JPH02268415A - Automatically cleaning method for resist-coated cup - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To automatically clean the inner peripheral surface of a resist cup by conveying a board coated with resist, then supplying a cleaning liquid onto a rotating spin chuck at each time, and scattering it into the inner periphery of the cup. CONSTITUTION:A board held at a spin chuck 6 is coated with resist. After the board is conveyed to the following step, cleaning liquid is supplied onto the rotating chuck 6 at each time, and scattered to the inner periphery of a coated cup 1 surrounding the chuck 6 by means of centrifugal force based on the rotation of the chuck 6. Thus, the residue 12 of the resist adhered to the inner periphery of the cup 1 is automatically cleaned. Accordingly, it is not necessary to stop a manufacturing line in case of cleaning the cup 1, thereby improving the efficiency of the line.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Detailed Description] The present invention is directed to the manufacturing process of, for example, color filters for LCD color televisions, photomasks for semiconductors, silicon wafers, etc. The present invention relates to a method for cleaning a resist coating cup of a spin type resist coating device.

[Prior Art] This type of spin-type resist coating apparatus drips resist onto a substrate held by a spin chuck in order to form a corrosion-resistant film on the substrate, and uses the rotation of the spin chuck to coat the substrate. The resist is applied uniformly to the surface of the spin chuck, but during the coating process, the resist also scatters and adheres to the inner circumferential surface of the coating cup that surrounds the spin chuck9. stop the line,
Resist residue adhering to the inner surface of the coating cup was being cleaned with a cleaning solution.

[One problem to be solved by the invention] As described above, in the conventional technology, the entire line has to be stopped during cleaning and the operator has to clean the resist residue, which reduces the efficiency of the production line and increases the work efficiency. There was the problem of an increase in the number of workers working.

The present invention aims to solve the above-mentioned problems, and also to prevent the resist that has adhered to the inside of the coating cup from being re-deposited on the substrate due to the turbulence of the resist coating force to the subsequent substrate. .

[Means for Solving the Problems] The configuration of the present invention for solving the above problems will be explained using FIG. 1 corresponding to an embodiment. In the spin-type resist coating device in the constructed equipment, after a resist is applied to a substrate held in a spin chuck 6 and the substrate is transported to a subsequent process, a cleaning liquid is supplied onto the rotating spin chuck 6 each time. , a coating cup l that surrounds the spin chuck 6 by centrifugal force based on the rotation of the spin chuck 6.
The resist residue 12 adhering to the inner circumferential surface of the coating cup 1 is automatically cleaned by scattering it onto the inner circumferential surface of the coating cup 1.

[Function] According to the cleaning method of the present invention, after a resist is applied to a substrate held on a spin chuck and the substrate is subsequently carried out to a subsequent process, a cleaning liquid is supplied onto the rotating chuck each time. The applied cleaning liquid is scattered by centrifugal force onto the inside of the coating cup surrounding the chuck, and any resist residue that has adhered thereto can be automatically cleaned.

Therefore, there is no need to stop the production line when cleaning the resist coating cup, which improves the efficiency of the production line and saves the worker's effort in cleaning the coating cup.

[Embodiment] An embodiment of the present invention will be described below. Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional side view of a spin type resist coating device in an in-line facility used in the present invention.

In FIG. 1, 1 is a coating cup and 2 is a sealing cup. Further, reference numeral 3 denotes a closed cup support section, which can be moved up and down by an air cylinder or the like, and the closed cup 2 and cleaning nozzle 4 are attached thereto. 5 is a resist coating nozzle, which extends in a radial direction from the center of rotation, and can be moved to the center of the spin chuck 6 by turning it; 7 is a spin motor; 8 is a rotation axis; The rotary shaft 8 is provided with a conductive hole for both air and vacuum, and a three-way valve 9 allows air or vacuum to be transmitted to the substrate suction surface 10 at the outer peripheral end of the upper surface of the spin chuck 6.

Numeral 11 is a sealing material that prevents the air vacuum from leaking even when the rotating shaft 8 is rotating.

Next, the process of the resist coating cup automatic cleaning method of the present invention will be explained based on the flowchart of FIG.

(2) The substrate that has undergone the pre-substrate loading process is transported onto the spin chuck 6 by the transport arm. At this time.

The closed cup 2 is in a raised position.

