KR20060101311A - Substrate processing apparatus and substrate processing method - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus and a substrate processing method. When a change occurs in the vacuum pressure of a vacuum mechanism used to stabilize a floating force, the control circuit of the nozzle height position correction unit detects the change in the vacuum pressure through a pressure sensor. And generating a control signal having a constant response characteristic to such a change in vacuum pressure to drive control the piezoelectric actuator and to variably control the height position of the resist nozzle by the displacement generated in the piezoelectric actuator. Thus, for example, when the substrate G is displaced upward from the set floating height H _b in response to a change in the vacuum pressure of the vacuum mechanism, the resist nozzle 78 is also at the same timing as the displacement of the substrate G. Tact time of the processing operation of supplying the processing liquid onto the substrate to be processed in the spinless method in which only the same displacement amount is displaced upward and the gap S between the resist nozzle 78 and the substrate G is maintained at a set value. In addition, the present invention provides a technique of forming a coating film of a processing liquid on a substrate to be treated with a uniform film thickness in a floating conveying method.

Description

Substrate processing apparatus and substrate processing method {SUBSTRATE PROCESSING APPARATUS AND SUBSTRATE PROCESSING METHOD}

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS It is a top view which shows the structure of the application | coating development process system applicable of this invention.

2 is a flowchart showing a procedure of a process in the coating and developing processing system of the embodiment.

3 is a plan view schematically showing the overall configuration of a resist coating unit and a reduced pressure drying unit in the coating and developing processing system of the embodiment.

4 is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of a resist coating unit in the embodiment;

5 is a substantially front view showing the overall configuration of a resist coating unit in the embodiment.

It is a top view which shows an example of the arrangement pattern of a jet port and a suction port in the stage application | coating area | region of embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a partial cross-sectional side view schematically showing the configuration of the substrate transfer unit in the resist coating unit of the embodiment. FIG.

8 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the holding portion of the substrate conveyance portion in the resist coating unit of the embodiment.

9 is a perspective view showing the structure of a pad portion of the substrate transfer portion in the resist coating unit of the embodiment;

10 is a perspective view showing one modification of the holding portion of the substrate transfer portion in the resist coating unit of the embodiment.

It is sectional drawing which shows the structure of the ejection control part in the resist coating unit of embodiment.

12 is a partial cross-sectional view showing a configuration of a flow path inside a stage in the resist coating unit of the embodiment.

It is a figure which shows the structure of the nozzle raising mechanism nozzle height position correction part, and a blowing mechanism in the resist coating unit of embodiment.

14 is a partial cross-sectional side view showing the configuration of the mechanical system of the nozzle height position correction unit in the resist coating unit of the embodiment.

15 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a signal processing system of a nozzle height position correction unit in the resist coating unit of the embodiment.

FIG. 16 is a waveform diagram schematically showing a relationship between a change in vacuum pressure in a vacuum mechanism and a displacement of a resist nozzle in the resist coating unit of the embodiment. FIG.

17 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a control system in the resist coating unit of the embodiment.

18 is a substantially side view illustrating the operation of the nozzle height position correction unit in the embodiment.

It is a substantially side view which shows the effect | action of the nozzle height position correction part in embodiment.

** Description of reference numerals indicating major parts **

40 resist coating unit (CT)

75 nozzle lift mechanism

76 stages

77 Nozzle Height Position Corrector

78 resist nozzle

84 Substrate Carrier

85 Lift Pin Lift

86 lift pins

88 spout

90 suction port

91 Lift Pin Lift

92 Lift Pins for Export

93 Resist Liquid Source

100 conveying drive

102 pussy part

104 adsorption pad

134 compressed air supply

136 Blow Mechanism

138 Stage Board Float

144 horizontal bar

154 Piezo Actuator

166 pressure sensor

170 control circuit

172 driving circuit

180 controller

M₁ import area

M₃ coating area

M ₅ Export area

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention [0001] The present invention relates to a substrate processing technique for applying a processing liquid onto a substrate in a spinless method, in particular related to the technique for supplying the processing liquid onto a substrate to be treated.

In the photolithography process in the manufacturing process of a flat panel display (FPD), the resist liquid is strip-shaped in a long resist nozzle with respect to a board as a resist coating method which is advantageous for the enlargement of a to-be-processed substrate (for example, a glass substrate). A spinless method has been prevalent in which a resist liquid is applied onto a substrate at a desired film thickness without requiring rotational motion by relatively moving or scanning the resist nozzle while discharging it.

Conventional resist coating apparatuses using a spinless method have a small gap of several hundred μm or less between a substrate fixed horizontally on a stage as described in Patent Document 1 and a discharge port of a resist nozzle provided on the stage. In this way, the resist liquid is discharged onto the substrate while the resist nozzle is moved in the scanning direction (generally, the horizontal direction perpendicular to the nozzle long direction). This type of resist nozzle is configured to form a nozzle body in a transverse length or elongate shape so as to discharge the resist liquid in a strip form from a discharge port having a very small diameter (for example, about 100 mu m). When the application | coating process by scanning of such a long type resist nozzle is complete | finished, the said board | substrate is taken out from the stage by a conveyance robot or a conveyance arm, and it is carried out outside the apparatus. Immediately thereafter, a subsequent new substrate is loaded into the apparatus by the transfer robot and placed on the stage. The application process as described above is repeated for the new substrate by scanning the resist nozzle.

[Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-156255

In the spinless resist coating apparatus as described above, a subsequent new substrate cannot be loaded or placed on the stage unless the finished substrate is unloaded or unloaded from the stage to completely empty the stage top surface. For this reason, the required time T _{IN for} loading or loading an unprocessed substrate onto the stage and the time for unloading or unloading the processed substrate from the stage in the required time Tc of the operation for scanning the resist nozzle. time (T _OUT) Duration (Tc + T T _iN + _OUT) of the first treatment cycle, plus one another is coated with the same cycle time, there is a problem of shortening the tact time painter difficult.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems of the prior art, and provides a substrate processing apparatus substrate processing method and substrate processing program which shortens the tact time of a processing operation of supplying or applying a processing liquid onto a processing target substrate in a spinless method. It aims to do it.

It is another object of the present invention to maintain the gap between the substrate and the nozzle at a set value even when the substrate pressure fluctuates and the vacuum pressure for stabilization of the substrate fluctuates in the floating conveying method so that the coating film of the processing liquid is uniform on the substrate. It is providing a substrate processing apparatus substrate processing method and substrate processing program which can be formed in one film thickness.

In order to achieve the above object, the substrate processing apparatus of the present invention includes a stage and a substrate to be processed having a first floating region provided with a plurality of jets for ejecting gas and a plurality of suction ports for sucking gas. In the nozzle for supplying the processing liquid on the substrate having a substrate conveying portion for passing the first floating region in a predetermined conveying direction in a floating state and a nozzle disposed above the first floating region. A process pressure supply unit for discharging the processing liquid, a gap setting unit for setting the gap between the nozzle and the substrate to a desired value, a constant pressure gas supply mechanism for supplying a constant pressure gas to the jet port, and a vacuum pressure to the suction port The pressure mechanism to detect the vacuum mechanism in the vacuum mechanism and the first floating region The gap in accordance with the variation of the vacuum pressure detected by the pressure detector is maintained in the set value unit has a nozzle height position correction control for varying the height position of the nozzle.

