KR101790787B1 - Substrate transfer apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to automatically and efficiently perform an operation for eliminating clogging of a suction port in a floating stage at any time or in time in an apparatus.
In the float stage suction port cleaning operation, the controller turns off all operations related to the coating process and then operates the second supply unit. Air (compressed air) from the static pressure gas supply source is supplied to each suction port 18 in the application region via the first supply line and the second manifold 64 by operating the second supply base. In the suction port 18 causing clogging, the foreign matter Q trapped in the gas passage 18a is pushed out by the pressure of the air from the second manifold 64 side, and is discharged upward. At this time, since the first supply portion 44 is also operated, the foreign matter Q discharged from the suction port 18 is not likely to enter the discharge port 16 in the vicinity.

Description

[0001] SUBSTRATE TRANSFER APPARATUS [0002]

The present invention relates to a coating apparatus for coating a treatment liquid on a substrate to be treated on a floating stage.

In the photolithography process in the process of manufacturing a flat panel display (FPD) such as an LCD, a slit nozzle having a slit-shaped discharge port is used to form a resist film on a substrate (glass substrate or the like) Spinless coating methods for applying a liquid are frequently used.

As a form of such a spinless coating method, a substrate lifting mechanism is assembled on a stage for supporting a substrate, the substrate is floated on the lifting stage and transported in one horizontal direction (stage length direction) There is known a floating method in which a resist solution is applied from one end to the other end on a substrate by discharging a resist solution in a strip shape from a slit nozzle provided at a predetermined position to a substrate passing directly below the slit nozzle.

In such a float-type spin-less coating method, in order to uniformly form a coating film of the resist solution on the substrate in the film thickness as set, a small gap of about 100 탆 is provided between the discharge port of the slit nozzle and the substrate It is required to keep the setting value at or near the set value accurately.

In order to satisfy this requirement, a resist coating apparatus employing a floating-type spinless coating method is provided with a plurality of jetting openings for jetting high-pressure or constant-pressure gas, for example air, In addition, a suction port for sucking air by a negative pressure is mixed in a spray port on a spray area on the flotation stage which is set as an area immediately below and behind and behind the slit nozzle. In the coating area, a balance between a vertically upward pressure applied from the jet port and a vertical downward force applied from the suction port is adjusted with respect to the substrate passing through the coating area, and the floating pressure applied to the substrate is controlled in a precise manner. The height of the flying height is adjusted to a predetermined value (for example, 50 탆) (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-190483

Although the resist coating apparatus as described above is operated in the clean room, it is often exposed to foreign substances such as dust, debris and the like as well as minute particles. These foreign substances may be caused to drift in the atmosphere, to be carried in from the outside during maintenance, or to occur during a maintenance operation, or to breakage or film separation of the substrate.

In any case, in the resist coating apparatus employing the floating-type spin-less coating method as described above, the foreign object floating around the object is inadvertently sucked by the suction port of the application region of the floating stage, It is sometimes filled with foreign substances. If the suction port causes clogging, the suction port can not make the suction force against the substrate passing through the suction port.

Normally, several thousand or more suction ports are installed in the application region of the floating stage. Even if one or two of them cause clogging, it does not affect the suction force of the whole, but if the suction port of about several hundred causes clogging, the suction force as a whole deteriorates remarkably. In addition, if the number of clogged suction ports is concentrated in a narrow range, the floating force from the air outlet and the balance of attracting force from the suction port may collapse in the vicinity thereof, and the substrate floating height may locally become higher than the set value locally. If the height of the substrate floating height is locally higher than the set value in the application region (particularly near the lower side of the slit nozzle), the film thickness of the resist coating film formed on the substrate is varied, thereby deteriorating the accuracy and reliability of photolithography.

Conventionally, in order to remove the clogging of the suction port in the floating stage as described above, there is a method of disassembling the floating stage to clean the suction port, or a method in which the suction head of the external vacuum cleaner is placed on the upper surface of the floating stage, And a method of sucking and removing foreign matter from the upper part has been adopted.

However, the disassembly and cleaning method is very cumbersome, requires a huge amount of human labor, and has a long working time, that is, a long recovery time. In addition, the method of using the external cleaner is that it is easy to cause scratches on the floating stage by damaging the suction head on the floating stage, but the operation of the human is required not only by the disassembly and cleaning method.

Further, conventionally, there is no means or function for checking whether or not the suction port of the float stage causes clogging. Therefore, when the film thickness of the resist coating film is influenced by the clogging of the suction port, it takes a while until the cause of the influence is recognized. On the other hand, when the periodic maintenance by the above-described disassembly / cleaning or the external cleaning is frequently performed in a short period, a great human labor and a low operation rate of the apparatus are caused.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the problems of the prior art as described above and provides a coating device capable of automatically and efficiently performing clogging of a suction port in a flotation stage at any time or in a timely manner .

