JPH07161630A - Substrate carrying mechanism for exposing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a substrate carrying mechanism for an exposing device so as to improve the total throughput of the exposure process. CONSTITUTION:A substrate carrying mechanism is provided with a loader robot 3 which loads a substrate 1 on an exposure position RP from a substrate storing cassette 2, an exposure stage 5, which holds the substrate 1 carried on the exposure position RP by vacuum and brings close to a mask 4 for exposure, and an exposure optical part 6 which exposes the substrate 1 and an unloader robot 8 which unloads the exposed substrate 1 to the exposed substrate storing cassette 7. The substrate carrying arms of the loader robot 3 and the unloader robot 8 are permitted to move into an approach groove formed on the exposure stage 5 and the substrate 1 is carried to and from the exposure stage 5.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an exposure apparatus for printing a circuit pattern or the like on a substrate such as a glass substrate for liquid crystal display coated with a photosensitizer, and more particularly, to carrying the substrate into and out of the exposure position. The present invention relates to a substrate transfer mechanism of an exposure apparatus that carries out an object.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a conventional exposure apparatus, for example, FIG.
A substrate transport mechanism of an exposure apparatus as shown in 0 is known. The substrate transfer mechanism 101 includes a transfer device main body 102, a support shaft 103 that is vertically moved and rotated by the transfer device main body 102, and an arm support base 10 connected to the support shaft 103.
4, a horizontal moving member 105 that horizontally reciprocates on the arm support 104, and a substrate suction arm 106 connected to the horizontal moving member 105.

Next, the operation of loading a substrate from the substrate cassette to the exposure position by using the substrate transport mechanism having the above-mentioned structure will be described with reference to FIG. First, as shown in FIG. 11 (a), the substrate transfer mechanism 101 uses the substrate cassette 110.
The horizontal moving member 105 is moved in the direction of
Is inserted into the substrate cassette 110. And the support shaft 10
3 is slightly raised, the substrate 100 is suction-held on the support shaft 103, and then the horizontal moving member 105 is returned to the original position again.
Next, the support shaft 103 is rotationally driven to rotate the arm 106 holding the substrate 100 by 180 °, and then the horizontal moving member 105 is advanced to expose the substrate 100 to the exposure stage 120.
Move above. As shown in FIG. 11B, the exposure stage 120 includes a plurality of support pins 121 that can move up and down.
The substrate 100 is moved from the arm 106 to the support pin 12 by raising these support pins 121.
Reprinted on 1. When the substrate 100 is supported by the support pins 121, the horizontal movement member 105 is driven backward to move the arm 106 out of the exposure stage 120. When the arm 106 retracts, the support pin 121 descends, and the substrate 100 is suction-held on the exposure stage 120. After that, the exposure stage 120 moves up and the substrate 1
00 is held in proximity to a mask (not shown), the substrate 100 is aligned, and then exposed. On the other hand, the substrate transfer mechanism 101 drives the support shaft 103 to drive the arm 10
6 is returned to the original state and waits until the next substrate is loaded.

When the exposed substrate 100 is unloaded from the exposure position, the substrate is transferred by using a similar substrate transfer mechanism provided between the exposure stage 120 and an exposed substrate storage cassette (not shown). By driving the mechanism in the reverse order of the substrate loading operation described above, the substrate 10
0 is carried out from the exposure stage 120 and stored in the cassette.

[0005]

Recently, in the exposure apparatus,
In particular, it is necessary to carry in and carry out a large-sized and thinned substrate to and from the exposure position, and it is required to carry the substrate at a high speed while stably holding it (improvement in throughput). .

However, the above-described substrate transfer mechanism of the exposure apparatus has the following problems. That is, after the substrate 100 is loaded above the exposure stage 120 and before the substrate 100 is transferred onto the exposure stage 120,
A step of raising the support pin 121, a step of retracting the arm 106,
Then, three steps of lowering the support pin 121 must be performed. The same applies to the case of carrying out the exposed substrate 100 from the exposure stage 120. First, the exposed substrate 100 is lifted by the support pins 121, and the arm 1 is provided between the substrate 100 and the exposure stage 120 for carrying out the substrate.
The substrate 100 can be unloaded from the exposure stage 120 only after the steps of moving the substrate 100 onto the arm 106 by inserting 06 and lowering the support pins 121. As described above, since the conventional substrate transfer mechanism requires three steps for loading and unloading the substrate, the time required for loading and unloading the substrate is long, and as a result, the throughput of the exposure apparatus is reduced. There's a problem.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a substrate transfer mechanism which improves the throughput of the entire exposure process in an exposure apparatus.

