JPH09173933A - Coating liquid feeder - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a coating liquid feeder in which a coating liquid is surely prevented from falling in drops from a discharge nozzle having an opening and is prevented from being dried near the opening of the discharge nozzle to eliminate the sticking of solid matter and there is no danger of the coating liquid being subjected to a change in components. SOLUTION: An unwinding roll 28 for unwinding a belt-shaped film 36, a take-up roll 30 for taking up the belt-shaped film and a roller holding arm 32 for holding both the rollers in a horizontal position are installed to constitute a covering mechanism 16. The roller holding arm 32 is moved relatively to a discharge nozzle 12 to cover an opening of the discharge nozzle 12 with the belt-shaped film 36 supplied from the unwinding roll 28.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a coating liquid supply device for supplying a coating liquid such as photoresist onto the surface of a substrate such as a glass substrate for liquid crystal, a substrate for color filter, a semiconductor wafer or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art When a coating liquid such as a photoresist liquid is supplied onto the surface of a rectangular glass substrate for liquid crystal or the like, the substrate is held horizontally on a stage and fixed, and a narrow opening is formed on the lower end surface. The coating liquid is injected into the formed discharge nozzle, and the discharge nozzle is moved in the horizontal direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction while the lower end surface of the discharge nozzle is brought close to or in contact with the surface of the substrate. The coating solution is continuously supplied to the substrate surface through the opening at the lower end surface of the. In this coating method, the discharge nozzle that has moved to the terminal end position of the substrate while supplying the coating liquid to the substrate surface is separated from the surface of the substrate, returned to the starting end position of the substrate again, and then carried in. Prepare for substrate coating operation.

In the coating liquid supply apparatus for performing such coating processing, since the discharge nozzle has an opening, which is a discharge port for the coating liquid, facing downward, the discharge nozzle moves to the end position of the substrate, and below it. The spillage of the coating liquid after the end face is separated from the substrate poses a problem. As a method of preventing the coating liquid from dripping from the lower end of the discharge nozzle, the inside of the discharge nozzle is sucked by a suck back pump, and the coating liquid near the opening of the lower end surface of the discharge nozzle is returned to the inside of the discharge nozzle. Is being done.

Further, when the solvent of the coating liquid is likely to volatilize, or when the waiting time until the next coating operation on the substrate is long, the coating liquid near the opening of the discharge nozzle is air. There is a problem that the solid content adheres to the vicinity of the opening of the discharge nozzle by being touched and dried. As a method of preventing the solid content from adhering to the vicinity of the opening of the discharge nozzle, the lower end portion of the discharge nozzle is inserted into the solvent pot containing the solvent, and the coating liquid near the opening of the discharge nozzle is surrounded by the solvent vapor atmosphere. It is placed inside so that the coating liquid does not dry.

[0005]

However, in the method of using the suck back pump to draw back the coating liquid in the vicinity of the opening of the lower end surface of the discharge nozzle into the discharge nozzle, the opening of the discharge nozzle has an elongated shape. , It is impossible to completely stop the dripping of the coating liquid from the lower end of the discharge nozzle. A method of inserting the lower end of the discharge nozzle into the solvent pot to prevent the coating liquid from drying near the opening of the discharge nozzle is a solvent pot that has an elongated opening corresponding to the shape of the lower end of the discharge nozzle. It is necessary to prepare one having parts. Further, there is a possibility that the composition of the coating liquid, for example, the photoresist liquid, exposed to the solvent vapor in the solvent pot may change.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and when the coating liquid is supplied to the surface of the substrate by using the discharge nozzle having the opening, the discharge nozzle below the discharge nozzle is used. It is possible to reliably prevent the coating liquid from dripping from the lower end of the discharge nozzle after the end face is separated from the surface of the substrate, and to have a special solvent pot having an elongated opening corresponding to the shape of the lower end of the discharge nozzle. Even if you do not prepare, it is possible to prevent the coating liquid from drying near the opening of the discharge nozzle and eliminate the adhesion of solids near the opening of the discharge nozzle, and there is no risk of the coating liquid changing its composition. It is an object to provide a liquid supply device.

