JPH11162924A - Etching apparatus and processing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an apparatus for etching a substrate, which can recover etching solution without mixing rinsing liquid in cases where the substrate is etched and consecutively rinsed. SOLUTION: The etching process apparatus is provided with a holding member 24 which is rockably installed inside a chamber 21, and on which a wafer W is held, a nozzle 36 for feeding etching solution onto the wafer W and a nozzle 42 for feeding rinsing liquid, both placed in an upper part of the chamber 21, a driving source that tilts the holding member 24 in a different direction depending on whether the wafer W is etched by feeding the etching solution or is rinsed by feeding the rinsing liquid, a first gutter 31 which collects the etching solution being dripped from a lower edge of the wafer W tilted during the etching process, and a second gutter 32 which collects the rinsing liquid being dripped from a lower edge of the wafer W tilted during the rinsing process.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an etching apparatus for etching an object to be processed and a processing apparatus for performing various processes on the object.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, in a liquid crystal manufacturing apparatus or a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, there is a step of subjecting an object to be processed such as a glass substrate for a liquid crystal or a semiconductor wafer to an etching process, followed by a cleaning process and a drying process.

The etching process is performed to remove an oxide film formed on the surface of the object to be processed. An etching solution is sprayed on the object to be processed, and a predetermined amount (a predetermined time) of etching is performed. If so, a rinsing liquid is sprayed to stop the progress of the etching, and the etching liquid attached to the object to be processed is washed away. As a result, the object to be processed is etched in a constant state.

[0004] Since the etchant is relatively expensive, it is desirable to use it repeatedly. However, in the etching process, as described above, a rinsing process must be performed after the etching process. Therefore, when the etching solution is collected, a rinsing solution is mixed into the etching solution, and the performance of the etching solution is reduced.
Sometimes it cannot be used repeatedly.

In order to prevent the rinsing liquid from being mixed into the etching liquid, it is conceivable to perform the etching processing and the rinsing processing in separate chambers. However, if these processes are performed in separate chambers, not only will a considerable amount of time elapse before the workpiece is etched and rinsed, but the time will vary, and during that time, the The etching of the object may proceed more than necessary or the etching state may vary.

On the other hand, when an object to be processed is etched, unless the particles generated by the etching process are surely removed by washing, the next processing such as formation of a circuit pattern or the like is performed on the object. Cannot be performed accurately.

In view of the above, a processing apparatus is generally known in which a cleaning processing unit and a drying processing unit are arranged in parallel with an etching processing unit so that the above-described various processes can be sequentially performed.

In this type of conventional processing apparatus, a loader is disposed on the etching processing unit side, and an unloader is disposed on the drying processing unit side. Transfer devices are provided between the loader and the etching processing unit, between the drying processing unit and the unloader, and between the processing units, respectively. After that, it is sequentially delivered to the unloader.

However, according to the processing apparatus having such a configuration, the loader, the unloader, the plurality of processing units, and the transfer apparatus must be arranged in a line, so that the total length of the apparatus becomes long, and Installation locations may be restricted.

In addition, a plurality of transfer devices are required to transfer the object from the loader to the unloader via various processing units. Usually, a robot device is used as the transfer device, but the robot device is expensive. As a result, the cost of a conventional device that requires the use of a plurality of robot devices may be significantly increased.

[0011]

As described above, in the conventional etching apparatus in which the etching process and the rinsing process are sequentially performed, if the etching solution is to be recovered, the rinsing solution is mixed into the etching solution. was there.

In a processing apparatus for sequentially performing a plurality of processes on an object to be processed, a loader, a plurality of processing units, and an unloader are arranged in a line, and between the processing units, the loader side. Further, since the transfer device must be disposed on the unloader side, the total length of the device is not only increased, but also the need for a plurality of transfer devices increases costs. there were.

An object of the present invention is to provide an etching apparatus capable of surely recovering only an etching solution without mixing a rinsing solution. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a processing apparatus capable of transferring an object to be processed from a loader to an unloader via a plurality of processing units by a single transfer apparatus without increasing the overall length. .