[0008]

The present invention has the following constitution in order to achieve the above object. That is, in the substrate transfer mechanism of the exposure apparatus, which is equipped with a substrate loading mechanism for loading the substrate coated with the photosensitizer onto the exposure stage that can be raised and lowered, and a substrate unloading mechanism for unloading the exposed substrate from the exposure stage, The mechanism includes a pair of substrate loading arms that are arranged to face each other along a transport path on the substrate loading side, and a loading arm drive mechanism that horizontally drives the substrate loading arm, and the substrate unloading mechanism is a substrate unloading side. And a pair of substrate unloading arms that are arranged to face each other along the transport path, and an unloading arm drive mechanism that horizontally drives the substrate unloading arm, and the exposure stage allows the substrate loading / unloading arm to enter. It is equipped with an entrance groove along.

[0009]

According to the present invention, when the substrate coated with the exposure agent is carried into the exposure stage, the substrate is carried by the pair of substrate carry-in arms, which are arranged facing each other along the carrying path, by the substrate carry-in mechanism. The substrate loading arm starts to horizontally move to the exposure stage side along the transport path by the arm driving mechanism. Next, while holding the substrate, the substrate loading arm enters the entry groove of the exposure stage and loads the substrate above the exposure stage, and then the exposure stage rises and the substrate on the substrate loading arm moves onto the exposure stage. Listed. The exposure stage further rises and reaches the exposure processing position. While the substrate on the exposure stage is being exposed, the substrate carry-in arm retracts from the entrance groove of the exposure stage and holds the next substrate. On the other hand, by the substrate unloading mechanism, the substrate unloading arm enters the entry groove of the exposure stage and waits before the exposure is completed.

After the exposure is completed, the exposure stage is lowered to transfer the exposed substrate onto the waiting substrate unloading arm. Then, the unloading arm drive mechanism causes the substrate loading arm to start horizontal movement along the transport path, and the substrate is unloaded from the exposure stage.

[0011]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Next, one embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an overall schematic side view of an exposure apparatus according to this embodiment, and FIG. 2 is an overall schematic plan view of a part of the exposure apparatus. The exposure apparatus of the present embodiment, the loader robot 3 as a substrate loading mechanism that loads the substrate 1 from the substrate storage cassette 2 to the exposure position RP, and the substrate 1 loaded at the exposure position RP is suction-held and held on the mask 4. An exposure stage 5 for exposing in close proximity, and an exposure optical unit 6 for exposing the substrate 1
And an unloader robot 8 as a substrate unloading mechanism that unloads the exposed substrate 1 into the exposed substrate storage cassette 7. Hereinafter, the configuration of each unit will be described in detail.

The loader robot 3 will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 is a plan view of the loader robot 3 in a state in which the hand 30 is moved, FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line AA of FIG. 3, and FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line BB of FIG. .

The loader robot 3 is provided with a main body frame 10, a pair of fixed guides 11 fixed to the upper end of the main body frame 10, and arranged to face each other along the transfer path of the substrate 1, and the fixed guide 11.
Handler arm 20 as an arm drive mechanism that is horizontally driven to reciprocate along a transport path, and hand 30 that is guided by handler arm 20 to horizontally reciprocate.
The substrate 1 is suction-held on the hand 30 and is conveyed from the substrate storage cassette 2 to the exposure stage 5.

The handler arm 20 includes a pair of toothed guide rollers 22a and 22b, which are arranged on the upper portion of a frame 21 having an H shape in a plan view so as to face each other along the transport path, and the frame 21.
The toothed guide roller 22 through the shaft 23 at the bottom of the
A pair of toothed rollers 24 interlockingly connected to the groups a and 22b
a group of a and 24b and a flange portion 25 projecting to the lower part of one side end of the frame 21, and provided with a toothed roller 24 at one end.
a, a pair of motors 26a, 26 interlockingly connected to 24b
b, and a group of toothed rollers 24a, 24b and a toothed guide roller 22a, via a pair of timing belts 27a, 27b, driven simultaneously by the motors 26a, 26b.
The group 22b is configured to interlock with each other.

