JPH0736194A - Substrate developing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To restrain developer from being consumed by limiting the amount of the developer supplied from a nozzle only onto a substrate. CONSTITUTION:This substrate developing device for developing a rectangular substrate 3 coated with photoresist and exposed to be a specified pattern by the developer is provided with a substrate holding part 4, a developer supplying part 5, and a movable frame 9. The substrate holding part 4 holds the substrate 3 in a horizontal direction. The developer supplying part 5 has the nozzle part 7 extended in the short direction of the substrate 3 along the upper surface of the substrate 3, and the developer is discharged from the nozzle part 7 to the substrate 3. The movable, frame 9 moves the nozzle part 7 in the longitudinal direction of the substrate 3 along the upper surface of the substrate 3, and also moves it up and down. The nozzle part 7 starts scanning from a position slightly closer to a central part than the the starting end of the substrate 3, and moves in a direction obliquely separating from the substrate 3 at the end of the substrate 3.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a developing device, and more particularly to a substrate developing device for developing a rectangular substrate coated with a photosensitive resin and exposed in a predetermined pattern with a developing solution.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, in a manufacturing process of a semiconductor or a liquid crystal display, a photoetching process is repeatedly performed on a substrate. In the photo etching process, a photoresist (an example of a photosensitive resin) is applied to the substrate by a spin coater or the like, and a predetermined pattern is exposed on the applied substrate. The substrate on which the pattern is exposed is developed with an alkali developing solution by a substrate developing device, and, for example, the photoresist in the exposed portion is removed.

Conventionally, as this type of substrate developing apparatus, there is an apparatus provided with a substrate holding portion for rotating and holding the substrate and a developing solution supply portion for supplying a developing solution to the held substrate. In this substrate developing device, the developer is supplied while rotating the substrate,
A developing solution is uniformly applied with a centrifugal force to perform a developing process.
However, when the developing solution is applied to the rectangular substrate by the substrate developing apparatus utilizing the centrifugal force, the developing solution is accumulated in the four corners of the substrate, the developing solution cannot be applied uniformly, and uneven development is likely to occur.

Therefore, as a substrate developing device for developing a rectangular substrate, a device having a shower nozzle for spraying a developing solution onto the substrate from above and a roller section for placing the substrate and moving it horizontally have already been developed. . In this substrate developing device,
With the developer sprayed from the shower nozzle, the substrate is moved in the horizontal direction to apply the developer onto the upper surface of the substrate. In this conventional configuration, since the developing solution is sprayed from above the substrate, the developing solution is sprayed not only on the substrate but also outside the substrate. Therefore, there arises a problem that the amount of developer consumed in the developing process increases. As the consumption of the developer increases, the amount of waste liquid increases accordingly, and the cost required for waste liquid also increases.

An object of the present invention is to suppress the consumption of developer.

[0006]

A substrate developing device according to the present invention is a device for developing a rectangular substrate coated with a photosensitive resin and exposed in a predetermined pattern with a developing solution. This apparatus includes a substrate holding section, a developing solution supply section, and a relative moving means. The substrate holding unit can hold the rectangular substrate in the horizontal direction. The developing solution supply unit has a nozzle that extends in one direction along the upper surface of the substrate, and discharges the developing solution onto the substrate from the nozzle. The relative moving means moves the developing solution supply unit relative to the substrate holding unit in a direction along the upper surface of the substrate and in a direction intersecting the one direction.

A separation / relative moving means for moving the developing solution supply section relative to the substrate holding section may be further provided so that the nozzle is separated from the substrate at the end of the substrate. Further, the separating relative moving means may move the substrate holding part relative to the developing solution supply part in a direction in which the nozzle vertically separates from the substrate at the end of the substrate, and relatively moves in a direction in which the nozzle obliquely separates from the substrate. You may move it.

Further, after the moving operation of the first separating relative moving means for moving the developing solution supplying section relative to the substrate holding section so that the nozzle returns from the terminal end of the substrate to the substrate center side, after the moving operation of the first separating relative moving means. A second separation relative movement unit that relatively moves the developing solution supply unit with respect to the substrate holding unit may be further provided so that the nozzle is separated from the substrate. Further, the relative movement means may start the relative movement of the developing solution supply section with respect to the substrate holding section from a position away from the starting end of the substrate.

