of using a large pump with low processing accuracy. Thus, the coating accuracy can be improved. In the substrate processing apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment, the two resist pumps 81a and 81b are used. However, the number of pumps is not limited to this, and a configuration including more pumps may be employed.
[0142]
<3. Modification>
As mentioned above, although embodiment of this invention has been described, this invention is not limited to the said embodiment, A various deformation | transformation is possible.
[0143]
For example, the substrate processing apparatus 1 in the above embodiment is a so-called slit coater that discharges a resist solution from a slit nozzle, but the present invention is not limited to the slit coater.
[0144]
The pump driven by the drive mechanism 82 is not limited to a pump of the type such as the resist pump 81, and may be used, for example, to drive a piston of a piston pump. That is, any pump may be used as long as the pump sends liquid by driving the movable portion along a linear axis.
[0145]
The resist pump 81 may be provided below the slit nozzle 41. In this case, the resist solution in the resist pump 81 and the slit nozzle 41 can be collected and discharged more efficiently.
[0146]
When a plurality of resist pumps are used as in the second embodiment, the joining member 813 of the resist pump 81a and the joining member 813 of the resist pump 81b are attached to the nut member 823 of the drive mechanism 82a. The registration pumps 81a and 81b may be driven by one drive mechanism 81a.
[0147]
【The invention's effect】
  Claim 1 to9In the invention described in (1), the tube member is disposed inside the container member, and the indirect liquid is enclosed in the space between the container member and the tube member, so that a part of the flow path of the processing liquid is formed. Generation of particles can be suppressed without being exposed to the atmosphere. In addition, maintenance such as cleaning can be easily performed. Further, by further providing a preliminary flow path for guiding a predetermined processing liquid to the slit nozzle without passing through the liquid feeding means, for example, when using a processing liquid having a high viscosity, a relatively high pressure is applied. However, the processing liquid can be fed without destroying the liquid feeding means.Further, the buffer tank causes the liquid feeding means to suck the predetermined processing liquid under atmospheric pressure, whereby the suction force when the liquid feeding means sucks the processing liquid can be reduced. In addition, the replenishing means sends the predetermined processing liquid stored in the buffer tank to the slit nozzle at a predetermined pressure, so that the processing liquid can be easily supplied without driving the driving means.
[0148]
In the invention according to claim 3, the control means controls the constant volume supply means for controlling the liquid feed amount of the predetermined processing liquid fed by the liquid feeding means, and the flow rate of the predetermined processing liquid by the liquid feeding means. By having the constant flow rate supply means, the processing liquid can be discharged with high accuracy.
[0149]
In the invention according to claim 4, by arranging the suction port and the discharge port located on both ends of the tube member so that one of the height positions is lower than the other, It is advantageous for removing bubbles. Moreover, drainage is easy.
[0151]
  Claim5In the invention described in the above, it is possible to suppress discharge of undesired processing liquid from the slit nozzle by setting the liquid level of the buffer tank to be lower than the discharge port of the slit nozzle. it can.
[0153]
  Claim6In the above-described invention, the amount of the processing liquid in the buffer tank can be appropriately maintained by further including a measuring unit that measures the amount of the predetermined processing liquid stored in the buffer tank.
[0155]
  Claim7In the invention described in (2), when a predetermined processing liquid is fed to the slit nozzle, the liquid feeding selection means for selecting either the liquid feeding by driving the driving means or the liquid feeding by the replenishing means is further provided. By providing, liquid feeding according to the situation can be performed.
[0156]
  Claim8In the invention described in (1), the flow path selection means has a valve that opens and closes the preliminary flow path, whereby the flow path can be easily selected.
[0157]
  Claim9In the invention described in the above, since the liquid feeding means has a plurality of container members and tube members for one slit nozzle, the discharge amount can be increased using a small pump with high processing accuracy. The application accuracy can be improved.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of a substrate processing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a front view of the substrate processing apparatus.
FIG. 3 is a diagram schematically showing a supply mechanism and a liquid feeding mechanism.
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing details of a liquid feeding mechanism.
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing details of a drive mechanism.
FIG. 6 is a view showing a conventional liquid feeding device.
FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a liquid feeding mechanism in a second embodiment.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 Substrate processing equipment
3 stages
41 Slit nozzle
6 Control system
70 Supply mechanism
71 Replenisher
72 Buffer tank
73 Sensor
75, 76, 83, 84 Open / close valve
80 Liquid feeding mechanism
81, 81a, 81b resist pump
811 1st bellows
812 2nd bellows
813 Joining member
814 tubes
815 Suction port
816 Discharge port
82, 82a, 82b drive mechanism
821 Drive motor
822 Ball screw
823 Nut member
825 Guide
85 Preliminary piping
90 substrates
D Lead pitch
LQ Indirect liquid

Claims (9)

A substrate processing apparatus for forming a film of a predetermined processing solution on a substrate,
A holding table for holding a substrate;
A slit nozzle for discharging the predetermined processing liquid onto the main surface of the substrate;
A supply mechanism for supplying the predetermined processing liquid;
A liquid feeding means for feeding the predetermined processing liquid to the slit nozzle;
A preliminary flow path for guiding the predetermined processing liquid to the slit nozzle without going through the liquid feeding means;
A flow path selecting means for selecting whether the liquid is sent via the liquid feeding means or the preliminary flow path;
With
The supply mechanism is
A buffer tank for storing the predetermined processing liquid and causing the liquid feeding means to suck the predetermined processing liquid under atmospheric pressure;
Replenishing the buffer tank with the predetermined processing liquid, and supplying the predetermined processing liquid stored in the buffer tank to the slit nozzle with a predetermined pressure;
The liquid feeding means is
A container member capable of changing the internal volume;
A tube member whose inside is a flow path for the predetermined processing liquid and whose internal volume can be changed,
Driving means for changing and driving the internal volume of the container member;
Have
The tube member is disposed inside the container member, and an indirect liquid is enclosed in a space between the container member and the tube member ,
The substrate processing apparatus , wherein the preliminary flow path is used when the predetermined processing liquid is pressurized and fed by the replenishing means . The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1,
The container member includes first and second bellows having different inner diameters and communicating with each other inside,
The substrate processing apparatus, wherein the driving means moves a vicinity of a boundary between the first and second bellows in a predetermined direction. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:
Control means for controlling the drive means;
The control means is
A constant volume supply means for controlling a liquid feed amount of the predetermined processing liquid fed by the liquid feed means;
Constant flow rate supply means for controlling the flow rate of the predetermined processing liquid by the liquid feeding means;
A substrate processing apparatus comprising: A substrate processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The liquid feeding means is
Having a suction port and a discharge port positioned on both ends of the tube member,
A substrate processing apparatus, wherein one of the suction port and the discharge port is disposed such that a height position thereof is lower than the other. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:
The substrate processing apparatus, wherein a liquid level of the buffer tank is set to be lower than a discharge port of the slit nozzle. A substrate processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
The supply mechanism is
The substrate processing apparatus further comprising measuring means for measuring the amount of the predetermined processing liquid stored in the buffer tank. A substrate processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6,
In the case of feeding the predetermined processing liquid to the slit nozzle, it further comprises a liquid feeding selection means for selecting one of liquid feeding by driving the driving means and liquid feeding by the replenishing means. A substrate processing apparatus. A substrate processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7,
The flow path selecting means is
A substrate processing apparatus comprising a valve for opening and closing the preliminary flow path. A substrate processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8,
The liquid feeding means is one slit nozzle,
A plurality of said container members;
A plurality of the tube members;
A substrate processing apparatus comprising:

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