JPH05146736A - Spin type coating device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent the degradation in the yield of a product by a coating defect without sticking mists, etc., to an uncoated work under standing by on the outside of the coating device and the already coated work. CONSTITUTION:A blind stationary cap 6 of an approxiamtely cylindrical shape to enclosed a rotary cap 3 and an upper cap 4 of the rotary cup, an opened upper cup of an approximately cylindrical shape and an upper cap 8 for the upper cup to open and close the aperture in the upper part of the upper cup are provided. In addition, the air flow from the upper cap 8 for the upper cup toward the stationary cup 6 is provided. The spacing between the rotary cup 3 and the stationary cup 6 is provided larger than the spacing between the upper cap 4 on the rotary cup and the stationary cup 6. The mists generated by excess liquid chemicals are completely discharged from a discharge port 6b of the stationary cup 6 according to such constitution and, therefore, the outside of the coating device is not contaminated.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a photoresist or a resin coating on a silicon wafer used for semiconductors such as ICs, or substrates such as glass substrates and ceramics substrates used as electronic components such as printed circuit boards and liquid crystals. The present invention relates to a spin-type coating device for uniformly applying a chemical liquid such as an agent.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a spin type coating apparatus has
For example, as shown in FIG. 5, a work 2 such as a glass substrate on which a coating film made of a chemical such as photoresist is formed.
A disk-shaped work chuck 22 that holds 1 horizontally by vacuum suction or a pin or the like and rotates integrally is installed such that its rotation shaft 27 is vertical, and the rotating work chuck 22 and work 21 A rotary cup 23 having a substantially cylindrical shape with a bottom is provided so as to surround both of them 21 and 22 without contacting them and to rotate coaxially with the work chuck 22.

On the upper surface of the rotary cup 23, there is provided an opening for taking in and out the work 21.
In addition, in order to reduce the turbulence of the coating surface due to the turbulence of the air flow in the rotary cup 23 during coating, the rotary cup upper lid 24 that opens and closes the opening is rotated by the rotary cup upper lid 24 when the rotary cup upper lid 24 is closed. It is provided so as to come into contact with the upper surface of the rotary cup 23 and to integrally rotate while sealing the inside of the rotary cup 23.

An arm 25 is installed above the upper surface of the rotary cup upper lid 24 to move the rotary cup upper lid 24 up and down to open and close the opening. The rotating cup upper lid 24 is rotatably attached to the arm 25 so that the rotating cup upper lid 24, which comes into contact with the upper surface of the rotating cup 23, can rotate integrally with the rotating cup 23 when closed.

When the rotary cup upper lid 24 is opened, a nozzle (not shown) for discharging a chemical liquid such as a photoresist or a resin coating agent is provided at substantially the center of the work 21, and the rotary cup 23 is provided. Is provided with a discharge port 23a for discharging the excessive chemical solution inside. Further, the rotary cup 23 is surrounded without contacting the rotary cup 23, receives the chemical liquid discharged from the discharge port 23a of the rotary cup 23, and prevents the turbulence of the air flow outside the coating device when the rotary cup 23 rotates. A substantially cylindrical fixed cup 26 is provided, and at the lower part thereof, a liquid discharge port 26a for further discharging the chemical liquid discharged from the discharge port 23a of the rotary cup 23 to the outside, and a rotary cup 23 at the time of rotation, The mist generated by the excess chemical solution in the fixed cup 26 is blown from above the coating device to prevent the mist from being scattered to the outside of the coating device.
An exhaust port 26b for discharging to the outside is provided.

A motor (driving means) 28 is installed below the bottom surface of the rotary cup 23 via a rotary shaft 27.

[0007]

However, in the above-described conventional spin coating apparatus, when the work 21 is carried in and out of the work chuck 22 in the rotation cup 23, the rotation cup 23 is open to the outside of the coating apparatus. Therefore, when the rotary cup 23 rotates, the mist generated by the excess chemical in the rotary cup 23 is not exhausted from the exhaust port 26b of the fixed cup 26 but scatters to the outside of the coating device, and the mist outside the coating device is discharged. Reduces cleanliness. Further, when the rotary cup 23 is rotated, the rotation of the rotary cup upper lid 24 causes turbulence of the air flow outside the coating apparatus, which causes dust and dust to deteriorate the cleanliness outside the coating apparatus.

