JPWO2007111251A1 - Surface treatment equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to enable surface treatment with a simple configuration even when a workpiece is large. A processing head 10 of a surface processing apparatus 1 includes a first unit 11L and a second unit 11R. In these units 11, hole rows 34 for ejecting the processing gas are extended in the first direction. The first direction is orthogonal to the second direction in which the workpiece is moved. The two units 11 are displaced from each other in the first direction and in the second direction. The hole rows 34 of the two units 11 overlap when viewed from the second direction. [Selection] Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to an apparatus for spraying a processing gas on an object to be processed and performing surface treatment such as cleaning, surface modification, etching, ashing, film formation, etc. of the object to be processed, and includes a plasma surface processing apparatus and a thermal CVD apparatus. In particular, in plasma processing, the present invention relates to a so-called remote type plasma processing apparatus in which an object to be processed is disposed outside an interelectrode space and a plasma formed between the electrodes is ejected toward the object.

In the field of manufacturing flat displays such as liquid crystal panels, the objects to be processed have been increasing in size in recent years, and surface treatment apparatuses are also required to support large objects to be processed.
Patent Documents 1 and 2 describe a plasma surface treatment apparatus in which two electrode rows each having a plurality of electrodes arranged in parallel with the longitudinal direction are provided, and a slit-like discharge space is formed between the two electrode rows. Yes. Even if each electrode is short, the slit-shaped discharge space can be made to have a length corresponding to the width dimension of the large workpiece. The entire width of the object to be processed can be processed at a time by spraying the processing gas that has been converted into plasma in the slit-shaped discharge space onto the object to be processed. The object to be processed is transported in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the electrode (the extending direction of the slit-shaped discharge space).
Patent Documents 3 and 4 describe that an electrode module in which a plurality of electrodes are arranged in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction is provided in two front and rear stages along the longitudinal direction. A slit-shaped discharge space is formed between adjacent electrodes of each electrode module. The front-stage electrode module and the rear-stage electrode module are shifted by a half of the parallel arrangement pitch in the parallel arrangement direction of the electrodes. Therefore, the slit-like discharge spaces at the front stage and the rear stage are also shifted by a half pitch. The object to be processed is conveyed in the longitudinal direction of each electrode and thus in the longitudinal direction of each slit-like discharge space.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-302585 Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2005-302686 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-135892 JP 2005-333096 A

To align a plurality of units including electrode modules etc. in a straight line, do not provide wiring or piping at the end facing the adjacent unit, or provide a support for the gantry at a portion other than the end It is necessary, and it is not possible to simply arrange a plurality of normal units.
An object of this invention is to provide the surface treatment apparatus which can respond also to a large to-be-processed object with a simple structure.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention is directed to an apparatus for spraying a processing gas on the surface of an object to be processed and processing the surface.
A first unit having a first hole row for ejecting the processing gas, the first hole row extending in a first direction;
A second unit having a second hole row for ejecting the processing gas, the second hole row extending in the same direction as the first hole row;
A moving mechanism for moving the object to be processed relative to the first and second units in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction;
With
The first unit and the second unit are arranged so as to be displaced from each other in the first direction and in the second direction.
Thereby, even if a to-be-processed object is large sized, it can surface-treat with a simple structure.

The end on the second unit side in the longitudinal direction of the first hole row and the end on the first unit side in the longitudinal direction of the second hole row overlap in the first direction when viewed from the second direction. It is desirable that
As a result, even if the processing capacity at the end of the hole row of each unit is lower than that at the center of the hole row due to the deceleration or deactivation of the processing gas, by overlapping the two units, The processing capacity can be sized to be a combination of two low processing capacities, and a processing capacity equivalent to the center of the hole row of each unit can be obtained.

A frame,
A connection mechanism for connecting the first unit to the gantry so as to be positionally adjustable in the first direction;
Is preferably further provided.
As a result, it is possible to absorb assembly errors along the first direction and adjust the width of the overlap.

A frame,
A connection mechanism for connecting the first unit to the frame so that the position of the first unit can be adjusted in a third direction orthogonal to the first direction and the second direction;
Is preferably further provided.
As a result, the assembly error along the third direction is absorbed, the distance between the unit and the object to be processed (working distance) is adjusted, the degree of processing in the first processing region due to individual differences between the units, and the like. It is possible to correct the non-uniformity of the processing degree of the two processing areas.

A frame,
A coupling mechanism for coupling the first unit to the gantry so that the angle seen from the first direction is adjustable;
Is preferably further provided.
As a result, the angle error seen from the first direction is absorbed, the gas blowing direction to the object to be processed is adjusted, the processing state of the first processing region and the second processing region due to individual differences between units, etc. It is possible to correct non-uniformity with the processing state.

A frame,
A coupling mechanism for coupling the first unit to the gantry so as to adjust an angle of the first unit viewed from the second direction;
Is preferably further provided.
As a result, the angle error seen from the second direction is absorbed, the gas blowing direction to the object to be processed is adjusted, the processing state of the first processing region and the second processing region due to individual differences between units, etc. It is possible to correct non-uniformity with the processing state.

A frame,
A pair of connection mechanisms provided at both ends of the first unit in the first direction, respectively, to connect the first unit to the mount so that the position of the first unit can be adjusted in a third direction orthogonal to the first direction and the second direction. When,
Is preferably further provided.
Accordingly, not only can the position of the first unit be adjusted in the third direction, but also the angle viewed from the second direction can be adjusted.

