JPH10308347A - Treating liquid feeding device to substrate - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To utilize effectively the housing space for a treating liquid feeding device in the interior of a unit by a method wherein a drive of a plurality of pumps is conducted by an actuator for common pump drive use and the plurality of the pumps are made to selectively drive by a change-over of a drive change-over means. SOLUTION: A treating liquid feeding device is provided with one actuator 48. When a photoresist 30b stagnated in a liquid stagnating tank 28 is fed to the surface of a substrate W, an on-off valve 46b is turned on by a signal from a controller and at the same time, on-off valves 46a and 46c are turned off. Thereby, a diaphragm pump 22b only is made to drive by the actuator 48. Moreover, when a photoresist 30c stagnated in a liquid stagnating tank 28c is fed to the surface of the substrate W, the valve 46c is turned on by a signal from the controller and at the same time, the valves 46a and 46h are turned off. Thereby, a diaphragm pump 22c only is made to drive by the one actuator 48.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] The present invention relates to a semiconductor wafer,
A processing liquid supply device for supplying a processing liquid such as a photoresist, a developing solution, and a cleaning liquid to the surface of various substrates such as a glass substrate for a liquid crystal display (LCD), a glass substrate for a photomask, and a substrate for an optical disk, and in particular, a plurality of processes. The present invention relates to a processing liquid supply device provided with a liquid supply system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, while holding a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer or an LCD glass substrate in a horizontal position and rotating it around a vertical axis, a photoresist is discharged onto the surface of the substrate, and the photoresist is applied to the entire surface of the substrate. The spin coater (substrate rotary coating device) that applies photoresist to the surface of a substrate can supply multiple types of photoresist with different viscosities according to the type of substrate and the type of processing. , A plurality of units, for example, one unit
It has zero or more photoresist supply systems. Each photoresist supply system includes a discharge nozzle for discharging the photoresist to the surface of the substrate, a pump for pressure-pressing the photoresist to the discharge nozzle, an actuator (actuator) for driving the pump, and a liquid storage for storing the photoresist. It is equipped with a tank. In general, one of the plurality of photoresist supply systems is operated to discharge the photoresist onto the substrate surface.

[0003]

As described above, even if one unit has a large number of photoresist supply systems, only one system operates when processing one substrate. Of the photoresist supply system does not operate and is on standby. For this reason, each photoresist supply system is put in a state of waiting for ejection for most of the time, for example, 90% or more, and the pump of each photoresist supply system is
It is only driven by the actuator for a fraction of the total operating time of the spin coater.

As described above, having the same number of pumps and actuators as the number of photoresist supply systems in the standby time is much more efficient than the operating time in terms of cost and storage space. Is bad. In particular, pumps may be installed at limited locations (positions near discharge nozzles) in order to obtain stable discharge performance, and having a large number of pumps and actuators means that the layout of various devices in the unit This was a major obstacle in design.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and in a processing liquid supply apparatus having a plurality of processing liquid supply systems, the storage space in a unit can be effectively used. It is another object of the present invention to provide a device capable of reducing the device cost.

[0006]

The invention according to claim 1 is
A plurality of processing liquid supply systems each including a discharge nozzle that discharges the processing liquid to the surface of the substrate and a pump that pressurizes the processing liquid to the discharge nozzle, and selectively operating the plurality of processing liquid supply systems. In a processing liquid supply device configured to discharge a processing liquid from a discharge nozzle to a surface of a substrate, a pump common to the plurality of pumps of the plurality of processing liquid supply systems or two or more of the plurality of pumps A driving actuator is provided, and the pump driving actuator selectively drives one of the plurality of pumps or two or more of the plurality of pumps. A drive switching means for switching transmission of drive force to each pump is provided.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the processing liquid supply device according to the first aspect, the pump is driven by the pump driving actuator by fluid pressure, and the pump driving actuator and each pump are respectively connected by flow paths. In addition to the communication, the drive switching means is a flow path switching means for selectively connecting the pump driving actuator and each pump with a flow path.

