JP4606787B2 - Substrate processing equipment - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus for cleaning a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer or LCD substrate glass.

  For example, in a semiconductor device manufacturing process, a process of cleaning a semiconductor wafer (hereinafter referred to as “wafer”) with a processing solution such as a chemical solution or pure water is performed. As one type of apparatus for performing such processing, there is known a device in which a plurality of wafers, for example, 25 wafers, are held in a rotor in a state of being arranged in parallel and cleaned by spraying a processing liquid onto the wafers while rotating the wafers by the rotor. ing.

  The rotor includes a plurality of, for example, six holding rods for holding the peripheral edge of the wafer. Each holding rod has, for example, 25 holding grooves for inserting and holding the peripheral edge of the wafer. By inserting the peripheral portions of the wafers into the holding grooves, 25 wafers are arranged and held. In addition, two of the six holding rods can be moved outward, and the wafer can be loaded into the rotor by opening between the two movable holding rods.

  The movable holding bar is fixed along a support bar having both ends attached to two arms rotatable with respect to the rotor body. The support rod is formed in a substantially U-shaped cross section, and the movable holding rod is formed with a cutout portion having a substantially L-shaped cross section. Then, the notch of the movable holding rod is fitted to the corner of the support rod, and the support rod and the movable holding rod are connected by bolts so that the movable holding rod is fixed in a state where it is positioned on the support rod. It has become.

  Conventionally, a liquid draining groove has been provided on the surface of the movable holding rod so that the treatment liquid can easily escape from the surface of the movable holding rod, and the treatment liquid remaining on the surface of the movable holding rod can be reduced. It has been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2001-244230 A

  However, there has been a demand for a reduction in residual processing solution from conventional substrate processing apparatuses and an improvement in chemical solution performance that can cope with various types of chemical solutions that have been developed in recent years. For example, there has been a demand for reduction of the chemical solution remaining between the notch portion of the movable holding rod and the support rod. In addition, there are parts that cannot be coated with resin on the surface of the parts, making it difficult to improve the chemical resistance against various types of chemicals. For example, the notch part of the movable holding bar and the surface of the support bar that is in contact with the notch part must be coated with resin in order to perform positioning accurately. There was a problem that the chemical performance could not be improved.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a substrate processing apparatus capable of preventing a processing liquid from remaining in a rotor and improving the chemical resistance performance.

In order to solve the above-described problems, according to the present invention, a substrate processing apparatus that holds a peripheral portion of a substrate by holding grooves formed in a plurality of holding members provided in the rotor, and rotates the substrate to process the rotor. A support member for supporting the holding member, wherein the holding member and the support member are connected so as to form a gap between each other, and the gap is formed from a rotation center side of the substrate. In the rotor, the rotor includes a plate on the end side of the holding member, and an arm on which the end of the support member is attached inside the plate. , Attached to one end of a rotating shaft penetrating from the inside to the outside of the plate, and a lever is attached to the other end of the rotating shaft outside the plate to lock the lever. The locking mechanism includes a leaf spring capable of moving the tip portion between a position close to the plate and a position separated from the plate, and the tip portion of the plate spring is located at a position separated from the plate. By disposing the lever, the lever contacts and is locked against the tip of the leaf spring, and the tip of the leaf spring is arranged at a position close to the plate, so that the lever is A substrate processing apparatus is provided, wherein the substrate processing apparatus can be rotated through the outside of the front end portion, and the locking of the lever is released .

  A spacer may be disposed between the holding member and the support member. The holding member may be formed of PEEK, the support member may be formed of stainless steel, and the surface of the support member may be coated with PFA. Furthermore, the holding member and the support member may be connected by a bolt, and the head of the bolt may be covered with a cap formed of PEEK.

  The holding groove may be formed in a V-shaped cross section. Further, the rotor may be provided with a pressing mechanism for pressing the substrate in order to maintain the state where the peripheral edge of the substrate is inserted into the holding groove.

Further, the leaf spring may be that it is formed by PEEK.

  According to the present invention, since the gap is formed between the holding member and the support member of the rotor, the treatment liquid flows out from the gap, so that the treatment liquid remains on the surface of the holding member and the support member. Can be prevented. By forming the gap along the direction from the rotation center side of the substrate toward the outside, when the rotor is rotated, the processing liquid is more smoothly discharged outward from the gap by the centrifugal force. By providing the spacer between the holding member and the support member, the gap can be easily formed. By simplifying the structure of the locking mechanism, the processing liquid adhering to the locking mechanism is easily shaken off, and it is possible to prevent the processing liquid from remaining in the locking mechanism. By providing the spacer, the holding member can be easily positioned and the workability is good. Further, since the structure of the locking mechanism is simplified, the locking mechanism can be easily attached and detached.

  Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described based on a substrate processing apparatus provided in a processing system configured to perform a cleaning process for removing a polymer attached to a wafer as an example of a substrate. As shown in FIG. 1, the processing system 1 includes a carrier loading / unloading unit 2 for loading / unloading a carrier C containing a plurality of substantially disk-shaped wafers W, and a wafer W from the carrier C loaded into the carrier loading / unloading unit 2. Are provided with a wafer transfer unit 3 for picking up and transferring the wafer W and a processing unit 5 for performing a cleaning process on the wafer W transferred by the wafer transfer unit 3.

  The carrier loading / unloading unit 2 is provided with a carrier mounting table 10 on which the carrier C is mounted. The wafers W are stored in the carrier C in a state where a plurality of, for example, 25 wafers W are arranged in a substantially parallel posture with a predetermined interval.

  A wafer transfer device 11 is disposed in the wafer transfer unit 3. The wafer transfer device 11 holds and transfers the wafers W to the 25 transfer arms 12 one by one. These transfer arms 12 collectively take out 25 wafers W from the carrier C, and collectively deliver the taken 25 wafers W to a rotor rotating mechanism 20 disposed in a processing unit 5 described later. Twenty-five wafers W are taken out from the rotating mechanism 20 and stored in the carrier C at once.

  The processing unit 5 includes a wafer transfer / posture change area 15 for transferring and changing the posture of the wafer W, and a substrate processing apparatus 16 according to the present invention for storing the wafer W and supplying a processing liquid.

