JPH11186141A - Substrate processor - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a substrate processor preventing processing fluid from dribbling out of a nozzle. SOLUTION: The resist nozzle 5 is formed so that it can move between a supply position above the rotary center of a substrate W and a standby position outside the substrate W. A standby pot 16 is arranged in the standby position. A shock bestowal means 30 consisting of a hammer 31 colliding with the resist nozzle 5 and an air cylinder 32 driving the hammer 31 is provided near the resist nozzle 5 in the standby position. The air cylinder 32 drives the hammer 31 and makes it collide with the resist nozzle 5. Thus, a shock is given to the tip of the resist nozzle 5 and unnecessary resist liquid adhering to the tip is dropped.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus for performing a predetermined processing on a substrate by supplying a processing liquid from a nozzle to the substrate.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A substrate processing apparatus is used to supply a processing liquid to a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer, a glass substrate for a liquid crystal display device, a glass substrate for a photomask, and a glass substrate for an optical disk to perform predetermined processing. . The substrate processing apparatus includes a rotary coating apparatus that supplies a resist solution to the substrate surface and spin-coats, a rotary developing apparatus that supplies a developing solution to the substrate surface to perform a developing process, or a cleaning solution that supplies a cleaning solution to the substrate surface. There is a cleaning device for performing a cleaning process. These substrate processing apparatuses are provided with nozzles for supplying each processing liquid to the substrate surface.

[0003] During standby, the nozzle is waiting at a standby position outside the substrate. Then, when the processing liquid is supplied, the processing liquid is moved from the standby position to a position above the substrate to supply the processing liquid to the substrate surface. When the supply of the processing liquid is completed, the substrate is returned from the position above the substrate to the standby position again, and prepares for the next supply operation.

The processing liquid is supplied to the substrate from the nozzle at a predetermined timing and in a predetermined amount. For example, in a rotary coating apparatus for supplying a resist solution, a predetermined amount of the resist solution is supplied from a nozzle to a substantially central portion of the substrate when the substrate is stationary or rotating at a low speed. Then, rotate the substrate at high speed,
A resist solution is applied to a predetermined thickness over the entire surface of the substrate.

On the other hand, in the process of supplying the processing liquid from the nozzle onto the substrate, the processing liquid attached to the tip of the nozzle may fall onto the substrate other than during the supply of the processing liquid. This is called dropping. The dripping of the processing liquid can be caused by the processing liquid attached to the tip of the nozzle falling down due to surface tension, or by the intrusion of air into the nozzle from the discharge port, and the processing liquid pushed out by the intruded air drops. It occurs when you do.

When the processing liquid drops, the processing liquid is excessively supplied to the falling portion. For this reason, in the case of the above-mentioned rotary coating apparatus, the thickness of the resist coating film in the portion where the dripping has occurred becomes large, and the film thickness becomes non-uniform. Further, in the case of a rotary developing device, a difference occurs in the degree of development between the portion where the developer falls and the other portion, and uneven development occurs.

Various measures have conventionally been taken to prevent such a drop of the processing liquid. For example,
A method of reducing the diameter of the nozzle discharge port, making it difficult for air to enter from the nozzle discharge port to prevent dripping of the processing liquid, and bringing suction means such as an aspirator close to the nozzle tip to adhere to the nozzle tip A method of aspirating and removing the treated liquid, a method of contacting the contact member with the treatment liquid attached to the tip of the nozzle in the movement path of the nozzle to scrape the treatment liquid, and a method of treating the nozzle after the supply of the treatment liquid is completed. A method has been proposed in which a processing liquid in a liquid discharge pipe is sucked in a direction opposite to a discharge direction, and a processing liquid attached to the tip of the nozzle is sucked into the nozzle (a suction method using a suck back mechanism).

[0008]

However, in any of the methods, it is difficult to completely prevent the treatment liquid from dripping. In particular, the processing liquid having a low viscosity tends to drop the processing liquid from the nozzle. For example, in recent years, the diameter of a substrate has increased, and the rotation speed of the substrate during the rotation processing has also tended to decrease. Therefore, in the photolithography process, a resist solution having a low viscosity (2 to 3 CP: centipoise) is used so that the resist solution can be easily spread over a large-diameter substrate. Further, solvent rinsing used for edge cleaning processing for removing the resist on the outer peripheral portion of the substrate, and a developing solution used for developing processing also have a low viscosity. For this reason, in a substrate processing apparatus using these low-viscosity processing liquids, it is desired to completely prevent dripping of the processing liquid from a nozzle.

An object of the present invention is to provide a substrate processing apparatus capable of preventing a processing liquid from dropping from a nozzle.