In the substrate processing method of the present invention, an import region having a larger size than a substrate to be processed, an application region having a size smaller than the substrate, and an export region having a size larger than the substrate are arranged in this order on the stage. The substrate which floats the substrate by the pressure of the gas ejected from the plurality of ejection openings provided on the upper surface of the stage and installs a plurality of suction ports mixed with the ejection opening on the upper surface of the stage at least in the application region and passes through the application region. It controls the balance between the vertical upward pressure added to the ejection port and the vertical downward pressure added to the suction port with respect to the substrate and gives the substrate almost uniform floating force to convey the substrate from the loading area to the export area. In a nozzle placed upward in the coating area The liquid is discharged to apply the treatment liquid onto the substrate, and the vacuum pressure supplied to the suction port is detected during the coating process, and the vacuum pressure is changed to maintain the gap between the nozzle and the substrate at a set value. The height position of the nozzle is variably controlled.

Moreover, the substrate processing program of this invention carries out the step of conveying a board | substrate to be processed to a predetermined direction in the state which floated the to-be-processed board | substrate to a desired height on the stage provided by mixing many ejection openings and many suction openings on the upper surface, and the said board | substrate conveyed. Discharging the processing liquid from the nozzle upward to detect the pressure of the vacuum supplied to the suction port and the vacuum pressure to maintain a gap between the nozzle and the substrate at a set value. In accordance with the variation of the step of performing a variable control of the height position of the nozzle.

In the present invention, the coating film of the processing liquid is formed on the substrate by receiving the supply of the processing liquid discharged from the nozzle while the substrate passes through the first floating region (coating region) of the stage. During the coating process, if the pressure (vacuum) of the vacuum supplied to the suction port on the upper surface of the stage is changed in order to stabilize the substrate floating force with high accuracy, the balance between the vertically upward pressure and the vertically downward pressure on the substrate is broken. It shakes up and down. According to the present invention, the nozzle is shaken up and down equally at the same timing as the substrate shakes up and down due to the fluctuation of the vacuum pressure, so that the gap between the nozzle and the substrate is kept at a set value stably so that there is no coating unevenness on the substrate. A resist coating film can be formed. Moreover, the operation | movement which carries out a processed board | substrate out of a stage on the downstream side (export area | region) with a 1st floating area | interval intervenes, and the new board | substrate which receives next process on an upstream side (import area | region) is carried in on a stage Since the operation can be performed independently or in parallel, the tact time can be shortened.

According to a very suitable type of the present invention, the nozzle height position correcting unit supports the nozzle to move the nozzle in the vertical direction, and the piezoelectric actuator assembled to the nozzle support to displace only the desired displacement amount within the predetermined range in the vertical direction. It has a nozzle displacement control part which transmits a control signal according to the pressure detection signal output from a pressure detection part to the said piezoelectric actuator. In the related configuration, by giving a control signal to the piezoelectric actuator assembled in the nozzle support, the displacement generated by the piezoelectric actuator by the reverse piezoelectric effect can be efficiently transmitted to the nozzle via the nozzle support.

According to one more suitable type, the nozzle displacement control unit comprises: a first filter for extracting an AC component from a pressure detection signal to generate the control signal; a second filter for removing a high frequency component of a predetermined frequency or more from the AC component of the pressure detection signal; Filter of; A delay circuit for delaying the AC component of the pressure detection signal only a predetermined time or phase and / or an amplifying circuit for amplifying the AC component of the pressure detection signal with a predetermined gain. In the related arrangement, the filter characteristic delay characteristic gain characteristic may be set or adjusted so that the displacement of the nozzle is equal to or approximate with the displacement of the substrate in time or quantity with respect to the variation in the vacuum pressure.

According to one kind that is very suitable, the nozzle may have a discharge hole having a fine diameter extending in the horizontal direction crossing (for example, orthogonal to) the conveying direction, or the gap setting unit may have a nozzle raising and lowering portion for raising and lowering the nozzle.

Moreover, the structure which has the flotation control part which controls the balance of the vertical upward pressure added at a blower outlet and the vertical downward pressure added at a suction port with respect to the board | substrate which passes through a 1st floating area | region is also preferable.

In a very suitable type, a second floating area for floating the substrate upstream of the first floating area in the conveying direction of the stage is provided, and a carrying-in portion for carrying the substrate into the second floating area is provided. This carry-in section is provided with a plurality of first lift pins and their first lift pins for supporting the substrate at the leading end of the stage at an entry position on the stage. It has a 1st lift pin lifting part which raises and lowers between them.

According to a very suitable type, a third floating area for floating the substrate on the downstream side of the first floating area in the conveying direction of the stage is provided, and a carrying out portion for carrying out the substrate is provided in the third floating area. . The carry-out portion is provided with a plurality of second lift pins and a plurality of second lift pins for supporting the substrate at the leading end of the stage at an entry position on the stage, with the original position below the stage and the mounting position above the stage. It has a 2nd lift pin lifting part which raises and lowers between them.

According to a very suitable type, a fourth floating area for floating the substrate is provided between the second area and the first area in the conveying direction of the stage, and a suction port for sucking gas in the fourth floating area is provided. Many are arranged with a density gradually increasing toward a conveyance direction. According to this configuration, the substrate floating altitude can be smoothly transferred between the second region (loading region) and the first region (application region). In addition, a fifth floating area for floating the substrate is provided between the first area (application area) and the third area (export area) in the conveying direction of the stage, and the gas is sucked into the fifth floating area. A plurality of suction ports are arranged at a density gradually decreasing toward the conveying direction. According to this configuration, the substrate floating altitude can be smoothly transferred between the first region (application region) and the third region (export region).

According to one of the most suitable types, a guide rail disposed on one side or both sides of the stage so as to extend in parallel with the moving direction of the substrate, a slider movable along the guide rail, and a slider moving the slider along the guide rail It has a holding | maintenance part which extends toward a center part of a stage from a conveyance drive part and a slider, and detachably holds the side peripheral part of a board | substrate.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The following describes a very suitable embodiment of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 shows a coating and developing processing system as an example of the structure to which the substrate processing apparatus substrate processing method and substrate processing program of the present invention are applicable. This coating and developing processing system is installed in a clean room, for example, an LCD substrate is used as a substrate to be processed, and is cleaned in a port lithography process in the LCD manufacturing process; Resist application; Each process of prebaking development and postbaking is performed. Exposure processing is performed by an external exposure apparatus (not shown) provided adjacent to this system.

This coating and developing treatment system is roughly divided into a cassette station (C / S, 10), a process station (P / S, 12), and an interface unit (I / F, 14).

The cassette station C / S 10 provided at one end of the system includes a cassette stage 16 and a cassette stage 16 capable of arranging a predetermined number of cassettes C for accommodating a plurality of substrates G, for example, up to four. Entry and exit of the substrate G with respect to the carrying path 17 provided on the side of the 16 and parallel to the arrangement direction of the cassette C and the cassette C on the stage 16 freely moveable on the carrying path 17. The conveyance mechanism 20 which implements is provided. This conveyance mechanism 20 has a means which can hold | maintain the board | substrate G, for example, a conveyance arm, X; Y; Z; It is operable by the 4-axis of (theta), and the conveyance apparatus 38 and the board | substrate G of the process station P / S and 112 side mentioned later are able to be carried out.