[0007]

The invention according to claim 1 is
A coating liquid supply device for supplying a coating liquid onto the surface of a substrate, comprising: a discharge nozzle having an opening for supplying the coating liquid; a first roller for feeding the belt-shaped member; and winding the belt-shaped member. A second roller; a roller holding means for holding the first roller and the second roller at a predetermined interval; and a discharge nozzle and the roller holding means for supplying a coating liquid to the surface of the substrate. When the coating liquid is not supplied to the surface of the substrate, the discharge nozzle and the roller holding means are brought close to each other so that the opening of the discharge nozzle is covered with the belt-shaped member. Moving means for moving the holding means relative to each other.

The invention according to claim 2 is the coating liquid supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the moving means horizontally moves the roller holding means between a position directly below the discharge nozzle and a standby position. And a vertical moving unit that vertically moves the roller holding unit at a position directly below the discharge nozzle.

The invention according to claim 3 is the coating liquid supply apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the roller holding means is provided between the first roller and the second roller. At the position, there is provided pressing means for pressing the strip-shaped member against the opening of the discharge nozzle while contacting the lower surface of the strip-shaped member.

In the invention according to claim 1 having the above-mentioned structure, when the coating liquid is not supplied to the surface of the substrate, the discharge nozzle, the first roller and the second roller are provided with openings for supplying the coating liquid. The roller holding means for holding the roller at a predetermined interval is brought closer to the roller holding means by the moving means, and the belt-shaped member fed from the first roller covers the opening of the discharge nozzle. Therefore, the coating liquid does not fall from the lower end of the discharge nozzle. Further, since the opening of the discharge nozzle is covered with the belt-shaped member, the coating liquid in the vicinity of the opening of the discharge nozzle is blocked from the air, so that the drying of the coating liquid in the vicinity of the opening of the discharge nozzle is prevented and the coating liquid is solidified. Does not happen. And
The strip-shaped member to which the coating liquid is attached by coming into contact with the lower end surface of the discharge nozzle is wound up by the second roller. Therefore, the coating liquid that has adhered to the belt-shaped member does not solidify and the solid content does not redeposit on the discharge nozzle. Also,
The strip-shaped member fed from the first roller is sequentially wound by the second roller while being in contact with the discharge nozzle, so that the opening of the discharge nozzle is cleaned.

In the invention according to claim 2 having the above-mentioned structure, when the supply of the coating liquid to the surface of the substrate is completed, the roller holding means is moved from the standby position to the position directly below the discharge nozzle by the horizontal moving means, Next, the roller holding means is moved upward by the up-and-down moving means, and the strip-shaped member fed from the first roller covers the opening of the discharge nozzle. When the supply of the coating liquid to the surface of the substrate is started, the roller holding means is moved downward by the vertical moving means, and then the roller holding means is moved by the horizontal moving means from the position directly below the discharge nozzle to the standby position. This allows the ejection nozzle to approach the surface of the substrate.

In the invention according to claim 3 of the above construction, the first
When the strip-shaped member fed out from the roller of the above-mentioned covers the opening of the discharge nozzle, the pressing means located at the position between the first roller and the second roller contacts the lower surface of the strip-shaped member while opening the discharge nozzle. Since the strip-shaped member is pressed, the strip-shaped member does not loosen at the position between the first roller and the second roller, the discharge nozzle reliably contacts the strip-shaped member, and the opening is formed in the strip-shaped member. Is more reliably covered by.

[0013]

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

1 and 2 show an example of an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a schematic side view showing a main part of a coating liquid supply apparatus, and FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view thereof. In the coating liquid supply device 10, the discharge nozzle 12 is provided with a lid mechanism 16 that covers the opening 14 formed in the lower end surface of the discharge nozzle 12 when necessary.

A bracket 18 is fixed to the discharge nozzle 12, and the bracket 18 is screwed to a pair of ball screw shafts 20 attached to the pair of left and right movable bases 22, 22 and a ball screw shaft is driven by a motor (not shown). 20 is correct
The reverse rotation causes the discharge nozzle 12 to move in the vertical direction. In addition, a pair of movable bases 2
2, 22 are slidably engaged with a pair of left and right linear guides 24, 24 arranged in parallel with each other in the horizontal direction, and guided by the linear guide 24 by a drive device (not shown) to reciprocate in the horizontal direction. Can be moved. The discharge nozzle 12 held on the movable base 22 via the ball screw shaft 20 and the bracket 18 is configured to reciprocate in the horizontal direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction thereof. These configurations of the coating liquid supply device are not particularly different from those of the conventional device, and the vertical movement mechanism of the discharge nozzle 12 and the horizontal movement mechanism of the discharge nozzle are not limited to those shown in the illustrated example. , Various mechanisms can be adopted. Although not shown, the discharge nozzle 12 is provided with a coating liquid supply system for supplying the coating liquid to the inside thereof.

The cover mechanism 16 is disposed on a mounting plate 26 fixed to the movable base 22 so as to reciprocate in the horizontal direction integrally with the discharge nozzle 12. Cover mechanism 16
Is provided with a roller holding arm 32 for arranging the feeding roller 28 and the take-up roller 30 in parallel with each other at a predetermined interval and rotatably supporting and holding them in a horizontal posture. As shown in FIG. 3, a roller holding arm 32 is omitted from the shaft portion of the take-up roller 30, and a state in which both rollers are viewed from below is shown in FIG. 3, and a take-up motor 34 (not shown in FIG. 2) is provided. ) Is connected to the rotary shaft of the winding motor 3
The belt-shaped film 36 is fed from the feeding roller 28 by driving the feeding roller 4, and the fed-up belt-shaped film 36 is sequentially wound by the winding roller 30. In addition, the strip-shaped film 3 is formed by the winding motor
6 Take up roller 3 manually instead of taking up 6 automatically
The band-shaped film 36 may be wound by rotating 0. As the band-shaped film 36, for example, a vinyl chloride resin film is used. In addition, the roller holding arm 3
A guide ring 38 is attached to the position 2 at an intermediate position between the feeding roller 28 and the winding roller 30, and is held in a horizontal posture. The guide ring 38 is formed in an elongated ring shape whose inner edge shape is larger than the outer edge shape of the lower end surface where the opening 14 of the discharge nozzle 12 is formed.

The roller holding arm 32 is fixed to the upper end of the elevating shaft 42 of the vertical drive motor 40 and is held in a horizontal posture. The vertical drive motor 40 is fixed to a holding plate 44, and the left and right ends of the mounting plate 44 are slidably engaged with a pair of left and right guide rods 46, 46, respectively. Also,
The tip of a push rod 50 of a cylinder 48 held on the mounting plate 26 is fixed to the vertical drive motor 40. The roller holding arm 32 is reciprocated in the horizontal direction by the cylinder 48 between the standby position shown by the solid line in FIG. 1 and the position directly below the discharge nozzle 12, and
The vertical drive motor 40 is configured to reciprocate in the vertical direction between a lower position immediately below the discharge nozzle 12 and an upper position shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG.

The coating liquid supply device 1 configured as described above
No. 0 is used and the coating liquid is applied to the surface of the substrate held horizontally on the stage, the discharge nozzle 12
With the lower end of the board close to or in contact with the surface of the board,
While the discharge nozzle 12 moves in the horizontal direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction thereof and supplies the coating liquid to the surface of the substrate through the opening 14 at the lower end surface of the discharge nozzle 12, the coating liquid supply device 10
Is moved to the end position of the substrate, the discharge nozzle 12
Are moved upward and away from the surface of the substrate. When the lower end surface of the discharge nozzle 12 is separated from the surface of the substrate, the cylinder 48 of the cover mechanism 16 is driven, and the roller holding arm 32 moves from the standby position shown by the solid line in FIG. Then, the vertical drive motor 40 is driven to move the roller holding arm 32 upward, and as shown by the chain double-dashed line in FIG.
The strip-shaped film 36 fed out from the discharge nozzle 12
Covers the opening 14 at the lower end surface of the. At this time, the feeding roller 28
Since the lower surface side of the strip-shaped film 36 that is fed out from is supported by the guide ring 38, the strip-shaped film 36 is stretched in a planar shape without causing slack. Therefore, the strip film 36 is pressed against the lower end surface of the discharge nozzle 12 where the opening 14 is formed, and the discharge nozzle 12
The opening 14 is surely covered with the strip film 36. In this way, the opening 14 of the discharge nozzle 12 is covered with the strip-shaped film 36, whereby the discharge nozzle 12
The coating liquid is prevented from dripping from the lower end of the nozzle, and the coating liquid near the opening of the discharge nozzle 12 is prevented from being dried. Further, the strip-shaped film 36 is sequentially wound by the winding roller 30 while being in contact with the lower end surface of the discharge nozzle 12, so that the lower end surface of the discharge nozzle 12 is cleaned.

