KR100715982B1 - apparatus for treating a substrate - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an apparatus for manufacturing a liquid crystal display module, and more particularly to an apparatus for processing a glass substrate.

According to the present invention, the substrate processing apparatus may be located on one side of the conveying unit for conveying the substrate and the substrate being conveyed, and may transmit and receive light on the substrate during conveyance of the substrate to detect a defect present in the substrate. Including a failure detection sensor, characterized in that the failure detection sensor is a transmission type optical sensor.

Board, Sensor, Transmissive, Transfer Unit

Description

Substrate processing apparatus {apparatus for treating a substrate}

1 is a perspective view showing the structure of a conventional substrate processing apparatus;

2 is a perspective view showing the structure of a substrate processing apparatus according to the present invention;

3 is a right side view of the substrate processing apparatus shown in FIG. 2;

4 is a graph showing a deviation between the amount of light received by the light receiving unit when the normal substrate and the amount of light received by the light receiving unit when the defective substrate is dependent on the distance (mm) between the substrate and the light receiving unit;

5 is a graph showing a deviation between the amount of light received by the light receiving unit when the normal substrate and the amount of light received by the light receiving unit when the defective substrate according to the angle (°, degree) formed by the light emitted from the light emitting unit.

Explanation of symbols on the main parts of the drawings

1: glass substrate 10, 100: process equipment

13, 130: controller 31, 310: light emitting unit

32, 320: light receiving unit 400: conveying unit

The present invention relates to an apparatus for manufacturing a liquid crystal display module, and more particularly, to an apparatus for processing a glass substrate used in the liquid crystal display module.

Recently, as the modern society becomes information socialized, the importance of various electric / electronic devices using a semiconductor device, such as a liquid crystal display, is gradually increasing.

In such a liquid crystal display device, in particular, the role and function of a substrate, for example, a glass substrate, are becoming an important task because the overall function of the liquid crystal display device is affected by the structure of the TFT pattern formed on the substrate.

For this reason, in a conventional production line, by placing a specific facility capable of precise process progress, such as an etching facility, and forming a TFT pattern having a proper function on a substrate through this, a liquid crystal display device employing the same displays an image information display. The function can be performed well.

However, there are some serious problems with this conventional substrate operation.

As described above, in the conventional production line, a TFT pattern having a proper function, for example, is formed on a substrate by using various equipments capable of precise process progress, where the substrate is inevitably varied in order to be produced as a finished product. There is no choice but to go through the facility.

By the way, when the above-described substrate is produced as a finished product while going through various facilities as described above, various types of defects are inevitably generated due to the mechanical / chemical impact transmitted during the process in a certain area of the substrate. do.

Such defects remain in certain areas of the substrate until the process is completed and have a continuous adverse effect on the elements formed on the substrate, for example, the TFTs, thereby causing a significant deterioration in the function of the finally completed liquid crystal display device.

Therefore, in the production line, it is necessary to accurately determine the substrate in which such defects exist and quickly exclude it from the normal process line, so that the performance of the finally completed liquid crystal display device can be maintained above a certain level.

1 is a perspective view showing the structure of a conventional substrate processing apparatus.

As shown in FIG. 1, the arranged transfer robot 20 moves the substrate 1 to the process facility 10 through the handling of the transfer arm 21, and the loading gate disposed at the front of the main body 11. Load to (12).

In this case, as shown in the figure, a plurality of reflective optical sensors 30 are disposed on the substrate 1. Reflective optical sensor 30 is located on the four corners of the substrate (1) generally prone to failure. The reflective optical sensors 30 serve to detect a defect existing in the substrate 1 by irradiating a predetermined amount of light onto the substrate 1.

Here, the reflective optical sensors 30 are electrically connected to the controller 13 disposed at a predetermined portion of the process facility 10. In this case, the controller 13 detects the inputs from the reflective optical sensors 30. It is possible to grasp and control the process equipment 10 in a proper state according to the detection result.

At this time, as shown in the figure, the above-described reflective optical sensor 30 forms a structure in which the light emitting parts 35 and 37 and the light receiving parts 36 and 38 are formed in pairs with each other. In this case, the light emitting units 35 and 37 perform a function of irradiating a predetermined amount of light to the substrate 1 in a stationary state before being loaded into the process facility 10 via the loading gate 12. 36 and 38 serve to receive the reflected light when the substrate 1 reflects the light emitted from the light emitting units 35 and 37.