  The wafer transfer / posture conversion area 15 is provided with a rotor rotating mechanism 20 that holds and rotates 25 wafers W. Although not shown, a posture changing mechanism that changes the orientation of the rotor rotating mechanism 20 and a rotor rotating mechanism moving mechanism that moves the rotor rotating mechanism 20 and the posture changing mechanism 21 are provided. By the posture conversion mechanism and the rotor rotation mechanism moving mechanism, the rotor rotation mechanism 20 is arranged in the wafer loading / removing position PR1 facing the wafer transfer device 11 in the vertical posture, and the wafer W is disposed in the substrate processing device 16 in the horizontal posture. Is moved to the processing position PR2.

  The rotor rotating mechanism 20 includes a motor 27, a rotating shaft 28 of the motor 27, and a rotor 30 that is attached to the tip of the rotating shaft 28 and holds 25 wafers W arranged in parallel at a predetermined interval. The motor 27 is supported by a casing 31 that surrounds the rotary shaft 28, and the casing 31 is supported by a posture changing mechanism (not shown). In addition, a disc-shaped lid 32 is disposed between the casing 31 and the rotor 30.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the rotor 30 includes disks 35 and 36 as a pair of plates arranged at intervals so that 25 wafers W can be inserted. The disk 35 is attached to the tip of the rotating shaft 28, and the disk 36 is disposed substantially parallel to the disk 35. Between the disks 35 and 36, holding rods 40A, 40B, 40C, and 40D are provided as four holding members that hold the peripheral edge of the wafer W. As shown in FIG. 4, the holding bars 40A, 40B, 40C, and 40D are disposed so as to surround the peripheral edge of the wafer W inserted between the disks 35 and 36, and substantially parallel to each other. The holding bars 40A, 40B, 40C, and 40D are supported by support bars 41A, 41B, 41C, and 41D as support members that extend from the periphery of the disk 35 toward the periphery of the disk 36, respectively. Further, the rotor 30 includes two pressing mechanisms 42A and 42B for pressing the wafer in order to maintain the periphery of the wafer W held by the holding bars 40A, 40B, 40C, and 40D. It is provided between the holding bar 40D and between the holding bar 40B and the holding bar 40C.

  The holding bar 40A is formed in a bar shape extending from the disk 35 toward the disk 36. As shown in FIG. 5, the holding bar 40A is formed on one side surface of the base 44 having a substantially rectangular cross section. A holding groove 45 for inserting the peripheral edge portion is formed. Twenty-five holding grooves 45 are formed in the holding bar 40A, and are arranged side by side at a predetermined interval along the longitudinal direction of the holding bar 40A as shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 6, each holding groove 45 has a substantially V-shaped longitudinal section. Each holding groove 45 is configured to hold the peripheral edge of the wafer W by inserting the peripheral edge of the wafer W between the opposing inclined surfaces and bringing the peripheral corners of both surfaces of the wafer W into contact with the inclined surfaces. ing. When the shape of the holding groove 45 is made substantially V-shaped in this way, the processing liquid is more easily discharged from the holding groove 45 than when the shape of the holding groove 45 is made substantially Y-shaped. It is possible to prevent the processing liquid from remaining on the holding groove 45 and the peripheral edge of the wafer W.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the support bar 41 </ b> A is formed in a bar shape extending from the disk 35 toward the disk 36, and has a substantially rectangular cross section as shown in FIG. 5. The holding bar 40A is attached along the support bar 41A so as to be adjacent thereto. Further, the support bar 41A is arranged so that both side surfaces 51 and 52 are directed from the rotation center side of the wafer W toward the outer peripheral side along a substantially radial direction. The holding bar 40A is attached in such a posture that the holding groove 45 faces the wafer W, that is, inward of the rotor 30, and the side surfaces 53 and 54 located on both sides of the holding groove 45 are the rotation centers of the wafer W. It arrange | positions so that it may go to an outer peripheral side along a substantially radial direction from the side. And it arrange | positions so that the side surface 53 of 40 A of holding rods may oppose the side surface 52 of 41 A of support rods. The holding bar 40A and the support bar 41A are connected by six bolts 60.

  The holding rod 40 </ b> A is formed with bolt insertion holes 61 penetrating from the side surface 54 toward the side surface 53 at six locations. On the other hand, bolt insertion holes 62 are opened at six locations on the side surface 52 of the support bar 41A. The bolt insertion holes 61 and 62 are provided side by side in the longitudinal direction of the holding rod 40A and the support rod 41A, and are formed at positions corresponding to each other. A thread groove 65 is formed on the inner peripheral surface of each bolt insertion hole 62 of the support bar 41A.

  A spacer 70 is disposed between the side surface 52 of the support bar 41A and the side surface 53 of the holding bar 40A. The spacer 70 is formed in a cylindrical shape, and the bolt 60 is inserted into a hole 71 penetrating in the center.

  On the side surface 53 of the holding rod 40A, a spacer insertion hole 72 for fitting one end of the spacer 70 is formed around each bolt insertion hole 61. In addition, on the side surface 52 of the support bar 41 </ b> A, a spacer insertion hole 73 for fitting the other end of the spacer 70 is formed around each bolt insertion hole 62. When both end portions of the spacer 70 are fitted into the spacer insertion holes 72 and 73, the bolt insertion hole 61 of the holding rod 40A and the bolt insertion hole 62 of the support rod 41A communicate with each other through the hole 71 of the spacer 70, The bolt 60 can be inserted.

  Further, when both end portions of the spacer 70 are fitted into the spacer insertion holes 72 and 73, a gap having a predetermined width is formed between the planar side surface 52 of the support rod 41A and the planar side surface 53 of the holding rod 40A. 75 is formed. As shown in FIG. 5, the gap 75 is formed so as to go from the rotation center side of the wafer W to the outer peripheral side along the substantially radial direction, that is, from the inner side to the outer side of the rotor 30. In this way, when the rotor 30 is rotated, the processing liquid is discharged toward the outside of the rotor 30 from the gap 75 between the holding rod 40A and the support rod 41A by the centrifugal force generated by the rotation of the rotor 30. Become. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the treatment liquid from remaining between the holding rod 40A and the support rod 41A.