A frame,
Third directions of the first unit are provided at four corners as viewed from a third direction orthogonal to the first direction and the second direction, respectively, and the first unit is mounted on the gantry in a third direction orthogonal to the first direction and the second direction. Four coupling mechanisms coupled to each other in an adjustable manner,
Is preferably further provided.
Accordingly, not only the position of the first unit can be adjusted in the third direction, but also the angle viewed from the first direction and the angle viewed from the second direction can be adjusted.

A frame,
A coupling mechanism for coupling the first unit to the gantry;
The connecting mechanism further comprises:
A supported portion provided in the first unit;
A unit support portion provided on the gantry and facing the supported portion in a third direction orthogonal to the first direction and the second direction;
First and second connecting shafts provided so as to extend in the third direction between the supported portion and the unit supporting portion;
A first restricting portion which is provided on the first connecting shaft and restricts the supported portion from moving away from the unit supporting portion along the third direction;
A second restricting portion that is provided on the second connecting shaft and restricts the supported portion from approaching and moving away from the unit support portion along the third direction;
It is preferable to have.
Accordingly, the first unit can be supported so that the position of the first unit can be adjusted in the first direction and the third direction, and an attachment error in the first direction and the third direction can be absorbed.

One of the supported portion and the unit support portion is formed with an insertion hole for inserting and connecting the first connection shaft or the second connection shaft, and the insertion hole has a long axis in the first direction. It is preferable that it is a long hole toward the surface.
As a result, the position of the first unit can be adjusted in the first direction with respect to the gantry, the assembly error along the first direction of the first unit can be absorbed, and the position of the first unit can be adjusted in the first direction with respect to the second unit. The width of the overlap can be adjusted.

The first connecting shaft is a screw member whose axis is directed in the third direction;
The first restricting portion is screwed into an end portion of the first connection shaft on the supported portion side, and an end portion of the first connection shaft on the unit support portion side is abutted against the unit support portion,
It is preferable that the first restricting portion abuts or is joined to a surface of the supported portion facing the unit support portion.
Accordingly, with a simple configuration, the supported portion can be allowed to move away from the unit support portion along the third direction and can be restricted from approaching.

The second connecting shaft is a screw member whose axis is directed in the third direction;
A screw member in which the second restricting portion is provided at an end portion of the second connecting shaft on the supported portion side, and an end portion of the second connecting shaft on the unit supporting portion side is screwed to the unit supporting portion. And
It is preferable that the second restricting portion is in contact with a surface of the supported portion that faces away from the unit support portion.
Accordingly, it is possible to allow the supported portion to be allowed to approach and move away from the unit support portion along the third direction with a simple configuration.

  It is preferable that not only the first unit but also the second unit is connected to the gantry by a connection mechanism similar to that of the first unit.

The first unit includes a pair of electrodes each extending in the first direction, and these electrodes are opposed to the second direction so as to form a discharge space therebetween, and downstream of the discharge space. An end may be continuous with the first hole row. It is preferable that the second unit is configured in the same manner. Thus, plasma surface treatment can be performed.
The present invention is suitable for generating plasma and performing surface treatment near atmospheric pressure. Near atmospheric pressure (substantially normal pressure) refers to a range of 1.013 × 10 ^{4 to} 50.663 × 10 ⁴ Pa, and considering the ease of pressure adjustment and the simplification of the apparatus configuration, 1.333 × 10 6. ^{4 to} 10.664 × 10 ⁴ Pa (100 to 800 Torr) is preferable, and 9.331 × 10 ^{4 to} 10.9797 × 10 ⁴ Pa (700 to 780 Torr) is more preferable.

Further, the present invention is an apparatus for spraying a processing gas on the surface of an object to be processed and processing the surface.
A processing head including a plurality of units extending in a first direction;
A moving mechanism for moving the object to be processed relative to the processing head in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction;
With
Each of the plurality of units has a row of holes extending in the first direction for ejecting the processing gas;
Some of the plurality of units are arranged in a fixed pitch apart from each other in the first direction to form a first unit row,
The other part of the plurality of units are separated in the first direction and arranged at the same pitch as the first unit row to form a second unit row,
The first unit row and the second unit row are arranged in the second direction, and the unit of the first unit row and the unit of the second unit row are shifted by about half of the pitch in the first direction. It is characterized by that.
Thereby, even if a to-be-processed object is large sized, it can surface-treat with a simple structure. A space can be secured at the end in the longitudinal direction of each unit, and the support structure (connecting mechanism to the gantry), piping, and wiring can be easily arranged.

  According to the present invention, surface treatment can be performed with a simple configuration even if the workpiece is large.