(2) Substrate fixing support A vacuum is connected by the three-way valve 9, and the substrate on the spin chuck 6 is fixedly supported on the substrate suction surface 10 by vacuum of about 600 mmHg.

(2) Then, the cyst-dropping resist coating nozzle 5 is driven to rotate, moves to the center of the substrate, and drops the resist.

- Lowering of the sealing cup The sealing cup support part 3 is driven downward, and the sealing cup 2 is lowered to seal the upper part of the applicator cup 1.

(2) Start of spin chuck rotation The spin chuck 6 rotates and resist is applied to a predetermined thickness. At this time, resist residue 12 adheres to the circumferential surface of the application cup 1.

(2) End of Spin Chuck Rotation The spin chuck 6 stops rotating, and the resist coating process ends.

■Release of board fixing support The vacuum is turned off and the fixed support is released.

- Sealed cup rise The sealed cup support part 3 is driven upward, and the sealed cup 2 is raised.

■ Board removal The substrate is transported to a subsequent process by the transport arm.

[Co., Ltd.] Sealing cup lowering The sealing cup support part 3 is driven downward again, and the sealing force γ
The cup 2 descends and seals the top of the applicator cup.

(Start rotation of the spin chuck The spin chuck 6 rotates at a predetermined number of rotations (for example, l (10r)
pm). At this time, air is supplied by the three-way valve 9 and discharged from the substrate suction surface 10 on the spin chuck 6.

@ Cleaning liquid discharge start The cleaning liquid is discharged from the cleaning nozzle 4 onto the spin chuck 6 and is blown onto the inner circumferential surface of the application cup 1 by centrifugal force. At this time, by discharging air from the substrate suction surface 10, the cleaning liquid is prevented from entering the conduction hole of the spincher/I 6.

(2) Termination of discharge of cleaning liquid The cleaning liquid washes off the resist residue 12 adhering to the inner circumferential surface of the coating cup 1, flows down to the drain, and ends the discharge of the cleaning liquid.

OΦ Spin chuck rotates at high speed Next, spin chuck 6 rotates at high speed (e.g.
Orpm), and the spin chuck 6 begins drying.

■ End of spin chuck rotation When the spin chuck 6 is dry, stop its rotation,
The air discharge is stopped, and the closed cup support part 3 is driven upward by about 5 q, and the closed cup 2 is raised, completing one cycle.

The resist used in the present invention is mainly a water-soluble vA fat such as polyvinyl alcohol or casein gelatin, and in this case hot water at about 40° C. is used as the cleaning solution. In the case of other solvent-based photoresists, special cleaning solutions or solvents will be used.

Furthermore, the automation of each step shown in Flowchart 1 above is performed by a computer program.

[Effects of the Invention] Since the present invention has the above configuration and operation,
In a spin-type resist coating device that applies resist to a substrate held by a spin chuck, the inner circumferential surface of the resist coating cup can be automatically cleaned, and if the coating cup of conventional technology becomes dirty, the line can be stopped and the work done. This eliminates the need for workers to clean the cattle, reducing labor for cattle producers and increasing production efficiency.

Furthermore, since the coating cup is cleaned every cycle, it is possible to eliminate the occurrence of defective products due to resist residue rebounding and re-adhering to the substrate, which conventionally occurred.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional side view of a spin-type resist coating apparatus for carrying out the automatic resist coating cup cleaning method of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a flow chart of one cycle of the automatic cleaning method. 1... Coating cup, 2... Sealing cup, 3... Sealing cup support, 4... Cleaning nozzle, 5... Resist coating nozzle, 6... Spin chuck , 7... Spin motor, 8... Rotating shaft, 9... Three-way valve,
10...Substrate adsorption surface, 11...Sealing material,...Resist residue.

Claims (1)

[Claims] In a spin-type resist coating device in an in-line facility, each time after coating a resist on a substrate held by a spin chuck and transporting the substrate to the subsequent process,
Cleaning liquid is supplied onto the rotating spin chuck, and the centrifugal force generated by the rotation of the spin chuck scatters it onto the inner circumferential surface of the coating cup surrounding the spin chuck, automatically removing resist residue attached to the inner circumferential surface of the coating cup. An automatic method for cleaning a resist-applied cup, characterized by cleaning the cup.