A coating device of the present invention is a coating device comprising a float stage having a first floatation region in which a plurality of spouts and a plurality of aspirates are mixedly installed and a floatation stage in which a gas is injected from the spout A suction and discharge unit for applying a negative pressure to the suction port to control the floating height of the substrate by a suction force for sucking gas to the suction port; And a nozzle provided above the first flotation region, wherein the substrate is held on the substrate passing through the first flotation region, A processing liquid supply section for supplying a processing liquid from the nozzle; and a second supply section for supplying a positive pressure gas to the suction port to clean the inside of the suction port, .

In the above-described configuration, the suction port provided in the first flotation area of the flotation stage unexpectedly sucks foreign matter floating around the flotation stage during the suction operation (mainly during the coating process), and There are cases where the suction port is filled with foreign substances. However, according to the present invention, by stopping the suction and exhaust unit and operating the second supply unit when the coating process is stopped or during the coating process, the clogging of the suction port can be automatically and efficiently .

According to the coating apparatus of the present invention, the work for removing the clogging of the suction port in the float stage can be carried out automatically or efficiently in the apparatus at any time or in a timely manner.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a schematic plan view showing a main configuration of a resist coating apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention; Fig.
Fig. 2 is a schematic front view of the resist coating apparatus in the substrate transport direction showing the main configuration. Fig.
3 is a schematic side view showing the mounting structure and operation of the optical distance sensor of the floating height measuring unit in the resist coating apparatus.
4 is a view showing a configuration of a nozzle refresh portion and a mounting structure of a planar absorber in the resist coating apparatus.
5 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a control system in the resist coating apparatus.
6 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the state of the coating processing section when the foreign substance is almost not filled in the suction port of the floating stage in the resist coating apparatus.
7 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the state of a coating processing section when a foreign substance is filled in a suction port of a floating stage in the resist coating apparatus.
8 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the action of the second supply portion when the resist coating device operates.
Fig. 9 is a view showing the action in the case where the surface-type adsorption unit is used for cleaning the suction stage suction port in the resist application device.
10 is a view showing a modified example of the second supply portion in the resist coating apparatus.
11 is a pressure waveform diagram for explaining an operation when a compression tank is used for the second supply portion.
12A is a diagram showing one step of a method of time-division-controlling the cleaning pressure applied to the suction port of the floating stage by the second supply portion.
12B is a diagram showing one step of a method for time-divisionally controlling the cleaning pressure applied to the suction port of the floating stage by the second supply portion.
13 is an explanatory diagram of a second embodiment of the present invention.
14 is an explanatory diagram of a second supply portion in a sixth embodiment of the present invention;
15 is an explanatory diagram of a second supply portion according to a seventh embodiment of the present invention;

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 show the main configuration of a resist coating apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 1 is a schematic plan view, and Fig. 2 is a schematic front view of the substrate transport direction.

As shown in Fig. 1, the resist coating apparatus employs a floating-type spinless coating method. The resist-coating apparatus applies a floating-type spinless coating method to a substrate to be processed, for example, a glass substrate G for FPD, A transfer mechanism 12 for transferring the substrate G floating in the air on the floating stage 10 in the longitudinal direction of the floating stage (X direction) And a slit nozzle 14 for supplying a resist solution onto the upper surface of the substrate G. [

The upper surface of the floating stage 10 is divided into three areas along the substrate transport direction (X direction), namely, a carry-in area M _IN , a coating area M _COT and a carry-out area M _OUT . A plurality of air outlets 16 are provided at predetermined densities in the carry-in area M _IN and the carry out area M _OUT and air outlets 16 and suction ports 18 are provided in the application area M _COT Many of them are installed in a predetermined density.

The substrate G before the coating process is carried in the carry-in area M _IN by a rectilinear transport by a sorter mechanism (not shown) from an external device at the front end or by the transfer from a transport robot (not shown) A substrate carrying-in portion 20 (Fig. 5) is provided. To taken out by the out zone (M _OUT), the substrate (G) the coating is completed to transfer to the, or a transport robot (not shown) by pyeongryu conveyed by the sorter mechanism (not shown) to an external unit of the rear end A substrate carrying-out portion 22 (Fig. 5) is provided.

In the application region M _COT , a slit nozzle 14 is provided so as to be movable up and down above the stage, and a nozzle refresh portion 24 (Fig. 1, Fig. 4B) for refreshing the slit nozzle 14 during the coating process Is horizontally movable in parallel with the substrate transport direction (X direction).

1, the transport mechanism 12 includes a pair of guide rails 26A and 26B extending in the X direction with the floating stage 10 interposed therebetween, and guide rails 26A and 26B extending along the guide rails 26A and 26B (Not shown) such as a suction pad provided on the slider 28 to detachably hold both side ends of the substrate G on the floating stage 10, And the slider 28 is moved in the substrate transfer direction (X direction) by a linear movement mechanism (not shown) to move the application region M _IN from the loading region M _IN onto the floating stage 10 _COT of the substrate G to the carry-out area M _OUT .