1 is a plan view of an atmospheric pressure plasma surface treatment apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. It is a front view of the said surface treatment apparatus which follows the II-II line | wire of FIG. It is a synthetic | combination figure of the top view which shows the electrode and ejection opening of the said surface treatment apparatus, and the graph of the gas ejection amount or processing rate in each position of the said ejection opening. It is side surface sectional drawing which shows the connection mechanism of the unit of the said surface treatment apparatus. (A) is front sectional drawing of the said connection mechanism in alignment with the VA-VA line of FIG. 4, (b) is front sectional drawing of the said connection mechanism in alignment with the VB-VB line of FIG. It is front sectional drawing which shows the state which displaced the unit, (a) respond | corresponds to Fig.5 (a), (b) respond | corresponds to FIG.5 (b), and a continuous line displaces a unit to the right. The two-dot chain line is the state in which the unit is displaced to the left, and the three-dot chain line is the state in which the unit is displaced upward. It is a front view which shows the state which inclined the 1st unit seeing from the front (2nd direction). It is a side view which shows the state which inclined the 1st unit seeing from the side surface (1st direction). It is front sectional drawing which shows the modification of a connection mechanism, (a) respond | corresponds to Fig.5 (a), (b) respond | corresponds to FIG.5 (b). 9 is a front sectional view showing a state in which the unit is displaced, (a) corresponds to FIG. 9 (a), (b) corresponds to FIG. 9 (b), and the solid line indicates the unit. The state displaced to the right, the two-dot chain line is the state where the unit is displaced to the left, and the three-dot chain line is the state where the unit is displaced upward. The slit-like ejection opening of the right and left units shows a modification in which they do not overlap, and is a composite diagram of a plan view and a graph of a processing rate at each position of the ejection opening. It is a top view which shows the modification which comprised the unit row | line | column of 2 rows by four units. It is a top view which shows the modification which made the unit row | line into 4 rows. It is a perspective view which shows the modification of a process head structure. It is a perspective view which shows the modification which applied the other aspect of the hole row structure to the processing head structure of FIG. It is a perspective view which shows the modification which applied the other aspect of the hole row structure to the processing head structure of FIG. It is a perspective view which shows the modification which applied the other aspect of the hole row structure to the processing head structure of FIG.

Explanation of symbols

W Workpiece 1 Atmospheric pressure plasma surface treatment apparatus 2 Processing gas source 2a Supply path 3 Power supply circuit 10 Processing head 11 Unit 11L First unit 11R Second unit 12 Rectification module 13 Discharge module 20 Roller conveyor (moving mechanism)
21 Frames 31 and 32 of roller conveyor Electrode 33 Inter-electrode space 34 Ejection port 34L First ejection port (first hole row)
34R Second outlet (second hole array)
34a Small hole 340L First hole row 340R made of small holes Second hole row 40 made of small holes Base 41 Support beam 50 Connection mechanism 51 Base block (unit support portion)
51b Female threaded hole 52 of base block Support block (first restricting portion)
52a Female block hole 52b of support block Insertion hole 53 of support block Bracket 53v Side plate part 53h Upper plate part (supported part)
53a, 53b Insertion hole (long hole)
54 First connecting shaft (screw member)
55 Second connecting shaft (screw member)
55a Head of second connecting shaft (second restricting portion)
110 unit row 110A first unit row 110B second unit row

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below.
1 and 2 show an atmospheric pressure plasma surface treatment apparatus 1 for treating an object W to be processed. The workpiece W is a large-area glass substrate used as a flat panel of a liquid crystal television or a plasma television, for example. The surface treatment apparatus 1 hydrophilizes the surface of the glass substrate W, for example.

The surface treatment apparatus 1 includes a treatment head 10 and a moving mechanism 20.
As shown in FIG. 2, the moving mechanism 20 is configured by a roller conveyor. The roller conveyor 20 moves the workpiece W in the front-rear direction (second direction, a direction orthogonal to the paper surface in FIG. 2).

  The moving mechanism 20 may be a belt conveyor instead of the roller conveyor 20, and may be configured by a stage for setting the workpiece W and a drive unit for moving the stage. The stage may be fixed, and the processing head 10 may move relative thereto.

  A frame 40 is assembled above the left and right frames 21 of the roller conveyor 20, and the processing head 10 is installed on the frame 40. The processing head 11 is disposed above the roller conveyor 20, and the processing head 10 and the workpiece W are vertically opposed (third direction). The workpiece W is passed under the processing head 10.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the processing head 10 includes two (plural) units 11 and 11. These units 11 and 11 have the same configuration. Hereinafter, when distinguishing these two units 11 and 11 and their constituent elements from each other, “L” is added to the reference numerals of the left unit 11 and its constituent elements, and “L” is attached to the reference signs of the right unit 11 and its constituent elements. “R” is attached. One of the left and right units 11 (for example, the left unit 11L) constitutes a “first unit”, and the other unit 11 constitutes a “second unit”.

As shown in FIG. 2, each unit 11 includes an upper rectification module 12 and a lower discharge module 13. These modules 12 and 13 extend in the left-right direction (first direction). A supply path 2a extends from the processing gas source 2, and the supply path 2a is branched and connected to the rectifying modules 12L and 12R of the left and right units 11L and 11R, respectively. Although not shown, the rectification module 12 has a rectification path composed of slits, small holes, chambers, and the like, and uniformizes the processing gas from the supply path 2a in the left-right direction in the rectification path.
For example, nitrogen is used as the treatment gas for hydrophilization.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the discharge module 13 accommodates a pair of electrodes 31 and 32. Each electrode 31 and 32 extends to the left and right. The pair of electrodes 31 and 32 are arranged in parallel so as to face each other in the front-rear direction. One electrode 31 is connected to the power supply circuit 3. The other electrode 32 is electrically grounded. A solid dielectric (not shown) is provided on at least one opposing surface of the electrodes 31 and 32.