[0009]

In the substrate developing apparatus according to the present invention, the rectangular substrate is horizontally held by the substrate holder. Then, the developing solution supply unit ejects the developing solution from the nozzle onto the held substrate. At the time of discharging the developing solution, the relative moving means moves the developing solution supply section relative to the substrate holding section along the upper surface of the substrate.

Here, since the nozzle extends in one direction along the upper surface of the substrate, and the nozzle moves relative to and along the upper surface of the substrate by the relative moving means, the developing solution is ejected only on the substrate and ejected to the outside of the substrate. It will not be done. Therefore, the consumption of the developing solution can be suppressed. By the relative separation moving means, when the nozzle is relatively moved away from the substrate at the end of the substrate, liquid dripping at the end of the substrate is reduced,
Further, the consumption of the developing solution can be suppressed. This separating direction may be a direction in which the nozzle is separated vertically from the substrate or a direction in which the nozzle is separated obliquely upward from the substrate. Further, even if the nozzle is moved toward the center side from the inner peripheral end and then relatively moved in the direction in which the nozzle is separated from the substrate, the consumption of the developing solution can be suppressed. Further, when the relative movement with respect to the substrate holding portion is started from a position away from the starting end of the substrate, the liquid dripping from the starting end side of the substrate is reduced, and the consumption of the developing solution can be further suppressed.

[0011]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to FIG. 1, a substrate developing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises a developing processing section 1 and a developing solution pressure feeding section 2. The development processing section 1 includes a substrate holding section 4 capable of sucking and holding a rectangular glass substrate 3 by a vacuum chuck, and a developing solution supply section 5 for piling a developing solution on the substrate 3 held by the substrate holding section 4. Is equipped with. The substrate holding unit 4 can be rotated in two stages of high speed and low speed by a rotation mechanism (not shown). A cup 6 is arranged around the substrate holder 4 to prevent the developer and the rinse liquid (pure water) from scattering during rotation.

The developing solution supply section 5 has a nozzle section 7 extending along the upper surface of the substrate 3 in the lateral direction of the substrate 3 (depth direction in FIG. 1). The nozzle portion 7 is supported on the lower end of the nozzle support arm 8 so as to be rotatable around a horizontal axis. The nozzle support arm 8 is a pair of inverted L-shaped members, and is supported by the moving frame 9 so as to be vertically movable. The moving frame 9 is movably supported by the moving guide 10. The movement guide 10 extends along the longitudinal direction of the substrate 3 (the left-right direction in FIG. 1). As a result, the nozzle unit 7
The developer may be applied to the entire surface of the substrate 3 by moving along the upper surface of the substrate 3 in the longitudinal direction of the substrate 3.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the nozzle portion 7 is a member having an inverted cross section. The nozzle portion 7 is attached to the nozzle support arm 8 with its upper portion slightly inclined in the traveling direction. An angle θ formed by the bottom surface of the nozzle portion 7 and the substrate 3 is, for example, about 5 °. It should be noted that this angle may be any angle as long as the developer is pulled by the surface tension and the liquid does not drip, in the range of 1 ° to 30 °, preferably in the range of 3 ° to 10 °.

A slit nozzle 20 having a downward opening is formed in the nozzle portion 7. In the middle of the slit nozzle 20, a pair of upper and lower liquid reservoirs 21 and 22 are formed. The liquid reservoirs 21 and 22 are for uniformly diffusing the developer supplied from the developer supply pipe 16 (described later) in the longitudinal direction of the nozzle portion 7 (the depth direction in FIG. 3).

The longitudinal length of the entire lower end surface of the nozzle portion 7 is slightly longer than the lateral length of the substrate 3. However, the opening length of the slit nozzle 20 is slightly shorter than the length of the substrate 3 in the lateral direction. The moving speed of the nozzle part 7 is approximately the same as the outflow speed of the developer flowing out from the tip of the nozzle part 7. As a result, the developing solution is accumulated in a state of being relatively stationary with respect to the substrate 3.

As shown in FIG. 1, the developing solution pressure-feeding section 2 has a pressure tank 11 for accommodating a poly tank 12 containing a developing solution and hermetically sealed inside. A pressure pipe 13 is opened at the top of the pressure tank 11. An intake / exhaust three-way valve 14 and a regulator 15 are arranged in this order in the middle of the pressurizing pipe 13. The pressurized pipe 13 is supplied with pressurized nitrogen gas from a nitrogen gas source (not shown). The three-way valve 14 supplies / exhausts nitrogen gas. Further, the developer supply pipe 16 reaches near the bottom surface of the plastic tank 12. A flow meter 17 and a developer supply valve 18 are arranged in the middle of the developer supply pipe 16. The tip of the developer supply pipe 16 is connected to the nozzle portion 7.