A decrease in cleanliness outside the coating apparatus causes mist, dust, or dust to adhere to the work on the coating line to cause coating failure, thus reducing product yield.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to completely exhaust the mist generated by the excess chemical liquid from the exhaust port of the fixed cup without scattering it to the outside of the coating device and prevent the turbulence of the air flow outside the coating device. Thus, it is to provide a spin-type coating apparatus that does not cause a reduction in product yield due to coating failure.

[0010]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a spin type coating apparatus, which comprises: a rotating plate for horizontally holding and rotating a substrate such as a glass substrate;
A substantially cylindrical rotating cup that surrounds the rotating plate and rotates coaxially with the rotating plate to reduce the turbulence of the air flow around the substrate, a rotating cup upper lid that opens and closes the upper opening of the rotating cup, and a photoresist. In a spin-type coating apparatus provided with a nozzle for discharging a chemical liquid such as the above onto the substrate, a fixed cup having a substantially cylindrical shape with a bottom and a substantially cylindrical shape having no bottom to enclose the rotating cup and the lid on the rotating cup. The upper cup and the upper cup lid for opening and closing the upper opening of the upper cup are provided, and the airflow from the upper cup lid to the fixed cup is provided.

Further, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a spin coating apparatus according to a second aspect of the present invention includes a rotating plate for horizontally holding and rotating a substrate such as a glass substrate, and a rotating plate surrounding and surrounding the rotating plate. A substantially cylindrical rotating cup that rotates coaxially to reduce the turbulence of the air flow around the substrate, a rotating cup lid that opens and closes the upper opening of the rotating cup, and a chemical such as photoresist is discharged onto the substrate. In a spin type coating device provided with a nozzle to
A rotating cup and a rotating cup upper lid are provided with a bottomed substantially cylindrical fixed cup, a bottomless substantially cylindrical upper cup, and an upper cup upper lid that opens and closes the upper opening of the upper cup, and An air flow is provided from the upper cup upper lid to the fixed cup, and the gap between the rotary cup and the fixed cup is larger than the gap between the rotary cup upper lid and the fixed cup. ..

[0012]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the fixed cup having a substantially cylindrical shape with a bottom, the upper cup having a substantially bottomless shape, and the upper opening of the upper cup are opened and closed so as to enclose the rotating cup and the lid on the rotating cup. Since the upper cup upper lid and the air flow from the upper cup upper lid to the fixed cup are provided, the mist generated by the excess chemical in the fixed cup is completely discharged from the fixed cup exhaust port. It is not evacuated and diffuses outside the coating equipment.

According to the second aspect of the invention, the fixed cup having a substantially cylindrical shape with a bottom, the upper cup having a substantially bottomless shape, and the upper opening of the upper cup are provided so as to enclose the rotating cup and the lid on the rotating cup. An upper cup upper lid that opens and closes is provided, and an air flow from the upper cup upper lid to the fixed cup is provided, and a gap between the rotary cup and the fixed cup is between the rotary cup upper lid and the fixed cup. Since it is larger than the gap, when the pig on the rotary cup is opened, the mist generated by the excess chemical in the rotary cup is fixed in a short time by the air flow sent from above the coating device to the bottom. It is completely exhausted from the exhaust port of the cup and does not diffuse to the outside of the coating device.

Therefore, according to the first and second aspects of the invention, during the entire process of forming the coating film of the chemical liquid on the work, the coating device sets the rotary cup and the rotary cup upper lid to the fixed cup. Since the double cup structure is formed by covering the upper cup and the upper cup with the cup, the mist generated by the excess chemical in the rotating cup and the fixed cup is fixed by the air flow from the upper cup and the fixed cup to the fixed cup. Since it is completely exhausted from the exhaust port and does not scatter to the outside of the coating apparatus, the outside of the coating apparatus is not contaminated and the cleanliness is not lowered.

Further, since the turbulence of the air flow outside the coating apparatus due to the rotation of the rotary cup upper lid is not caused when the rotary cup rotates, dust and dust do not rise and the cleanliness outside the coating apparatus does not deteriorate.

Therefore, mist, dust, or dust does not adhere to the work that has not been coated yet, or the work that has already been coated, waiting outside the coating apparatus, and it is possible to prevent the reduction in product yield due to defective coating. It will be possible.

[0017]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The following will describe one embodiment of the present invention with reference to FIGS.