[0014]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an etching apparatus for etching an object to be processed with an etching liquid and then rinsing with a rinsing liquid. A holding member provided on the upper surface and holding the object to be processed, a first supply means for supplying an etchant to the object to be processed and held at the upper part of the chamber and held by the holding member, and a rinse A second supply unit for supplying a liquid, and a driving unit for inclining the holding member in different directions when supplying an etchant to the workpiece and performing an etching process and when supplying a rinsing liquid and performing a rinsing process An etching solution collecting means for collecting an etching solution dropped from the lower end side of the object to be etched when the object to be processed is etched; The characterized by comprising a rinsing liquid recovery means for recovering the rinse liquid dripping from the inclined direction lower side of the object to be processed when the rinsing process.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, the etching liquid collecting means is provided at an inner bottom portion of the chamber and receives an etching liquid dropped from a lower end in a tilt direction of an object to be processed during an etching process. 1 receiving part,
A recovery tank provided in communication with the first receiving portion for recovering the etching liquid, and connecting the recovery tank and the first supply means to etch the recovery liquid in the recovery tank in the middle part; And a circulation pipe provided with a pump for circulating to the first supply means.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in a processing apparatus for performing a plurality of processes on an object to be processed, a main body, a traveling path linearly provided in the main body, and a delivery driven along the traveling path. An apparatus, a plurality of processing units arranged on one side of the traveling path along the traveling path, and an unprocessed substrate provided on the other side of the traveling path and supplied to the processing unit by the transfer device. A loader for storing the processed object and an unloader for storing the processed object processed by the processing unit by the transfer device.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the third aspect of the present invention, the plurality of processing units juxtaposed on one side of the traveling path are an etching unit, a cleaning unit, and a drying unit. It is characterized by.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the holding member on which the object is placed is inclined in different directions between the etching process and the rinsing process. Since the etching solution dropped from the substrate is collected, the etching solution can be collected without mixing the rinse solution.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, when the etching liquid into which the rinsing liquid is not mixed is recovered, the etching liquid can be circulated, so that the etching liquid can be used repeatedly.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, a plurality of processing units are juxtaposed on one side of a traveling path on which the transfer device is driven, and a loader and an unloader are arranged on the other side. The workpiece can be supplied from the loader to the processing unit, and the workpiece processed by the processing unit can be stored in the unloader by shortening the overall length of the device and providing only one transfer device on the traveling path. can do.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, since the processing unit includes an etching unit, a cleaning unit, and a drying unit, the object to be etched is cleaned, then dried, and then unloaded. Can be stored.

[0022]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIGS. 1 and 2 show a processing apparatus 1 having a plurality of processing units, which will be described later. The main body 2 has a rectangular box shape, and includes a traveling path 3 located at a central portion in the width direction.
Are formed linearly over substantially the entire length in the longitudinal direction.

A robot 4 as a transfer device is provided on the traveling path 3 so as to be able to travel freely. The running path 3 is provided with a linear motor 5 over its entire length, and the robot 4 is driven along the running path 3 by the linear motor 5.

On one side of the traveling path 3, the plurality of processing units, in this embodiment, the etching processing unit 6, the cleaning processing unit 7, and the drying processing unit 8 are sequentially arranged in parallel.

On the other side of the traveling path 3, a loader 11 in which a liquid crystal glass substrate W (hereinafter, referred to as a substrate) as an unprocessed object is stored, and the processing units 6, 7, 8
And an unloader 12 in which the substrate W processed in step (1) is stored.

When processing the substrate W in the processing apparatus 1 having the above-described configuration, the robot 4 first takes out the unprocessed substrate W from the loader 11 and places it in the etching processing unit 6.
Supply to After the substrate W has been processed in the etching unit 6, the substrate W
And supplied to the cleaning unit 7.

When the cleaning processing of the substrate W is completed in the cleaning processing unit 7, the robot 4 takes out the substrate W and supplies it to the drying processing unit 8. When the drying processing in the drying processing unit 8 is completed, the substrate W is taken out by the robot 4 and stored in the unloader 12, so that a series of processing on the substrate W is completed.

As described above, the three processing units 6, 7, and 8 are arranged on one side of the traveling path 3 and the loader 11 and the unloader 12 are arranged on the other side. Apparatus 1
Can be shortened.