The slit nozzle 14 traverses the upper portion of the lifting stage 10 in the horizontal direction (Y direction) perpendicular to the substrate transport direction, and slits (not shown) with respect to the upper surface So that the resist solution R is discharged in a strip shape. The slit nozzle 14 is mounted on a gate frame 30 disposed in parallel with the slit nozzle 14 in the Y direction so that the float stage 10 can be moved by a ball screw mechanism (Z direction) integrally with the nozzle support member 38 that supports the nozzle 14 by the nozzle lifting mechanism 36 including the nozzle holder 32 and the guide member 34 (FIG. 2) (Up and down). The slit nozzle 14 is connected to a resist supply mechanism 40 (FIG. 5), which is made of a resist solution container or a liquid delivery pump, through a resist supply pipe 42.

As shown in Fig. 2, this resist coating device is an external type power supply equipment constituting a substrate lifting mechanism of the lifting stage 10, and includes a first supply portion 44 for lifting, (46), and a second supply portion (48) for cleaning the suction port.

The first float base 44 for float is provided with a constant pressure air (not shown) in each of the outlets 16 in order to float the substrate G by the pressure (lift) of air ejected from the ejection port 16 of the float stage 10, At a desired pressure. More specifically, the first supply portion 44 includes a static pressure gas supply source 50 using, for example, a pressurized compressed air source, and a second manifold 50, A gas supply pipe or first supply line 54 extending to the fold 52 and an open / close valve 56, a regulator 58 and a filter 60 installed in the middle of the first supply line 54.

When the open / close valve 56 is opened, a constant pressure gas, that is, air is supplied from the constant pressure gas supply source 50 to the first manifold 52 through the air supply line 54, Air is distributed and supplied to all of the air outlets 16 in the respective regions M _IN , N _COT , M _OUT of the air conditioner 10 at a predetermined pressure.

The aspiration vent 46 for controlling the height of the aspiration height controls the height F of the substrate _G (Fig. 4) of the substrate G in the application region M _COT And is configured to apply a suitable negative pressure to each suction port 18 for control. More specifically, the aspiration vent 46 is, for example, a ventilation duct extending from the exhaust duct 62 to a second manifold 64 in the lifting stage 10, An exhaust line 66, and an opening / closing valve 68 and a fan 70 installed in the middle of the exhaust line 66. [

The negative pressure generated at the inlet side of the fan 70 is supplied to the suction port 18 and the exhaust line 66 and the second manifold 64 to the suction port 18 when the opening / closing valve 68 is opened and the fan 70 is driven to rotate. To the suction port (18) in the application area (M _COT ). The air on the floating stage 10 is sucked into the suction port 18 and the sucked air is sent to the fan 70 through the second manifold 64 and the exhaust line 66, To the exhaust duct 62 through the exhaust line 66. The exhaust duct 62 is provided with an exhaust duct 66,

The suction port cleaning second supply portion 48 is connected to the fan 70 from the first node 72 on the first supply line 54 provided between the static pressure gas supply source 50 and the on- A second supply line 76 extending to the second node 74 on the exhaust line 66 provided between the manifolds 64 and an on-off valve 78 installed on the way of the second supply line 76, And a regulator (80).

When the fan 70 of the suction exhaust unit 46 is stopped and the open / close valve 78 of the second supply unit 48 is opened, a constant pressure gas, that is, air from the constant pressure gas supply source 50, Flows through the first manifold 54 → the first node 72 → the second supply line 76 → the second node 74 → the exhaust line 66 to the second manifold 64 and flows through the second manifold 64 The air is distributed and supplied to all the suction _ports 18 in the application area M _COT of the floating stage 10 at a predetermined pressure.

This resist coating apparatus conforms to the set value H _S by the feedback control of the floating height H _G of the substrate G (the distance from the upper surface of the stage) in the coating area M _COT of the floating stage 10 The optical distance sensor 84 of the flying height measuring unit 82 (Fig. 5) is mounted on the nozzle support member 38 as shown in Fig. The optical distance sensors 84 are arranged on the left and right sides so as to measure the floating height H _G of the left and right side ends of the substrate G in the horizontal direction (Y direction) perpendicular to the substrate conveying direction 2).

The optical distance sensors 84 is, by a distance (D _b) of the right objects below from the predetermined height position of the coating, i.e. the portion stage 10 with the distance (D _a) and a substrate (G) optical . 5) calculates a measured value of the substrate floating height H _G from the measured distances D _a and D _b and the thickness _G T of the substrate _G [H _G = D _a - (D _b + T _G )].

The resist coating apparatus further includes a flying height monitoring unit 20 for monitoring whether or not the floating height H _G of the substrate G in the vicinity immediately below the slit nozzle 14 exceeds a tolerance even locally on a predetermined monitoring line And a portion 86 (Fig. 5).

3, the floating height monitoring unit 86 is provided on both left and right sides of the floating stage 10 with a predetermined height corresponding to the floating height set value H _S , And the light projecting unit 88 and the light receiving unit 90 are disposed opposite to each other on a monitoring line traversing the image in the Y direction. The _flying height H _G of the substrate G in the coating area M _COT substantially coincides with the flying height setting value H _S and the substrate surface is flat on all the monitoring lines of the flying height monitoring unit 86 The light beam LB projected from the light projecting portion 88 passes through the substrate G in a smooth manner and reaches the light receiving portion 90 as shown in Fig. However, when the flying height H _G of the pin G is higher than the flying height setting value H _S somewhere on the monitoring line, the light beam LB is reflected on the side surface or the upper surface of the substrate G, 90, the flying height monitoring unit 86 can detect the situation.