  A slit-like inter-electrode space 33 extending left and right is formed between the pair of electrodes 31 and 32. By supplying a voltage from the power supply circuit 3 to the electrode 31, an atmospheric pressure glow discharge is formed between the electrodes 31 and 32, and the interelectrode space 33 becomes a discharge space.

  The upper end portion of the interelectrode space 33 is connected to the rectifying path of the rectifying module 12. The processing gas that is made uniform left and right by the rectifying module 12 is introduced uniformly in the longitudinal direction of the interelectrode space 33. The plasma is generated by the atmospheric pressure glow discharge.

As shown in FIG. 2, at the bottom of the discharge module 13, an ejection port 34 (hole array) that is continuous with the lower end of the interelectrode space 33 is provided. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the ejection port 34 has a slit shape extending in the left-right direction. The lower end portion of the interelectrode space 33 may constitute the ejection port 34. The processing gas introduced into the interelectrode space 33 is ejected from the ejection port 34 at the lower end.
The slit-shaped ejection port 34 of one of the left and right units 11 (for example, the slit-shaped ejection port 34L of the left unit 11L) constitutes the “first hole row”, and the slit-shaped ejection port of the other unit 11 34 constitutes a “second hole row”.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the two units 11, 11, and consequently the slit-shaped ejection ports 34, 34 are arranged so as to be shifted from side to side and from side to side.
The amount of deviation in the front-rear direction of the left ejection port 34L and the right ejection port 34R exceeds 0, preferably about 200 mm or less, and more preferably about 150 mm.

  The right end of the left unit 11L and the left end of the right unit 11R overlap in the left-right direction when viewed from the front-rear direction. As a result, the right end portion of the left slit-shaped ejection port 34L and the left end portion of the right slit-shaped ejection port 34R overlap in the left-right direction when viewed from the front-rear direction.

The ratio of the overlap amount with respect to the total length of each ejection port 34 is preferably about 5% or less, and more preferably about 3% or less.
The length of each ejection port 34 is, for example, about 100 to 2000 mm. In this case, the overlap amount between the left and right ejection ports 34L and 34R is preferably about 50 mm or less.

The graph of FIG. 3 shows the amount of ejection from each position of the left and right slit-shaped ejection ports 34L, 34R. In the middle part (the part excluding both ends) in the longitudinal direction of each slit-like ejection port 34, the ejection amount is substantially constant. At the both ends of the ejection port 34 in the longitudinal direction, the ejection amount decreases rapidly. Therefore, the ejection curve by each ejection opening 34 draws a substantially trapezoid. By arranging the left and right ejection ports 34L and 34R to overlap, the slope of the right end of the left ejection curve and the slope of the left end of the right ejection curve intersect each other. This intersection position is preferably located at a position where the left and right ejection amounts are about 20 to 80% of the maximum value (upper side of the trapezoid), more preferably about 50%. preferable.
The distance from the vicinity of the left end of the portion with the constant ejection amount of the left ejection port 34L to the vicinity of the right end of the portion with the constant ejection amount of the right ejection port 34R is set to be substantially the same as the width of the workpiece W. Is preferred.

  The above-mentioned ejection amount corresponds to the processing rate. In the hydrophilization treatment, it corresponds to the contact angle of the treated object surface after the treatment. In the graph, the processing rate of the central portion excluding both ends of the first processing region R1 due to the gas ejected from the left ejection port 34L is substantially constant, and rapidly decreases at both ends. The processing rate of the central portion excluding both ends of the second processing region R2 due to the gas ejected from the right ejection port 34R is substantially constant, and rapidly decreases at both ends. The portion where the processing rate at the right end of the left processing region R1 is rapidly decreasing and the portion where the processing rate at the left end of the right processing region R2 is rapidly decreasing are just overlapped. The overlap region is indicated by “R3”.

The support structure of the unit 11 will be described.
As shown in FIG. 1, short support beams 41 extending in the front-rear direction are provided at a plurality of predetermined positions of the gantry 40. The left and right ends of each unit 11 are supported by the support beam 41. As shown in FIG. 2, the support beam 41 and the left and right ends of each unit 11 are connected via a connection mechanism 50.

The coupling mechanism 50 is configured as follows.
As shown in FIG. 1, brackets 53 are provided at both left and right ends of the unit 11. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, each bracket 53 includes a side plate portion 53v fixed to the end surface of the unit 11, and an upper plate portion 53h (supported portion) protruding horizontally from the upper end of the side plate portion 53v. And has an inverted L-shaped cross section and extends back and forth. As shown in FIG. 1, a pair of insertion holes 53a and 53b are formed at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the upper plate portion 53h. Each of these insertion holes 53a and 53b is a long hole whose major axis is directed to the left and right. The pair of insertion holes 53a and 53b are arranged side by side.

  As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, a base block 51 (unit support portion) is fixed to the upper surface of each support beam 41. The base block 51 has a rectangular cross section and extends in the same direction as the support beam 41. Female screw holes 51b are formed at both ends of the upper surface of the base block 51 in the longitudinal direction. The base block 51 is separated from the lower side of the upper plate portion 53h of the bracket 53 and faces the upper plate portion 53h.

  A support block 52 (first restricting portion) is disposed between each base block 51 and the upper plate portion 53h of the bracket 53. The support block 52 has a rectangular cross section and extends in the same direction as the base block 51. At both ends in the longitudinal direction of the support block 52, female screw holes 52a and insertion holes 52b are formed side by side so as to form a pair. These holes 52a and 52b respectively penetrate the support block 52 in the vertical direction.

  As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 (a), one long hole 53a of the bracket 53 and the female screw hole 52a of the support block 52 are arranged vertically. A first connecting shaft 54 extending vertically is disposed in the holes 53a and 52a. The 1st connecting shaft 54 is comprised with the volt | bolt (screw member). The head of the bolt 54 is slightly separated above the upper plate portion 53 h of the bracket 53. The leg portion of the bolt 54 passes through the long hole 53 a of the bracket 53 and is screwed into the female screw hole 52 a of the support block 52. The front end (lower end) of the bolt 54 protrudes from the lower surface of the support block 52 and abuts against the upper end surface of the base block 51. The support block 52 is supported by the bolt 54 in a state of being separated from the base block 51 upward. An upper plate portion 53 h of the bracket 53 is placed on the upper surface of the support block 52. As a result, the units 11L and 11R are supported so that upward displacement is permitted and downward displacement is restricted.

  As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5B, the other elongated hole 53b of the bracket 53, the insertion hole 52b of the support block 52, and the female screw hole 51b of the base block 51 are arranged vertically. A second connecting shaft 55 extending vertically is disposed in the holes 53b, 52b, 51b. The second connecting shaft 55 is configured by a bolt (screw member) longer than the first connecting shaft 54. The bolt 55 is inserted into the long hole 53 b of the bracket 53 and the insertion hole 52 b of the support block 52, and the tip (lower end) is screwed into the female screw hole 51 b of the base block 51. As shown in FIG. 4, the head portion 55a (second restricting portion) of the bolt 55 is in contact with the upper surface of the bracket 53 on both sides in the short direction of the long hole 53b. As a result, the bolt 55 restricts upward displacement while allowing downward displacement of the unit 11.

  The bolt head 55a and the support block 52 sandwich the upper plate portion 53h of the bracket 53 from above and below. Thereby, the unit 11 is positioned and fixed.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the coupling mechanisms 50 including the bolts, that is, the first and second coupling shafts 54 and 55, are arranged at the four front and rear, right and left corners of each unit 11.

  According to the surface treatment apparatus 1 configured as described above, after the processing gas of the processing gas source 2 is made uniform left and right by the rectifying module 12 of each unit 11 through the supply path 2a, each discharge module 13 The interelectrode space 33 is introduced. In addition, a voltage is supplied from the power supply circuit 3 to the electrode 31 of each discharge module 13, whereby the interelectrode space 33 becomes a plasma discharge space, and the processing gas is turned into plasma. This plasma-ized processing gas is ejected from each slit-shaped ejection port 34 and blown to the workpiece W conveyed by the roller conveyor 20. Thereby, surface treatments such as hydrophilization of the workpiece W can be performed.

By arranging a plurality of units 11 on the left and right, the entire width of the workpiece W can be processed. On the other hand, the length of the electrodes 31 and 32 of each unit 11 can be shortened, and the deformation due to Coulomb force or thermal expansion can be suppressed.
By shifting the units 11 and 11 back and forth, it is possible to avoid interference between the end portions in the longitudinal direction of each unit 11, and the degree of freedom of the support structure of the wiring and piping and the unit 11 can be increased. The configuration can be simplified.

As shown in FIG. 3, by overlapping the ends of the left and right ejection ports 34L and 34R as viewed from the conveying direction of the workpiece W, the right end of the left ejection port 34L (the amount of ejection decreases rapidly). It is possible to overlap the portion that is a little) and the left end portion of the right ejection port 34R (the portion where the ejection amount is suddenly decreased). As a result, it is possible to prevent a process omission area from being formed between the left process area R1 and the right process area R2, as well as an insufficiently processed part R3 at the right end of the left process area R1 and the right process area R2. The insufficiently processed portion R3 at the left end of the processing region R2 can be overlapped with each other, and the processing rate of this portion R3 is adjusted to be equal to the processing rate of the central portion of each processing region R1, R2. be able to. Thereby, processing uniformity can be ensured.
By making the left and right gas ejection amount graphs intersect at 50% of the flat portion in the center, ideally uniform processing can be performed.

  6A and 6B, the position of the bracket 53 can be adjusted in the longitudinal direction of the long holes 53a and 53b, that is, in the left-right direction. As a result, the position of the first unit 11L can be adjusted in the left-right direction with respect to the second unit 11R. Thereby, the assembly | attachment error of the left-right direction of the two units 11L and 11R can be absorbed. Furthermore, the region R3 where the left and right processing regions R1, R2 overlap can be increased or decreased, and the processing in the overlap region R3 can be adjusted so as not to be excessive or insufficient. As a result, the processing can be made more uniform.

  6A, the height of the support block 52 can be adjusted by adjusting the amount of screwing between the bolt 54 and the support block 52. As shown in FIG. At this time, as shown by a three-dot chain line in FIG. 6B, the screwing amount of the bolt 55 is also adjusted so that the head portion 55a of the bolt 55 comes into contact with the upper surface of the upper plate portion 53h of the bracket 53. Thereby, the position of each unit 11 can be adjusted also in the up-down direction, and the assembly errors in the up-down direction of the two units 11L, 11R can be absorbed.

  Furthermore, the height of the support blocks 52 and 52 at both ends can be adjusted to each other by mutually adjusting the screwing amounts of the bolts 54 and 54 and the support blocks 52 and 52 at both left and right ends of the unit 11. Thereby, the levelness of the unit 11 in the left-right direction can be ensured, and assembly errors can be absorbed. For example, as shown in FIG. 7, when the first unit 11L is tilted when viewed from the front-rear direction (relative to the horizontal direction on the left and right), this can be corrected and leveled.

Further, by adjusting the screwing amounts of the bolts 54 and 54 and the support block 52 before and after the unit 11 (both ends in the longitudinal direction of the bracket 53), the level or inclination angle of the support block 52 can be adjusted. it can. Thereby, the levelness of the unit 11 in the front-rear direction can be ensured, and assembly errors can be absorbed. For example, as shown in FIG. 8, when the first unit 11L is inclined when viewed from the left-right direction (relative to the front-rear horizontal direction), this can be corrected and leveled.
Normally, the angle adjustment amount of the unit 11 is very small, and the inclination of the unit 11L in FIGS. 7 and 8 is exaggerated.

The coupling mechanisms 50 at the four corners of each unit 11 can be used not only to ensure the level of the unit 11 but also to equalize the processing rates of the first and second units.
For example, as shown by the two-dot chain line in the graph of FIG. 3, when the ejection amount (processing rate) of the left unit 11L is larger than that of the right unit 11R, the height of the left unit 11L is increased. Thereby, the amount of the gas from the left unit 11L hitting the surface of the workpiece W can be reduced, and the processing rate of the left processing region R1 can be set to a predetermined level shown by the solid line in FIG. Alternatively, the height of the right unit 11R may be lowered. As a result, the amount of gas from the right unit 11R hitting the surface of the workpiece W can be increased, and the processing rate of the right processing region R2 can be increased. As a result, the processing rates of the left and right processing regions R1, R2 can be made uniform, and individual differences between the left and right units 11L, 11R can be absorbed.

  Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 8, the angle of the left unit 11 </ b> L may be adjusted so as to be inclined when viewed from the left-right direction. Thereby, while the gas is ejected vertically from the right unit 11R, the gas can be ejected obliquely from the left unit 11L so as to be biased back and forth as it goes downward. As a result, the amount of the gas from the left unit 11L hitting the surface of the workpiece W can be reduced in the same manner as the height of the unit is adjusted, and the processing rate of the left processing region R1 is a predetermined level indicated by the solid line in FIG. Can be. As a result, the processing rates of the left and right processing regions R1, R2 can be made uniform, and individual differences between the left and right units 11L, 11R can be absorbed.

As shown by the broken line in the graph of FIG. 3, for example, the ejection amount (processing rate) of the left unit 11L is larger than that of the right unit 11R, and the ejection amount (processing rate) of the left unit 11L itself increases toward the right side. When the left unit 11L is lifted as a whole, the left unit 11L is lifted as a whole so that the rising amount at the right end of the left unit 11L is larger than the rising amount at the left end. Is adjusted in the horizontal direction (see FIG. 7). As a result, the processing rate of the left processing region R1 is reduced as a whole, and the processing rate of the right side of the processing region R1 is greatly reduced from that of the left side. As a result, the processing rate of the left processing region R1 can be set to a predetermined uniform state as shown by the solid line in FIG. 3, and the processing rates of the left and right processing regions R1, R2 can be made uniform to each other. Individual differences between the left and right units 11L and 11R can be absorbed.
Of course, in this case, as described above, instead of raising the left unit 11L, the right unit 11R is lowered or the left unit 11L is tilted back and forth as shown in FIG. You may decide to adjust the level of.

Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the following embodiments, the same reference numerals are given to the drawings for the same configurations as those of the above-described embodiments, and the description thereof is omitted as appropriate.
FIG. 9 shows a modification of the coupling mechanism 50. As shown in FIG. 9A, the insertion hole 53a for the first connecting shaft 54 of the bracket 53 is a hole having a perfect circular cross section, and is not a long hole. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 9B, the insertion hole 52b for the second connecting shaft 55 of the support block 52 is a long hole with the long axis in the left-right direction. The cross section (long axis and short axis) of the long hole 52 b of the support block 52 may be the same as the long hole 53 b of the bracket 53. The long hole 52b of the support block 52 and the long hole 53b of the bracket 53 are connected in a straight line.

According to this modification, as shown by the solid line and the alternate long and two short dashes line in FIG. 10, the first connecting shaft 54 and the support block 52 can be displaced left and right together with the bracket 53 when the left and right positions of the unit 11 are adjusted. is there.

As shown in FIG. 11, the processing regions R <b> 1 and R <b> 2 may be larger than the length of the ejection port 34 due to the gas from the ejection port 34 of each unit 11 striking the workpiece W while diffusing left and right. is there. In such a case, the ejection ports 34L and 34R of the left and right units 11L and 11R do not need to overlap each other when viewed from the front-rear direction, and conversely, the left and right ejection ports 34L and 34R are left and right. And the right end of the left outlet 34L may be positioned on the left side of the left end of the right outlet 34R. It is only necessary that the slope at the right end of the left processing region R1 and the slope at the left end of the right processing region R2 overlap.
In this case, the separation distance R4 between the left and right ejection ports 34L, 34R is preferably within 10 mm.

  The number of units 11 of the processing head 10 is not limited to two, and can be set as appropriate depending on the width of the workpiece W and the length of each unit 11. For example, the processing head 10 shown in FIG. 12 includes four units 11. These units 11 are alternately arranged such that adjacent ones are shifted from side to side and back and forth.

  More specifically, the processing head 10 of FIG. 12 includes a rear (upper side in FIG. 12) unit row 100A and a front (lower side in FIG. 12) unit row 110B. One of the two unit rows 110 (for example, the unit row 110A) constitutes a “first unit row”, and the other constitutes a “second unit row”.

  Each unit row 110 includes two (plural) units 11 and 11 arranged on the left and right. The pitch p of these left and right units 11 and 11 is larger than the length of each unit 11, and an interval (space s) is formed between them.

  The units 11 and 11 in one unit row 110A and the units 11 and 11 in the other unit row 110B are shifted by a half pitch (p / 2) in the left-right direction.

  Assuming that one unit 11 in one unit row 110A constitutes a “first unit”, the unit 11 in the other unit row 110B shifted by a half pitch from this first unit constitutes a “second unit”.

The unit rows 110 are not limited to two rows, and three or more rows may be provided. For example, the processing head 10 shown in FIG. 13 is provided with four unit rows 110. The units 11 and 11 of the unit rows 110 and 110 adjacent to each other in the front and rear are shifted by a half pitch left and right. One of the unit rows 110 and 110 adjacent to each other in the front and rear forms a “first unit row”, and the other forms a “second unit row”.
Since the spaces s are provided on both sides in the longitudinal direction of each unit 11, it is possible to easily avoid interference of wiring and piping including the support structure such as the coupling mechanism 50.

  FIG. 14 shows a modification of the processing head 11. A pair of electrodes 31 and 32 of each processing head 11L and 11R are arranged to face each other in the vertical direction. The upper electrode 31 is connected to the power supply circuit 3, and the lower electrode 32 is electrically grounded. A workpiece W is disposed below the lower electrode 32. The upper surface (one surface) of the lower ground electrode 32 is a surface that faces the power supply electrode 31 and forms the discharge space 33 with the electrode 31, and the lower surface (the other surface) of the electrode 32 is the workpiece W. It is the surface which faces the arrangement part. A solid dielectric layer (not shown) for stabilizing the atmospheric pressure glow discharge is provided on at least one of the lower surface of the power electrode 31 and the upper surface of the ground electrode 32.

  A slit-like ejection port 34 (hole array) extending in the first direction is formed at the center of the lower ground electrode 32 in the second direction. The ejection port 34L of the first processing head 11L and the ejection port 34R of the second processing head 11R overlap in the first direction.

Supply paths 2a from the processing gas source 2 (omitted in FIG. 14) are respectively connected to both side portions of the interelectrode space 33 in the second direction. The processing gas is introduced into the inter-electrode space 33 from both sides in the second direction of the inter-electrode space 33 of each processing head 11 to be converted into plasma, and is ejected downward from the ejection port 34 to be ejected onto the workpiece W. It has come to be attached.
According to this processing head structure, since the ground electrode 32 is disposed between the power supply electrode 31 and the workpiece W, an electric field from the power supply electrode 31 toward the workpiece W can be shielded, and an arc is generated on the workpiece W. Thus, it is possible to reliably prevent the abnormal discharge such as falling.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications can be made.
For example, the base of the first unit and the base of the second unit may be separate.
The hole array includes not only one slit extending in the first direction but also a plurality of dot-shaped or short slit-shaped holes arranged in a line along the first direction. For example, as shown in FIG. 15, in the processing head structure of FIG. 14, a plurality of small holes 34a are arranged in a line in the first direction in the ground electrode 32 instead of the slit-shaped ejection openings 34. Also good. The row of the small holes 34a in the first processing head 11L constitutes the first hole row 340L. A row composed of these small holes 34a in the second processing head 11R constitutes a second hole row 340R.
In each of the first and second processing heads, a plurality of hole rows extending in the first direction may be arranged side by side in the second direction. For example, as shown in FIG. 16, a plurality (three in this case) of slit-shaped ejection ports 34 (34 </ b> L and 34 </ b> R) extend in the first direction on the ground electrode 32 of the processing head structure of FIG. 14. , May be provided side by side in the second direction. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 17, a plurality of rows (340 rows in this case) of rows 340 (340L, 340R) of small holes 34a arranged in the first direction may be provided in the second direction.

In the embodiment, of the pair of bolts 54, 55, the first connection shaft 54 is disposed inside the unit 11 in the width direction (front-rear direction), and the second connection shaft 55 is disposed outside. The connecting shaft 54 may be disposed outside the unit 11 in the width direction, and the second connecting shaft 55 may be disposed outside.
In the modification of the coupling mechanism 50 in FIGS. 9 and 10, the bracket 53 and the support block 52 may be integrated. Alternatively, the support block 52 may be omitted, and the first connecting shaft 54 may be directly screwed to the bracket 52. In this case, the first connecting shaft 54 also serves as the “first regulating portion”.
A long hole with the long axis directed to the left and right (first direction) is formed in the gantry 40 and the unit support portion, and the first connecting shaft or the second connecting shaft is inserted into the long hole so as to be displaceable in the first direction. It may be.
You may decide to connect a 1st, 2nd connection shaft, and a to-be-supported part or a unit support part by screwing a nut to the 1st, 2nd connection shaft which consists of a volt | bolt.
A nut may be used in place of the support block 52 as the first restricting portion.
The first and second connecting shafts may be configured by a single common bolt (screw member), and a first restricting portion and a second restricting portion made of nuts may be provided on the one bolt.
When the processing rate between the first and second units is equalized, not only the height and angle of the units are adjusted by the connecting mechanism 50, but also the gas supply amount is adjusted for each unit, The recipe may be adjusted, or the input power to the electrode 31 may be adjusted.

The present invention is not limited to the plasma surface treatment as long as the processing gas is ejected from a group of hole arrays such as slits and applied to the object to be processed, such as etching by thermal CVD, HF (hydrofluoric acid) vapor, or the like. It can also be applied to surface treatments without any electrodes. Further, it can be applied to various surface treatments such as ashing with ozone, etc., etching with CF _4, etc., film formation (CVD), cleaning, surface modification (hydrophilic treatment, water repellent treatment, etc.).
The pressure condition of the process is not limited to a substantially normal pressure but may be a reduced pressure environment.

  The present invention can be used for surface treatment of glass for flat panels such as liquid crystal televisions and plasma televisions, and plasma surface treatment of substrates in semiconductor manufacturing.

Claims (14)

In an apparatus for spraying a processing gas on the surface of an object to be processed and processing the surface,
A first unit having a first hole row for ejecting the processing gas, the first hole row extending in a first direction;
A second unit having a second hole row for ejecting the processing gas, the second hole row extending in the same direction as the first hole row;
A moving mechanism for moving the object to be processed relative to the first and second units in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction;
With
The surface treatment apparatus, wherein the first unit and the second unit are arranged so as to be displaced from each other in the first direction and in the second direction.   The end on the second unit side in the longitudinal direction of the first hole row and the end on the first unit side in the longitudinal direction of the second hole row overlap in the first direction when viewed from the second direction. The surface treatment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: A frame,
A connection mechanism for connecting the first unit to the gantry so as to be positionally adjustable in the first direction;
The surface treatment apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: A frame,
A connection mechanism for connecting the first unit to the frame so that the position of the first unit can be adjusted in a third direction orthogonal to the first direction and the second direction;
The surface treatment apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: A frame,
A coupling mechanism for coupling the first unit to the gantry so that the angle seen from the first direction is adjustable;
The surface treatment apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: A frame,
A coupling mechanism for coupling the first unit to the gantry so as to adjust an angle of the first unit viewed from the second direction;
The surface treatment apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: A frame,
A pair of connection mechanisms provided at both ends of the first unit in the first direction, respectively, to connect the first unit to the mount so that the position of the first unit can be adjusted in a third direction orthogonal to the first direction and the second direction. When,
The surface treatment apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: A frame,
Third directions of the first unit are provided at four corners as viewed from a third direction orthogonal to the first direction and the second direction, respectively, and the first unit is mounted on the gantry in a third direction orthogonal to the first direction and the second direction. Four coupling mechanisms coupled to each other in an adjustable manner,
The surface treatment apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: A frame,
A coupling mechanism for coupling the first unit to the gantry;
The connecting mechanism further comprises:
A supported portion provided in the first unit;
A unit support portion provided on the gantry and facing the supported portion in a third direction orthogonal to the first direction and the second direction;
First and second connecting shafts provided so as to extend in the third direction between the supported portion and the unit supporting portion;
A first restricting portion which is provided on the first connecting shaft and restricts the supported portion from moving away from the unit supporting portion along the third direction;
A second restricting portion that is provided on the second connecting shaft and restricts the supported portion from approaching and moving away from the unit support portion along the third direction;
The surface treatment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the surface treatment apparatus comprises:   One of the supported portion and the unit support portion is formed with an insertion hole for inserting and connecting the first connection shaft or the second connection shaft, and the insertion hole has a long axis in the first direction. The surface treatment apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the surface treatment apparatus is a long hole toward the surface. The first connecting shaft is a screw member whose axis is directed in the third direction;
The first restricting portion is screwed into an end portion of the first connection shaft on the supported portion side, and an end portion of the first connection shaft on the unit support portion side is abutted against the unit support portion,
The surface treatment apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the first restricting portion is in contact with or joined to a surface of the supported portion facing the unit support portion. The second connecting shaft is a screw member whose axis is directed in the third direction;
The second restricting portion is provided at an end portion of the second connection shaft on the supported portion side, and an end portion of the second connection shaft on the unit support portion side is screwed to the unit support portion,
The surface treatment apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the second restricting portion is brought into contact with a surface of the supported portion that faces away from the unit support portion.   The first unit includes a pair of electrodes each extending in the first direction, and these electrodes are opposed to the second direction so as to form a discharge space therebetween, and downstream of the discharge space. The surface treatment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an end is connected to the first hole row. In an apparatus for spraying a processing gas on the surface of an object to be processed and processing the surface,
A processing head including a plurality of units extending in a first direction;
A moving mechanism for moving the object to be processed relative to the processing head in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction;
With
Each of the plurality of units has a row of holes extending in the first direction for ejecting the processing gas;
Some of the plurality of units are arranged in a fixed pitch apart from each other in the first direction to form a first unit row,
The other part of the plurality of units are separated in the first direction and arranged at the same pitch as the first unit row to form a second unit row,
The first unit row and the second unit row are arranged in the second direction, and the unit of the first unit row and the unit of the second unit row are shifted by about half of the pitch in the first direction. The surface treatment apparatus characterized by the above-mentioned.

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