In the spin type coating apparatus, as shown in FIG. 1, in order to stably and horizontally rotate a work (substrate) 1 such as a glass substrate formed in a disk shape, one surface of the work 1 is vacuum-adsorbed or pinned. A disk-shaped work chuck (rotary plate) 2 which is held by means such as the above and rotates integrally is installed such that its rotation axis is vertical.

A rotating cup 3 having a substantially cylindrical shape with a bottom is provided which surrounds both of the rotating work chuck 2 and the work 1 without contacting them, and which rotates coaxially with the work chuck 2. An opening for taking in and out the work 1 is provided in the upper part of the rotary cup 3, and in addition, the opening is provided in order to reduce the turbulence of the coating surface due to the turbulence of the air flow in the rotary cup 3 during coating. A rotary cup upper lid 4 that opens and closes a portion is provided so as to come into contact with the upper surface of the rotary cup 3 when the rotary cup upper lid 4 is closed and to integrally rotate while sealing the inside of the rotary cup 3.

The lower surface diameter of the rotating cup upper lid 4 which contacts the upper surface of the rotating cup 3 is calculated from the outer diameter of the rotating cup 3.
It is set to be larger, that is, the gap between the rotary cup 3 and a fixed cup 6 described later is larger than the gap between the rotary cup upper lid 4 and the fixed cup 6.

In order to move the rotary cup upper lid 4 up and down to open and close the opening, the rotary cup upper lid 4 is moved.
An arm 5 is installed above the upper surface of the rotating cup upper lid 4, and when the rotating cup upper lid 4 is closed, the rotating cup upper lid 4 contacting the upper surface of the rotating cup 3 is rotated so as to rotate integrally with the rotating cup 3. The cup upper lid 4 is rotatably attached to the arm 5.

A nozzle (not shown) for discharging a liquid chemical such as a photoresist or a resin coating agent is provided at substantially the center of the work 1 when the rotary cup upper lid 4 is opened, and the rotary cup 3 is also provided. Is provided with a discharge port 3a for discharging the excessive chemical solution inside. Further, outside the rotary cup 3, the rotary cup 3 is surrounded without contacting the rotary cup 3 to receive the chemical solution discharged from the discharge port 3a of the rotary cup 3, and at the time of rotation of the rotary cup 3, the air outside the coating device can be received. A fixed cup 6 having a substantially cylindrical shape with a bottom for preventing turbulence of the flow is provided.

The fixed cup 6 is surrounded by the rotary cup upper lid 4 without contacting the rotary cup upper lid 4, and prevents the turbulence of the air flow outside the coating device when the rotary cup 3 is rotated. A cup-shaped upper cup 7 is provided. Further, an upper cup upper lid 8 which is not in contact with the upper cup 4 and the arm 5 of the upper cup 7 and which prevents turbulence of the air flow outside the coating device when the rotating cup 3 is rotated is provided on the upper portion of the upper cup 7. There is.

The upper cup 7 may be integrated with the fixed cup 6 as long as it does not interfere with the loading and unloading of the workpiece 1 to and from the workpiece chuck 2 in the rotary cup 3, and the upper cup upper lid 8 is provided. It may be integrated with.

That is, the rotating cup 3 and the rotating cup upper lid 4
A fixed cup 6, an upper cup 7 and an upper cup upper lid 8 are surrounded by and have a double cup structure which prevents the air flow outside the coating apparatus from being disturbed when the rotating cup 3 rotates.

The upper cup upper lid 8 is provided with an arm 9 for raising and lowering the upper cup lid 8. Further, when the rotary cup 3 is rotated, mist generated by an excessive chemical solution in the fixed cup 6 is scattered into the upper cup 7. In order to prevent this, an intake port 8a for sending air from above to below the coating device is provided.

In the lower part of the fixed cup 6, a liquid discharge port 6a for further discharging the chemical liquid discharged from the discharge port 3a of the rotary cup 3 to the outside and air sent from the intake port 8a are discharged to the outside. An exhaust port 6b for discharging is provided.
Further, on the inner peripheral side of the upper portion of the fixed cup 6, when the rotary cup upper lid 4 is closed, the mist generated by the excess chemical liquid in the fixed cup 6 is prevented from being scattered in the upper cup 7 above the coating device. In order to increase the flow velocity of the air sent downward from the above, a collar 6c is provided to make the gap with the upper cup 4 of the rotating cup 1 mm or less, for example.