Racks 12a and 12b are formed on the opposed inner groove surfaces of the fixed guide 11. With the posture in which the handler arm 20 is sandwiched between the racks 12a and 12b, the group of toothed guide rollers 22a engages with the rack 12a and the group of toothed guide rollers 22b engages with the rack 12b.

In the hand 30, a pair of narrow arms 31a and 31b, which are arranged to face each other along the transport path, are connected in a U-shape by a connecting portion 32 at one end on the substrate storage cassette 2 side. It is one. Arms 31a, 31
a plurality of suction pads 3 for sucking and holding the substrate 1 on the upper surface of b
3 is provided.

Racks 34a, 34b having the same pitch as the racks 12a, 12b of the fixed guide 11 are formed on the outer groove surfaces of the arms 31a, 31b.
a is a toothed guide roller 22a of the handler arm 20.
The group occludes, and the toothed guide roller 22b group occludes the rack 34b. That is, the toothed guide rollers 22 facing each other
The outside of the groups a and 22b is the rack 12 of the fixed guide 11.
a, 12b and toothed guide rollers 22a, 2
The inside of the 2b group engages with the racks 34a and 34b of the hand 30. In addition, each toothed guide roller 22a, 22b
Has a chevron shape whose cross-sectional shape projects in the outer peripheral direction. The racks 12a, 12b and the racks 34a, 34b formed so as to engage with the chevron shape are engaged with the toothed guide roller 22a, 22b group, so that the fixed guide 11 moves in the vertical direction of the hand 30 and the handler arm 20. Regulates the movement of.

The loader robot 3 configured as described above
However, the hand 30 moves from the standby state of FIG. 2 to the exposure stage 5
When moving in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 3, first, the motor 2
Simultaneously rotationally drives 6a clockwise and motor 26b counterclockwise. As a result, the timing belt 27
The group of toothed guide rollers 22a and 22b interlock with each other via the group of teeth a and 27b and the group of toothed rollers 24a and 24b to rotate synchronously. Then, the group of toothed guide rollers 22a, 22b moves toward the exposure stage 5 while biting on the racks 12a, 12b of the fixed guide 11, and at the same time, biting on the racks 34a, 34b of the hand 30 while exposing the hand 30 to the exposure stage. 5 and move it to the arm 31 of the hand 30.
a and 31b are entry grooves P of the substrate suction stage 52 which will be described later.
1. Enter P2.

The exposure stage 5 will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 6 is a plan view of the exposure stage 5, and FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along line CC of FIG. Exposure stage 5
Is driven up and down by a Z-axis unit 51 composed of a plurality of actuators installed in the lower part. A substrate suction stage 52 that sucks and holds the substrate 1 on the Z-axis unit 51, and an X, Y, θ position that relatively adjusts the substrate suction stage 52 based on the amount of positional deviation of the substrate 1.
The stage 53 and the stage 53 are connected and provided by a plurality of deformation actuators 54.

As shown in the figure, the substrate suction stage 52 has a plurality of suction shafts 55 provided with suction holes on the upper surface of the thin plate, and each suction shaft 55 is sucked by a vacuum suction source (not shown). The substrate 1 is configured to be vacuum-adsorbed and held on the upper surface of the. The suction shaft 55 has a pitch such that the substrate 1 does not bend more than necessary.
2 should be formed on the shaft 2, and preferably the shaft outer diameter d is 10 to
15mm and pitch P is 20mm.

As described above, since the upper portion of each suction shaft 55 is not connected, the flatness of the substrate suction stage 52 is changed by the deforming actuator 54 based on the correction amount of the gap sensing mechanism (not shown), so that the exposure is performed. The gap between the substrate 1 and the mask 4 can be finely adjusted during processing.