The provision of the robot 4 on the traveling path 3 so that the robot 4 can travel freely allows the robot 4 to supply the substrate W to each of the processing units 6, 7, 8 provided on one side of the traveling path 3. , Not only can be taken out, running path 3
The substrate W can be taken out from the loader 11 provided on the other side, or the processed substrate W can be stored in the unloader 12.

That is, only one robot 4 is provided in the processing apparatus 1 and each of the processing units 6, 7, 8 and the loader 11
In addition, the substrate W can be transferred to the unloader 12.

On the other hand, the etching processing unit 6
It has a chamber 21 as shown in FIGS. An entrance 22 is provided at the front of the chamber 21 facing the traveling path 3.
The entrance 22 is opened and closed by a door 23.

A plate-like holding member 24 is provided at an intermediate position in the height direction in the chamber 21. Support portions 25 are provided on lower surfaces on both sides in the width direction of the holding member 24, and the support portions 25 are attached to a drive shaft 26 that is rotatably provided along the front-rear direction of the chamber 21.

The holding member 24 is formed in a rectangular shape which is sufficiently larger than the flat shape of the substrate W. One end of the drive shaft 26 protruding from the rear surface of the chamber 21 is connected to a drive source 27 provided on the rear surface side.
It is connected to. The drive source 27 rotates the drive shaft 26 by a predetermined angle in the left-right direction.

In other words, the drive source 27 moves the holding member 24 into a substantially horizontal neutral state, an etching state in which the holding member 24 is inclined to the left as shown by a solid line in FIG. 3, and a right side as shown by a chain line in FIG. It can be positioned in a low inclined rinsing state.

A plurality of support pins 28 are provided on the upper surface of the holding member 24, and the substrate W is supported by these support pins 28. A plurality of restricting members are provided at one end and the other end in the longitudinal direction of the holding member 24 to prevent the substrate W supported by the support pins 28 from moving in the tilt direction when the holding member 24 is tilted. A pin 29 is provided.

The first gutter 3 is provided at one lower end in the width direction of the chamber 21, that is, at a position corresponding to the lower end in the inclined direction when the holding member 24 is inclined in the etching state.
1 is provided over substantially the entire length of the chamber 21 in the front-rear direction, and is a holding member 2 in a rinsing state at the other end.
A second gutter 32 is provided at a portion corresponding to the lower end side of the tilt direction 4 over substantially the entire length in the front-rear direction.

One end of a first recovery pipe 33 is connected to the first gutter 31. The other end of the first collection pipe 33 is connected to a first collection tank 34 in which the etching solution E is stored. The first recovery tank 34 has a first circulation pipe 3
5 is connected to one end. The other end of the circulation pipe 35 is connected to a plurality of etching nozzles 36 arranged at predetermined intervals along the front-rear direction in the upper part of the chamber 21 as shown in FIG. A first pump 37 is provided in the middle of the circulation pipe 35.

Therefore, when the holding member 24 is inclined to the etching state, the first pump 3
7 operates, the etchant E of the first recovery layer 34 is supplied to the etching nozzle 36, and the etchant E is jetted from the nozzle 36 toward the substrate W held on the upper surface of the holding member 24. You.

The etching solution E sprayed on the substrate W flows along the upper surface, flows into a first gutter 31 provided on the lower end side, and flows from the first gutter 31 through a first recovery pipe 33. It is to be collected in the first collection tank 34.

One end of a second recovery pipe 38 is connected to the second gutter 32. The other end of the second recovery pipe 38 is connected to a second recovery tank 39 containing a rinsing liquid R made of pure water.
It is connected to the. One end of a second circulation pipe 41 is connected to the second recovery tank 39. The other end of the second circulation pipe 41 is connected to a plurality of rinsing nozzles 4 arranged at predetermined intervals along the front-rear direction in the upper part of the chamber 21.
2 are connected.

In FIG. 3, the rinse nozzle 42 and the etching nozzle 36 are provided at different heights for easy understanding, but these nozzles 36 and 42 may be provided at the same height. Good thing, of course.