The monitoring function of the floating height monitoring unit 86 is used to determine whether or not the suction port 18 of the floating stage 10 is clogging in the vicinity of the monitoring line as described later.

Fig. 4 shows the configuration of the nozzle refresh section 24. As shown in Fig. The nozzle refresh portion 24 includes a priming processing portion 96 for discharging a small amount of the resist solution to the slit nozzle 14 and winding the priming roller 94 on the priming roller 94 in advance in the single casing 92, A nozzle bus 98 for keeping the discharge port of the slit nozzle 14 in the atmosphere of the solvent vapor for the purpose of preventing drying and a slit nozzle cleaning section 100 for cleaning the peripheral portion of the discharge port of the slit nozzle 14 are juxtaposed have.

The slit nozzle 14 that has completed the one coating process is firstly subjected to the cleaning treatment by the slit nozzle cleaning unit 100 and then waits in the nozzle bus 98 and immediately before the next coating treatment is started The priming processing unit 96 receives the priming processing.

In order to cause the slit nozzle 14 to touch the respective portions 96, 98, and 100 in the nozzle refresh portion 24, under the control of the controller 110 (FIG. 5) The nozzle lifting mechanism 36 (Fig. 1, Fig. 5 (A)) moves the entire nozzle refresh portion 24, that is, the casing 92 in parallel with the substrate transfer direction To move the slit nozzle 14 in the vertical direction (Z direction).

In this embodiment, the surface-type absorbing head 102 is mounted on the lower surface of the casing 92 of the nozzle refresh portion 24 and the exhaust pipe 104 used for exhausting the priming processing portion 96 is connected to the exhaust pipe 106 to which the absorbing head 102 is connected. The exhaust pipe 106 is provided with an on-off valve 108. This absorption head 102 is used to clean the suction port 18 of the floating stage 10, as described later.

Fig. 5 shows the main structure of the control system in the resist coating apparatus of this embodiment. The controller 110 is made up of a microcomputer and receives measurement values or monitor signals from the floating height measuring unit 82 and the flying height monitoring unit 86 and controls the transporting mechanism 12, The substrate lifting unit 22, the nozzle refresh unit 24, the nozzle lifting mechanism 36, the resist supply mechanism 40, the first supply unit 44, the suction exhaust unit 46, the second supply unit 48, And the entire operation (sequence). The controller 110 is also connected to a host computer or other external device (not shown).

Here, the resist coating operation in the resist coating apparatus will be described. First, the substrate G is carried from the front-end substrate processing apparatus (not shown) to the carry-in area M _IN of the floating stage 10 via the sorter mechanism or the transport robot, and the slider 28 ) Holds the substrate G and holds it. On the floating stage 10, the substrate G floats in the air by the pressure of the air ejected from the ejection hole 16 (lift).

When the substrate G is lifted up in the horizontal transport direction in the substrate transport direction (X direction) and passes through the application region M _{COT in the} center portion of the stage, the slit nozzle 14 is transported to the substrate G immediately below, The resist solution R is discharged in the form of a strip at a predetermined pressure or flow rate at a predetermined pressure or at a predetermined flow rate to form a coating film of a resist solution having a uniform film thickness from the front end side to the rear end side of the substrate G, (RM) is formed.

When the rear end of the substrate G passes under the slit nozzle 14, a resist coating film RM is formed on one surface of the substrate. Subsequently, the substrate G is then lifted up on the lifting stage 10 by the slider 28, and is transported from the carrying-out area M _OUT set at the rear end of the lifting stage 10 via the sorter mechanism or the transport robot (Not shown) of the rear end.

6 to 9, the floating stage suction port cleaning function in the resist coating device of this embodiment will be described.

6, when all or most of the suction ports 18 are not clogged in the vicinity of the slit nozzle 14 in the application region M _COT of the floatation stage 10, The air ejected from each jet port 16 during processing is applied to the back surface of the substrate G and then sucked into the adjacent suction port 18 quickly.

The controller 110 closes the opening and closing valve 78 to stop the second supply unit 48 and simultaneously operates the first supply unit 44 and the suction exhaust unit 46 to apply the substrate G A vertical upward force by the air (compressed air) ejected from the jet port 16 is applied to a portion passing through the region M _MOT and a vertical downward force And the balance of the bi-directional forces against each other is controlled to maintain the substrate floating height H _G for coating near the set value H _S (for example, 50 m). In this case, the controller 110 controls the regulator 58 or the fan 70 to perform feedback control so that the flying height measurement value H _G obtained from the flying height measurement unit 82 matches the set value H _S .

7, a considerable number of suction ports 18 in the immediate vicinity of the slit nozzle 14 in the application region M _COT of the floating stage 10 are formed in the relatively narrow gas passages 18a The suction port 18 causing clogging does not move even when the fan 70 of the suction exhaust unit 46 performs the rotation (suction / exhaust) operation during the coating process, The balance between the lifting force from the jet port 16 and the attracting force from the suction port 18 is collapsed and the substrate lifting height H _G is locally higher than the set value H _{S in} the vicinity thereof.