A motor (driving means) 11 is installed below the bottom surface of the rotary cup 3 via a rotary shaft 10.

Further, in the above-mentioned spin type coating apparatus, the position and discharge amount of a nozzle (not shown) for discharging a chemical liquid such as photoresist or resin coating agent, vertical movement of arms 5 and 9, rotation of motor 11 A control means (not shown) including a microcomputer for controlling the numbers and the like by a program stored in advance based on signals from various sensors (not shown) such as a position sensor and a rotation speed sensor is provided. There is.

Next, the operation of the above spin coating apparatus will be described with reference to the timing chart of FIG. First, the work 1 is placed on the work chuck 2, and is held by vacuum suction or a pin or the like in order to prevent displacement during rotation. At this time, the rotating cup upper lid 4 and the upper cup upper lid 8 which open and close the opening of the rotating cup 3
Is raised by the arms 5 and 9, and the upper side of the rotary cup 3 is opened, so that there is no problem in loading and unloading the work 1 into and from the work chuck 2 in the rotary cup 3.

After that, the upper cup upper lid 8 is lowered by the arm 9 and abuts against the upper surface of the upper cup 7 to close the opening of the upper cup 7, and the above-mentioned air is introduced into the upper cup 7 and the fixed cup 6. send.

Subsequently, a predetermined amount of the chemical liquid is ejected from the nozzle (not shown) for ejecting the chemical liquid such as the photoresist or the resin coating agent through the opening of the rotary cup 3 to almost the center position of the work 1.

After that, the rotating cup upper lid 4 is lowered by the arm 5 and abuts against the upper surface of the rotating cup 3 to close the opening of the rotating cup 3 to make the inside of the rotating cup 3 close to a closed state. Therefore, mutual interference such as convection of the air inside the rotary cup 3 with the air outside the rotary cup 3 is limited.

Next, the driving force of the motor 11 is transmitted to the rotary cup 3 by the rotary shaft 10 to rotate the motor 11 according to a predetermined program. Therefore, this rotating force causes the rotating cup 3, the work chuck 2, the work 1 and the rotating cup upper lid 4 to rotate integrally. At this time,
The chemical liquid discharged onto the work 1 is centrifugally applied to the work 1.
A thin coating film is formed on top. At that time, since the air in the rotary cup 3 which is hermetically sealed in the rotary cup 3 also rotates almost integrally, the influence of the air flow in the rotary cup 3 on the coating film, such as a wind blow between the work 1 and the like. It is reduced, and a more uniform coating film can be formed.

At this time, the surplus chemical liquid on the work 1 is shaken off by the centrifugal force and discharged from the discharge port 3a of the rotary cup 3 into the fixed cup 6, and the chemical liquid discharged into the fixed cup 6 is fixed. The liquid is discharged from the drainage port 6a of the cup 6 to the outside. Further, at this time, the mist generated by the excess chemical solution in the fixed cup 6 is removed from the fixed cup 6 by the air sent from above into the upper cup 7 and the fixed cup 6 as shown in FIG. Since it is exhausted to the outside from the exhaust port 6b, it does not flow back into the upper cup 7 and scatter.

Subsequently, after the motor 11 is stopped and the rotation of the work 1 and the like is stopped, the arm 5 raises the rotary cup upper lid 4 to open the upper portion of the rotary cup 3.
At this time, as shown in FIG. 3, the mist generated by the excess chemical in the rotary cup 3 is greatly opened because the outer diameter of the rotary cup 3 is smaller than the lower surface diameter of the rotary cup upper lid 4, as shown in FIG. The air sent downward from above into the upper cup 7 and the fixed cup 6 through the gap of the flange 6c on the inner peripheral side of the upper portion of the fixed cup 6 exhausts the air from the exhaust port 6b of the fixed cup 6 to the outside. Therefore, it does not flow back into the upper cup 7 to fill it.

The mist is the exhaust port 6 of the fixed cup 6.
After being exhausted from b to the outside, the rotating cup upper lid 4 and the upper cup upper lid 8 are lifted by the arms 5 and 9 to open the upper portion of the upper cup 7, the work 1 is taken out, and the chemical liquid on the work 1 is removed. The coating film forming operation is completed.