As in the case of the reflective optical sensor 30 disposed in the front left part, when the light irradiated from the light emitting unit 35 is reflected from the substrate in the direction of arrow a and enters the light receiving unit 36 again, the reflective optical sensor 30 determines that there is no abnormality at a specific point of the substrate 1 on which light is reflected, and transfers the detection result to the controller 13.

On the contrary, however, as in the case of the reflective optical sensor 30 disposed on the front right side, the light irradiated from the light emitting unit 37 to the substrate 1 is not reflected from the substrate 1, and the substrate is along the arrow b. In the case of directly passing through (1), the light receiving unit 38 does not reflect the irradiated light, and in this case, the reflective optical sensor 30 indicates that a defect has occurred at a specific point of the substrate 1 through which the light has passed. It grasps and transmits the detection result to the controller 13.

In the conventional substrate processing apparatus, when the substrate 1 is in a stationary state, the substrate 1 detects whether the substrate 1 is defective, and the reflective optical sensor 30 is installed at a portion to detect the defect. Therefore, even when the reflective optical sensor 30 is installed at four corners where defects frequently occur, four reflective optical sensors 30 should be used.

In addition, since only a part of the substrate 1 may be detected in a stationary state, a portion of the substrate located between each of the reflective optical sensors 30 may not detect a defect, and to detect a defect. In this case, a separate reflective optical sensor 30 had to be installed.

That is, as the portion to detect whether the defect increases, the number of the reflective optical sensor 30 has to be installed, and the cost is inevitably high.

In addition, since the conventional substrate processing apparatus uses the reflection type optical sensor 30, only the defect detected on one side of the glass substrate 1 could be detected, and the defect existing on the other side could not be detected but the substrate ( The defect existing inside 1) could not be detected.

In addition, in the case of the reflective optical sensor 30, it was not possible to set a wide range when setting the safety range in which the substrate 1 may be determined to be normal. Therefore, when the safety range is set large, it is difficult to detect minute defects, and when the safety range is set small, a large defect cannot be detected.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a substrate processing apparatus capable of detecting a defect on an area of a wider substrate.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a substrate processing apparatus capable of more efficiently detecting whether a substrate is defective by using a small number of sensors.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a substrate processing apparatus capable of detecting a defect on both sides of the substrate or the inside of the substrate.

Still other objects of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings.

According to the present invention, the substrate processing apparatus may be located on one side of the conveying unit for conveying the substrate and the substrate being conveyed, and may transmit and receive light on the substrate during conveyance of the substrate to detect a defect present in the substrate. And a fail detection sensor.

The present invention, a substrate detection sensor which is located on one side of the substrate to be conveyed and can detect the presence of the substrate through a light emitting unit for emitting light to the substrate and a light receiving unit for receiving the light reflected from the substrate; The apparatus may further include a controller configured to receive the defect detection sensor and the substrate detection sensor and control the apparatus.

The failure detecting sensor may include a light emitting part for irradiating light to the substrate and a light receiving part for receiving light transmitted through the substrate.

The light emitting unit may emit light to be perpendicular to the substrate, and the light receiving unit may be disposed to be inclined to receive light at a predetermined angle with the light emitted from the light emitting unit. The angle may be 20 ° to 30 °.

The light emitting part may be disposed to irradiate light along an edge area of the substrate.

The defect detection sensor may be provided in plural and arranged in a line to be perpendicular to the conveying direction of the substrate.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to FIGS. 2 to 5. Embodiment of the present invention may be modified in various forms, the scope of the present invention should not be construed as being limited by the embodiments described below. This embodiment is provided to more completely explain the present invention to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the shape of the elements in the drawings are exaggerated to emphasize a clearer description.

2 is a perspective view showing the structure of a substrate processing apparatus according to the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a right side view of the substrate processing apparatus shown in FIG. 2.

As shown in FIG. 2, the transfer robot 200 moves the substrate 1 to the process facility 100 through the handling of the transfer arm 210, and thus the loading gate 120 disposed at the front of the main body 110. ).

When the handling operation of the transfer robot 200 is completed, the substrate 1 is quickly introduced into the loading gate 120 of the process facility 100, thereby preparing to perform a predetermined semiconductor manufacturing process. A conveying unit 400 is positioned below the substrate 1, and the conveying unit 400 conveys the substrate 1 into the loading gate 120 of the process facility 100, as shown in the drawing. At the inlet of the loading gate 120, a failure detection sensor 300 and a substrate detection sensor 400 forming the gist of the present invention are disposed.