In this case, even if the floating pressure feedback control mechanism (the controller 110, the floating height measuring unit 82, the first supply unit 44, the suction exhaust unit 46) functions normally, (High) of the localization (H _G ).

However, when the floating height H _G of the substrate G is somewhere on the monitoring line exceeds the floating height set value H _S (while the substrate G is passing) , The light beam LB is blocked by the substrate G (as it does not reach the light-receiving portion 90), as shown in Fig. 7, the abnormality can be detected and the controller 110 can be notified. Further, even when the foreign substance is adhered to the upper surface of the substrate G, the light beam LB is blocked by the foreign matter, but it is temporary and is easily distinguished because the abnormality is released when the foreign matter passes.

The controller 110 receives at least the monitor signal of abnormality notification relating to the height of the substrate floating height from the floating height monitoring unit 86 so that at least the position of the slit nozzle 14 in the coating area M _COT of the floating stage 10 It is judged that a considerable number of suction ports 18 are causing clogging in the immediate vicinity.

When the clogging of the suction port 18 is determined (detected) as described above, the controller 110 displays an alarm through a display device (not shown) And controls the floating stage suction port cleaning operation after the required lot processing is completed.

In this floating stage suction port cleaning operation, the controller 110 temporarily turns off the operations (substrate floating operation, substrate transportation operation, resist supplying operation, etc.) related to the coating process, And the second supply portion 48 is operated. In addition, the first supply portion 48 is also operated by opening the on-off valve 56. In addition, the on-off valve 68 is closed.

Since the first and second supply and discharge units 44 and 48 are connected in parallel to the static pressure gas supply source 50 and the regulators 58 and 80 are provided in each of the first supply unit 44 and the second supply unit 48, The pressure of the air supplied to the air outlet 16 can be set or adjusted independently of the pressure of the air supplied to the suction port 18 by the second air supply unit 48. [ Normally, in the float stage suction port cleaning operation, the pressure of the air supplied to the suction port 18 by the second supply portion 48 is adjusted to a sufficiently high value suitable for discharging foreign matter filled in the inside, It is preferable to adjust the pressure of the air supplied to the air outlet 16 by the first supply portion 44 to a relatively low value so that dust does not enter.

Air (compressed air) from the constant-pressure gas supply source 50 flows through the first supply line 54 → the exhaust line 66 → the second manifold 64 as described above by operating the second supply portion 48. As a result, To the respective suction ports 18 in the application region M _COT .

As shown in Fig. 8, in the suction port 18 causing clogging, the foreign matter Q held in the gas passage 18a is pushed by the air pressure from the second manifold 64 side And is discharged upward. At this time, since the first supply portion 44 is also operated, the foreign matter Q discharged from the suction port 18 is not likely to enter the discharge port 16 in the vicinity.

On the other hand, after the slit nozzle 14 is raised to a position higher than the nozzle refresh portion 24, the controller 110 slides the nozzle refresh portion 24 to a position immediately below the slit nozzle 14, The absorbing head 102 of the surface shape mounted on the lower surface of the casing 92 of the nozzle refresh portion 24 is covered on the application region M _COT of the floating stage 10 as shown in Fig. Then, the on-off valve 108 is opened to operate the exhaust device 104 (Fig. 4).

The foreign matter Q discharged from the suction port 18 is quickly absorbed by the absorption head 102 together with the air and is sent to the exhaust device 104 through the exhaust pipe 106.

As another suitable embodiment for collecting the foreign matter Q discharged from the suction port 18 by the second supply portion 48, as shown in Fig. 9, a dummy A method of covering the substrate 114 on the application region M _COT is also possible. In this case, the foreign matter Q discharged from the suction port 18 is adsorbed on the adhesive sheet 112, so that the foreign matter Q is not swept up or reattached onto the floating stage 10.

The dummy substrate 114 is carried into the carry-in area M _IN of the lifting stage 10 in the same manner as the substrate G before the start of the lifting stage suction port cleaning operation, To the application region (M _COT ). After the completion of the floating stage suction cleaning operation, the wafer W is transferred to the carrying-out area M _OUT by the transport mechanism 12 and carried out of the lifting stage 10 from the carrying-out area M _OUT .

As described above, in this resist coating apparatus, while the suction port 18 installed in the spray port 16 in the coating area M _COT of the flotation stage 10 is _{performing the} suction operation (mainly in the coating process The foreign object floating around the floating stage 10 may be inadvertently sucked in the foreign object, and the inside of the suction port 18 may be filled with the foreign substance. According to this embodiment, however, the clogging of the suction port 18 can be prevented by stopping the suction discharge unit 44 and operating the second supply unit 48 when the coating process is stopped or during the coating process, It is possible to automatically and efficiently remove the hand without any need.