The process station P / S, 12 sequentially rotates the cleaning process unit 22, the application process unit 24, and the development process unit 26 from the cassette station C / S, 10 side to the substrate relay unit 23. ; The chemical liquid supply unit 25 and the space 27 are interposed (interposed) in a horizontal line.

The cleaning process unit 22 includes two scrubber cleaning units (SCR, 28), two upper and lower UV irradiation / cooling units (UV / COL, 30), heating units (HP, 32), and cooling units (COL, 34). It includes.

The coating process section 24 includes a spinless resist coating unit (CT, 40), a reduced pressure drying unit (VD, 42), a two-stage upper and lower two stage adhi / cooling unit (AD / COL, 46), and a two-stage upper / lower heating type. It includes a cooling unit (HP / COL, 48) and a heating unit (HP, 50).

The developing process section 26 includes three developing units (DEV, 52), two upper and lower two-stage heating / cooling units (HP / COL, 53) and heating units (HP, 55).

In the center of each of the process sections 22, 24, and 26, conveying paths 36, 51, 58 are provided in the long direction, and conveying apparatuses 38, 54, 60 are respectively conveyed paths 36. It moves along (51) (58), and accesses each unit in each process part, and carries in / out of a board | substrate G, or conveys it. In this system, a unit (SCR; CT; DEV, etc.) of a liquid treatment system is disposed on one side of the conveyance paths 36, 51, 58 in each process unit 22, 24, 26. On the other side, a heat treatment unit (HP; COL, etc.) is disposed.

The interface portion (I / F) 14 provided at the other end of the system is provided with an extension (substrate 56) and a buffer stage 57 on the side adjacent to the process station 12 and adjacent to the exposure apparatus. The conveyance mechanism 59 is provided in this. The conveyance mechanism 59 is free to move on the conveyance path 19 extending in the Y-direction, and inputs and outputs the substrate G with respect to the buffer stage 57, as well as an extension apparatus (substrate receiving portion 56) and a nearby exposure apparatus. And the substrate G are carried out.

2 shows a procedure of the treatment in this coating and developing treatment system. First, in the cassette station C / S, 10, the conveyance mechanism 20 takes out one substrate G in a predetermined cassette C on the stage 16 and cleans the process of the process station P / S, 12. It passes to the conveying apparatus 38 of the part 22 (step S1).

In the cleaning process section 22, the substrate G is first brought into the ultraviolet irradiation / cooling unit (UV / COL) 30 in turn, and the first ultraviolet irradiation unit (UV) is subjected to dry cleaning by ultraviolet irradiation, and then In the cooling unit COL, it cools to predetermined temperature (step S2). In this ultraviolet cleaning, the organic substance of the surface of a board | substrate is mainly removed.

Subsequently, the substrate G is subjected to a scrubbing cleaning process with one of the scrubber cleaning units SCR 28 to remove particulate dirt from the substrate surface (step S3). After the scrubbing cleaning, the substrate G is subjected to a dehydration process by heating in the heating unit HP 32 (step S4), and then cooled to a constant substrate temperature in the cooling unit COL 34 (step S5). The pretreatment in the washing | cleaning process part 22 is complete | finished by this, and the board | substrate G is conveyed to the application | coating process part 24 via the board | substrate receiving part 23 by the conveying apparatus 38. As shown in FIG.

In the application | coating process part 24, the board | substrate G is first carried in to the adhi- sion / cooling unit (AD / COL) 46 one by one, and receives the hydrophobization process (HMDS) in the first ad-history unit AD (step S6). The next cooling unit COL is cooled to a constant substrate temperature (step S7).

Subsequently, the substrate G is coated with the resist liquid by the resist method in the resist coating units CT, 40, and then subjected to a drying process under reduced pressure by the vacuum drying units VD, 42 (step S8).

Subsequently, the substrate G is brought into the heating / cooling unit (HP / COL) 48 one after another, and then applied and baked (prebaked) in the first heating unit HP (step S9), and then the cooling unit COL. To a constant substrate temperature (step S10). It is also possible to use a heating unit (HP, 50) for baking after this coating.

The substrate G after the coating treatment is conveyed to the interface unit I / F, 14 by the conveying device 54 of the coating process part 24 and the conveying device 60 of the developing process part 26, and therefrom. It is conveyed to an exposure apparatus (step S11). In the exposure apparatus, a predetermined circuit pattern is exposed to the resist on the substrate G. And the board | substrate G which finished pattern exposure is returned to the interface part I / F, 14 from an exposure apparatus. The conveyance mechanism 59 of the interface portion I / F, 14 passes the substrate G received from the exposure apparatus to the developing process portion 26 of the process station P / S, 12 via the extension 56. (Step S11).

In the developing process part 26, the board | substrate G is subjected to the developing process by either one of the developing units DEV, 52 (step S12), and then to one of the heating / cooling units HP / COL 53. It is carried in one by one and post-baked in the first heating unit HP (step S13), and then cooled by the cooling unit COL to the constant substrate temperature (step S14). The heating unit (HP, 55) can also be used for this postbaking.

The substrate G which has been subjected to a series of processing in the developing process section 26 is transferred to the cassette station C / S 10 by the transfer devices 60, 54, 38 in the process station P / S 12. It returns to and is accommodated in one cassette C either by the conveyance mechanism 20 there (step S1).

In the coating and developing treatment system, the present invention can be applied to, for example, the resist coating units CT and 40 of the coating process unit 24. 3 to 19, one embodiment to which the present invention is applied to the resist coating units CT and 40 will be described.

3 shows the overall configuration of the resist coating unit CT 40 and the vacuum drying unit VD 42 in this embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 3, the resist application | coating unit (CT, 40) and the pressure reduction drying unit (VD, 42) are arrange | positioned horizontally in the X direction on the support stand or the support frame 70. As shown in FIG. The new substrate G to be subjected to the coating treatment is carried into the resist coating units CT, 40 as indicated by the arrow FA by the conveying apparatus 54 (FIG. 1) on the conveying path 51 side. The substrate G, which has been coated with the resist coating units CT, 40, is indicated by the arrow Fs by the transfer arm 74 which is movable in the X direction guided by the guide rail 72 on the support 70. Are sent to the vacuum drying unit (VD, 42). The board | substrate G which completed the drying process by the pressure reduction drying unit VD and 42 is taken as shown by the arrow Fc by the conveying apparatus 54 of FIG.

 The resist coating units CT, 40 have a stage 76 extending in the X-direction and are elongated disposed on the stage 76 while the substrate G is flown in parallel in the same direction on the stage 76. The resist nozzle 78 is configured to supply a resist liquid onto the substrate G and form a resist coating film having a predetermined film thickness on the upper surface (to-be-processed surface) of the substrate by the spinless method. The configuration and operation of the respective parts in the unit CT 40 will be described later.