In the processing liquid supply apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention, a plurality of pumps (or two or more pumps among the plurality of pumps) of the plurality of processing liquid supply systems are driven by a drive switching means to drive a common pump. The transmission of the driving force from the driving actuator to each pump is switched, so that the pump is selectively driven by the pump driving actuator. Then, the processing liquid is pressure-fed to the discharge nozzle of the processing liquid supply system provided with the pump by the pump driven by the pump driving actuator, and the processing liquid is discharged from the discharge nozzle to the surface of the substrate. As described above, the driving of the plurality of pumps is performed by one pump driving actuator.

In the processing liquid supply device according to the second aspect of the present invention, the common pump driving actuator is alternatively connected to each pump by the flow path switching means. Then, a pressurized fluid such as hydraulic oil is supplied from the pump driving actuator to the pump connected to the flow path, and the fluid is returned from the pump to the pump driving actuator, whereby the pump is driven and discharged by the pump. The processing liquid is pumped to the nozzle.

[0010]

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

FIG. 1 shows one embodiment of the present invention, and is a schematic diagram showing a flow path configuration of a processing liquid supply device together with a spin coater. The spin coater 10 has a spin chuck 12 for holding a substrate W such as a semiconductor wafer in a horizontal posture, and the substrate W held on the spin chuck 12 is connected to a spin motor 14 connected to a rotating shaft 14 supporting the spin chuck 12. 16 rotates about a vertical axis. Around the substrate W, there is provided a cup 18 formed in a container shape having an open upper surface and surrounding the side and lower sides of the substrate W. Then, the substrate W held by the spin chuck 12
Above the plurality of processing liquid supply devices, in this example, three discharge nozzles 20a, 20b of the three processing liquid supply systems,
20c are provided, and their discharge nozzles 20a,
A coating liquid, for example, a photoresist, is applied to the surface of the substrate W from one of 20b and 20c. Discharge nozzle 2
Although not shown, 0a, 20b, and 20c are attached to a nozzle arm, and move between a position above the substrate W and a retracted position outside the cup 18 as shown.

Each processing liquid supply system of the processing liquid supply device includes diaphragm pumps 22a, 22b, and 22c, respectively, and each of the diaphragm pumps 22a, 22b, and 22c.
And the discharge nozzles 20a, 20b, and 20c are connected in flow paths by respective liquid supply pipes 24a, 24b, and 24c. In addition, each diaphragm pump 2
2a, 22b, and 22c, the liquid suction pipe 26
a, 26b, and 26c are respectively connected to the flow paths, and the ends of the liquid suction pipes 26a, 26b, and 26c are connected to the photoresist 3 stored in the liquid storage tanks 28a, 28b, and 28c.
0a, 30b, and 30c, respectively, and the suction port at each end is provided in each liquid storage tank 28a, 28b, 28c.
c is located near the inner bottom surface. In each of the liquid storage tanks 28a, 28b, 28c, different types of different photoresists such as viscosity are stored. The piping system is also provided with a filter, an on-off valve, a mechanism for sucking back liquid remaining in the discharge nozzle (backsack mechanism), etc.
FIG. 1 omits them.

Diaphragm pumps 22a, 22b, 22
c, the peripheral edge of the diaphragm 34 is fixed to the casing 32 over the entire circumference, a pump chamber 36 is formed between the upper surface side of the diaphragm 34 and the inner surface of the casing 32, and the lower surface side of the diaphragm 34 and the inner surface of the casing 32 And an oil chamber 38 is formed therebetween. Diaphragm 3
4 reciprocates between a position shown by a solid line and a position shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 1, and in a state where the pressure of the hydraulic oil does not act on the lower surface side thereof, its own restoring force or a spring or the like Due to the force, the diaphragm pump 22a is held at the position indicated by the two-dot chain line and the diaphragm pumps 22b and 22c are each held at the position indicated by the solid line. The liquid suction section communicating with the pump chamber 36 has a liquid suction pipe 26 from inside the pump chamber 36.
a, check valve 4 for preventing backflow to 26b, 26c
0 is provided, and in the liquid delivery portion communicating with the pump chamber 36,
A check valve 42 for preventing backflow from the liquid supply pipes 24a, 24b, 24c into the pump chamber 36 is provided.