In addition, direct the flying height (H _G) the flying height set point (H _S) of the substrate (G) from somewhere on the monitored line extending in the Y direction is set at normally under the substrate (G) of the slit nozzle 14 is , The flying height monitoring unit 86 can detect the abnormal situation more accurately. When the controller 110 receives the abnormality monitor signal from the float height monitoring unit 86 regarding the height of the substrate floating height, a considerable number of the suction ports 18 near the slit nozzle 14 are blocked And it is possible to find an optimal timing for executing the floating stage suction port cleaning operation.

Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications and changes may be made within the scope of the technical idea.

10, the bypass system in which the second supply line 76 of the second supply unit 48 is branched from the first supply line 54 and connected to the exhaust line 66 is also used It is possible. In this case, a switching valve, for example, a three-way valve 116, 118 (not shown) is connected to the nodes of the first supply line 54 and the second supply line 76 and the nodes of the second supply line 76 and the exhaust line 66 Respectively.

The compression tank 120 is installed in the middle of the second supply line 76 to compress the static pressure gas from the static pressure gas supply source 50 in the compression tank 120 and to open the shutoff valve 78 intermittently by intermittent addition stunning supplied to the enemy is turned by, one the suction port 18 of the pressure (P _s) than the extreme portion of the air of the high pressure (P _up) stage 10 as shown in Figure 11, the suction port It is possible to effectively remove the foreign matter Q filled in the discharge space 18.

10, when the three-way valve 116 is switched to the second supply line 76, the static pressure gas from the constant-pressure gas supply source 50 is supplied to the outlet 16 of the lifting stage 10, As shown in Fig. As described above, when performing the float stage suction port cleaning operation, it is also possible to completely stop the first supply portion 44. [ It is a matter of course that the three-way valve 116 is omitted and the first supply portion 44 is operated simultaneously with the second supply portion 48 so that the discharge port 16 is opened together with the suction port 18 during the floating stage suction port cleaning operation, It is of course possible to supply the air.

Although not shown, it is also possible to use an independent static pressure gas supply source for the second supply / discharge unit 48 different from the factory gas supply source 50 for static electricity. The fan 70 of the suction exhaust unit 46 may be configured to be reversely rotatable so as to be used as a supply source of the static pressure gas for the second supply unit 76. [ In this case, the exhaust line 66 can be used as the second supply line 76 as it is.

12A and 12B, in order to increase the cleaning pressure applied to the suction port 18 of the float stage 10 by the second supply portion 48 by one stage or by means, 122 (2), 122 (3), 122 (3), 122 (3), 122 (3), and 122 (3) are arranged in units of a set by dividing all the suction _ports 18 provided in the application region ) ... To the second supply line 76 through the second supply line 76. [

When the second stage base section 48 is operated, that is, when the float stage suction port cleaning operation is performed, the controller 110 sets the opening / closing valves 122 (1), 122 (2) 3), 122 (4) ... , And supplies air with a high pressure intensively to each suction port 18.

The pattern in which the jetting port 16 and the suction port 18 are arranged in a mixed manner in the application region M _COT of the floating stage 10 is arbitrary and is not limited to the illustrated arrangement pattern.

It is also possible to regularly perform the above-described flotation stage suction port cleaning operation independently of the function of the flotation height monitoring section 86.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. In addition, description of the same parts as in the above-described embodiment will be omitted. In the second embodiment, a suction roller 151 is used instead of the dummy substrate 114 described in Fig. 9 as shown in Fig. The surface of the adsorption roller 151 is adhered and the foreign matter Q is adhered to the surface of the adsorption roller 151 by moving the adsorption roller 151 while contacting and rotating the adsorption roller 151 on the surface of the floatation stage 10 . The suction roller 151 may be cleaned by moving the person on the lifting stage 10 while contacting and rotating the lifting stage 10. Alternatively, an adsorption roller lifting mechanism 152 for lifting and lowering the adsorption roller 151 and an adsorption roller horizontal shifting mechanism 153 for horizontally moving the adsorption roller 151 are provided, and the adsorption roller lifting mechanism 152, The roller horizontal moving mechanism 153 may be controlled by the controller 110 to clean the suction roller 151 by automatically moving it. Further, the attracting roller 151 can remove the foreign matter Q by rolling the pressure-sensitive adhesive sheet, and can be reused. Alternatively, the foreign substance Q can be removed by cleaning the adsorption roller 151 with the cleaning liquid, and can be reused.

Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described. In addition, description of the same parts as in the above-described embodiment will be omitted. In the third embodiment, the absorption head 102 described in FIG. 4 is substantially the same as the coverage area M _COT . By doing so, the foreign matter Q ejected from the suction port 18 can be removed in a shorter time. It is preferable that a plurality of suction holes 154 formed in the lower surface of the absorbing head 102 are formed so as to correspond to the positions of the suction ports 18. By doing so, the suction port can be made as narrow as possible, and the foreign matter Q can be efficiently removed without increasing the suction amount of the exhaust device 104. [

Although the absorbing head 102 sucks the foreign matter Q in a state of being separated upward from the lifting stage 10, the absorbing head 102 may be brought into contact with the lifting stage 10 and the foreign matter Q Can be removed. It is also possible that the dummy substrate 114 is brought into contact with the floating stage 10 by stopping the floating of the dummy substrate 114 in the dummy substrate 114 described in Fig.