Next, the operation of the above embodiment will be described with reference to the locus of the nozzle portion 7 shown in FIG. When the substrate 3 is placed on the substrate holder 4, the nozzle support arm 8 descends,
The tip of the nozzle portion 7 is arranged so as to face the upper surface slightly inside the starting end of the substrate 3. Here, the reason why the tip of the nozzle portion 7 is disposed so as to face the inner side of the starting end is to prevent liquid dripping from the starting end side of the substrate 3.

When the nozzle portion 7 is arranged opposite to the starting end of the substrate 3, the developing solution flowing out from the nozzle portion 7 is likely to drip from the starting end of the substrate 3. When the nozzle portion 7 is arranged facing the upper surface of the substrate 3, the three-way valve 14 is switched to the supply side, the developing solution supply valve 18 is opened, and the developing solution is supplied from the plastic tank 12. Then, the moving frame 9 is moved at the above-described speed (the speed at which the developing solution becomes relatively stationary) to fill the substrate 3 with the developing solution.

When the moving frame 9 moves as shown in FIG. 5 (A) and reaches the end of the substrate 3 as shown in FIG. 5 (B), the three-way valve 14 is switched to the exhaust side and the developing solution supply valve 18 is turned on. Close to stop the supply of developer. Then, the nozzle portion 7 is retracted obliquely upward as shown in FIGS. The angle raised obliquely upward at this time is equal to the angle θ of the tip of the nozzle portion 7, for example. Note that this angle may be different from the angle θ.

Here, the nozzle portion 7 is retracted obliquely upward, that is, when the nozzle portion 7 is horizontally moved as it is, the developing solution once deposited on the substrate 3 is drawn to the nozzle portion 7. This is because it hangs downward from the end of the substrate 3. If the nozzle portion 7 is retracted obliquely upward, then FIG.
As shown in FIG.
Does not drip from the end of. Further, it is difficult for the developing solution to be uniformly deposited, especially near the end point of the puddle, but in this embodiment, the nozzle portion 7 is raised obliquely upward to widen the distance between the substrate 3 and the nozzle 7 and By suppressing the developing solution outflow rate, it is possible to uniformly pour even near the end of the substrate 3.

After the nozzle portion 7 is slanted upward and drained, the nozzle portion 7 is slightly inside the inner peripheral edge of the cup 6.
Raise. Then, the nozzle portion 7 is moved to the outside of the cup 6 and further lowered to stand by outside the cup 6. By making the nozzle part 7 stand by outside the cup 6, it is possible to prevent the nozzle part 7 from being contaminated in the subsequent processing.

After a predetermined time has passed, the substrate 3 is rotated at a high speed by the substrate holder 4 to shake off the developing solution deposited on the substrate 3. At this time, the developing solution shaken off from the substrate 3 is scattered only in the cup 6. As a result, the nozzle portion 7 waiting outside the cup 6 is not contaminated by the developing solution. When the shaking off of the developing solution is completed, the substrate 3 is rinsed (cleaned) by a pure water supply nozzle (not shown). At the time of this rinse, the substrate 3 is rotated at a low speed by the substrate holder 4. When the rinsing is completed, the substrate holding unit 4 holds the substrate 3
Rotate at high speed to drain and dry. When the liquid drying is completed, the holding by the substrate holding unit 4 is released, and the substrate 3 is transported to the next step by a transport mechanism (not shown).

Here, since the nozzle portion 7 is arranged along the upper surface of the substrate 3 in the lateral direction of the substrate 3 and the nozzle portion 7 is moved along the upper surface of the substrate 3 and in the longitudinal direction, it is supplied from the nozzle portion 7. The developing solution is deposited on the substrate 3 only. As a result, the developer is not wasted. Further, since the nozzle portion 7 discharges the developing solution obliquely rearward, the liquid pool generated in front of the nozzle portion 7 can be reduced. As a result, it is possible to reduce the non-uniformity of the liquid thickness due to the liquid drawing phenomenon when the nozzle portion 7 moves, and it is difficult for the developer to drip from the end of the substrate 3 when the nozzle 7 reaches the end of the substrate 3. Become.