A three-way switching valve 43 is provided in the middle of the second recovery pipe 38. The second recovery pipe 38 is connected to the two ports of the three-way switching valve 43, and the remaining one
A drain pipe 44 is connected to one of the ports. further,
In the middle of the second circulation pipe 41, a second pump 45 is provided.
The other end of the supply pipe 46 whose one end is connected to a supply source of the rinsing liquid R (not shown) is connected. This supply pipe 46
Is provided with an on-off valve 47.

Therefore, when the second pump 45 operates while the holding member 24 is inclined to the rinsing state, the rinsing liquid R in the second recovery tank 39 is supplied to the rinsing nozzle 42. Therefore, the rinsing liquid R is ejected from the nozzle 42 toward the substrate W held on the upper surface of the holding member 24.

The rinsing liquid R sprayed onto the substrate W flows along the upper surface, flows into the second gutter 32 provided on the lower end side, and flows from the second gutter 32 through the second recovery pipe 38. It is to be collected in the second collection tank 39.

When the rinsing liquid R starts to be sprayed from the rinsing nozzle 42, the etching liquid E is mixed with the rinsing liquid E collected in the second gutter 32. Therefore, during a predetermined time from the start of the rinsing process, the three-way switching valve 43 is switched so that the rinsing liquid R flowing from the second gutter 32 to the second recovery pipe 38 is discharged from the drain pipe 44, After a lapse of time, the rinsing liquid R is recovered in the second recovery tank 39. Thereby, the etchant E is stored in the second recovery tank 39.
Is prevented from being recovered. That is, a part of the rinsing liquid R can be collected and reused.

When the rinsing liquid R stored in the second recovery tank 39 decreases, a new rinsing liquid R is supplied to the supply pipe 4.
6 to be jetted from the rinsing nozzle 42,
It can be replenished by collecting it in the collection tank 39.

The both ends of the holding member 24 in the width direction are shown in FIG.
As shown in the figure, the bent portion 24a is formed to be bent upward. This prevents the etching liquid E and the rinsing liquid R sprayed onto the substrate W from dropping from both sides in the width direction of the holding member 24.

A drain pipe 48 is connected to the bottom of the chamber 21 for discharging the etching liquid E and the rinsing liquid R which are injected into the substrate W and are not collected by the first and second gutters 31 and 32.

A case where the substrate W is etched by the above-described etching apparatus will be described with reference to a flowchart of FIG. First, the holding member 24 is placed in a horizontal state, and the entrance 22 of the chamber 21 is opened.
Next, the substrate W taken out of the loader 11 by the robot 4 is supplied onto the holding member 24, and the entrance 22 is closed.

Next, as shown by S (step) 1 in FIG. 6, the holding member 24 is inclined to the etching state, and the first pump 37 is operated as shown by S 2 to etch the etching solution E. Substrate W from nozzle 36
Inject toward Thereby, the substrate W is etched.

Etching solution E sprayed on the upper surface of substrate W
Flows from the upper surface of the substrate W to the first gutter 31 and is collected in the first collection tank 34, so that it can be used repeatedly.

When such an etching process has been performed for a predetermined time as shown in S3, the first pump 37 is stopped as shown in S4, and at the same time, the holding member 24 is brought into a rinsing state as shown in S5. Incline. Then, as shown in S6, the second pump 45 is operated to inject the rinse liquid R in the second recovery tank 39 from the rinse nozzle 42 toward the substrate W, and the substrate W is rinsed. The etching of the substrate W is prevented from proceeding beyond a predetermined level. Next, when the rinsing process has been performed for a predetermined time as shown in S7, the second pump 45 is stopped as shown in S8, and the holding member 24 is made horizontal as shown in S9 to perform the etching process. Ends.

When the etching process is completed, the entrance / exit 22 is opened, and the substrate W rinsed by the robot 4 is taken out, and the substrate W is supplied to the cleaning unit 7 for cleaning. When the cleaning processing of the substrate W is completed, the substrate W is supplied to the drying processing unit 8 to perform the drying processing, thereby completing a series of processing on the substrate W. The substrate W thus processed is taken out of the drying processing unit 8 by the robot 4 and is unloaded by the unloader 12.
Will be stored.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, but can be variously modified. For example, an etching unit 6, a cleaning unit 7, and a drying unit 8 are disposed as processing units on one side of the traveling path 3.
Other processing units necessary for forming a circuit pattern on the substrate W, for example, processing units for performing CVD, ashing, etc., may be provided, and the type and number of processing units are not limited. The object to be processed is not limited to a glass substrate for liquid crystal, but may be a semiconductor wafer or the like, and the point is not limited at all.