The absorbing head 102 described in Fig. 8 is required to scan the absorbing head 102 in the X direction when the foreign matter Q is removed, because the length in the X direction is shorter than the coating area M _COT have. 12A and 12B, all the suction _ports 18 provided in the application region M _COT of the floating stage 10 are divided into a plurality of sets, The open / close valves 122 (1), 122 (2), 122 (3), 122 (4) ... To the second supply line 76 via the second supply line. Then, the suction head cleaning operation may be performed in units of sets, and the suction head 102 may be scanned in the X direction so as to correspond to the movement of the suction head, and the foreign matter Q can be removed more efficiently.

Next, a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described. In addition, description of the same parts as in the above-described embodiment is omitted. In the fourth embodiment, thinner, which is a solvent of the resist solution, is sprayed onto the floating stage 10 before air is supplied from the second supply portion 48 to the suction port 18 to perform the suction port cleaning operation, Air may be supplied to the air intake port 18 to discharge the foreign matter Q from the suction port 18 after a certain period of time. Further, the thinner may be sprayed, and the suction port 46 may be operated to suck the suction port 18 after a predetermined time to suck and remove the thinner and the foreign matter Q. Alternatively, pure water or alcohol may be used instead of the thinner. When the liquid (thinner, pure water, alcohol, or the like) is used in this way, air is supplied to the air inlet 18 to eject the foreign matter Q from the air inlet 18, The liquid entering the inlet port 18 can be dried. Further, even when the liquid and the foreign substance Q are sucked and removed by causing the suction port 18 to perform the suction operation, the liquid that has entered the suction port 18 can be dried by continuing the suction operation for a predetermined period of time.

Next, a fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described. In addition, description of the same parts as in the above-described embodiment will be omitted. In the fifth embodiment, the regulator 58 in Fig. 10 is controlled by the controller 110 to control the regulator 58 when performing the float stage suction port cleaning operation, The foreign matter Q can be removed more efficiently.

Next, a sixth embodiment of the present invention will be described. In addition, description of the same parts as in the above-described embodiment will be omitted. In the sixth embodiment, as shown in Fig. 14, the second supply portion 48 is constituted by a fan 155. Fig. By operating the fan 155, air can be supplied to the second manifold 64. The fan 155 is connected to the exhaust line 66 by an air supply line 156 and a three-way valve 157 is provided at the connection portion. By switching the three-way valve 157, And the suction port 18 can be connected to the fan 155. [0050] Further, the fan 155 and the three-way valve 157 are controlled by the controller 110. With such a configuration, the piping of the air supply / exhaust can be simplified, and the reliability of the apparatus is improved.

Next, a seventh embodiment of the present invention will be described. In addition, description of the same parts as in the above-described embodiment will be omitted. The seventh embodiment is a modification of the sixth embodiment. As shown in FIG. 15, a fan 70 is installed in the middle of the exhaust line 66. A three-way valve 158 is provided between the exhaust duct 62 and the fan 70 and a three-way valve 159 is provided between the fan 70 and the second manifold 64. Further, a line 160 for connecting the three-way valve 158 and the three-way valve 159 is provided. An atmospheric suction line 161 is connected to an exhaust line 66 between the fan 70 and the three-way valve 159. An on / off valve 162 is provided on the way of the air suction line 161. The switching between the three-way valve 158, the three-way valve 159 and the on-off valve 162 is controlled by the controller 110. [

Closing valve 162 is closed and the three-way valve 159 is switched so that the second manifold 64 and the fan 70 are connected to each other Way valve 158 so that the fan 70 and the exhaust duct 62 are connected to each other. By doing so, it is sucked from the suction port 18. Next, when performing the cleaning operation of the suction port 18, the open / close valve 162 is opened, the three-way valve 158 is switched so that the fan 70 and the line 160 are connected to each other, and the line 160 Way valve 159 so that the second manifold 64 and the second manifold 64 are connected to each other. By doing so, the air sucked from the tip of the atmospheric suction line 161 is supplied to the second manifold 64, and the suction operation of the suction port 18 is performed. With this configuration and operation, it is possible to switch the suction operation and the cleaning operation of the suction port 18 only by providing one fan 70, and the number of the fans can be reduced.

As the treatment liquid in the present invention, for example, a coating liquid such as an interlayer insulating material, a dielectric material, a wiring material and the like can be used in addition to a resist solution, and various chemical liquids, developer liquids, and rinse liquids can be used. The substrate to be processed in the present invention is not limited to an LCD substrate, but may be a substrate for a flat panel display, a semiconductor wafer, a CD substrate, a photomask, a printed substrate, or the like.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to the resist coating device in the present embodiment, the present invention is not limited to the resist coating device and may be applied to a floating stage for floating an FPD substrate or a semiconductor wafer, or an FPD substrate or a semiconductor wafer , A suction holding portion of a robot hand for conveying an FPD substrate or a semiconductor wafer, and the like, and is included in the scope of the right of course.