  As shown in FIG. 5, an annular O-ring 76 is provided around the spacer 70. The O-ring 76 is provided so as to be in close contact with the side surface 52 of the support bar 41A and the side surface 53 of the holding bar 40A, thereby allowing the processing liquid to contact the spacer 70, bolt insertion holes 61, 62, and holes 71. It is possible to prevent the processing liquid from flowing in and coming into contact with the bolt 60.

  The bolt 60 is fastened so as to pass through the bolt insertion hole 61 of the holding rod 40A, the hole 71 of the spacer 70, and the bolt insertion hole 62 of the support rod 41A in this order. A screw groove 81 that is screwed into a screw groove 65 formed in the bolt insertion hole 62 is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the bolt 60. The bolt 60 is inserted into the bolt insertion hole 61 from the side surface 54 side of the holding rod 40A, passed through the hole 71 of the spacer 70, and inserted into the bolt insertion hole 62 of the support rod 41A. The front end of the bolt 60 is fixed to the bolt insertion hole 62 by screwing the screw grooves 71 and 65. The head portion 82 of the bolt 60 contacts the side surface 54 of the holding rod 40A. Thus, by inserting the bolt 60 into the bolt insertion hole 61 of the holding bar 40A, the hole 71 of the spacer 70, and the bolt insertion hole 62 of the support bar 41A, the holding bar 40A is fixed to the support bar 41A. It has become. The head 82 is formed with a hole 82a for fitting a tool such as a wrench when the bolt 60 is fastened.

  The spacer 70 is fitted into the spacer insertion hole 72 of the holding bar 40A and the spacer insertion hole 73 of the support bar 41A, so that the bolt insertion hole 61 of the holding bar 40A and the bolt insertion hole of the support bar 41A are interposed via the spacer 70. Since 62 is communicated, the positions of the six bolt insertion holes 61 of the holding rod 40A can be accurately aligned with the six bolt insertion holes 62 of the support rod 41A. Further, by fitting the spacer 70 into the spacer insertion hole 72 and the spacer insertion hole 73 of the support bar 41A, the gap 75 between the side surface 52 of the support bar 41A and the side surface 53 of the holding bar 40A has a predetermined width. The holding groove 45 of the holding bar 40A is positioned with respect to the holding groove 45 formed in the other holding bars 40B to 40D. Thus, by providing the spacer 70 between the bolt insertion hole 61 of the holding bar 40A and the bolt insertion hole 62 of the support bar 41A, the positioning of the holding bar 40A with respect to the support bar 41A and the positioning of the holding groove 45 are simplified. Therefore, the workability when attaching the holding bar 40A to the support bar 41A is improved. Replacement work of the holding rod 40A can be easily performed.

  A cap 83 is attached to the head 82 of each bolt 60. The cap 83 has an insertion hole 84 into which the head 82 is inserted, and a screw groove 85 is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the insertion hole 84. On the other hand, a screw groove 86 is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the head portion 82, and the insertion hole 84 is fixed to the head portion 82 by screwing the screw grooves 85, 86. When the head portion 82 is inserted into the insertion hole 84, the entire head portion 82 is covered with the cap 83, and the treatment liquid can be prevented from adhering to the head portion 82.

  The head portion 87 of the cap 83 is formed in a bowl shape so as to protrude in the outer peripheral direction of the cap 83. An annular O-ring 88 is provided between the head 87 and the side surface 54 of the holding rod 40 </ b> A, and the processing liquid flows into the insertion hole 84 or the bolt insertion hole 61 of the cap 83 and contacts the bolt 60. To prevent it from happening.

  The holding rod 40A is formed of a material having chemical resistance such as PEEK (polyether ether ketone). The support bar 41A is made of a material having strength resistance such as stainless steel, and the support bar 41A is made of a fluorine resin such as PFA (tetrafluoroethylene / perfluoroalkyl vinyl ether copolymer). It is coated with a chemical material. That is, as shown in FIG. 5, a coating layer 89 is formed on the surface of the support bar 41A. The cap 83 is formed of a material having chemical resistance such as PEEK. Therefore, the holding bar 40A, the support bar 41A, and the cap 83 are configured to have high chemical resistance. Further, the O-rings 76 and 88 are also made of a material having chemical resistance, and the bolt 60 and the spacer 70 are prevented from coming into contact with the chemical solution, so that the bolt 60 and the spacer 70 are corroded by the chemical solution. Can be prevented.

  The inner surface of the spacer insertion hole 73 of the support rod 41A is preferably not coated. In this case, since the inner surface shape of the spacer insertion hole 73 can be formed with high accuracy, the spacer 70 can be fitted into the spacer insertion hole 73 with high accuracy, and the holding rod 40A can be positioned with high accuracy. In addition, it is preferable that the inner surface of the bolt insertion hole 62 of the support bar 41A is not coated. In this case, since the accuracy of the screw groove 65 of the bolt insertion hole 62 can be kept good, the bolt 60 can be reliably screwed and the holding rod 40A can be securely fixed to the support rod 41A. Since the periphery of the spacer insertion hole 73 and the bolt insertion hole 62 is sealed by the O-ring 76, there is no possibility that the chemical solution contacts the spacer insertion hole 73 or the bolt insertion hole 62. Therefore, even if the spacer insertion hole 73 and the bolt insertion hole 62 are not coated, corrosion due to chemicals can be sufficiently prevented. In this way, the parts that come in contact with the chemical solution are coated, the parts that need to maintain good accuracy are not coated, and the periphery is covered with a chemical-resistant member such as an O-ring so that the chemical solution does not come into contact. It can be sealed.