[0010]

Means for Solving the Problems and Effects of the Invention A substrate processing apparatus according to a first aspect of the present invention includes a substrate holding section for holding a substrate, a nozzle for supplying a processing liquid to the substrate held by the substrate holding section, Moving means for moving the nozzle to a position above the substrate held by the substrate holding unit and a standby position deviating from above the substrate, and applying an impact to the nozzle at a position deviating from above the substrate held by the substrate holding unit Impact applying means.

In the substrate processing apparatus according to the first invention,
The nozzle supplies the processing liquid to the substrate at a position above the substrate,
Stand by at a stand-by position deviating from above the substrate. Unnecessary processing liquid tends to adhere to the tip of the nozzle. Therefore, the impact applying means applies an impact to the nozzle at a position deviating from above the substrate to drop the processing liquid attached to the tip of the nozzle. Therefore, when the nozzle moves to a position above the substrate,
No treatment liquid adheres to the tip of the nozzle. Thus, the treatment liquid is prevented from dripping onto the surface of the substrate, and the substrate can be uniformly treated with the treatment liquid.

In the substrate processing apparatus according to a second aspect of the present invention, in the configuration of the substrate processing apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention, the impact applying means includes a collision member provided so as to be able to collide with the nozzle, and a collision member directed to the nozzle. And a driving means for moving the object.

In this case, when the collision member collides with the nozzle, the nozzle receives an impact and vibrates. Therefore, the processing liquid attached to the tip of the nozzle is shaken off from the tip of the nozzle and falls. With this, when moving above the substrate,
It is possible to prevent the processing liquid from dropping from the tip of the nozzle.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the configuration of the substrate processing apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention, the impact applying means may cause the processing liquid attached to the tip of the nozzle to drop at a position deviating from above the substrate. Control means for causing the moving means to rapidly accelerate or decelerate the nozzle.

In this case, if the moving means rapidly accelerates or decelerates the nozzle during the horizontal movement of the nozzle based on the control of the control means, an impact is given to the nozzle, and the processing liquid adhering to the tip of the nozzle is discharged. It is shaken off from the tip.
Thus, it is possible to prevent the processing liquid from dropping from the tip of the nozzle when it is moved above the substrate.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the substrate processing apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention, the moving means includes:
Elevating means for elevating and lowering the nozzle is further provided, wherein the impact applying means includes a control means for rapidly accelerating or decelerating the nozzle by the elevating means so that the processing liquid attached to the tip of the nozzle falls at a position deviated from above the substrate. Including.

In this case, when the elevating means rapidly accelerates or decelerates the nozzle during the elevating and lowering of the nozzle based on the control of the control means, an impact is given to the nozzle, and the processing liquid adhering to the tip of the nozzle is subjected to the processing. It is shaken off from. Thus, it is possible to prevent the processing liquid from dropping from the tip of the nozzle when it is moved above the substrate.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a substrate processing apparatus comprising:
In the configuration of the substrate processing apparatus according to any one of the fourth aspects of the present invention, a draining unit that discharges the processing liquid is disposed at the standby position,
The impact applying means applies an impact to the nozzle at the standby position.

In this case, the processing liquid attached to the tip of the nozzle can be dropped at the standby position. Therefore, the dropped processing liquid is discharged to the outside by using the liquid discharging means disposed at the standby position, thereby preventing the inside of the substrate processing apparatus from being contaminated by the dropped processing liquid.

[0020]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a substrate processing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of the substrate processing apparatus of FIG. Hereinafter, a rotary coating apparatus will be described as an example of the substrate processing apparatus.

The rotary coating apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 has a motor 1 having a rotating shaft 2 disposed in a vertical direction, and a substrate holding unit 3 connected to the tip of the rotating shaft 2. The substrate holder 3 includes a circular plate-shaped rotating member 7. Rotating member 7
A plurality of regulating pins 8 are arranged on the upper surface of the substrate along the outer periphery of the substrate W. The restriction pins 8 contact the outer peripheral edge of the substrate W to restrict the horizontal movement of the substrate W. The rotation member 7 is provided with three support pins 9 for supporting the back surface of the substrate W. The support pin 9 is formed to be able to move up and down by an air cylinder 10 arranged below. The substrate W is held in a horizontal posture by the three support pins 9.

A hollow cup 4 is provided around the substrate holding unit 3 to prevent the processing liquid supplied to the substrate W from scattering outside.

A resist nozzle 5 and a resist nozzle driving section 20 are provided outside the cup 4. The resist nozzle driving unit 20 includes a nozzle rotating unit 20a and a nozzle elevating unit 20b.

The nozzle rotation section 20a has a rotation motor 22. The rotation shaft 21 of the rotation motor 22 is
Is connected to the base. The forward and reverse operations of the rotation motor 22 cause the tip of the registration nozzle 5 to rotate horizontally between the supply position above the rotation center of the substrate W and the standby position outside the substrate W.

The nozzle elevating unit 20b has an elevating cylinder 24 having a vertically extensible rod, and a connecting member 23 for connecting the rod of the elevating cylinder 24 and the rotary motor 22. When the rod of the elevating cylinder 24 expands and contracts, the rotation motor 22 of the resist nozzle driving unit 20 moves up and down, whereby the resist nozzle 5 moves up and down.

At the standby position of the resist nozzle 5, a standby pot 16 is provided. The standby pot 16 receives the resist liquid falling from the tip of the resist nozzle 5 at the standby position and discharges the resist liquid to the outside.

The control unit 25 controls the operations of the rotation motor 22 of the registration nozzle drive unit 20 and the lifting cylinder 24.

An edge rinsing nozzle 6 and a rinsing nozzle driving section 26 are provided outside the cup 4 at a position different from that of the resist nozzle 5. The edge rinsing nozzle 6 is positioned between the supply position above the outer peripheral portion of the substrate W and the substrate W
The rinsing nozzle drive unit 26 is configured to be movable between the outside and the standby position. The edge rinse nozzle 6 supplies the solvent rinse to the outer peripheral portion of the substrate W at a supply position above the outer peripheral portion of the substrate W, and removes an unnecessary resist film formed on the outer peripheral portion of the substrate W.

The above-mentioned rotary coating apparatus further includes an impact applying means for preventing the treatment liquid from dropping from the tips of the resist nozzle 5 and the edge rinse nozzle 6.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing the structure of the resist nozzle 5 provided with an impact applying means. 3, the impact applying means 30 includes an air cylinder 32 and a hammer 31 attached to a tip of a rod of the air cylinder 32. The operation of the air cylinder 32 is controlled by the control unit 25.

The control unit 25 drives the air cylinder 32 to move the tip of the hammer 31 to the tip of the resist nozzle 5 before the resist nozzle 5 starts the supply process or when the resist nozzle 5 returns to the standby position. Collision.
When the hammer 31 collides, the resist nozzle 5 receives an impact and vibrates in the horizontal direction. As a result, the resist liquid adhering to the tip of the resist nozzle 5 is shaken off from the tip of the resist nozzle 5 and falls into the standby pot 16. Thus, even if the resist nozzle 5 is moved above the substrate W, dripping of the resist liquid from the tip of the resist nozzle 5 is prevented from occurring.

The impact force applied by the hammer 31 to the resist nozzle 5 can be adjusted by adjusting the air pressure supplied to the air cylinder 32. The position at which the hammer 31 collides is preferably near the tip of the resist nozzle 5, but may be any other position as long as an impact enough to shake off the resist liquid adhering to the tip of the resist nozzle 5 is applied. You may.

In this embodiment, the impact applying means 30 corresponds to the impact applying means of the present invention, the resist nozzle driving section 20 corresponds to the moving means, the hammer 31 corresponds to the collision member, and the air cylinder 32 corresponds to a driving unit.

Next, a description will be given of a rotary coating apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention. In the rotary coating apparatus according to the second embodiment, the resist nozzle 5 is suddenly accelerated or decelerated to give an impact to the resist nozzle 5 to drop an unnecessary resist solution from the tip of the resist nozzle 5.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory view schematically showing the movement operation of the resist nozzle 5. First, a normal operation of supplying a resist solution will be described. In the supply operation of the resist liquid, the resist nozzle driving unit 20 drives the resist nozzle 5 based on the control of the control unit 25.

The resist nozzle 5 at the standby position has its nozzle end waiting on the standby pot 16. When the supply process of the resist nozzle 5 is started, first, the elevating cylinder 24 of the nozzle elevating unit 20b of the resist nozzle driving unit 20 is driven, and the resist nozzle 5 is raised. When it rises to the predetermined position, the rotation motor 22 of the nozzle rotation unit 20a is driven, and the registration nozzle 5 is rotated from the standby position to the supply position above the rotation center of the substrate W. Then, the elevating cylinder 24 is further driven, and the tip of the resist nozzle 5 is lowered to the vicinity of the substrate W and stopped. In this state, the resist liquid is supplied from the resist nozzle 5 to the surface of the substrate W.

When the resist liquid is supplied from the resist nozzle 5, the substrate W is rotated at a high speed, and the resist liquid is spin-coated on the substrate W.