Each of the diaphragm pumps 22a, 22b, 2
Oil branch pipes 44a, 44b, 44c
Are connected to each other. Each oil branch pipe 44a, 4
Opening / closing valves 46a, 46b, 46c such as solenoid valves and air cylinder valves are interposed in 4b, 44c, respectively.
The on-off operation of each of these on-off valves 46a, 46b, 46c is controlled by a controller (not shown), and any one of them is opened.
Further, this processing liquid supply device includes one actuator 4
8 is provided. In this example, the actuator 48 is
It comprises a cylinder 50 having a reciprocating piston 52 and a pulse motor 54 for driving the cylinder 50. The forward / reverse rotation of the pulse motor 54 is converted into a reciprocating motion (the conversion mechanism is shown and described. Is omitted), and the piston 52 is reciprocated in the cylinder 50 as shown by a solid line and a two-dot chain line in FIG. An oil chamber 56 is formed in the cylinder 50 in front of the piston 52, and an oil pipe 58 is connected to the oil chamber 56 of the cylinder 50. And three oil branch pipes 44a, 44b,
44c and an oil pipe 58 are connected in a flow path by a manifold 60, and each of the diaphragm pumps 22a, 22b,
2c oil chamber 38, each oil branch pipe 44a, 44b, 44c,
Oil chamber 5 of manifold 60, oil pipe 58 and cylinder 50
6 is filled with hydraulic oil.

The operation of supplying the photoresist to the surface of the substrate W held by the spin chuck 12 of the spin coater 10 by the processing liquid supply apparatus having the above-described configuration will be described. Among a plurality of types of photoresist, the liquid storage tank 28
When the photoresist 30a stored in a is to be supplied to the surface of the substrate W, the on / off valve 46a is opened and the on / off valves 46b and 46c are closed by a signal from the controller. Then, the pulse motor 54 of the actuator 48 is operated to move the piston 52 of the cylinder 50 from the position shown by the solid line to the position shown by the two-dot chain line by a predetermined stroke. As a result, the operating oil in the oil chamber 38 of the diaphragm pump 22a is transferred to the oil branch pipe 44a and the manifold 60.
And into the oil chamber 56 of the cylinder 50 through the oil pipe 58, and accordingly, the diaphragm pump 22a
Is displaced from the position shown by the solid line to the position shown by the two-dot chain line, and the photoresist 30a in the liquid storage tank 28a is passed through the liquid suction pipe 26a from the liquid suction part to the pump chamber 36 of the diaphragm pump 22a. Inhaled into.
Subsequently, the pulse motor 54 of the actuator 48 rotates in the reverse direction, and moves the piston 52 of the cylinder 50 from the position shown by the two-dot chain line to the position shown by the solid line by a predetermined stroke. Thereby, the oil chamber 56 of the cylinder 50
Hydraulic oil is pushed out of the diaphragm pump 22 and flows into the oil chamber 38 of the diaphragm pump 22a through the oil pipe 58, the manifold 60 and the oil branch pipe 44a, and the diaphragm 34 is indicated by a two-dot chain line by the pressure of the hydraulic oil. From the position indicated by the solid line to the position indicated by the solid line. Then, due to the displacement of the diaphragm 34, the photoresist 30a is sent from the pump chamber 36 of the diaphragm pump 22a to the liquid supply pipe 24a through the liquid sending section, and the photoresist 30a
is supplied to the discharge nozzle 20a through the liquid supply pipe 24a, and the photoresist 30a is discharged from the discharge nozzle 20a to the surface of the substrate W.

When the photoresist 30b stored in the liquid storage tank 28b is to be supplied to the surface of the substrate W, the on-off valve 46b is opened and the on-off valves 46a, 46b are closed by a signal from the controller. When only the diaphragm pump 22b is driven by the actuator 48 and the photoresist 30c stored in the liquid storage tank 28c is to be supplied to the surface of the substrate W, the on-off valve 46c is opened by a signal from the controller. By closing the on-off valves 46a, 46b, the diaphragm pump 22 is operated by one actuator 48.
Only c is driven. Thus, the on-off valve 4
By controlling the opening / closing operation of 6a, 46b, 46c, one diaphragm 48 selectively drives three diaphragm pumps 22a, 22b, 22c.