  As shown in FIGS. 2, 3, 4 and 5, the holding rods 40B, 40C and 40D are each constituted by six bolts 60 in the same manner as the structure in which the holding rod 40A is fixed to the support rod 41A. It is fixed to the support rods 41B, 41C, 41D, and a cap 83 is attached to the head 82 of each bolt 60. Between the holding rods 40B, 40C, 40D and the support rods 41B, 41C, 41D, a spacer 70 is disposed and a gap 75 is formed, as is the case between the holding rod 40A and the support rod 41A. In addition, since the detailed structure has the same configuration as the holding bar 40A and the support bar 41A, the detailed description of the holding bars 40B, 40C, 40D and the support bars 41B, 41C, 41D is omitted.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the inner side of the disk 35 arranged on one end side of the holding bars 40A and 40B, that is, between the disk 35 and one end part of the holding bars 40A and 40B, Two arms 91A and 91B that are rotatable with respect to each other are provided. On the other hand, the inner side of the disk 36 arranged on the other end side of the holding rods 40A and 40B, that is, between the disk 36 and the other ends of the holding rods 40A and 40B, is rotated with respect to the peripheral portion of the disk 36. Two possible arms 92A, 92B are provided. One end of the support rod 41A is fixed to the tip of the arm 91A, and the other end of the support rod 41A is fixed to the tip of the arm 92A. One end of the support bar 41B is fixed to the tip of the arm 91B, and the other end of the support bar 41B is fixed to the tip of the arm 92B. On the other hand, both ends of the support rods 41C and 41D are fixed to the peripheral portions of the disks 35 and 36. That is, of the holding bars 40A to 40D, the two holding bars 40A and 40B rotate integrally with the arms 91A and 92A or the arms 91B and 92B, and are movable with respect to the disks 35 and 36. The two holding rods 40C and 40D are fixedly supported with respect to the disks 35 and 36.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the base end of the arm 91 </ b> A is attached to the end of a rotating shaft 93 that is rotatably provided on the peripheral edge of the disk 35. On the other hand, the base end of the arm 92A is attached to one end portion of a rotating shaft 94 that is rotatably provided by penetrating the peripheral portion of the disk 36 from the inside to the outside. The base end of the lever 100 </ b> A is attached to the other end portion of the rotating shaft 94 outside the disk 36. With this configuration, the arm 91A, the support bar 41A, the holding bar 40A, the arm 92B, and the lever 100A rotate integrally around the rotation shafts 93 and 94.

  As shown in FIG. 7, when the lever 100A is moved to a position PL1 where one side edge of the lever 100A is close to the peripheral edge of the disk 36 (solid line in FIG. 7), as shown in FIG. The holding groove 45 of the holding rod 40A comes into contact with the peripheral edge of the wafer W loaded inside the rotor 30. That is, the holding bar 40A moves to the holding position PB1 where the peripheral edge of the wafer W can be held. On the other hand, when the lever 100A is moved to the position PL2 where the other side edge of the lever 100A is close to the peripheral edge of the disk 36 (two-dot chain line in FIG. 7), the tips of the arms 91A and 92A are the rotor 30. The holding rod 40 </ b> A moves to the outside of the rotor 30. That is, as shown in FIG. 4, the holding bar 40 </ b> A moves to the separation position PB <b> 2 separated from the peripheral edge of the wafer W.

  As shown in FIG. 7, a stopper 101 </ b> A protrudes from the outer peripheral edge of the disk 36 in order to limit the rotation of the lever 100 </ b> A so that the lever 100 </ b> A does not move too far to the outer periphery. When the lever 100A is moved to the position PL1, the convex portion 102 provided at the tip of the lever 100A comes into contact with the stopper 101A from the center side of the disk 36, thereby restricting the rotation of the lever 100A. It has come to be.

  A locking mechanism 105A capable of locking and unlocking the tip of the lever 100A is installed on the outer surface of the disk 36. The locking mechanism 105 </ b> A includes a leaf spring 106. As shown in FIG. 8, the leaf spring 106 is formed in a thin plate shape, and a thick portion 107 is formed along the leading edge of the leaf spring 106. The leaf spring 106 is disposed substantially parallel to the disk 36 and spaced from the outer surface of the disk 36. A base end portion of the leaf spring 106 is connected to a fixed portion 108 fixed to the disk 36.

  The tip of the leaf spring 106 is disposed at a position separated from the outer surface of the disk 36 in a normal state where the leaf spring 106 is not bent, and is at a height between the upper surface and the lower surface of the lever 100A. Is arranged. When the lever 100A is disposed at the position PL1, the tip of the leaf spring 106 is in contact with the convex portion 102 of the lever 100A from the center side of the disk 36, and the position from the position PL1 of the lever 100A is reached. The rotation toward P2 is limited. Therefore, the convex portion 102 of the lever 100A is sandwiched and locked between the distal end portion of the leaf spring 106 and the stopper 101A. On the other hand, when the leaf spring 106 is pressed from the outside to bend the leaf spring 106, the tip of the leaf spring 106 is moved to a position close to the outer surface of the disk 36. Then, the tip of the leaf spring 106 moves away from the lever 100A and moves between the lever 100A and the outer surface of the disk 36, so that the lever 100A can pass through the outside of the leaf spring 106 and rotate. That is, the state where the lever 100A is locked at the position PL1 is released. When the pressing of the leaf spring 106 is stopped, the leaf spring 106 returns to a normal state due to elasticity, and the lever 100A can be locked by the tip portion. In this manner, the latching and unlocking state of the lever 100A can be switched by pushing or returning the leaf spring 106.

  The leaf spring 106 and the fixing portion 108 are made of a material such as a resin having chemical resistance and elasticity, such as PEEK. As described above, since the locking mechanism 105A has a simple structure constituted by the leaf spring 106 and the fixing portion 108, a conventional locking mechanism that uses a coil spring or the like to raise and lower the locking member that comes into contact with the lever. Compared to the stop mechanism, it can be easily formed by a material having chemical resistance.