The vacuum drying unit (VD) 42 has an upper surface of which is opened. A lower chamber 80 of a tray or a bottom container type and a lid-shaped upper chamber configured to be hermetically adhered or fitted to an upper surface of the lower chamber 80. Not shown). The lower chamber 80 has a substantially rectangular shape, and a stage 82 for horizontally mounting and supporting the substrate G is disposed at the center thereof, and an exhaust port 83 is provided at the square of the bottom surface. Each exhaust port 83 is connected to a vacuum pump (not shown) via an exhaust pipe (not shown). The closed processing space in both chambers can be reduced to a predetermined degree of vacuum by the vacuum pump while the upper chamber is covered by the lower chamber 80.

4 and 5 show a more detailed overall structure in the resist coating unit (CT, 40) in one embodiment of the present invention.

In the resist coating units CT and 40 of this embodiment, the stage 76 does not function as a mounting base for holding and holding the substrate G as in the prior art, but the substrate G is floated in the air by the force of air pressure. It serves as a substrate float for. And the board | substrate conveyance part 84 of the linear motion type arrange | positioned at the both sides of the stage 76 hold | maintains detachable both sides peripheral parts of the board | substrate G which floats on the stage 76, respectively, and the stage longitudinal direction X Direction) to convey the substrate G.

In detail, the stage 76 is divided into _five regions M ', M2, M3, M', M5 in its long direction (X direction) (Fig. 5). The area M 'at the left end is a loading area, and the new substrate G to be subjected to the coating process is carried in at a predetermined position in this area M'. In order to receive the board | substrate G from the conveyance arm of the conveying apparatus 54 (FIG. 1), and to load it on the stage 76, the loading area M 'raises and lowers between the original position of a stage lower stage, and the mounting position of a stage upper side. Movable lift pins 86 are provided with a plurality of lines (for example, four) at predetermined intervals. These lift pins 86 are driven up and down by a lift pin lift unit 85 (FIG. 17) for carrying in, for example, using an air cylinder (not shown) as a drive source.

This carry-in area | region M 영역 is also the area | region where the conveyance of a floating type board | substrate is started, and pressurized air of high pressure or static pressure is applied to the upper surface of the stage in this area | region in order to float the board | substrate G to a desired floating height position or floating altitude Ha. Many ejection openings 88 are provided at a constant density. Here, the floating height Ha of the board | substrate G seen from the upper surface of the stage 76 in the loading area M 'does not require high precision, for example, What is necessary is just to keep it in the range of 100-150 micrometers. Moreover, it is preferable that the size of the carry-in area | region M 'in the conveyance direction (X direction) exceeds the size of the board | substrate G. Moreover, the alignment part (not shown) for aligning the board | substrate G on the stage 76 is also provided in loading area M '.

The region M3, which is set to the center of the stage 76, is a resist liquid supply region or an application region, and the substrate G is formed from the resist liquid 78 from the upper resist nozzle 78 at a predetermined position when passing through the region M3. Receive the supply of R). On the upper surface of the stage of this coating area M₃, for example, a blow-out port for blowing compressed air of high pressure or static pressure in order to float the substrate G to a desired floating altitude H _{b in an} arrangement or distribution pattern as shown in FIG. 6. A large number of the 88 and the suction port 90 that sucks in air at a negative pressure are provided at a constant density.

The jetting port 88 of the positive pressure and the suction port 90 of the negative pressure are mixed here because the floating altitude H _b is maintained at a set value (for example, 50 μm) with high accuracy. That is, the floating height H _b in the application region M3 defines the gap S (for example, 100 μm) between the nozzle lower end (discharge port) and the substrate upper surface (to-be-processed surface). This gap S is an important parameter that influences the resist coating film and resist consumption and needs to be kept constant with high precision. In this embodiment, the portion passing through the application region M3 of the substrate G is vertically lowered by the negative pressure suction force at the suction port 90 while adding a vertical upward force by the compressed air from the jet port 88. By controlling the balance of the combined pressure in both directions by adding the force of, the floating altitude Hb for application is kept at the set value (50 μm). For this floating altitude control, a feedback control mechanism including an altitude detection sensor (not shown) that detects the height position of the substrate G may be provided. In addition, the size of the application area | region M3 in a conveyance direction (X direction) should just be enough to be able to form the narrow gap S mentioned above just below the resist nozzle 78 in stability, and usually It may be smaller than the size of the substrate G, for example 1/3 to 1/4.

The intermediate region M2, which is set between the carry-in region M 도포 and the application region M₃, sets the floating height position of the substrate G during the conveyance from the lift height Ha in the carry-in region M₁ (100 to 150 m). It is a transition area for changing or transitioning to the floating height (H _b , 50 µm) in the application area M3. Even in this transition region M2, the ejection opening 88 and the suction opening 90 are mixed and arranged on the upper surface of the stage 76. However, the density of the suction port 90 is gradually increased along the conveyance direction, whereby the floating height of the substrate G gradually moves from (H _a ) to (H _b ) during conveyance.

Coating region (M₃) downstream of the area near (M₄) is injured height (H _c) for export from injury height (H _b, 50μm) for applying a flying height position of the substrate (G) in the conveying of the (e. For example, it is a transition area to change from 100 to 150 μm). On the stage upper surface of this transition area | region M ', the injection port 88 and the suction port 90 are mixed and arrange | positioned by the above-mentioned upstream transition area | region M2 in a conveyance direction in a symmetrical distribution pattern.

The region M _{5 at} the downstream end (right end) of the stage 76 is an unloading area. The substrate G subjected to the coating treatment by the resist coating unit CT, 40 has a reduced pressure drying unit VD near the downstream side by the transfer arm 74 (FIG. 3) from a predetermined position or an ejecting position in this carrying out area M5. , 42; FIG. 3). This carrying out area M ₅ has a configuration that is spatially symmetrical with the above-mentioned carrying in area M ′, in order to unload the substrate G from the stage 76 and receive it to the transfer arm 74 (FIG. 3). A plurality of lift pins 92 capable of lifting and lowering are provided between the home position at the bottom of the stage and the travel position at the top of the stage at predetermined intervals, and at the same time, a plurality of lines (for example, four) are installed. Many ejection openings 88 for floating on H _c ) are provided on the stage upper surface with a constant density. The lift pin 92 is driven up and down by a lift pin lifter 91 (FIG. 17) for carrying out, for example, using an air cylinder (not shown) as a drive source.

The resist nozzle 78 has a long nozzle body which is included in the resist liquid supply portion and extends in the Y direction to a length that can cover the substrate G on the stage 76 from one end to the other end, and has a resist liquid supply source 93 (FIG. It is connected to the resist liquid supply pipe 94 (FIG. 4) from 17). The configuration and action of the nozzle elevating mechanism 75 and the nozzle height position correcting portion 77 (FIG. 3; FIG. 13; FIG. 14; FIG. 17) will be described later in detail.

4; As shown in FIG. 7 and FIG. 8, the substrate transfer part 84 has an axial direction X on each guide rail 96 and a pair of guide rails 96 arranged parallel to the left and right sides of the stage 76. Direction and the conveyance drive part 100 which moves the slider 98 straight on each guide rail 96, and the slider 98 extended so that it may move toward the center part of the stage 76. It has the holding part 102 which hold | maintains detachably the left and right both peripheral parts of (G), respectively.

The conveyance drive part 100 is comprised by the linear drive mechanism here, for example, a linear motor. In addition, the holding part 102 supports the adsorption pad 104 which is coupled to the lower surface of the left and right peripheral parts of the substrate G by vacuum suction force, and the adsorption pad 104 at the tip, and the proximal end of the slider 98 side as a point. Each of the spring supporting pads 106 is elastically deformable so as to change the height position of the tip portion. The suction pads 104 are arranged in a row at a constant pitch so that the pad support portion 106 independently supports each suction pad 104. Thereby, the individual adsorption pad 104 and the pad support part 106 can hold | maintain the board | substrate G stably in independent height position (even in another height position).

As shown in FIG.7 and FIG.8, the pad support part 106 in this embodiment is attached to the plate-shaped pad lifting member 108 mounted so that the inner side of the slider 98 can be elevated. The pad actuator 109 (FIG. 17) formed from, for example, an air cylinder (not shown) mounted on the slider 98 causes the pad raising and lowering member 108 to be lower than the lift height position of the substrate G (retraction position). ) Is moved up and down between the mounting position (coupling position) corresponding to the floating height position of the substrate G.

As shown in FIG. 9, each suction pad 104 is provided with the some suction port 112 in the upper surface of the pad main body 110 of a rectangular parallelepiped shape, for example. These suction ports 112 are slit-shaped long holes, but may be circular or square small holes. A strip-shaped vacuum tube 114 made of, for example, synthetic rubber is connected to the suction pad 104. The conduits 116 of these vacuum tubes 114 communicate with the vacuum source of the pad adsorption control section 115 (FIG. 7), respectively.

The pad adsorption control unit 115 (FIG. 17) connects the conduit 116 (FIG. 9) of the vacuum tube 114 to a compressed air source (not shown) via a switching plate (not shown). Is separated from the side periphery of the substrate G, the switching plate is switched to the compressed air source side to supply the compressed air of the constant pressure or the high pressure to the suction pad 104.

In the holding part 102, as shown in FIG. 4, the structure of the separated type | mold or completely independent type which isolate | separates the one side row vacuum suction pad 104 and the pad support part 106 from each set is preferable. However, as shown in Fig. 10, a single piece of spring for which the notch portion 118 is provided to form a one-sided row of pad support portions 120 and a one-sided one-sided vacuum suction pad 104 can also be formed. Do.

As described above, a plurality of jet holes 88 are provided on the upper surface of the stage 76. In this embodiment, the blowing flow rate of the air is individually and automatically changed to each jet port 88 belonging to the carry-in area M 반 and the carry-out area M ₅ of the stage 76 in a relative positional relationship with the substrate G. The blowing control part 122 is provided in the inside of the stage 76 in the form of a flow switching valve.

11 shows the configuration of the jet controller 122 according to one embodiment. The jet controller 122 has a valve chamber 124 having a spherical wall surface formed inside the stage 76 and a spherical valve body 126 provided to be movable within the valve chamber 124. At the apex and the bottom of the valve chamber 124, an outlet 124a and an inlet 124b which face each other in the vertical direction are formed, respectively. The outlet 124a is connected to the ejection opening 88 corresponding to the ejection control section 122. The inlet 124b is in communication with the compressed air supply path 128 running under the stage 76.

12 shows an example of a piping pattern of the compressed air supply path 128 in the stage 76. For example, compressed air from a compressed air source (not shown) such as pressure flows into the outer pipe 130 and is introduced into the compressed air inlet 132 in the stage 76. Compressed air introduced into the compressed air introduction portion 132 is distributed therein to a number of compressed air supply paths 128 which are enclosed within the stage 76.

In FIG. 11, the periphery of the outlet 124a of the valve chamber 124 constitutes a valve lock. In the valve lock, a plurality of grooves 124c extending radially from the outlet 124a are formed at predetermined intervals (for example, 90 ° intervals) in the circumferential direction. As a result, even if the valve main body 126 is in close contact with or seated on the valve lock to block the outlet 124a, the compressed air leaks from the valve chamber 124 to the jet port 88 side through the groove portion 124c. The valve body 126 is, for example, a resin sphere having a diameter one or two weeks smaller than the inner diameter of the valve chamber 124, and a vertical upward force according to the air pressure on the inlet 124b side in the lower half of the spherical surface (( PU)) and a vertical downward force (reaction, P _D ) according to the air pressure on the outlet 124a side in the upper half of the sphere. In addition, gravity ( _PG , constant value) corresponding to the mass always acts vertically downward on the valve body 126. The valve body 126 changes the position (height position) in the vertical direction in the valve chamber 124 according to the difference between the vertical upward force P _U and the vertical downward force P _D + P _{G as} described above. .

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 11, in the ejection control part 122 just under the said ejection opening 88, according to whether or not the board | substrate G exists above each ejection opening 88, the valve main body in the valve chamber 124 ( Either the first position in which the height position of 126 is in close contact with the valve lock on the outlet 124a side, or the second position in which the height position is separated from the valve lock and floated in the valve chamber 124. It is supposed to be replaced.

That is, when there is a substrate G above each ejection outlet 88 (strictly at an approach distance of less than or equal to the set injury height H _a ), the reaction is from or near the ejection outlet 88 in response to the substrate G. The air pressure near the outlet 124a of the lower valve chamber 124 is increased so that the vertical downward force (especially P _D ) acting on the valve body 126 exceeds the vertical upward force P _U and the whistle or slightly above it. Increase to a degree and the valve body 126 is separated from the valve lock on the outlet 124a side. As a result, the outlet 124a is opened, and the compressed air introduced into the valve chamber 124 at the inlet 124b exits the outlet 124a at a large flow rate and blows out of the jet port 88.

A plurality of blow holes 88 formed on the upper surface of the stage 76 as described above, and a compressed air supply mechanism 134 (compressed air source) for supplying them with compressed air for generating a floating force; External piping 130; Compressed air supply path 128; Blow-out control part 122, etc.) and suction port 90 formed in the region M2 (M₃) (M₄) of stage 76 mixed with blow-out port 88, and a blow mechanism for supplying vacuum pressure to them ( 136) or the like by importing region (M₁) and out area (M ₅₎ in the portion to a height effective to the desired substrate (G) and the coating zone (M₃) in for floating the substrate (G) to set the height position with a high precision The stage substrate floating part 138 (FIG. 17) is comprised.

Nozzle raising and lowering mechanism 75 in FIG. 13; The structure of the nozzle height position correction part 77 and the blow mechanism 136 is shown. The nozzle elevating mechanism 75 is provided with a door-shaped support 140 constructed to pass over the application area M₃ in a direction (Y-direction) orthogonal to the conveying direction (X direction) and a vertical linear motion mounted to the door-shaped support 140. It has a mechanism 142 and the joint part 146 which couples the movable body (lift body) of this vertical linear motion mechanism 142, for example, the horizontal rod 144, and the resist nozzle 78. As shown in FIG. Here, the driving unit of the linear motion mechanism 142 is, for example, an electric motor 148; Ball screw 150, guide member 152, and the like. In addition, the joint portion 146 has an angular cylindrical joint member 156 and an upper end joined to the joint member 156 through the piezoelectric actuator 154 of the nozzle height position correcting portion 77 on the upper surface of the horizontal rod 144. The lower end is comprised by the vertical rod 158 connected to the resist nozzle 78. The rotational force of the electric motor 148 is converted into linear motion in the vertical direction by the ball screw mechanisms 150, 152 and 144 so that the joint 146 and the nozzle 78 are integral with the horizontal bar 144 of the lifting body. It moves up and down in the vertical direction. The lifting amount and height position of the resist nozzle 78 can be arbitrarily controlled by the rotation amount and rotation stop position of the electric motor 148.

The propulsion mechanism 136 includes a plurality of upper moneyholds 159 connected to the suction port 90 by a plurality of regions divided on the upper surface of the stage 76, and a lower money of a single body connected to the plurality of upper moneyholds 159. And a holding pipe 160 and an exhaust pipe 164 connecting the lower money holder 160 to the vacuum source 162. Vacuum pressure from the vacuum source 162 is exhaust pipe 164; It is supplied to each suction port 90 of the upper surface of the stage 76 via the lower money hold 160 and the upper money hold 159. That is, the air on the upper surface of the stage 76 is sucked into the suction port 90 by the negative pressure suction force, and also the upper money hold 159; It is adapted to be sucked into the vacuum source 162 through the lower money hold 160 and the exhaust pipe 164. Here, each upper money hold 159 is provided below each area of the stage 76 (in the stage), and the lower money hold 160 is provided outside the stage 76. As the vacuum source 162, for example, a blower or a factory exhaust line (fluid) is used.

The pressure sensor 166 is attached to a suitable place in the propulsion mechanism 136, for example, the exhaust pipe 164. The pressure sensor 166 consists of a gauge manometer and measures the vacuum pressure in the exhaust pipe 164 on the basis of atmospheric pressure and outputs an electric signal (pressure detection signal AG) indicating the measured pressure as the gauge pressure. This pressure detection signal AG is transmitted to the control circuit 170 (FIG. 15) of the nozzle height position correction part 77 mentioned later, and also to the controller 180 (FIG. 17) as needed.

15 shows the configuration of a signal processing system in the nozzle height position correction unit 77. The control circuit 170 inputs the pressure detection signal AG from the pressure sensor 166 to control the signal CS for displacing the resist nozzle 78 in the vertical direction in accordance with the variation of the vacuum pressure in the quench mechanism 136. ) And preferably filter circuit 170a; Delay circuit 170b; amplification circuit 170c and the like.

Here, the filter circuit 170a is a small pressure in which the up-down direction of the filter or the substrate G for extracting the alternating current of the pressure detection signal AG corresponding to the variation of the vacuum pressure to be detected is not shaken (displacement). A filter or the like for ignoring (removing) the fluctuation amount (high frequency component) may be included. The delay circuit 170b is provided with a resist nozzle (a) in response to the displacement of the substrate G since there is a constant time delay between the fluctuation of the vacuum pressure in the vacuum mechanism 136 and the displacement of the substrate G corresponding to the pressure variation. The control signal CS is given a predetermined time delay DELTA T (ms) to synchronize the displacement of 78). The amplifying circuit 170c amplifies the control signal CS at an amplification rate or gain so as to match the displacement amount of the resist nozzle 78 with the displacement amount of the substrate G against the variation in the vacuum pressure.

The control signal CS output from the control circuit 170 can be transmitted to the piezoelectric actuator 154 via the driving circuit 172. The piezoelectric element 154a of the piezoelectric actuator 154 is displaced up and down by the reverse piezoelectric effect when the control signal CS is supplied. As shown in FIG. 14A, when the piezoelectric element 154a of the piezoelectric actuator 154 is displaced vertically upward, the resist nozzle 78 is also equally displaced upwardly through the joint member 156 and the vertical rod 158. Only displaces. In addition, as shown in FIG. 14B, when the piezoelectric element 154a of the piezoelectric actuator 154 is displaced vertically downward, only the same displacement amount is perpendicular to the resist nozzle 78 via the joint member 156 and the vertical rod 158. Displace to the bottom.

In FIG. 16, the relationship (an example) between the fluctuation | variation of the vacuum pressure in the holding mechanism 136, and the displacement of the resist nozzle 78 is shown typically. "-P _s " on the longitudinal axis is the set value or reference value of the vacuum pressure (at the measuring point) in the blowing mechanism 136. Filter characteristic delay characteristics in the control circuit 170 such that the displacement of the resist nozzle 78 with respect to the variation in the vacuum pressure as described above coincides or approximates in time and quantitatively with the displacement of the substrate G; Gain characteristics are set or adjusted. When the control circuit 170 is configured as a digital circuit, an A / D converter and a D / A converter are provided at the input terminal and the output terminal, respectively. The controller 180 (FIG. 17) may give various setting values such as filter coefficient delay time amplification factor to the central digital signal processing circuit.

17 shows the configuration of a control system in the resist coating units CT, 40 of this embodiment. The controller 180 is made up of a microcomputer and includes parts of the unit especially the resist liquid supply 93 in the unit; Nozzle elevating mechanism 75; nozzle height position correcting portion 77; A conveying drive unit 100; Pad adsorption control unit 115; Pad actuator 109; Lift pin lift part 85 for carrying in; Lift pin lift part 91 for carrying out; Compressed air supply mechanism 134; The individual operations such as the holding mechanism 136 and the overall operation (sequence) are controlled.

Next, the application | coating process operation in the resist coating unit CT of this embodiment is demonstrated.

The controller 180 puts a resist coating processing program stored in a storage medium such as an optical disk into the main memory and executes the programmed series of coating processing operations.

In the conveying apparatus 54 (FIG. 1), when the unprocessed new board | substrate G is carried in to the loading area M 'of the stage 76, the lift pin 86 receives the said board | substrate G in a mounting position. After the transfer device (54) exit the lift pins 86, the height of the transport the substrate (G) to the lowered position, that is, let down to injury height (H _a, Fig. 5). The alignment portion (not shown) is then operated and the pressing member (not shown) is pushed from all sides against the substrate G in the floating state to position the substrate G on the stage 76. Immediately after the alignment operation, the pad actuator 109 is operated in the substrate transfer section 84 to raise the suction pad 104 from its original position (retracted position) to its mounting position (combined position). The suction pad 104 has been turned on before the vacuum, and the suction pad 104 is engaged with the vacuum suction force with or without contacting the side peripheral portion of the substrate G in the floating state. Immediately after the suction pad 104 engages the side periphery of the substrate G, the alignment portion retracts the pressing member to a predetermined position.

Next, the board | substrate conveyance part 84 moves the slider 98 straight from a conveyance time position to a conveyance direction (X direction) at a relatively high speed with the holding part 102 holding the side peripheral part of the board | substrate G. Let's do it. In this way, the board | substrate G moves straight to a conveyance direction (X direction) in the state which floated on the stage 76, and the board | substrate at the point where the front-end | tip part of the board | substrate G arrived at the set position just below the resist nozzle 78 The conveyance part 84 stops conveyance of the board | substrate of a 1st step. At this time, the nozzle elevating mechanism 75 keeps the resist nozzle 78 at an upper retracted position.