10: Floating stage
12:
14: Slit nozzle
16: Outlet
18: Sucking population
40: resist supply mechanism
44: First-class donation
46:
48: Second-class donation
110: controller

Claims (20)

A flotation stage having a first flotation area in which a plurality of flotation ports and a plurality of suction ports are mixedly installed,
A first supply portion for supplying a gas at a positive pressure to the jetting port to float the substrate to be processed by the pressure of the gas ejected from the jetting port;
A suction exhaust unit for applying a negative pressure to the suction port to control a floating height of the substrate by a suction force for sucking gas into the suction port,
A transport mechanism for holding the substrate floating on the floating stage and transporting the substrate to pass through the first floating region,
And a second supply portion for supplying a positive pressure gas to the suction port to clean the suction port,
The pressure of the gas supplied from the first supply portion to the air outlet so as to match the floating height of the substrate in the first floating region to the floating height set value and the pressure of the vacuum applied to the air inlet from the exhaust portion A flying height control unit for controlling at least one of the flying height control unit,
A floating height monitor for optically monitoring the floating height of the substrate using a light beam translatably projected on the floating stage at a predetermined height according to the floating height set value in a horizontal direction orthogonal to the conveying direction of the substrate Wealth,
When the flying height of the substrate is detected by the flying height monitoring unit so that the floating height of the substrate is normally somewhere on the transverse full path of the light beam, And a suction port clogging detection section for determining that the port is blocked. A flotation stage having a first flotation area in which a plurality of flotation ports and a plurality of suction ports are mixedly installed,
A first supply portion for supplying a positive pressure gas to the jet port through a first manifold to float the target substrate by the pressure of the gas ejected from the jet port;
A suction exhaust unit for applying a negative pressure to the suction port through the second manifold to control a floating height of the substrate by a suction force for sucking gas into the suction port,
A transport mechanism for holding the substrate floating on the floating stage and transporting the substrate to pass through the first floating region,
A processing liquid supply unit that has a nozzle disposed above the first flotation area and supplies the processing liquid to the substrate through the first flotation area from the nozzle;
And a second supply portion for supplying a positive pressure gas to the suction port through the second manifold to clean the suction port,
Wherein the suction port provided in the first floating area is divided into a plurality of sets and when the second air supply unit is operated, the inside of the suction port is cleaned by switching in a time-divisional manner on a set basis. The air conditioner according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising: a cover member which covers part or all of the first flotation zone from the upper portion while operating the second air supply unit, and absorbs foreign matter mixed in the gas ejected from the suction port Shaped absorber. The exhaust gas purifying apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising: a second exhaust gas purifying catalyst for exhausting a part or the whole of the first flotation zone from the upper part while operating the second air supply unit, Shaped adsorption section. 5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the planar adsorption unit is capable of being carried by the transport mechanism on the float stage, like the substrate, and before or after the start of operation of the second supply unit, And after the operation of the second supply unit is completed, the substrate is carried out from the first floating region. The air conditioner according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, when cleaning the inside of the suction port, the second air supply unit is operated to blow out gas from the suction port, and also operates the first air supply unit to eject gas from the air outlet To the substrate transfer device. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, when the inside of the suction port is cleaned, the second supply and exhaust unit is operated to discharge the gas from the suction port in a state in which the first supply unit is stopped or stopped, Device. The substrate carrying apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the second supply portion includes a static pressure gas supply source common to the first supply portion. 9. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the first supply portion has a first supply line extending from the static-pressure gas supply source to the outlet,
The exhaust section has a negative pressure generating source and an exhaust line extending from the negative pressure generating source to the suction port,
And the second supply portion has a second supply line extending from a first node on the supply line to a second node on the exhaust line. The substrate transport apparatus according to claim 9, wherein a switching valve is provided in at least one of the first node and the second node. The exhaust gas purifying apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the second supply portion has a second supply line extending from the constant-pressure gas supply source to a predetermined node on an exhaust line connecting a negative pressure generating source provided in the exhaust portion to a suction port, Device. 12. The substrate transport apparatus according to claim 11, wherein a switching valve is provided at the node. The substrate transport apparatus according to claim 9, wherein an on-off valve is provided on the second supply line. 14. The compressor according to claim 13, further comprising a compression tank for compressing a constant-pressure gas from the constant-pressure gas supply source on the second supply line, and supplying the constant-pressure gas compressed by the compression tank to the suction port intermittently and strikingly, Substrate transfer device. The substrate transfer device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the second supply portion includes a static pressure gas supply source which is separate from the static pressure gas supply source used by the first supply portion. delete The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the floating stage has a second floating region provided with a plurality of air outlets for floating the substrate on the upstream side of the first floating region in the substrate transfer direction, Device. The substrate carrying apparatus according to claim 17, wherein a carrying-in portion for carrying the substrate is provided in the second floating region. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the floating stage has a third floating region provided with a plurality of air outlets for floating the substrate on the downstream side of the first floating region in the substrate transfer direction, Device. The substrate carrying apparatus according to claim 19, wherein a carry-out section for carrying out the substrate is provided in the third floating region.

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