Other Embodiments (a) As shown in FIG. 6, the nozzle portion 7 may be arranged vertically to the substrate 3. In this case, the scan start position of the nozzle portion 7 is slightly inside the starting end of the substrate 3.
This is to prevent the developer supplied from the nozzle portion 7 from flowing down from the starting end.

When the nozzle portion 7 reaches the end of the substrate 3, the supply of the liquid is shut off, and then the nozzle portion 7 is slightly inward of the end.
To move. Then, the nozzle portion 7 is lifted up and made to stand by outside the cup 6. Also in this embodiment, the same effect as that of the above-described embodiment can be obtained, and the developer is not wastefully consumed. (B) As shown in FIG. 7, the nozzle portion 7 may be arranged in a front outflow posture. In this case, the scan start position is the start end of the substrate 3 (left end in the figure), and the scan end position is slightly inside the end of the substrate 3. Also in this embodiment, the liquid dripping at the start end and the end of the substrate 3 is reduced. (C) The posture of the nozzle unit 7 may be changed to a rear outflow posture and a front outflow posture at the start of scanning and the end of scanning, respectively, as shown in FIG. In this case, the scan start position and the scan end position are arranged inside the start end and inside the end of the substrate 3, respectively. (D) As shown in FIG. 9, the posture of the nozzle unit 7 may be changed to a front outflow posture and a rear outflow posture at the start of scanning and the end of scanning, respectively. In this case, the scan start position and the scan end position are the start end and the end of the substrate 3, respectively.

[0026]

In the substrate developing apparatus according to the present invention, the nozzles are arranged in one direction along the upper surface of the substrate, and the nozzles are relatively moved along the upper surface of the substrate and in a direction intersecting with the one direction. The supplied developing solution is supplied only on the substrate. As a result, the consumption of the developing solution can be suppressed.

If the separation relative movement means for moving the nozzle relatively away from the substrate at the end of the substrate is provided, the liquid dripping at the end of the substrate can be reduced and wasteful consumption can be suppressed. Further, when the relative movement with respect to the substrate holding portion is started from a position away from the starting end of the substrate, the liquid dripping from the starting end side of the substrate is reduced, and the consumption of the developing solution can be further suppressed.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a substrate developing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial perspective view of a nozzle portion.

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view of a nozzle portion.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a movement trajectory of a nozzle portion.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing a supply state of a developing solution.

FIG. 6 is a view corresponding to FIG. 4 of another embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a schematic view of still another embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a view corresponding to FIG. 7 of still another embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a view corresponding to FIG. 7 of still another embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Development Processing Section 3 Substrate 4 Substrate Holding Section 7 Nozzle Section 9 Moving Frame 10 Moving Guide

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A substrate developing device for developing a rectangular substrate coated with a photosensitive resin and exposed to a predetermined pattern with a developing solution, comprising: a substrate holding portion capable of horizontally holding the rectangular substrate. A developing solution supply unit that has a nozzle extending in one direction along the upper surface of the substrate, and discharges the developing solution from the nozzle onto the substrate; and a developing solution supply unit with respect to the substrate holding unit, Relative movement means for relatively moving along the upper surface of the substrate and in a direction intersecting with the one direction. 2. The separation relative moving means for moving the developing solution supply unit relative to the substrate holding unit so that the nozzle is separated from the substrate at the end of the substrate, according to claim 1. Substrate development device. 3. The separation relative moving means moves the substrate holding part relative to the developing solution supply part in a direction in which the nozzle vertically separates from the substrate at the end of the substrate. Substrate development device. 4. The relative separation moving means moves the substrate holding part relative to the developing solution supply part in a direction in which the nozzle obliquely separates from the substrate at the end of the substrate. Substrate development device. 5. A first separation relative movement unit that relatively moves the developing solution supply unit with respect to the substrate holding unit so that the nozzle returns from the end of the substrate to the center side of the substrate, and the first separation relative movement. The substrate according to claim 1, further comprising: a second separation relative movement unit that relatively moves the developing solution supply unit with respect to the substrate holding unit so that the nozzle is separated from the substrate after the movement operation of the unit. Development device. 6. The substrate developing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the relative moving means starts relative movement of the developing solution supply unit with respect to the substrate holding unit at a position away from a starting end of the substrate.