As described above, in the configuration of the above-described embodiment, the coating apparatus includes the rotary cup 3, the fixed cup 6, the upper cup 7, and the upper cup during the entire process of forming the coating film of the chemical solution on the work 1. Cover with upper pig 8 2
Due to the heavy cup structure, the mist generated by the excess chemical in the rotary cup 3 and the fixed cup 6 is exhausted from the fixed cup 6 by the air sent from the upper side to the lower side in the upper cup 7 and the fixed cup 6. Since it is completely exhausted from the mouth 6b and does not scatter to the outside of the coating device,
The outside of the coating equipment is not contaminated and the cleanliness does not decrease.

Further, when the rotary cup 3 is rotated, the rotation of the rotary cup upper lid 4 does not cause turbulence of the air flow outside the coating apparatus, so that no dust or dust is generated and the cleanliness outside the coating apparatus is not deteriorated.

Therefore, mist, dust, or dust does not adhere to the uncoated work waiting on the outside of the coating apparatus or the already-coated work, and it is possible to prevent the product yield from decreasing due to defective coating. It will be possible.

[0041]

As described above, the spin-type coating apparatus according to the first and second aspects of the present invention includes a fixed cup having a substantially cylindrical shape with a bottom and a substantially cylindrical shape having no bottom so as to enclose the rotating cup and the lid on the rotating cup. -Shaped upper cup and an upper cup upper lid that opens and closes the upper opening of the upper cup are provided, and an air flow from the upper cup upper lid to the fixed cup is provided, and a gap between the rotating cup and the fixed cup is provided. However, it is configured to be larger than the gap between the rotary cup upper lid and the fixed cup.

Therefore, during the entire process of forming the coating film of the chemical liquid on the work, the coating apparatus covers the work with the rotary cup, the rotary cup upper lid and the fixed cup, and the upper cup and the upper cup upper lid. Due to the heavy cup structure, the mist generated by the excess chemical liquid in the rotating cup and the fixed cup is completely exhausted from the exhaust port of the fixed cup by the air flow from the upper cup lid to the fixed cup, and the coating is performed. It does not scatter to the outside of the apparatus, and does not cause turbulence of the air flow outside the coating apparatus due to the rotation of the rotating cup upper lid when the rotating cup rotates. Therefore, dust and dirt do not stand up and the cleanliness of the outside of the coating device does not deteriorate, so mist, dust or dust may adhere to the uncoated work waiting outside the coating device or the already coated work. And the effect of preventing a decrease in product yield due to defective coating is exhibited.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a spin coating apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view at the time of forming a coating film of a chemical liquid on a work in the spin coating apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the spin coating apparatus when the rotary cup top lid is opened.

FIG. 4 is a timing chart showing the operation of each mechanism in the spin coating apparatus.

FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a conventional spin coating apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Work (Substrate) 2 Work Chuck (Rotating Plate) 3 Rotating Cup 3a Discharge Port 4 Rotating Cup Upper Cap 6 Fixed Cup 6a Drainage Port 6b Exhaust Port 6c Tsuba 7 Upper Cup 8 Upper Cup Upper Cap 8a Inlet Port 11 Motor

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A rotating plate for holding a substrate such as a glass substrate horizontally and rotating it, and a substantially cylindrical shape for enclosing the rotating plate and rotating coaxially with the rotating plate to reduce turbulence of air flow around the substrate. A spin cup, a spin cup lid that opens and closes an upper opening of the spin cup, and a nozzle that discharges a chemical such as a photoresist onto the substrate. A cup-shaped upper lid is provided with a bottomed substantially cylindrical fixed cup, a bottomless substantially cylindrical upper cup, and an upper cup upper lid for opening and closing the upper opening of the upper cup, and the upper cup upper lid. An air flow from the to the fixed cup is provided. 2. A rotating plate for horizontally holding and rotating a substrate such as a glass substrate, and a substantially cylindrical shape that surrounds the rotating plate and rotates coaxially with the rotating plate to reduce turbulence of the air flow around the substrate. A spin cup, a spin cup lid that opens and closes an upper opening of the spin cup, and a nozzle that discharges a chemical such as a photoresist onto the substrate. A cup-shaped upper lid is provided with a bottomed substantially cylindrical fixed cup, a bottomless substantially cylindrical upper cup, and an upper cup upper lid for opening and closing the upper opening of the upper cup, and the upper cup upper lid. The airflow from the fixed cup to the fixed cup, and the gap between the rotary cup and the fixed cup is larger than the gap between the rotary cup upper lid and the fixed cup. The spin-type coating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein