KR100269416B1 - Wafer treatment apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

Provided is a substrate processing apparatus capable of improving product yield by preventing mixing of mist generated in a processing unit into a drying unit.

The nozzle 30 is provided inside the water washing part 13 and further near the upper side of the opening portion H34 provided between the water washing part 13 and the drying part 14, and the liquid supply part 40 is provided. The liquid of the same kind as the processing liquid used by the water washing part 13 is pumped from this, and the liquid curtain 50 is formed in the vicinity position so that the opening part H34 may be blocked, and the water washing part 13 and the drying part ( 14) separate the atmosphere. For this reason, mixing of the mist 60 which generate | occur | produces in the water washing part 13 to the drying part 14 is prevented, and adhesion of the mist to the board | substrate S after a drying process can be prevented.

Description

Substrate processing equipment

The present invention supplies a processing liquid to the substrate while washing the substrate in the form of a plate such as a glass substrate for a liquid crystal display device, a semiconductor substrate, a printed substrate and a substrate for a plasma display in a substantially horizontal direction, and washing with water. After performing substrate processing, such as a process, it is related with the substrate processing apparatus which dry-processes the processed board | substrate.

In this type of substrate processing apparatus, a plurality of processing portions are stretched in a state divided by a partition having an opening for passing the substrate, and the substrate is conveyed through the openings between these processing portions. do. And while conveying a board | substrate, in the first process part, chemical liquids, such as a developing solution, an etching liquid, and a peeling solution, are supplied to a board | substrate, and a chemical liquid process is performed, and then, in a 2nd process part, Pure water is supplied to the chemical liquid-treated substrate and washed with water. Moreover, in the substrate processing apparatus, in order to dry the board | substrate processed in this way, the drying part is provided adjacent to the last processing part in the state divided by the partition which has an opening part for passing a board | substrate similarly between the said processing parts, and the last processing part The board | substrate processed by is conveyed to a drying part through an opening part, and is dried by the said drying part.

As described above, in this type of substrate processing apparatus, the processing unit and the drying unit are addressed, and the substrate processed by the processing unit (in the specific example, the second processing unit, that is, the water washing unit) is transferred to the drying unit through the opening. It is configured to be conveyed. For this reason, there exists a problem that the mist generate | occur | produced in the said processing part flows into the internal space of a drying part through an opening part, and adheres to the surface of the board | substrate dried at the drying part. In addition to the case where the mist in the processing unit adheres directly to the dried substrate, the mist mixed into the drying unit from the processing unit once adheres to the inner wall surface of the drying unit or the handling mechanism installed in the drying unit, It can be re-adhered to the board | substrate just before a drying process or a drying process in a wall surface etc. As mentioned above, in the conventional substrate processing apparatus, there exists a problem that the mist generate | occur | produced in the process part mixes with a drying part, adheres directly or indirectly to the dried substrate, and reduces the product yield.

In particular, in the drying section, exhaust treatment is performed in order to suppress the accumulation of water in the atmosphere in the drying treatment chamber, and the pressure in the drying section becomes a negative pressure with respect to the adjacent processing section. Therefore, the atmosphere of the processing unit tends to be drawn into the drying unit, and the problem tends to be encouraged. In addition, when a so-called spray treatment is performed in which a processing liquid is discharged and processed from a processing liquid to a substrate in a processing unit adjacent to the drying unit, the amount of mist generated in the processing unit is also large, and the above-mentioned by mist mixing into the drying unit The problem becomes even more pronounced.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a substrate processing apparatus capable of improving product yield by preventing mixing of mist generated in a processing unit into a drying unit.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS It is explanatory drawing which shows one Embodiment of the substrate processing apparatus which concerns on this invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial cutaway perspective view of the substrate processing apparatus of FIG. 1. FIG.

3 is a view illustrating an operation of the substrate processing apparatus of FIG. 1.

4 is a diagram illustrating an operation of the substrate processing apparatus of FIG. 1.

It is explanatory drawing which shows another embodiment of the substrate processing apparatus which concerns on this invention.

<Description of Symbols for Main Parts of Drawings>

One… Substrate processing apparatus; Hand washing (processing),

14... Drying unit, 20... Driving roller (conveying means),

30... (First) nozzle, 40... (First) liquid supply unit,

50, 80... Liquid curtain, 70... (Second) nozzle,

H… Opening, S... Board.

The invention of claim 1 includes a processing unit and a drying unit spread in a state divided by a partition wall having an opening for passing the substrate, and conveying means for conveying the substrate in the order of the processing unit, the opening, and the drying unit. In the substrate processing apparatus which supplies a process liquid to the said board | substrate by the said processing part, performs a predetermined process, conveying a board | substrate by the said conveying means, and performs the drying process with respect to the board | substrate which the said process was processed by the said drying part. In order to achieve the above object, a liquid curtain forming means for forming a liquid curtain so as to block the opening at least in the processing unit and further in the vicinity of the opening is included.

In the present invention, a liquid curtain is formed inside the processing section and in the vicinity of the opening, and the liquid curtain blocks the opening, thereby preventing the mist generated in the processing section from entering the drying section.

The invention of claim 2, wherein the liquid curtain forming means is configured to supply a liquid to a first nozzle disposed above the opening with the liquid discharge port facing downward, and to supply the liquid to the first nozzle to perform the above-described opening along the opening. It is comprised so that the 1st liquid supply part which discharges a liquid toward a lower side from a 1st nozzle may be included.

In the present invention, the liquid curtain is formed by discharging the liquid downward from the first nozzle.

The invention according to claim 3, wherein the liquid curtain forming means supplies a liquid to the second nozzle disposed below the opening with the liquid discharge port facing upward, and to supply the liquid to the second nozzle. It is comprised so that it may further include the 2nd liquid supply part which discharges a liquid toward an upper side from a 2nd nozzle.

In the present invention, not only the liquid curtain is formed by the liquid discharged from the first nozzle, but also the liquid curtain is further formed by discharging the liquid upward from the second nozzle. In this way, a plurality of liquid curtains are formed to more reliably prevent the mist generated in the processing unit from entering the drying unit side.

Invention of Claim 4 makes the said liquid the same kind as the process liquid used by the said process part.

In the present invention, the liquid curtain is composed of the same kind of liquid as the processing liquid, and the liquid (processing liquid) is supplied to the substrate when the substrate passes through the liquid curtain. For this reason, not only the original processing liquid from the processing unit is supplied to the substrate, but also the processing liquid is supplied even when passing through the liquid curtain, so that the supply amount of the processing liquid to the substrate is increased.

According to the invention of claim 5, the purity of the liquid is set higher than that of the processing liquid used in the processing unit.

In the present invention, the substrate is first treated by the treatment liquid in the treatment portion, and then the substrate is subjected to the substrate through the liquid curtain, but the substrate treatment performed later is additionally treated with a higher purity treatment liquid. do.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS It is explanatory drawing which shows one Embodiment of the substrate processing apparatus which concerns on this invention. In this embodiment, processing the glass substrate for liquid crystal display devices is employ | adopted as a substrate processing apparatus. As shown in the figure, in the substrate processing apparatus 1, as described later, the standby portion is divided into partition walls having openings H12, H23, and H34 for passing the substrate S as described later. The part 11, the etching part 12, the water washing part 13, and the drying part 14 are extended in series in the conveyance direction P of the board | substrate S. As shown in FIG. In addition, the opening HIN for substrate passing through the upstream end of the atmospheric part 11 (left end side of the same figure) and the downstream end of the drying part 14 (right end side of the figure). ) And (HOUT) are formed, respectively.

Moreover, in each said part 11, 12, 13, 14, the several drive roller 20 is made to orthogonally cross a shaft center with respect to the conveyance direction P of the board | substrate S in the same height position. It is provided and the conveying means is comprised. For this reason, by driving the said drive roller 20 intermittently or continuously, the board | substrate S is made to wait part 11 → opening part H12 → etching part 12 → opening part H23 → washing | cleaning part 13 → in the order of opening portion H34 to drying portion 14, at the same time as passing through, decelerating, or passing through each of the waiting portion 11, etching portion 12, water washing portion 13, and drying portion 14; It is possible to make the substrate S reciprocally swing by temporarily stopping the drive roller 20 or by rotating the drive roller 20 forward and backward.

Then, while the substrate S is paused at each of the parts 11, 12, 13, 14, for example, the substrates S are exposed to the substrate S at each of the parts 11, 12, 13, 14. It is comprised so that a predetermined process may be performed. That is, after waiting the substrate S to be supplied to the etching part 12 by the waiting part 11, it is conveyed to the etching part 12, and the ceiling part is carried out in the said etching part 12. The chemical liquid sails and scatters the substrate S from the plurality of spray nozzles 12a lowered from the above, whereby a predetermined etching treatment is performed on the surface of the substrate S. As shown in FIG. In addition, the preliminary cleaning process of the board | substrate S by air spray etc. may be performed in the waiting period in the waiting part 11. Subsequently, the etched substrate S is conveyed to the water washing part 13 and washed with ion-exchanged water (pure water) discharged in a spray state toward the substrate S from the plurality of spray nozzles 13a and adhered to the substrate surface. After the chemical liquid is washed off, the water is returned to the drying unit 14 and the water adhering to the surface of the substrate S after the cleaning treatment is removed by the airflow emitted from the air knife 14a. In addition, the lower openings 11d, 12d, 13d, and 14d of the corners 11, 12, 13, and 14 are connected to an exhaust device not shown, and the corners 11, 12, 13 are connected. While exhausting the inside of (14), the exhaust from the drying unit 14 is performed most strongly in response to the ejection of air from the air knife 14a.

FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway perspective view of the substrate processing apparatus 1 configured as described above, and is a view of the drying unit 14 from the washing part 13 side. As shown in the figure, in the substrate processing apparatus 1 according to this embodiment, the nozzle 30 is provided inside the water washing portion 13 and between the water washing portion 13 and the drying portion 14. It is provided in the vicinity of the upper side of the opening part H3. The nozzle 30 has a nozzle main body 31, a liquid supply passage 32 perforated in the nozzle main body 31, and a liquid discharge port 33 communicating with the liquid supply passage 3. Equipped with.

In addition, a liquid supply part 40 is connected to this liquid supply passage 32. The liquid supply part 40 includes a tank 41 for storing liquids of the same kind as the treatment liquid (ion exchange water) used in the water washing part 13, that is, ion exchange water (pure water), and the tank 41. A pump 42, a filter 43, a supply pipe 44, for pumping the ion-exchanged water therein to the nozzle 30 side, and the pump 42 is operated to pump the liquid in the tank 41 ( 42), the filter 43 and the supply pipe 44 are configured to be pumped into the liquid supply passage 32 of the nozzle 30. As described above, when the liquid is fed into the nozzle 30 by the liquid supply part 40, ion exchange water is discharged downward from the liquid discharge port 33 through the liquid supply passage 32, and ions are formed along the opening H34. The liquid curtain 50 of the exchange water is formed.

Thus, in this embodiment, in the nozzle 30 and the liquid supply part 40, the vicinity of the opening part H34 provided in the water washing part 13 between the water washing part 13 and the drying part 14 further. The liquid curtain forming means which forms the liquid curtain 50 in the structure is comprised. In addition, in this embodiment, the said nozzle main body 31 is formed by the metal block of the rectangular parallelepiped of predetermined thickness set so that the length may traverse at least the board | substrate S in conveyance, as mentioned above. The liquid curtain 50 is formed so that the opening portion H34 is blocked by the liquid curtain, and the water washing part 13 and the drying part 14 are separated from the atmosphere.

Next, FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 show the operation of the substrate processing apparatus 1 configured as described above, in particular, the operation from the washing unit 13 to the washing operation until the drying unit 14 performs the drying treatment. It mentions in detail, referring.

After performing the etching process in the etching part 12, the board | substrate S is conveyed to the water washing part 13, and the water washing process is performed by the said water washing part 13 (FIG. 3). Here, in this substrate processing apparatus 1, ion exchanged water is always supplied to the nozzle 30 during substrate processing so that the liquid curtain 50 blocks the opening 34. Therefore, as shown by the broken line of the same figure, even if the mist 60 which generate | occur | produced in the water washing part 13 scatters to the drying part 14 side, it is interrupted by the said liquid curtain 50, and the mist 60 is carried out. Mixing into the drying unit 14 can be prevented.

Moreover, when the washing | cleaning process with the water washing part 13 is completed, the board | substrate S is conveyed from the washing part 13 to the drying part 14 through the opening part H34 by the drive rotation of the roller 20. At this time, not only the water washing part 13 and the drying part 14 are separated from each other by the liquid curtain 50 but also the substrate S moves to a position just below the nozzle 30. As shown, since ion-exchange water is discharged from the nozzle 30 toward the board | substrate S, the following effects are acquired. That is, the liquid discharged from the nozzle 30 is of the same type as the treatment liquid (ion-exchanged water) used in the water washing part 13, and thus the water washing treatment in the water washing part 13 is applied to the liquid curtain 50. Since water washing is performed even when passing through, the ion exchanged water can be supplied to the substrate S more steadily than the conventional example in which the water washing treatment is performed at the water washing unit 13, and as a result, the substrate S is more reliably provided. Can be washed with water.

In addition, since the ion exchanged water is further supplied from the nozzle 30 to the substrate S subjected to the water washing treatment by the water washing unit 13 in this manner, the water washing treatment is performed, for example, in the water washing unit 13. It is also possible to circulate the used ion exchanged water and reuse it in the water washing unit 13, and to use a high purity without using ion exchanged water from the nozzle 30 supplied to the substrate S in the final stage of the water washing process, By using so-called new liquid, the fresh liquid consumption of ion-exchange water used as the whole apparatus can be suppressed, ensuring a high water washing effect.

Moreover, about the board | substrate S conveyed to the drying part 14 through the opening part H34 as mentioned above, airflow is blown out from the air knife 14a on the surface, and the water adhered to the said surface. Is removed.

As described above, according to the substrate processing apparatus 1 according to this embodiment, the liquid curtain is positioned near the opening portion H34 so as to block the opening portion H34 provided between the water washing portion 13 and the drying portion 14. 50 is formed and the water washing part 13 and the drying part 14 are separated from the atmosphere, so that the mist 60 generated in the water washing part 13 is prevented from mixing in the drying part 14 and dried. Mist can be prevented from adhering to the subsequent substrate S, and as a result, the yield YIELD of the product can be improved.

Moreover, in the said embodiment, the process liquid (ion-exchange water) which the nozzle 30 is arrange | positioned above the opening part 34, and the water washing part 13 is used, with the liquid discharge port 33 facing downward. Although the liquid curtain 50 is formed by discharging the same kind of liquid downward from the nozzle 30 along the opening H34, for example, the liquid discharge port 33a in the nozzle 30 of FIG. The bay may be slightly inclined so as to face the substrate transport direction upstream, and the liquid may be discharged toward the direction. In addition, as shown in FIG. 5, another nozzle 70 is arranged near the lower side of the opening H34, and the nozzle 70 is further provided near the opening H34 in the state where the liquid discharge port 63 is directed upward. Further, the liquid curtain 80 may be further formed by discharging upward from the nozzle 70 along the opening portion H34. In this case, the opening part H34 can be blocked more reliably, and the mixing of the mist which generate | occur | produced in the water washing part 13 to the drying part 14 can be prevented more reliably. Moreover, the same kind of liquid as that used in the water washing part 13 can also be supplied to the back side of the substrate S, and the cleaning effect of the substrate S can be further enhanced. In addition, in the embodiment shown in the same figure, although both nozzles 30 and 70 are arrange | positioned in substantially << shape, the arrangement relationship of both nozzles 30 and 70 is not limited to this, and a yaw is an opening part. What is necessary is just to form the liquid curtains 50 and 80 in the up-down direction of H34, and to block the opening part H34, and the effect similar to the apparatus of FIG. 5 is acquired.

In addition, although the liquid curtain is formed from the same kind of liquid as the process liquid (ion-exchange water) used by the water washing part 13 in the said embodiment, the liquid which should be discharged from a nozzle is not limited to this, You may form a liquid curtain using another liquid.

In addition, in the said embodiment, although the liquid curtain is formed by the pure water low in the tank 41, you may supply to the nozzle 30 directly from the manufacturing apparatus of pure water, and such a pure water supply form employ | adopts the pure water supply form. It is preferable to maintain purity.

Moreover, the application object of this invention is not limited to the board | substrate processing apparatus which has the process part structure shown in FIG. The present invention can be applied to an overall substrate processing apparatus that is extended in a state divided by a partition wall having an opening for passing an additional substrate. For example, in the substrate processing apparatus according to the above embodiment, the airflow from the air knife is blown onto the substrate as a drying unit, and the substrate is applied to the substrate by mechanically holding, adsorbing, and rotating the substrate by a spin chuck instead of the drying unit. The present invention can also be applied to a substrate processing apparatus in which a spin method drying unit for dispersing moisture is provided.

As described above, according to the invention of Claims 1 and 2, since the liquid curtain is formed inside the processing unit and in the vicinity of the opening part, the opening is blocked, so that mist generated in the processing part is mixed in the drying part side. It can be prevented to improve the product yield (YIELD).

Further, according to the invention of claim 3, since the first nozzle is disposed near the opening and the second nozzle is disposed near the lower side, and the liquid curtain is formed in the vertical direction, the opening can be blocked more reliably. It is possible to more effectively prevent the incorporation of the mist into the drying part side, thereby further improving the product yield.

According to the invention of claim 4, the liquid constituting the liquid curtain is set to the same kind as the processing liquid used in the processing unit, and the liquid (processing liquid) is supplied to the substrate when the liquid curtain passes through the substrate. Since it is comprised so that a supply amount of the process liquid to a board | substrate can be increased, processability can be improved.

In addition, according to the invention of claim 5, since the purity of the liquid constituting the liquid curtain is set to be higher than the purity of the processing liquid used in the processing unit, even if the substrate is treated with a processing liquid having a relatively low purity, The substrate subjected to the substrate treatment always passes through the liquid curtain and is subjected to the substrate treatment with a high purity liquid (processing liquid). Therefore, the consumption amount of the processing liquid in the processing unit can be suppressed while ensuring high processability, and the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

Claims (5)

And a conveying means for conveying the substrate in the order of the processing portion, the opening portion, and the drying portion in a state separated by a partition wall having an opening for passing the substrate, and the conveying means. In the substrate processing apparatus which conveys a board | substrate by a means, and supplies a process liquid to the said board | substrate by the said processing part, and performs a predetermined process, and the said drying part performs a drying process with respect to the said processed board | substrate, And liquid curtain forming means for forming a liquid curtain at least in the processing unit and further near the opening to block the opening. The method of claim 1, The liquid curtain forming means has a first nozzle disposed above the opening with the liquid discharge port facing downward, and supplies liquid to the first nozzle to face downward from the first nozzle along the opening. And a first liquid supply part for discharging the liquid. The method of claim 2, The liquid curtain forming means includes a second nozzle disposed below the opening with the liquid discharge port facing upwards, and supplies liquid to the second nozzle to move the upper side from the second nozzle along the opening. And a second liquid supply unit for discharging the liquid toward the substrate. The method according to claim 2 or 3, And said liquid is of the same kind as the processing liquid used in said processing unit. The method of claim 4, wherein The purity of the liquid is higher than the purity of the processing liquid used in the processing unit.