When the resist liquid supply process is completed, the elevating cylinder 24 is driven again, and the resist nozzle 5 is raised. When the resist nozzle 5 reaches a predetermined height on the substrate W, the rotating motor 22 is driven. The resist nozzle 5 is rotated from above the substrate W to a standby position above the standby pot 16.
Further, the elevating cylinder 24 is driven, the resist nozzle 5 is lowered, and the tip of the nozzle is located in the standby pot 16.

Next, the process of dropping the resist liquid from the resist nozzle 5 will be described. The control unit 25 controls the operation of the resist nozzle driving unit 20 to rapidly accelerate or suddenly accelerate the resist nozzle 5 when the resist nozzle 5 starts or stops at a position deviated from above the substrate W as compared with a position above the substrate W. Slow down.

In the rising path A of the resist nozzle 5,
When the resist nozzle 5 is rapidly accelerated at the time of starting, the resist liquid attached to the tip of the resist nozzle 5 is shaken off from the tip of the nozzle and falls. Further, if the resist nozzle 5 is suddenly accelerated and then rapidly decelerated and stopped at a predetermined height position,
An impact is generated at the time of stopping, and the resist liquid attached to the tip of the resist nozzle 5 is shaken off and falls into the standby spot 16.

The traveling path B from the standby position to the position above the substrate W
, The resist nozzle 5 is suddenly accelerated to start, and the return path C from above the substrate W of the resist nozzle 5
In the above, when the resist nozzle 5 is suddenly decelerated and stopped, an impact is generated on the resist nozzle 5 and the resist nozzle 5 vibrates. Thereby, the resist liquid adhering to the tip of the resist nozzle 5 is shaken off from the tip of the resist nozzle 5, and the standby pot 1
Fall into 6.

Further, in the descending path D of the resist nozzle 5, when the resist nozzle 5 descends, the resist nozzle 5
Suddenly accelerates and starts, and suddenly decelerates and stops. As a result, the resist liquid adhering to the tip of the resist nozzle 5 is shaken off from the tip of the resist nozzle 5 and falls into the standby spot 16.

The above-described rapid acceleration / deceleration operations of the resist nozzles 5 in the ascending / descending paths A and D and the advancing and returning paths B and C may be performed alone or in combination, or may be repeatedly performed. Good.

The above-described operation of dropping the resist solution can be performed during the normal operation of supplying the resist solution. Therefore, it is not necessary to newly provide a processing time for dropping the resist liquid, and the throughput of the spin coating processing does not decrease.

In the second embodiment, the control unit 25 corresponds to the control unit of the impact applying unit of the present invention, the resist nozzle driving unit 20 corresponds to the moving unit, and the nozzle lifting unit 20b functions as the lifting unit. Equivalent to.

In the rotary coating apparatus according to the first and second embodiments, not only the resist nozzle 5 but also the edge rinse nozzle 6 may be provided with the impact applying means of the present invention.

Furthermore, not only the rotary coating apparatus but also a nozzle for supplying a processing liquid of another substrate processing apparatus, such as a developing liquid discharging nozzle of a rotary developing apparatus, a pure water discharging nozzle, or a cleaning liquid discharging nozzle of a cleaning apparatus. On the other hand, the impact applying means of the present invention can be applied.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a substrate processing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of the substrate processing apparatus of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration of a resist nozzle including an impact applying unit.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing a movement operation of a resist nozzle.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 3 substrate holding unit 4 cup 5 resist nozzle 6 edge rinse nozzle 7 rotating member 16 standby pot 20 resist nozzle driving unit 22 rotating motor 24 lifting cylinder 25 control unit 30 impact applying means 31 hammer 32 air cylinder

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A substrate holding unit for holding a substrate, a nozzle for supplying a processing liquid to the substrate held on the substrate holding unit, a position above the substrate held on the substrate holding unit and the substrate A moving means for moving to a standby position deviated from above the substrate, and an impact applying means for applying an impact to the nozzle at a position deviated from above the substrate held by the substrate holding part. Processing equipment. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said impact applying means includes a collision member provided so as to collide with said nozzle, and a driving means for moving said collision member toward said nozzle. Substrate processing equipment. 3. The shock applying means includes a control means for rapidly accelerating or decelerating the nozzle by the moving means such that the processing liquid attached to the tip of the nozzle falls at a position deviated from above the substrate. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: 4. The moving means further comprises elevating means for elevating and lowering the nozzle, wherein the impact applying means is configured to drop the processing liquid attached to the tip of the nozzle at a position deviated from above the substrate. 2. A substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising control means for rapidly accelerating or rapidly decelerating said nozzle by means of elevating means. 5. A discharge means for discharging a processing liquid is provided at the standby position, and the impact applying means applies an impact to the nozzle at the standby position.
A substrate processing apparatus according to any one of the above.