Further, when the coating liquid supply device 10 is returned to the starting end position of the substrate again and the supply of the coating liquid to the surface of the substrate which has been carried in next is started, the vertical drive motor 40 is driven. , The roller holding arm 32 moves downward, and then the cylinder 48 is driven to move the roller holding arm 3
2 is returned from the position directly below the discharge nozzle 12 to the standby position shown by the solid line in FIG. As a result, the discharge nozzle 12 can move downward and approach the surface of the substrate, and the coating liquid can be supplied from the opening 14 of the discharge nozzle 12.

The mechanism for horizontally reciprocating the roller holding arm 32 and the mechanism for vertically reciprocating the roller holding arm 32 are not limited to those shown in the drawings, and various mechanisms can be adopted. In the above-described embodiment, the discharge nozzle 12 is attached to the roller holding arm 32 of the cover mechanism 16.
Although the roller holding arm 32 is fixed and the roller holding arm 32 is movable, the roller holding arm 32 may be fixed with respect to the discharge nozzle 12 to move the discharge nozzle 12 horizontally and vertically.

[0021]

According to the first aspect of the invention, when the coating liquid is supplied to the surface of the substrate, when the discharge nozzle is separated from the surface of the substrate, the coating liquid spills from the opening formed in the discharge nozzle. It can be surely prevented from falling. Further, even if a special solvent pot having an elongated opening corresponding to the shape of the lower end of the discharge nozzle is not prepared, it is possible to prevent the coating liquid from drying near the opening of the discharge nozzle and to solidify the liquid near the opening of the discharge nozzle. It is possible to eliminate the adhesion of the components, and there is no concern that the composition of the coating liquid may change. Further, the lower end surface of the discharge nozzle can be always cleaned.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the roller holding means is moved in the horizontal and vertical directions by the horizontal moving means and the vertical moving means so that the roller holding means is separated from or close to the discharge nozzle. Therefore, the relative movement of the discharge nozzle and the roller holding means can be surely performed when the coating liquid is supplied to the surface of the substrate and when the coating liquid is not supplied.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the strip-shaped member can be surely brought into contact with the discharge nozzle to more surely cover the opening of the discharge nozzle with the strip-shaped member.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic side view showing an example of an embodiment of the present invention and showing a main part of a coating liquid supply apparatus.

FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view showing a main part of the coating liquid supply apparatus shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing a state in which a roller holding arm is omitted in the coating liquid supply apparatus shown in FIG. 1 and a payout roller and a take-up roller are viewed from below.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 Coating Liquid Supply Device 12 Discharge Nozzle 14 Opening of Lower End Surface of Discharge Nozzle 16 Cover Mechanism 28 Feeding Roller 30 Winding Roller 32 Roller Holding Arm 34 Winding Motor 36 Strip Film 38 Guide Ring 40 Vertical Drive Motor 42 Lifting Shaft 48 Cylinder 50 Push rod

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A coating liquid supply device for supplying a coating liquid onto the surface of a substrate, comprising: a discharge nozzle having an opening for supplying the coating liquid; a first roller for feeding a strip-shaped member; A second roller that winds the strip-shaped member, a roller holding unit that holds the first roller and the second roller at a predetermined interval, and the discharge nozzle when supplying a coating liquid to the surface of the substrate. When the coating liquid is not supplied to the surface of the substrate by separating the roller holding means, the discharge nozzle and the roller holding means are brought close to each other so that the opening of the discharge nozzle is covered with the belt-shaped member. A coating liquid supply apparatus comprising: a discharge nozzle and a moving unit that relatively moves the roller holding unit. 2. The coating liquid supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the moving unit horizontally moves the roller holding unit between a position directly below the discharge nozzle and a standby position. And a vertical movement unit that vertically moves the roller holding unit at a position directly below the discharge nozzle, the coating liquid supply apparatus. 3. The coating liquid supply apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the roller holding means is located between the first roller and the second roller.
A coating liquid supply apparatus comprising: a pressing unit that presses the strip-shaped member against the opening of the discharge nozzle while contacting the lower surface of the strip-shaped member.