When the substrate G is stopped, the nozzle elevating mechanism 75 operates to lower the resist nozzle 78 vertically downward, and the distance or gap S between the discharge port of the nozzle and the substrate G is set to a set value (for example, The nozzle lowering operation is stopped at the point of 10 μm). The resist liquid supply section then starts discharging the resist liquid toward the upper surface of the substrate G from the resist nozzle 78. At this time, it is preferable to first discharge a small amount of the resist liquid to completely close the gap S between the nozzle discharge port and the substrate G, and then start discharging at a normal flow rate. On the other hand, the board | substrate conveyance part 84 starts the board | substrate conveyance of a 2nd step. This second step, that is, substrate transfer at the time of coating, is performed at a relatively low constant speed. In this way, in the coating area M₃, the substrate G moves at a constant speed in the transport direction (X direction) in a horizontal posture, and at the same time, the long resist nozzle 78 moves the resist toward the substrate G immediately below. By discharging the liquid R in a band at a constant flow rate, the coating film RM of the resist liquid is formed from the front end side to the rear end side of the substrate G.

At least in the application region M₃, the compressed air supply mechanism 134 and the blow mechanism 136 are operated so as to stably supply the constant pressure and the negative pressure of the set reference to the spout 88 and the suction port 90 at all times, and the controller 180 The pressure of the vertical upward pressure added at the ejection opening 88 and the vertical downward pressure added at the suction opening 90 are balanced with respect to the substrate G passing through the application region M₃ by the flotation control function of the substrate G. The floating height H _{b of} )) is stably maintained at a significantly higher precision than the floating heights H _a , H _c in other regions, in particular, the import region M₁ and the export region M5. In practice, however, there are many variations (generally vibrations) as shown in FIG. 16 in the vacuum pressure in the quench mechanism 136 due to, for example, mechanical vibrations generated by blowers of a vacuum source. When the variation in the vacuum pressure or the suction force for stabilizing the floating force transmitted to the substrate G passing through the application region M3 occurs, the substrate G is shaken up and down small (usually in an amplitude of several microns or less).

In this embodiment, when a change occurs in the vacuum pressure in the vacuum mechanism 136, the control circuit 170 of the nozzle height position correcting unit 77 detects the change in the vacuum pressure through the pressure sensor 166, and The control signal CS having a constant response characteristic to the variation is generated to drive control the piezoelectric actuator 154 to variably control the height position of the resist nozzle 78 by the physical displacement generated in the piezoelectric actuator 154. . As a result, as shown in FIG. 18, when the substrate G is displaced upward from the set floating height H _b in response to the variation in the vacuum pressure in the vacuum mechanism 136, the same timing as the displacement of the substrate G is achieved. The resist nozzle 78 also displaces only about the same amount of displacement upward, and as a result, the distance gap or gap S between the resist nozzle 78 and the substrate G is maintained at a set value (for example, 100 m). As shown in Fig. 19, when the substrate G is displaced below the set floating height H _b in response to the change in the vacuum pressure in the vacuum mechanism 136, the resist nozzle is at the same timing as the displacement of the substrate G. Only the same displacement amount at the lower part of 78 is displaced, and the distance or gap S between the resist nozzle 78 and the substrate G is also maintained at the set value (100 mu m).

In this way, even when the substrate G is shaken up and down due to fluctuations in the vacuum pressure or the suction force to stabilize the floating force or the floating altitude in the application region M₃ with high accuracy during the coating process, the gap between the resist nozzle 78 and the substrate G is Since the gap S is maintained at the set value (100 μm), the resist liquid R, which comes out of the strip shape at the discharge port of the resist nozzle 78, is applied on the substrate G with a constant expansion characteristic, so that the resist having a uniform film thickness. A coating film can be obtained.

After the above-described application treatment to the application region M₃, i.e., the rear end portion of the substrate G passes directly under the resist nozzle 78, the resist liquid source 93 becomes the resist liquid from the resist nozzle 78. The discharge of (R) is terminated. At the same time, the function of the nozzle height position correction unit 77 stops, and instead, the nozzle elevating mechanism 75 is operated to lift the resist nozzle 78 vertically upward to evacuate the substrate G. On the other hand, the board | substrate conveyance part 84 switches to the board | substrate conveyance of the comparatively large 3rd step of conveyance speed. And when the board | substrate G arrives at the conveyance end point position in the carrying out area M5, the board | substrate conveyance part 84 stops conveyance of the board | substrate of a 3rd step. Immediately after this, the pad adsorption control unit 115 stops supplying the vacuum to the adsorption pad 104, and at the same time, the pad actuator 109 moves the adsorption pad 104 from the traveling position (coupling position) to the home position (retraction position). Lower and separate the adsorption pad 104 from both ends of the substrate G. At this time, the pad adsorption control unit 115 supplies a static pressure (compressed air) to the adsorption pad 104 to expedite separation from the substrate G. Instead, the lift pin 92 ascends from the original position below the stage to the traveling position above the stage in order to unload the substrate G. As shown in FIG.

Thereafter, the ejector, that is, the transfer arm 74, accesses the transport region M5, receives the substrate G from the lift pin 92, and transports it out of the stage 76. The board | substrate conveyance part 84 returns to the loading area M 'by the highway immediately if the board | substrate G was passed to the lift pin 92. FIG. When the processed substrate G is carried out as described above in the carry-out area M ₅ , in the carry-in area M ', the carry-out alignment or the conveyance start is carried out for the new substrate G to receive the coating process next. .

As described above, in this embodiment, the carry-in area M₁ application area | region M3 on the stage 76; A substrate loading operation by separately installing the carrying out regions M ₅ and transferring the substrates to each of these regions in turn; Resist liquid supply operation; The substrate unloading operation is performed independently or in parallel in each region, and thus the time T _IN and the stage (necessary for the operation to be carried on the stage 76 with respect to one substrate G) are performed. 76) out area from the import region (M₁) on the (M ₅₎ treatment by adding the time (the time (T _oUT) that needs to carried out of the Tc) and out area (M ₅₎ that needs to carry one another coating one cycle The tact time can be shorter than the required time (Tc + T _IN + T _OUT ).

In addition, while using the pressure of the gas ejected from the ejection opening 88 provided on the upper surface of the stage 76, the elongated resist nozzle ( In 78), the resist liquid is supplied and applied onto the substrate G, so that the substrate can be efficiently scaled up without difficulty.

And even if the board | substrate G passes through the application area | region M3 of the stage 76, even if a fluctuation | variation changes in the vertical downward pressure (suction force) which is received by the suction port 90, the board | substrate G will move up and down by the fluctuation | variation. At the same timing as the shaking, the resist nozzle 78 was also made to swing up and down equally, so that the gap S between the resist nozzle 78 and the substrate G was kept at a set value stably and the coating was uneven on the substrate G. A resist coating film having no constant film thickness can be formed.

As mentioned above, although the very suitable embodiment of this invention was described, this invention is not limited to the said embodiment, A various deformation | transformation is possible within the scope of the technical idea.

For example, although the holding part 102 of the board | substrate conveyance part 84 in above-mentioned embodiment had the pad 104 of a vacuum adsorption type | mold, the peripheral part of the side of the board | substrate G is mechanically attached (for example, it adhere | attached), for example. ) Pads to hold. In addition, various mechanism configurations can be employed for the mechanism (pad support portion 106; pad lifting portion 108; pad actuator 109) for detachably coupling the pad 104 to the side periphery of the substrate G. have. Moreover, although the board | substrate conveyance part 84 in the said embodiment hold | maintained and conveyed the left and right peripheral parts of the board | substrate G, it is also possible to carry out board | substrate conveyance holding only the one side peripheral part of the board | substrate G.

It is possible to select various installation positions of the pressure sensor 166 in order to detect the vacuum pressure in the vacuum mechanism 136, and for example, to detect the vacuum pressure near the upper money hold 159 in the stage 76. It is possible. In the nozzle height position correcting unit 77, various modifications are possible, such as a circuit configuration of the control circuit 170, a signal processing method, and the like, which displaces the piezoelectric actuator into another small driving actuator (for example, a voice coil actuator). It is also possible.

Although the above embodiment relates to a resist coating apparatus in a coating and developing processing system of LCD manufacture, the present invention can be applied to any processing apparatus or application for supplying a processing liquid onto a substrate to be processed. Therefore, as the processing liquid in the present invention, in addition to the resist liquid, for example, a coating liquid such as an interlayer insulating material, a dielectric material, a wiring material, or the like can be used, and a developing solution, a rinse liquid, or the like can be used. The substrate to be treated 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 glass substrate; A photomask printed board etc. are also possible.

According to the substrate processing apparatus or the substrate processing program of the present invention, the tact time of the processing operation for supplying or applying the processing liquid onto the substrate to be processed in the spinless method by the above-described configuration and operation can be shortened, as well as floating. In the conveyance method, even when the vacuum pressure for the floating force stabilization fluctuates and the substrate shakes up and down, the gap between the substrate and the nozzle can be maintained at a set value, thereby forming a coating film of the processing liquid on the substrate with a uniform film thickness.

Claims (21)

A stage having a first floating region provided with a plurality of jets for blowing gas and a plurality of suction ports for sucking gas; A substrate conveying portion configured to pass the first floating region in a predetermined conveying direction while allowing the substrate to be processed to float on the stage; A processing liquid supply unit having a nozzle disposed above the first floating region and discharging the processing liquid from the nozzle to supply the processing liquid onto the substrate; A gap setting part for setting a gap between the nozzle and the substrate to a desired value; A constant pressure gas supply mechanism for supplying a constant pressure gas to the jet port; A vacuum mechanism for supplying a vacuum pressure to the suction port; A pressure detector for detecting a vacuum pressure in the puffing mechanism; And a nozzle height position corrector for variably controlling the height position of the nozzle in accordance with the variation of the vacuum pressure detected by the pressure detector so that the gap is maintained at the set value in the first floating region. Device. The method according to claim 1, The nozzle height position correction unit, A nozzle support for moving and supporting the nozzle in a vertical direction; A piezoelectric actuator assembled to the nozzle support portion to displace only the desired displacement amount in the vertical direction within the predetermined range; And a nozzle displacement control unit for driving the piezoelectric actuator with a control signal according to a pressure detection signal output from the pressure detection unit. The method according to claim 2, And the nozzle displacement control unit has a first filter for extracting an alternating current component from the pressure detection signal to generate the control signal. The method according to claim 2 or 3, And a second filter for removing the high frequency component of a predetermined frequency or more from the alternating current component of the pressure detection signal in order to generate the control signal. The method according to claim 2 or 3, And a delay circuit for delaying the alternating current component of the pressure detection signal only a predetermined time or phase in order to generate the control signal. The method according to claim 2 or 3, And the amplification circuit for amplifying the alternating current component of the pressure detection signal with a predetermined gain in order to generate the control signal. The method according to any one of claims 1, 2, 3, And the nozzle has a fine diameter discharge port extending in a horizontal direction crossing the conveying direction. The method according to any one of claims 1, 2, 3, And the gap setting portion has a nozzle raising and lowering portion for moving the nozzle up and down. The method according to any one of claims 1, 2, 3, And a flotation control unit for controlling a balance between the vertical upward pressure added at the jet port and the vertical downward pressure added at the suction port with respect to the substrate passing through the first floating region. The method according to any one of claims 1, 2, 3, And the stage has a second floating region for floating the substrate on an upstream side of the first floating region in the conveying direction. The method according to claim 10, The carrying-out part for carrying in the said board | substrate is provided in the said 2nd floating area | region. The method according to claim 11, The import part, A plurality of first lift pins in a plurality of lines for supporting the substrate at the tip end in the carry-on position on the stage; And a first lift pin lifting unit for moving the first lift pin up and down between the home position below the stage and the travel position above the stage. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, 11 to 12, And the stage has a third floating region for floating the substrate on the downstream side of the first floating region in the conveying direction. The method according to claim 13, The carrying-out part for carrying out the said board | substrate is provided in the said 3rd floating area | region. The method according to claim 14, A plurality of lines of second lift pins for supporting the substrate to the pin tip at the loading position on the stage; And a second lift pin lifter for moving the second lift pin up and down between the home position below the stage and the travel position above the stage. The method according to claim 10, A density in which the stage has a fourth floating area for floating the substrate between the second area and the first area and gradually increases the suction port for sucking gas in the fourth floating area toward the conveying direction; The substrate processing apparatus characterized by the above-mentioned. The method according to claim 14 or 15, The stage has a fifth floating area for floating the substrate between the first area and the third area and gradually reduces the suction port for sucking gas in the fifth floating area toward the conveying direction; The substrate processing apparatus characterized by the large number arranged at a density. The method according to claim 14 or 15, The substrate transfer unit, A guide rail disposed on one side or both sides of the stage to extend in parallel with the direction in which the substrate moves; A slider movable along the guide rail, A conveying drive unit which drives the slider to move along the guide rail; And a holding portion extending from the slider toward the center of the stage and detachably holding the side peripheral portion of the substrate. A carrying-in area having a size larger than the substrate to be processed, an application area having a smaller size than the substrate and a carrying-out area having a size larger than the substrate are set in this order along the conveying direction on the stage, The substrate is floated by the pressure of the gas ejected from the plurality of ejection openings provided on the upper surface of the stage, and at least the suction region is provided with a plurality of suction ports mixed with the ejection opening on the upper surface of the stage and passes through the application region. To control the balance between the vertically upward pressure added at the jet port and the vertical downward pressure added at the suction port with respect to the substrate to convey an almost uniform floating force to the substrate, During the conveyance of the substrate from the carrying in region to the carrying out region, the processing liquid is discharged from the nozzle disposed above in the coating region to apply the processing liquid onto the substrate A substrate characterized in that the height position of the nozzle is variably controlled in accordance with the variation of the vacuum pressure so as to detect the pressure of the vacuum supplied to the suction port during the coating process and to maintain the gap between the nozzle and the substrate at a set value. Treatment method. According to claim 19, And giving a driving signal to the piezoelectric body mechanically coupled to the nozzle according to the change of the vacuum pressure to variably control the height position of the nozzle using the reverse piezoelectric effect of the piezoelectric body. The method of claim 20, And a predetermined time delay in the drive signal with respect to the change in the vacuum pressure.

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