JPH0525660A - Etching device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To allow >=2 kinds of etching treatments with the same device by providing plural etching cells in one unit of the etching device, adapting the circulating systems of etching solns. to respective soln. tanks and commonly disposing a liquid spraying part. CONSTITUTION:The plural etching soln. tanks 3 are provided within the same etching device and the respectively different etching solns. 1, 2 are housed therein. The spraying part 11 and liquid recovering tank 12 of the etching solns. 1, 2 are commonly provided. The circulating systems (pump 4, valves 5, 6, valves 7, 8) of the above-mentioned etching solns. 1, 2 are provided with each of the soln. tanks 3 of the etching solns. 1, 2. The washing of the common pipes 18, 19, the spraying device 11 and the recovering tank 12 is executed by the washing water supplied from a pure water line 16 for washing at the time of switching of the above-mentioned etching solns. 1, 2.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an etching apparatus, and more particularly to an etching apparatus suitable for use in forming a fine electrode on a glass substrate by using an etching solution in the production of a liquid crystal panel used for image display or the like. It is a thing.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional photolithography line for manufacturing a liquid crystal panel, one etching liquid tank is provided for each etching device. For this reason, when two or more types of etching are performed, it is necessary to replace the total etching solution or to introduce another etching apparatus.

[0003]

However, when two or more types of etching are performed, as in the conventional example described above,
If the etching solution is totally replaced every time the type of etching is changed, the time loss is enormous and the etching solution is wasted.

Further, when another etching apparatus is newly installed, there are problems such as securing an installation space and the amount of equipment investment.

The present invention has been made in order to solve the problems of the above-mentioned conventional apparatus, and it is possible to perform two or more kinds of etching in the same etching apparatus without totally replacing the etching solution in the same etching apparatus. It is an object of the present invention to provide an etching apparatus capable of performing the above.

[0006]

In order to solve the above-mentioned object, in the present invention, two or more etching solution tanks are provided in the same etching apparatus, and the etching solution is sprayed in common, and the etching solution is the same. The circulation system of was able to correspond to each etching solution tank.

[0007]

According to the above construction, when the first type of etching is carried out, the first etching solution tank and the circulation system are used, and when switching to the second type etching, the etching solution tank and the circulation system are used. This is done by switching. Therefore, even if cleaning may be required at the time of switching, it is not necessary to totally replace the etching liquid, and the time and labor required for switching the etching liquid and waste of the etching liquid can be greatly reduced. Further, since the etching liquid is sprayed in common, the effect of reducing the installation space and the amount of capital investment is large compared to the case where the number of etching apparatuses corresponding to the type of etching is installed.

[0008]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows the configuration of an etching apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. Here, as an example, an apparatus provided with two etching solution tanks will be described. In FIG. 1, 1,
2 is an etching liquid, 3 is a liquid tank, 4 is a pump, 5 to 10 are valves, 11 is a sprayer, and 12 is a liquid recovery tank. Thirteen
Is a substrate to be etched, 15 is a substrate transfer line, 16
Is a pure water line for cleaning, and 17 is a wastewater / waste liquid line.

When the etching solution 1 is used in this configuration, the valves 5 and 6 are opened and the other valves 7 to 10 are closed, so that only the etching solution 1 side device can be etched and only the etching solution 1 can be etched. .. Similarly, valves 7 and 8 can be used to etch with the etchant 2.
It can be carried out by opening and closing the other valves 5, 6 and 9, 10. Further, when the common pipes 18 and 19, the sprayer 11 and the recovery tank 12 are cleaned at the time of switching the etching liquid, the valves 9 and 10 can be opened and the other valves 5 to 8 can be closed.

[0010]

[Modification of the Embodiment] In FIG.
Although the three cases have been described, the same effect can be obtained also in the case of three or more cases by similarly setting the circulation systems of the etching solution individually.

[0011]

As described above, according to the present invention,
By providing two or more etching solution tanks in one etching apparatus, sharing the etching solution spray section, and making the etching solution circulation system correspond to each solution tank, the same etching apparatus can be used for etching. Two or more types of etching are possible without changing the liquid.
In this way, since it is not necessary to replace the etching liquid all over every time the etching target (type) is changed, it is possible to greatly improve the efficiency and eliminate the space waste of installing another etching device. A cost reduction effect is realized in which a large amount of capital investment can be suppressed.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic side view showing the configuration of an etching apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1, 2: Etching solution, 3: Liquid tank, 4: Pump, 5-1
0: valve, 11: sprinkler, 12: liquid recovery tank.

Claims (1)

Claim: What is claimed is: 1. Two or more etching solution tanks are provided in the same etching apparatus, and the etching solution is sprayed in common, and an etching solution circulation system is provided for each solution tank. An etching apparatus characterized in that