  Further, by simplifying the structure of the locking mechanism 105A, when the wafer W held on the rotor 30 is processed by using the processing liquid in the substrate processing apparatus 16, the processing liquid does not accumulate in the locking mechanism 105A and easily flows down. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the treatment liquid from remaining on the locking mechanism 105A. Furthermore, the attachment and removal of the locking mechanism 105A is easy, and workability such as replacement work is good.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the holding bar 40B, the support bar 41B, the arm 91B, and the arm 92B are arranged symmetrically with the holding bar 40A, the support bar 41A, the arm 91A, and the arm 92A. Further, on the outside of the disk 36, a lever 100B connected to the arm 92B, a stopper 101B for limiting the rotation of the lever 100B, and a locking mechanism 105B are provided. The lever 100B, the stopper 101B, and the locking mechanism 105B have the same configuration as the lever 100A, the stopper 101A, and the locking mechanism 105A, and are formed symmetrically with the lever 100A, the stopper 101A, and the locking mechanism 105A. Is arranged. When the lever 100A and the lever 100B are moved away from each other toward the positions PL1 and PL1, the holding rods 40A and 40B move toward each other and move toward the holding positions PB1 and PB1, respectively. On the other hand, when the lever 100A and the lever 100B are moved toward the positions PL2 and PL2, respectively, the holding rods 40A and 40B are separated from each other and moved outward toward the separation positions PB2 and PB2. When the holding rods 40A and 40B are moved to the separation positions PB2 and PB2, a space through which the wafer W can pass is formed between the holding rods 40A and 40B. Accordingly, the wafer W can be loaded into the rotor 30 and the wafer W can be withdrawn from the rotor 30.

  As shown in FIG. 9, the pressing mechanism 42 </ b> A is composed of a cylindrical body 128 laid between the disks 35 and 36 and twelve pressing devices 130 provided at regular intervals in the longitudinal direction of the cylindrical body 128. .

  The pressing device 130 has a contact portion 131 that contacts the periphery of the wafer W, and a cylinder mechanism 132 that moves the contact portion 131 between a position where the contact portion 131 contacts the periphery of the wafer W and a position separated from the periphery of the wafer W. And a diaphragm 133 that is elastically deformed as the contact portion 131 moves. When a piston (not shown) is moved in the cylinder mechanism 132, the contact portion 131 is projected or pulled back as the piston moves. The cylinder 128 is connected to a fluid supply pipe 134 that introduces and leads a fluid into the cylinder 128. The piston in the cylinder mechanism 132 is moved by adjusting the fluid pressure inside the cylinder 128 through the fluid supply pipe 134.

  Since the pressing mechanism 42B has substantially the same configuration as the pressing mechanism 42A, description thereof is omitted. The pressing device 130 of the pressing mechanism 42 </ b> A is disposed so that the contact portion 131 contacts the even-numbered wafer W counted from the disk 35 side among the 25 wafers W loaded in the rotor 30. ing. On the other hand, the pressing device 130 of the pressing mechanism 42 </ b> B is arranged so that the contact portion 131 contacts the odd-numbered wafers W counted from the disk 35 side among the 25 wafers W loaded in the rotor 30. ing.

  In the state where the four peripheral edge portions of the wafer W are inserted and held in the holding grooves 45 of the holding rods 40 </ b> A to 40 </ b> D, the peripheral edge portion of the wafer W is inserted into the holding groove 45 with a margin. Further, when the abutting portion 131 of the pressing device 130 provided in the pressing mechanism 42A or 42B is protruded and brought into contact with the peripheral edge of the wafer W, the pressing force applied from the abutting portion 131 to the peripheral edge of the wafer W Is pressed against the inner surface of each holding groove 45, and the wafer W is securely held in each holding groove 45. Thus, when the rotor 30 is rotated, the state in which the wafer W is inserted into the holding groove 45 of each holding rod 40A to 40D is maintained by the pressing force of the pressing mechanism 42A or 42B, and the peripheral edge of the wafer W Can be prevented from shifting from the holding groove 45. Further, since the holding groove 45 is formed in a V-shaped cross section, wafers W of various thicknesses can be loaded with a margin, and the pressing device 130 provided in the pressing mechanism 42A or 42B can By pressing the peripheral edge of the wafer W by the contact portion 131, the wafers W of various thicknesses can be reliably brought into contact with the inner surface of the holding groove 45 and securely held. As shown in FIG. 6, the thicker the wafer W is, the closer the peripheral corner of the wafer W comes to a position closer to the opening side of the holding groove 45. As described above, by providing the pressing mechanisms 42A and 42B, the wafers W having different thicknesses can be reliably inserted into the holding grooves 45 without replacing the holding bars 40A to 40D with holding bars having different sizes of holding grooves. When the rotor 30 is rotated, the peripheral portion of the wafer W is prevented from being displaced from the holding groove 45, and the wafer W can be rotated.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the wafer transfer / posture change area 15 is provided with an opening / closing mechanism 140 that unlocks the levers 100A and 100B and opens and closes the holding bars 40A and 40B. As shown in FIG. 8, the opening / closing mechanism 140 includes a pressing member 141 that presses each leaf spring 106 of the locking mechanisms 105A and 105B, and a cylinder 142 that expands and contracts the pressing member 141. When the holding rods 40A and 40B are opened and closed, as shown in FIG. 1, the rotor 30 is disposed with the levers 100A and 100B facing upward at the wafer loading / retreating position PR1, and the opening and closing mechanism 140 includes the locking mechanisms 105A and 105A. It moves above each leaf spring 106 of 105B. Then, the pressing member 141 is extended by driving the cylinder 142, the leaf spring 106 is pushed down by the pressing member 141, the locking of the levers 100A and 100B is released, and the levers 100A and 100B are moved by the opening / closing mechanism 140. It is like that. When the holding rods 40A and 40B are locked, the pressing member 141 is contracted by driving the cylinder 142, the leaf spring 106 is returned to the normal state, and the levers 100A and 100B are locked.

  Further, the wafer transfer / posture conversion area 15 is provided with an optical sensor 150 for detecting the position of the leaf spring 106 as shown in FIG. The optical sensor 150 is configured to irradiate the incident light L1 perpendicularly to the outer surface of the leaf spring 106 of each locking mechanism 105A, 105B, and to detect the reflected light L2 reflected perpendicularly on the outer surface of each leaf spring 106. Has been. When the leaf spring 106 is not pushed down, the incident light L1 is reflected vertically by the leaf spring 106, and the reflected light L2 is detected by the optical sensor 150. On the other hand, when the leaf spring 106 is pushed down, the surface of the leaf spring 106 is bent, so that the incident light L1 is not reflected vertically and the reflected light L2 'is not detected. Further, even when the leaf spring 106 is not broken, the reflected light L2 is not reflected toward the optical sensor 150 and is not detected.

  That is, when the cylinder 142 is contracting the pressing member 141, the leaf spring 106 is not bent, so that the reflected light L2 is detected by the optical sensor 150. However, when the leaf spring 106 is broken, the reflected light L <b> 2 is not detected by the optical sensor 150 even though the cylinder 142 contracts the pressing member 141. Thus, by comparing the expansion / contraction state of the cylinder 142 and the detection state of the optical sensor 150, it is possible to determine whether or not the leaf spring 106 is damaged. Therefore, the state of the leaf spring 106 can be confirmed, the levers 100A and 100B can be securely locked, and the wafer W can be reliably held in the rotor 30.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the substrate processing apparatus 16 includes a double chamber 152 including an outer chamber 150 and an inner chamber 151 that moves horizontally inside and outside the outer chamber 150. A nozzle 153 that supplies pure water (DIW) is disposed on the outer chamber 150. An exhaust port 155 is disposed in the lower part of the outer chamber 150. Further, the outer chamber 150 is formed with a rotor inlet / outlet 156 for the rotor 30 to enter or leave the outer chamber 150 and an inner chamber inlet / outlet 157 for the inner chamber 151 to enter or leave the outer chamber 150. Has been. A nozzle 160 for supplying a chemical solution and IPA (isopropyl alcohol) is disposed on the inner chamber 151. An exhaust port 161 is disposed at the lower part of the inner chamber 151. Further, the inner chamber 151 is formed with a rotor rotation mechanism inlet / outlet 162 for allowing the rotor 30 to relatively enter or leave the inner chamber 151 in the outer chamber 150. In the present embodiment, the substrate processing apparatus 16 includes the rotor rotating mechanism 20 and the double chamber 152.

  Next, a cleaning process using the processing system 1 configured as described above will be described. First, a carrier C containing 25 wafers W is placed on the carrier placing table 10 as shown in FIG. Then, 25 wafers W are collectively taken out from the carrier C by the transfer arms 12 of the wafer transfer device 11.

  On the other hand, in the wafer transfer / posture change area 15, the rotor rotating mechanism 20 is moved to the wafer loading / removing position PR1, and the opening / closing mechanism 140 is moved in the vicinity of the levers 100A and 100B. The pressing member 141 is extended by the operation of the cylinder 142 of the opening / closing mechanism 140. As a result, the leaf spring 106 is pushed down, and the locking of the levers 100A and 100B is released. Then, as shown in FIG. 2, the levers 100A and 100B are moved to the position PL2 by the opening / closing mechanism 140, and the holding rods 40A and 40B are moved to the separation position PB2 to stand by.

  Then, by driving the wafer transfer device 11, the transfer arm 12 holding the wafer W passes between the holding rods 40A and 40B and enters the rotor 30, and two peripheral portions of the wafer W are held by the holding rods 40C and 40D. Are inserted into the holding grooves 45. In the pressing mechanisms 42 </ b> A and 42 </ b> B, the contact portion 131 of each presser 130 is retracted so that the contact portion 131 does not contact the peripheral edge of the wafer W.

  Thus, when 25 wafers W are loaded into the rotor 30 at once by the wafer transfer device 11, the levers 100A and 100B are moved to the position PL1 by the opening / closing mechanism 140, respectively. As a result, the holding rods 40A and 40B are moved to the holding position PB1, respectively. Then, the two peripheral edge portions of the wafer W are inserted into the holding grooves 45 of the holding rods 40A and 40B, and the four peripheral edge portions of the wafer W are held by the holding rods 40A to 40D. When the holding bars 40A and 40B are moved to the holding position PB1, the transfer arm 12 is retracted from between the holding bars 40A and 40B. Thus, the wafer W is transferred from the transfer arm 12 to the rotor 30, and the 25 wafers W are held in a substantially parallel posture by the holding grooves 45 of the holding rods 40A to 40D.

  When the levers 100A and 100B are moved to the position PL1, respectively, the cylinder 142 of the opening / closing mechanism 140 is driven, and the pressing member 141 is contracted. As a result, the leaf spring 106 returns to the normal state, and the distal end portion of the leaf spring 106 comes into contact with the distal end portions of the levers 100A and 100B. That is, the levers 100A and 100B are locked, and the holding bars 40A and 40B are fixed to the holding position PB1.

  When the four peripheral edge portions of the wafer W are held by the holding rods 40A to 40D, the pressing units 130 of the pressing mechanisms 42A and 42B are operated, and the contact portions 131 of the pressing devices 130 are projected to contact the contact portions. 131 is pressed against the periphery of the wafer W. As a result, the peripheral edge of each wafer W comes into contact with the inner surface of the holding groove 45 of each holding rod 40A to 40D, and the wafer W is securely held.

  When the levers 100A and 100B are locked, the rotor rotation mechanism 20 is raised and the rotor rotation mechanism 20 is rotated by about 90 ° so that the rotor 30 faces the rotor inlet / outlet 156 of the substrate processing apparatus 16. , The wafer W in the rotor 30 is set to be in a substantially vertical state. Then, the rotor rotating mechanism 20 is moved toward the substrate processing apparatus 16.

  The substrate processing apparatus 16 waits in a state where the inner chamber 151 is disposed inside the outer chamber 142. Then, the rotor rotating mechanism 20 is advanced toward the rotor inlet / outlet 156, and the rotor 30 is caused to enter the inner chamber 151 from the rotor inlet / outlet 156. The rotor inlet / outlet 156 is closed by the lid 32. Thus, a sealed processing space is formed inside the inner chamber 151.