[0055]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the holding member on which the object is placed is inclined in different directions between the etching process and the rinsing process. The etching solution dropped from the lower end was collected.

Therefore, it is possible to prevent the rinsing liquid during the rinsing processing from being mixed into the etching liquid collected during the etching processing, so that the etching liquid can be used repeatedly.

Further, since the etching solution and the rinsing solution can be separately recovered, the etching process and the rinsing process can be performed in one chamber without any trouble in the recovery of the etching solution.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, since the etching solution into which the rinsing solution is not mixed can be collected and circulated, the etching solution can be used repeatedly. According to the third aspect of the present invention, a plurality of processing units are juxtaposed on one side of the traveling path on which the transfer device is driven and the loader and the unloader are arranged on the other side.

Therefore, not only can the overall length of the processing device be shortened, but only one transfer device is provided on the traveling path.
The object to be processed is supplied from the loader to the processing unit, and the object to be processed processed by the processing unit can be transported to another processing unit or unloader. Cost can be reduced as compared with the processing apparatus.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, since the processing unit includes an etching unit, a cleaning unit, and a drying unit, the workpiece to be etched is cleaned, dried, and then unloaded. Can be stored. That is, another processing required when the etching processing is performed can be performed by one processing apparatus.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a schematic configuration of a processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the processing apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the etching apparatus.

FIG. 4 is a transverse sectional view of the etching apparatus.

FIG. 5 is a plan view showing an arrangement state of an etching nozzle and a rinsing nozzle.

FIG. 6 is a flow chart of the same etching process for the substrate.
Chart.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 ... Device main body 3 ... Running path 4 ... Robot (transfer device) 6 ... Etching processing unit 7 ... Cleaning processing unit 8 ... Drying processing unit 11 ... Loader 12 ... Unloader 21 ... Chamber 24 ... Holding member 27 ... Drive Source (driving means) 31 first gutter (etching liquid collecting means) 32 second gutter (rinsing liquid collecting means) 34 first collecting tank (etching liquid collecting means) 36 etching nozzle 37 ... 1 pump (etching liquid collecting means) 39 ... second collecting tank (rinsing liquid collecting means) 42 ... rinsing nozzle 45 ... second pump (rinsing liquid collecting means)

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An etching apparatus for etching an object to be processed with an etchant and then rinsing the object with a rinsing liquid, comprising: a chamber; A first member for supplying an etchant to the object to be processed, which is disposed at an upper part in the chamber and held by the holding member;
And a second supply unit for supplying a rinsing liquid, wherein the holding member is moved in different directions depending on when the etching processing is performed by supplying the etching liquid to the workpiece and when the rinsing processing is performed by supplying the rinsing liquid. A driving means for inclining the object, an etching liquid collecting means for collecting an etching solution dropped from a lower end side of the object in the inclination direction when etching the object, and a rinsing process for the object. A rinsing liquid collecting means for collecting a rinsing liquid dropped from a lower end side of the object to be inclined in the inclination direction; A first receiving portion provided at an inner bottom portion of the chamber for receiving an etching solution dropped from a lower end in an inclined direction of an object to be processed during the etching process; A collecting tank provided in communication with the first tank and collecting the etching liquid;
2. A circulation pipe, which is provided with a pump connected to said supply means and circulating an etching solution recovered in said recovery tank to said first supply means in a middle part thereof. Etching equipment. 3. A processing apparatus for performing a plurality of processes on an object to be processed, a main body, a traveling path linearly provided in the main body, a delivery device driven along the traveling path, A plurality of processing units arranged side by side along the traveling path on one side of the road, and unprocessed workpieces provided on the other side of the traveling path and supplied to the processing units by the transfer device are stored. A processing apparatus, comprising: a loader; and an unloader in which the object processed by the processing unit is stored by the delivery device. 4. The processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the plurality of processing units arranged in parallel on one side of the traveling path are an etching processing unit, a cleaning processing unit, and a drying processing unit.