The failure detection sensor 300 is for detecting a failure of the substrate 1, and corresponds to an edge portion of the substrate 1 to detect an edge portion in which failure occurs most frequently among all regions of the substrate 1. Located in the part. The defect of the substrate 1 may include cracks or stains, and such defects may exist on the upper and lower surfaces or inside the substrate.

The substrate sensor 400 is for determining whether the device is on or off by detecting the presence of the substrate 1 and is positioned above the central portion of the substrate 1.

As shown in the drawing, the defect detection sensor 300 and the substrate detection sensor 400 described above form a structure in which the light emitting parts 310, 330, 350 and the light receiving parts 320, 340, 360 are formed in pairs with each other. Performs a function of irradiating a predetermined amount of light to the substrate 1 loaded into the process facility 100 via the loading gate 120, the light receiving unit 320, 340, 360 from the light emitting unit (310, 330, 350) It serves to receive the irradiated light.

As shown, in this embodiment, a transmission type optical sensor is used as the failure detection sensor 300. In the transmissive optical sensor, unlike the reflective optical sensor in which the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit are positioned in the same direction, the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit face each other with an object to be detected therebetween. Therefore, the light emitting unit 310 is positioned above the substrate 1, and the light receiving unit 320 is positioned below the substrate, and faces each other to receive the light emitted from the light emitting unit 310 from the light receiving unit 320. .

As shown in FIG. 3, an interval h2 between the light receiving unit 320 and the substrate 1 is different from an interval h1 between the light emitting unit 310 and the substrate 1. h1 and h2 are mentioned later.

The principle of the transmissive optical sensor is to irradiate a constant light from the light emitting unit 310 and then to receive the light irradiated from the light receiving unit 320, and to detect a change in the state of the object through a change in the size of the received light. Therefore, when the size of the light received from the light receiving unit 320 shows a clear deviation according to the change in the state of the object, it is possible to accurately determine the state change of the object.

4 illustrates the amount of light received by the light receiving unit 320 when the normal substrate 1 and the light receiving unit 320 when the defective substrate 1 is used according to the distance (mm) between the substrate 1 and the light receiving unit 320. It is a graph showing the deviation between the amount of light received.

As shown in FIG. 4, when the distance of 50 to 60 mm is maintained between the substrate 1 and the light receiving unit 320, it can be seen that the deviation between the amounts of light, that is, the sensor sensitivity is the largest.

It can be seen that the closer the distance between the two, that is, 50mm or less, the less the deviation of the amount of light received by the light receiving unit 320 in the case of the normal substrate and the defective substrate. This is because the light irradiated from the light emitting unit 310 does not just go straight toward the light receiving unit 320 but spreads radially at a predetermined angle toward the light receiving unit 320. Therefore, as the light receiving unit 320 gets closer to the substrate 1, the light spread radially is refracted while passing through the top portion of the substrate 1 to reach the light receiving unit 320. The deviation of the received amount of light is reduced.

Also, as the distance between the two becomes larger, that is, when the distance is greater than 60 mm, the deviation of the amount of light received by the light receiving unit 320 gradually decreases in the case of the normal substrate and the defective substrate. This is because the light irradiated from the light emitting unit 310 passes through the space between the substrate 1 and the light receiving unit 320 and the size of the light it has has gradually weakened.

In this embodiment, the distance between the light emitting unit 310 and the substrate 1 is maintained at 20 mm, and when the distance between them is greater or closer than this, the variation in the amount of light is reduced so that the state change of the substrate 1 can be accurately corrected. Difficult to detect

Referring to FIG. 3 again, unlike the light emitter 310, the light receiver 320 maintains a predetermined angle θ with the light emitted from the light emitter 310. The reason why the light receiver 320 maintains a constant angle is clearly shown through experiments.

5 shows the amount of light received by the light receiving unit 320 and the defective substrate 1 when the normal substrate 1 is formed according to an angle (°, degree) between the light emitted from the light emitting unit 310 and the light receiving unit 320. Is a graph showing the deviation between the amounts of light received by the light receiving unit 320. That is, when the light irradiated from the light emitting unit 310 and the light receiving unit 320 maintains 20 ° to 30 °, it can be seen that the deviation between the amount of light is greatest. Therefore, in order to clearly determine the state change of the substrate 1 as described above, the light receiving unit 320 may maintain an angle of 20 ° to 30 °.