  Next, by driving the motor 27, the rotor 30 is rotated at a predetermined rotation speed, and the wafer W is rotated integrally with the rotor 30. Then, a chemical liquid whose temperature is adjusted to a predetermined temperature is discharged from the nozzle 160 and sprayed on each rotating wafer W. Thereby, the polymer adhering to the surface of the wafer W is dissolved in the chemical solution and removed from the surface of the wafer W together with the chemical solution. The wafer W is securely held by the holding grooves 45 of the holding rods 40A to 40D and the abutting portions 131 of the pressing mechanisms 42A or 42B. Even if the rotor 30 is rotated, the peripheral portion of the wafer W However, there is no possibility that the holding groove 45 and the contact portion 131 are displaced. Therefore, the wafer W can be reliably rotated at a predetermined rotation speed. Further, the peripheral edge of the wafer W and the holding grooves 45 of the holding bars 40A to 40D can be prevented from being rubbed and damaged. As shown in FIG. 4, between the holding bar 40A and the support bar 41A of the rotor 30, between the holding bar 40B and the support bar 41B, between the holding bar 40C and the support bar 41C, and between the holding bar 40D and the support bar 41D. Since a gap 75 is formed between each of the two, the chemical liquid easily flows out from each gap 75. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the chemical liquid from staying on the surfaces of the holding bars 40A to 40D and the support bars 41A to 41D. Furthermore, since the structure of the locking mechanisms 105A and 105B is simple, the chemical solution remaining in the locking mechanisms 105A and 105B can be reduced.

  After the chemical liquid processing is completed, the rotor 30 is rotated at a higher speed than during the chemical liquid processing, and the chemical liquid adhering to the wafer W and the rotor 30 is shaken off by centrifugal force to be removed. The chemical solution adhering to the holding rods 40A to 40D and the support rods 41A to 41D is ejected to the outside by the centrifugal force generated by the rotation of the rotor 30 and removed. In particular, it is formed between the holding bar 40A and the support bar 41A of the rotor 30, between the holding bar 40B and the support bar 41B, between the holding bar 40C and the support bar 41C, and between the holding bar 40D and the support bar 41D. The chemical solution is smoothly discharged outward from each of the gaps 75 formed. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the chemical liquid from remaining on the surfaces of the holding bars 40A to 40D and the support bars 41A to 41D. Furthermore, since the structures of the locking mechanisms 105A and 105B are simple, the chemical liquid is easily shaken off from the locking mechanisms 105A and 105B, and the chemical liquid can be prevented from remaining.

  Next, IPA is discharged from the nozzle 153, and IPA is sprayed on each rotating wafer W to perform a rinsing process. At the time of the rinse process by IPA, the rotor 30 is rotated at a lower speed than at the time of the chemical liquid swing-off process. Further, the holding rods 40A to 40D and the support rods 41A to 41D are also washed by IPA, so that the chemical solution is surely washed away. The IPA is between the holding bar 40A and the support bar 41A of the rotor 30, between the holding bar 40B and the support bar 41B, between the holding bar 40C and the support bar 41C, and between the holding bar 40D and the support bar 41D. The liquid is also supplied into each formed gap 75, and the chemical solution is surely washed out from each gap 75. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the chemical liquid from remaining on the surfaces of the holding bars 40A to 40D and the support bars 41A to 41D.

  After the rinsing process with IPA, the discharge of IPA is stopped, and the rotor 30 is rotated at a higher speed than during the rinsing process, and the IPA adhering to the wafer W and the rotor 30 is shaken off by centrifugal force and removed. Also at this time, the centrifugal force generated by the rotation of the rotor 30 holds the holding rod 40A between the holding rod 40A and the supporting rod 41A, between the holding rod 40B and the supporting rod 41B, and between the holding rod 40C and the supporting rod 41C. IPA is smoothly discharged outward from each gap 75 formed between the rod 40D and the support rod 41D. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent IPA from remaining on the surfaces of the holding bars 40A to 40D and the support bars 41A to 41D. Furthermore, since the structure of the locking mechanisms 105A and 105B is simple, the IPA is easily shaken off from the locking mechanisms 105A and 105B, and the IPA can be prevented from remaining.

  After rinsing with IPA and rotating the wafer W, the inner chamber 151 is withdrawn from the outer chamber 150 to form a sealed processing space in the outer chamber 150. Then, pure water is discharged from the nozzle 160 and sprayed on each rotating wafer W to perform a rinsing process with pure water. Further, the holding rods 40A to 40D and the support rods 41A to 41D are also washed with pure water, so that the rinse liquid is surely washed away. The pure water is between the holding bar 40A and the support bar 41A of the rotor 30, between the holding bar 40B and the support bar 41B, between the holding bar 40C and the support bar 41C, and between the holding bar 40D and the support bar 41D. The rinsing liquid is reliably washed away from each gap 75. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent IPA from remaining on the surfaces of the holding bars 40A to 40D and the support bars 41A to 41D.

  After the rinsing process with pure water is completed, the rotor 30 is rotated at a higher speed than during the pure water process, and the wafer W is spin-dried. In the drying process, inert gas such as nitrogen gas, IPA vapor having high volatility and hydrophilicity, or the like may be blown from the nozzle 160 to the wafer W. Even during the drying process, due to the centrifugal force generated by the rotation of the rotor 30, between the holding rod 40A and the support rod 41A, between the holding rod 40B and the support rod 41B, between the holding rod 40C and the support rod 41C, From each gap 75 formed between the holding bar 40D and the support bar 41D, pure water is smoothly discharged outward. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent pure water from remaining on the surfaces of the holding bars 40A to 40D and the support bars 41A to 41D, and the holding bars 40A to 40D and the support bars 41A to 41D can be reliably dried. Furthermore, since the structure of the locking mechanisms 105A and 105B is simple, the pure water is easily shaken off from the locking mechanisms 105A and 105B, and the locking mechanisms 105A and 105B can be reliably dried.

  After completion of the drying process, the rotation of the rotor 30 is stopped, the rotor rotating mechanism 20 is retracted in the horizontal direction, and the rotor 30 is moved out of the double chamber 152 from the rotor rotating mechanism inlet / outlet 146. Then, the rotor rotating mechanism 20 is moved to the wafer loading / unloading position PR1. Further, the pressing devices 130 of the pressing mechanisms 42 </ b> A and 42 </ b> B of the rotor 30 are operated to retract the contact portions 131 of the respective press devices 130, so that the contact portions 131 are separated from the peripheral edge of the wafer W. As a result, the peripheral portion of each wafer W is held with a margin in the holding groove 45 of each holding rod 40A to 40D.

