JPS6360529B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a resist coating apparatus used in semiconductor manufacturing processes and the like.

2. Description of the Related Art In semiconductor manufacturing processes and the like, when etching a silicon substrate or the like, a resist layer that serves as a mask is formed on the substrate. A resist coating device for forming this resist layer usually fixes the substrate to which the resist is to be coated on a predetermined rotating head (spinner head) by vacuum suction, and then drops a certain amount of resist from the top surface of the substrate. The device is configured to coat the surface of the substrate.

At this time, a resist such as a photoresist to be applied to the substrate is supplied from a predetermined supply bottle or the like, passes through a dispense pipe, and is dropped onto the substrate from the tip of a dispense nozzle.

After completing such a resist coating process, in the case of a conventional resist coating apparatus, it is inevitable that resist remains inside the dispense pipe and the dispense nozzle. The resist remaining on the dispense pipe and dispense nozzle hardens over time and becomes difficult to remove. The dispensing pipe and dispensing nozzle whose insides are closed by the resist cannot be used again, and therefore must be replaced with new parts.
As described above, conventional resist coating apparatuses have a high possibility of failure because no consideration has been given to maintenance during normal times.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a resist coating apparatus that includes a cleaning device for a dispense pipe and a dispense nozzle and has stable performance at all times.

The resist coating device according to the present invention includes a spinner head section that holds a substrate to which a resist is to be applied, and a resist supply section that supplies resist to be coated on the substrate. A solvent supply device is provided to supply a fixed amount of a predetermined solvent for dissolution, and the resist and solvent are selectively introduced into the dispense pipe and dispense nozzle by the action of a predetermined switching valve. It is characterized by its familiarity.

Next, an embodiment of the resist coating apparatus according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The drawing shows the configuration of an embodiment of a resist coating apparatus according to the present invention. In this figure, a predetermined substrate 1 such as a silicon substrate is held in a spinner head 3 rotatably provided in a container 2, and a dispensing nozzle 4 is provided opposite to this substrate 1. A dispense pipe 5 is connected to the dispense nozzle 4, and a resist supply pump 6 provided in the middle of the dispense pipe 5 supplies a resist supply device, that is, a resist supply bottle 7, during the resist coating process. A certain amount of resist is dropped onto the substrate 1 from the tip of the dispensing nozzle 4. In this case, a switching valve, ie, a solenoid valve 8, provided between the dispense pipe 5 and the resist supply bottle 7 is made to be able to pass in the direction of arrow a.

After the resist coating process is completed, the dispense pipe and dispense nozzle can be cleaned. For this cleaning action, a certain amount of resist solvent and drying inert gas are sequentially supplied from a portion connected to a pipe 9 connected to one inlet of the solenoid valve 8. That is, the pipe 9 has a storage bin 10
is coupled to the storage bottle 10, and a solvent supply device, that is, a solvent from a solvent supply bottle 12 or an inert gas such as nitrogen gas from an inert gas supply device 13, is selectively supplied to the storage bottle 10 via a second solenoid valve 11. will be introduced. In order to clean the dispensing pipe 5 and dispensing nozzle 4, it is necessary to store a certain amount of solvent in the storage bottle 10, but for this purpose, the solenoid valve 11 is made to be able to pass in the direction of arrow d, Pump 14 introduces solvent from solvent supply bottle 12 into storage bottle 10 . Thereafter, the operation of the pump 14 is stopped and the solenoid valve is made to pass in the direction of the arrow c, so that the inert gas from the inert gas supply device 13 is introduced into the storage bottle 10.

When the cleaning action is to be performed, after removing the spinner head 3 and the substrate 1, the solenoid valve 8 is allowed to pass in the direction of arrow b, and the storage bin 10 is passed through the pipe 9.
Introduce the solvent stored within. At this time, since pressure is applied to the storage bottle 10 by the inert gas from the inert gas supply device 13, a certain amount of the solvent stored in the storage bottle is automatically transferred to the dispense pipe 5 and the resist supply pump. 6 and the dispensing nozzle, and the resist remaining in this portion is dissolved and removed. After this solvent has been completely discharged from the dispensing nozzle 4, a solenoid valve 11 and a storage bottle 1 are then used.
The inert gas that has passed through the inert gas can pass through the dispense pipe 5, the resist supply pump 6, and the dispense nozzle, thereby drying the remaining solvent. When the supply of inert gas is stopped, the solenoid valve 8 is operated to allow passage in the direction of arrow a, and the solenoid valve 11 is operated to allow passage in the direction of arrow d.

As described above, in the resist coating apparatus according to the present invention, each part of the dispense pipe, the resist supply pump, and the dispense nozzle can be cleaned using a predetermined solvent after the resist coating process is completed. In the above embodiment, since a certain amount of solvent stored in the storage bottle 10 is introduced using inert gas pressure, the solvent is dried after cleaning the dispensing nozzle and the dispensing pipe. This has the advantage that there is no adverse effect due to the cleaning action, and the operation of the switching valve etc. is simplified. Furthermore, since electromagnetic valves are used as switching valves, all operations of each part can be performed electrically, making it easy to automate device control.

When performing a resist coating process using the resist coating apparatus according to the present invention, the dispense pipe, resist supply pump, and dispense nozzle are always cleaned, so the amount of resist supplied to the substrate can be made accurate. This has the advantage that uniform resist coating is possible, and the maintenance of the resist coating device itself is easy.

Further, in the above embodiment, the solvent and inert gas are introduced into the switching valve, that is, the solenoid valve 8, through the same pipe 9, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the solvent and inert gas can be switched from different routes. It is clear that the solvent and the inert gas may be introduced into the valve, or the dispensing pipe 5 may be provided with a plurality of switching valves, and the solvent and the inert gas may be introduced from each of the switching valves.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

The drawing is a diagram showing the configuration of an embodiment of a resist coating apparatus according to the present invention. Explanation of symbols of main parts, 1... Board, 3... Spinner head, 4... Dispensing nozzle, 5...
... Dispense pipe, 6 ... Resist supply pump, 7 ... Resist supply bottle, 8 ... Solenoid valve,
10... Storage bottle, 12... Solvent supply bottle, 13
...Inert gas supply device.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A spinner head for holding a predetermined substrate, a dispense nozzle provided opposite to the spinner head, a dispense pipe coupled to the dispense nozzle, and a resist supply for supplying resist to the dispense pipe. a solvent supply device that supplies a solvent for dissolving resist to the dispense pipe and the dispense nozzle; a solvent storage bottle that stores a certain amount of solvent in the solvent supply device; the dispense pipe and the dispense nozzle; an inert gas supply device for supplying an inert gas to the nozzle through the solvent storage bottle; and an inert gas supply device disposed in the dispensing pipe to supply resist from the resist supply device and a predetermined amount of solvent supplied from the solvent storage bottle. and a switching valve that selectively allows the inert gas supplied from the inert gas supply device to pass therethrough, and the switching valve is switched to the solvent storage bin side, and a certain amount of the inert gas stored in the solvent storage bin is switched to the solvent storage bin side. After the solvent is supplied to the dispense pipe and the dispense nozzle by the pressure of the inert gas from the inert gas supply device to dissolve the resist remaining therein, the inert gas is supplied from the inert gas supply device. The dispensing pipe and the dispensing nozzle are cleaned by supplying the solvent to the dispensing pipe and the dispensing nozzle through the solvent storage bottle to dry the solvent remaining therein. Characteristic resist coating equipment.