As shown, in the present exemplary embodiment, a reflective optical sensor is used as the substrate detecting sensor 400. As described above, the light emitting unit 350 and the light receiving unit 360 are positioned in the same direction. In the present exemplary embodiment, the substrate 1 is positioned above the substrate 1. Alternatively, the substrate 1 may be positioned below the substrate 1. However, in order for the light emitted from the light emitting unit 350 to be incident on the light receiving unit 360 after being reflected by the substrate 1, the light emitting unit 350 and the light receiving unit 360 should be positioned in the same direction.

Here, the failure detection sensor 300 and the substrate detection sensor 400 are electrically connected to a controller 130 disposed at a predetermined portion of the process facility 100. In this case, the controller 130 is connected to the failure detection sensor 300. By detecting the detection result input from the substrate sensor 400, it is possible to control the process equipment 100 in an appropriate state according to the detection result.

On the other hand, the failure detection sensor 300 and the substrate detection sensor 400 of the above-described structure does not necessarily need to be installed in the loading gate 120 of the process equipment 100, the process equipment 100 except the loading gate 120 It may be installed at another location of, for example, the unloading gate of the process equipment (100). Of course, the failure detection sensor 300 and the substrate detection sensor 400 may be installed in the other interior of the process facility 100, except the loading gate 120, the unloading gate.

As another example, the failure detection sensor 300 and the substrate detection sensor 400 of the process equipment 100 including a loading gate 120, an unloading gate, other interior of the process equipment 100 of the process equipment 100. It can be installed evenly over the whole area.

In each of these cases, the failure detection sensor 300 and the substrate detection sensor 400 form a structure in which the light emitting parts 310, 330, 350 and the light receiving parts 320, 340, 360 are formed in pairs with each other. In this case, the light emitting parts 310, 330, and 350 are loaded gates. Irradiates light to the substrate 1 traveling through a predetermined portion of the process facility 100 via the 120, the light receiving unit (320, 340, 360) serves to receive the light emitted from the light emitting unit (310, 330, 350). Perform.

Hereinafter, the operation of the substrate processing apparatus of the present invention having the above-described configuration will be described in detail.

First, as shown in FIG. 2, the transfer robot 200 loads the substrate 1 into the loading gate 120 of the process facility 100 through the transfer arm 210.

At this time, the substrate detection sensor 400 disposed in the vicinity of the loading gate 120 of the process equipment 100 irradiates light to the substrate 1 that is introduced into the loading gate 120 using the light emitting unit 350. Subsequently, after detecting the light reflected from the substrate 1 using the light receiving unit 360, the detection result is input to the controller 130.

When the substrate 1 is detected by the substrate detection sensor 400, the controller 130 operates the transfer unit 400 to transfer the substrate 1 into the process facility 100 and at the same time the failure detection sensor 300. They operate to detect whether the substrate 1 is defective. The light emitters 310 and 330 generally irradiate light toward both edge portions of the substrate 1 where defects frequently occur, and after sensing the light transmitted through the substrate 1 using the light receiver, the light emitting unit 310 and 330 control the detection result. Enter 130.

If the light emitted from the light emitting unit 310 passes through the substrate in the direction of arrow a and enters the light receiving unit 320 again, as in the case of the failure detecting sensor 300 disposed on the left side of the loading gate 120, The failure detection sensor 300 transmits the detection result to the controller 130.

As described above, in the case where the substrate 1 is normal and inferior, a safety range for determining that the substrate 1 is normal may be set with respect to the incident light amount due to the deviation of the received light amount. In the safety range, a minimum value and a maximum value of light quantity that may appear when the substrate is normal are set, and when included in the same range, the controller 130 may determine that the substrate 1 is normal. As described above, when the light receiving unit 320 is spaced apart from the substrate 1 by a certain distance or maintains a predetermined angle with the irradiated light, the light quantity is largely varied, and thus the safety range may be further expanded, thus more clearly. The state of the substrate 1 can be determined.

As described above, in the case of the conventional reflective optical sensor, only a specific safety value could be set, and when it was set to a large value, a minute defect could not be detected, and when set to a small value, a large defect could not be detected. However, in the case of the transmissive optical sensor, it is possible to set the safety range by using the adjust function.

As such, when the detection result transmitted from the failure detection sensor 300 is within the safety range, the controller 130 determines that "the specific point of the substrate is no abnormality" and determines the state of the process equipment as the "process progress state." &Quot; " to allow the substrate 1 to smoothly perform the process required for it.

On the contrary, however, as in the case of the reflective optical sensor disposed at the right side of the loading gate 12, the light irradiated from the light emitting unit 330 to the substrate 1 is diffusely reflected from the substrate 1 along the arrow b or the arrow is arranged. When refracting on the substrate 1 along c, the light receiving unit 340 does not normally receive the irradiated light, and the received light amount is outside the safety range. In this case, the controller 130 determines that a failure occurs at a specific point of the substrate 1 through which light is transmitted. As described above, when the transmissive optical sensor is used, the irradiated light directly penetrates the substrate 1, and thus, unlike the conventional reflective optical sensor, a defect that exists on the optical path, that is, a defect that exists on the back surface of the substrate 1 and There is an advantage that can detect a defect present in the interior of the substrate (1).

As described above, when a detection result of “a defect is generated at a specific point of the board” is transmitted from the failure sensor 300, the controller 13 controls an alarm device (not shown) disposed inside the device, thereby providing process equipment. A predetermined alarm signal, for example, "warning of a warning signal", "warning of a warning light", or the like is output to the outside.

In this case, the operator may immediately remove the substrate 1 from the loading gate 120 of the process equipment 100 by recognizing the alarm signal of the process equipment 100, and eventually, the substrate 1 in which the defect has occurred is A semiconductor device, for example, a liquid crystal display device, which is finally completed by adopting the substrate 1, can be quickly removed from a normal process line, and thus can maintain a function of a certain level or more.

As described above, in the present invention, by continuously detecting the defect of the substrate by using an optical sensor, and through this to quickly sort the defective substrate is generated, it is possible to minimize the deterioration of the quality of the final product by the defective substrate. .

This invention shows the overall useful effect in the semiconductor manufacturing equipment of various models arranged in the production line.

According to the present invention it is possible to detect whether the substrate is defective while conveying the substrate, thereby minimizing the working time. According to the present invention it is possible to detect whether the substrate is defective by using a small number of failure detection sensor, it is possible to prevent the malfunction of the device due to the reduced quantity of the sensor.

According to the present invention, it is possible to detect not only defects present on one side of the substrate on which the light emitting unit exists, but also defects present on the other side of the substrate. According to the present invention can also detect a defect present in the interior of the substrate.

According to the present invention, the difference between the amount of light received on the normal board and the amount of light received on the bad board is clear, and it is possible to clearly determine whether the board is defective.

Claims (7)

delete In the apparatus for processing a substrate, A conveying unit for conveying the substrate; A defect detection sensor positioned on one side of the substrate to be conveyed and capable of detecting a defect present in the substrate by transmitting / receiving light on the substrate during conveyance of the substrate; A substrate detection sensor located on one side of the substrate to be transported and configured to detect whether the substrate is present through a light emitting unit for irradiating light to the substrate and a light receiving unit for receiving light reflected from the substrate; And And a controller configured to control the apparatus by receiving the failure detection sensor and the substrate detection sensor. In the apparatus for processing a substrate, A conveying unit for conveying the substrate; And Located on one side of the substrate to be conveyed, and includes a defect detection sensor for transmitting and receiving light on the substrate during the conveyance of the substrate to detect a defect present in the substrate, The failure detection sensor, A light emitting unit emitting light to the substrate; And And a light receiving unit for receiving the light transmitted through the substrate. The method of claim 3, And the light emitting part is disposed to irradiate light perpendicularly to the substrate, and the light receiving part is disposed to be inclined to receive light at an angle with the light irradiated from the light emitting part. The method of claim 4, wherein The angle of the substrate processing apparatus, characterized in that 20 ° to 30 °. The method of claim 3, And the light emitting part is disposed to irradiate light on an upper portion of the substrate along an edge region of the substrate. In the apparatus for processing a substrate, A conveying unit for conveying the substrate; And Located on one side of the substrate to be conveyed, and includes a defect detection sensor for transmitting and receiving light on the substrate during the conveyance of the substrate to detect a defect present in the substrate, The defect detection sensor is provided with a plurality, substrate processing apparatus, characterized in that arranged in a line perpendicular to the conveying direction of the substrate.

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