Further, since the substrate 1 is a pinpoint receiver on the upper surface of each suction shaft 55, the substrate 1 can be stably held and dust can be prevented from adhering to the back surface of the substrate 1. Further, it is possible to suppress heat conduction from the substrate adsorption stage 52 to the substrate 1 due to the temperature rise during exposure. There is also an effect of increasing the air cooling effect by increasing the surface area of the substrate suction stage 52.

The axial gaps of the suction shaft 55 of the substrate suction stage 52 form the entrance grooves P1 and P2 which allow the arms 31a and 31b of the hand 30 to enter. The height of the suction shaft 55, which is the depth of the entrance grooves P1 and P2 of the arms 31a and 31b, is formed to be slightly larger than the combined height of the thickness of the arms 31a and 31b and the lifting stroke of the substrate suction stage 52. For example, in this embodiment, the height h of the suction shaft 55 is set to 45 mm.

The exposure optical unit 6 is used for ultraviolet irradiation, for example,
Irradiation light from a xenon (Xr) lamp (not shown) enters the Fresnel lens, becomes parallel light perpendicular to the mask 4, passes through the mask 4, and is irradiated onto the surface of the substrate 1.

The unloader robot 8 has the same structure as the above-mentioned loader robot 3, and is arranged opposite to the loader robot 3 with the exposure stage 5 interposed therebetween.

Next, the operation of the substrate transfer mechanism will be described based on the flowchart of FIG. 8 and FIG. 9 showing each operation. The loader robot 3 transfers the substrate 1 to the substrate storage cassette 2
The operation of loading from the loader position LP to the loader position LP will be described with reference to FIG. Step S1: As shown in FIG. 9A, the loader robot 3 moves the handler arm 20 from the loader position LP, which is the standby position, toward the substrate storage cassette 2, and also moves the hand 30, thereby moving the hand 30. Insert into the substrate storage cassette 2. The substrate storage cassette 2 is driven up and down by an elevating mechanism, and when the hand 30 is inserted, the substrate storage cassette 2 is lowered to transfer the substrate 1 to the hand 30.
Then, the substrate 1 is suction-held on the suction pad 33 of the hand 30. Next, move the handler arm 20 backward,
The hand 30 that suction-holds the substrate 1 is returned to the loader position LP, and here, the transportation is temporarily stopped and stands by.

Step S2: In the stopped state, a pre-alignment measurement for detecting the positional deviation of the substrate 1 with respect to the mask 4 arranged above the exposure stage 5 is performed by a sensor (not shown).

Step S3: After pre-alignment measurement,
As shown in FIG. 9B, the loader robot 3 moves the handler arm 20 from the loader position LP toward the exposure position RP and also moves the hand 30 to move the hand 3
0 is entered into the entry grooves P1 and P2 of the exposure stage 5, and the substrate 1 is carried into the exposure position RP.

As described above, after the pre-alignment measurement,
Since the hand 30 directly transfers the substrate 1 to the exposure stage 5, the number of times the substrate 1 is delivered and received is reduced, and the accuracy of the position at which the substrate 1 is carried into the exposure stage 5 is improved.

Next, the operation of the exposure stage 5 at the exposure position RP will be described. Step S4: When the substrate 30 is carried into the exposure position RP, the hand 30 releases the suction of the substrate 1 and stands by. The exposure stage 5 is raised by the Z-axis unit to move the hand 30
The upper substrate 1 is transferred. Next, the substrate 1 is suction-held by the plurality of suction shafts 55. In this state, the displacement of the substrate 1 is corrected by displacing the XY stage θ 53 by the displacement amount corresponding to the displacement amount of the substrate 1 measured by the pre-alignment. When the gap between the substrate 1 and the mask 4 reaches a predetermined amount, the raising drive of the exposure stage 5 is stopped.

Step S5: Pre-exposure alignment of the substrate 1 and exposure of the substrate 1 by the deformation actuator 54 before exposure.
After fine adjustment of the gap between the mask 4 and the mask 4, the pattern drawn on the mask 4 is printed on the photosensitive material exposed by the exposure optical unit 6 and applied on the surface of the substrate 1. While the substrate 1 is being exposed, the handler arm 20 of the loader robot 3 is retracted to retract the hand 30 from the exposure position RP. On the other hand, the unloader robot 8 moves the handler arm 20 from the standby position toward the exposure position RP and also moves the hand 30, so that the hand 30 moves the hand 30 into the entrance grooves P1, P2 in the same manner as the loader robot 3 described above. Enter and wait.

The operation of the unloader robot 8 for loading the exposed substrate 1 from the loader position LP into the exposed substrate storage cassette 7 will be described with reference to FIG. 9C. Step S6: When the exposure is completed, the exposure stage 5
The adsorption of the exposed substrate 1 is released, and the exposed substrate 1 is transferred onto the hand 30 of the unloader robot 8 which is lowered by the Z-axis unit 51 and is already on standby.
The exposed substrate 1 is suction-held by the suction pad 33.

Steps S7 and S8: Next, as shown in the figure, the unloader robot 8 moves the handler arm 20 from the exposure position RP toward the exposed substrate storage cassette 7 and also moves the hand 30, and the hand 30. Is inserted into the exposed substrate storage cassette 7. Like the substrate storage cassette 2, the exposed substrate storage cassette 7 is also provided with an elevating mechanism (not shown). When the hand 30 is inserted and the suction of the exposed substrate 1 is released, the exposed substrate storage cassette 7 rises and the exposure is performed. The completed substrate 1 is received. Finally, hand 3
0 is retracted and returned to the standby position.

In the above embodiment, the substrate storage cassette 2 and the exposed substrate storage cassette 7 are provided with the elevating mechanism to take out the substrate 1 and store the exposed substrate 1. The lifting mechanism may be provided in the loader robot 3 and the unloader robot 8.

The substrate suction stage 52 has a plurality of suction shafts 55 for holding the substrate 1 by suction and holding the arms 31a, 31.
However, the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, a plurality of suction portions of the substrate 1 and the entrance grooves of the arms 31a and 31b may be provided on the flat plate.

[0036]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the substrate transfer mechanism of the exposure apparatus of the present invention, the substrate loading / unloading arm moves in the entry groove provided in the exposure stage.
The substrate carry-in arm that carries in the substrate to the exposure stage and the substrate carry-out arm that carries out the substrate from the exposure stage can carry the substrate without being disturbed by the elevating operation of the exposure stage. That is, unlike the conventional transfer mechanism, the steps of raising and lowering the support pins of the exposure stage for retracting / injecting the substrate and retracting the arm for raising the exposure stage are not necessary. The time required for loading / unloading the wafer is shortened, and as a result, the throughput of the entire exposure apparatus can be improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall schematic side view of an exposure apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of an entire partially cutout.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a loader robot.

4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG.

5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line BB in FIG.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of an exposure stage.

7 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line CC in FIG.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the operation of the substrate transfer mechanism.

FIG. 9 is a view showing the operation of the substrate transfer mechanism.

FIG. 10 is a front view showing a schematic configuration of a conventional substrate transfer mechanism.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an operation of a conventional substrate transfer mechanism.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 ... Substrate 2 ... Substrate storage cassette 3 ... Loader robot (substrate loading mechanism) 4 ... Mask 5 ... Exposure stage 6 ... Exposure optical unit 7 ... Exposed substrate storage cassette 8 ... Unloader robot (substrate unloading mechanism) 11 ... Fixed guide 20 ... Handler arm (arm drive mechanism) 22a, 22b ... Toothed guide roller 30 ... Hands 31a, 31b ... Arm 52 ... Substrate adsorption stage 55 ... Adsorption axis P1, P2 ... Entry groove

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A substrate transfer mechanism of an exposure apparatus, comprising: a substrate loading mechanism for loading a substrate coated with a photosensitizer onto an exposure stage that can be raised and lowered; and a substrate unloading mechanism for unloading an exposed substrate from the exposure stage. The substrate loading mechanism includes a pair of substrate loading arms that are arranged to face each other along a transportation path on the loading side of the substrate, and a loading arm drive mechanism that horizontally drives the substrate loading arm, and the substrate unloading mechanism is A pair of substrate unloading arms arranged opposite to each other along the unloading side transport path of the substrate, and a unloading arm drive mechanism for horizontally driving the substrate unloading arm, wherein the exposure stage includes the substrate unloading / unloading arm. A substrate transfer mechanism of an exposure apparatus, which is provided with an entrance groove along the transfer path that allows the entrance of the substrate.