In the above embodiment, a diaphragm pump is used as a pump. However, the type of the pump is not particularly limited. For example, a bellows type reciprocating pump may be used. Further, the configuration of the actuator for driving the pump is not limited to that of the above-described embodiment.
Various mechanisms can be used. The number of processing liquid supply systems is three in the above embodiment, but may be ten or more, for example. In that case, all the pumps may be selectively driven by one actuator.
The above-described actuators may be provided, and each of the actuators may selectively drive a plurality of pumps. Further, in the above embodiment, the processing liquid supply device for supplying the photoresist to the spin coater has been exemplified, but it is needless to say that the substrate processing device and the type of the processing liquid are not limited.

In the above embodiment, the fluid pressure (hydraulic pressure)
A reciprocating pump (diaphragm pump) is driven by the switch, and a plurality of pumps are selectively driven by switching the flow path by a valve. However, as shown in a conceptual diagram in FIG. A plurality of pumps 66a are mechanically driven by a transmission mechanism 64 such as a gear.
66b, 66c, and the respective pumps 66a,
The drive power of the actuator 62 is controlled by a plurality of pumps 66 by a drive switching device 68 that drives the motors 66b and 66c and mechanically interrupts the power such as a clutch.
a, 66b, and 66c may be alternatively transmitted.

[0019]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, when the apparatus for supplying a processing liquid to a substrate is used, a plurality of pumps are driven by a common pump driving actuator, and a plurality of pumps are driven by switching of drive switching means. Since the actuators are alternatively driven, the number of actuators conventionally provided by the same number as the number of processing liquid supply systems (pumps) can be reduced, thereby effectively utilizing the storage space in the unit. Since the layout design of various devices in the unit can be facilitated, the cost of the device can be reduced, and the time required for the maintenance work of the actuator can be reduced as compared with the related art.
It can also contribute to improving the operation rate of the device.

In the processing liquid supply apparatus according to the second aspect of the present invention, the plurality of pumps can be selectively driven by switching the flow path by a switching valve or the like. In this case, the structure for operating the switching device is simplified, and the failure of the switching device is reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing an embodiment of the present invention and showing a flow path configuration of an apparatus for supplying a processing liquid to a substrate together with a spin coater.

FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram showing another embodiment of the present invention and showing a partial configuration of a processing liquid supply device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 10 spin coater W substrate 20a, 20b, 20c discharge nozzle 22a, 22b, 22c diaphragm pump 28a, 28b, 28c liquid storage tank 30a, 30b, 30c photoresist 34 diaphragm 36 pump chamber 38 diaphragm pump oil chamber 40, 42 check valve 44a, 44b, 44c Oil branch pipes 46a, 46b, 46c Open / close valve 48 Actuator 50 Cylinder 52 Piston 54 Pulse motor 58 Oil pipe 60 Manifold

────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification code FI H01L 21/304 341 H01L 21/304 341N 21/30 569C

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of processing liquid supply systems each including a discharge nozzle for discharging a processing liquid to a surface of a substrate and a pump for pressure-feeding the processing liquid to the discharge nozzle. In the apparatus for supplying a processing liquid to the substrate, the processing liquid is discharged from the discharge nozzle to the surface of the substrate by operating the processing nozzle, and the plurality of pumps or the plurality of pumps of the plurality of processing liquid supply systems A common pump driving actuator is provided for two or more pumps, and the plurality of pumps are selectively driven by the pump driving actuators or two or more pumps of the plurality of pumps are selectively driven. A drive switching means for switching transmission of a driving force from the pump driving actuator to each pump so as to cause the pump to be driven. Supply device. 2. The pump drive by the pump drive actuator is performed via fluid pressure, the pump drive actuator and each pump are communicated with each other by flow paths, and the drive switching means includes a pump drive actuator and a pump drive actuator. 2. The apparatus for supplying a processing liquid to a substrate according to claim 1, wherein the processing means is a flow path switching means for selectively connecting the respective flow paths to the respective pumps.