  Then, when the transfer arm 12 of the wafer transfer apparatus 11 is entered from between the holding rods 40A and 40B of the rotor 30 and the wafer W in the rotor 30 is supported by the transfer arm 12, it is moved to the vicinity of the levers 100A and 100B. The cylinder 142 of the opening / closing mechanism 140 is operated to extend the pressing member 141. As a result, the leaf spring 106 is pushed down, and the locking of the levers 100A and 100B is released. Then, the levers 100A and 100B are moved to the position PL2 by the opening / closing mechanism 140 as shown in FIG. As a result, the holding bars 40A and 40B are moved to the separation position PB2, respectively, and the space between the holding bars 40A and 40B is opened. Next, the transfer arm 12 is retracted from between the holding rods 40 </ b> A and 40 </ b> B of the rotor 30. Each wafer W is extracted from the holding grooves 45 of the holding rods 40A and 40B at the peripheral edge, supported by the transfer arm 12, and moved out of the rotor 30 from between the holding rods 40A and 40B.

  In this way, the wafers W that are unloaded from the rotor 30 by the respective transfer arms 12 of the wafer transfer apparatus 11 are collectively stored in the carrier C on the carrier mounting table 10.

  According to the substrate processing apparatus 16, between the holding bar 40A and the support bar 41A, between the holding bar 40B and the support bar 41B, between the holding bar 40C and the support bar 41C, and between the holding bar 40D and the support bar 41D, Since the gaps 75 are formed between them, the treatment liquids such as the chemical liquid, IPA, and pure water can be easily discharged from the gaps 75. Therefore, the surfaces of the holding bars 40A to 40D and the support bars 41A to 41D It is possible to prevent the treatment liquid from remaining on the surface. In particular, when the rotor 30 is rotated, the processing liquid is smoothly discharged outward from the gap 75 by centrifugal force. Furthermore, by forming the gap 75 so as to go from the inner side to the outer side of the rotor 30, the processing liquid can be more efficiently discharged toward the outer side. Further, by simplifying the structure of the locking mechanisms 105A and 105B, the processing liquid attached to the locking mechanisms 105A and 105B can be easily shaken off, and the processing liquid can be prevented from remaining in the locking mechanisms 105A and 105B. .

  Further, the holding rods 40A to 40D are formed of a material having chemical resistance, and the support rods 41A to 41D are configured such that the surface of the material having rigidity is coated with the material having chemical resistance. 40A to 40D and the support rods 41A to 41D can have chemical resistance. Even if the support bars 41A to 41D are coated, the spacers 70 can position the holding bars 40A to 40D with high accuracy. Therefore, the chemical resistance of the holding bars 40A to 40D and the support bars 41A to 41D can be improved without deteriorating the positioning accuracy. Furthermore, since the structure of the locking mechanisms 105A and 105B is simplified, the locking mechanisms 105A and 105B can be easily formed of a material having chemical resistance. Therefore, the chemical resistance performance of the rotor 30 can be greatly improved by improving the chemical resistance performance of the holding bars 40A to 40D, the support bars 41A to 41D, and the locking mechanisms 105A and 105B. Even with various types of chemical solutions, the structure can have a sufficient chemical resistance performance.

  Further, the holding rods 40 </ b> A to 40 </ b> D can be easily positioned by providing the spacer 70. Further, by simplifying the structure of the locking mechanisms 105A and 105B, the locking mechanisms 105A and 105B can be easily attached and detached. Accordingly, it is possible to improve the workability of replacing the holding rods 40A to 40D and the locking mechanisms 105A and 105B.

  Although an example of a preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the embodiment described here. For example, the processing system provided with the substrate processing apparatus according to the present invention is not limited to the processing system in which the wafer W is cleaned, and other processing other than cleaning is performed on the wafer W using other various processing liquids. It may be applied to. Further, the wafer W is not limited to a semiconductor wafer, but may be another glass for an LCD substrate, a CD substrate, a printed substrate, a ceramic substrate, or the like.

It is explanatory drawing which showed the structure of the processing system. It is a perspective view of the rotor concerning this Embodiment. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a rotor. FIG. 3 is a transverse sectional view of the rotor taken along line AA in FIG. 2. It is a cross-sectional view of a holding bar and a support bar. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a holding groove. It is a top view of a rotor. It is a side view of a locking mechanism. It is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view of a press mechanism. It is a side view of a locking mechanism and an optical sensor.

Explanation of symbols

W Wafer 1 Processing System 20 Rotor Rotating Mechanism 30 Rotor 35, 36 Disc 40A, 40B, 40C, 40D Holding Rod 41A, 41B, 41C, 41D Support Rod 42A, 42B Pressing Mechanism 45 Holding Groove 60 Bolt 61, 62 Bolt Insertion Hole 70 Spacer 72, 73 Spacer insertion hole 83 Cap

Claims (7)

A substrate processing apparatus for holding a peripheral edge of a substrate by holding grooves formed in a plurality of holding members provided in a rotor, and processing the substrate by rotating the substrate by the rotor,
A support member for supporting the holding member;
The holding member and the support member are connected to be separated so that a gap is formed between them.
The gap is formed along the direction from the rotation center side to the outer periphery side of the substrate ,
In the rotor, a plate is provided on the end side of the holding member,
An arm on which the end of the support member is attached to the inside of the plate;
The arm is attached to one end of a rotating shaft penetrating from the inside to the outside of the plate,
On the outside of the plate, a lever is attached to the other end of the rotating shaft,
A locking mechanism for locking the lever;
The locking mechanism includes a leaf spring capable of moving a tip portion between a position close to the plate and a position separated from the plate,
By disposing the tip of the leaf spring at a position separated from the plate, the lever is brought into contact with and locked to the tip of the leaf spring, and the tip of the leaf spring is close to the plate. The substrate processing apparatus is characterized in that the lever can be rotated by passing outside the front end portion of the leaf spring, and the locking of the lever is released . The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a spacer is disposed between the holding member and the support member. The holding member is formed of PEEK,
The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the support member is made of stainless steel, and a surface of the support member is coated with PFA. The holding member and the support member are connected by a bolt,
4. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the head of the bolt is covered with a cap formed of PEEK. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the holding groove has a V-shaped cross section. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the rotor includes a pressing mechanism that presses the substrate in order to maintain a state in which the peripheral edge of the substrate is inserted into the holding groove. . The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the leaf spring is formed of PEEK.

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